Enamored //joshler [✔️]

25. birthday

2890 words

it's too early in the morning for tyler's liking, but birthday boys aren't allowed to sleep in, apparently. he and josh got back to campus late last night and went to bed even later, and the lack of sleep is sitting heavy in tyler's stomach. slightly queasy from exhaustion, he grumbles in protest as josh lifts him from bed and tucks him against his chest.

"tired."

"you'll power through, my love. we have an entire day of birthday fun ahead of us."

josh is too cheery for having gotten even less sleep than tyler. he had felt josh slip out of bed probably an hour ago or so, mumbling something along the lines of go back to sleep, i'll be back soon. tyler was barely conscious enough to even register his departure. he just patted around the bed to find pablo, tucked him against his chest, and fell right back asleep.

"too tired f'r my birthday," tyler whines, burying his nose into josh's throat and breathing in his familiar scent.

"that'll change," josh assures.

he pats tyler's back the entire time it takes to carry him downstairs, nearly lulling him back to sleep. just as tyler's about to surrender to the exhaustion pulling down his eyelids, an eruption of party horns jolts him awake. ashley, ryan, and brendon all greet him with wide smiles, party hats strapped to their heads. only then does tyler realize josh is also wearing one.

"happy birthday!" the four of them shout in unison. tyler's lips curl into a weak smile.

"tired," he responds, dropping his head back down to rest on josh's shoulder.

"aww, the birthday boy is tired." ashley coos, running her palm over tyler's messy hair.

"we've got too much planned for you to be all tired on us." brendon pokes his side, earning a soft giggle.

"i'm sure he'll change his mind about being tired in a second," ryan chimes in.

"hm?" tyler hums, his curiosity piqued.

"look," josh says, shifting him in his arms to face towards the living room. the room is decorated in colorful streamers and balloons with all too familiar cartoon dogs. presents are piled onto the coffee table, but tyler is more excited to see the room full of bluey characters.

"oh my gosh," he whispers, looking around the room in awe.

josh carefully sets him down, giving tyler the freedom to wander around the room, gawking at and touching everything hanging from the ceiling and stuck to the walls. his friends watch with pleasant smiles, letting him do a few circles around the room before ashley finally speaks up.

"what do you think? you like it?"

"love it," tyler says simply, wishing he could better communicate exactly how giddy he feels but struggling to find the words. "thank you."

he pulls each of them in for an individual hug, cheeks already sore from how wide he's smiling. josh keeps his arms wrapped around him, pressing a kiss against the top of his head. it's not hard to tell what kind of headspace tyler is in.

"feeling small, honey?"

"mhm," tyler admits, frowning. "s'okay?"

"of course." josh ruffles his unkept hair before soothing a hand through the messy locks, taming them only slightly.

"we figured you would be," ryan admits.

"plus, it's your day. tyler's day. tyler can be however small or big he wants to be on his special day," ashley adds.