midnight man (joshler)

chapter four/kids not actually a superhero

ive updated online 3 times today im on the BALL rn not genitalia balls but the metaphorical ball of LIFE not like BALL IS LIFE but like im on a ROLL ok i am on TOP not top like i top in homosexual relationships bc im honestly 5'4" & im straight

chapter four/kids not actually a superhero

"you realize it is eleven fifty-nine p.m. and tyler isn't just going to come marching through the door as soon as it hits twelve, right?" mark scoffs as he watches me flip anxiously through a magazine.

i'm not actually reading it. i'm way too excited to see tyler to really read anything. the words blow past me in a haze, and i can't focus on any of them long enough.

"he has every other night," i grit my teeth, glancing at the clock for the billionth time.

"okay, but look the kids not actually a superhero he can't just waltz in perfectly at the moment the clock strikes twelve."

"or, 'he' can," tyler's voice is dripping with amusement, and i almost jump because he's now leaning on the counter - a place he definitely was not 2 seconds ago.

i throw a smug grin at mark, who's face is displaying nothing but shock. i try to push down my own amazement as i ring up his soda can.

"okay, tyler," mark narrows his eyes. "what's your super power then, teleportation?"

"actually it appears it's showing up at the exact tick of midnight," he shrugs.

"what do you do? hang outside like some kind of creep, ready to barge in-"

"mark, leave him alone," i snap.

mark holds his hands up in surrender, and retreats back to the storeroom. he leaves tyler and i suspended in a delicate silence, full of propositions and prohibitions. there are so many question i want to ask about him, but know would be crossing the line between him and i. i hope he'll ask me for a ride again, or maybe to join him on a walk. or, even though it's bit of a stretch, perhaps he'll invite me to his house.

"josh?" he asks suddenly.

his voice knocks the breath out of me and i cringe at the way my voice sounds when i ask, "yeah?"

"are you going to hand me my soda back?"

"i- uh yeah, h-here you go," i stammer, quickly handing him his soda.

"thanks," he nods and hands me three dollars, exact change.

i nod, smiling once as i place the money in the register. he turns and walks away then, and i feel my heart sink. i turn back to my magazine, realizing he is not going to ask me fore a ride.

i listen for the noise of the door opening, the small jingle of the bell, but i don't hear it. i glance up to find him turned towards me once again.

"i know you're wondering why i'm not asking you to drive me anywhere, and believe me i want to, but if you do special things too often they're not special anymore," he explains.

before i know it, i'm leaping over the counter and telling him we don't have to drive.

"and what else would we do?" he smiles, humored.

"we walk," i shrug, flipping the sign in the window and grabbing my jacket.

he smiles at me, and holds the door open for me. i smirk, bowing a little just to be funny. it's not that funny.

"what makes you think i want to walk at twelve in the morning?"

"what makes you think i care about your wants?"

"touché, josh dun."

i chuckle softly, bumping his elbow with mine. to my surprise, and slight terror, he snags my hand in his. i look at him, but his face holds no emotion. he's just looking forward, holding my hand as if it were normal for us. i look to the right to hide my grin.

"josh don't make this weird," he sighs suddenly.

"i wasn't aware i was," i furrow my brows, looking back at him.

"it's not like that," he says, jiggling our joined hands.

"like what?" i decide playing dumb will make this hurt less.

he holds my gaze for a minute in silence, searching for something in my eyes. i don't know what he sees, but he seems satisfied with it -even calmed by it.

"nothing important," he shrugs evasively.

"so, where do you think we should walk to?" i ask, really hoping it's not that park which would definitely be a good ten hour walk.

"remember the bookshop i made you drop me off at last night?" i catch the smirk on his face.

"hays and knights," i confirm, silently thanking jack for his knowledge of the word.

"the most clever wordplay on days and nights while also attempting to not copyright barnes and noble."

the realization of cleverness dawns on me then.

"oh dude i didn't even realize that!"

"really?" he asks, amused.

"that's awesome!"

"you're awesome."

i just smile in return.