"What are you going to say about me?" Josh says as he picks at a piece of splintering wood in their treehouse .
Tyler shrugs . "I dunno . there's a lot to say ."
"You could tell them how pink - red - orange I am ," Josh says , flashing Tyler one of those smiles that makes Tyler melt . "How sexy I am , how I sound like melted marshmallows, how my lips are the key of C major , how I can -"
"Oh , shut up ," Tyler says , pushing him playfully .
Josh laughs , the corners of his eyes crinkling as he grins . Tyler looks away before Josh can see him staring .
"My parents think I'm crazy ," Tyler says suddenly .
Josh sobers immediately , frowning "You're not crazy ."
"I know , " Tyler says . "Fuck what they think ."
Josh grins . "You're really pink - red - orange when you swear ."
Tyler blushes . "No , I'm not ."
Josh looks at him thoughtfully . "You're pretty pretty , Tyler ."
"Pretty pretty ?" Tyler says .
Josh laughs . "Not my best word choice ."
"Why do we talk like this , anyways ?" Tyler asks . "If we just used our words , nothing like this would happen ."
"You asked me to talk 'normally ,'" Josh says . "For practice ."
Tyler frowns . "Why did I do that ?"
Josh shrugs . "Something about better communication ."
Tyler nods slowly . "Sounds like something I'd do . Back , y'know ."
"Well , yeah ," Josh says . "You were all -" he makes a few indiscernible hand motions , "blue - purple . Jumbled ."
"Mixed up , " Tyler says , nodding .
"Not exactly ," Josh says . "Sort of ... I can't remember the word for it . Orange - green - purple ."
"Confused ," Tyler translates . Josh nods .
"That's it . I keep forgetting that one ," he says . "Confused . You were confused . And like the letter M . The way August smells ."
"Confused , maybe ," Tyler allows . "I don't know about lost , though ."
"You were lost ," Josh says , sounding certain .
"Maybe ," Tyler says again . He watches Josh flicker the lighter he always has on and off .
"Why do you even have that ? You don't smoke"
Josh shrugs . "You never know when you'll have to set everything on fire ."
Tyler furrows his eyebrows . "What ? What are you talking about ?"
Josh shrugs agains . "You'll get it someday ."
