the quiet ⭑ joshler

二十九

TRIGGER WARNING - MENTIONS OF ABUSE

"i'll cook some pasta tonight, ty." josh was leaning on to the wall, watching tyler as he plucked on his ukulele. they'd been living in the apartment for nearly three weeks now.

josh walked out to the kitchen, starting to boil the water in the pot. he was just about to pour the pasta in when the doorbell rang. "i'll get it." josh called to his boyfriend, who was still in the living room.

josh was a little shocked when he opened the door to no other than tyler's mom. she looked even worse than the last time josh saw her, she looked so frail and weary, bruises scattered down her arms. josh took in a deep breath as the pale woman tried for a smile.

"um..tyler?" josh shouted.

as soon as tyler heard his voice he knew something was wrong, and he gasped when he saw his fragile mother standing there, bewildered.

"tyler?" her voice was whispering, as if she could hardly speak. she looked as if she could hardly stand.

tyler didn't want to be there, he wanted josh to slam the door, he didn't want anything to do with this woman.

but then he spotted the bruises, and couldn't turn away. a tear slid down his cheek.

his mom stood there, her eyes swollen up with sadness, and the corners of her eyes wrinkling up.

"come in for a while." josh waved his hand for her to come in.

she smiled and nodded at josh and walked towards tyler, who wasn't looking at her directly.

"do you want a drink?" josh was just trying to help.

"josh, would you just leave us for a few minutes?" tyler didn't want it to come out in a mean way, but that's what it sounded like to josh.

josh had slammed out the front door, making the pale boy regret what he'd said.

tyler tried to shake josh from his mind and said seriously to his mom: "did dad do this?" he stroked her bruised arms, but took them away quickly when she flinched.

tyler's mom nodded slowly, her eyes flashing with something...something, as if she was scared.

"i was just trying to help." her voice sounded like it would break any moment. "trying to persuade him that it's not an illness, you being gay, it's not...but he wouldn't listen." she bursts in to tears. "he would've killed me if the neighbours hadn't come round to complain about the shouting."

tyler wrapped his arms around his mother. "mom..you-you can't go back to him..he's gone insane."

"but, i can't leave him, he'll run after me, or-or call the police, or something." she was shaking, her terrified eyes dancing around.

tyler held her still. "no!" he shouts. "please...please, promise me you won't go back."

she stays silent.

"was...was that your b-boyfriend? the red haired boy?" the frail woman finally speaks.

tyler nods. "we're living together."

she smiles. "god, it's nice to hear you talking again."

"you can stay in the spare room." tyler says, and grabs a blanket and pillows for the bed, that his mom will sleep in.

once his mother was in bed tyler grabbed his hoodie and slammed out the front door to search for josh. he felt guilty for what he'd said earlier, and he hadn't expected josh to leave the flat.

it was dark outside, and the two boys hadn't lived in the city long, so he didn't have a clue where josh would have went. it was cold, and tyler was scared that he was going to come across the kinds of people that had beat up josh and tyler nearly five months ago.

tyler had nearly spent an hour looking in and out of shops and bars when he was going down one of the side streets, and heard josh's voice. well, not just josh's voice. lots of voices were singing something, but tyler couldn't make out what they were singing because their voices were slurred.

the pale boy followed the sound and found the doorway in to some kind of bar. standing on the bar, was josh, his hands wrapped around strangers next to him, a whole column of them, dancing and singing horrifically. none of them seemed to mind, though, they were obviously drunk.

"tyler!" josh slurred, jumping off the bar, barely walking properly. "c'mon! dance!" josh shouted in tyler's face so he could hear him over the loud music. josh's breath smelled of alchohol.

"no, we need to go-"

"i'll get you a drink!" josh interrupted him, taking his hand and leading him towards the bar.

tyler couldn't hear what josh was saying to the barman but before he knew it, josh had handed him a shot glass and had downed his own. josh nudged him, "go on! try it!"

tyler shook his head at josh, but downed his own glass too, and as soon as the liquid touched his throat it burned, and he spat it out. josh giggled, and bought tyler another.

suddenly, tyler was giggling too, and they couldn't stop, he was on his fifth glass.

it was a feeling tyler couldn't explain: the part of his mind that was causing all his problems and worries was suddenly covered up with this feeling, and it felt good. so good.

"more!" josh shouted, and by this time they were both very drunk. they stumbled out of the bar, holding on to each other's shoulders, and then josh was kissing him. and tyler was kissing josh. they stopped in the middle of the street, their arms wrapped around each other, getting more intense.

"get a room!" someone shouted, and they both giggled, falling about, their arms still draped around each other.

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iM bAcK :)