keep it up ↠ joshler ✔

8

:::

two weeks later, tyler was happily moved into his apartment.

with the occasional josh to hang out with him, of course.

flinging the taco bell behind him, not caring where it lands, tyler shifted so he could see the tv clearer.

"if you hit me with that blue shell, you're dead." josh jokingly threatened, moving his controller as if it was going to help.

"you're on." tyler said anyway, throwing the blue shell.

josh let out a shocked laugh, jumping down from the couch to the floor as he dropped from first place to sixth. "i thought we were friends, tyjo. that's it. im leaving."

"hey, you can't leave until you give me the death you promised." tyler joked.

"i would be able to if i wasn't in sixth place!"

"well, that's not my problem!"

dropping his controller in defeat, josh sighed as he finished in fifth place. tyler jumped with joy as he was first.

"yes!" he laughed victoriously, "mario kart champion! three times in a row!"

josh pushed out his arm, knocking the triumphant tyler off the couch. "show off."

"hey, don't blame me, you're the one who wanted to do all or nothing. i was perfectly happy with two wins."

"fine, fine. but i bet i can beat you in super smash bros any day." josh challenged, a smile forming in his lips.

"i bet you could, too. i've never even heard of it."

josh's jaw dropped.

an hour later, tyler was raising his fists in victory of his fourth consecutive win.

"okay, josh. i was polite before, but man. you suck at video games."

josh let out a laugh, flopping backwards onto the couch beside ty and breathing heavily. "i rock at drums though. think you can do that?" he challenged.

"if your drumming skills are anything like how you play video games, any day." tyler responded with a smile.

next thing they knew, the two were standing at an entrance to guitar city, a smile wide on josh's face as he was excited to show tyler how much time he had spent at the store.

"i used to come here all the time," he said as the automatic doors opened, "it calmed me down, you know? made me forget about all the stressful stuff happening."

"what stressful stuff?"

"um...school."

as the two stepped inside, the clerk's head turned to greet them, but was shocked after his eyes landed on josh.

"josh! man!" he exclaimed, walking over towards the pair. "it's been forever!"

"hey, mark! this is tyler, do you think we can use the drums?"

"sure, just make sure to put on the pads, last time you were here i had to lie and say we dropped an entire box of cowbells on the snare just to cover up that you broke through the surface hitting it so hard."

josh laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "thanks..."

they were led to the display room, where a large, red and black drum set at in the middle of it all.

"thanks," tyler squinted, reading mark's name tag, "mr. hoppus."

"no problem, bud. just don't screw up like your friend there."

josh rolled his eyes before mark walked off.

"okay, ty," josh said as he sat, tyler standing across from him, intrigued. josh had only mentioned playing drums a few times since they met, and even then it was only just slipped into the conversation. so, naturally, seeing him his excited sparked a bit of interest. "what should i play?"

thinking, tyler answered with the first song that came to mind. "the end, by the beatles..?"

josh nodded before picking up a pair of drumsticks, taking a deep breath.

it had been a long time since he had played, and by that he means too long. he just hopes he's not to rusty.

then, with a few taps on the rim, he begins to play.

muscle memories came back to him as he remembers everything, sticks beat down on the surfaces in perfect order to maintain the legendary solo that star upheld in the original song. so he sat and played, taking deep and heavy breaths and focusing on every hand movement.

meanwhile, tyler was in awe. how did josh not tell him he could play this well before? tyler just wanted to sit there and watch josh play all day, it was mesmerizing.

but then, halfway through, something happened, and josh stopped. the sticks fell to the ground as he doubled over, clutching his chest.

"josh!" tyler exclaimed, running over.

"im fine..." the blue haired boy heaved, "this happens, hand cramps and heartburn. i need to stop with the greasy stuff." he admitted with a laugh, although it didn't sound so confident.

tyler raised an eyebrow, "are you sure? it looked like-"

"ty," josh interrupted, "i'm fine."

josh stood from the stool and moved next to tyler, who had a smile on his face again. "that was amazing though, how didn't you tell me?"

josh shrugged, still taking heavy breaths.

"do you think i could learn to play? not drums, that's like, your thing, but an instrument? you said it yourself, it helped with stress... or maybe i'm being stupid i don't know..."

"no, that's a great idea! pick something, come on."

the two strolled around the shop, looking at various instruments and machines, each one interesting in its own way. to tyler, at least. josh was just happy ty had spoken up and wanted to try something new.

they passed guitars, brass instruments, basses, and synthesizers, until his eyes fell on a tiny wooden guitar.

"is this a ukulele?" tyler asked, walking up to it and picking it up from the rack.

"yeah," josh answered, a smile still present.

tyler softly strummed a few of the strings, creating a sound that could only be described as warm and mellow, not plingy. smooth and silky.

he loved it.

"this one."

---

the boys left the store in silence.

"thanks for getting me the ukulele, josh."

"of course, but there are rules."

"rules? what are you talking about?"

"i will take the ukulele from you if you don't do your best to be more optimistic and stop smoking."

tyler sighed. "fine, but i haven't smoked in a while. you know that."

josh smiled. "good, keep it up. for me."

tyler rolled his eyes at the cheesy quote.

"you need a ride?"

"nah. jenna's picking me up."

"okay man, cool." josh said, a small bit of laughter prominent in his voice, "i'll see you later, then."

as tyler watched josh's car disappear, he smiled. he was lucky to have josh as a friend, he knew that, and he was more appreciative of him than ever today.

but as he waited for jenna to appear, he couldn't stop himself from taking out a pack of camels and lighting one.

he was disappointed in himself whenever he smoked behind his apartment or near the bathroom window, but he couldn't just stop. he wasn't able to comprehend it.

taking a drag, tyler watched as jenna's small car parked in front of the store and she rolled down her window. "get in buttercup."