keep it up ↠ joshler ✔

9

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(Trigger Warning halfway through chapter)

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"josh!" tyler called out a month later as the door to his apartment creaked open. the brunet was bouncing know his heels, excited to show josh the songs he was practicing.

since the day josh bought the boy the ukulele, he wasn't able to put it down. he loved writing the songs, performing in front of a mirror, the sound of the small instrument when it was strummed, and just the feeling of hearing the music he wrote come to life.

he had no idea being kicked out of his parents house would end up with him being happy.

"jeez, ty, what's so important that you needed me here so quickly? you sent me like, 78 texts.."

"so you were getting them." tyler joked, winking as he flopped down onto the couch, picking up his ukulele. "i wrote some songs, do you want to hear?"

josh's face lit up with joy when he saw tyler genuinely happy, proud of his friend. "yeah!"

tyler smiled, then looked down at the instrument in his hands. "i wrote lyrics, too, if you want to-"

"come on, man, just play it already! im hype."

tyler, with a smile still visible on his face from excitement, began to strum slowly. he didn't face josh, but rather looked at the instrument, paying attention to where he placed each finger.

"na na na na na, oh, oh..." he slowly sang.

"when the leader of the bad guys sang, something soft and soaked in pain, i heard the echo from his secret hideaway...."

his fingers danced along the neck of the ukulele, the lyrics and strumming going along perfectly in unison.

when writing the song, the words seemed to just come to him, each lyric dripping with emotion.

now, however, josh was here, and the only emotion tyler felt was happiness.

"he must've forgot to close his door, as he cranked out those dismal chords, and his four walls declared him insane.."

as tyler sang and josh listened, thoughts were running through his mind. it felt right playing the song to josh, almost as if it were made for him. maybe it was.

he smiled as he sang. this is where he was meant to be. he loved singing, especially to josh. it made him feel at home.

singing was something he didn't even know he enjoyed until josh came into his life. and although he only recognized it not long ago, he already knew this was something he wanted to do for a long time.

josh made his life better in so many ways. tyler would be a goner if it weren't for him, and he knew it.

he probably would have been sitting in a cardboard box on the side of the street, contemplating suicide again. but then josh had appeared, and was, for some reason, determined to save him.

of course, tyler felt so deep in depression that he knew it would be a long time until he was fully okay, and he was aware of that. but now, for some reason, he was motivated to try.

the song wasn't even over, but josh couldn't help but laugh and clap his hands when tyler belted out, "josh dun!" in the middle of the song. but again, to tyler, his name fit right in. like a puzzle piece.

tyler finished the song with a large smile on his face and an overwhelming urge to hug josh. he was actually about to, when josh's phone went off.

glancing at it, josh's face turned to one of excitement. "ty, that was incredible, but i really have to take this. one sec, then i'll get back to you on that hug." he smiled, answering his phone.