Intimidation ♡ joshler

sixty six

The rest of the car ride goes by in silence, not considering the radio that holds no one's attention. Brendon remains pissed, Marie indifferent, Josh amused,and Tyler nervous—no longer because of the argument from earlier.

He spent the car ride wondering what's up with Zack right now. Is his older brother worried? Angry? Uncaring? Will he resort to calling the police? Assume he's with Josh? Look for him himself? How's he going to react when Tyler eventually returns home? Will he weep about how worried he's been? Yell at him? Hit him? All of the above? Just offer a casual, "What's up, T-bro?" Most importantly, how the fuck is Ruby? Is Zack looking out for her? Is she starving or dehydrated? Is the litterbox being cleaned out for her? Did Zack kick her out? Hurt her? If Ruby's hurt in any way, it'll be all Tyler's fault—

"Hey, you okay?" Josh pulls the younger out of his toxic thoughts with a gentle nudge. Tyler gives a perturbed nod, and it's then that he notices that they're pulling into Marie's driveway.

And as soon as the woman gets the door open, Brendon storms past them and up the stairs, slamming a door behind him with enough force to rattle the windows.

"I can't believe he's really that mad," Marie sighs as she toes off her shoes, the younger boys following suit, "I was just playing with him. I guess I'm such an asshole that I don't notice when I'm going too far."

"No, Marie, Brendon's just dramatic as hell," Josh reassures the older woman, but she sighs in response.

"Don't feel so bad about yourself," Josh tries again, "I'm a bigger asshole, but on purpose. I'm always mean to Brendon, and he'll get over it quickly."

"I know, I just wish I would tone it down a little," Marie mutters, turning away to head towards the kitchen, "I'm gonna make homemade rice krispies."

"Her rice krispies are great if you don't mind getting all sticky," Josh says to Tyler, who only nods in response, and that doesn't seem to sit well with Josh as he furrows his brows worriedly, "Are you sure you're okay? You look kinda out of it."

And Tyler sighs and shrugs a little, "Just worried."

"About what?" Josh asks, guiding Tyler over to the couch with a gentle hand on the small of the younger's back. They sit side by side, and Tyler immediately leans onto the older as he securely wraps an arm around his shoulders.

Tyler sighs again, more content with the affection he's receiving from his boyfriend, before speaking quiet enough for Marie not to hear, "Just about Zack and Ruby and stuff."

"What about them, baby boy?"

Tyler attempts to hide his flushed cheeks, which was unsurprisingly brought on by the petname; why is he so gay?

"Like, how Zack feels right now and how he's gonna react until I come home, and if Ruby's okay. Especially if Ruby's okay."

"Zack is cruel but I hope he's not cruel enough to harm a cat," Josh reassures, "And if he harms either of you, that's just another reason for me to beat him up."

Tyler turns his head to give the older boy an incredulous look, "You're still set on fighting my brother?"

"Yeah," Josh says, and dude, he's actually serious?

"No, that's not necessary," Tyler shakes his head, "Where would you even get the opportunity?"

"Show up to the house, knock on the door, hope Zack answers it, and bam."

"What if I open the door?"

"Say, 'Hey, Cutes, can I come in?'"

"What if I say no?"

"I'll come in anyways."

"How? I wouldn't let you."

"I'll sweep you off your feet with my charm."

"Don't flatter yourself, you gremlin."

And before Tyler can begin to beat himself up for possibly going too far, Josh is laughing, jostling the smaller boy as he shakes from laughter. Tyler giggles along, and Josh tightens his hold lovingly as his laughter ceases.

"But this gremlin managed to snatch up the finest work of art created," Josh says fondly, tone as sweet as the way Josh looks to said work of art, and it's so gay but it leaves Tyler a blushing, smiley mess pressed against him.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" they can hear Marie chanting from where she observes from the kitchen, and as sweet as the moment is, Tyler doesn't want things to get cheesier than it already is, so he pulls away from Josh's cuddle with a sheepish smile.

"Marie, you pervert!" Josh calls out, feigning irritation as he glares to the woman at the oven, who wiggles her eyebrows and smirks in response before turning her attention back to the snack cooking.

"One of the biggest you'll cross."

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thank you guys!! <3