tonight it's just fire alarms

"Hey."

Tyler turns to see someone he recognizes from around the building, but he doesn't think they've ever talked.

"I don't think we've ever spoken?" the guy says, holding out a hand. "I'm Josh."

"Tyler," he says, taking it.

"Rough luck, huh?" Josh says, casting a glance at Tyler's attire. Tyler blushes a little, looking down at the way he's clad in only his boxers.

"Yeah, well, what can you do?" he mumbles.

Josh, the lucky bastard, is completely clothed. He's not even in sleep clothes, even though it's three AM.

Tyler shifts his bare feet on the frozen sidewalk, wishing that the fire alarm could've gone off while he was at work, or at least during the summer.

"Hey, are you cold?" Josh asks.

Tyler looks at him with a raised eyebrow before pointedly looking down at the snow-covered ground. Josh chuckles.

"Stupid question, sorry," he says as he starts to shrug off his hoodie.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asks as Josh hands him his hoodie.

"Put it on," Josh tells him.

"Won't you be cold?" Tyler questions.

"I'm way more clothed than you," Josh says. "I'll be fine. I run hot anyways."

Tyler looks at him dubiously, but he can feel the body warmth still lingering in the hoodie, and he's so cold, so he caves and puts it on.

The hoodie is a little big on him, nearly covering his boxers. It's still warm, and it smells like aftershave, and also the hood is the best thing ever because Tyler's ears were gonna fall off if he hadn't done something about it.

"Thank you," he says, looking back at Josh. Josh is only in a thin, white t-shirt on his top, and Tyler can see tattoos and muscles even in the crappy streetlight. Whoa, muscles. He hopes Josh can't see him blushing like a schoolgirl. Dang, he thought he was over blushing at every hot guy who looked at him.

"What floor are you?" Tyler asks, trying to make conversation.

"The fifth," Josh says. "5C."

"Oh, I used to live in 4C, but I transferred to 3A," Tyler says. He then narrows his eyes. "Wait. Are you the guy who plays drums at four in the morning?"

Josh raises a hand. "Guilty."

"You were why I transferred!" Tyler says. Josh grins at him, and Tyler finds himself grinning back what the heck. "Why do you play drums so early, anyways?"

"I mostly work nightshifts," Josh explains. "And I just play to get out excess energy so I can sleep."

That makes sense, but... "I used to contemplate banging on your door while armed with a baseball bat," Tyler tells him.

Josh snorts. "I probably wouldn't have even heard."

Tyler shrugs. "I'm too passive, anyways," he says truthfully. "I moved instead. Honestly, I'd probably lose miserably if I got into a fight. I struggle with heavy doors and my little sister can beat me in an arm wrestle."

Josh raises an eyebrow.

Tyler covers his face. "Why am I telling you this?"

That gets a chuckle out of Josh. "I don't know, man," he says, clapping Tyler on the back. "But it's okay."

"To be fair, my sister is a very strong person," Tyler feels the need to interject.

"I'm sure she is," Josh says, managing to not sound condescending somehow.

"All clear!" someone from the apartment calls.

"Hey," Josh says as they start to move back inside. "If you ever want to come hit things at four AM, you're welcome in."

Tyler smiles. "I'll keep that in mind." He shifts awkwardly, hoping he's not misinterpreting this. "And, um, do you maybe want to get something to eat with me sometime?"

"Sure," Josh says, smiling easily, and Tyler relaxes. "I'll come help you with heavy doors."

"Hey!" Tyler says, but Josh is laughing.

"I'll see you later, okay?" he says.

"Okay," Tyler says.

It's not until he's climbing back into bed does he realize that he's still wearing Josh's hoodie. He feels like a total dork, but he doesn't take it off.