STRANGERS » JOSHLER

t h i r t e e n

it's melanie's bday today and i just want to say that she means so much to me and i love her so fucking much. thank you for everything (i'm not crying i promise)

{I wrote this part three times bc the first one was too much drama, the second one was too plain and this one kindof falls in the middle so}

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Josh's eyes shoot open when he hears the sound of curtains being parted. He props himself up his elbows, and his free hand flies to cover his face as his eyes burn at the harsh brightness. The first thing he hears is humming. He sees a figure at the windows and squints his eyes to get a better look at it.

"Melanie?" He groggily asks.

"Yes, it is I." The said girl says dramatically. "It's seven in the morning, Joshy. Get your ass up. Oh, and wake him up too." Melanie pointedly looks at his lower body, before exiting the room. Since he is still in a 'half-awake' state, he doesn't pay much attention to her words, or notice the smirk on her face before the door closed.

"Wha- It's seven?" He mutters, rubbing his eyes as he sits up. He's halfway through a yawn when his eyes briefly fall down and he freezes. He screams when he sees a slightly tanned arm wrapped around his comparatively paler waist. Just when he's about to push that arm away, Tyler's head comes into view from behind his back.

"What's wrong, Jish?"

Josh doesn't reply. His eyes are wide and his mind is too distracted that it's a doubt if he even heard the question in the first place. Tyler looks like a god, with his tousled hair, raspy voice and-

"Josh?" Tyler sleepy voice asks again and he props himself on his elbow just like Josh did earlier, his eyes squinted.

"I wanna kiss you so fucking bad, oh my god." Josh breathes out and the corners of Tyler's lips rise in a smile.

"Aww." He initially 'aww's but it turns into a yawn and Josh feels his heart flutter. Suddenly Tyler's eyes widen a fraction and he places a hand on his cheek, "Wait, is this still a dream or- ?"

Josh's eyebrows raise, and he chuckles. "What were you dreaming about, TyTy?"

"Do you really wanna know, Jojo?" Tyler mockingly says before grimacing, "Jojo. Ew. That sounds bad. I'm gonna call you .. " Tyler stops to think for a moment.

"Jish?" Josh says, remembering that's what he called him earlier.

"Huh?"

"Jish. You called me Jish moments ago." Josh says and Tyler's mouth forms an 'o' before he grins.

"Jish it is then!" He says and Josh can't help but chuckle at the childlike excitement.

"Haha, alright then. It's already past seven, we need to get up." Tyler groans at his words, dropping his head back in the pillow. "Tyler, I swear if you fall asleep again, I will- " He pushes the covers off and is about to slid off the bed when he notices something.

He's top less.

His hands immediately fly up to his chest, eyes widening as his self-consciousness creeps in. Did Tyler see me? What if he sees me like this? What if he sees me like this and doesn't like me anymore? Oh my god, oh my god -

Josh scrambles to get off his bed and hurries into the bathroom. The bathroom door closes with a slam, making Tyler jolt up. "What the actual - " 

His eyes scan over the empty room and he sighs when he sees it's empty. The bed is cold without Josh's presence and wait, did he say he wanted to kiss him in dream or .. ?

"Josh?" He calls out and hears the faint sound of water running. Must be him, he thinks. 

A groan escapes his lips and he buries his face deeper into the pillow, eyes closing yet again. 

*~*

{tw; body shaming}

Josh stands in front of the mirror, lips turned down into a frown as his eyes go over his reflection. His forearms, his little tummy, his pudgy thigh, all the fat under his skin. 

His stomach twists in the most uncomfortable way possible as disappointment washes over him. 

"Josh?" He hears Tyler's voice from the bedroom. He looks at the closed door, before turning the shower on to the highest to make sure Tyler hears it and lets him be. A few seconds pass and Tyler doesn't say anything, so he sighs. 

"Might as well take one." He mutters, stripping. He looks at his reflection one last time before getting in the shower. The water is scalding hot, but he doesn't really care. He places a hand on the tiled wall, eyes closed. The water cascading down his back makes his tense muscles relax and his bright hair to stick to his forehead. 

Why am I even thinking like this? He asks himself. Tyler will never judge me.

You don't know anything about him, other than his name and where he works. You can't be sure of that, a voice inside him speaks. 

Josh ponders over the words for a moment before realizing they were in fact true. He didn't know Tyler that well, or anything at all. They'd been on one date, had one kiss and a few sweet gestures somewhere between. 

Where did that put them? He had no idea. 

But he is comfortable when he's with him. A bit too comfortable, maybe. He can't deny the fact that Tyler makes him happy, he makes him feel loved. A simple smile of the older man makes his heart flutter and he doesn't even want to think of his life without him.

"Josh?" There is knocking on the door,"C'mon, man, get out fast. I gotta pee." Tyler's voice is rushed.

A small laugh escapes his lips at his words. "Oka-" His voice comes out hoarse, making him clear his throat before he shouted,"In a few."

He turns off the shower only to hear Tyler whine and a soft smile graces his lips at the older man's childlike behaviour.

Maybe he's falling too fast.

Or maybe he's just over thinking matters yet again.

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hello loves how you doin?

so i've decided to do weekly updates and even tho i'm too cool to stick to a schedule all this homework is making me lose my mind like it takes me 3 hrs to complete my maths hw???

btw this book is almost at 400 reads (i'm saying that cause I dont remember and m too lazy to check ugh) and 100+ votes. you guys are amazing!

guess who had maths homework on the first day of school? aye thats me!! yay!! go (fuck yourself) maths!!!

i hope u have a great day and dont have to go thru the misery i am going through

- a