Intimidation ♡ joshler

sixty nine

an: my memory kinda sucks and idk if i thinked you guys for 5k or not yet but! either way im super grateful for you guys so thank you! <3

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Unsurprisingly, Tyler's hanging out with Pete and Brendon as the third wheel while the latter two play video games.  Though it doesn't surprise the youngest as previously said, it does upset and slightly annoy him.  What was the point of inviting him down if neither of the two were going to acknowledge the fact that he was there?  He'd be much better off with the company of his swans.

With his beloved crafts on his mind, he pushes himself off the couch to head upstairs, because why cry about your friends when you can craft new ones?

Neither of the older boys notice Tyler's departure, and he'd honestly be lying if he said it didn't annoy him further.  But who cares, Pete and Brendon suck anyways.

Marie emerges from one of the rooms just as Tyler reaches the top of the stairs.  She pulls the strap of her purse onto her shoulder as she smiles to the younger boy, "Hey, not hanging out with your friends?"

"They're too, uh, busy playing games," Tyler shrugs and does his best to feign nonchalance.

"They're whackos anyway," Marie says, "I'm going to the store to pick up dinner.  You can come too for something to do if you want."

Tyler nods, turning back and descending the stairs again.

Brendon finally acknowledges Tyler as said boy's pulling his converse onto his feet, "Are you going home?"

"He's coming with me to the store," Marie speaks up for him, and the way she says it implies that she's teasing her nephew, "And he's picking out your food."

"What?" Brendon asks, slightly alarmed as he sets his controller to the side, "Can I come and pick out my own food?"

"No, just stay here with Pete," Marie chuckles, ending the conversation as she walks out of the house, Tyler following close behind.

"I'm not gonna lie," Marie starts as they approach the car, "I love being mean to Brendon."

"Yeah?" Tyler asks, not knowing what else to say but also not wanting to just not respond either.

"Yeah, I don't think he cares as much as he makes himself out to. You know how he loves to act dramatic."

"Yeah," Tyler says simply, cursing himself for how socially inept he is.

The woman doesn't speak again until after she's pulling out of the driveway, "Don't think I'm implying anything, because you're welcome whenever, but when is your brother coming back to get you?"

Tyler shrugs for the thousandth time that day as he stops himself from fidgeting in his seat.  He hopes Marie doesn't ask anything else of it, because he hasn't expanded on his lie for moments like what he fears.

"Alright, I was just asking so I knew how much food to buy," Marie says, and Tyler can't help but begin to feel guilty.  Brendon's aunt has to spend extra just because Tyler's too much of a punk to to go back to his own home and eat his own damn food.  If Zack has it oh-so hard paying for himself and Tyler, then it must be annoying for Marie having to pay for the original for herself and Brendon, plus Tyler now (and everyone knows that Brendon can definitely eat).

And this reveals the selfish part of Tyler, because even knowing this, he's still unwilling to return home.

"Really, it's fine!" Marie reassures the boy as his inner conflict must've shown, "I honestly would've made Brendon pay if it wasn't. Apparently he's been making money selling snacks at school. At least I hope he really is and not sucking dick in the bathroom, knowing Brendon."

"I've seen him, like, selling candy and stuff," Tyler confirms, and Marie laughs a little.

"Good, ;cause I know you have some hoe ass kids at your school, and I can't say I'd be surprised if Brendon got in trouble for having sex in school."

"True."

Marie laughs again, loud enough that it almost startles the boy, and they drive in a comfortable silence the rest of the way.

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"I was thinking about making subs tonight," Marie says as Tyler grabs a car for her, "So if you want, I can go get stuff for it while you pick out snacks and stuff you might want."

Tyler nods, and Marie takes the cart from him.  She suggests he checks either the dairy aisle or the bed aisle for her when he's done before leaving him alone.

And honestly, he regrets agreeing to split ways, but he'll only look like a wimp if he punks out and trails helplessly after the woman now.

So the timid boy hesitantly heads to the other side of the store where he knows all the snacks are, nerves not easing at all as he wonders how many he's allowed to pick out, and what price he's to stay below; he really should've asked Marie this before she left him alone.

He decides that he'll just get two for now as he turns into one of the aisles.  His first and obvious choice is fruit snacks, because who doesn't like fruit snacks?  They taste like fruit, and they're gummies!

He decides that is last choice will be popcorn, because he hasn't had it in a while, and it used to be one of his favorite snacks growing up.  The popcorn is displayed in the back alongside the sodas, so he heads that way.

But the second he steps foot into the aisle, he gets a good glimpse of Zack browsing through the shelves, and backs out immediately.  His nerves and heart rate skyrocket and he wills himself to calm the fuck down, because Zack didn't see him, Zack doesn't know he's there,

and someone's saying his name, and fuck, Tyler's panicking, and he's running away into the baby stuffs, aisles, and he's not sure if the thumping he hears is footsteps behind him or his own heartbeat, and the hand on his shoulder makes him want to cry from being caught.

He's being turned around to face his captor, and he's met with worried, feminine eyes.

"Tyler--what the hell, Noodles? What's wrong?"

And Tyler can only gaze dumbly at the shorter woman as he struggles to calm his rapid heartbeat and labored breathing, because at the rate he's going, he's gonna fucking faint in the middle of the store.

When his mind and vision clears up, he's struck with an unpleasant ambivalence of embarrassment and confusion.

How did he mistake Marie for Zack?  Their voices are completely different, nothing alike.  And what's going through her mind right now?  She must think he's a nut, that there's something undoubtedly wrong with him.

"Did something happen, Tyler?"

Tyler blinks and realizes that he hasn't answered the question yet, and God, Tyler's making a huge fool of himself right now.

"M-my b--" Tyler stammers out but stops himself immediately, because as far as Marie knows, his brother is out of town and won't be back for at least another few days, and why would he be running from his brother as if he was trying to escape pending danger?

"Your what?"

"Uh--my b-bladder, my bladder--"

Marie lets out a sigh, "Jesus Christ, I thought something was seriously wrong. I'll be here when you're done."

"Tyler nods meekly before hastily heading off to the bathrooms.  He locks himself in the last stall and just sits there with his head in his hands as he struggles to compose himself.

He resents himself for being this way.

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thank you again guys, i love you all <3