love notes // joshler a.u.

00

  Tyler didn't like anybody. In fact, he hated most people. His parents, his teachers, the kids at school- he didn't discriminate. He either thought they imposed on his freedom, or talked too much, or were just assholes in general. He thought they all did horrible things and weren't worth speaking to because, in the end, everyone ends up lying and betraying you anyway. He understood it was nothing personal; just human nature, but that didn't mean he wanted to be around it.

  Yet there was one boy who was excluded from Tyler's hatred of everything and everyone human. The one who sat quietly in the back of the classroom, the one who never had a bad word to say about anyone, the one who never asked for any of the torment he received.

  Josh Dun.

  He thought the boy was precious, for lack of a better word- and Tyler wouldn't be caught dead calling anything precious under normal circumstances. But he found Josh different. Smaller than nearly everyone in school and somehow carrying an air of vulnerability and innocence, he was the perfect target for most bullies, and the perfect recipient for Tyler's affections. To say the thought of people picking on the small boy upset him would be a severe understatement. He absolutely hated whenever someone knocked his books out of his hands, or sneered a mean word to him in the halls, but he could never stop it. He did his best to help him pick up his books, or send whoever insulted him a stony glare in passing. Despite his best efforts, the bullying never stopped, and he was pretty sure his face didn't register at all when Josh saw him.

  That was okay, though. He didn't need to be noticed by Josh to be happy. All he really wanted was for the boy to be happy himself, and he would be okay. Unfortunately, his efforts to help his oblivious angel weren't enough. He still cried in the bathrooms, still kept silent, still allowed himself to be hurt and punished undeservedly day after day. Tyler hated it. He needed to do more.

  It was a foggy, rainy morning, and a particularly bad one for Josh Dun as he walked into school. He had already heard whispers of how ugly he was as he passed a group of popular kids, and usually he didn't hear those until he was at his locker. Just as he was reassuring himself in his head- that today wouldn't be so bad, maybe he'd get a good score on the test in math- his binders were rather violently knocked out of his hands.

  Josh staggered back from the impact, looking up from the floor just in time to see Logan, the captain of the football team, sneer, "Faggot!" Shakily, he swallowed the lump forming in his throat and stooped down to gather his binders, his cheeks burning with embarrassment as he heard a few other kids snicker. He wished he wasn't such a bad person. Maybe then people wouldn't hate him as much.

  The giggles suddenly died, and Josh looked up curiously to see why. He didn't understand why popular kids would suddenly just stop laughing at the misfortune of someone else- that was, like, their whole personality.

  Tyler, one of the scariest kids in school, had sent them the most murderous glare Josh had ever seen. He tore his gaze away to rest it on Josh, and it seemed to immediately soften. The small boy managed a smile as the other helped him pick up his binders, like he seemed to every day. "Th-Thank you," he murmured quietly, rising to his feet once he had them all in his arms again.

  "No problem. Have a good day, Josh," he replied, walking past him.

  Josh bit his lip to hold back his smile as he trudged to his locker with a very slight pep in his step.

  Most people were terrified of Tyler. He was taller than half of the basketball team, and more muscled than half the football team. His dark eyes were often cold with indifference, and his piercings and tattoos didn't make him any less intimidating. Josh saw the good in him, though. Josh tried to see the good in everyone. To him, Tyler wasn't just that scary punk kid who would knock the shit out of him if he looked at him wrong. He was the one who always lent a helping hand and looked out for him. He was the only reason Josh hadn't had a complete mental breakdown by now.

  For some reason, Josh seemed to be the only person Tyler didn't hate- which made Tyler the only person Josh wasn't afraid of.

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heyy guys! not entirely sure what to put here, but welcome to the book ^.^ i hope you enjoy it, and votes and comments are much appreciated. see you next chapter!