I love you anyway.
Tyler's 2-inch black heels hit the apartment floor as he cried out in exhaustion. He paced to his shared room happy to see Josh on the bed wide awake on his phone alone instead of half-naked with some stranger by his side.
"Hey babe what's up?" Josh asked warily as Tyler dramatically fell headfirst on their queen sized mattress, and rolled onto Josh's lap. It was around 1 in the afternoon, so Josh figured Tyler just got off his 12 hour night shift at the club. He was sure to be gentle petting Tyler's hair until he fell to sleep on his lap. That's usually all Tyler wanted from him when he was as tired as this (other nights had more affectionate tendencies).
After hearing Tyler's small snores, Josh became drowsy as well, but their casual cuddle was interrupted by his cell phone vibrating wildly. That's right, he had work today as well.
He was careful not to wake Tyler up. Not that Tyler was a light sleeper, but sudden jolts were likely to give him a panic attack. The stripper lifestyle Tyler hated not only made him feel like degraded trash, it also gave him heavy paranoia seeing as three men from the club successfully followed him home in the past year.
Once Josh shifted his way out of Tyler's embrace, he carefully got out of the bed and searched for the cleanest graphic t-shirt he could find. Some people liked to reject the stereotypical look of a Hot Topic employee, but once he got hired, Josh embraced it entirely. The first week he was hired, he died his hair sky blue and pierced his lip. Now, with his employee discount, he had gauges and an entire wardrobe of edgy clothes that would make any 12-year-old emo girl squeal.
He pulled on skinny jeans and a flannel as quietly as he could and searched the room for his name tag and keys. Before Josh left, he couldn't help but take care of Tyler a bit. He hated leaving his best friend home alone and letting his paranoia get to him, so, like always, he left a note saying he left for work and what time he'd be off. (He also took the liberty to take off Tyler's exhausted heels and pull a blanket over his vulnerable body)
Since Josh spent eighty-five percent of the drive to work thinking of Tyler, it felt like he'd been on the road for hours. He wanted to be with Tyler so badly. He wanted to cuddle with him longer and give him anything he needed. He wanted to console him and tell him how pretty he looked no matter what he was wearing. Instead, Josh was stuck stocking merchandise and helping edgy (yet somehow kind) teenagers.
When it was finally his break, Josh rushed to the back doors that led to the break room and reached for his phone in his front pocket. His finger scrolled until he reached Tyler's contact.
One ring... Two rings...
"Hey Josh, how's work" Tyler whispered roughly.
"Hey Ty, did I wake you? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Josh frowned. He knew Tyler must have had a tough shift earlier that day. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay. You seemed pretty tired and out of it today."
"No it's fine," Tyler insisted, accidentally yawning into the phone, "Yeah, I had a tiring shift is all. Nothing out of the ordinary. I'm fine, relax."
Josh took a small sigh in slight relief. Tyler sounded tired, but he was okay. "Okay baby, you should go back to bed. Sorry I woke you"
Tyler smiled at Josh's care, "Okay babe, love you. Have a nice shift."
"Love you too, bye," Josh sighed, hanging up the phone.
Hours after the call, Josh was ecstatic when he saw his phone read 10 pm; his 10-hour shift at the store was finally over. He changed out of his uniform, avoiding as many employees possible, and clocked out.
The drive home was no longer than the drive to work, but the anticipation of seeing Tyler for the second time today made it feel like an eternity. Soon he pulled his used, blue Honda Civic into the apartment's designated parking spot, and he entered his shared apartment. He felt his heart lift when he saw his brown-eyed, slightly tanned beauty bundled up the same way he left him. He admired the way Tyler slept after a 12-hour shift especially because he knew, though it didn't often show in his pay, he deserved it way more than Josh. Tyler's job was indescribably physically and mentally straining. He'd often come home, body so sore he'd only be able to get to the doorway, unable to utter a word when Josh asked how his day had been. Though Tyler brushed him off when he brought up his mental health, Josh knew how he was treated at work took a big toll on him over the years.
He hovered over Tyler's body smiling to himself before deciding he needed some rest too. Though he was disappointed at the amount of time he'd spent with his best friend, excitement poked at his skin when he realized what tomorrow would be. Finally, they'd both have a day off.
♡♡♡
OKAY SO
Maybe my im not THAT proud of this chapter its fine
I'm knit picking shit too believe me, but I just wanted to show a little bit of their relationship and where Josh stands
Hope y'all like it
Feedback appreciated
(Character Aesthetics Coming Soon)
