Lost and Found {joshler}

nine

the song is 'Where's My Love' by Syml.

💫

"Josh?" Hayley knocked quietly on the door. He ignored her.

Just when he thought she'd left, he heard murmurs from the other side of the door. It swung wide open and Brendon stormed in, Hayley quietly protesting behind him.

"Joshua William Dun. If you continue to mope like this, I'm actually going to foil all of your shit." He said before flopping down on top of where Josh lay on his bed. Josh rolled his eyes, groaning and pushing on Brendon weakly.

"Bren let him breathe." Hayley smiled and Brendon rolled off Josh. "Josh, are you okay?" Hayley said sitting on the bed beside him. She put her hand on his worriedly.

"What happened, buddy?" Brendon asked sitting up to look at him better.

"He has my name, he's my-" Josh couldn't even finish the sentence it hurt too much to think about it. To remember the feeling of betrayal that clouded all the relief and joy he felt and knowing it was real that he'd found Tyler. But now Josh just felt more lost than ever.

"Who, Mark? But his name isn't Ty-" Hayley started confused before looking at Josh, everything clicking into place.

Hayley and Brendon both let out a synchronised "oh".

"Why would he lie?" Josh mumbled into the pillow.

"Did he not try to explain himself?" Brendon questioned.

"I'm sure he had a good reason." Hayley offered a reassuring smile, smoothing her hand down Josh's back.

"He said something about not believing it was me or something." Josh, lifted his head from the pillow to speak, taking a deep breath to try to prevent himself from crying again.

"Sounds to me like he was scared." Hayley suggested.

"Lord knows I was petrified when I met Sarah." Brendon laughed trying to diffuse the sadness.

"Really?" Josh sat up slightly at that.

"Of course, have you met Sarah? She could literally kick my ass twice without breaking a sweat." Brendon replied. Hayley gave a shrug of agreement at that.

"But you never lied to her, you didn't tell her you were someone else." Whatever hint of a smile had been on Josh's face before was gone now.

"Josh you have his name on your body, you're soulmates. Can you imagine how daunting that would have been if it had been the other way around, if you had seen Tyler's soulmark instead? Can you not say that you wouldn't have freaked out too?" Brendon replied as Hayley went back to rubbing Josh's back soothingly.

"But why keep up the lie?" Josh continued. Tyler had let him believe his feelings were invalid, had Josh feel guilty about their relationship, all the while knowing they were meant to be.

"Did you ask him that?" Brendon suggested. Josh mumbled a "n"o before sighing and pulling out his phone. He dialled Tyler's number.

"Josh?" Josh was taken aback by the voice that wasn't Tyler's.

"Wait, who is this? Where's M-Tyler?" He would have to get used to that name.

"This is Mark. Real Mark, his friend." Mark replied, panic was evident in his voice.

"What's wrong?" Josh sat up, anxiety rising in his chest.

"He's not with you by any chance then?" Mark asked desperately.

"No. We haven't spoken in a couple days. What's going on?"

"Look he's probably fine, but he went out last night and we haven't seen him since. He left his phone and everything."

Josh felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He finally found his supposed other half and now he was gone again. Worse still he could be lost or hurt or- it didn't bear thinking about.

"Does he do this often?"

"No, I mean he sometimes goes on late night walks but he's always back before seven am. And he always takes his phone."

"I'm going out to look for him." Josh said scrambling up off the bed, Hayley and Brendon looked at each other concerned, getting up too.

"Let me know the minute you hear anything okay? Okay bye." Josh hung up before rummaging through his drawers for a hoodie and socks.

"Josh, what is it? What's wrong?" Hayley asked watching her flatmates frantic rummaging.

"It's Tyler. He's missing, he-he didn't take his phone. God, he could be anywhere." Josh ran a shaky hand through his hair.

"Hey it's okay, we'll help you look for him." Hayley said rubbing his shoulders and pulling him in for a hug.

Brendon and Hayley headed to their rooms looking for jackets and shoes. All three juniors began running around the apartment grabbing things like maps and food and blankets, not sure what they would need. They'd just started to discuss where Tyler might go when there was a knock at the door.

Brendon opened it to see Tyler stood in the doorway. All three inside the apartment stared at him in shock, he looked up at them confused His eyes had large bags underneath them, there were obvious tear marks on his cheeks from where he'd been crying recently. His clothes were crumpled and his hair was a mess.

Brendon stepped aside to let him in, him and Hayley retreating into their rooms but not before Josh handed Hayley his phone and mumbled something about telling Mark Tyler was safe.

Josh silently walked over to Tyler. He shrunk away, unsure of what the older boy's reaction was going to be to seeing him on his doorstep. Josh pulled him into a bone crushing hug, pulling his head onto his shoulder. Tyler broke down in his embrace.

"I'm so sorry." Tyler repeated into Josh's neck clinging to him tightly.

"It's okay." Josh decided, the panic of losing Tyler putting everything into perspective.

"I love you." Tyler choked out. Josh lifted his head up to meet Tyler's gaze, brushing the tears from his face. "Josh I'm so sorry. I love you so much. I know I don't deserve forgiveness but I'm honestly so sorry." Tyler sobbed out, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

"Even when you're all snotty and gross, you still make my heart beat fast." Josh admitted, biting his lip as a look of hope flashed across Tyler's face. He closed the gap kissing Tyler tentatively, something felt different this time, instead of the feeling of guilt that lingered in the back of his mind, he felt something else. It made his heart feel light like he was drunk off the feel of Tyler's lips on his own.

Josh pulled away to look at Tyler again. "Hold on" he said before walking past Tyler and out the front door. Tyler dried his eyes as he stared confused, and slightly hurt.

There was a knock at the door and Tyler opened it slowly, his brow furrowed in confusion. He stared as Josh beamed at him from the other side of the door frame.

"Hi, I'm Josh." He offered out a hand. Tyler clicked on, a smile spreading across his face.

"Tyler." He replied shaking his hand. They smiled at one another for a second before Josh pulled Tyler into him, kissing him again.

"I should've done it like that the first time." Tyler berated himself between kisses. Josh stopped trying to kiss down his neck to look at him.

"Doesn't matter. I've found you now and that's the only thing that matters." Josh replied with a crinkly eyed smile. Tyler's chest fluttered as he kissed Josh again, not letting him slip away again.