I Saw You In The Water [Joshler]

Twenty four 🐚

The gulls were tossed paper in a storm, flashes of white in the grey, tumbling as they struggled against the gale. Beneath them, the sea rose as angry mountains, pure rage in the form of water, turbulent and unforgiving. The clouds rolled across the sky dark and unyielding, smothering the sun. The ghostly sky was split in two by a light whip of a flash, it continued whipping the horizon like it was a stubborn stallion. A large crack echoed across the sky as the lightning returned the thunder's call. At that moment everything went still, the lightning struck the high rising waves sending ripples of flashing foam across the surface. The thunder rolled across the dark azure, bringing a false sense of peace. The sky was quiet for a few moments and then it sent its wrath down on the earth once again. The waves held their white crowns in the air for a long time before they came crashing down into the blue from where they were trying to escape from. Raindrops continued their ravage on the earth, ripping cruelly at the ground and whistling angrily through the leaves, ripping their green leaves off and pushing the dunes like they were pawns on the chessboard. 

Josh had perched himself on the bench on the porch outside.  The razor winds chilled him to the bone nipping at every part of skin exposed. The rattling gust swam through Josh's ocean blue hair whistling in his ears as it passed. Josh cupped his cold bitten cheeks and let out a sight that was carried away by the wind. He stared at the raging ocean with eyes filled with unknown longing. He found the sea comforting, he was born there and nothing could hurt him there. 

"Josh, go inside." Tyler poked his head out the door 

"Why?" Josh answered without turning his head 

"Because it's freezing." Tyler said with a slight shiver 

Josh slowly turned his head Tyler's way, his cold gaze drilled straight through the boy like the wind raking his blue hair. 

"Like you care." Josh said calmly and turned his head away 

"Why wouldn't I?" Tyler scoffed "C'mon, go inside. You're gonna turn blue."

Josh didn't answer and didn't move an inch, the wind brushed over his reddened toes and knees sending shivers through his whole body. Tyler let out a sight and went back inside. He dug through his closet till he found a fluffy blanket big enough for him to wrap Josh in. Tyler rocked back and forth on his heels waiting for the water in the teapot to start boiling. He quickly swirled the teaspoon around making sure the sugar doesn't stick to one place. He went outside and threw the blanket on the shaking man. Josh stared at the dark horizon empty-eyed as the boy wrapped him up in the fluffy blanket. Tyler handed Josh the hot cup of tea and kissed his forehead before going inside. There was no point of trying to drag Josh back inside because he would still manage to go outside again. The boy understood that Josh needed some space, some alone time to think. He was just worried that the man would run away so he sat in the living room staring at the silhouette behind the glass. 

Tyler had called his dad numerous times till he filled up his voicemail. Tyler texted everyone he knew and asked them to contact Chris' friends but none of them were answering either. Tyler really hoped that they all were drunk somewhere in Hawaii after they were lost in the sea during the fishing trip. Tyler really hoped that his dad just lost his phone or maybe the battery died. The boy glanced at the clock anxiously. They should've been back by now. The boy had drunk five cups of coffee in two hours and now his heart was stepping to the beat of Irish tap dance. 

It was too late to see anything out the window. The storm was still raging, Tyler laid on the couch with his eyes wide open, staring at the blank ceiling. His eyes were sore but every time he closed them he could see the sea raging. The boy's chest heaved unevenly, he had never drunk so much coffee this strong. He had bitten his nails to the quick. After hours of trying to calm his heart, Tyler managed to close his eyes for more than ten seconds. The boy squirmed feeling that he's unable to open them again. Tyler was so exhausted despite all that caffeine he consumed in two hours. Tyler heard the front door silently creak.The lock clicked and the sound of bare feet softly tapping against the wooden floor echoed in Tyler's ears. He shifted slightly as he felt Josh sit down on the couch. A warm blanket landed on Tyler's body and Josh slithered next to him. He placed his cold hands against Tyler's neck mercilessly and tangled his legs with the brunette's. 

"Momma is angry." Josh whispered softly, his lips grazed slightly against Tyler's neck

"The ocean?" Tyler murmured feeling his mind slowly drift off to sleep

"My momma." Josh whispered "She's angry with me."

"Why would she?" Tyler muttered 

"Because I broke the rules." Josh sighed "She's searching for me..."

"I'll..." Tyler let out a yawn "I'll take you... tomorrow."

"No, no..." Josh sighed "I can't go back anymore, my momma is very angry."

Tyler hummed quietly, he wanted to have a conversation with Josh but his lips were too numb to move. He kept wandering off and waking up constantly. The warmth radiating off of Josh was sending him to sleep but the caffeine in his system kept punching him in the heart. 

"I broke momma's rules." Josh whispered 

"What rules?" Tyler managed to move his lips

"I'm not allowed to speak to humans." Josh drew invisible patterns on Tyler's chest "I'm not allowed to go on the land and lay with humans."

Tyler opened his eyes and turned his head to Josh.

"Lay?" Tyler sighed "Like...."

"Mate." Josh murmured shyly "I'm not allowed to mate with humans. None of us are. Only momma." 

"That's kinda shellfish- I mean selfish." Tyler chuckled to himself

"She's the empress, she can do whatever she likes." Josh let out a soft hum 

"Your mom is an empress?"

"She's the empress of the big waters." 

"Can't you just talk to her?" Tyler shrugged "She's your mom after all. "

"She'll kill me. " Josh sniffled "She'll kill you too, she'll kill everyone. " 

Josh sniffled again, Tyler felt his chest getting damp. He guided his hand through the dark till his palm successfully cupped Josh's cheek. Tyler leaned in closer to peck Josh's lips, he ran his thumb across the man's bottom lip and kissed him again, this time more passionately. Josh whimpered against Tyler's lips and buried his fingers in Tyler's fluffy locks. 

"I won't let her kill you. " Tyler rested his forehead against Josh's "I-"

Tyler bit his lip. He realized how selfish he was wanting Josh only for him. He had a life out there, family. 

"I'm sorry." Tyler whispered linking his fingers with Josh's

"I love you." the man spoke softly 

"I love you too, pearl."