Limerence {Joshler} [COMPLETED]

35.about me

"So... Can I ask you something?" Joshua started after they had a few sips of hot tea and Doodle had fallen into a perfect kitten sleep.
Tyler nodded, curious about what he wanted to ask, but not even really nervous.

"You live here with your mom. How co-." He must have noticed Tyler swallowing thickly and wide open eyes because he stopped his sentence and started apologizing right away. "Sorry, you don't have to, I was just wondering, sorry."

Tyler shrugged, and smiled to make Joshua feel better. "T-that's o-okay. I'm just n-not u-used to talk a-about it." He started petting the sleeping cat on his lap, who yawned, stretched and went back to sleep, purring contently.

"I ehm, h-have a older b-brother. He's 29 n-now. B-but I don't t-think I ever m-met him." He paused, drinking his tea, not looking up to Joshua because he felt the man staring at him with compassion. 
"M-maybe I d-did once b-but I d-don't remember."

"How come..." Joshua encouraged him, placing their empty tea mugs back on the table. He softly tugged the blanket, hinting on wanting to be underneath it too. So Tyler lifted Doodle off his lap, cradling her tightly to his chest and Joshua pulled the blanket over them both.

Tyler shifted closer to Joshua and leaned into him, gently placing the slightly complaining cat back on their shared blanket. She meowed a bit before collapsing down again and continuing her soft purrs.

Tyler scooted up closer to Joshua, head resting on his chest. "My d-dad left my m-mom and t-took him too. I-I don't k-know where they went t-to." Joshua draped his arm around Tylers shoulders, pulling him closer.

"I'm sorry Ty. He just left? Why would he-"?
"It's my fault", Tyler whispered, his voice breaking a bit. "He w-was happy with h-having a son, and w-was clear about n-never wanting a-another b-baby. So w-when my m-mom got p-pregnant... h-he just l-left and t-took my b-brother. H-he was 10 t-then."

Joshua let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Tyler, sweetheart, that is not your fault! That is never your fault. Please, don't say that. Don't think that way." He held Tyler tightly, kissing atop the boys head. "Please."

Tyler shrugged, wiping off a small stray tear. "B-but I mean it k-kinda i-is... If it w-wasn't for me they'd still b-be there." Joshua's heart broke in half hearing the words spill from Tyler's lips, all shaky and broken.
He whispered, because somehow that seemed to make sense. "But that would mean you wouldn't be here Ty. And I don't think that would make anyone happy..."

Tyler hid his face more into Joshua's sweater. "Well m-maybe my m-mom. T-then she would s-still h-have them", he mumbled.

"Your mom loves you to pieces Tyler. She would never want to miss you. Whatever happened, was your father's fault, not yours."

Tyler sniffed and and nodded softly. "So w-what about y-your f-family?"