Keeper and Protector (Joshler) ✔️

9

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"And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind."

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"This guy sells great ice cream. You'll love it."

Tyler tried his best to keep up with Josh as he led him to a ice cream stand in the middle of the park. They had arrived ten minutes ago, yet he was already so mesmerized by the beautiful scenery the park had to offer.

He had spent most of his life in this city, but had never been here before.

Did he even know his hometown?

Or was it all just part of a blurred façade?

When it was their turn to order, Tyler felt a little too shy, so he let Josh take the lead.

"I'll have one strawberry cone," Josh said to the guy at the stand. "What would you like, Ty?"

"Vanilla," he replied softly.

Stood off to the side, Tyler felt a bit awkward as he watched Josh pay for their ice cream. Pulling the sleeves on his jacket as far down as they'd go, he crossed his arms across his chest, willing himself completely invisible and out of judgment's way.

"You okay, Tyler?"

Tyler looked back up to see Josh with two ice cream cones in his hands and a concerned look on his face. Feeling embarrassed by how weird he was acting, Tyler nodded and accepted the ice cream. "Thank you."

Josh wasn't fooled, though. He placed a comforting hand on the small of Tyler's back. "C'mon, follow me."

Tyler followed Josh for what seemed like forever until the path split off to a fork. Taking a left, they walked a couple hundred more yards until their destination came into view.

A playground...?

"Aren't we a little too... big?" Tyler asked, an eyebrow raised.

Josh grinned. "You're never too big for the swings!"

Tyler watched as Josh took off running towards the swings. Chuckling a little, he kept walking at his own pace, not bothered to chase after his Protector while he was still eating his cone.

When he finally got over to the swings, Josh was swinging with one hand and licking his ice cream cone with the other. "Come and join the fun, Ty-Ty!"

"You're gonna make yourself sick," Tyler warned him as he sat down on the other swing, careful to avoid dripping any ice cream on his new jeans.

"I'll be fine." Josh smiled. "It takes serious skills to swing and eat, you know!"

Tyler laughed. I sure have an interesting Protector...

After a while, Josh had stopped swinging and all of their ice cream was gone. Their conversation was light as they idly pushed themselves back and forth on the swings.

"You've got some strawberry on your face," Tyler teased before leaning over to wipe Josh's face with the corner of his sleeve.

Josh smiled. "Thanks. Should have just kissed it away instead, cutie."

Tyler giggled, soft and sweet. "You're silly, Joshua."

"Am I?" Josh moved his swing so he faced Tyler directly. "Maybe you're the silly one."

He giggled again. "Am not." 

"You have the cutest little laugh. It's precious." Josh gently knocked his knee against Tyler's, a sweet smile on his face. "And I love your smile."