farm boy // joshler

7

josh's point of view

tyler and i eat sandwiches at the kitchen table, glasses of lemonade beside our plates.

"thank you for cooking," tyler thanks me quietly.

"no problem." i clear my throat. "i, um, i heard you playing earlier. the piano i mean." i mentally facepalm. of course i meant the piano. it's not like i heard him playing soccer.

"oh." he blushes a light pink. "really?"

"yeah. it was really good. you're very talented." i finish my sandwich and put my plate in the dishwasher. "what were you playing?"

"it, um... it was an original actually." he shrugs and looks down at his plate.

"really? wow," i take his empty plate for him. "i wish i was that good at something."

"you're a very talented artist." he stands up.

"thanks." i feel my own cheeks tint themselves pink. "anyway, you should play me something."

"like what?" he's already walking toward the instrument.

"anything."

"okay." he clears his throat and sits down, taking a moment to decide what to play. then, he begins. "turn away. if you could get me a drink of water cause my lips are chapped and faded." his voice is beautiful and i find myself in awe.

when he finishes, i applaud him. "you, tyler joseph, are incredible."

-

"how was the party?" tyler starts a conversation as we all sit at the table, our dinner in front of us.

"it was fine. what did you boys get up to?" he smiles and takes a bite of his food.

"tyler played the piano for me." i raise my eyebrows and uncle scott looks at him.

"really?"

"yeah. he's amazing." i smile over at tyler and he blushes.

"i wouldn't say amazing," he laughs a little. "i'm alright."

"you should play us something after supper," he insists.

"um, okay." he nods. "sure."

we finish eating ten minutes later and have the kitchen cleaned not long after.

tyler sits at the piano and moves his fingers on the keys. "what should i play?"

"play another original," i suggest.

uncle scott nods and tyler agrees even though he obviously doesn't want to.

"he stays home from work this time. he never really told his wife. he's never really told a lie, but this time he decides that it's alright." tyler closes his eyes and allows himself to get lost in his music.

when he finishes, he stands up and wipes his hands on his jeans. uncle scott applauds and i just smile.

"tyler, you wrote that?" uncle scott asks, stepping forward to clap his hand on tylers shoulder. "that was great."

"i wrote it a couple years ago," he looks down at his pink socks.

"it was beautiful," i chip in from where i stand.

"it was." uncle scott sighs. "but i'm pooped. i'm gonna hit the hay." he starts up the stairs and disappears to his room, calling out one more time, "goodnight, boys."

"you really think it was beautiful?" tyler steps forward and i nod.

"everything you do is beautiful."

and you're beautiful.

"thank you." he looks me in the eyes this time. "i'm sorry i'm not very good at accepting compliments.

"i'll just have to compliment you every day until you learn then." i smile and he blushes.

"whatever."

"do you want to watch a movie?" i change the topic and gesture to the tv.

"sure." he smiles. "just let me go change into my pajamas." he runs upstairs and i sit on the couch, looking through netflix.

he comes back downstairs wearing fluffy pink pajama pants and a t-shirt that says the word 'love' in red cursive.

even in sleepwear, he's gorgeous.

"what, um, do you want to watch?" i ask, feeling somewhat honored when he sits only a few inches away from me instead of on the other side of the couch.

"you can pick," he answers nonchalantly and i swallow hard.

this could set a mood. if i pick a horror and he gets scared and hides in my shoulder like in the rom-coms, that could lead to cuddling. if i pick a rom-com and the characters kiss or have sex, it could be awkward, or it could lead to us kissing. if i pick an action or sci-fi, hell be bored. if i pick a comedy, i get to hear him laugh.

this is a lot of pressure.

"no, you can pick," i say, deciding that it's the least risky option.

"ummm, how about..." he trails off as he looks through netflix. "have you ever seen the road to el dorado?"

"nope."

"then that's what we're watching."

"what's it about?" i question, knowing only that it's a disney movie of some sort.

"these two guys find the city of gold, and they're totally gay for each other, but one of them ends up with some girl from the kingdom they discovered," he gives me a brief explanation and i nod.

he picked a movie about two guy friends that are gay for each other and never act on it. hm.

he starts the movie, and hesitantly leans his head on my shoulder. i suck in a breath and move my arm to drape across his shoulders instead.

so far, so good.

when the scene comes that one of the characters is being seduced, i bite my lip.

i wonder if tyler is as nervous about this as i am or if i'm over-thinking things.

"this part always makes me mad. he's betraying his friend as a friend, but it's also obvious the blonde one has feelings for him. it's just disappointing. so much angst," he tells me, his voice quiet.

"maybe he can't tell his friend has feelings for him. i've always been oblivious to that kind of thing," i admit, hoping he'll get the hint.

"i normally can. i'm pretty good at reading people." he tilts his head up slightly to look at me.

"oh."

does this mean he knows i like him and he's ignoring it? does it mean he doesn't like me back?

"yeah. i never know how to approach stuff like that though," he says.

was that a hint that he wants me to initiate something? why are we talking about our situation so indirectly? should i say something?

"so, are you going to make the first move or not?" his voice is especially quiet when he asks this, practically a whisper, and i don't know how to respond.

"am i supposed to tell you a cheesy pick-up line?" is all i can think to say. it may be completely blowing the moment, but i couldn't stop it from slipping out with my heart hammering in my chest so loudly.

he sits up and turns to sit facing me. "go for it."

"do you know if there are any police around? because you've stolen my heart."

he laughs and covers his mouth. "that was dumb."

"well, i'm pretty dumb."

"you're not." he puts his hand on my knee.

i look down at his hand and take a breath. "does this mean you like me too?"

"maybe you are dumb."

(an: if no one has told you today, i love you.)