Sold To The Dun Boy • Joshler SHORT STORY

4

Tyler groaned once again, his body was freezing, but the sweat drenching his pillows were a whole different story. Tyler was right, it doesn't happen within the course of a few hours, but the next morning, Tyler was hit hard.

What started off as slight coughs, and this horrible itch over his entire body, turned into the cold and pain and agony that he never thought he'd be in. The door to his room opened, and Josh came in with a silver platter, on it held some water, milk, and a bowl of soup.

Tyler hasn't been eating properly, and Josh wasn't stuffing everything down his throat. But he can say that he was happy when Tyler was able to keep down a few spoonfuls before feeling like he needed to hurl. "Josh," the younger whimpered. "It h- hurts, what the f- fuck!"

"Hey, I know. But we expected this right?" Tyler nodded and Josh smiled and nodded with him. Tyler watched the man sit at the edge of his bed, grabbing the rag from the ice cold water on the side of his bed. He wrung it out and folded it before placing it on Tyler's head.

It soothed his small headache for just a second until the pain everywhere else became too much and he groaned out. "It's okay, Ty. If it gets any worse, I'll call one of my doctors and he will give us some more tips to help you out." Tyler nodded. He looked at Josh with a small smile before feeling his tears start to brim.

This man was too nice to him. At first, they didn't know what was right and what was wrong. Josh, it took a bit with him, and Tyler knew he had to stick up for himself. He couldn't let Josh think he could walk all over him. So he made sure Josh knew he had boundaries, and he was grateful with every will in him that Josh softened up a bit.

"Hey, you good? Can't be passing out on me," Josh laughed nervously.

"Lay with me," Tyler said quickly, looking away after the words were spoken.

"Tyler, you know I can't do that," Josh said softly. Tyler looked down, of course he couldn't, Tyler was gross, he stunk because every since he got these damn symptoms he couldn't even move out the bed. Besides, Josh isn't going to keep him, he's going to be sent away, with money in his pockets, away from his father. That's what Josh said.

Josh doesn't want him around, he's just helping him because he knew that the young wouldn't be able to on his own. "Tyler, come on, you have to see this from my side."

"I do, but I just needed, to hold something warm. And you're...right there," Tyler spoke a bit embarrassed. With everything in him, he turned so that his back was facing Josh. "Don't worry about it. It's okay."

Josh breathed out heavily, patting Tyler's side and standing to walk out of the room. "We need to give you a bath, either I can do it, or I'll get one of my people to do it."

"You really think it'd be a good idea for you to see me naked when you couldn't even sit beside me and let me cuddle you," Tyler said.

"It's different."

Tyler was getting pissed. Being what felt like horribly sick, and pissed off were two things that shouldn't go together. He turned back around looking at Josh. "Tell me, how is it different?"

Josh opened his mouth to speak. "I'm cold, Josh," Tyler spoke again. "I'm cold and I'm hot and cold and hot and I just needed to know that you really are here, helping me. And yes, I thank you for this, god it's better than working for my dad bagging coke. But you really did not have to do this. And I just want to remember that are people like you who are willing to help someone like me. I just wanted it to feel real."

"It's too intimate Tyler!" Josh yelled over him, making the younger scurry under the comforter. "If I lay there next to you, if I watch you fall asleep, what good will that do me? I'm just helping you get over this, you were high and you will leave this house clean. I'll make sure you get a job, make sure you have a home, food, transportation, money. I'll make sure you're all decked out so that you can just leave." Josh got it all off his chest. "No one is safe around me, Tyler. I learned that a while ago, I'm not putting anyone in that trouble again."

With that, Josh left, and Tyler looked at the door wide-eyed. His heart beating fast. He shook his head, laying back and trying not to let the words bounce in his head. It already hurt there too much.