Sold To The Dun Boy • Joshler SHORT STORY

5

"Tyler, sit up," Josh groaned as he continued scrubbing the younger's back.

"I wanna get out," Tyler mumbled as he felt the rough loofah scrub his back. His knees were up to his chest, arms wrapping around showing his spinal cord from the bend. He was covering himself so Josh could get the areas, his back, that he couldn't reach. "It's freezing in here."

"I'm almost finished. Besides, my doctor said a cool bath will help you out a bit." Josh bit back. "Anyways, how are you doing?"

"I feel horrible, but it's doable." He mumbled again. Tyler looked up at the man who was too concentrated while he was washing him. Josh was attractive, Tyler still hasn't trusted the older man. But for him to take care of him like this, it was as if Tyler had gone to a rehab facility.

"Stop staring, it's throwing me off my game," Josh chuckled. Tyler coughed in the opposite direction of Josh when he was actually trying to laugh, but got it caught in his throat. With the coughing came some pain that coursed through him, but he smiled over at Josh to show he was okay.

He didn't know why he would be in pain, but thinking of all those particles leaving his system, flowing through his body and slowly dissolving away, was what was getting him through. He looked back at Josh, the older man's smirk still evident. "Your game, eh?" Tyler raised his eyebrows. "What exactly is your game?"

Josh connected his eyes with Tyler for just a second. He was rinsing the soap out of the loofah, staying away from the younger body to not cross any boundaries. Josh chuckled, more to himself before speaking, "I mean that I've gotta make sure you're clean before I put you in a clean bed. Marley was a sweetheart enough to get you new sheets while we struggled in here."

"Struggled?" Tyler called as he extended his legs when Josh stood and went to sit on the toilet seat. So that if Tyler stood, he would only see his backside. "I wouldn't say we struggled, I'd say that I got to see you on a more personal level. Like...friends."

"Friends?"

"Yes, Joshua. Friends." He began standing on his two feet, using the side of the lone tub to stand up. His legs were buckling, but he was sure he could get to the towel that hung.

"Tyler I've seen a dick before. Just let me help you," Josh called as he began standing.

"I mean I wouldn't be surprised. You look at yourself in the mirror too long for a dude." He heard Josh gasp behind him which made the younger chuckle. "C'mon, lay down your walls, friends talk about each other all the time. It's what they do, enjoy the others company, gossip, sit and do nothing for long periods of time in silence. You know, the usual."

"So how does that pertain to us..." Josh looked at him confused. He stood making his way to the boy who was wrapping the towel around his waist. He extended a hand to help Tyler out of the bath. "I told you Tyler, nothing can come of us. You already know how I make my money, and it's not that I'm afraid what you can do with that power. What I'm afraid of is what danger you'd be put in. It's already dumb of me to have taken you, but I couldn't let those guys keep you. Who knows who they would have sold you to."

Josh looked down at Tyler, their chests pressing together, eyes locking. "I'd feel guilty, and on top of that, what would they do if you were in this state. I saw you Tyler, I saw you needed help, and it gives me so much honor, to help you get back on your feet." Josh raised a hand and let his thumb rub gently on Tyler's cheek.

They stood like that, their lips twitching with need. It made Tyler almost want to go crazy. Especially when Josh licked his lips, and Tyler felt the other warm hand that wasn't holding his face trail from his arm down his exposed body.

He shivered, goosebumps trailing the path as Josh placed his warm hand on the small of his back. A hum escaped his lips and it almost made him smile with content.

"How could it be so bad, being with you?" Tyler whispered, his hands raking up the clothed chest until they reached the older man's neck. He watched Josh's adam's apple buck a bit, and his eyes swirl with nervousness. "You tell me to stay away. Yet you don't understand what I have been through once before Josh. I will fight you, literally."

It took a moment, Tyler pushing Josh down so their lips could meet. It was just the closeness, it was the feeling that Tyler was finally getting somewhere, he wouldn't be facing tall walls. He felt the hand on his cheek rise to his hair, their lips almost touching one another.

Then Josh gripped Tyler's hair, hard, yanking his neck back, causing the brunette to blush madly. He stared at Tyler's eyes, them squinting as the younger whimpered from the pain in his head. "Goodnight Tyler."