PLATONIC🌺⌠J.T⌡

xxiii

100k reads; this is unbelievable. i cannot thank you all enough for the overwhelming support over the years. you are truly my biggest motivator, and i love and care for you all so deeply.

have some tooth-rotting fluff as a thank you.

⚜️🌺⚜️

THE SUN WAS setting over the Georgia sky by the time Tyler and Josh made it back to the older boy's house; the clouds looked like freshly spun cotton candy with pink and orange under hues painted across their bellies.

Josh's pickup sputtered in the driveway for a few moments before he cut the engine. Exhaustion sunk heavily in his frame, but it was a refreshing fatigue, one that echoed his victory and hard work earlier that evening. Popping open his door and shutting it behind himself, Josh made his way over to the passenger door to pull it open for Tyler, who was starting to doze off, still wrapped in Josh's thick varsity jacket.

"C'mon, sleepy peach," he laughed breathlessly, gently maneuvering Tyler into his grip and hoisting the brunette into his arms. His back twinged with a sharp pain in disapproval, but he his wince went unnoticed by Tyler, who had nuzzled into Josh's shoulder with a sluggish huff.

Kicking the passenger door shut, Josh managed to wrestle his and Tyler's backpacks on either shoulder without putting his boyfriend down. Locking his truck and unlocking the front door were another struggle each, his shoulders throbbing under the weight of school books and Tyler's own lithe frame. Kicking off his cleats at the door, Josh was unable to muffle his groan of relief after slipping the backpacks onto the couch, and he rolled each shoulder to ease his discomfort, something Tyler was pointedly unable to not notice.

Blinking away the sleep from his eyes, he narrowed them accusatorially at his boyfriend. "Bear...," he started in a warning tone, which made Josh freeze with a flinch. "Has your back been hurtin' again?"

Josh let out a sigh, unable to look Tyler in the eye, which was a bit awkward considering he still held the boy pressed right against his body. "S'not a big deal," he mumbled out, flinching again when Tyler gasped, clearly affronted.

"Bear! Y'should've told me! Put me down!"

"Peach—"

"Bear, put me down right now. Go to your room, lie on your bed, and wait for me to get there."

Josh sighed, sliding Tyler to his feet, who was pouting up at him. He pointed very crossly at the staircase then crossed his arms across his chest, the sleeves of Josh's jacket sagging around his elbows. He glared at the back of his boyfriend's head as he trudged up the stairs.

"Dumb dumb," Tyler muttered under his breath. Stretching, Tyler quickly gathered the lotion and oil that he usually used for Josh's muscle aches from the bathroom. He toed his shoes off next to the stairs and padded up the stairs after his boyfriend on bare feet.

Both of Josh's parents had yet to return from work, but Tyler could hear Ashley and Abigail chatting in their room and saw Jordan messing with a video game controller through his open door. He passed both rooms quietly, waving to Jordan as he made his way to the end of the hall to Josh's bedroom.

The door opened with a creak, and Tyler peeked inside to see Josh lying on his tummy across the length of the bed with his head facing away from the door. The lights were dimmed, but Tyler was able to make out the dirtied baseball uniform still clinging to the muscular frame of Josh's bulk.