Stay With Me (Joshler)

I love you too

Tyler pov

I must say I was surprised when Josh said he loved me. I never thought someone so perfect could actually love a total mess like me.

We've been cuddling for an hour and it's really nice. Before, cuddling was just a couples thing, but now, it feels like we both really need it. We both need somewhere to feel at home.

I must admit that blurry has been talking to me on and off for the last hour about how much Josh probably hates me but I don't care. As long as I'm in his arms, blurry could say anything and I am finally able to just pretend I don't hear it.

I realize that we should probably be at school right now but again, I don't care.

I heard Josh's breathing steady out a couple minutes ago, so, assuming he's asleep, I take my opportunity to inspect his injuries. His shirt is already off, so I run my hand down his chest looking at the bruises. The pattern suggests that he was punched a lot or maybe had some things thrown at him.

I put my hand in the center of his chest and look at his face. He looks so peaceful even though things like this happen to him so much. I wish I could help but I don't see how I could. Giving him a place to stay will keep him from getting hurt again, but it won't stop the pain. The reflex when someone grabs his shoulder, the constant fear of being hurt again, the negative thoughts imbedded in to his head, the feeling of being unwanted...Unloved. I wish I could fix him right now but it'll take time. A lot of it. I'm willing to help, though. I don't care if it takes years, I'll be here until he gets tired of me.

Suddenly, he grabs the hand that is on his chest and looks at me with a face of terror. I had been staring off into space a bit while thinking so I guess I didn't see him wake up.

He loosens his grip a bit and pulls my hand away from him. He then looks away, ashamed.

"I'm sorry" he says quietly, looking away.

He gets very jumpy when he just wakes up and I guess I pressed too hard and hurt him by accident.

"No, I'm sorry. I should have been more careful and not woken you up" I say sadly, putting my hand on his cheek.

He reaches his arm around me and pulls me closer to him. My hand moves from his cheek to around his neck.

"Thank you" he says.

"For what?"

"You are the only person who has ever been so kind and understanding with me. You are the only one who has ever told me they love me and the only one who is really just trying to keep me safe. Our friends at school are nice, but none of them have ever been nearly as caring or loving as you have. Thank you so much for not judging me and for saving me from my stupid house. I love you, Tyler" he says calmly.

"I love you too, Josh" I say and he kisses me.

||-//

Josh and I go downstairs and see my mom and dad in the kitchen.

"Oh hey, Josh...what are you doing here? Actually, what are either of you doing here, shouldn't you be at school?!" Mom asks in an increasingly harsh tone.

"Oh sorry..." I started, but I couldn't think of an excuse.

"It's my fault, Mrs. Joseph" Josh says firmly.

"Oh and how's that?" Mom says.

"I came over this morning and Tyler found out that my mother was still..." He cleared his throat. "That she was still hurting me, so we didn't end up leaving. I apologise"

"Oh no worries, kiddo" Dad says in a sweet tone. "We understand"

"Thanks, Dad" I say quietly.

We end up staying for the whole day. Mom and Dad left for work and we played Mario Kart. Everyone was home by the time that...she arrived.

We were sitting at dinner just having a pretty lighthearted argument about whether people should keep giving ducks bread because of something about their digestive system but it was interrupted by a very loud knock on the door.

Jay (who just got home) stands up to go to the door. I hear the sound of the door opening followed by it closing and two pairs of footsteps walking towards the table.

Josh's and my eyes both widen in shock as Josh's mother walks into the room.

"Hey Josh you're mom came by to ask where you were" Jay says. I completely forgot...he didn't know. He wasn't there when everyone else was informed of Josh's home life.

Everyone else suddenly jumped up upon hearing that this was the infamous Mrs. Dun.

"What are you doing here?" I say with a slight growl in my voice.

"I'm here for my son. He left without telling me where he went" she says kind of sadly. Oh stop playing the innocent card, you bitch.

I look over at Josh and he's just staring at her with horror painted across his face. I get the feeling he doesn't want anyone to see in person how she treats him.

"Well now you know, so go back to your own place before I kick you out myself" I say, still hostile.

"Tyler!" My mother hisses at me. I know she still wants to be a little polite to the lady, but I couldn't care less about that bitch. She hurt my Josh, and she won't get away with taking him back with her.

"I just want him to come back home"

"Why? So you can just hurt him all over again?"

"no... I want him back because I lov--" she didn't get to finish that sentence before I cut her off.

"WELL OBVIOUSLY NOT!" I basically yell. I reel back a little and speak with an obvious harshness in my voice. "If you really loved him, then you wouldn't put him through hell every time you see him"

She scoffs "oh yeah? And what gives you the right to take care of hi--" I cut her off again.

"BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!" I yell. Well I would probably be more afraid of saying that if I wasn't so pissed at her. I scan the faces around me for a reaction. Josh still looks scared, but mostly shocked. Actually, everyone looks pretty shocked at this. Except mom just wore a knowing smirk.

"Anyways....I love him...a-and you need to leave before I make you" I say quietly while looking down.

"But"

"LEAVE"

She walks slowly towards the door. Once she gets there, she turns back to look at Josh for some sort of defense from him but he just looks away.

She walks out.

[Wow for some reason I especially hate the writing in this chapter, considering this is the last chapter before the epilogue (sorry...)]