Robbers - [joshler au]

Chapter 9.

Trigger Warnings

//

Drug use; marijuana, cocaine, MDMA(Ecstasy).

Start the song. It's Like Real People Do by Hozier.

Over the next few weeks, things had begun to go back to their normal routines. The funeral for Josh's mom was beautiful and tearful, just like it should've been. Tyler cried alongside Josh, and Brendon could barely keep himself together. Josh introduced Tyler as his boyfriend to his dad, who took it in stride, but Josh could tell that he wasn't happy about it. He didn't care. His mom would've loved Tyler, and he loved Tyler, so it didn't matter what his dad thought.

Josh got all of the money his mom had left in his savings account and sent it all to his school. There was no way he was going to leave almost $50,000 lying in an account that he could access, because he would have completely misused it and he didn't want to betray his mother like that. He was still living with Hayley, who had basically adopted Josh as her little brother. She treated him just like family, and protected him the same way. He had only done cocaine with Tyler one more time since the first time, and he swore to himself that he wasn't going to make it a usual habit like Tyler had.

Currently, he and his friends were down at the community park and recreational center, Brendon and Dominic flying around the graffitied walls of the skate park while the rest of them sat on the edges. Josh had an arm around Tyler's shoulders as they passed a joint back and forth, Ryan was videoing Brendon doing kick-flips and Ollies and Ashley and Hayley were lying on their backs, pointing out shapes in the clouds as they passed their own joint between each other. It felt like a perfect summer day, and they were all happy to just be in each other's company.

Once their joint was gone, Tyler reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag filled with tiny white tablets and held them out. "You guys wanna take an Ex with me?"

Brendon and Dom almost fell off their skateboards trying to get over to where Tyler was seated, Ashley and Hayley held out their hands quietly and patiently, and Ryan raised his hand like asking for permission. Tyler passed each of them a small tablet before grabbing his own and placing it on his tongue. Josh watched all of his friends take the small pills and he looked at Tyler curiously. "Don't I get one?"

Tyler smiled softly. "Have you ever had Ecstasy?" He laughed gently as Josh shook his head. "Tell me how you're feeling right now."

Josh pursed his lips as he turned to look at the sky briefly. "I feel peaceful," he said softly. "I don't feel bad. I don't feel upset. I'm enjoying the sun and the cool breeze, I'm enjoying sitting here with my boyfriend and my best friends, and I'm enjoying being alive right now."

Tyler's face lit up as he held the small pill out for Josh. "Then I think you can take this with no problems," he said softly. "Open."

Josh opened his mouth slightly, allowing Tyler to place the small tablet on his tongue before swallowing it down easily. Tyler smiled and leaned over to kiss Josh briefly, leaning against his shoulder as they watched Brendon and Dom get back to skating. About half an hour later, that weightless feeling was coming back to Josh and he was smiling widely without even realizing it. When Tyler poked him in one of his dimples, Josh laughed gently and pressed a kiss to Tyler's temple before smiling again. "I wanna go swimming."

Tyler laughed and was about to ask him where they could go before Hayley jumped up. "They just finished cleaning and balancing the pH of the pool this morning," she exclaimed, helping Ashley off of the ground. "Let's go swimming, bitches!"