crybaby | joshler ✓

THIRTY EIGHT

it was the day before valentine's day and ashley and tyler were sitting on tyler's bed cutting out valentines for ashley's party at her school.

"so—" tyler said while taping on the hearts to her valentine. "—do you have a valentine this year?" he asked her.

ashley blushed. "well there's this guy named andrew who I think may like me" she said. tyler's eyes went wide and he urged her to continue.

"he asked me to go to dinner with his parents and little brother" she gushed to him. tyler smiled at the 12 year old's innocence.

"that's so great ashley. I bet you'll have a lot of fun" he told her.

"I haven't asked joshua yet because I know he'll say no" she sighed.

"don't worry about him, i'll tell him to shut up" they both giggled and continued talking about ashley's first crush.

"I was thinking about wearing a red dress with hearts on it if I do go" ashley added.

"go where?" joshua asked as he entered the room, hair wet from the shower. he eyed tyler and ashley curiously, waiting for an answer.

"ashley wants to go out to dinner with a boy named andrew and his family tomorrow for valentine's day" tyler told him.

joshua snorted. "yeah no" he replied as he brushed his yellow curls.

ashley crossed her arms. "why not?"

"because I said so" joshua replied as he sat on tyler's bed.

she huffed and frowned. "you're so mean!" she yelled before walking out of tyler's room.

joshua rolled his eyes and laid on tyler's torso. tyler sighed and gently pushed him off. joshua looked at him with pure confusion on his face.

"you're being unreasonable" tyler said to him.

"because i'm not letting my baby sister go on a date?" joshua interjected.

"joshua she's 12 years old, she's not going on a date! she's not going to do anything but go to dinner with his family"

joshua sighed. "I don't want her to grow up" he admitted.

tyler held his hand. "I know you don't but you can't keep her from doing things. let her go because it gives her something to do. it's all friendly. besides, she's around you and your friends all the time. It's good for her to be around people her own age."

a look of guilt appeared on joshua's face. "i'm a bad brother aren't I?" he whispered guilty. tyler immediately shook his hands and grabbed his face.

"no baby. you're the best big brother that little girl could ever have. it's normal to be protective" he assured him. joshua pressed a kiss to tyler's lips.

"I love you tyler" he said, voice barely above a whisper. tyler's heart fluttered and he pampered kisses on to joshua's face. joshua giggled and rolled tyler over so that he was on top of him. they looked at eachother and tyler nuzzled their noses together.

"my valentine" he whispered smiling. joshua placed a kiss to his forehead.

"we are so cheesy" joshua replied. tyler scoffed and pushed joshua off of him. joshua pouted and snuggled up against tyler.

"I have to go to work" joshua mumbled against tyler's skin.

"you better get going then. ashley can stay here if she wants." tyler added. joshua smiled and pecked his lips.

"thank you. i'll see you later"

"don't forget to talk to ashley on your way out!" tyler called out to joshua.