blossom ↣ joshler ✓

17. Pizza

"Fuck you!"

"You already did!"

"Oh my God, I do not want to hear about your past gay sex this is my house too, Josh. This is my safe space."

Brendon busted out laughing and Josh used that as his chance to hit his best friend with a red turtle. He instantly stopped laughing. "You prick!"

"Ha!" Josh shouted in victory as he raced past the finish line. "I win!"

"I fucking hate you," Brendon grumbled, putting his Juul to his mouth and inhaling.

"Bro," Josh shook his head. "If my mom catches you down here with that she'll tell your mom."

The three were currently sitting in the Dun's basement. It was the place Josh had hung out with his friends ever since he was little and eventually Jordan started to tag along as well.

"Mom won't find out," Jordan cut in, grabbing it from Brendon and hitting it as well. "So neither will his."

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love Jordan? He's my favorite Dun brother, hands down. He sucks at Mario Kart so he can't beat me and he vapes with me."

"We literally snuck out of chem last week to vape in the bathroom," Josh deadpanned.

"I didn't beat him in Mario Kart though," Jordan pointed out.

Josh rolled his eyes and grabbed the Juul from his little brother. "I don't know why I do this shit. It's nasty and bad for your lungs."

"It tastes good though," Brendon reasoned.

"You've got me there," Josh laughed, hitting it and giving it back to Brendon.

"Dude," Jordan turned to him. "Do you have money from babysitting that we could use towards buying a pizza?"

"I'm not wasting all my money on food, Jordan," Josh rolled his eyes.

"I will!" Brendon slapped a twenty on the table Josh had down in their basement. "Joshie boy order the pizza I'll pay."

Josh instantly felt bad. "Brendon you don't have to spend your money on us."

"Fine then I'll buy a pizza for myself and you guys don't get any."

"Josh!" Jordan smacked his arm.

The mentioned slapped Jordan upside the head in response. "I'll order the God damn pizza but I better get some."

"Deal," Brendon nodded.

Josh called Pizza Hut to place the order. He ordered two large pepperoni pizzas since he knew Brendon could eat a whole one alone. Josh was guilty of that as well... but if asked he'd deny it.

As soon as he hung up, he saw Brendon has started the next race without him. Brendon and Jordan were on lap two and Baby Mario was just stuck at the finish line. "Asshole!" Josh scrambled for the wii remote.

Brendon laughed in victory as he passed one of the computers, placing him in first.

The three continued to play until the doorbell rang just in time for them to finish another grand prix.

All of the boys looked each other. "Nose goes!" Brendon yelled, instantly setting his finger on said body part. Josh was right after them, leaving Jordan the slowest in the group.

"Fuck both of you," he groaned, getting up and going back up the stairs.

"So," Brendon turned to Josh as the latter grabbed the Juul off the table once again. "How was babysitting yesterday? Being stuck with that brat on a Saturday?" He shook his head. "Hayley told me he called you a fag. I'm sorry about that."

Josh's mouth curled into a smile around the vape pen. He brought it away from his mouth and blew the smoke out. "He's not that bad, actually."

Brendon's eyes widened. "Not that bad? He's a homophobic asshole, Josh."

Josh shook his head, giving the Juul back to Brendon. "No he's not. He's not homophobic— well, to others. He has an insane amount of internalized homophobia though."

Realization settled on Brendon's face. "Oh!" He nodded. "So he's gay? Or bi? Or...?"

"Assuming he's gay since people aren't allowed to be bi."

Brendon raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Josh was about to explain when Jordan came down the stairs, both boxes of pizza in hand. "Eat up, gremlins," he spoke, setting them on the table before opening the top one and grabbing a slice for himself.

Brendon instantly dove for the box, grabbing a slice as well. Josh laughed, getting one for himself. "Anyway," he continued, propping his legs up on the spot on the table that was unoccupied by the pizza. "Tyler says bisexual people don't exist."

Jordan gave him a confused look. "The same kid who called you the f word? Since when are you two so open to talking about sexuality?"

"Since he came out to me," Josh replied. "He called me that because he got scared that I knew before he was ready to tell me. It's not an excuse but I understand it. Since his mom's drilled it into his head that being gay was bad, he tries to suppress it. He doesn't think you like boys and girls either but I blame his mom for that too."

"Wait, so the kid you babysit is gay?" Brendon asked, looking for clarification.

"He's not a kid," Josh instantly defended.

However, he knew that was a mistake when Brendon and Jordan looked at one another with a knowing expression.

Brendon broke out into a wide smile. "Does Joshie have a crush on the Christian boy?" He cooed.

"No," Josh grumbled, taking a bite of his pizza. "Maybe..."

"Wait, really?" Jordan asked with wide eyes.

"I mean I was his first kiss," Josh smiled sheepishly when when both boys gasped. "And it's just so hard not to have a crush on him. He was a demon at first but now that he can actually be himself he's so fucking adorable. Like when he gets all giggly and blushy oh my God you should see him."

"Dude," Brendon spoke. "Tell him!"

"I don't know..." Josh sighed. "We made a plan where I just help him experience regular teenage things and he helps me raise my grade in math. He probably doesn't have the time or even the want for a relationship."

"Why can't you help him experience those things while also being his boyfriend?" Jordan questioned.

"I just don't think it would work. He probably doesn't even like me like that. I'm the stupid baseball player that makes sure he goes to bed at eight."

"You never know if you don't try," Brendon gave him a look, grabbing another piece of pizza to eat.

"Yeah..." Josh sighed. "Let's just hurry and eat so I can whoop your ass in Mario Kart again."

"Over my dead body!"

"Guess you're dying then."

"Why do I hang out with you guys?"