𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘺.

𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘹.

"he's so light, i forget i'm even carrying him." josh chuckled. he had the smaller boy on his back and was giving him a piggyback all the way home. tyler's arms were draped over josh's shoulder, his cheek pressed against his back, he had fallen asleep.

"wait, wait, do you hear that?"

"hear what?"

"shush, listen," jenna heard the ice cream truck down the road. "that." she knew it would make tyler happy to wake up from his nap to see cookies and ice cream.

"josh, i have to buy him ice cream."  she had her backpack along her chest and tyler's on her back. josh had his strapped along his chest, too. they both looked like dorks but they did it for tyler. she rustled through each pocket to find her coin purse. before she could even take notice, josh had ran down the street, waving one hand toward the truck with tyler on his back and his backpack on his chest.

"over here!" josh yelled and waved his arm, making sure the other was still supporting sleepy tyler. the truck stopped right in front of him, jenna found her coin purse and caught up to the truck and the boys.

"can i have a cotton candy and a firework?" jenna said looking through her coins for some quarters.

"can i get the oreo ice cream?" josh handed the man a five dollar bill. "keep the change."

"thank you, we both appreciate it." jenna said gesturing to the still sleeping boy on his back.

"no problem." he smiled. josh felt good buying something to give to tyler, even if he was still sleeping peacefully.

˚✧₊⁎⁺˳✧༚

the trio had made it to josh's house. tyler was still asleep as jenna took the key from under the mat and gave it to josh. josh's house was neat and clean. josh lived alone with his mom who was out of town. jenna wasn't sure if they should leave or hang out and ty wasn't awake to tell her what he wanted.

"we can take just him to my room," josh said. they looked at each before making the trek to the stairs while the boy was still asleep. josh knew he was strong but tyler had been on his back for 20 minutes, he wasn't sure he could still make it up the stairs.

"i'm gonna put him down real quick and pick him up again, alright?" jenna nodded in approval, not really sure how this would play out. jenna stood behind josh and let tyler slipped off his back. jenna held him up and his eyes fluttered open for a second. josh swooped him up bridal style before he could fully wake up. they walked into joshs spacious room with a huge bed, bean bags and a tv with what seemed like every movie and video game ever made on a shelf below it. josh set tyler on the white comforter and swiftly turned on the a/c. josh and jenna went downstairs to grab some water and put the ice cream in the freezer for tyler.

"so are you and tyler," josh paused, not expected his heart to feel ten times heavier. "like, you know, dating?"

"nah, i wish. i've never known anyone like him, ever." jenna sighed. "but the thing about being a lesbian is that, i won't ever like him romantically." for reasons he couldn't yet explain, josh let out a sigh of relief.

there was a silence. josh didn't why he thought to ask that or what he gained with either answer. he tried changing the subject but it was back to tyler.

"earlier i was so worried, do you know why he was so upset? did i do anything?"

"he just," there was a small pause as jenna chose her words. "gets frazzled easily. i like to help him but it gets tough. you just have to be gentle with him. he's the sweetest, funniest boy but you have to work to see that, he's shy sometimes. everyone thinks he's a crybaby but they don't know him, they don't realize how amazing he is, you know?"