Carnival✔

20

Tyler was so happy for the first time in his life he felt so loved and cared for. He started calling sam mom and jackie was mommy. He spent the first year with them recovering and figuring out what made him feel safe and what didnt. He would visit Josh at least twice a month and his moms were more than happy to drive him back and forth seeing as how much more happy he got around josh.

The next year he was enrolled in school, he wasnt as advanced as the other kids in his grade so he had to get some extra help and did different work then everyone else but he actually kind of liked school. He made a bunch more new friends and has them over to play a bunch.

By the time he was ten you couldnt even tell that he used to spend his days getting starved and abused and tortured. Sam and Jackie let him have a pool party and invited a bunch of his friends from his school which was sadly a different school than Josh's but theres not much that could be done about that.

He was currently already in the pool, splashing around and goofing off with his school friends when Josh and his mom showed up. Sam and Jackie greeted them with kind smiles and lead them out back to the pool. Josh stayed by his mothers side, there was a lot more kids here then he was expecting and he didnt know any of them except Tyler.

"You gonna go get in the pool with tyler?" Josh's mom asked when Josh just stood there watching Tyler splash  one of his friends and laugh when they splashed back. Josh shook his head and looked at his feet. "He probably doesnt care that I'm here... he has new friends now." Josh said.

"Nonsense josh he wouldnt have invited you if he didnt want you here." His mother said. Josh shrugged. "Can we go back home? I dont wanna stay." He said. He felt out of place, like he shouldnt be there, like he wasnt wanted there. "We just got here were not going back home right now go play you're fine and I'm right here if you need me." His mom said.

He just shook his head again, glancing up at all the kids. His mom sighed and set a hand on his shoulder. "Did you want something to eat since you're not gonna go play?" She asked. He shrugged still staring at his feet.

Tyler was smiling in the pool but his smile grew bigger when he spotted josh. "Josh!" He yelled excited and immediately swam over to the ladder to climb out of the pool. He ran across the deck, getting scolded by sam for running on the slippery surface. "Sorry." He called out before crashing into josh and hugging him tightly. It's been over a month since they last hung out.

Tyler was soaking wet but Josh still hugged him back just as tightly. "I missed you." Tyler whispered. "I missed you too." Josh replied. Tyler pulled back and took a moment to look at Josh. He looked him up and down, blushing softly before grabbing Josh's hand and dragging him away from his mother.

"Take off your shirt were going in the pool." Tyler said. "I dunno." Josh said. "Why not?" Tyler asked, stopping in his tracks to turn and stare at Josh. Josh shrugged and hugged his stomach awkwardly. Tyler's eyes dropped down to catch the action. "You can leave it on if you want but you dont have to be shy." Tyler said.

Josh pursed his lips, taking a moment to look at Tyler. He had his shirt off, his scars from his birth parents scattered everywhere but the boy didnt seem to care if anyone saw them. If Tyler can so can I. Josh told himself befor pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it on a nearby chair.

Tyler stared at Josh's chest and stomach for a second his cheeks getting redder then they already were. He smiled sheepishly and grabbed Josh's hand, dragging him towards the pool again. "Guys this is Josh!" Tyler smiled as he climbed back  into the pool, josh slowly following.

A few kids said hi or waved before getting back to playing. Josh was expecting Tyler to leave him then and go play with his other friends but he didnt, he stayed by Josh's side the whole time they were in the pool and even when they got out to eat the barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers sam and cooked up.

Later on all the kids were gathered in the rec room in the basement, taking turns playing video games on the large flatscreen tv. Tyler was watching as two of his other friends had the controllers, josh just sat picking anxiously at his nails.

When Tyler glanced over and seen how anxious Josh was still he pursed his lips before gently setting his hand on Josh's, making the older boy look up. "Can I show you something?" Tyler whispered. Josh nodded and let Tyler grab his hand and lead him away from the crowd of unfamiliar boys. They slipped away unnoticed and headed upstairs.

"Eveything okay?" Sam asked when she seen the two coming upstairs, eyeing their hands that were holding onto each other tightly. All the adults were upstairs talking and playing cards. "... yeah... just needed a little break" tyler smiled softly. "Okay sweetheart." Sam smiled back, watching as Tyler lead josh to his room and shut the door.

"What'd you want to show me?" Josh asked. Tyler shrugged and sat on the edge of his bed. "You were uncomfortable down there... I could tell... so I took you up here." He said. ".... but you're missing your party a-and your other friends.." josh trailed off. "You're more important than them." Tyler shrugged again.

"I am?" Josh asked. Tyler nodded, blushing again, he blushes alot around Josh now a days. Josh smiled softly and sat down next to Tyler. Tyler smiled back and started catching up with Josh and about what they missed in each others lives over the last month that they hadnt seen each other.

"Hey josh?" Tyler asked softly. "Yeah?" Josh replied. "You remember when we were younger and um... and we kissed?" Tyler asked. Josh blushed but nodded. "Can we do it again?" Tyler asked, also blushing as he looked over at Josh. Josh nodded quickly.

Tyler smiled softly and leaned over timidly. It took a few seconds for him to actually do it but he did and very much like the first time they pulled away immediately. They stared at each other smiling before doing it again but not pulling away as fast. Tyler smiled, blushing wildly when they pulled back again.

"You're really pretty Josh." He whispered. "You're really pretty too." Josh replied. Tyler smiled even more, hiding his face agaisnt Josh's shoulder.