teeth ↣ joshler ✓

37. Flirt

A few days had passed since Tyler had found out about Jenna. It had only been a little under a week and Tyler was still devastated but he couldn't ignore how much his heart hurt being without her.

He and Josh were currently sitting and eating lunch in their usual spot. It felt awkward to be there without Jenna but neither commented on it. They just ate their lunch silently.

Tyler glanced up and saw Jenna sitting on her own. He knew she could be sitting with some of her friends on the team but he also knew she didn't feel like she fit in with them. So she just sat alone while doing her homework.

Josh could tell he was sadly looking at his former best friend and nudged him. "You can go talk to her if you're ready."

"I think I realized," he began. "There's a bond formed between two people when one turns the other. If they stick together after, the bond strengthens. If they don't, it ceases to exist. That's why Jenna doesn't have one with whoever turned her and that's why it hurts me so much for me not to be with her," he let out a sad, humorless chuckle. "God it sounds like her and I are dating."

Josh rubbed his thigh supportively. "It's okay for you to be upset with her still. I would. I'm just trying to have her see your side. Maybe if you went over and talked to her you'd feel better."

Tyler let out another sigh. "You're right," he kissed Josh's lips quickly, anxiety radiating off of him. "I'll be back."

He was about to walk off before Josh grabbed his hand and stopped him. "I love you and I'm proud of you," he spoke sincerely. "You're doing the mature thing."

Tyler smiled at him. "Thanks, baby. I love you too."

He made his way over to Jenna's table and sat down. She looked up and seemed surprised to see him. "Hi," she greeted softly, her voice nervous.

Tyler looked at her. "What you did was so extremely fucked up."

"I know," she replied quietly. "I'm sorry."

"I know that. I know you know you fucked up and I know you feel bad," he took a deep breath. "And it hurts not to be with you after being best friends for so long."

"Yeah, it hurts me too," she whispered out. "I want you to know I didn't have any bad intentions. I just wanted to save you."

"At this point I'm more mad you lied," Tyler told her truthfully. "Did you even plan on ever telling me?"

Jenna didn't reply at first. "I don't know," she finally spoke. "I wanted to tell you because you're my best friend but I didn't want to hurt you. That's what I ended up doing through— hurting you."

Tyler gave her a sad look. "I wish this hadn't happened between us. I trusted you with everything. It'll take awhile for you to earn my trust back."

"You want me in your life still?" She asked, surprised.

"Yeah," he nudged her slightly. "You're the reason it is the way it is. All the good and the bad. It'll take me awhile to forgive you and things aren't going to be the same between us. You know what you did was wrong and you can't change the past."

Jenna gave him a sad smile. "You really are changing, Ty. For the better."

He smiled back. "Yeah. I am," he stood up and was about to walk off when he noticed Jenna still sitting there. "Are you coming or what?"

Jenna's smile turned into a genuine one and she grabbed her things. "Thanks," she told him sincerely. "I don't deserve you."

Tyler pulled her into his side. "Well you're stuck with me. You don't have a choice."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

---

Tyler and Josh were hanging out in Tyler's room, just laying and messing around on their phones, when Josh spoke up. "I love you."

Tyler let out a chuckle. "I love you too."

"I am so in love with you," Josh looked at him with nothing but the upmost adoration in his eyes.

"I am so in love with you," Tyler cooed, looking back at him sweetly.

The two stared at one another for a moment before Tyler leaned in and kissed Josh passionately. He grabbed Josh's cheek with on of his hands and let the other rest on his leg and they kissed.

Tyler deepened the kiss and rubbed the back of Josh's thigh slightly. Josh let out a hum into the kiss and smiled. "You're in a good mood."

"Yeah. Things are sort of going my way."

"Hey," Josh continued. "That's the first time we've kissed that intensely and your fangs haven't come out."

"Do you want them to?" Tyler teased.

"Stop teasing me I don't have a vampire kink!" Josh whined. 

Tyler laughed and pulled him closer. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. It's just a Tyler kink."

Tyler laughed even harder and buried his face in Josh's neck. "You are such a corny loser."

"Mmm yeah," Josh smiled. "But I'm your corny loser."

Tyler moved back and pressed one last kiss to Josh's lips. "Yeah," he smiled back dopily. "You are."

The two went back to their phones for a few minutes. Tyler was texting his parents back about when he'd be home when Josh started talking again.

"My parents are going out of town next week," he began. "It's their anniversary."

"Please don't tell me you're going to throw a party," Tyler joked.

"Nah," Josh laughed. "Not only do you hate them but I do too. It's why we work," he added, making Tyler chuckle. "I was actually going to invite you and Rylee to have dinner with Jordan and I."

"All four of us together?" Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Three of us being dead?"

Realization made its way onto Josh's face. "Okay so I might have forgotten you guys don't necessarily need food to survive."

Tyler smiled and ran a hand through Josh's hair. "It's okay. It's still yummy," his smile grew into a goofy grin. "I think it's a cute idea. I'd be honored. A cute idea coming from a cute guy."

Josh playfully pushed him away. "You are such a flirt, Tyler Joseph!"

"Only for you, baby. Only for you."