step brothers [joshler]

rejection

"ty wake up.", josh was gently shaking tyler awake. the small boy yawned and rubbed at his eyes.

"oh no did i miss the end of the movie?", tyler pouted.

"yeah but don't worry. it wasn't a happy ending as you can see.", brendon mentioned as he pointed towards jenna who was literally sobbing in ashley's arms.

"it's not fair! they loved each other.", the blonde girl sniffled.

"there there.", ashley patted jenna on her back awkwardly comforting her.

"oh jeez. don't tell me what happened or i'll cry too.", tyler said as josh helped him up. everyone walked out of the theater, tyler cringing at the mess he made from earlier when dallon helped him. speaking of dallon he hadn't really said anything since tyler woke up.

"dally are you okay?", tyler whispered.

dallon's focus went from the ground to tyler's face. "just tired.", dallon said before walking ahead next to brendon. tyler pouted and crossed his arms. the guys gave the girls hugs and they went their separate ways to the cars. dallon dropped off brendon first and shortly after pulled up to josh and tyler's house. the drive was quiet besides lana softly playing because tyler had asked if he could have the aux and in response dallon just handed it to him without saying anything. josh could tell something was wrong.

"thanks dallon. we'll see you at school tomorrow.", josh said and got out of the car waiting for tyler.

"i'll just be a minute joshie you can go in without me.", tyler said with an anxious smile.

josh raised an eyebrow but nodded anyway and walked up the path to the front door. as soon as he was inside he peeked through the window to see what was happening. what was so important that josh had to leave.

tyler looked up at dallon still next to him in his car. dallon was just looking straight ahead bouncing his leg. tyler furrowed his eyebrows and grabbed dallons hand to which dallon flinched but kept it there.

"dally are you mad at me?", tyler asked.

dallon finally turned to tyler. "i'm confused.", dallon said truthfully.

"why?", tyler said.

"because i- you... you let me touch you. and then after you came you called me your friend. you said i'm a good friend. friends don't do that. you do know i really like you right? don't you like me too? in a boyfriend way?", dallon let out.

"friends don't do that?", tyler asked.

"what? tyler no. that's way too intimate. that's something people in relationships do. unless two people are having like a hook up and that's it but we're not like that. you like me right?", dallon asked.

tyler looked away. his eyes were watery now. he didn't know that he wasn't allowed to do that. what if josh found out? he'd be so mad. tyler started shaking. dallon let go of tyler's hand.

"you don't like me like that do you.", he said.

tyler looked up at dallon. "i'm so sorry. i know that we kissed and everything. and that was my first kiss too. you were my first kiss dally. i just-"

"you just?", dallon cut him off.

tyler frowned.  "i just think we'd be better off as friends dally. i'm sorry. if i knew the touching was meant for people who are in relationships i wouldn't have asked you to do that. please don't be mad.", tyler muttered unable to look dallon in the eyes.

dallon's heart shattered. yes tyler was innocent but who thinks that literally helping someone get off is what friends do. dallon sighed and tried to hold his emotions together. he didn't wanna cry not with tyler still in the car. would their friendship be awkward now? would tyler not wanna hold hands anymore even though dallon now knew everything was platonic the whole time in tyler's eyes.