smile. || joshler ||

Epilogue

6 Months Later...

"C'mon Josh! I've been carrying all the boxes," Tyler pouted at Josh, who was laying in their dorm room on their bed. He set a box down and Josh gave him a innocent smile.

He said, "Well, there's only 2 left and you know I'm lazy! I would have had Jordan help us move everything but he's busy."

Tyler shook his head, and Josh grabbed him laughing, pulling him down so he fell on top of him, then pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

Today was the day where all the university students move in. It's all thanks to Mrs. Dun that they shared a room together. She had to talk to the people who assigned rooms and told her about their situation.

Josh was okay with living with Tyler now. He knew he was worried at first, but they both knew they could never get annoyed of each other.

They hung up a bulletin board between their bed, and many pictures of them were in it, along with a group shot from graduation. Tyler wasn't suppose to graduate, but he wen't to summer school and got all his credits in time.

Tyler glanced at a photo of him and Josh canoeing and chuckled, because that was when summer school was over and he went camping with the Dun family, and when they went canoeing, it flipped over on them.

"It was your fault," Josh said from behind Tyler, teasing him slightly.

Tyler turned around and scoffed, "Was not. It was your fault, you're the one who kept moving around and rocking the canoe."

"But, you didn't know how to paddle, so I had to help you and then the canoe flipped," Josh retorted, grinning smugly, but pressed a kiss to his forehead. He looked at the pictures and pointed to one where they were sitting on a bench and Tyler had his head on Josh's shoulder.

"Remember when you relapsed?" Tyler nodded in guilt. The picture was when they got in a fight. It was because Tyler found out he couldn't graduate, and Josh just got his acceptance into college. They were arguing and Josh told him to stop being clingy. Tyler went home and cut himself, and Josh knew he would, so he climbed through Tyler's window and they went for a walk through the park.

Josh sighed, wrapping his arms around him and told him softly, "I'm sorry for saying that to you, I never have and will never think you're clingy."

"It's fine, I know I am," Tyler admitted sheepishly. "I...I just love you and I'm a bit attached now, I never had anyone love me and I guess it just feels nice, so I don't wanna be without you."

Josh smiled, hugging him tighter.

Tyler was doing well with his weight, he is almost at the average weight, and hasn't self threw up in a month. He has relapsed on cutting a lot, but Josh would just hold him when he cried and felt guilt, reminding him that it's okay.

-

"This place is so cool," Josh said sipping his milkshake.

Tyler nodded in agreement, "I love it."

They chatted, talking about their schedules. Josh got a job at a store on campus and Tyler is going to try to find one as well. It wasn't long till some guy with green eyes and black hair came up to them and said to Tyler, "Hey, I like your shirt. You like Paramore?"

Tyler was wearing a black Paramore shirt from the concert him and Josh went to, and he said shyly, "Yeah"

He still wasn't use to speaking to people. The guy grinned, "So do I! My name is James."

"I'm Josh and this is Tyler," The redhead said, knowing Tyler was shy.

"Nice to meet you," James said, shaking Josh's hand along with Tyler's. "Have you seen the new music video yet?" Tyler shook his head and James exclaimed, "C'mon, I have my laptop with me, wanna watch it?"

Tyler glanced at Josh questioningly and Josh nodded, motioning him to go. He watched as Jame led him to the corner of the room where he had his laptop and sandwich. Josh smiled, he wasn't at all jealous. He trusts Tyler and seeing as he laughed and chatted with James, proved how much he's changed.

He remembered seeing Tyler alone in the corner, hoodie worn always and never speaking to anyone. But, now he's wearing short sleeve shirts, smiling and making new friends already.

And Josh couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with Tyler, watching him grow and learn new things about him.

He's a survivor of abuse, cutting, depression, and an eating disorder. And yet, Josh still loves him and Tyler loves Josh, who may be a bit oblivious and sometimes too nice for his own good, but together, they show that love can make it through anything.