sweet as a flower. (Joshler)

🌼 six

A/N: warnings- mentions of molestation and abuse.

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It's been two weeks since their talk.

Tyler made Josh promise not to tell anyone about who did it or why, which Josh had no choice but to comply, and it killed him.

He didn't say much that week, he only really observed.

He watched Tyler's walls slowly crumble down around him by the minute.

He watched as he drifted away from reality when the room was quiet and he relived the painful memories in his eyes.

He watched as the bruises and trauma piled on every day, unable to do anything to help.

He watched as loud noises began to frighten him easier than usual, crowded loud spaces now terrified him more than staining his skirt.

He watched as Tyler began to become distant.

And he wasn't going to let that happen.

He found Tyler sitting by himself beside a tree at lunch. His knees were pulled to his chest, his ankles crossed to cover himself, and he seemed to be caving into himself. He didn't move an inch for twenty minutes before Josh finally decided to approach him.

"Baby?" He hated the feeling in his chest when Tyler flinched and looked up like a deer in headlights, but the look faded into disappearing trust.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Let me take you to dinner tonight." For the first time in fourteen agonizing days, a smile threatened Tyler's lips. But it faded just as fast as it appeared.

"I-I can't."

"Why, Ty?" He sat down beside him, close, savouring the sweet smell of his perfume and the warmth radiating off of his skin. He hasn't experienced this is way too long.

"My D-Dad." Josh frowned softly trying not to make Tyler uncomfortable.

"Sweetheart, please. I miss you. We've only been on one date and that was the best time of my life. I just want to relive it."

After several long moments of visible contemplating, Tyler softly nodded.

"You won't let him hurt me?"

"No, baby. I'll protect you as much as I can. I'm so sorry it can't be every second.."

"I wish you were there at night." Josh's eyebrows furrowed.

"Why, sweetie?"

"He hurts me. In my room."

"What do you mean?"

"Like the other boys."

Josh eyes widened to the extent of a dull ache pounding behind them.

"Like.. the other boys?" He could tell all of the questions made Tyler uneasy, but he needed to know.

"Yeah.... p-please don't tell him I t-told you!" He finally cracked and broke down, sobbing into his knees. Josh's couldn't make out what else he was saying, hell, Tyler didn't even know anymore, it all just came out as a blubbering mess of begs and fear.

"Hey, hey.." He pulled Tyler into his chest, which Tyler gladly let himself fall against, and allowed him to let out everything he's bottled up in the last few weeks.

"Tonight's all about you. You want to go shopping for some new skirts? Want food? Name the place and I'll take you there."

"D-Dad wouldn't like me getting n-new skirts.."