killjoy - joshler

tyler

josh slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry.

it was dark, the moon bright as ever tonight. its cast lit up a milky streak of his room, pooling onto his floor. he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, sitting up in his bed slowly. he felt hungry, wondering what he could eat at this time.

it was almost three.

josh noticed he had accidentally left his window open, hoping that no rain got anywhere he couldn't clean up. he pushed his blanket off of him, getting up slowly, his neck still hurting. he was looking around for any wet splotches, but instead of rain, he was met with something else in the shadows. it looked like a bean chair, but he didn't own one of those.

unless his mom brought it as a surprise?

he inched closer, starting to get weary. when it moved, flashing golden eyes at him, he ran back to his bed. he really, really hoped it was the guy from before and not somebody else, otherwise he would've been through.

"wh-who are you?" he asked it, seeing it move into the moonlight through the window.

"it's tyler!" his eyes blew wide seeing tyler wave at him from the end of his bed.

"why are you in here? are you planning on eating me?!" josh asked, frantic.

"no, i don't eat people." tyler said. "i need to stay here."

"what are you?" josh asked.

"that's a good question." tyler shrugged, sitting down on the floor.

"are you a vampire?" he asked, sounding silly.

he had to ask.

"yes?"

"are you serious? vampires don't exist." josh said, making a face and shaking his head.

"surprise."

"what's on my neck?"

"my brother."

josh gasped. "why did your brother try to eat me?"

"because he has no regard for others."

"why did-"

"stop asking so many questions!" tyler said, annoyed. "can i stay here, please? i can't unless you say yes."

"don't you need to be invited into my house?"

"exactly! i came through the window, so that gives me some leeway, but i need your permission still."

josh was scared. a stranger was in his room; he had no background on this guy, nor what he was capable of, and now he was saying he was a vampire? vampires don't exist, but here one was, right in front of him. he couldn't believe this.

should he call the police?

no, they'd probably get eaten, too.

"i guess. just...please don't try to eat me." josh said, not hearing himself.

if he was listening, he'd probably slap himself for being so stupid. tyler seemed nice enough, though, and he saved him from his brother, or whoever made this mark on his neck.

"i won't. you could kill me, you know. i'm not like the others." tyler said, looking at josh through his golden eyes.

"what do you mean?" josh asked, curious.

"you're right. vampires don't exist. i was...created? i guess? i don't know still, but i know i'm not like them."

"holy shit so you're a government experiment?" josh asked, becoming excited.

he's read so many books like this, but he didn't think they were real.

"don't say it like that." tyler said, making a face. "i don't even have family. the people i hunt with, they just like...adopted me. i don't even know."

"that's awesome." josh said, making tyler smile and look at the floor.

"you're ridiculous."

josh still had questions swarming in his head, but he decided not to ask now. maybe he shouldn't ask at all, but he couldn't help his curiosity. he suppressed himself for the time being, though. tyler looked worn down and tired, and he needed to stay here for a reason.

"wait, so how do i kill you?" josh asked.

tyler gave him a look, making josh shrug.

"like how you'd kill anyone else. you could shoot me, stab me, drown me. whatever."

josh nodded, looking at the floor.

"...are you sure you won't try to eat me?"

"i told you i don't eat people. i try not to, at least. i don't eat every day or full moon like them, i only do it when i really need it so i don't hurt anyone. last time i did was like...months ago." tyler said, sighing and looking out the window.

josh watched as he quickly ducked, peeking out the window again.

"they're out there." he whispered, his golden eyes darting back and forth at the street.

"can they smell you?" josh asked, again, sounding ridiculous.

"no." tyler said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "we're not werewolves. you should know that, with your little lore book."

josh gasped, offended. "how do you know i'm reading a lore?"

"i see the book under your bed. just like how it's dark in here to you, it's light in here to me. hence why we never come out during the day, if so, barely." tyler said, still looking out the window.

"this is so fucking weird."

"hey! don't swear. swearing is bad."

josh gave tyler a look, and when he turned to glance at him, he laughed at it. josh could see tyler's teeth in his mouth, his canines a little longer and sharper than his. tyler covered his mouth when he saw josh's eyes flick to his mouth, looking out the window again.

"why did you cover your mouth?" he asked.

"because i hate my teeth. they're gross. and scary."

"i think they're cool." josh shrugged.

tyler smiled softly again, focusing out the window.

"how come you didn't run?" tyler asked. "or say no when i asked?"

"because you seem nice, i guess." josh said.

tyler nodded, sitting back on the floor once he saw they were gone.

"can i call you vampie?" josh asked.

"no. you could call me tyler."

"drac?"

"tyler."

"what about-"

"tyler."

josh huffed. "killjoy."

"that works, too." '

josh rolled his eyes, sinking back in his bed. he felt like he could trust tyler, since he said he didn't plan on eating him. of course, he could be lying and josh found himself in a trap, but he'd cross that bridge when he got there.

"i'm going to sleep. goodnight, killjoy."

tyler rolled his eyes, crawling over to where he'd originally been. he didn't really sleep on the floor, but he was a not-really guest, so he decided to deal with it. he was pressed to the cold tile, curling in on himself.

anywhere was better than there.