"hey ty?" josh called up the stairs.
"yeah, babe?" tyler responded.
"how would you ask someone you really like a lot out on a date?" josh half-said half-shouted.
"i dunno," tyler called back. "just kinda ask them i guess."
"ok," josh said.
"hey, ty?" he called a few minutes later.
"yes?"
"will you go out with meeeee??" josh said, giggling as he heard his husband jump off the bed excitedly in the room above his and run down the stairs, jumping into his arms.
"really?!" tyler asked surprisedly.
"yes, really," josh said. he felt terrible knowing he had taken his husband out so few times that it was a surprise when he asked him to. "we're gonna go out and it's gonna be super romantic and i'm gonna show everyone that the loveliest boy in the world is all mine and that i love him more than anything a-"
josh was cut off by tyler kissing his lips.
"i'd love to," tyler grinned.
josh blushed and smiled shyly. "o-ok."
tyler hugged josh's neck tightly, the bigger boy picking him up and holding him.
they had decided it would be best if their first week back together was spent alone so they could get used to each other again and not have to worry about ruby's reaction to another person in the house, so she was currently at grandma kelly and grandpa chris's house for the week.
"where were you thinking we should go?" tyler asked, kissing his husband's nose.
"oh, gosh," josh said. "i-i didn't even think about that. i was too worried about you saying no..."
"why would i say no to going on a date with you? we've never gone on one as a married couple," tyler said. it was true. josh never asked tyler out on a date after their honeymoon, and every time tyler would ask josh, he'd say he was busy.
"b-because i'm not good enough for you," josh said. "i-i never ever took you out on dates a-and i didn't really ever kiss back a-"
"joshua," tyler said, holding the sides of his face and looking into his eyes. "it's ok."
"n-no it's not," josh said. "i was so mean to you, tyler. i don't know why you even stayed with me in the first place."
"because i knew i loved you," tyler said. "and you were the only reason i was alive."
"i'm sorry i was so terrible to you, ty," josh said. "i-i'm gonna treat you exactly how you deserve to be treated from now on: like royalty."
"josh you know i don't want this to be all about me," tyler said. "you deserve to be treated well too."
"but you always treated me well, tyler. even when i didn't do the same to you."
well.
tyler couldn't really argue on that one.
"still, josh..."
josh set tyler down on the ground and went upstairs, locking the bedroom door behind him and crying.
tyler was a little bummed out. he really, really was looking forward to their date. but, with josh still going through withdrawal, he was incredibly emotional.
tyler made his husband a cup of hot tea, walking up the stairs and knocking on the door. "josh?" he called softly. "i have tea for you, honey."
he heard sniffling followed by the door unlocking, josh looking down at the floor with tear-stained cheeks. "i-i'm s-sorry."
"don't be sorry, joshua," tyler said, gently running his fingers through his husband's hair. "let's get you laying down."
he gently took josh's hand, leading him to their bed and helping him under the covers, handing him the mug as he held his other hand.
josh sniffled, continuing to cry softly.
"shhh, baby," tyler said quietly, running his fingers through his husband's hair. "it's ok. you're ok."
josh felt terrible. he was the one supposed to be taking care of tyler and comforting him and bringing him tea and holding him, not the other way around.
"i um... i start work next week," tyler said quietly. he would now be the one working since nobody would accept josh as an employee after his addiction.
josh didn't know what to say.
he didn't deserve to not have to work. tyler should be the one getting to stay home with ruby, not him. but, there was no other way they'd get money.
"m-maybe i-i could take you out o-on a date d-during your lunch break s-sometime," josh sniffled.
"that would be great, joshua."
"b-but i'm still gonna take you out tonight," josh said.
tyler shook his head. "no, baby. it's ok. you were up late last night. just get some rest."
"b-but you wanted to go on a date..."
"it's ok," tyler said. "we can just do it tomorrow."
"i-i'm gonna make it romantic," josh said.
tyler smiled shyly and nodded. "you know how much i love romance."
