Just Friends //joshler&bryler [✔]

two

"get your ass up," a gruff voice woke tyler up.

he scrambled to his feet, body instinctively shaking.

"you look disgusting," his father scoffed, examining tyler in a way that made the boy's skin crawl.

"i know," he mumbled.

tyler wasn't lying. so many bruises and cuts and scars littered his pale skin. he looked like a work of art, only his father was the artist and he was the canvas. purple-yellow hues were scattered over every inch of body. white fading lines spread over his forearms, while his thighs held fresher purple scars and more recent cuts. he was appalling.

"where did you go last night?"

"w-what?" tyler choked out, fear creeping through his veins.

"i came in here last night, and you weren't here. where were you!?" his father demanded, clearly becoming impatient.

"i-i um.. i..."

his father reached out and hit him across the face. tyler's head flew to the side at the sudden force, tears instantly filling his eyes.

"where were you!?" his dad screamed, grabbing tyler's bruised shoulders and shaking him back and forth.

"n-nowhere!" tyler lied, choking back a sob.

"you don't deserve to leave this house! you should be locked up for the shit you've done!"

another slap.

tyler took it, like always. he took the hits and the punches. he took the shoving and name-calling. but when his mother was brought up, tyler lost it.

"where's your fucking mother tyler? huh? where is she?"

tyler began to bawl immediately, curling up on the floor that he'd been kicked down to. his arms covered his head in protection, expecting it when his father started kicking him.

"fucking disgrace."

"little bitch."

"kill yourself already."

tyler did nothing except for cry, taking every blow to his ribs and stomach. he tried to ignore when his heart tugged at his father's every insult.

"i should kill you like you fucking killed her, pathetic bitch."

tyler's dad stomped away, leaving the fragile boy on the ground as he sobbed. his heart ached for his mom. he never even met her. she died while she gave birth to tyler.

tyler's dad used to be nice, then he started doing drugs. tyler would come home to needles littering the dining room table. empty beer bottles filled the sink. when the drugs were introduced, tyler's father changed significantly. he was a whole different person.

he went from calling tyler his boy to calling him a killer. he went from praising tyler to degrading him. he went from comforting tyler to abusing him.

tyler was glad he had josh. seeing as the boy was the only one who really seemed to care for tyler, it was hard for him not to fall in love with him.

but he didn't want to bother josh this time. he didn't want to waste his time again. josh probably secretly hated him anyway, and only felt bad for him. so he left his phone where it was, settling for the comfort of his bed instead.