Short Stories (Multifandom)

Same Difference

for Georgia
creds to moriah & cardlin

Josh has autism in this, I forgot to say that when I first posted this.

Tyler comes home to a dark house and it's eight at night. It's quiet, too quiet. Well, the lights are off. Uh-oh, looks like babes is in crisis mode, Tyler thinks to himself as he puts his bag down and takes off his jacket. He turns on one light, a small lamp on the farther side of the living room and away from the bedroom door, which is closed. I'll just make his favorite tea and then it's full speed ahead. Tyler goes into the kitchen, heats a kettle then makes a cup for Josh.

Tyler walks to the bedroom door and knocks gently. "Babe? Can I come in?" Tyler waits a moment. "Baby love, I'm opening the door, okay?" Tyler opens the door slowly and laughs quietly at the sight in front of him. "Love, what are you doing under mattress?" He hums then closes the door. "Was it really so terrible?" He kneels down in front of Josh who's got his eyes closed but he's not asleep. "Do you want to come out?"

Josh shakes his head.

"No? Well, I'll just um - set this here and make myself comfortable down here beside you,"

Josh starts to fuss and shake his head. He doesn't want to burden Tyler and he certainly doesn't want to see what hurt he'll end up causing to Tyler if he doesn't move.

"Shh," Tyler shushes Josh. "Shh, it's okay." Tyler reaches his hand out slowly, running his hands through Josh's hair. "What happened, baby?"

"The presentation..." Josh mutters quietly.

"We went over that presentation a dozen times, we - we practiced visualizing your success, right?"

Josh shrugs.

"Maybe it would help if you, talk things out with me," Tyler offers. "Tell me everything that happened. Just, you know, start at the beginning. We'll figure it out together, whatever it is."

"I got to the room where I was supposed to be setting up but then the door was locked," Josh begins.

"Mhm, okay then what happened?" Tyler asks once Josh had paused longer than expected.

"You know the guy with the brown hair and deep voice and he's mean and scary?" Josh motions towards his and Tyler's hair.

"Wait which one is that again?"

"The guy from the building!"

"Oh right, right from the company. Yeah, yeah I remember you telling me about him,"

"I don't like him," Josh concludes.

"Well hell I don't like him either."

"You remember the lady from the meeting we went to? She had orange hair and wore tall boots?"

"No I'm sorry baby, I don't happen to remember anyone like - like that, just go on with your story, maybe you can draw me a picture of her later? You know how I love your drawings."

"Mhm yes, and then they told me that I needed to be put into a hospital because my eye looks funny and my grammar is a big word and then I heard them tell each other that they think I should be fired because I'm a bad word. I make jokes about me a lot so I laughed and then they laughed but then, I dunno,"

"Wait, they said that?" Tyler moves so that he's no longer beside Josh but in front of him. "And you're sure they weren't being sarcastic?" Josh shakes his head. "Then they were laughing, oh baby, are you sure they weren't just laughing with you?"

"No, they weren't..."

"Wow, I just can't believe it-"

"You don't believe me!?" Josh shrieks which shakes the mattress above him.