coffee // joshler

6

still tyler's point of view

when i first open the door to my store the next day, i smile a little. being here makes me happy. i do my regular morning prep, and then flip the sign to open. i turn the radio on, and quiet music floods through the cafe once more.

a couple customers come by and get their breakfast, or just a coffee, on their way to work. but i get anxious every time the bell above the door rings.

josh comes by every morning, at around the same time. that time is coming closer, and i get more and more nervous with each minute that passes.

eventually, the bell above the door rings again, and josh comes in with a small smile on his face.

"hey," he smiles brightly at me and sits down. "how are you?"

"im doing good. i, um," i clear my throat, unsure of why im so anxious. "yeah. im just still really sorry about the other night. let me make it up to you?"

"sure," he nods and his smile widens. "but, you know you can tell me if i make you uncomfortable or anything, right?"

"what?"

"i like you, tyler. i want to be able to fix it if i did something wrong. and if it wasn't me, i want to know you're okay," he looks down at his coffee again and i smile.

"it wasn't you," i blush and smile a little. "ill explain another time, okay?"

he nods. "one more thing."

i look at him and wait for him to continue.

he blushes under my gaze and smiles a little. "you, um, you didn't say if you liked me back or not."

"oh, my gosh," i laugh and hit his shoulder lightly. "what are you? a first grader? of course i like you back."

"good. because if you didn't, i would feel super awkward and id have to revert back to starbucks."

"you'd never," i cross my arms over my chest, pretending to be offended.

"youre right. i would never," he gives in, taking a huge sip of his drink. "what i will do," he pauses and stands up, "is go to work. ill see you tomorrow."

"have fun," i wave to him when he goes to leave and then slump against the counter.

boys are tiring.

"you alright, boss?" the other manager on duty, brendon, pats my back as he moves past me around the counter.

"im fine," i shrug and then get back to work.

the day goes by quickly and im home soon enough, laying on my couch with a pizza i had delivered and a bottle of water.

i slip into littlespace and switch the channel to nick junior. my phone dings then, and i open the message.

from josh: hey :)

i type out an eager reply, excited to hear from him.

from tyler: hi!!

from josh: someones in a good mood :)

from tyler: mhm! its me! :))

he doesn't answer after that, and i think nothing of it, my attention going back to the tv.

he calls me soon after though, and i pick up immediately.

"hi, josh!" i smile and picture him smiling back on the other end.

"hi, ty," he says. "how are you?"

i want to tell him that im small and want him to come color with me but i know he doesn't know about my littlespace yet, so i shrug.

"'m okay," i yawn quietly and bring my knees up to my chest. "sleepy."

"aw, im sorry. i guess ill let you go then. sorry," he apologizes again through the speaker of my phone and i nod.

"okay, joshie. good night," i hang up before he can say anything else and then turn my tv off and go to my room and lay down.

i know josh isn't my official caregiver, or even my official boyfriend, but if he tells me i should go to bed, then im going to be a good boy for him and go to bed.

i fall asleep within fifteen minutes, my mind wandering to the day he might actually be those things for me.

(an: this chapter sucks sorry lol oops)