Precious // Joshler // ddlb

*three*

Josh woke up with a weight on his chest and lap. Tyler was there, drooling slightly on his shirt. He looked at the time and realized that he needed to get dinner ready, since they slept so late.

Carefully moving Tyler off of his lap and comfortably under the covers on his bed, Josh went off to the kitchen to make themselves dinner. Josh tried to make the least noise possible so he wouldn't wake up the potentially light sleeper in his room. A short while later he finished dinner, English muffin pizzas. When he set out the plates for the two of them along with the main course, he decided he would wake Tyler up. Josh walked up the stairs and to his bedroom where Tyler was sleeping peacefully.

"Hey, Ty, time to get up for dinner." Josh said quietly, rubbing his large hand on Tyler's back.

Tyler whined, making no effort in opening his eyes. He turned his face away from Josh and buried it in the pillow.

"Tyy, get up, I don't want you to go hungry. I made English muffin pizzas! Don't you want some?"

Tyler finally hinted that he was awake enough to speak. The brunet rubbed his eyes with small fists and grumbled.

"I see you," Josh teases, making the younger boy giggle. "How about we go downstairs and have some dinner, hm?"

"Don't wanna, too s'eepy." Tyler mumbles, now turning his face back to Josh, but still keeping his eyes closed.

"Aww, c'mon," Josh brushes some of Tyler's messy hair out of his face, "I made them special, just for you."

"You did?" Tyler smiles, finally opening his eyes.

Josh nods, giving Tyler a warm smile in return.

"Okay."

Tyler sits up, letting Josh move out of his path. The younger boy stands up and walks out of the room, waiting for Josh.

"You waiting for me?" Josh asks a little confused.

"Mmm, no, I was s'eeping when I came in. Don't know where to go." Tyler states as if it was obvious.

"Oh, right," Josh trails off, rubbing his neck, "come this way, Ty,"

Josh holds out his hand for the small boy to take. Tyler looks at the much bigger hand, taking it in his hesitantly. Slowly, Josh guides Tyler down the stairs and to the kitchen where their food was all ready for them on the table. Tyler giggles, looking at Josh who nods his head in confirmation for him to go to the table and eat, the latter following shortly after.

They eat in mostly comfortable silence for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company. The only noise is the hum of the heater, trying its best to keep the entire house warm for the two boys. Tyler tries his best to eat as slowly and not get himself all messy, which didn't work out.

"'M done, Joshie." Tyler states, licking some extra sauce off of his thumb.

Josh perks up, only having finished two out of the three mini pizzas. When he looks at Tyler he tries his best not to bust out laughing. The innocent boy had sauce everywhere. He had sauce on his chin, cheeks, lips, and even some on his nose, and he didn't have a care in the world.

"Hun," Josh says, laughing a little bit, "I think you need to wash your face. You've got sauce everywhere."

Tyler doesn't skip a beat to respond.

"No I doesn't."

"Yes you do."

"Nuh-uh." The brunet shakes his head.

"Uh, yuh-huh." Josh replies, standing up to get a washcloth from the sink.

Josh runs the washcloth under the sink with warm water, applying a small amount of soap and lathering it all over the washcloth. He rings out the excess water and walks back over to the boy who whines in protest. Putting the cloth on Tyler's face, he gently scrubs the sauce away, ignoring the boy's whines. Tyler moves his face away from the cloth in an attempt to break free multiple times, but with no success. When Josh finally finishes Tyler lets out a high-pitched bratty whine.

"Someone's not happy." The older boy says, placing the washcloth in the sink.

"Not nice." Tyler mumbles, standing up from his chair and folding his arms.

Josh only laughs, unable to contain his laughter at this point.

"No, I guess it wasn't nice, I'm sorry," Josh opens his arms in an invitation for the smaller boy, "c'mere."

Tyler pouts, but nonetheless walks into the taller boy's embrace. Josh engulfs him in a hug, causing Tyler to smile and giggle quietly. Without warning, Josh picks Tyler up and sets him on his hip. Tyler opens his eyes, both confused and flustered.

"I was thinking... that... we could watch a movie in the living room. How does that sound, Tyler?" Josh says, rubbing a loving hand on Tyler's upper arm.

Tyler furrows his brow before giggling.

"You're tall." He states, looking down
at the floor.

Josh only laughs at the boy's response, bouncing him on his hip lightly.

"That I am, Tyler, that I am. Do you wanna pick the movie?"

The brunet's eyes go wide. He nods enthusiastically, already thinking of movies he would want to watch. Josh smiles and walks into the living room, setting Tyler down on the couch.

"Here," Josh says, handing the smaller boy the TV remote after turning it on, "I'm gonna go make popcorn while you find something, okay?"

"M'kay. I can pick anything?"

Josh nods, "Anything."

Tyler grins, already starting to search for a movie to watch. Josh heads to the kitchen to make some popcorn, the movie buttered kind from the bag.

A few minutes later Josh walks back into the living room to find Tyler ready to play Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

"Foun' one." Tyler says when he realized Josh was back.

"I see," Josh says, setting the popcorn on the coffee table, "Oh shoot, I forgot, I'll be right back. You can start the movie if you want."

Josh hurries to the kitchen as Tyler presses play. Josh gets a cup with a lid and straw and gets water from the sink. When he signed for Tyler, the doctor told him to make sure for the next few days Tyler drinks lots of water.

"I'm back. Can you take this for me, Tyler?"

"Do I hav'ta drink it?" Tyler asks, taking the ice cold drink in his hand.

"Yes, you do. The doctor told me you have to drink a lot of water in the next few days."

"M'not thirsty." Tyler complains.

Josh sighs, taking a seat next to the small boy. He shifts Tyler into his lap, leaning forward to get the soft blanket that was hanging on the back of the couch. He drapes the blanket over both of their bodies, reaching to get the popcorn and setting it next to them.

"How about you drink some water while I eat a little bit of popcorn, then we'll switch. You'll get to eat popcorn while I drink some water. Does that sound like a plan?" Josh tries to compromise.

Tyler stares at the movie for another minute, eventually nodding in Josh's somewhat fair compromise. He puts the straw to his lips, drinking the cold water slowly. About ten minutes passed, no popcorn eaten but the water was gone.

"Josh, Joshie!" Tyler quietly squealed, getting the older boy's attention almost instantly.

"Yes, Tyler?"

"I-I finished the water!" He exclaimed happily, showing the now empty cup to Josh, who smiled.

"I'm so proud of you! That's amazing! Do you want some popcorn now?"

Tyler nods, cuddling into Josh more, his hands peeking out slightly from the blanket, grabbing the popcorn bag. As the movie continues Tyler ends up eating most of the popcorn, Josh taking a few small handfuls along the way.

Josh looks down at the younger boy, the movie almost over. He realizes that Tyler is fast asleep, cuddled into Josh for extra warmth. The elder removes the empty bag from Tyler's weak grasp, placing it on the floor to be cleaned up later. Deciding he wanted to finish the movie, Josh wrapped his arms around Tyler, leaning back into the couch.

By the time the movie was officially over both boys were fast asleep. One asleep, cuddled into a warm chest. The other asleep with a cuddly being laying on him, arms wrapped around the boy.