blossom ↣ joshler ✓

19. Happy

When Tyler got into the car the next day, he was quiet like he had been the week before. Josh had been really excited to see him but he was upset that the boy was silent.

"Hi," Josh greeted nervously, driving towards Tyler's house.

"Hi," Tyler replied in a quiet voice.

"About last night..." Josh trailed off.

Tyler turned his head to look out the window. "We don't have to discuss it. I apologize for contacting you. It was inappropriate."

"Hey, no," Josh shook his head. "It's okay. I swear."

"No it's not," Tyler sighed leaning his head back and sighing loudly. "I made you uncomfortable and I also sinned by pleasuring myself. Especially to a boy."

"Tyler," Josh laughed. "Jerking off is normal. I promise. Your mom probably even—"

"Joshua!" Tyler gasped, his face turning red. "Do not!"

"Sorry," he grinned sheepishly. "You won't believe me if I tell you liking boys isn't wrong but I promise it's the truth."

"I still made you uncomfortable. I should have handled it myself. That wasn't okay," Tyler explained, looking at Josh with sad eyes behind his glasses.

Josh's face turned a slight shade of red. "You made me far from uncomfortable."

"What do you me—" Tyler began but stopped, realization dawning on his face. "Did you...?"

Josh swallowed. "Yeah. After you hung up. I had to. I couldn't not after hearing you."

"Oh," Tyler nodded slowly.

"Are things gonna be weird? I don't want things to be weird."

Tyler was silence for a moment and Josh was scared of his answer. Josh really fucking liked him. "I don't see why they would."

Josh let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Okay," he nodded.

"Okay," Tyler copies. It was silent again for a moment. "Will you hold my hand? I missed you."

Josh smiled and grabbed his hand, holding it to his lips and pressing a kiss to the top of it. "You don't have to ask me. You can grab mine if you want to hold hands. I don't mind. I missed you too though."

Tyler smiled and bit his lip slightly in an anxious manner. Josh's heart melted at the sight.

He didn't think he would be falling for the religious kid he babysat but that's what was happening.

They got to Tyler's shortly after that and walked in, instantly sitting themselves down on the couch once they could. Josh let out a sigh and Tyler looked at him hesitantly. "You good?"

"Um," Tyler took a breath. "Can I lay—"

Josh didn't let him finish his question, already knowing what he wanted. He grabbed Tyler's hand and pulled him into his side, situating them so that Tyler was against his chest and Josh was leaning against the arm of the couch. He glanced down and saw Tyler fighting back a smile and blushing.

Josh took his finger and began tracing shapes on Tyler's arm, his heart swelling when the younger giggled into his chest.

"I know I voice this frequently," Tyler began. "But thank you. For everything."

"Don't thank me," Josh assured. It was crazy how much he was starting to like Tyler. He just wished he knew if Tyler liked him back. He was probably just appreciating the affection and as soon as Josh's grade in math went up they were going to be done.

Or maybe he did like Josh in that way. Maybe they could be more than what they were. There was only one way to find out.

"What you are thinking about?" Tyler asked, looking up at Josh with doe eyes.

"About this cute boy I know," he replied, looking back down. "He's adorable and beautiful and amazing even though he doesn't know it."

An expression Josh couldn't quite place flicked across Tyler's face before he looked back down. "Oh," he nodded. "Okay."

Tyler moved away from Josh and grabbed his bag, unzipping it. "I have French to do," he mumbled.

Josh's body filled his disappointment and he tried his best to hide it. "Okay," he said in a quiet voice, matching Tyler's from earlier.

He shouldn't have said anything.

---

The day after was just like the boys' night before, if not worse.

After Josh's comment, Tyler started giving him the cold shoulder. It was the same kind of response he had gotten when he came out to Tyler. The mentioned was short and snappy with Josh and all it did was hurt him more and more.

They didn't talk at all in the car ride home the next day and they were in the middle of silently doing their homework when Josh spoke up.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing," Tyler replied shortly.

"Obviously something is wrong. In the span of 24 hours we went from cuddling on this couch and now we're not even speaking to one another," he expresses frustratedly.

Tyler looked up at the ceiling. "I like you! Okay? Is that what you wanted to hear? I like you a lot and I know that I should not because you're only doing this to raise your math grade. You're cute and nice and caring and many more big words that your brain is too incompetent to understand but that's okay because that's who you are. I just really like you and you like this other boy so it doesn't even matter."

Josh's eyes lit up. "You like me?"

Tyler nodded. "Yeah. Make fun of me all you want."

"Why would I make fun of you?" Josh asked.

"I fell for someone out of my league. Specifically, my babysitter."

Josh let out a laugh at that. "Ty, I like you too."

"It's Tyler— wait what? You like me too?" He asked, hope evident in his voice.

Josh nodded. "So much."

Tyler's eyes widened. "You're not just tricking me?"

Instead of responding verbally, Josh just gently pulled him in for a kiss. He completed the kiss as passionate as he could without worrying about making Tyler uncomfortable.

They pulled back and Josh rested his forehead on Tyler's. "Does that answer your question?"

Tyler's cheeks were rosy as usual as he nodded slightly. "So where does that place us?"

Josh moved back. "I really want you to be my boyfriend."

Tyler's face paled. "What does that entail?" He asked nervously. Josh could understand why. This was his first relationship and his first time being romantically involved with a guy.

"We just do all the same stuff we did before but now I get to brag about you to my friends."

"You want to brag about me?" Tyler asked happily.

"Of course I do," he assured. "So will you be my boyfriend?"

Tyler nodded excitedly, wrapping his arms around Josh's neck and hugging him. "This is why I'm thankful for you," he mumbled. "The amount of happiness in my body is why I'm thankful for you."

Josh pressed a kiss to Tyler's forehead.

He was just as happy as his boyfriend.