oneshots // joshler

4; war

the war had started months ago. josh had managed to keep a low profile and avoid the recruiters yelling on every street corner, and the law enforcers knocking at the doors of all men deemed suitable for drafting.

jordan, josh's younger brother, had enlisted precisely three months and eight days ago, and met his fate in a trench two weeks ago. josh, along with his sisters, had tried stopping jordan. the poor kid was only fifteen, after all. now he was dead, josh was on the run, and both his sisters were working as nurses all day and night. where his parents were, he didn't know.

suddenly josh was woken from his thoughts by the sound of shoes slapping against the concrete pavement. as whoever it was was running closer, josh snapped his notebook shut, shoved it into his messenger bag and stood up. as he was dusting off his jacket, a familiar boy with messy brown hair came into view.

'hey, josh!' the boy exclaimed, shooting josh a wide smile.

'hello, tyler. what's up with you running like that?' josh asked, a smile playing on his lips.

'just... exited to see you,' tyler muttered, looking down. josh could see the boy's face had taken a crimson color and chuckled a bit.

'alright.'

tyler looked up at josh and nodded, 'yeah.'

'listen, i've been thinking...' josh said after tyler had been staring at him quietly for a while. 'i think i should just go and report myself for duty.'

'but-...' tyler started, but ended up staring at the older boy blankly.

'but what..?'

'why?'

'because i-..' josh sighed. 'i don't have anything for me here, and i can't keep running forever.'

as he looked at tyler, the boy went from surprised to sad to what seemed like hurt.

'i was hoping... i-..' tyler mumbled, fiddling with his worn out sleeve.

'yeah?'

'i-... n-nothing. nothing, just.. forget it, o-okay?' tyler stuttered out.

'tell me.'

'i thought i would be enough reason for you to stay.'

josh fell silent.
tyler was holding his breath.
time probably stood still.

'oh.'

tyler simply nodded.

'i-...'

'in case you didn't realize, it means that i'm hopelessly in love with you,' tyler said. 'and i don't want to lose you.'

a/n: hey guys! i've been gone for quite some time, i was travelling in tanzania and didn't have any electronics with me. i have a few oneshot ideas and maybe fic ideas too, but here's this for now.
do you guys want a part two to this?