pool ; joshler [✔️]

[23]

josh waited for brendon's car to pull out of tyler's driveway, making sure the brunette was home alone before he went through with his plan. he checked his appearance in the mirror, running his fingers through his newly dyed hair to tame the unruly curls. he tugged on the collar of his shirt before he pulled his phone out of his back pocket, gaining the confidence to text tyler.

josh: hey tyler. i know i'm probably the last person you want to hear from but can i come over? no shenanigans, i promise. i just miss having you as a friend.

tyler: yeah, i really don't want to talk to you

josh: hear me out, that's all i ask

tyler: you have to be gone by the time debby's shift ends in 30 minutes

josh: deal. i'll see you in a few minutes

josh was giddy with excitement for the moment he would see tyler again. he slipped his shoes on and exited his house, walking the short distance to tyler's. he knocked on the front door and patiently waited. tyler opened it with a scowl on his face but it was replaced with a closed mouth grin as josh engulfed him in a large hug.

"i've missed you so much," josh mumbled, retreating from the hug and feeling accomplished at the blooming color in tyler's cheeks.

"if i'm being honest i didn't miss you all that much," tyler shrugged as he led josh into the kitchen, sitting down on a stool as josh joined him. tyler motioned up towards josh's yellow hair, "i like your hair, though. it's very... bright."

"ouch, i'm just gonna pretend that first part didn't hurt," josh chuckled, earning a small giggle from tyler. "there it is! i see you laughing tyler, there's no use for hiding it now."

"okay, okay, maybe i missed you a tiny bit. in a totally no homo way."

"oh yeah, totally no homo, man."

"god, i missed your horrible teasing." tyler smiled, showing off his small dimples and slightly crooked bottom teeth, a sight that sent josh's mind into a state of hysteria.

"how have you been?" josh asked, wanting to hear things from tyler's point of view.

"i've been great, actually. living with debby is really fun, it's like having one long sleepover (by DunWithAllTheseHoes go read it) and i love it. i started seeing brendon and he's so sweet, i really like him." tyler rambled and although josh knew tyler was happy because he no longer had josh in his life, he was glad that the younger boy was doing well.

"you and brendon are together? that's cute," josh said, trying not to sound too sarcastic. he really did like brendon and he felt bad for trying to get tyler back but he couldn't help himself. "i haven't talked to anyone since you and debby stopped talking to me. i realized that what i did was extremely wrong and i needed time to think about what i did."

tyler nodded along, "i'm glad that you were able to realize that, i'm proud of you."

it was quiet for a few moments, the two of them reflecting on their thoughts as the silence allowed them to do so.

"do you regret what you did?" tyler blurted out, immediately regretting it after the words had already left his mouth.

"yes, but also no. i regret it in the sense that i let debby down even though i knew better, because she meant so much to me. but at the same time, i'm happy i did it because i wouldn't have gotten as close with you, and i wouldn't trade that for anything. does that make sense?"

"yeah, i think i get it. so you're okay with the fact that you lost everything you had with debby because you were still able to get to know me?"

"more or less. you mean a lot to me tyler, you're a special one, that's for sure." tyler's cheeks flushed pink and he felt butterflies take flight in his stomach. he tried to repress his feelings but it was no use as all thoughts of guilt towards brendon were out the door.

"you're really special to me too," he whispered, eyes trailed on the ticking arm on the clock. the clock. "oh shit, josh, you have to go."

josh furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "i thought you said i had thirty minutes?"

"yeah, and thirty minutes have gone by! you need to leave before debby sees you because we're both dead meat if that happens." tyler panicked and began to shove josh out of his chair and to the front door in a hurry.

"can we talk again soon?"

"just text me, okay? it was nice seeing you!" tyler shut the door on josh as he watched him walk back to his own house, going inside just in time for debby's car to pull into the driveway.

as tyler thought back on what had just happened, he couldn't help the smile that broke out across his face. maybe josh wasn't so bad, afterall.

•••
a/n

double update????? woah!!!! you're welcome

and i don't want to sound rude but yes, i know this is a joshler story!!!!! you don't need to point it out whenever i mention tyler and brendon being together! i don't mean to spoil my own book but do the math, tyler and brendon is not joshler so do you really think i would make that the final outcome of the story??? no, because that's not joshler. so please don't complain. (this wasn't directed at anyone in particular and don't feel bad if you commented about that, i'm just saying this to clear some things up!)

i didn't end up going to ben and jerry's bc the line was around the building and it was rainy and gross so my mom took me to the grocery store instead and i got two pints of ice cream and a birthday cake for no apparent reason :))
-carina