joshler oneshots

i'm looking but you're nowhere to be seen

summary:

tyler's homeless. josh is mysterious and has good fashion sense.

words: 487

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tyler shivers.

the ocean air is cold and unforgiving, and it stings his bare arms and throws sand into his hair.

his throat is dry and he keeps dragging himself up the beach, even though he'd much rather collapse on the sand and pretend that he's soaking up the sun with the sounds of ocean water echoing in his ears.

he stumbles along another few feet and drops to the ground, scooting on his ass backwards a few feet into a rock enclosure that blocks some of the wind.

he can't feel his hands and he brings his knees up to his chest, trying to keep in body warmth.

this isnt the way he wants to die

there's smoke floating nearly tyler, and he coughs and pushes it away with a hand, before he hears footsteps.

a boy with bare feet and an oversized hoodie wanders in next to tyler with a glowing blue e-cigarette in his mouth.

he plops down in the sand, and turns off the little cigarette.

he holds something out to tyler.

its a black sweater, covered in little roses and flowers.

his voice sounds like what tyler remembers of coffee.

"i see you up and down the beach all the time. didn't think you deserved to suffer."

tyler pulls the soft material over his head and sighs gracefully, pulling the sleeves over the palms of his hands.

the other boy pulls a couple bottles of water out of his hoodie pocket and sticks them in the sand, before standing up.

tyler's voice is scratchy with unuse.

"what's your name?"

the boy smiles back at him, and tyler realizes as he gazes over flushed pink cheeks and dark eyes that crinkle at the corners paired with faded rosy lips that this generous stranger is quite beautiful.

"my name is josh, but you can call me spooky."

he lights up the cigarette again and he's gone, like a ghost dissolving in the wind.

tyler doesn't see the boy again for another week, and as days past he begins to feel unease.

his sweater still keeps him warm, as threadbare as it is becoming.

he's taking the same route he did when he first met josh (spooky?) and theres something familiar in the little rocky cave where they met.

tyler stumbles towards it, and with cold shooting through his chest, realizes that it's the sweatshirt josh was wearing. he digs through the pocket, and his fingers catch on paper.

it's a recipt, the back of the crinkled paper filled with scratchy handwriting and ink from the pens you use to sign your recipts.

dear tyler,

by the time you read this, i'll be a ghost. (spooky, hmm?) the beach was never a safe place for me to be, but you gave it purpose, if just for a moment. thank you for letting me end things pleasantly.

it's too cold for you here, tyler.

better luck, and im sorry i couldnt get to know the angel that you surely were.

-josh