Keeper and Protector (Joshler) ✔️

5

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"I remember when your head caught flame, it kissed your scalp and caressed your brain."

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"There's someone that I want you to meet."

Tyler, sat cross-legged on a barstool as he dragged his spoon around in his cereal, looked up at Josh with a worried expression.

"Don't worry, Tyler. He knows about you already."

He?

Looking down at his cereal as it got soggier and soggier, Tyler internally cursed himself for not being able to eat more than two spoonfuls. "Is he a friend of yours?"

Josh made a small 'hm'. "He's my best friend, actually, but he's also my house manager." He smiled. "I think you'll really like him."

The last time I heard those words was when the headmaster at Keeper Training School matched me with...

"When will he be here?" Tyler asked.

"Probably in the next thirty minutes. He has the day off, but he still wanted to come by and meet you."

Tyler frowned a little. It was hard enough adjusting to Josh and now there was another new person that he had to meet?

"If you're not feeling up to it, Tyler, that's totally okay. No rush."

When he saw the concerned look on Josh's face, Tyler felt a twinge of guilt in his stomach. "No, no, I want to meet him."

Josh nodded before taking a look at Tyler's mostly uneaten cereal. "Are you finished?"

"Y-Yeah. Not really hungry." Tyler chewed on his bottom lip, unsure of what Josh's reaction would be to that. "I'm sorry for not eating all of my cereal."

"Nothing to apologize for, sweetheart." Josh gave him a sweet smile. "Good job. I'm proud of you."

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After breakfast, Tyler slipped back to his room. It wasn't that he didn't want to be around Josh, but his head had started spinning so badly he feared he might pass out.

Wrapped up in the blanket, only his face was visible as he snuggled in his "cocoon." Maybe it was weird, perhaps it was a bit childish... but being like this made him feel in control. Just for a little while.

His mind drifted back to Keeper Training School, where he spent long days and even longer nights with girls and boys just like him. Inside of those walls, the Time Keeper symbol was an adornment, something cherished and to be fiercely proud of. Yet everyone had the same aspiration, hoping and praying that their Protectors would be their soulmates for the years to come.

Things were much simpler back then...

Being slapped across the face for the first time sure made a person grow up quickly.

You deserved it. You were too soft. Too weak.

"Shut up," Tyler whispered.

It's weak to be afraid. You're nothing but a coward.

"Shut up," he repeated, squeezing his eyes shut.

Your Protector should've done both of you a favor and killed you that night.

"Shut up!"

Hyperventilating, Tyler tore himself out of the blanket. Once free, he dragged his knees up to his chest, his vision blurring with tears. "Stupid," he mumbled. "So stupid."

Right now... all he really wanted was a big hug. A hug, a smile, something to reassure him that he'd be okay. That maybe everything wasn't as bad as it seemed.

But he couldn't ask that of Josh, who'd already done so much for him already. The last thing he wanted to do was wear out his welcome in the span of one day.

So, instead, he closed his eyes and cried.

Maybe I am weak.

Tyler was so preoccupied that he didn't even notice the new voice inside the house and the two pairs of footsteps coming up the stairs. It wasn't until the door opened and he looked up and saw Josh and an unfamiliar man in the doorway that he realized he'd been found out.

He quickly wiped his face and tried his best to make it look like he wasn't crying. "O-Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you guys."

Josh frowned when he saw the look on Tyler's face. "Tyler, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

He paused, not believing hin, before motioning to the man standing next to him. "I'd like you to meet my best friend, Fynn."

Tyler did a brief once-over of Fynn, noticing how tall he was (compared to Josh, anyway) and the contrast of his ice blonde hair against his blue eyes. Honestly, he looked like a model off the cover of a high fashion magazine... not a house manager in Ohio.

"H-Hi," Tyler said softly, his voice cracking a little.

Fynn gave him a small smile, sensing the temsion in Tyler. "Hey, it's great to meet you, Tyler. Are you settling in alright so far?"

Tyler just nodded, not saying anything more as he looked away, trying to keep from falling apart right then and there.

Josh came a little closer and tried once again to get through to the younger man. "Hey... you sure you're okay?"

Tyler opened his mouth to say something, but when he saw the gentle look in Josh's eyes, any words he had disintegrated as he burst into tears.

Before he knew it, Josh and Fynn were on each side of him as he sobbed away.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Josh asked, afraid he had unintentionally done something to upset him.

"Everything," Tyler said between gasps. "It just hurts."

Josh placed a hand on Tyler's knee. "What hurts, love?"

"My heart," he croaked out. "I'm so hurt, Josh."

Before he could stop himself, Josh took Tyler into his arms. He expected a negative reaction to the gesture, but to his surprise, Tyler just clung onto him and cried.

"I'm so sorry," Josh whispered. "I wish I could take your pain away. I really do."

Fynn watched everything unfold, not wanting to intrude on such a fragile moment between them. Deep down, though, he really felt for Tyler and understood what he was going through... probably much more than he knew.

Tyler's sobs slowly turned into soft sniffles as he started to calm down. He kept his head on Josh's shoulder as said man rubbed small circles into his back. "Sorry for all my gross crying. I sure know how to make a great first impression."

"Don't be sorry," Fynn said. "I'm not here to judge you, Tyler. It's okay to cry."

Tyler nodded. "Thank you. Um, I know this is a little late, but... it's nice to meet you too, Fynn." He managed to give him a small smile. "Fynn's a really pretty name."

Fynn smiled back at him. "Hey, thanks, Tyler. It's short for Fynnley."

"Fynnley and Joshua," Tyler repeated. "You guys have nicknames, but I'm just... Tyler."

Josh thought about what he said for a moment. "Hm... how about we call you Ty?"

Tyler rested his head to Josh's shoulder again. "I like Ty."

Relieved that he wasn't as upset anymore, Josh smiled a little. "Cute name for an even cuter person," he said before pressing a tiny kiss to his forehead.

It was a foreign, almost ticklish sensation, making Tyler giggle a little. Scooching in a bit closer, he listened to Fynn and Josh talk about anything and everything.

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Stick with me, frens, I appreciate you.

Do you have a nickname?

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