Let's Recelebrate (a Joshler story) (Celebrate ALTERNATE version)

⭒ LXX ⭒

Tyler saw this as the perfect opportunity to finally find out what was going on. "Eh, excuse me, I'm gonna go check up on my friend real quick", Tyler said. "Oh yeah, no problem!" Mark said, as he continued his conversation with the others, and Tyler got up. He walked over to Josh, and he noticed that Josh's eyes shot up to look at him, before they quickly looked away, back down.

Tyler had no idea what was going on, but he did know that he absolutely hated that he didn't know. He hated not knowing what was going on. He wanted to know why Josh was so uncomfortable. He detested seeing the boy like that. He never meant for him to be so uncomfortable, but it was extremely clear - at least to him - that Josh was not feeling okay right now.

He sat down next to Josh on the rock. He didn't say anything right away, but neither did Josh as he had turned his head away from Tyler's direction.

"So..." Tyler started, looking into Lucas's direction, then Steve and Colin's. "...You wanna tell me what's wrong, Joshua?" Tyler then asked. He could see Josh tense up in the corner of his eye, and it kind of really broke his heart. It hurt him to see Josh like that a lot more than he had thought it would. Josh didn't say anything as he pulled his sleeves over his hands nervously. Tyler lifted his own hand up, gently, then he carefully rested it underneath Josh's chin as he turned his face to make him look at him. Josh looked like he'd just seen an animal die right in front of him or something; he looked more anxious and sad than Tyler had ever seen him before. Even in that moment, when Tyler made him look at him, Josh's eyes averted their gaze as they looked down.

"I know there's something wrong. Something different, not... not just your anxiety. There's something wrong but I can't figure out what it is", he softly said. "You... You can talk to me, Joshie", Tyler added. "...what's going on? You're so... you're so on edge. Tell me what's wrong, love. Tell me how I can help. I hate seeing you so uncomfortable around me", Tyler said, voice still soft. Josh just softly shook his head no. Tyler felt his heart ache in his chest.

"Please, Joshua", he softly pleaded. He wasn't afraid to beg. He really needed to know what was going on with the boy he cared so much about, and he wasn't afraid to beg for him to tell him, until he would, 'cause he had to know. "Please talk to me. I need you to talk to me. I need to know what is wrong, baby. Please tell me", Tyler tried. Josh's eyes finally flicked up at his, and he saw a tear escape from Josh's eye. Tyler's heart broke into a zillion pieces as he saw the boy next to him be so sad, and he grabbed Josh's hand tightly in both of his own, feeling it tremble softly. "You can trust me", Tyler said softly. He saw Josh swallow difficultly as he looked away, before he carefully looked back at Tyler again.

"I... I-", Josh tried, but he could hardly do it. He sighed deeply as he closed his eyes. "I c-can't- I can't say it", he whispered. "You can baby, you can do it", Tyler carefully encouraged him. "Trust me, yeah? Talk to me. I need to know baby, I really do. Whatever it is, you can tell me anything", Tyler said softly. Josh swallowed difficultly as he wiped his cheek with his sweater paw, staring at the ground blankly. His breath was shaking as he breathed in and out deeply. "I- I s-saw you-", Josh stuttered. Tyler frowned, not knowing what Josh meant by that, but Josh then took another shaky breath as he closed his eyes. "Y-you and S-Steve", he muttered softly. "...to- together."

Tyler's heart stopped for a second as he heard what Josh said, the words processing in his head. I saw you and Steve, together, repeated in his head several times, and Tyler realized his heart was beating faster now than it had done before, too.

"Oh."

"I- I didn't mean to, I'm sorry, I didn't- I- I'm so sorry", Josh started apologizing, more tears rolling down his cheeks as he did so, breath hitching as he spoke. "I- I didn't mean to- I just- I- I left the b-bathrooms before Colin and I- I turned around the- the corner and I s-saw you and- and I'm so sorry, I really, really did not mean to Tyler, I'm sorry", Josh cried. "P-please, please believe me, I really did not mean to do that Tyler, I'm so so so sorry", Josh cried. It broke Tyler's heart as he saw how devastated Josh was feeling because he had accidentally walked in on him and Steve, and it broke his heart a second time as he heard how desperately Josh was apologizing for something he did not do on purpose, something he could not help, because it was not his fault.