Headlights - Joshler

magnetic

he knocked quietly on the door. a moment following, it opened.

josh looked like he was trying to expel words from his mouth but it just wouldn't work.

"tyler?" he finally said before his eyes trailed down to the animal next to him. "kuro? you found kuro?!"

"no," tyler said with a sharp edge to his voice.

"but..."

"i'm kidding, josh. yes, this is your dog." tyler said, still possessing that off-putting edge to his voice. he then unhooked the leash and the animal ran wildly into josh's house.

"well i honestly can't thank you enough, tyler."

it was silent.

"are you okay?" josh asked. his eyes seemed to look deeper into tyler's, trying to decode whatever was going on inside that mind of his.

"i. am. fine." he said in a staccato pattern.

"but you're really not."

tyler nodded slowly.

"you should come in, maybe?"

"i don't know... i think i'll be heading home."

"tyler joseph, get the hell in here."

tyler was immediately taken aback by josh's directness, but did as told and stepped inside.

the apartment was small and messy, but somehow josh had managed to fit a drum-set in the back corner.

"sit on the couch."

tyler was starting to get scared. flashbacks soon flooded into his head. he looked towards the door, longing for it, but against his own wishes he sat down on the couch.

"what is wrong with you?"

tyler was quiet. he knew, but at the same time he didn't know.

"tyler, answer me."

"i don't know josh, this is just the way i am."

"that's not good enough of an answer." josh said on the opposite couch, leaning in.

"want me to be honest?" tyler gulped. "i have been though hell, josh. that's what's wrong with me."

"what are you talking about? what happened?"

"it's a long story."

"tyler, look at me." tyler looked up from the floor and into his mocha eyes. "do you really think i'm too 'busy' to hear about your problems?"

"maybe not busy, but it's not worth the care."

"i feel insulted that you don't think i care about you," josh said, making eye contact with the carpet.

"force of habit, i guess."

"i do care about you." josh said with hopeful eyes.

tyler nodded.

"please tell me," josh said, almost begging.

"you will never look at me the same way again."

"tyler..." tyler stared at him, expressionless. it was almost as if all sense of emotion had been drained out of him. "i want to know you, but you aren't letting me do that. you won't let me in."

"trust me when i say it's for the better."

"damn it, tyler. if you never tell anyone anything whatever's in there is going to eat you alive from the inside-out."

"josh, i like you. that's why i don't want to tell you."

"i'll like you no matter what. you're so poised and charming. we're magnets. i couldn't stop running to you even if i tried."

then, for the first time in a while, tyler let out a small smile.

_____

just got back from international medical competitions, so i'll be able to write more :)

stay lovely