there was a shadow in the clearing, where tyler usually sat and watching the trees.
"josh?" he called out. "josh!"
and then he ran towards him and this was josh exclamation point because he missed josh like he was drowning and josh's smile was oxygen. josh made him see color out of black and white and he made the spinning world still and tyler could breathe around josh.
the boy turned, and he laughed and it was clear and happy. "tyler!" and tyler could hear the relief in the name. josh had missed him too, he realized.
"josh," he whispered into the other boy's collarbone. "i missed you."
"i missed you too," josh murmured. tyler felt a tear drip onto his shoulder.
"why - why didn't you come?"
josh pulled away, and the two sat down, josh's legs crossed with his hands on his ankles and tyler on his knees. the snow soaked into his jeans, but tyler couldn't bring himself to care. josh was here and his hand was warm and he didn't care about the freezing cold of the world.
"my dad wouldn't let me out of the house," josh explained in an almost-whisper-but-not-quite, and tyler spotted a ring of faint bruises around his neck, barely covered by the collar of his coat. "i'm sorry."
their shoulders touched and it felt like something had changed, but tyler couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. "it's okay," he whispered.
snow painted josh's hair white, and tyler brushed it off with a fond hand. "you look cute, with the snow in your hair," he said. and then josh was bright and clear again. both boys smiled, and in the clearing, they were safe.
YOU ARE READING
somewhere only we know (joshler)
Fanfiction"pressure creates diamonds," tyler said, and it sounded like he was reciting a poem. "or," josh countered. "it breaks you." he snapped his fingers and tyler winced at the crack that shattered the air. "or," tyler agreed quietly, watching the clouds...
