S L O W T O W N

Invitation

Gentle chords floated through the spring breeze as hips swayed like the golden leaves hanging from bending trees and softly falling around the boy who lovingly dropped and bucked their hips as their brush painted fine strokes across neatly placed canvas, the dirty easel blending in with the trees behind it as a perfect backdrop.

Tyler hummed along to himself, the radio softly singing to him as he devoured paint tin after paint tin beside three already dirty water jugs.

Tyler twirls a bit, returning to his patented move of swinging hips, focusing on the fuzzy figure beside him, picking out a few more details before moving back to painting.

Blurryface lets out a mumbled groan, lack of mouth making it easier for Tyler to concentrate now, screams now turned to mumbled cries for help.

Tyler sings a little bit of the lyrics that he actually knows, Blurryface moving to try and catch his attention. Tyler rolls his eyes and continues with the fine lines in the red beanie, glaring at Blurryface as he floats in front of him, trying to gesture for Tyler to turn around.

Tyler huffs and paints right through him, before finally giving in and turning to look at what his distraction is trying to show him. He turns and sees Josh leaning against the side of the house with a smirk on his face.

Tyler jumps, quickly moving to shut off the radio.

"J-Joshy!" He gasps and Josh strides up to him.

"You dance nice," Josh moves to place his hands on Tyler's hips, Tyler staring at the ground.

"Thankyou," he smiles and quickly hugs Josh, Josh's eye catching the painting in the middle of the backyard.

"What's this?" Letting go he treads forward and eyes the painting. "This is amazing!" He exclaims and Tyler scratches the back of his neck.

"It's just a little something," Tyler gives a flustered smirk and Josh shakes his head.

"It's more than that, who is it?" Josh looks back to Tyler who shrugs.

"It's just someone I used to draw a long time ago, I forgot what they looked like so," Tyler lies and gestures to the paint smeared across where the face would be.

"It's really good," Josh clears his throat. "Mom wanted me to invite you over for my sisters birthday party tonight,"

"Party?" Tyler cocks his head, Josh inhaling, preparing to explain.

"People come over to celebrate someone ageing. Abby is having a bunch of her friends stay over and mom doesn't want me to be lonely, will you join us?" Josh clasps his hands together and Tyler thinks for a moment, knowing there's something trying to tell him not to go.

"Someone ageing doesn't sound like something to celebrate but okay sure! What should I wear?" Tyler asks, nervous about meeting Josh's family.

"Well maybe those choice of shorts isn't a right one around them," Josh's face heats up and Tyler looks at his own legs.

"What's wrong with these?" He tugs at the bottom of his nearly belt looking pair of pants.

"They're a little, little," Josh rubs his neck and follows it around to the back, Tyler giggling.

"You sound like me now,"

"Just, jeans will do, the shirt is fine,"

Tyler nods and begins to pack up his things, Josh helping to pour out each jar of water, fingers accidentally brushing as they reach for the same glass.

"Sorry," Tyler pulls his hand back, blushing lightly as Josh takes it and lets it run out into the garden. "Come inside?"

Josh agrees and follows him in, carrying the easel, placing it under the window where he had seen it placed previously once they get inside Tyler's room. Tyler pulls out three pairs of jeans and lays them out, staring at them with the classic thinkers pose.

"Which one?"

"I don't know try one on?" Josh suggests, about to leave the room, stopped by a hand pulling him back.

"I want your opinion," Tyler honestly states and Josh nods slow, trying his best to not look as Tyler pulls off his ass cupping shorts and pulls on a pair of faded blue jeans, half heartedly modelling them. "These one?"

Josh shakes his head.

"Try those red ones," Josh points and Tyler obliges, trying on the bright red pair of jeans next, Josh liked how tight they fit him, but was pretty sure they were made for a female. "Those looks great!"

"What about the black ones?"

"Nah I like those better," Josh crosses his arms firmly, grinning. Tyler looks up through his lashes and bats his eyelids, giving a smile in return.

"Okay well what are you wearing?" Tyler questions as he puts the other pants away.

"Probably what I'm wearing now," Josh gestures to his body and Tyler nods, striding up to him, tugging the bottom of Josh's shirt with two fingers.

"Your shirt matches my pants,"

"That's why I chose them, you ready to go?" Josh takes Tyler's hand and Tyler nods with a little hum, walking with Josh as they swung their hands between them. Once outside, Tyler feels a strange knot in his stomach much like the one he got when Josh picked him up to take him to the city.

"Okay so what's your moms name?" Tyler squeezes Josh's hand and pushes closer to his side, in fear of the road next to him.

"Laura, my brother is Jordan, my sister is Abby," Josh confirms and Tyler nods.

"Mother Laura, brother Jordan, sister Abby, got it, and it's Abby's birthday yeah?" Tyler watches for cars as they cross the road, Josh not looking at all.

"Yep,"

"Okay so I should say happy birthday?"

"Yeah," Josh laughs. "It's like you e never celebrated a birthday,"

Tyler goes quiet, again squeezing Josh's hand.

"You haven't celebrated a birthday have you?" Josh sighs and Tyler shakes his head. "Well I'm glad I'll be your first!" Josh makes an awkward sound and backtracks. "That, that came out wrong I meant first birthday, birthday not um-"

"I knew what you meant idiot," Tyler giggles, following Josh up another street. "What else could you even mean?"

Josh looks to Tyler in shock, about to question wether or not Tyler knew anything about sex when a loud voice interrupts them, Josh immediately letting go of Tyler's hand.

"Little bro! Get on in here you doofus mom is keen to meet Tyler!" Jordan calls from the front door, Josh decides to save the question for later and guide Tyler inside with one hand on the small of his back.