Precious // Joshler // ddlb

*ten*

Tyler giggles as Josh approaches him with his hands full of two bowls of mac n' cheese.

"Here you go, buddy. Make sure not to make too much of a mess." Josh says as he sets down a bowl in front of Tyler.

"Mhm, thank you!" He grins, immediately grabbing his spoon and going to work on the mac n' cheese.

Josh sits down in front of the brunet with his own bowl. Slowly he eats, occasionally warning Tyler not to eat so fast or he might get a stomach ache. From the living room Jim appears, limping on his only good front leg. He lays under the table, his head closer to Tyler than Josh in case Tyler just might happen to drop some of his food.

"Ty, I need to ask you a question, okay?"

Tyler hums in response, taking another big bite of his cheesy noodles.

"Umm, I need to know something..." Josh trails off, trying to think of the best way he could say his next sentence, "I need to know if you are going to stay here with me, or if you're going to live somewhere else until you're eighteen."

Tyler looks up from his bowl slowly, his eyebrow raised. He sets his spoon down in his bowl and finishes chewing his mouthful of food.

"Do you, uh... want me to... leave...?" Tyler asks, his voice shaking.

Josh's eyes widen, realizing he didn't say what he wanted to say correctly.

"No! No no no no no! That's not what I meant!"

Tyler looks down at his food. His brain always got the best of him, it was always convinced it was right. And right now it was saying that Josh wanted him to leave. Abruptly, Tyler stood up, the wooden chair scraping across the tile floor. He raced upstairs and into Josh's room, grabbing his stuffed bird and stuffing it in his duffel bag.

"Tyler!" Josh shouts, running up the stairs in search for the brunet.

Tyler ignores Josh, packing the few items he had out of his duffel back into it. Tears were streaming down his red face. He was thinking irrationally. He was thinking that Josh wanted him out of his house as fast as possible. It hurt him, but he didn't even know the guy, honestly. Yes, Josh technically saved him from dying of hypothermia, but that didn't mean he wanted to be friends with Tyler. He lifts his duffel over his shoulder and starts to leave Josh's bedroom just as Josh enters his room.

"Tyler, hun, look at me," Josh says, stopping Tyler in his tracks, "I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry. Look at me, hun--"

"No." Tyler simply responds, forcefully nudging Josh off of him.

He starts to run down the stairs, continuing to ignore Josh's apologies. Tyler gets to the front door and opens it. Before he can get out he felt a pair of hands wrap around his waist.

"No! Stop!" Tyler cries, trying to shove Josh away.

"Ty, sweets, look at me please." Josh says calmly.

Tyler reluctantly turns around to face Josh. His red splotched face was shown, along with his bloodshot eyes. He really needed to get out, because that's what Josh wants apparently.

"Tyler, I was just asking in case you wanted to do some—"

"I wanna stay with you! You're the only, and I mean only person who has treated me the way you do! Nicely! And you don't even know much about me! But I guess I'm going to have to find someone else to do what you've done! No one in the world has done what you've done. Thank you, Josh." Tyler mutters the last sentence to himself, even though Josh heard it. He turns around to go out the door just before Josh stops him again.

The older boy sighs, feeling terrible for saying what he said, even though he meant no harm whatsoever.

"Ty, sweetpea," Josh takes off the duffel bag draped over Tyler's shoulder, "I didn't mean any harm. C'mere." He opens his arms as an invitation for Tyler.

The boy hesitantly walks into Josh's arms. Josh hugs Tyler tightly, leaning down into the younger boy's hair. Without a word Josh lifts Tyler up into his arms, setting him on his hip. Tyler squeals, burying his head into the crook of Josh's neck.

"Sweetpea, do you wanna finish your lunch?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No." Tyler whines, turning his head away from Josh.

"Okay, what would you like to do, honey?"

"No!" Tyler practically screams.

Josh chuckles, "Okay, I think it's someone's nap time."

Tyler grumbles, but makes no attempt to protest against it. Josh bends down and picks up the duffel with his free hand. Tyler relaxes in the older boy's loving hold as they head upstairs and to Josh's bedroom. Josh opens and shuts the door quietly, trying to lull Tyler to sleep by bouncing him on his hip. He sets the bag down on the bed and opens it, getting the stuffed cockatiel. Josh continues to search for the few pacis Tyler said he had, also finding the shirts, sippy cups, and even the bottle. Eventually Josh finds the three pacifiers and randomly chooses one for the tired boy. Pulling the covers down he lays Tyler down on the bed.

"Shh, relax, sweetheart, you're alright." Josh coos as the brunet began to whine.

Josh puts the pacifier to the boy's lips, who takes it immediately. He tucks in Tyler along with his stuffed cockatiel, making Tyler smile.

"Have a good nap, baby." Josh whispers, pressing a loving kiss to the little's forehead.

Tyler only smiles, giggling quietly.

⚫️🌼⚫️

Hey!

Sooo I have a small dilemma...

I just got a letter from the place I worked in the summer/fall weekends saying contact your manager by April 15th (aka tax day/my mom's bday) if you wish to return. If you don't we'll assume you made different plans.

Here's my dilemma...

I don't want to go back there 1 because there was this one person that I KNOW hates me, and I feel the same in return and 2 I don't work with any of my friends even though I can switch departments. But my friends work in food service and I work in the photo parlor. And only 1 out of the 4 food places/stands have air conditioning while the photo parlor has air conditioning and there's no guarantee that I'll be working in the air conditioned place.

AND

I have dyed my hair unnatural colors... which is against their handbook... so is stretched ears, but I wore tunnels during my interview with my hair down and he didn't say anything... (i am 2g/6mm so they aren't really big..)

I kinda wanna keep dying my hair crazy colors for a little while...

BUT WHAT AM I GONNA DO THEN??

Because every other place in my town is like either retail or a food joint or something

Idk

I don't mean to put my problems on you guys...

Sorry..

Love ya!

~ M ❤️