Hi friends! Chapter 120 <3
Sorry that this update is a bit later in the day than planned! But I hope you'll still enjoy and like it! I've been trying to write as much as I can but I've been so exhausted lately, it's hard to just keep writing the whole time even though I love it. It's just really hard when you feel tired all the damn time and are working a full time job lol.
Anyways, I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! I had a lot of fun writing it. Joshie leaving is getting closer and closer! But I'm excited for what I got prepared!!
Thank you for being here, please do enjoy this chapter! And please leave a like so I know you've read it so I can publish an extra chapter tomorrow!! I'd really love to do so and I'm gonna try my best to have enough chapters done to continue publishing 3 chapters a week at least.
Please let me know what you thought of this and please enjoy reading. Thank you for being here, love you so much, appreciate you!! <3
Word count: 3682
~~
They finished their food and cleaned the kitchen and table together. Now they were outside, watching the sun starting to set as they shared drinks and talked. Steve, Tyler and Fred smoked, laughter was heard, and they were just having a lot of fun.
"I'm so glad you're not leaving tonight", Tyler said as he walked up to Josh who was talking to his friends, wrapping his arms around his neck from behind. He pressed a kiss on Josh's temple. "Would've been a totally different night if you were gonna leave today too." "I'm still gonna be here for two more nights", Josh smiled softly as he rested his hands on Tyler's arms that were still wrapped around him. "Makes me really happy too. Thanks for convincing me to stay just a little while longer, Ty", he said. "I'm glad you're not mad at me for doing so", Tyler said. "'Course not Ty, never gonna be angry at you for anything like that. I wanted to stay longer too, I just... felt guilty", Josh said.
"You don't have to feel guilty, baby. Just love you lots", Tyler said as he kissed Josh's temple and it made Josh blush. "...well I love you too", he told Tyler as he looked over his shoulder at him, and it made Tyler smile. "Makes me happy", he smiled.
"You two are pretty cute friends, y'know", Colin commented. Josh let out a soft laugh as he smiled and looked down. "You seem to have become really close", Fred noted. "We did", Tyler said as he nuzzled his nose into Josh's curls. "We really became very close. I know we didn't talk for four years and all, but... that's not gonna happen anymore, I won't let that happen", he said. "We pinky promised on that." "Yeah we did", Josh smiled. "Still kinda nervous to leave and go home again because I don't know what's gonna happen, but... I'm hopeful", Josh said. "Me too", Tyler said. "Promise you I'll be reaching out."
He held his pinky out again, and Josh wrapped his own around it. "'nother pinky promise", Josh hummed. "There'll be more in the future", Tyler said, then he let go of Josh as he stepped back. "I'm gonna hug Luke, be right back", Tyler said as he skipped away and he let himself plop down on the couch nect to Lucas, hugging him tightly which made Lucas laugh. He was calling his lover on FaceTime, so Tyler smiled as he waved at the screen and he greeted Rich. He wrapped his arms back around Lucas and he kissed his cheek, cuddling up to him as he did.
That made Fred and Colin doubt whatever they thought to know about Tyler again too. Was Tyler really interested in Josh, or was it really just him being close with a close friend or soulmate, like he was with Lucas right now, and with Steve earlier that evening? They didn't wanna have too high hopes, and they didn't wanna give Josh too much hope, if this was truly just how Tyler was with his friends. They didn't want Josh to have hope of them ever being a thing if it turned out to just be Tyler acting the way he acted with close friends. It made them doubt everything they thought they knew.
Josh, however, loved eeing Tyler cuddle up to his soulmate and seeing them talk to Richard together. He thought it was so heartwarming and wholesome that Lucas and Tyler were still this close and that Richard genuinely loved them for it. Knowing how much Richard appreciated Lucas' friendship with his soulmates, how he was thankful for it and truly believed it enriched Lucas and his life in many ways. He was thankful for Tyler and for Steve being his soulmates.
"Oh you're right, I would play that for you. I forgot", Josh overheard Tyler say. "Why don't I do it now, and then I'll also do it when we actually see each other again?" Tyler asked. Josh couldn't hear what Richard said, but Tyler and Lucas were getting up from the couch.
"What's happening?" Steve asked. "Ty's gonna play the piano", Lucas said. "Tyler had promised Richard to play this song for him but he forgot when he was at our place, so he's gonna do it now to make up for it", Lucas smiled. "Oh! Oh I'm joining, we can join right?" Steve asked. "Duh!" Tyler smiled. He beckoned Josh and his friends to come inside with them as well as Steve turned the music down and they walked to the piano that had found its way into Steve's apartment when he and Tyler were still dating, and then never left.
Tyler sat down behind it, the friends gathering around, and Lucas held his phone as he switched the camera so it was now recording Tyler.
"Okay, let's see if I remember this song..." Tyler trailed as he quickly tried out the chords, until he was positive he found the right ones. "Which song are you playing?" Colin asked curiously. "Into My Arms by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds", Tyler said. "You might know them from their song Oh Children, or the intro song of Peaky Blinders", Tyler smiled. "Which, by the way, I should rewatch 'cause I adore Cillian Murphy."
"I think any living breathing man and woman and anyone else in between on earth loves Cillian Murphy", Steve chuckled. "Yeah, you can't convince me otherwise", Lucas replied. "He's extremely handsome."
"Right? He can pin me down any day", Tyler said. "I'd gladly let him join me and Rich", Lucas laughed, which made them all laugh. "I'll be joining in too", Tyler said with a laugh. "Steve?" He asked. "Oh count me in", Steve hummed. Josh was a blushing mess. He knew they were joking around, but still, the idea of them all getting down and dirty together was messing up his brain and he quickly shook that thought out of his head. He was not gonna picture Tyler and his soulmates that way.
"Alright, let's get serious again", Tyler said. "Let's do this", he said as he placed his fingers back on the piano keys.
Tyler started to play the song, and they all got quiet as they listened to the gorgeous piano playing that Tyler did.
"I don't believe in an interventionist God", Tyler started to sing. "But I know, darling, that you do. But if I did, I would kneel down and ask him not to intervene when it came to you. Will not to touch a hair on your head, leave you as you are, if he felt he had to direct you, then direct you into my arms", he sang.
"Into my arms, oh Lord, into my arms."
It gave Josh goosebumps all over his body as he heard Tyler sing the song exceptionally beautifully.
"And I don't believe in the existence of angels", Tyler sang. "But looking at you, I wonder if that's true. But if I did, I would summon them together and ask them to watch over you", Tyler sang, looking to the side, his eyes meeting with Josh's, before Tyler averted his gaze.
"Well, to each burn a candle for you, to make bright and clear your path, and to walk, like Christ, in grace and love, and guide you into my arms. Into my arms, oh Lord, into my arms", he continued the verse and let it flow into the chorus.
The song has definitely religious, but Josh didn't care about that. It didn't change how beautiful Tyler made the song be. It was gorgeous, and Tyler made it ten times more gorgeous to Josh.
"But I believe in love and I know that you do too. And I believe in some kind of path that we can walk down, me and you. So keep your candles burning, make his journey bright and pure, that he'll keep returning always and evermore, into my arms."
They applauded as Tyler finished the song, and Tyler smiled as he bowed playfully. "Thanks guys", he smiled. "That was gorgeous Ty, thank you so much", Richard told him. "Of course love, any time", Tyler smiled. "I got another one for you. I heard you listen to that a few months ago", Tyler said. "Which one?" Richard asked curiously. "Let yourself be surprised", Tyler smiled as he turned back to the piano.
"I've felt you coming, boy, as you drew near. I knew you'd find me, 'cause I longed you here. Are you my destiny, is this how you'll appear? Wrapped in a coat with tears in your eyes? Well, take your coat, babe, and throw it on to the floor. Are you the one I've been waiting for?" Tyler sang.
Of course Richard immediately recognized the song from the same artist.
"As you've been moving surely toward me, my soul has comforted and assured me that in time, my heart, it will reward me and that all will be revealed. So I've sat and I've watched an ice age thaw. Are you the one I've been waiting for?" He continued.
"Out of sorrow, entire worlds have been built. Out of longing, great wonders have been willed. There's only little tears, darling, let them spill and lay your head upon my shoulder. Outside my window, the world has gone to war. Are you the one I've been waiting for?" he sang.
"Oh, we will know, won't we? The stars will explode in the sky. But they don't, do they? Stars have their moment and then they die. There's a man who spoke wonders, though I've never met him. He said 'He who seeks, finds and who knocks, will be let in'. I think of you in motion and just how close you are getting, and how every little thing anticipates you. All down my veins, my heart strings call. Are you the one I've been waiting for? Are you the one that I've been waiting for?"
Tyler finished the song, and they were all quiet.
"....okay can you play that at our wedding", Lucas then said. "Wait you're getting married?!" Colin asked. "Oh! No, no! Well, I mean, I hope some day 'cause I do intend on marrying Richard", Lucas said. "But no we don't have any plans and we're not engaged or anything", he chuckled. "I just... thought was so gorgeous and I know what the song means to my love... having my soulmate sing one of my lover's most favorite songs at our wedding would just be perfect", he said.
"I'd love to do that for you guys", Tyler smiled at Lucas. "That's settled then", Lucas smiled as he reached out to gently squeeze Tyler's hand.
"Man, that's a wedding I wanna be a part of", Colin said as a joke. "Well, all three of you are hereby invited", Lucas said. "Wh- I didn't mean that", Colin said. Lucas shrugged. "Doesn't matter, you're invited anyways", he said. "But it won't be any time soon though", he chuckled. "We are just starting to figure out our long term financial plans to see if we can start the surrogacy process. We're not planning a wedding any time soon", he chuckled.
"So them three are invited?" Steve asked with a teasing grin. "And you two too of course!" Lucas laughed. "Of course you two are. You're gonna be my best men", Lucas said. "...can't there only be one best man?" Tyler asked. "I don't care. I'm gonna have you two both be my best men", Lucas said. "Both my soulmates gotta share that spot."
"But again, there's not gonna be a wedding any time soon", Lucas clarified with a laugh. "So you'd wanna have kids before getting married?" Fred asked, out of curiosity. "I mean, not necessarily. But we're over 30 and we wanna have kids and it's not as easy for some other couples because we can't get pregnant ourselves. So we wanna start that process as soon as we can", he said. "Took a while for me and Rich to find each other and of course we weren't gonna jump into having kids the first few months, so we'll be having kids a bit older than we had hoped, but that's why we wanna start it as soon as possible", Lucas explained.
"Definitely get that", Fred smiled. "I hope you'll be able to get the family you've always wanted as soon as you two are ready to have babies", he said. "Thanks, Fred, that means a lot", Lucas smiled.
Lucas rounded up the call with Richard, letting him know he'd be back in a few days. They all waved at the phone and said bye, before they ended the call.
"That song you're humming", Tyler said to Colin. "Continue." Colin did as Tyler asked, and Tyler smiled softly. "Thought I recognized it. Let's see if I still remember... been a while since I played this", he said. He got up from the piano and instead grabbed Steve's acoustic guitar as he hung it around his neck, tuning it just by listening quickly. "Still can't believe you just... do that, without actually using a tuner", Josh said. Tyler smiled. "Years of practice", he said. "Steve and I can do it both but it's not easy to do unless you've practiced doing it a lot of times", he said.
He then started a chord, noticing it was the wrong one. Tyler quickly tried the chords out, until he found it. "Ah, here it is", he smiled. He started to play the song on the acoustic guitar.
"Steve, baby, sing with me 'kay", Tyler said. "And any of you who wanna do the same", he smiled.
"I'm a little bit off today, something down inside me's different", Tyler started to sing. "Woke up a little off today, I could tell that something's wrong. I'm a little thrown off today, there's something going on inside me. I'm a little bit off today, a little bit off today", he continued. At the second verse, Steve joined in as backing vocals.
"See, I'm a little bit off today, I cannot put my finger on it. Got up a little off today, just to play that same old song. I don't really wanna try today. I see the thing is my reflection. But I'm a little bit dry today, I feel like I could die today. I'm a little bit off today, feel like I could die today."
It always gave Josh chills listening to Tyler talking about dying, or singing about it, no matter in which way. He just would never be able to handle it normally, it always made him feel a certain type of way that hurt his heart slightly, even though he kenw it was just a song.
"Hey yeah, don't you know I'm a little bit off. Hey yeah, you gotta let it go", they sang the chorus.
"I'm a little pissed off today and there ain't nothing you can do about it", Tyler encouraged the others to sing too, so the friends who knew the lyrics, did. "I'm a little put off today and I could not tell you why. Got a really short fuse today, everyone around me's fucking crazy. I'm a little ticked off today, a little pissed off today."
"I told a little white lie today; I smiled and told someone I loved them. I had to say goodbye today to someone that I love. I couldn't even cry today, I think my heart is finally broken. Didn't need a reason why today, don't need a reason why today", they sang as they moved to the music, and Josh's friends loved hearing and seeing Tyler play and sing up close, Steve singing along; they never really heard Steve sing like this, but his voice was beautiful too.
"I got a little too high today, got lost inside a sea of madness. Crashed a little bit hard today, crashed a little too hard today. Hey yeah, don't you know i'm a little bit off. Hey yeah, you gotta let it go. I'm a little bit off today, something down inside me feels so different. I'm a little bit off today, you can all fuck off today", they finished the song with the last line, and then they all applauded together which made Tyler laugh as he bowed dramatically for playing the guitar. "Thanks guys", he smiled. "That was fun. Thanks for that", he smiled.
"I think it's time for another drink", Lucas said. "Watching the time, let's sit outside together for a little longer yeah?" He proposed, and they all agreed.
They made their way outside with drinks and sat as they talked and laughed, Tyler pulling Josh closer so he was leaning against him. Josh was laying back against Tyler with Tyler's left hand on his chest, toying with his fingers a little absentmindedly, while Tyler smoked a cigarette with his right hand as he talked to Fred about their plans for the tour together.
Colin couldn't help but hope that Tyler felt more for Josh than just friendship, but he also didn't wanna tell Josh too much about what he hoped or thought. At first, he had been wanting to support the idea of Josh having a chance fully and wholeheartedly, but now seeing them up close, the relationship and bond between them, it made him much more careful about how supportive he truly should be. Of course he wanted to be supportive to his best friend; he always would. But he didn't want to give Josh false hope. And the truth was that Colin just simply did not know whether or not there was a possibility of Tyler truly being into Josh. It looked like it, when they were in situations like this, with Josh against Tyler, their hands touching, them embracing.
But he had also seen Tyler be much closer with Lucas and with Steve both that day, much closer than he had already seen them be earlier, and that made it all the much harder to know whether or not there was an actual possibility of Tyler feeling more for Josh than just friends.
He sighed softly. It was frustrating, not being able to analyze the situation objectively and get an answer for his best friend about whether or not there might be a chance for him with Tyler. For Josh's sake, assuming Tyler did not have any more feelings for Josh was the best, because then he couldn't get more disappointed and it could only get better if it turned out Tyler did. But he also didn't want Josh to be fully without hope and force himself to fully get over Tyler while Tyler might actually feel more for him. He let out another soft sigh.
Maybe he should listen to Lucas. Maybe he should, like Lucas said, let them figure it out themselves. Maybe that was the best, no matter how badly he wanted to help Josh figure it out and hype him up.
Just about 30 minutes later, Fred let Colin know they were gonna have to leave if they wanted to get back home. Fred had about almost four hours to drive back to Muncie, while Colin had to drive around three and a half hours.
They got up and grabbed their stuff, then they all said goodbye to each other. Josh expressed how much he was gonna miss them and that he hoped to see them again soon. They promised Josh they would visit him in LA for his birthday, and Josh was already looking forward to it. They also said goodbye to Tyler, Steve and Lucas. Tyler promised Fred they'd hear from his team soon to make their plans a reality, because Tyler truly meant it and still really wanted to make it work.
They waved the friends goodbye, telling them to drive safe, and then it was just the four of them again.
~~
I love them and I love their friendships and I love them sooo much okay. I am obsessed with them. so. yeah.
What did you think? I'd love to hear! Didn't wanna drag out their meet up too much so I forced myself to keep it to two chapters haha. Just two more nights and then Joshie is leaviiiiing
What do you guys think is gonna happen? Or what do you hope will happen when Joshie goes back to LA? I got plans for sure but I'd love to hear what your hopes are and maybe I'll be inspired to make some changes haha. So I'd love to hear your thoughts and your hopes for the next chapters!
Thank you for being here, please don't forget the vote so I can upload an extra chapter tomorrow when I see most of you have been able to read it. Thank you for sticking around, you mean the world to me. All my love! <3