"my dad wants me to join some sports team," josh mentioned one day. he had braided tyler another knot of daisies, and tyler wore it like a crown. ("king of the forest," josh had said, and tyler had beamed.)
"is that bad?"
"i can't do any sports," josh confirmed. he glared at the flower stems he had been tying together and his knuckles were pale white.
"then don't join any. he doesn't control your life," tyler told him. he carefully took the stems from josh before they ripped.
"yes he does." josh watched as tyler tied the two stems together, his fingers only trembling slightly. "he just - " josh squeezed his eyes shut, and tyler felt some string inside of him snap. gingerly, he placed the second flower crown on josh's head.
the boy smiled and tyler glowed. "king of the forest," tyler said. his voice was hoarse.
"kings of the forest," josh echoed. then he closed his eyes and rested his head on tyler's shoulder. the flowers itched his neck, but he didn't move away. tyler hesitantly wrapped an arm around the other boy and hoped he wasn't doing anything wrong.
the clouds were slow today, the wind barely moving them. it was like a ballad, tyler decided. one written for the bruises on josh's arms and the flowers that he chose to wear.
"there's just so much pressure," josh whispered.
"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," he agreed quietly, watching the clouds. "it breaks you."