Josh was exhausted. While he made his way to his parents' house he debated texting and telling them he was going to be working late in favor of taking a nap at his apartment for an hour. It was only six thirty and he knew his parents wouldn't mind watching her longer. Unfortunately, he had responsibilities he knew he had to deal with. Besides, he wanted to see his daughter. It was always his favorite part of every day.
Once he arrived and got out of his car, he bounded the steps and opened the door without even knocking. He never did.
"Daddy!"
"Bug!"
Jade ran towards him and leapt into his arms, prompting him to pick her up and hold her against his side. She was tiny for a five year old. Tinier than most kids her age. The doctor said she was fine so Josh basked in the positive parts of it like how light she was to hold. "I missed you," she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I missed you more," he rubbed his cheek against hers causing Jade to giggle.
"Daddy, stop," she laughed. "Your face is scruffy."
Josh looked at her and began tickling her with his free hand, making her cackle ever louder. "What did you say about my face?"
"It's," cackle. "Scruffy!"
Josh stopped and kissed her forehead, setting her down on the ground. "Yes it is and I'm never ever shaving it just so I can freak you out."
"Liar! You'll shave it cause you'll get annoyed by it," she stuck her tongue out at him.
"You're so damn smart," he sighed happily, patting her back. "Alright I'm gonna go talk to Grandma real quick can you get your stuff ready?"
"Yup!" She ran over to her Paw Patrol backpack and began taking books off the couch and shoving them in.
"Mom?" Josh called, walking out of the room.
"In here, honey," a voice replied.
Josh entered his old kitchen and saw his mom and little sister Abbie cleaning up dinner plates. "Hey, Abs," he ruffled her hair and she smacked his hand away with a groan.
"Why do you always feel the need to ruffle my hair? I get you're a dad but seriously," she mumbled.
"I'm gonna start wearing socks and sandals and making bad jokes just to spite you," Josh teased.
"Please don't."
Josh just laughed and began helping them bring dishes over. "How was your day, sweetheart?" His mom asked.
"Tiring. I'm used to it. But tiring."
"If you want to bring her over tomorrow and rest you can," Laura offered. "Everyone deserves a break sometimes. You especially. You have college, a job, and a kid."
"I'm okay, Mom," he smiled weakly. "Thanks, though. Tomorrow's a "snuggle day,"' he laughed using invisible air quotes.
"I'm excited for our snuggle day!" Jade yelled from the living room causing the three Duns to look at one another and laugh.
"Are you eavesdropping, Jade?" Josh called.
"No..." she paused. "What does that mean? If it means listening to a conversation I'm not a part of then yes. Yes I was."
"Oh my God," Josh rolled his eyes but there was a smile on his face. "We're gonna head out but I'll call you, Mom. Bye, Abs," he began walking towards the living room.
"Bye, loser," Abbie replied but Josh could hear the smile in her voice.
"Bye, you two. Drive safe!" His mom called.
"C'mon, sweetheart let's go home," Josh held his hand out for Jade and she walked over, backpack hanging on her shoulders. She kept brushing her bangs out of her eyes and Josh smiled. "I've got a barrette in the car we can clip your back in there."
"Okie dokie," she replied happily as she grabbed her dad's hand and walked out of the house.
Once they were in the car, Jade's hair was clipped back, she was buckled in the back seat, and Josh had his phone plugged in with music going they were making their way towards Josh's apartment. "How was school?" He asked.
"Good," she hummed, looking out the window. "Oh my gosh I almost forgot!"
"What did you almost forget, bug?" Josh asked, smiling to himself.
"Mia had her uncle write down her Mommy's and Daddy's numbers and his own since they're gone. Can we have a play date on Sunday? Pretty please? I know it's a snuggle day but we can snuggle extra hard tomorrow to make it up for it," she told him.
Josh glanced at her through the rear view mirror. His daughter was kicking her feet back and forth since they didn't reach the ground and she was twiddling her thumbs as she glanced out the window. His heart melted at the sight. He loved her so much and was so happy he decided to stick around.
"I don't know..." Josh sighed. "What am I supposed to do while you're gone? Snuggle by myself?"
"You can snuggle with Tyler!"
Josh choked on his own spit as Jade sat in the back giggling. "Jade..."
"I'm just kidding, Daddy," she laughed. "You're only allowed to snuggle with me. That's the rule."
"That's the rule, sweetheart," Josh agreed, laughing. "Let me call Tyler when we get home and see what he says, okay?"
"Okay," she paused, leaning her head on the window. "I love you."
"I love you too, honey."
---
"Hello?"
"Uh, hi," Josh spoke as he watched Jade lay on the couch, watching We Bare Bears. "Is this Tyler?"
"Yeah..."
"It's Josh."
"Oh! Hey! What's up?" The man asked, sounding much happier than before. Josh figured that it was because he wasn't confused anymore.
"Jade gave me a piece of paper with your number on it and wanted me to ask if she could have a play date with Mia on Sunday. We're free all day but she's just gotta be home by five to get ready for school."
"Let me check. My sister left me a calendar with everything I needed to know," he laughed. Tyler was silent for a moment but the sound of paper flipping was heard and Josh assumed he had a planner. "Mia's got dance from noon to one but after that she's free."
"Perfect that works for us," he couldn't help but smile. "Thanks for agreeing to this," he chuckled. "Jade's been talking about it non-stop since she remembered in the car and my mom texted me and told me that's all she talked about when she was at her house after school."
"Oh God Mia's been the same," Tyler snickered. "Tyler can Jade puhlease come over this weekend? Please please please?" He said in a higher voice making Josh laugh even harder.
"Sounds like they both need this," he sighed happily. "So two works on Sunday?" He double checked.
"Mhm. I'll text you my sister's address since I'm staying there right now."
"Perfect. I'll see you then. Bye, Tyler."
"See ya, Josh."
Josh hung up the phone and slid it in the pocket of his jeans. "Bug?"
"Yes, Daddy?" Jade called, still staring at the TV.
"Mia's busy all weekend."
Jade instantly tore her eyes away from her show, looking at Josh sadly. "She is?"
Guilt instantly surged through the man. He was just trying to tease her but seeing how upset she was broke his heart. "No. I'm just kidding," he smiled.
Jade gasped. "That was not nice, Daddy."
"Neither am I," he walked in and plopped down on the couch next to his daughter making her side go up and lift her ever so slightly off the cushion. She giggled and cuddled up next to Josh, resting her head in his lap. He smiled and ran his hands through her hair. "I love you."
"I love you too," she yawned.
"Who's that?" Josh asked, gesturing the the brown bear that was on the screen.
"That's Grizz," she paused. "That's Panda. And that's Ice Bear. They're brothers and they live together in a house in the woods."
Josh didn't question it.
"Which one is your favorite?"
"Panda."
"Why?"
"I dunno. I just like him," she mumbled and Josh watched her eyes flutter closed. It was only seven thirty but Josh assumed she'd had a long day at school.
"Hey, c'mon sleepyhead. Let's tuck you in."
"Don't wanna," Jade burrowed her head in Josh's stomach.
"Jade..." Josh tried. There was no reply. "Jade..." he rolled her over and saw she was asleep, soft snored emitting from her mouth. Josh smiled. They were apparently sleeping on the couch tonight.
---
"Daddy hurry! Get out of the car! C'mon!"
"Honey, let me take my seatbelt off," Josh told his daughter who was already standing in the driveway. She had gotten out as soon as Josh had parked and ripped his door open, pressuring him to get out of the car. "Jade," he warned as he got out and shut the door, locking it.
"I'm sorry but I'm excited!" She whined.
"I know you are but we're literally walking up to the house now," he chuckled as they bounded the steps. Josh pressed to doorbell and a few moments later the door opened and he was met with a smiling Tyler.
"Hey!" He greeted happily.
"Hi," Josh smiled.
The younger looked down and saw his daughter's eyes widen as she gasped happily. "Mia!"
"Jade!"
The little girl ran past Tyler's legs and hugged her friend. "Jade," Josh scolded. "You don't just run in like that."
"She's fine, she just excited," Tyler assured. "Do you want to come in?"
Josh had just planned on dropping her off and coming back to get her at five but if Tyler wanted him to stay he wasn't gonna be rude and saw no. "Sure," he shrugged, walking in. "Do you want me to take my shoes off?"
"Nah you're good," Tyler replied. "Do you want something to drink?"
"I'll pass. Thanks though," he smiled once more, feeling awkward.
"We can sit down if you want," Tyler laughed, leading them to the couch. "How are you?"
"Good. You?"
"Pretty good myself. Since my sister's coming home next Sunday I'm making it my mission to rearrange different things in her house so she slowly loses her mind," he laughed. Josh gave him a weird look causing him to laugh harder. "I'm just kidding."
"Jade!" Mia said excitedly. "Tyler brought me some legos! Do you wanna play with them?"
"Duh!"
"Okay I'll go get them! I'll be right back!" Mia ran up the stairs.
"Thanks again for letting her come over. I know how hectic things can be when you have to take care of kid that isn't even yours and have another one over on top of that," he laughed.
"Nah, I'm used to it," Tyler shrugged. "I live like fifteen minutes away so I see her all the time."
Josh was about to reply when Mia came running back down the steps, a box in her hands. Every time she bounced up and down it made a rattling sound. "I got them!"
"I love legos!" Jade said happily as the two girls sat down on the floor by the couch.
"Me too. Kyle says they're for boys whenever I try to play with them at school."
"Kyle's dumb and he doesn't have a 48 pack of crayons so it doesn't matter," Jade replied, beginning to stick two blocks together. "Besides, my Daddy says that stuff doesn't matter. He called them gender roles or something like that. He likes girls and boys so he knows a lot about that stuff."
"Oh my God, Jade," Josh looked at her, his face bright red.
"What?" Jade looked up at him innocently.
"Tyler likes boys!" Mia gasped. "They should become best friends!"
"Mia!" It was Tyler's turn to blush.
"Oh my God," Josh covered his face, groaning into his hands. "Jade you can't just tell people that, honey."
"Oops," she giggled. "At least he's not homophoneic."
"Homophobic," Josh corrected, taking his hands off his face. It was still red but Tyler's was just as red, if not redder.
"Oh yeah," Jade nodded, scrunching her nose up as she tried to pry two thinner legos apart. "He dated my Uncle Brendon one time but they broke up," she said, looking at Mia. "He said it felt too weird. They're still best friends though."
Josh wanted to die. He looked at Tyler and saw he was trying not to laugh, the red leaving his face. "He's not actually my brother."
"I didn't think so," Tyler snickered. The two were silent for a moment while Josh willed his face to turn back to it's regular shade. "Are you single now?" He asked finally.
"Yeah," Josh nodded, taking his glasses off and cleaning them on his shirt. He didn't want to meet Tyler's eyes so he occupied himself with that task. "I'm not too good at relationships," he laughed. "I'm so wrapped up with Jade all the time I don't really have time for them. Brendon's the first person I dated after her mom," he continued, putting his glasses back on his face.
He didn't know why he was telling some guy he barely knew all this information but it felt natural. Besides, they were both just outted to each other. That felt a lot less personal.
"Did she die or something?" Tyler asked, alarmed. Josh looked up and saw his warm brown eyes full of worry. His heart began beating faster.
"Uh no," he swallowed. "She got pregnant when we were 16 and she didn't want to be a part of Jade's life so I dumped her."
Tyler frowned. "She's missing out. Your daughter's wonderful."
Josh gave him a genuine smile. "Thanks."
Tyler smiled back. "Great daughter, great dad," he added making Josh's heart flutter. This man was flirting with him and he wasn't gonna back down from this opportunity. Tyler already knew he had a kid so if anything did happen the hardest part was already done.
"Thank you," Josh repeated, his smile turning more into a smirk but not an obvious one.
"Anytime," he winked and Josh knew this wasn't the last he'd see of Tyler.
I'll do a part 3 if you want it but I don't think it'd be a good idea. It seems like too much lol