three days later, tyler was, for the most part, over his cold. it's a friday, and both boys have off of work. tyler's birthday is tomorrow, and josh has yet to get him anything extravagant. sure, he bought a few movies and coloring books, but tyler deserves more.
and josh has the perfect idea.
"hey, baby?" he calls out as he descends the stairs, hoping tyler will hear him from the living room.
"yes, daddy!?" tyler yells back.
"what are you wearing?" josh asks, poking his head into the living room.
"ummm..." tyler looks down at himself. "my undies."
"okay, get dressed."
"but why!?" the boy whines, pointing at the tv. "daddy, bubble guppies!"
"i promise you, you're going to love this more than bubble guppies."
"you help?"
"sure, come on."
tyler follows josh back upstairs, pinching the man's butt the whole way.
"stop it, mister," josh laughs, swatting the boy's hand away.
"but daddy! your butt's in my face!"
"so?"
"s'pinchable!" tyler giggles, stopping once they reach the top of the stairs.
josh helps him choose an outfit, blue camouflage sweatpants and a white t-shirt covered in blue dinosaurs. he slides purple fuzzy socks over the boy's feet, tickling the bottoms of them.
"no tickles!" tyler squeals, rapidly kicking his feet.
"okay, okay. put your boots on. where's your coat?"
"but daddy!"
"no buts, tyler. it's freezing outside, and there's snow on the ground. you are wearing boots and a coat. do i have to make you wear mittens too?"
"noooo!"
"that's what i thought. where's your coat?"
tyler huffs and drops to his knees beside their bed. he reaches under and pulls out his coat, displaying it before josh.
"why was it under our bed?"
"i think thumper mighta hid it..."
"guess i'll have to have a talk with him. put it on."
"but where's your coat!?" tyler whines, shoving his arms through the sleeves and angrily zipping it up.
"downstairs," josh chuckles, ruffling the boy's hair and kissing his forehead. "now come on, cutie. your boots by the front door?"
"uh-huh," tyler mumbles.
he just wants to stay at home where he can feel cozy in his undies and watch bubble guppies! josh hasn't even told him where they're going yet...
"daddy?"
"yes, love?" josh responds patiently, tying the little one's boots as they stand at the front door.
"where we going?"
"to the animal shelter."
tyler gasps, jumping up and down despite josh still trying to tie his boots. "really, really, really!? we getting a puppy!?"
"i didn't say that, silly," josh smiles, waiting for the boy to calm down before finishing the tying. "i thought it would be nice to go see the animals since you're feeling better and we haven't done anything fun in a while."
"awwww," tyler frowns. "but... wan' puppy..."
"i know you do, sweetie, but i can't buy you a puppy right now."
"not right now," tyler giggles, hugging the man once his coat is on. "but someday!"
"yes, someday," josh agrees, his poofy coat engulfing tyler's small frame. "now, are you ready?"
"yes, yes, yes!"
🍼🍯🍼
tyler's eyes light up the second he spots the kennels. the shelter is loud, full of the sound of dogs barking and a few cats meowing, but the little one doesn't care.
"oh my gosh, look at 'em!" tyler squeaks, tugging on josh's arm and pointing down the aisle of kennels. "look it, look it!"
"i see, honey. they're cute, huh?"
"yes! look at this one!" tyler bends in front of a kennel and josh follows suit.
inside is an old black lab, sitting quietly but wagging his tail at the sight of the boys. white hairs surround his face, but tyler couldn't care less.
"this is the cutest doggy i've ever seen!"
"oh yeah? what about this one?" josh asks, moving to the next kennel.
tyler gasps super loud, placing his hands against the kennel door. "husky!" he screams, poking his fingers through the bars to pet the little puppy. the husky howls, excitedly rubbing his side against tyler.
"look it, it likes me!"
this goes on for quite some time, until josh and tyler reach a certain kennel.
"daddy, look it. this puppy so small!"
a little golden retriever sits directly on the other side of the kennel door, watching them curiously. his head cocks to the side as josh kneels down, making tyler giggle.
"it's silly!"
"yes it is, honey," josh agrees, pressing his palm against the kennel. the puppy approaches cautiously, then sniffs josh's hand before sitting back down.
"it wants to smell me too," tyler decides, stuffing his little fingers into the kennel. the puppy stands again, sniffs tyler's fingers, then gently takes them into his mouth. "look it, daddy! it loves me!" he giggles loudly, letting the puppy slobber on him.
"it sure does," josh smiles, watching the interaction wholeheartedly. gosh, he really needs to get tyler a puppy. preferably this one. that would just be a cuteness overload.
"can't we get him daddy, pleaaaase?" tyler begs, jutting out his lower lip and furrowing his brows to make a puppy dog face. "pleaaaase?"
"i already told you, baby. not now."
"but we can't wait! this puppy needs a home, daddy! we have a home. a good home! it has to come home with us otherwise it's going to miss us and be sad because it will know it's not going to a home."
gosh, tyler can be so convincing. it takes everything in josh for him to stand his ground.
"i said, not right now."
"please, for my birthday?" tyler urges, putting on a really good act of being sad. little does the boy know.
"your birthday is tomorrow, ty. how am i supposed to come up with the money to buy you a puppy by tomorrow?"
"i 'unno... cuz you're a super hero, daddy."
josh chuckles, shaking his head. "just not right now, okay? i promise the puppy is going to be okay, and so are you."
"fine..."