six
"So you just ignored the guy's fucking text?" Gerard asked him incredulously on the drive to Tyler's house.
Josh shifted uncomfortably, his hands white with the grip of the steering wheel. "I never read it. He probably thinks I was busy. I'll ask him tonight."
Gerard scowled. "With me around? That's not any more romantic than a text."
"I'll signal you."
With that, they pulled into the driveway and left Josh's car. They'd both dressed nicely, as promised. Probably nicer than Tyler was expecting, with Josh in a sky blue shirt and navy tie that both complimented his hair incredibly well, and Gerard in a gray shirt and black tie.
"Let's dress to impress," Josh had said, giving Gerard a lazy smirk.
Josh was carrying containers (the ones Tyler's mom had given him for leftovers) filled with pizzelles. The two looked like real charmers when they rang the doorbell, complete with smiles and carefully styled hair, as opposed to their usual messy appearances.
Mrs. Joseph was delighted when she opened the door. "Oh, Joshua, you didn't have to do that!" she said in response to the containers and the cookies.
"Just Josh," he said, grinning as he stepped into the home, Gerard close behind him. "My momma loves to make them, and we made some together on her day off yesterday."
This was a lie. Josh and his mom did love cooking together, but his mom hadn't been home in two days and he and Gerard had made them two hours ago.
-
Tyler was more than surprised when he saw Josh and Gerard following his mom into the kitchen. He'd told them to look nice. He hadn't, to say the least, expected them to wear suits. Tyler felt slightly embarrassed that he was wearing sweatpants. They both seemed so polite, too. Gerard wasn't even screaming. Wow.
He saw his dad side eye the two of them before getting up to shake their hands, and Tyler paused his carrot chopping to look at Josh. And then at Gerard. Next to Josh, Gerard looked incredibly small. He'd lost weight, maybe in the past week, and even though he was taller than Josh, Josh was all muscle and Gerard was just bones. Gerard looked a little sullen, too, but it was probably just because he wasn't swearing.
"Gerard way?" Mr. Joseph echoed the boy's introduction. "Way. Where do I know that name from?"
Gerard shrugged and said, "my mom goes to church nearly every day, sir."
Tyler's dad nodded approvingly and sat down. Gerard and Josh exchanged smirks.
Tyler's mom took the knife from him and told him to wash up and go "play with his friends". He'd groaned at that one. His mom still thought he was a little kid half of the time and it showed. Gerard made fun of him on the way down the stairs for it.
And then he did on the way back up the stairs when Zack had all but punched Tyler for interrupting his Halo marathon.
"Is your brother like, in college?" Gerard asked, lounging on Tyler's bed. "He's huge. And has a beard."
"He's a freshman. In high school."
Tyler laughed softly at Gerard's stunned expression.
Tyler was happier than he'd been in a year. Before his life was boring- a dull gray. The occasional orange of a basketball. Gerard and especially Josh had brought in new colors. Reds and blues and every color that had been snatched away from Tyler.
He was happy.
Dinner was nice. Josh ate about ten pounds of food and Gerard only ate vegetables. He told Tyler's mom that he was a vegetarian and Josh had given him a weird look and then shrugged it off. Josh and Gerard just about charmed the pants off of his mother. Zack asked Josh for lifting tips and Gerard told Madison how to curl her hair without burning it and talked to Jay about which comic books were the best. Tyler's dad had given him a pat on the back when his friends offered to help with the dishes.
Eventually they were together in the basement, fighting over the remote. For Tyler, the fight was just an excuse to partway hold hands with Josh. After Josh had won the remote and turned on Lost, he settled into the couch, and Tyler couldn't stop staring at him. He was perfect. His sharp jawline, his dark eyes, his stubble. Everything about him was incredible. Josh looked over and smiled, then leaned forward to look at Gerard, who arched a dark eyebrow.
"Hey, Gee, can you take up the popcorn bowl?" Josh asked. Gerard understood he was to do that and also offer to wash it and maybe offer to clean the windows while he was at it.
Tyler would have protested, but he was leaning slightly against Josh and he was comfortable, so he thanked Gerard for taking it up.
Once the door was closed, Josh turned down the TV and looked over at Tyler, taking a deep breath. Tyler felt his heart hitch. Blurry started talking.
You're not good enough for him. He's just messing with you. He's going to tell you he doesn't like you.
"I want you to be my boyfriend."
Tyler's breath hitched. "Ohmygod," he said, his voice cracking. Josh looked at him expectantly. "I mean, yes, a million times yes, I, uh, yeah."
Josh grinned. "Awesome."
And then before Tyler knew it his wrists were pinned against the couch and Josh was on top of him and his lips were on Tyler's.
He'd never felt anything that made him feel like fire before. He'd made out with Jenna a few times, but he hadn't felt anything. But this was incredible. The way Josh's tongue slipped past his lips and raked along the back of his teeth, making Tyler shudder. Tyler's teeth caught on Josh's lip ring and Josh groaned, a guttural 'do that again' groan, so Tyler bit down on Josh's lip and he actually fucking moaned. Tyler knew he must have been super embarrassed looking, but Josh must not have noticed because he just slipped his hands under Tyler's sweatshirt. The cool of Josh's hands on Tyler's heated skin made him freaking groan Josh's name.
Man, Tyler would be up all night praying at this point.
-
"Thank you so much for helping Gerard!"
Gerard just smiled sweetly and said, "no problem Mrs. Joseph. Thank you again for dinner."
He headed back downstairs, knowing Dun was up to no good when he heard the TV was quieter and- was Tyler fucking moaning?
"I'm gone for fifteen fucking minutes and you guys are practically boning each other?" Gerard yelled when he reached the bottom of the stairs. Josh lifted his head up and smirked. Gerard flipped him off.
At least Tyler had the manners to look embarrassed.