Anathema

Tyler and Josh had just gotten back to the bus after the show. They were both exhausted and sweaty as usual. A good sign it was a great show.

The show was indoors at a small venue which was very claustrophobic and extremely hot, which took their minds off of the freezing cold they'd return to afterwards. Of course the bus's heat would decide not to work in January; it's not like we need that or anything.

They both reach the inside of the bus and make their way to the couch. Nobody else was there, so they figured the other guys had gone out for food or something.

They sit down side by side, pressed against each other as usual. Despite just returning from the sweaty enclosure, they were already freezing and it was probably do to their clothes being wet. They wanted to relax after over an hour of insanity but the cold wasn't allowing it.

They both decide to get a change of clothes, so they change into their pajamas and return to the couch with a large blanket.

Josh grabs the remote and flicks on the tv, "CSI marathon?" he asks Tyler.

"Heck yeah" he responds.

They curl up next to each other inside the large blanket and watch at least two hours or more of CSI reruns. By now they're falling asleep and don't even care or acknowledge that the guys aren't back yet.

Tyler falls asleep with his head resting on Josh's shoulder and Josh begins to nod off as well. He wakes himself up and realizes it's just past 4am.

Josh nudges Tyler and softly whispers "Ty, wake up." Tyler doesn't respond with much more than a few hums.

"Wake up, Ty. It's 4am"

Tyler wakes up some more but is still half asleep. "Hmm?"

"It's 4am," Josh smiles at Tyler. "Go to bed."

Tyler would argue to stay here with Josh where it's warm and comfortable and where he feels safe, but he's just too tired. Instead he gets up and goes into the small kitchen area hoping to find something to wake him up.

Tyler opens the door to the refrigerator and stares mindlessly. "Mmm" he says and grabs a redbull.

"Hm?" he gestures toward Josh.

"Sure" Josh replies, being handed a can of energy drink as well.

Tyler sits back down beside Josh and nuzzles into his side, resting his head back on Josh's shoulder. Josh always allows Tyler to cuddle up to him, and it's too cold to say not to. Plus, he loves cuddling Tyler.

They continue their CSI binge while sipping their energy drinks for the last ten minutes of the episode before the channel turns to infomercials.

"Okay, bedtime." Josh tells Tyler who is now wide awake. Tyler refuses, even though they both know that if they stay up they're going to be exhausted within hours and sleep all day.

Josh stands up, taking Tyler's hand and pulling him up from the couch as well, "Come on, you gotta sleep, Ty."

"I'm not tired now." he responds with an upset tone.

"Well I'm not gonna watch infomercials all night" he tells Tyler with a small smile.

Tyler thinks for a few seconds. "Okay.. it's cold though. I'm staying here, you go to sleep."

Tyler tries to sit back down but Josh takes his hand once again, pulling him back to his feet.

"We can sleep in my bunk. It'll be warmer and you don't have to sleep right away. I'll stay up with you."

Tyler agrees and follows Josh to his bunk. Josh gets in first and slides over to the area against the wall and Tyler slides in next to him.

Tyler pulls out his phone and starts scrolling through social media for a few minutes in silence. They've been friends long enough that silence wasn't awkward and needing to be filled with words, and they could be together for half an hour saying nothing and it wouldn't be uncomfortable.

Although after a few minutes Tyler begins to shiver and cuddles up closer to Josh. On his instagram, Tyler sees a photo from tonight's show.

"Look" he smiles at Josh and shows him the photo. In the photo everyone is making the logo with their hands. Tyler looks proud. A huge smile spreads across Josh's face from seeing how happy Tyler is.

Tyler notices in the photo several 'T|-/ank you' signs as well and begins to ramble.

"I can't believe we did that. How did we ever do that?"

"What do you mean?" Josh asks.

"They're thanking US. I can't believe we've gotten to where we are and have actually helped people. It's astounding" Tyler replies.

Tyler rambles on for a good fifteen or twenty minutes, going off topic and somehow back to when he first met Josh. At this point Tyler is wide awake and running on a caffeine buzz and Josh is half asleep.

Tyler notices that Josh is sleepy so he knows he doesn't have to worry about anything slipping out and Josh noticing.

Tyler pauses for a few seconds. "What did you think when you met me?"

"I thought you were weird." he replies, grinning to himself.

"oh" Tyler says, a bit disappointed.

"And that's why I liked you. You were a cute weird" he slurs.

Tyler blushes. "I didn't know that."

"Now you do," Josh replies grinning once again. "What about you? What did you think when you met me?"

Tyler looks at the ceiling. "I thought you were perfect." Tyler half-whispers, not realizing his own words. Josh is now more awake and curious. Tyler can't shut himself up and continues "you were cute and weird and understood what our purpose was and that was perfect to me"

Tyler realized a while ago that he had feelings for Josh, but he never told him. He didn't want to ruin their friendship. He figures now is as good a time as any, given that no time is a good time to ruin your relationship with your best friend, and he's already in too deep to ignore the conversation.

Josh replies a few seconds later, "oh."

A few seconds of silence fall between them and this time, it is awkward. Tyler knows he shouldn't have said what he said. He could have lied and just said he thought Josh was a cool guy, but he felt so much more than that.

Then Josh speaks up "can I tell you something?" he speaks slowly and quietly.

"sure"

Josh begins speaking slowly again, "I know you're gonna hate me for this.. and you probably won't want me around anymore, but that's okay. I understand that.."

Tyler interrupts, "No matter what it is, I'll never not want you around. I love you."

Tyler is stupid. Maybe he'll be lucky for once and Josh won't notice the 'I love you.'

Josh begins again, "Okay... so.. I don't know how to say this without freaking you out. N-nevermind."

"Tell me," Tyler insists.

A few seconds of silence pass when Josh speaks up and quickly blurts out, "I love you."

Tyler's head is spinning. "I love you too" he decides to respond, because it was true. Even though he was sure Josh didn't mean he loved him the way Tyler loves Josh.

"No.." Josh replies. "I LOVE you. I.. I'm IN LOVE with you.."

You can see the look of sheer panic on Josh's face. He believes he has just crumpled his friendship with Tyler.

Tyler waits a few seconds to make sure he really heard what he thought he had heard Josh say. He was in disbelief. This was a dream. It had to be.

"What?" is all Tyler can manage to say.

"I'm sorry Tyler, I'm so sorry.." Josh begins to ramble nervously. "I don't know, I know you won't want me around anymore, I'm so sorry, I-" Josh says before Tyler leans over, cutting off his rambling words with a soft kiss.

Tyler pulls away a few seconds later and neither of them can figure out what is happening.

"I told you, Josh, I love you too" Tyler says to Josh who seems to still be in shock.

"I'm in love with you" Josh says again.

Tyler smiles at Josh, which seems to visibly calm him down. "I'm in love with you too."

"..Are you sure?" Josh responds.

Tyler giggles at that a bit, "Yes I'm sure. Do you want me to say no?"

A smile spreads across Josh's face "No"

Josh probably asks Tyler five more times if he's sure he loves him, to each he receives the same response. A few minutes later they're laying facing each other, smiling in awe at what they revealed. They actually feel the same way.

"You really do?" Josh asks. Again.

Tyler smiles and replies, "Yes Josh. I've known since two months after we met, I don't think it's going to change any time soon."

"That long?!" Josh blurts out. "How come you never told me?"

"Well, I didn't want to ruin our friendship. I thought it would freak you out if I told you" Tyler explains.

"Never." Josh responds.

"How long have you known?" Tyler asks.

Josh is silent for a few more seconds before he responds shyly, "Since we were introduced to each other."

"That's such a lie!" Tyler teases. "Was it love at first sight?" he smiles.

Josh smiles a huge smile that makes his eyes all squinty, which Tyler has always loved because god it's cute.

"I knew when I first met you that I'd never get you off of my mind. You're perfect and I instantly loved you." Josh says shyly.

"I love you, Josh." Is the only way Tyler knows how to respond.

"I love you too, Ty." Josh responds.

They lay there talking about nothingness for about half an hour before Josh starts rambling as well and decides he's going to fall asleep, so he lays on his back and closes his eyes.

Tyler is still wide awake, so he lays on his side facing Josh and mentally examines his body. He's perfect.

Tyler's eyes trace Josh's facial structure and always seem to go back to his lips. He can't take his eyes off of him. Tyler decides that if they've agreed to being in love already, then he's allowed to kiss him.

Tyler sits up and climbs on top of Josh, and Josh opens his eyes to see probably the best sight of his life. Josh has the biggest grin, as does Tyler who is looking down at him.

"What're you doing?" Josh manages with a tired giggle.

Tyler doesn't say anything, but he leans down and kisses Josh. Josh doesn't fight it, because he's wanted this opportunity for years. Tyler is sitting on top of Josh's waist area, with his legs on either side of him, one hand on Josh's chest, the other at the back of his neck. Josh goes with it, and puts one hand on the back of Tyler's neck and the other on his waist.

Josh has to admit, Tyler is a very good kisser. Good enough to make him whimper when Tyler bites at his lip between kisses. Josh opens his mouth, allowing Tyler to explore the inside when Tyler does the same. They investigate each other's mouths for a few minutes before they begin to let soft moans escape. They've waited so long for this so it's not surprising to either of them.

Josh's hands feel up and down Tyler's slim body and Tyler begins to feel an all too familiar burning in the bottom of his stomach. Josh's whimpers aren't making matters any better.

Not long from then Tyler has a full hard-on and Josh notices because he pulls away from their makeout with a huge smile. Tyler blushes violently.

"It's okay, I have one too." Josh assures him.

Tyler isn't as embarrassed knowing that he had turned Josh on as well.

Tyler sits back at Josh's waist and unzips his black skinny jeans, proceeding to jerk off until he cums on Josh's chest.

Tyler's face is bright red, "I- sorry" he manages, which earns a few giggles from Josh and a huge smile, once again making his eyes squint, which makes Tyler smile too.

He climbs off of Josh and lays beside him, when Josh proceeds to jerk off as well until he cums.

Josh cleans himself off and he pulls Tyler closer to him by his waist.

"I love you, Ty." Josh murmurs quietly.

"Love you too" Tyler replies, both nodding off into sleep.