Chapter Text
Tyler was aroused from his sleep as he felt a warm body next to him tossing and turning. The brunette kept his eyes closed, wondering if he would be able to fall back asleep. He knew he wouldn't be able to, and that he should probably see why the boy next to him couldn't get settled. He finally decided to open his eyes when he felt a warm breath on his neck.
"Oh- did I wake you up? I'm sorry, Ty, I didn't mean to..." The brunette turned to his side to see two big, espresso brown eyes etched with fright staring up at him.
"Hey, I'm fine, Josh. It's okay. What's wrong?"
The sunshine-haired boy squirmed around a bit more before answering, looking hesitant.
"I-I had the dream again, that's all... But Ty, this time it was scarier than the other dreams, like, a lot scarier." His voice sounded shaken up and Tyler realized his sunshine boy was trembling under the covers.
The brunette wrapped his arms protectively around the smaller boy, being cautious to not disturb the feathery wings placed near the shoulder blades, and started rubbing his love's back with the pad of his thumb.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
He felt Josh nod into his chest and he pulled back to look into his eyes, showing that he was ready to listen.
"Well... Well, you know, I was flying, like I always am at the beginning of the dream. And I was spotted and shot down... B-but this time, it-it was almost like it was real. I swear I could have almost felt the bullets in my skin and the impact as I hit the ground," He paused to make sure Tyler was listening. The brunette only nodded, encouraging him to go on.
"And... Well, th-the feeling of pure horror and panic I felt, It felt so real. Like, really, really real. I was almost convinced it wasn't even a dream... That they were going to take me away and I would never feel the warmth of the sun beating down on my skin ever again, or the wind whooshing past when I fly, nor would I get to taste all the foods that I have yet to explore, or feel the cool ocean water streaming through my fingers..." The sunshine boy started growing tears in his eyes before continuing once again, "B-but, what frightened me the most was never being able to see you again. Never being able to see your smile light up your face or hear your bubbly voice or sincere laugh, or see your glowing skin or-" His voice cracked at the end, and the tears he was trying to hold back fell from his eyes and start streaming down his soft cheeks.
The brunette felt his heart ache inside his chest, he couldn't bare seeing his sunshine boy like this. He had to stop his own tears from surfacing as he gave his love a gentle squeeze and a lingering kiss on his forehead. Josh didn't deserve this, he didn't deserve to live with the constant fear of being found by some awful humans and taken away. No, he deserved to live in peace and harmony everywhere he went.
"I'm not going anywhere, love. I'm staying right here and I always will, I can promise you that. I can also promise that no one will ever be able to take you away from me, no matter what they do."
Josh only dug his face into the brunette's chest, his tears forming a wet spot on his shirt. Tyler placed his chin on top of his love's head and continued rubbing his back. They stayed like that for some time until Josh spoke up.
"Ty?"
"Yes?"
"I'm so afraid of losing you," The smaller boy's voice was croaky with eyes still full of tears, and the fear in his voice was evident.
"I promise you I'm never leaving, ever. Not for anything or anyone."
"You swear?"
"I swear," Tyler pulled himself back to look into the sunshine-haired boy's frightened espresso eyes and brought his thumb to his face to wipe the tears away.
"But what if-"
"No buts, alright? Nothing could ever separate us."
The smaller boy took a deep breath and exhaled, still shaken up but a lot calmer than before.
"I love you so much, J."
"I love you too, Ty."
The brunette started playing with his feather-winged lover's hair, watching as the lovely sunshine curls weaved through his fingers. He caught the smaller boy blushing, and he felt a loving smirk form on his face.
"Ty?"
"Mhm?"
"Can I kiss you?"
The brunette's smirk quickly formed into a big smile, adoring his sunshine boy.
"Of coarse, love."
Josh craned his neck and reached up to connect their lips, letting them linger before separating.
"Thank you, Ty, for everything. I would be so lost and desperate without you."
"Love, you have helped me in so many ways that you don't even know," it was true, the brunette was in a bad place before they had met. Of coarse, he didn't magically get better when his sunshine boy came into his life, but he helped him progress along the way. He helped make himself into a better person.
The smaller boy furrowed his brows, "I have? But, what could I have done for you? All I am is a messed up angel. Well, not really an angel anymore, considering that I'm... stuck on Earth... Now I'm just a weird human-looking creature with wings. What's so special about me?"
Tyler's face fell at hearing his love say this about himself. Did Josh really think that? Oh god, how could he have gone all this time without knowing?
"Oh Josh, no, you are so much more than that! You're someone who is loving and kind to humans and animals alike, and your always there for others. I admire that about you. You're never afraid to venture into the unknown, which, before meeting you, I was so afraid of leaving my comfort zone. You taught me not to be afraid. You taught me how to leave my comfort zone without looking back. I love you so much."
The sunshine boy looked at the other with wide, wondrous eyes. Tyler looked back with love etched into his own.
"I-I didn't even know..."
"J, you are capable of so many fantastic things. Never ever doubt that, alright?"
Josh slowly nodded, as if taking it all in. Then only a moment later he was engulfing the brunette in a tight hug. The brunette wrapped his hands around the smaller boy, breathing in his scent and savoring the moment.
"Ty?"
"Yes, love?"
"Can I go for a fly?"
"Wait, J, are you sure?" Tyler was surprised that he wanted to go so soon after the dream, especially considering how bad it was.
"Yeah... Yeah, I'm sure. It's dark out anyway, right? Plus, we do live in the middle of a forest. No one will see me." He sounded so certain.
"Alright, but only if you're ready to."
"I am definitely ready," The smaller boy confirmed with a toothy grin.
When Tyler nodded, Josh was quick to release himself and his cramped wings from the bed's covers and stood up in the dark room, stretching out his brilliant feathered wings.
"Love, be careful with your wings. You don't want to knock something over again," The brunette said as he crawled out of the warmth of the bed.
Josh drew back his wings, embarrassed. The last time he had spread his wings in the small bedroom he had knocked down the TV and they had to buy a new one. He didn't want that to happen again.
"It's okay, love. You have nothing to feel sorry for. Now c'mon, let's go," Tyler smiled at his sunshine boy and they were out the house within moments, climbing the roof of the small building that they called home. It was slightly chilly from where they stood atop of their home, and goosebumps formed on Tyler's arms and legs. Either way, he wouldn't miss watching Josh fly for the world.
They went to the edge of the roof where they gazed upon the hundreds of miles of trees under the night sky before them. The forest was lush with trees and undergrowth, and the sky was dotted with what seemed like millions of stars everywhere you looked. There dotted a few clouds, the brunette could tell from where the stars disappeared. It never ceased to fascinate Tyler how beautiful it all was.
The smaller boy stepped forward, spreading his gorgeous wings to their full wingspan and stretching them out, flapping them gently to warm them up. The feather's glistened in the moon light. Josh looked back at Tyler with a smile that crinkled up his whole face, his eyes almost completely hidden. He looked back in front of him and the next moment, he leaped off of the rooftop, beating his wings with enough might to carry him higher and higher into the sky.
The brunette watched his feather-winged love from the rooftop, smiling to himself at how lighthearted and care-free his sunshine boy was.
Several moments later, he was flying back to Tyler, which confused him, for Josh usually flew much longer than this.
"Ty, fly with me!" The boy said as he landed back on the roof with a big grin and excited espresso eyes.
"What?" This definitely surprised the brunette.
"Fly with me! I'll carry you."
"J, are you sure you can carry me? Can you fly with my weight added?" Tyler was genuinely concerned, Josh had never flown while holding any other body with him.
"I'm sure. If it turns out I can't, I promise to put you down immediately. Please, Ty? I want you to feel what I feel, to see what I see."
The brunette hesitated. He believed his love, he believed him one-hundred percent, but he was still scared. He couldn't let his sunshine boy down, though, he never could.
"O-okay..."
"I promise you'll love it!" And with that, The smaller boy wrapped his arms firmly around the brunette's waist.
"Are you ready?" When Tyler nodded, he continued. "When I count to three, jump with me, kay? One... Two... Three!"