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Josh found Tyler on the floor of his living room, plucking the strings of his ukulele, a white ski mask covering his face. “Haven’t heard from you in a few days, man.”
Tyler glanced up at Josh and gave a faint smile, looking away again.
“Door was unlocked.” Josh moseyed over to Tyler, and sat down next to his friend. “Why you wearing the ski mask?”
Tyler plucked a few strings before answering quietly, “I don’t want anyone to look at me.” Josh crossed his legs and rested his arms over his knees, “Any reason?”
“Just anxious, I guess.” Tyler hadn’t looked at him since his initial greetings, and he didn’t now.
“I get you. Anything I can do to help?”
Tyler stopped playing his ukulele, but didn’t make any attempt to speak. He seemed almost tense as he sat next to Josh.
“Do you want a hug, Tyler?” Josh said, cocking his head to the side indicating he would totally be willing to give one up. Tyler picked at the hem of his pants with his fingernails, visibly conflicted. Josh watched him do it, and bit his lip, worried for his friend. He tried another approach, “Well, I’m down for a good hug, can I have a hug?”
A slow nod from Tyler followed.
Josh opened his arms wide, and once Tyler noticed, he quickly climbed into his lap, head low and latching onto Josh tight. Josh wrapped his arms around his friend just as securely, and held him there a long time, rubbing small circles into Tyler’s back muscles with his thumb. Josh could hear Tyler’s sniffles coming from against his shoulder.
“How you doin’ Mr. Misty-eyed?” Josh mumbled against Tyler’s clothed face. He gave a light scratch on Tyler’s back as he asked.
“mmfine.” Was mumbled back, thickly.
“You sure? Can you look at me?”
“I can’t.” Tyler clutched at Josh tighter, not willing to move.
“That’s okay.” Josh went back to rubbing slow circles on Tyler’s shoulder blades.
“I can’t.” Tyler repeated, his voice almost cracking.
“You’re okay.” Josh assured him softly.
It took a while but eventually Tyler let his grip on Josh loosen. Josh slid his own hands from behind Tyler to the sides of his masked face. “Can I take this off? Can I look at you?” Tyler kept his eyes averted as he quietly whispered, “okay.”
Josh slipped his fingers gently under the hem of the ski mask, and slowly pushed it up over Tyler’s face, sliding it off his head. Josh could see the worried lines of Tyler’s face now, straining around his eyes, and bunching his forehead. He softly brushed his thumbs against Tyler’s brow, urging him to relax his face. Tyler closed his eyes as Josh slid his fingertips through the sides of his short hair. He felt Josh lean in and softly kiss his right cheekbone, then the left. He moved to the tip of Tyler’s nose, then the middle of his forehead. As gentle as a butterfly landing on his eyelashes, he felt Josh finally kiss each of his eyelids. It felt as if he was being blessed. Josh leaned back, leaving his hands to frame Tyler’s face.
For the second time since Josh came in, Tyler looked him in the eyes. It took him a few tries to keep contact, but it happened. Slowly, Tyler brought his own hands up to Josh’s face, and performed the same ritual on him, if a bit shaky. He started with the hollows of Josh’s cheeks, moved to the bridge of his nose, then the middle of his forehead. He ended it the same, with kissing Josh’s eyelids as gently as he could, letting his lips be tickled by Josh’s eyelashes.
By the end, when Josh opened his eyes, he almost felt that he was the one who couldn’t make eye contact. He opted for resting his forehead against Tyler's, and closing his eyes again. “Wanna order take out?” He asked Tyler quietly.
Tyler grinned, and nodded against his friend’s forehead. He honestly didn’t notice how hungry he had been. Thank God for Josh Dun.