Work Text:
It was dark besides the little light peaking from the hallway under the closed bedroom door. He looked around and saw nothing. No one was in the bed with him, no closet light on, and no one in the bathroom. There was no one around, everyone was gone. He was alone.
Something moves in the corner of the room and he instantly pulls the blanket all the way over himself. His breathing started to quicken and he squeezed his eyes holding the blanket tight so the monster couldn’t take him. He felt the tears slip down his face and tickle his nose, but he couldn’t move or the monster would notice him.
He didn’t know how long he had been under the blanket, but he was now shaking and sweating so bad that the bed definitely would be a little damp. There was shuffling and he let out a loud sob. The monster was moving closer to him, the monster was going to get him. He curled in on himself and gripped the blanket as hard as he could. “Go away, go away, go away, go away,” he kept whispering, hoping that the monster may be a little nice and leave him alone.
“Joshie?” He feels something touch his shoulder and he kicked his feet, hitting the monster. “Ow, hey it’s just me Joshie,” the monster starts to pull the blanket off of him.
“GO AWAY!” Josh kept kicking and the monster ripped the blanket off quickly, before backing away from his feet. He looked at the monster quickly, in case he lived and needed to describe him and saw Tyler. “Papa?” He asked quietly and bit his lip.
“It’s just me baby,” Tyler slowly made his way towards the crying boy. “There’s no monster here bubs,” he rested his hand over Josh’s.
“Was dark and and move and alone,” Josh pulled himself closer to Tyler, hiding himself in his shoulder.
“Why don’t we get out of this room huh? Want to go to the couch with Jen and Debs?” Tyler rubbed Josh’s back, before picking him up carefully.
“Please?” He nodded his head yes.
“You’re such a polite little boy Joshie,” Tyler’s voice sounded warm and comforting. Josh smiled and pushed further into his shoulder.
Josh felt the feeling of Tyler going down the stairs and heard familiar laughter. He slowly moved his head out of Tyler's shoulder, adjusting to the light and making eye contact with Jenna. She gave a knowing smile and he smiled back, wiping his eyes and laying his head on Tyler’s shoulder. “Hi Joshie,” Jenna smiled and opened her arms when the boys appeared in front of them. “You okay bub?” She asked as the boy was placed in her lap.
“He was alone and it was dark, I think he got a little scared. I found him under the blanket, he thought I was a monster,” Tyler sat behind Jenna and Josh reached out to hold Debby’s hands.
“Sssry papa,” Josh turned his head to look at Tyler and bite his lips again. “Hur you.”
“You didn’t hurt me baby,” Tyler gave a comforting smile and ran his hand through the curly hair. “I’m sorry we left you in there alone,” he kissed the top of his forehead.
“Dark,” Josh said quietly.
“It was, I’m so sorry.” Tyler wrapped his arm around Jenna and Josh.
Josh smiled and turned back around to Debby who returned the smile. “Is okay pa, nah dark an’more,” he pushed his hair out of his eyes and sighed.
“Is your hair messy Joshie?” Debby asked, noticing the boy was slightly uncomfortable. Josh nodded his head yes and pulled at it lightly. “I can use my Bluey hair bands!” She smiled brightly and slowly pulled away to go and grab the bag of hair ties.
“Isn’t that nice of her, Joshie?” Jenna rocked them softly and Josh nodded his head yes with that toothy smile. “Thank you Debs,” Jenna told the girl when she came back to the couch.
“It’s nice to do Joshie’s hair,” Debby smiled. “Do you want Bluey or Bingo or Muffin?” She held out the three different hair ties.
Josh looked at the three for a moment before pointing at Muffin and before Debby could speak or move pointed back at Tyler. Then he pointed at Bluey and then at Jenna, before finally pointing at Bingo and himself. “Should I take offence that I’m Muffin?” Tyler said with a pout.
“No! You just are Muffin Pa! You’re crazy and silly, but you’re really fun sometimes!” Debby smiled and rocked on her knees. “You want me to put all your hairs up Joshie?” Debby asked softly and Josh nodded his head yes enthusiastically. “I’ll do your hair first cause you need it out your face,” she smiled and started to move Josh’s hair up, pulling it in to a very tiny and loose pig tail. “Ta da!”
Josh felt the hair and smiled, wrapping his arm around Debby in a tight hug. Debby giggled and hugged Josh back, before allowing him to sit in her lap while she did Tyler and Jenna’s hair. Josh laid his head on Debby’s shoulder and smiled at the sight of Tyler’s silly tiny pig tail and Jenna’s pretty hair.
Josh pulled Jenna and Tyler closer, till they were all laying together on the couch watching the cartoon on the TV. Tyler made a playful whine, “ Why am I like Muffin? Jen is crazy too sometimes, and Debby is silly. Sometimes even Joshie is like Muffin!”
“You’re the craziest papa! We are not like Muffin at all,” Debby shook her head in disagreement.
“Not mean it bad pa,” Josh looked up at Tyler with teary eyes.
“Oh no Joshie, I’m just messing around with you guys baby. I know you didn’t mean it rudely, I think me being Muffin fits the most accurately. Only thing that I think is a little off is that you’re more like Socks, but that’s okay,” Tyler ran his hand under Josh’s cheek.
Josh blushed a little and nodded his head, before giving his attention back to the TV. “Love yous,” he said quietly.
“We love you too buba.”