13 years old

"Josh I need your help," Tyler begged his boyfriend, eyes wide in hope.

"With what?"

"I have a project that's due tomorrow for English and I haven't even started it. Can you come over after school and help me with it? Please?"

"Tyler," Josh sighed, even though he couldn't help himself from smiling. "How many times do I tell you not to push things off until the last second?"

"I know but I'm really bad at English and you're really good and I just need your help," Tyler rambled.

"Well I'm obviously not gonna say no," Josh chuckled, making Tyler's face light in with excitement.

"Thank you Joshie! What would I do without you?" The boy pondered.

"Fail English," Josh joked, making Tyler giggle.

Josh loved it when he made Tyler giggle. The sounds he made were so cute, and his eyes crinkled. He loved it almost as much as he loved it when he made Tyler nearly die laughing. The way Tyler's laughs were so loud they made Josh's ears ring, but Josh didn't mind. As cheesy as it sounds, Tyler's laughter was literally music to Josh's ears. It made him happy to know that he could make his boyfriend happy.

"Do you think you could spend the night?"

"Tyler, it's a school night."

"So?"

"I don't have any clothes."

"We can pick some up."

"My mom wouldn't let me," Josh said, frowning at the shorter boy.

Tyler had barely grown in the past three years but Josh had grown a lot.

Three years.

That was crazy for the boys to think about.

They'd been together for three years. Tyler's uncle couldn't even keep a girlfriend for over a few months.

Their relationship was all innocent. They still had yet to kiss, but neither cared too much. They didn't mind taking things slow. The most "obscene" thing that had happened between them was the two of them sleeping shirtless while they were wrapped up in each other's arms.

Tyler had eventually grew on Josh's mother when she realized Josh could never like anybody as much as he likes Tyler. Josh and Tyler's parents didn't care all too much about the fact that they slept together. As Tyler's dad had pointed out, at least they couldn't get pregnant.

After school, the boys headed up to Tyler's room after they snacked on animal crackers. Tyler was amazed at how much Josh could eat. It was like he was hungry all the time.

"So what is your project even about?"

"You guys read the book Ashes of Roses right?"

"Yeah."

"I have to talk about symbolism and stupid crap. I don't know. I don't even understand it. Why use symbols? Why not come out and say, 'her dress was the color of the title of this book?'"

"Because then people wouldn't come out and say, 'wow, that author sure is clever,'" Josh explained.

"The only people that think about that stuff are English teachers," Tyler complained.

Josh gave a short laugh before he grabbed the book out of Tyler's hands. He skimmed through it, explaining to Tyler what to write down. Tyler wrote fast, trying to keep up with how fast Josh was speaking to him.

"Josh!" Tyler finally stopped him.

"What?"

"Uh, slow down! I can't write as fast as you can talk!"

"Oh, sorry," Josh smiled. It was impossible for Tyler not to forgive him when he smiled like that.

"It's okay, just go slower."

The couple had managed to finish the project within an hour. They had to stop for a bathroom break and to get more food for Josh.

"That wasn't even bad," Josh said.

"Yeah, because I had your help," Tyler pointed out as he rolled his eyes. He slid his folder into his backpack.

"You're welcome, by the way."

"I'm pretty sure I already said thanks, but thanks. You're actually a life saver. You don't know how grateful I am to have you."

Josh ignored Tyler's sassiness as he lay back on the bed. Tyler followed him, curling up into the taller's side.

"Don't you have homework?" Tyler asked.

"No, I finished it in study hall. I have it last period."

"Lucky," Tyler mumbled.

"Hey T?"

"Yeah?"

"Have I ever told you that you're a brat?"

"All the time."

"But have I told you that I think it's adorable?"

"It's not adorable!" Tyler whined.

"Yeah, you're adorable."

"Whatever," he mumbled, and Josh could just feel him roll his eyes.

Josh sat up, picking Tyler up with him. Tyler looked up at the boy curiously, wondering why Josh moved when he was so comfortable.

Josh returned Tyler's gaze, hands coming up to cup Tyler's cheeks. Tyler swore his heart skipped a beat when he realized how close their faces were.

"Hey T?"

"Hm?"

"Have I ever told you that I love you?"

Tyler's cheeks instantaneously flushed pink, making his tiny freckles more prominent. He slowly shook his head between Josh's palms.

"Well I love you," Josh said, slowly bringing his face to Tyler's so his forehead rested on the shorter's. Their noses just barely touched.

"I love you too," Tyler replied.

He closed the space between them quickly, before he could lose the courage to. Their lips touched, but Tyler was quite shocked when he didn't get a lightning bolt through him. He expected it to be like how books and movies described it, but it wasn't.

He felt grounded. He felt alive. He was kissing the boy that he just admitted out loud to being in love with. So he was surprised when his body didn't get all tingly, but he wasn't surprised when euphoria clouded all his senses.

And just like that, it ended all too quick. Tyler was more or less glowing pink under Josh's smile.

"You're blushing," Josh pointed out, making the boy's cheeks turn pinker.

"We just had our first kiss, dummy! Of course I'm blushing!"

Josh laughed as he pulled Tyler in for a hug this time, running his hands over the boy's back. Tyler gratefully hugged back, eyes closing in content. Josh was his rock, there was no denying that.

"Still grateful for me?"

"Even more, now," Tyler concluded.

"I'm grateful for you, too."

"You better be," Tyler grinned against his shoulder.

"Trust me, I am. I love you, T."

"I love you too."