Trigger Warnings

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Drug use; marijuana, cocaine, MDMA(Ecstasy).

Start the song. It's Like Real People Do by Hozier.

Over the next few weeks, things had begun to go back to their normal routines. The funeral for Josh's mom was beautiful and tearful, just like it should've been. Tyler cried alongside Josh, and Brendon could barely keep himself together. Josh introduced Tyler as his boyfriend to his dad, who took it in stride, but Josh could tell that he wasn't happy about it. He didn't care. His mom would've loved Tyler, and he loved Tyler, so it didn't matter what his dad thought.

Josh got all of the money his mom had left in his savings account and sent it all to his school. There was no way he was going to leave almost $50,000 lying in an account that he could access, because he would have completely misused it and he didn't want to betray his mother like that. He was still living with Hayley, who had basically adopted Josh as her little brother. She treated him just like family, and protected him the same way. He had only done cocaine with Tyler one more time since the first time, and he swore to himself that he wasn't going to make it a usual habit like Tyler had.

Currently, he and his friends were down at the community park and recreational center, Brendon and Dominic flying around the graffitied walls of the skate park while the rest of them sat on the edges. Josh had an arm around Tyler's shoulders as they passed a joint back and forth, Ryan was videoing Brendon doing kick-flips and Ollies and Ashley and Hayley were lying on their backs, pointing out shapes in the clouds as they passed their own joint between each other. It felt like a perfect summer day, and they were all happy to just be in each other's company.

Once their joint was gone, Tyler reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag filled with tiny white tablets and held them out. "You guys wanna take an Ex with me?"

Brendon and Dom almost fell off their skateboards trying to get over to where Tyler was seated, Ashley and Hayley held out their hands quietly and patiently, and Ryan raised his hand like asking for permission. Tyler passed each of them a small tablet before grabbing his own and placing it on his tongue. Josh watched all of his friends take the small pills and he looked at Tyler curiously. "Don't I get one?"

Tyler smiled softly. "Have you ever had Ecstasy?" He laughed gently as Josh shook his head. "Tell me how you're feeling right now."

Josh pursed his lips as he turned to look at the sky briefly. "I feel peaceful," he said softly. "I don't feel bad. I don't feel upset. I'm enjoying the sun and the cool breeze, I'm enjoying sitting here with my boyfriend and my best friends, and I'm enjoying being alive right now."

Tyler's face lit up as he held the small pill out for Josh. "Then I think you can take this with no problems," he said softly. "Open."

Josh opened his mouth slightly, allowing Tyler to place the small tablet on his tongue before swallowing it down easily. Tyler smiled and leaned over to kiss Josh briefly, leaning against his shoulder as they watched Brendon and Dom get back to skating. About half an hour later, that weightless feeling was coming back to Josh and he was smiling widely without even realizing it. When Tyler poked him in one of his dimples, Josh laughed gently and pressed a kiss to Tyler's temple before smiling again. "I wanna go swimming."

Tyler laughed and was about to ask him where they could go before Hayley jumped up. "They just finished cleaning and balancing the pH of the pool this morning," she exclaimed, helping Ashley off of the ground. "Let's go swimming, bitches!"

They all got up and went to their vehicles, Brendon and Ryan climbing in the back of Josh's car and Hayley jumping in Dom's jeep with him and Ashley. "I'm gonna invite Mike," Tyler said, pulling out his phone.

"Mike who," Brendon asked from the backseat.

"Naran," Tyler said smiling back at him.

Brendon's jaw dropped and he sent dramatic looks back and forth between Ryan beside him and Josh in the rear view mirror. "Naran's back in town and no one told me?" Tyler stifled a soft laugh and Ryan put up both of his hands in surrender as he tried not to laugh as well. "I feel betrayed," Brendon said with a hand on his chest. "I feel more betrayed than Cesar! And his friends stabbed him to death!"

"Shut up, Beebs," Tyler said with a louder laugh. "He'll be there in 30, and you can bitch him out then."

Brendon shook his head and leaned back against the seat as Ryan put an arm around his shoulder. "The hurt is unreal, babe," he whined to Ryan who just laughed in response.

They pulled back up to the house and everyone went straight to their rooms to get changed. Tyler borrowed a pair of Josh's swim trunks and the two changed and headed out to the pool where the girls and Dom were already in the water and splashing at each other. Brendon and Ryan spent a little longer making out than they meant to, and got outside just as a game of chicken between Dom, Ashley, Hayley and Josh was finishing up.

Not too much later, Mike showed up and joined them all in the water as Ashley turned on the stereo. They were all wading in the water, drinking beers and passing around joints as it got dark outside and Hayley turned on the pool lights. Josh felt better than he had in almost a month, and most of it was because of Tyler. As he had this realization, he swam up behind Tyler - who was sharing a joint and talking with Brendon and Mike - and wrapped his arms around his waist from under the water, making him squeal slightly at the surprise. He then giggled as Josh began pressing soft kisses to his neck. "Hey," he whispered against the shell of his ear, "can we go back to the room and make out and... stuff?"

Tyler whipped his head around and gave Josh a smile so bright that it almost blinded him before passing the joint to Brendon and pulling Josh out of the water with him. When they got back to the room, Tyler noticed a small, tied up plastic bag sitting on the dresser and laughed to himself. "Naran," he said, "always coming in clutch."

Josh walked over and smiled as he red the note sitting when the baggie had been. 'Happy late birthday, Josh! Hope you had fun! - M Naran' He shook his head with laughter. "Can't believe he got me a dime bag for my birthday."

"That means he likes you," Tyler said softly, wrapping his arms around Josh middle. "Which doesn't really surprise me."

Josh smirked softly. "Don't be jealous your that people notice that your boyfriend is hot, Ty," he said playfully.

Tyler left out a soft 'pft' noise. "I'm not jealous," he said, rolling his eyes with a smile.

"Good," Josh said, picking up Tyler and wrapping his legs around his waist. "Because I promise I don't want anyone other than you." Tyler giggled as Josh made the two of them fall on the mattress, immediately attacking his lips, neck, chest, everywhere he could get to.

They fucked through both of their highs and split the dime bag once they were finished. As they laid in their post coital glow, nursing a new high, Tyler sighed gently. "What's on your mind, babe," Josh questioned softly, running his fingertips up and down Tyler's arm gently.

Tyler whined softly, turning over so he was propping his chin up on Josh's chest to look at him. "I'm gonna be so bored when you go back to school," he said softly. "You're gonna have classes and homework, and I'm gonna be lonely and bored and horny all the time. What am I gonna do?"

Josh laughed gently as he ran his fingers through Tyler's hair. "You're gonna deal with the fact that I'm going to college to be a smart boy and graduate so I can get a big boy job and buy you a big house with all the nice things you want," he said, too matter-of-factly, like he'd thought about this already. "It's not like I'm never going to pay attention to you, baby. I'll just be busy a lot."

"I know," Tyler said softly. "I just like this. This, right here, right now. I like spending all day, every day with you, cuddling and having sex and getting high. It makes me less lonely, y'know? And it's even better because, well, it's with you. You're kind of the love of my life if you haven't noticed."

Josh blushed deeply, reaching down and cupping Tyler's cheek in his hand before bringing their lips together softly. "You're the love of mine, too," he whispered softly, pulling him closer. "We'll get through it. I promise."

Tyler nodded softly, letting out a small yawn against Josh's chest. "Sleepy time," he whispered softly before falling almost immediately asleep.

Josh laughed and reached over to turn off the bedside lamp before snuggling down deeper in the blankets with Tyler. They could get through Josh being at college all the time. It's not like this would be hard for them. He's still going to be living home, and he only has about six to seven class hours everyday, giving him plenty of time to be with Tyler. They could make it through this. They have to make it through this. Neither of them are giving up on each other now.