josh wakes up extra early the next morning due to the whining puppy at the foot of his bed. sighing heavily, he carefully removes himself from beneath tyler's sleeping frame. he toes on his slippers, watching fearfully as tyler begins to stir.

the sun hasn't rose yet. if tyler wakes now, there's no telling whether he'll fall back asleep or not. if he doesn't, he's going to be grumpy all day. thankfully, jim's whimpers die down and tyler lays still, eyes still shut as he dreams about whatever it is little tylers dream of.

"if you wake tyler up, you're in big trouble," josh whispers to the golden retriever, watching him plop off the bed. he trots to the man, wagging his tail excitedly. "yeah, yeah, you gotta go potty."

jim follows josh downstairs, tail still wagging happily as his leash is attached. they head outside together, josh locking the door behind him. it makes him feel like tyler is safer that way.  the two boys head into the backyard. jim spends most of the time distracted by a leaf but eventually does go to the bathroom.

"good boy, jim!" josh encourages, patting the small dog's head. "looks like you get a treat when we go inside."

jim seems excited at the news, his whole body moving back and forth as his tail wags ferociously. he gets distracted by something in the grass, though, so josh decides to let him play around for a bit. hopefully he'll use up his energy and let josh fall back asleep.

only when jim starts to calm down do they go back inside. josh quietly unlocks the door and unleashes the dog, watching him immediately run back upstairs to tyler. it stings a bit to know he isn't the favorite, but he can't blame jim. tyler is his favorite person too, after all.

he grabs a dog treat before heading back upstairs, sighing as he finds tyler awake. well, more like jim is pouncing all over him while tyler whines and protects his face from being licked.

"jim, down!" josh orders. the puppy, of course, doesn't listen. he continues to attack tyler, who grows more frustrated by the second.

"stop itttt!" he whines, nudging jim away.

josh intervenes, picking the puppy up and placing him on the floor. he gives him a treat for going potty outside, which seems very counterintuitive considering he woke the poor brunette. jim takes the treat under the bed to nibble on.

"sorry, honey, please go back to sleep," josh sighs, kicking his slippers towards the bedroom door and joining tyler in bed.

"can't," tyler pouts. "jim's bad."

"hey, he just went potty outside. that's not bad," josh points out, pulling the younger into his chest to snuggle.

"woke me up," he huffs, hiding his face in the man's neck. "bad."

"well, the sun isn't awake yet so tyler shouldn't be either."

"uggghhh, can't sleep."

"you haven't had the time to try to fall back asleep, hon. i know you're still tired."

tyler yawns loudly, trying to cover it up by pulling the blanket over his face. "nuh-uh."

"oh yes-huh. you can't fool me, mister. let's just get a couple more hours of sleep so we're nice and rested to play with brendon and ryan."

the boy gasps, nearly sitting straight-up. "b and ry! we gotsta go play!"

"not now," josh sighs, mentally scolding himself for even bringing it up. he should've known it would only wake tyler more. "right now we have to go back to bed."

"can't, daddy! gotta play," tyler explains, giggling as jim hops back on the bed and curls up beside him. "cutie puppy..."

"daddy's tired, ty. you are too. do you want me to put a movie on so we can snuggle and go back to bed?"

"noooo!" he whines, pulling at josh's shirt. "gotta get up."

the man checks the time. "no way, it's only six. they won't even be awake for another two hours, at least."

"'xactly!" tyler smiles. "one hour for food and daddy time, den an hour to get dere!"

"sweetie, it takes ten minutes to drive to dallon's," josh tries to reason, although at this point he's basically accepted that he's not going to win.

"just wanna get up, daddy. not tired no mo'."

"and what are you going to do for the next two hours?"

"play?" tyler answers, as if it isn't obvious.

"no, it's not play time. stop arguing with me and lay back down."

"daddy!"

"tyler, do you want to go play with brendon and ryan or not? i can text dallon right now and tell him never mind."

"no, wan' to!" tyler huffs, arms folded over his chest as he lays back down. he faces away from josh.

"stop, then. cuddle with me."

"don' wanna," he responds, opting to cuddle with jim instead.

"if you insist," josh mumbles, cozying back up beneath the comforter and shutting his eyes. not even two minutes pass before tyler rolls over and snuggles himself against the man. "thought you didn't wanna?"

"missed you," the boy sighs, reaching behind him to pet jim. "i's really not tired, daddy..."

"please just try, baby," josh hums, gently kissing his forehead. "daddy doesn't want you to be a tired grump all day."

"hmph," is tyler's response. "only 'cuz i wuv you, daddy."

"i love you too, pumpkin. close your eyes and get some more rest."

"'kay. wuv you."

"i love you too."

"wuv you."

"i love you too, little man," josh chuckles. "sleep."

"'kay, still wuv you."

"i still love you too."

🍼🍯🍼

"bren'on!"

"tywer!"

"ryry!"

"tyty!"

"dallon!"

"josh!"

the two eldest laugh as the three littles run upstairs to play. dallon welcomes josh inside, both of them sitting in the living room.

"rough morning?" dallon chuckles, seeing josh sink into his chair.

"you have no idea," the man sighs. "jim woke tyler up at six. it took him an hour to fall back sleep. then i had to wake him back up in a half hour to get ready. he cried and whined the whole time that he was tired. then he cried and whined because i had to put jim in his cage when we left. he told me i was mean for putting him in doggy jail, so i threatened to make him stay home and he only cried more..."

"he's just overwhelmed, probably, with the new dog," dallon offers.

"maybe," josh agrees. "i just know that boy is probably going to cause some trouble today."

"what're littles for, if not to cause trouble?" the older of the two grins, josh finding himself smiling along.

"thankfully i don't have that problem very often. he's usually so good for me."

"hey, i was just wondering... has tyler ever told you about, uh... how do i put this? about his... past, i guess?"

"his past?" josh frowns. "i'm not sure what you mean."

"like, about his school and stuff."

josh tries to remember a time tyler has ever brought up school, but can't. "no, i don't think so. why?"

"i was just wondering. it's something he'd have to tell you on his own, when he's ready. probably when he's big, too. don't mention anything to him about it, okay?"

"okay," josh agrees a bit reluctantly. he doesn't have a clue as to what dallon is referring to, and doesn't understand why dallon knows whatever it is about tyler that josh doesn't. in all honesty, he feels a bit jealous.

dallon nods, realizing he just unintentionally filled the room with an awkward tension. "don't worry, he will tell you eventually. he just... he has this idea that when someone hears something negative about him, they'll stop liking him."

"i've realized that," josh smiles, a bit sadly. "i take it you've known tyler for quite a while."

"oh yeah," dallon nods. "he used to go to be in the same grade as brendon and ryan. when he graduated, i practically took him under my wing and gave him the job at the library and everything. some stuff happened, which i'm sure he'll tell you about, so he stopped coming around. i'm glad he's got you now, josh. he deserves someone like you."

that simple sentence fills josh with so much joy. "thanks, dude. i really appreciate that. i know tyler will tell me about whatever it is when he's ready."

"yeah, he will. if he doesn't, i'll make sure he does because you deserve to know these things. it's kind of hard to know how not to trigger him when he never tells you his triggers."

"triggers?" josh frowns. "i didn't even know he had any. i mean, i get mad at him and he cries but that's typically a little's reaction. right?"

"yeah, it is. sorry to sound so nosy, but have you guys... you know, slept together yet?"

josh nods, watching in confusion as dallon also looks confused. "you did?"

"yeah..?"

"and he didn't... he didn't freak out, or anything? or tell you anything then?"

josh shakes his head. "no... god, don't tell me something fucking happened to him."

josh is livid just from the thought of someone taking advantage of his sweet boy. tyler truly is too pure for this world.

"it's not my place to say anything," dallon says softly. "tyler obviously feels safe with you, and that makes me so happy."

"daaaadddyyyyy!"

"uh oh," josh chuckles. "sounds like we got little troubles."

dallon laughs along as they head upstairs to the playroom. everything looks completely fine when they enter, perfect, even. all three littles are sat in a circle on the floor, stuffies joining them, with a fake tea-set in the middle. they all grin upon seeing their daddies.

"something wrong?" dallon asks.

"nooo," tyler responds.

"just wanted to invite you to our tea party!" brendon explains, holding up his empty teacup.

"ahhh, well if that's the case... josh?"

"abso-freakin-lutely," the man agrees, smiling when tyler giggles in excitement. he takes a seat next to his little, while dallon sits in between his own.

josh watches his little pretend to pour him a cup of tea, still thinking about what dallon said. it's all very gray right now, but something bad obviously must've happened to tyler. he doesn't know what, exactly, and doesn't want to make any assumptions, but it's hard not to. this is his little, we're talking about. the most precious gift god has ever given, the absolute love of his life.

"thank you, sweetpea," he says as tyler hands him the cup.

"you drink's coffee," tyler whispers, making sure ryan and brendon aren't listening. "but shhh, 's a secret!"

"ahhh, okay," josh whispers back, pretending to sip his teacup full of coffee. "mmm, so yummy. did you make this yourself, baby?"

"actually, i made it, actually!" ryan chirps in, smiling proudly.

"i helped," brendon huffs, hugging a stuffy to his chest.

"actually," tyler whispers to his daddy. "ryro and bren made the tea, but i made you's coffee."

"thank you, honey, it's delicious," josh whispers back again, grinning as he watches tyler's eyes light up.

"no tellin' secrets!" ryan complains, tugging on dallon's arm. "tell 'em, daddy."

"i believe ryan is right, there are no secrets at the tea-party," dallon plays along.

"oh, tyler was just telling me how stinky our puppy is, isn't that right?"

"mhm!" tyler hums, following along. he's usually not supposed to lie, but since his daddy is that must mean it's okay for him to do it too.

"puppy!" brendon gasps. "wan' see!"

"here."

josh pulls his phone out of his pocket, swiping through photos of jim for everyone to see. the littles awe over jim, ryan claiming he misses him so much he might die if he doesn't see him again soon.

"you guys could come over again, sometime," josh offers. "i'm sure jim misses having so many people playing with him, too."

"daddy, pwease?" ryan begs.

"yeah, please?" brendon contributes.

"yes, of course."

"yaaaay!" all the littles cheer, raising their teacups to clank them together in a toast.

josh smiles watching the interaction, despite still not being able to get what dallon said to him off his chest. he so desperately wants to know whatever it is that tyler hasn't told him yet, but knows all he can do is wait until the boy feels as if it's the right time.

__a/n__

uhhh hello

it's been a while, i know, and i'm sorry! i haven't been in the best headspace so it's been really hard to find the motivation to write such a happy story. i felt really good today though so i figured i'd give it a go. i hope it lives up to your expectations! <3

oh, also, by "i felt really good today" i mean i met a puppy so i had to write about one hehe