Part Ten

     "You think if I buy Tyler a sweatshirt, he'll stop wearing mine?" Josh said. He and Brendon were walking around target, looking for Christmas gifts.

"Get something that's like an inside joke between you two. Make it personal so he'll remember it," Brendon suggested, looking over at kitchen appliances.

"Are you going to get your boyfriend a blender? Nothing says love more than that," Josh snickered.

Brendon looked at the prices and frowned, "Shut up." He went over to the kitchen towels and grabbed a couple that had quirky little quotes on them. "For my mom." He threw them in the cart and continued on.

Josh stopped by one aisle by the mugs. "Oh my god!" He gasped. He held up a black mug with the word 'salutations' to show Brendon, earning a confused glance. "I said this when I first met Tyler! Then we had this whole conversation about greetings and— holy shit this is perfect!"

Brendon chuckled at his friend. "You're ridiculous."

"Perhaps." Josh smiled innocently. "So, whatcha getting Dallon?"

Brendon's smile faded. "Josh," he warned, "I'm not doing this right now."

"Oh come on," Josh groaned, " you're happy with him! Stop denying it around me. I saw him drop you off at your apartment yesterday. You two kissed and you weren't grossed out by it!"

"Why would I be grossed out?" Brendon asked, "And maybe I just don't want to talk about my relationships whether they're romantic or just platonic."

"You wouldn't let your last girlfriend kiss you cause she had like ten other boyfriends before you? Remember?" Josh pointed out.

Brendon looks confused, "Josh my last relationship was Ryan," he wondered.

"No, I'm talking about Sarah."

"Sarah from high school?"

"Yes," Josh exclaimed, "who's Ryan?"

Brendon's eyes widened, "I never told you about Ryan?" He whispered.

"No, how long ago was this and how long were you two together?"

"We were together for like two years, Josh. We broke up last year..."

Josh put his hand over his heart, acting like a panicking mother. "You were going through a break up last year and I couldn't help you through it? Was that when you had a drinking problem last year?"

Brendon rolled his eyes, "It wasn't a drinking problem... it was a coping mechanism, but I'm fine now."

Josh threw himself into Brendon, "I should've noticed, I'm so sorry I wasn't there to help you!"

"Josh."

"You poor thing. How can I make this up to you?"

"Josh."

"Please tell me if you and Dallon are together so I can help you if any hard times come your way and I can murder him myself."

"Josh!" Brendon pulled Josh off of him. "I'm fine," he said.

"Just let me be an overprotective best friend!" Josh jumped impatiently.

Brendon shook his head. Man he loved his best friend but sometimes he can't stand that idiot.