The brunet was currently burning a hole through the floor with his gaze as Josh stood at the checkout, paying for Tyler's skateboard with his money. Tyler felt uncomfortable but flattered at the same time. As you already know, the boy didn't particularly like when other people bought him stuff. He only accepted Charlie's charity once, when he needed the eyeshadow palette. No matter how Tyler was feeling himself with that makeup on, he still felt guilty for asking to buy him stuff. He considered Charlie a pretty close friend but no matter how close she was, the brunet still felt ashamed like it was a crime.

"Hey, do you need protection?" Josh turned around with a curious look on his face. Tyler's mind went places it shouldn't have.

"Wh-why?" Tyler uttered and then remembered that they were in a skateboard shop, not a fucking BDSM dungeon "Oh... Oh- yeah, sure."

"So a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads then?" Josh questioned again

Tyler scoffed, he was a bad bitch, he didn't need a helmet. I mean, how hard could riding a skateboard be? He didn't plan on doing any tricks so all that protection seemed a little bit ridiculous. Also, Tyler's pride would've been hurt if he walked into the skatepark wrapped up in bubble wrap like a baby. He was a man. A man.

"Maybe I don't need them," Tyler shrugged

"We're getting you a helmet." Josh rolled his eyes sarcastically like Tyler just told him a crappy joke... Which he did, in a way.

"I don't need a helmet," Tyler pouted like a bratty child, his bottom lip protruding

"I am not driving you to the hospital."

"I won't need to go to a hospital." Tyler crossed his arms over his chest. All that bratty attitude wasn't doing justice for Tyler, he knew that himself.

"I'm getting you elbow pads." Josh chuckled softly to himself and grabbed his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. Tyler moved his gaze away from the man's arms, even the slightest of movement that made his muscles move sent Tyler's thoughts into the most sinful parts of his mind. He felt pathetic for even thinking of Josh that way. It wasn't his fault, Tyler was trying to control his horny teenage self but the hormones were just too strong and the brunet wished he wore a longer shirt.

Josh thanked the person working there and collected his purchases. The receipt was immediately shoved into the pocket of Josh's jeans, Tyler managed to get a glimpse of the total and it definitely was a three-digit number. There was that heavy feeling of guilt in Tyler's chest. Josh didn't expect anything in return, did he? He better not because Tyler was poor as shit. Those elbow pads probably cost more than a dinner for two.

"Okay, put these on," Josh said as he was already sliding the elbow pads on Tyler's arms. The boy just stood there with his arms extended to the sides as Josh tightened the velcro making sure the protection wouldn't slip or move in any way.

"Not too tight?" Josh asked

"No." Tyler felt the blood pulsate in his hands as he tried to move his arms. The younger boy didn't feel like saying anything because Josh did all the work. Tyler didn't want to feel ungrateful. It was stupid, actually, but his mind worked like that sometimes. Stupidly.

"It's too tight, isn't it?" Josh murmured to himself and fixed the elbow pads "Good?"

"Mhm..." Tyler hummed timidly

"Now, for the actual skating part." Josh placed the skateboard in front of Tyler

"I suddenly changed my mind." Tyler let out a breathy laugh that sounded more like a hyena being choked by a cobra than a sound that came out of a human's mouth

"Aw, come on." Josh extended his arm for Tyler to hold on to "After all of this, you're giving up?"

"It's not so easy, okay?" Tyler scoffed

Josh grabbed his skateboard and rolled around the boy in curvy loops just to show off. Tyler rolled his eyes, what a cocky bastard. He couldn't deny that Josh looked cool doing that. As if it wasn't enough Josh had to do a kick flip just to get on Tyler's nerves.

"It is if you have an awesome teacher." Josh winked at the boy and that was enough to convince Tyler to get on that damn skateboard and make daddy- Josh proud.

Tyler grabbed onto Josh's forearm hesitantly and placed the tip of his shoes on the board. The grip around man's arm tightened. Tyler carefully slid his foot forward and positioned it carefully in the middle of the skateboard.

"You can hold my hand." Josh offered "If-If you want."

Tyler quickly grabbed Josh's hand without hesitation, it seemed more secure than his fingers barely grasping Josh's skin. The board, all he saw was the board beneath his feet. That thing was all that mattered at the moment.

"Now kick." Josh laced his fingers with Tyler's for a better grip

Tyler's shaky leg pushed against the ground and the skateboard under him moved. The tiniest bit but Tyler was so god damn proud. Josh kept praising him and the younger boy felt like he can accomplish anything with that kind of support in his life.

"Hey, you got it." Josh's grip was softer now, "Can I let go?"

Tyler nodded. The board under his foot wobbled, Tyler's courage vanished the second he let go. The brunet lost his balance, the whole world was slipping from under his feet but it was just his skateboard. Josh's hand snaked around Tyler's waist to prevent the boy from falling. Tyler panicked and kicked the skateboard away, it rolled across the parking lot and stopped only when it hit a tree.

"M'sorry." Tyler murmured

"Hey, it's okay." Josh grinned and jogged across the parking lot to get the skateboard

Tyler picked at his nails nervously, the man's touch on his waist lingered. It was the weirdest sensation ever. Kinda annoying but magical, Tyler loved it.

"Ready to try again?" Josh gripped Tyler's hand "I won't let you fall, okay? Trust me."

"I trust you." Tyler nodded and set his foot on the skateboard again. If Josh was trying so hard to teach him, Tyler was gonna make sure he becomes the greatest skateboarder alive and by the greatest he meant he won't fall on his ass after two seconds on the board.

Josh held Tyler's waist like Tyler was a toddler who was learning to ride a bike. The boy already knew how's this gonna end. It will end with Josh tricking Tyler into thinking that he's holding him but then seconds after he's going to let go of him and let the brunet roll towards his doom. The tree.

It didn't seem like Josh was gonna let go any time soon, his grip only intensified and the boy felt safe with the older man's hands gripping his narrow hips. With the newly gained confidence, Tyler managed to roll for about ten seconds before he realized that Josh wasn't holding him anymore. That bastard. Tyler trusted the man too soon.

The boy let out a terrified squeak, his arms flailed in the air like that was gonna stop him from falling. Tyler forgot about his shoulder pads that would've saved him from the pain if he just bent his arms and tried to land softly. In the moment of panic, Tyler couldn't think straight. Mainly because he wasn't straight but that's beside the point. The point was that Tyler turned into an idiot in a panic infused situations.

Josh strode forward when he realized what mistake he had made. Tyler closed his eyes and prepared for the jarring pain but before his body could even hit the ground the brunet felt two strong arms yank him into a tight embrace and the boy fell down on something very soft and warm.

Josh let out a frustrated groan which Tyler found pretty damn hot. Tyler squirmed in the man's arms making it difficult for them both to stand up. He panicked again not knowing what to do. The brunet somehow ended up straddling the man. Yep. Straddling him in the middle of a parking lot. At least it was empty with no one around to witness the gayest shit to ever occur in that specific spot.

Josh threw his head back with a light chuckle, his dark curls sprawled out on the asphalt. Tyler's hands made their way onto Josh's heaving chest, another pained whine left the man's lips and Tyler realized that he should probably get off him before he got another boner.

"Are you okay?" Josh let out a breathy chuckle and slowly stood up with the help of Tyler

"Yeah, are you?" Tyler glanced at the man's arm "You're bleeding?"

"Oh, this?" Josh glanced at his elbow and scoffed "It's... It's nothing."

"Is it though?" Tyler's face twisted from the cringe, Josh's skin looked like a curly piece of ham, dark crimson was starting to seep out of the wound slowly

"It just hurts a little." Josh tried to smile, his lips twisted into a frown "God, the son of a bitch really hurts."

"I'm sorry." Tyler sniffled, his pretty brown eyes quickly filled with tears

"No, Ty, it's not your fault." Josh's palm cupped Tyler's blushing cheek

The younger boy slowly leaned in, he had to get on his tippy toes just to be at the same eye level as the man. Josh's lips parted matching the gap of Tyler's lips and it was obvious that his gaze darted at Tyler's mouth more times than his eyes. Tyler's heart was racing, it wasn't just a pathetic butterfly inside of his ribcage anymore. The boy could hear the blood rushing in his ears, his heart pumped blood at a vicious pace and if Josh got a little bit closer to him, the man could feel the heartbeat as well.

Tyler's eyes unconsciously shifted to Josh's wound and all the romantic thoughts instantly evaporated. Josh let out a heavy sigh when the younger boy moved his face away. He blinked rapidly to hide the glitter of disappointment in his eyes. Tyler was staring down and couldn't see Josh's expression but if he just looked up for half a second he would've grabbed the man's face and kissed him that exact moment.

"Is there a pharmacy nearby?" Tyler lifted his head up a tad too late, the glimmer in the man's eyes was gone.

"Yeah, it's across the street." Josh nodded

"We should get some bandages."

"I'm fine," Josh muttered

"You're bleeding." Tyler's voice was soft, yet demanding "You're gonna get an infection."

Josh chewed on his bottom lip nervously, his eyes shifted to Tyler's mouth yet again. The man nodded. Tyler stared at him with his eyebrows raised, waiting for an answer.

"Let's go?"

"Okay."