Joshua,

I can't believe it's been over a year since I've seen you.

A year since I've kissed you.

A year since I've touched you.

A year since I've even spoken to you.

I got your picture in the mail a few days ago, though. The one with you holding up your 'one year sober' sign with the sweetest, goofiest smile. Your nurse sent it to me.

Your hair looks so amazing, by the way. You haven't had it natural since high school. I love it.

Everything at the house is just as you left it, I guess. Except the bed is cold and the smell of your cologne has worn off of your pillow. I sleep with your photo next to me. I have to or else I won't sleep at all.

Work is going well. I got the promotion. And the promotion came with a big salary bonus, so I can buy you all the Red Bull and chick flicks you want.

I've been saving up, too, and there's this beautiful house I've had my eye on for a while. I talked to the owner and he said it's ours whenever we want it.

But I didn't want to buy my first house without you.

I didn't want to buy our first house without you.

When you get home, though, I really think we should consider it.

I can't wait to have a house with you, Josh. We're going to have so much fun. It'll be the most fun house ever. We'll play music and dance and sing and cook together and be as loud as we want without anyone around us being able to do anything about it.

I promise I'm going to make life so much fun.

But enough about me. This letter is all about you and how proud I am of you.

You're a year sober now.

A whole year, Joshua!

365 days down, forever to go.

Except, during the forever, I'll be right there next to you, holding your hand and making you kiss me while we wait in line at the grocery store.

I'm so incredibly proud of you, Josh. You have no idea. Words can't describe how proud I am of you.

I'd give you the biggest hug and the biggest kiss ever if I was there with you, but we have to wait a little while longer.

But that'll make it all just that much more special.

We don't know how much longer you'll be there, Joshie. It's completely up to you.

However long you think you need, I'm going to stand by and support you.

Here's a list of exciting things to look forward to when you come home:

-our first hug
-our first kiss
-snuggle time
-breakfast for dinner
-our anniversary
-starting doing something new together
-getting a house together
-meeting baby Mia (!!!)
-watching movies and falling asleep on the couch together
-holding hands everywhere we go
-starting a new Netflix series together
-making out in the back of your car because we're too excited and can't wait until we get home from our date to
-cooking dinner together
-romantic bath time
-showering together in the mornings before work
-being late to work because we had too much fun in the shower
-opening your lunch at work to find I wrote you a love letter
-just being back together as a whole.

The list goes on and on, Joshua. It really does. But I'm just so, so excited to get to be with you again, and I'm even more excited that you've made the decision to change for the good.

I'm so incredibly proud of you and want nothing more than for you to feel proud of yourself as well as loved and cared for by me.

I'll see you real soon, Joshie, ok?

I love you more and more each day.

All the stars,
Tyler Dun

Josh smiled as he read the last line of the letter before knocking on the front door to his apartment for the first time in over a year.

The most beautiful boy in the world answered it, his eyes wider than ever before.

"Hey baby," Josh smiled softly.

"JOSHUA!" Tyler yelled, tackling Josh to the ground in a huge hug, Josh giggling as he lied on the ground outside of their apartment with the love of his life kissing him all over.

"JOSHUA! JOSHUA! JOSHUA! Y-YOU'RE HOME!"

"Y-yeah," Josh smiled. "Here I am."

Tyler smiled widely, hugging him tightly and pressing his lips to his husband's. "Oh my god, you're here. Y-you're here, Joshua. Y-you're here!"

"For good," Josh promised. "Forever."

Tyler was crying, Josh picking him up and carrying him inside, lying down on the couch with him.

"Joshie," he cried with a smile, holding Josh's face and gently caressing his cheeks with his thumbs.

"Hi," Josh said softly.

"Hi," Tyler giggled quietly.

The boys didn't say much else for a while, instead just staring at each other in complete shock that they were actually together again.

Eventually, though, Tyler spoke up.

"How are you?" He asked softly as he ran his fingers through Josh's hair while he sat on his lap on the couch.

"Amazing," Josh replied with a gentle smile. "I'm absolutely amazing."

"I'm so glad, Joshie," Tyler said, kissing his forehead softly.

"How's my husband?" Josh asked.

"He's amazing now that you're here," Tyler replied.

Josh smiled shyly and hugged Tyler's waist. "I haven't talked to you in a year."

"Over a year," Tyler said. "But now y-you're here and we're together and happy and I love you."

"I love you more," Josh said. "A-and I'm really sorry that I put you through hell for the past four years."

"Joshua," Tyler said softly, his eyebrows furrowed. "Baby, don't be sorry. Don't be sorry at all. It's not your fault."

"E-everyone else I talked to there said their spouse h-had left them a-and said they hated them. I-I was the only one with someone who stayed," Josh said.

"Because I love you," Tyler said. "I love you so much."

"Y-you saved me," Josh sniffled.

"Oh, baby..." Tyler said, wiping his husband's eyes. "You're the one who went and got help. Don't discredit yourself."

Josh just held Tyler tightly, Tyler smiling softly and hugging him back. "I love you, Joshua."

"I-I love you more."

"Let's go have snuggle time in bed, yeah?"

Josh nodded, walking with Tyler to their bedroom and climbing in with him. "I missed getting to snuggle you," Josh said. "I'd always just have to hold a pillow when I was going to bed."

"I did the same thing," Tyler said. "But now my snuggle partner's home."

"That's me," Josh smiled shyly.

"I know," Tyler grinned. "I'm so happy it's you."

So Josh was finally home and sober, and the boys were on the road to recovery together. It would be a long journey, but they were in it for the long run.