Tyler was dancing around the apartment, his headphones blasting music so loud that it hurt his ears. Josh was out getting groceries, so Tyler had the house to himself.

Tyler spun himself into the wall and laughed as he fell to the floor. He got up, wincing at the back in his side but still smiling. He had missed moments like these; where he just got to be himself and mess around.

He barely heard the lock in the door click through his music. His eyes widened and he practically threw himself onto the couch. He turned the TV on and paused his music, trying to steady is breathing.

Josh walked into the apartment with a couple of bags in his hand. He paused, looking at Tyler suspiciously.

Josh narrowed his eyes. "Did you just jerk off or something?"

Tyler burst into laughter. He clutched his stomach, tears forming in his eyes. "Oh my God."

Josh placed the bags on the table and walked over to him, chuckling once he saw the younger boy. "Are you... high?"

Tyler shook his head, barely able to speak. "I don't even- I don't even know why I'm laughing."

Josh sat down on the couch next to him and smiled widely, studying Tyler as he threw his head back, overwhelmed by his odd happiness. Josh began to laugh, too.

After about five minutes of absurd laughter, Josh shot up. "Ice cream!"

He stumbled to the table and sorted through the bags. He pulled out the ice cream and practically threw it in the freezer with a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, I saved it," he said.

Tyler giggled. "I think it could have lasted a bit longer, Josh."

Josh shook his head and at down on the couch. He threw his hand over Tyler's shoulders. Much to his surprise, Tyler flinch.

Josh shot him a concerned look. "Tyler?"

Tyler smiled, but it was fake. "Sorry, I just..." he trailed off, unable to come up with an explanation.

"What do you remember?" Josh asked gently. "About that night?"

Tyler shrugged. "There was this man. He was huge. There was someone else, too; they were nicer. I don't- I don't remember who they were. It's all blurry."

Josh looked down in shame, realising that Tyler was talking about Brendon. "I'm sorry."

Tyler's voice was quiet when he asked, "It wasn't you, was it?"

Josh's eyes widened. "Of course not! I'm just... sorry that you went through it."

Tyler shook his head. "Everything's fucked, isn't it?"

Josh nodded. "It has been from the start."

Tyler began to fiddle with his hands. "I have no idea why I like you so much. I'm meant to hate you, aren't I?"

Josh shrugged. "Yeah."

"But I don't," Tyler whispered. "I can't."

Josh looked down at him. He leant forward and kissed him gently.

Tyler and Josh didn't kiss often. They shared affection a lot, but their relationship was complicated. They still weren't even dating. They were just two guys in a shit situation that cuddled to hide the reality of their own misery.

Tyler was crying. It was a quiet cry; like he was in shock. He wasn't sobbing, just trembling slightly as tears slipped down his cheeks. Josh looked at him and felt his own eyes sting. Tyler looked so miserable and empty. How could anyone have ever let Tyler feel that way?

Josh pulled him in and gently stroked his hair. "You don't deserve this. I'm so sorry that I can't fix it."

Tyler pulled away and shook his head. He wiped his eyes with his sweater sleeve. "You don't deserve this either, Josh. Look, the only reason we're doing this is to protect you, and I'm okay with that. I'm okay with it as long as you're safe and alive. It's just... weird, you know?"

Josh nodded with a watery chuckle. "It's definitely weird. Like, we're literally married. That's crazy."

Tyler sniffled and smiled. "Yeah." He leant forward and kissed Josh. "So how about we pretend that we're not? We're just a couple o' rebellious teens that ran away with each other."

"Does that mean we're dating?" Josh asked with a grin.

"Sure," Tyler hummed. His happy expression fell when a realisation dawned on him. "We can't go on dates, though. I'm pretty sure that we still have to pretend that we're cousins."

Josh scrunched you his nose. "Gross."

Tyler kissed him on the cheek and grinned as he pulled away. "Sweet home Alabama," he sang quietly.

Josh furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't get it."

Tyler giggled. "Right, you don't understand our memes. You should go on reddit sometime."

Josh shook his head. "Americans are weird."

Tyler turned to the TV and rested his head on Josh's shoulder. "Hell yeah we are."