Come To Me //joshler [?]

__A/N__

References to religion and homophobic slurs

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25 years old

Tyler took Josh out for milkshakes on his 25th birthday. Every chance he could get, he'd wish Josh a happy birthday and remind him that he was getting old.

The two sat across from each other in a teal booth. Tyler drank his strawberry milkshake and Josh drank his chocolate. They each had one of their hands reached across the table, fingers laced with each other.

Tyler giggled as Josh blew bubbles in his milkshake. Josh grinned up at the younger, eyes squinting in joy. This was one of the best birthdays yet, although every birthday with Tyler was the best birthday.

"I'm so glad I have you," Tyler gushed, cheeks glowing pink under the fluorescent lighting.

"I'm glad I have you too, T. I love you so much."

A man who happened to be walking by scoffed, and stopped dead in his tracks to turn to the boys.

"Did you just tell this boy you love him?"

"Yes I did," Josh answered, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Sinners," the man mumbled, glaring at the two. "God's going to send you to Hell."

Tyler's eyes grew wide in fear, instantly filling with hot tears. He looked at Josh, hoping that it wasn't true.

Josh frowned at Tyler. He knew the boy sometimes struggled with being gay, since he was religious. Tyler sometimes would ask Josh if God hated him for being gay. He didn't need some ignorant man making Tyler upset for loving him.

"Could you leave us alone? We're perfectly happy with being sinners, if that's what you want to consider us," Josh spoke, even though he knew Tyler was about to bust out in tears.

The man shook his head, giving them a disgusted look. "Your kind make me sick."

Josh shot out of the booth, grabbing the man by the front of his shirt. Tyler gasped, now fearing Josh was going to hurt the man.

"Josh!" He gaped, unsure of how to react.

"I asked nicely, now leave us alone," Josh growled through gritted teeth. He pushed the man away, who stumbled backwards.

"Come on, lets go," Josh fumed, grabbing Tyler's hand and pulling him out of the seat.

Tyler scrambled to his feet in fear. He hated when Josh got angry. He didn't act like himself. He let Josh pull him out to the car, flinching when Josh slammed his door shut.

Tyler suddenly burst out into tears, unable to hold it in any longer. He ruined Josh's birthday. He made Josh angry. He was a sinner.

Josh's anger instantly left him and was replaced with worry.

"Baby, are you okay? I'm so sorry that happened. Did I scare you? Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry."

"I-I ruined your b-birthday!" Tyler sobbed, looking up at Josh as his tears blurred his vision.

"No, baby, you didn't ruin my birthday. It's not ruined, I promise," Josh said softly, reaching over to wipe Tyler's steadily falling tears away.

"A-And I made you mad! A-And... And.. I-I'm a sinner!"

Josh let out a heavy sigh. He pushed Tyler's hair out of his eyes, gently cupping his face as they held each other's gaze.

"We've both got sins, baby. Everybody's got sins. That doesn't mean you're going to Hell."

"Y-Yes it does!" The boy shook as he struggled for air.

"Tyler, calm down. You're alright. Breathe, okay? Deep breaths."

Tyler took long breaths in sync with Josh, feeling himself slowly calming down.

"Listen, T. You're the kindest person I know. You're faithful, you're honest, you're warm-hearted. All of those are great things. Just because you love me, you think God is going to hate you? God wants us to love each other, baby. We're soulmates, remember?"

Tyler nodded slowly, Josh's words lifting the heaviness off his chest.

"Humans were made to love, doesn't matter what gender it is. There will always be ignorant people in the world who tell you otherwise, but they would never understand unless it happened to them. I love you. That's not a sin."

Tyler was crying again, but this time because Josh's words really hit home. They made him feel overwhelmed him to the point where he started crying happy tears.

"I love you too!" Tyler cried, tightly hugging him.

"You're crying again!" Josh laughed, feeling his shirt getting wet from the tears.

"Only because you make me so happy," Tyler said, gazing up into Josh's deep brown eyes.

"So, happy tears?"

Tyler nodded.

"Good. I love you."

"I love you too," Tyler replied. "And that's not a sin."