Work Text:
"Did you guys fight?" Mark asked. They had just headed to campus starbucks to get coffee, seated at the table furthest away from anyone nosy enough to overhear their conversation.
"Again?" Chris coughed up the juice he'd choked on.
Tyler just rolled his eyes and ignored the stupid question. "We're just taking a break."
Tyler sincerely wished he had the power to control people's lives, his best friends' lives to be more specific. He swore to God he didn't understand the joke Mark was making about the situation at that moment. "HA! A break?! That's not what I heard coming from your room earlier." He also wished he had the power to not share a house with Mark. “But okay… Yeah, a break”.
Tyler kicked Marks legs under the table. “Why don’t you shut the fuck up, will you?”, He threatened him pointing a finger at Mark, not that he would get afraid of Tyler, honestly. “And yes… A break. Since josh is deciding if he likes me enough or whatever”.
Chris and Mark looked at each other as if they'd heard the most nonsense thing on national news, although it was close enough. "Dude, you sound like you've smoked all of Chris pot for your morning pills, seriously." Mark almost threw the sandwich he was eating.
"Totally, man. I can't believe you lit one and didn't invite me too-"
"Fuck it, i can’t stand you two." Tyler ran his hands furiously through his hair. "Yesterday I was spending the night at Josh's...", sure, Chris whispered, getting a dirty look from Tyler. "...and during an amazing sex we were having-“
“SURE”, Mark interrupted this time. “Dude, get to the point. I don't want to hear your nasty.”
Of course Tyler ignored him. "And you know how talkative I am in bed, you hear it when he's around the house."
"Oh my god, yes I know, you fucker, get to the point!”
"Relax, man, oh my god!” Tyler could feel some eyes on their table, but he didn’t care. “In some moment I ended up blurting something like 'Joshhh!! Make me yours, bite me and mark me and I will be forever yours!' in the heat of the moment and then-"
"You crazy fucker, can’t be any more louder?!", both guys looked to the side to make sure no one had heard Tyler, who made sure to act out exactly how his night went.
"No but seriously, I swear it was in the heat of the moment, I almost always say something like that because my dick thinks louder than my head, anyway, that's not the important thing!! It turns out Josh got really weird after that. Like. really. weird."
"Weird how? Did he forget to wipe his ass afterwards?" Chris teased.
"Dude, no. Disgusting, shut the fuck up." Tyler was almost leaving. "He was acting all weird and when I asked him about it, he said he ‘wasn't sure’. Now, get this-", he paused dramatically. “Josh wasn't sure if he wanted to bite me..." Chris and Mark made fake shocked sounds.
"Me? The guy he's been dating for what? Three years? I really can't understand. I'd take a bullet for that son of a bitch right now, but he doesn't want to mark me? He’s fucking with me.” He certainly is.
"Okay, that's actually kind of weird of him, considering he literally licks the ground you walk on since before you two met."
"Exactly! I got so angry at the him that I didn't even let him finish coming, then I told him to fuck off, and that's why now I'm going to treat him like a situationship so he can see what he's missing by not wanting to get even more serious with me." Tyler took a dramatic sip of his iced coffee when he felt his phone buzzing on the table. Not once. Or twice. But three times.
Chris’s eyes immediately locked onto it. “Ohhh!” he leaned in, grinning. “It’s your lover boy”.
“His not my lover boy”. Tyler didn’t look. “And I bet it’s not him.”
Mark snorted. “You literally smiled.”
“I did not.” Tyler said, face completely neutral except for the very obvious twitch at the corner of his mouth. His phone buzzed again. And again.
Chris craned his neck. “You’re getting spammed, dude. Either that’s Josh or your mom broke up with her boyfriend again. Wow, maybe that’s a family thing”. Tyler finally flipped the phone over, just enough to read Josh’s name.
He groaned and dropped his forehead onto the table. “Unbelievable.” Mark clapped his hands once audibly laughing.
Tyler unlocked his phone.
josh: okay so
josh: don’t freak out
josh: but are you mad at me
josh: ?
Tyler scoffed. “Are you mad at me. Incredible.” He started to typed back aggressively.
Tyler: no
He instantly saw Josh reacting the message with a heart.
Tyler: i’m thriving actually
Chris watched his thumbs fly. “You’re typing like you’re getting Sabrina Carpenter tickets again.” Mark leaned over.
“Let me see.” Tyler pushed him away. “Absolutely not.” And another buzz.
josh: that is sarcasm
josh: you are bad at hiding it
Tyler rolled his eyes so hard it almost hurt.
tyler: what do you want josh
tyler: i’m busy
josh: I am with the guys
josh: and someone just said something stupid that reminded me of you
Tyler paused. His lips twitched despite himself.
tyler: wow
tyler: honored
Chris fake-gagged. “You whore, you’re flirting.”
“I am not.” Tyler said, locked in typing back.
josh: i did not say it in a bad way
josh: it was the dumb-but-lovable category
Tyler kicked his shin under the table again. “I swear to god.”
tyler: you’re unbelievable.
tyler: shouldn’t you be enjoying your friends instead of texting your ‘situationship’.
Josh took a few more seconds to reply this time.
josh: is that a bad word you’re calling us
tyler: it’s sarcasm, josh
josh: okay
josh: i googled it
josh: i don’t really understand the definition it does not sound like us
josh: and now i am stressed
Tyler snorted quietly.
tyler: congratulations
tyler: welcome to my emotional state
He hated it when Josh didn't understand his sarcasm right away because that was actually kind of cute.
josh: so just to confirm
josh: i am still your boyfriend
josh: not a “situation”
Tyler stared at the message for two longest seconds. He hated that his stomach flipped.
tyler: idiot
Chris grabbed Tyler’s coffee and took a sip. “He misses you.”
Tyler snatched it back. “No, he misses being emotionally bullied.” Another message popped up.
josh: look
josh: can we talk later
josh: like actually talk
Tyler stared at the screen. He didn’t answer right away. “What is it?” Chris asked and Mark went suspiciously quiet, Tyler ignored.
tyler: maybe
tyler: depends if you’re still ‘not sure’ by then
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
josh: i’m sure about you
josh: i’m just bad at saying it without panicking
Tyler locked his phone and dropped it screen down on the table. Mark blinked. “So… break’s over?”
Tyler grabbed his jacket. “Finish your coffee. I’m going to class.”
Chris smirked. “You’re totally going to see him later.”
Tyler paused, then muttered, “Shut up." as his phone buzzed again in his pocket.
-
Tyler did in fact, end up seeing him later.
He barely remembered the walk from campus to Josh’s place, still replaying the absolute nightmare that class had turned into. He was already mid rant in his head when he was pushing Josh’s door open with his spare key, like he always did.
“You’re not gonna believe the day I just had” he started kicking off his shoes and tossing his backpack onto the couch. Frowning when had no answer. Then he heard the steady sound of running water.
Bathroom. “Oh, perfect” Tyler muttered, already walking down the hall. He didn’t even knocked, immediately opening the door. Josh was obviously in the shower, hair already soaked, standing there like Tyler hadn’t just invaded his personal space for the millionth time.
Josh blinked. “Hi.” Tyler stepped fully into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him without hesitation.
“Don’t hi me. I just survived the worst group presentation in academic history.”
Josh tilted his head. “You are upset.”
“Yes.” Tyler said sharply, pacing back and forth on the bathmat. “Chris was right, my professor hates me and someone asked if my slide deck was ironic.”
Josh frowned in concentration, processing that. “Was it supposed to be?”
“What the fuck?! No! What’s wrong with you?” Tyler snapped, then immediately sighed. He dragged a hand down his face. “I hate people. I hate class. I hate presentations. I hate sarcasm today.”
Josh reached out and turned the water down slightly. “Well… People suck I’m sure it was not personal by any means.”
Tyler waved him off then proceeded to kick his shoes off. “Why would anyone think a color coded slide deck is ironic? It’s organized. Sorry I don’t live in academic anarchy or what the fucking ever.” He tugged his hoodie over his head, tossed it somewhere near the sink and kept going without breaking eye contact.
“And then this guy, this absolute menace mother fucker, raised his hand and asked if my conclusion was intentionally vague.”
Josh watched him, water still running over his shoulders. “Was it?”
“No!” Tyler yanked his shirt off next. “It was emotionally nuanced.” Josh nodded slowly, accepting this as truth.
Tyler stepped onto the bathmat, already undoing his jeans. “Also Mark texted me three times during class, which should be illegal. I literally had coffee with him this morning, can’t he stay away from me just for a bit?” Josh automatically shifted to give him space, like this was the most normal thing in the world. Which for them, it kind of was.
Tyler kicked his jeans aside and stepped under the water with a sigh that sounded like he’d been holding it in since breakfast. “God, thank you. I needed this.” Josh adjusted the temperature again without being asked, because he already knew how Tyler liked the water warm while himself liked it cold.
Tyler leaned his head back under the spray, still talking. “And then I remembered that you said you weren’t sure about things, and my brain just…” he made an indistinct noise and scrubbed his face. “decided to be cruel about it.”
Josh hesitated. “I said I wasn’t sure about the wording.”
“I know.” Tyler said quickly. “I know that now. My brain didn’t earlier.”
There was a beat. Then Tyler squinted up at him through wet hair. “Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Can you wash my hair?”
“Okay.”
He grabbed the shampoo, movements careful and familiar, fingers working through Tyler’s hair while Tyler finally shut up for half a second. “You’re a good hair washer” Tyler muttered.
Josh hummed. “You say that every time.” he worked the shampoo into Tyler’s hair, carefully like he was afraid the tick tack bomb Joseph would explode at any moment. “I want to clarify that I am not uncomfortable. I just did not plan on sharing running water with another human today.”
Tyler huffed a laugh. “You literally schedule your showers?”
“Yes.” Josh replied. “They’re very grounding.”
Tyler tried relaxed into the touch for a moment until he suddenly stiffened. “Oh. Wait.” Josh paused immediately.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“No.” Tyler said, straightening up under the water, blinking shampoo out of his eyes. “I mean. Yes. I mean…” He groaned and scrubbed his face. “Fuck. I forgot I was actually mad at you.”
Josh’s hands dropped to his sides, water still running. “Okay…” he said carefully. “Do you want to be mad now or after you finish rinsing?”
Tyler sighed. “What? Now. Probably now.”
Josh nodded once. “That makes sense.”
They stood there for a second, steam thick between them. Tyler ran a hand through his wet hair. “You saying you weren’t sure messed with my head more than I wanted to admit.”
Josh looked down at the tile. “I didn’t mean unsure about you.”
“I know that.” Tyler said quickly. “But you didn’t say that. And my brain filled in the gaps with the worst possible interpretations. Like it always does. And you know how my fucked up mind works.”
Josh swallowed. “When I say I’m not sure, I mean… I don’t know how to explain what I feel without saying it wrong.”
Tyler frowned. “Wrong how?”
Josh hesitated, searching for words. “Like… if I say something too intense, I worry it changes expectations. And if I say too little, you think I don’t care. And both options make me panic.” Tyler’s shoulders dropped a little. “I care.” Josh said, more firmly now. “A lot. I just don’t always know how to translate that into sentences that won’t break something.”
Tyler stared at him for half a second and then he scoffed. “Oh my god. You’re doing it again.”
Josh frowned. “Doing what?”
“That thing where you talk like you’re defusing a bomb instead of being my alpha.”
Josh blinked. “I am not defusing anything.”
“Yes, you are.” Tyler said, stepping fully back under the water and pointing dramatically. “You’re tiptoeing around me like I’m going to explode if you say the wrong word.”
“I am being careful.” Josh replied. “Which is generally considered a positive trait.”
“Not when you’re an alpha.” Tyler shot back. “You’re supposed to be confident. Decisive. Slightly terrifying.”
Josh stared at him. “I am not terrifying.”
“That’s the problem.”
Josh turned the water a little hotter, clearly thinking. “I don’t understand how my personality suddenly disqualifies me from being your alpha.”
Tyler crossed his arms. “Because lately you sound like you’re reconsidering the job.”
“I am not reconsidering.” Josh said immediately.
“Then why do you keep hesitating?” Tyler pressed. “You act like you don’t want to be my alpha anymore.” Josh froze.
“…I am still your alpha.”
“You say that like you’re reading a weather report.”
Josh frowned. “Should I be saying it differently?”
“Yes!” Tyler exclaimed. “With conviction!”
Josh thought for a moment. Then, very stiffly, he said, “I am… assertively… your alpha.” Tyler stared at him. Josh added, “With confidence.”
Tyler burst out laughing. “Oh my god, that was horrible.”
“I am trying.” Josh said defensively. “There is no manual for tone.”
“You literally alpha’d me for three years without a manual.” Tyler said. “Now suddenly you’re acting like claiming me requires a permission slip.”
Josh sighed, rubbing shampoo out of his hands. “Because words like claim imply permanence, and permanence implies responsibility, and responsibility implies I must do everything correctly.”
Tyler leaned closer, dripping water everywhere. “Josh. You already do everything correctly.”
Josh looked unconvinced. “Statistically unlikely.”
Tyler groaned. “You’re impossible.”
“And yet…” Josh said calmly, “you walked into my shower uninvited.”
“That’s because you’re mine.” Tyler snapped, then immediately paused. “…See? That. That’s what I need you to say.” Josh processed this.
“So…” he said slowly, “you are not upset because I do not want to be your alpha.”
“Yes.”
“You are upset because I am not being obvious enough about it.”
“Yes!”
Josh nodded. “That is fixable.”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Josh took a breath, then said, very plainly, “I want you. I choose you. I am your alpha. There is no reconsideration.”
Tyler blinked.
“…Okay…” he muttered. “That was… certainly an improvement.”
Josh relaxed a little. “Thank you. I practiced internally.”
Tyler smirked. “You still owe me more confidence.”
Josh glanced at him. “I am confident.”
Tyler pointed at him. “You just said that like a math equation.”
Josh shrugged. “I am confident factually.”
Tyler laughed again, shaking his head. “You’re ridiculous.”
Josh reached for the shampoo. “Do you still want me to wash your hair?”
Tyler leaned forward immediately. “Yes. Alpha duties.”
Josh sighed, but his mouth twitched. “You are impossible.”
“And you’re still my boyfriend.” Tyler replied smugly.
Josh paused, then said, “Yes. Unfortunately.”
Josh noticed it first because Josh always noticed things first. “The water pressure has changed.” he said, Tyler groaned. “It usually means someone else in the building is using water.” Josh continued. “If we stay longer, the water may get colder.” Tyler stared at him.
“You really know how to kill a moment.”
“I am preventing discomfort.” Josh replied calmly.
“You’re preventing joy.” Josh reached past him and turned the shower off anyway. “Future Tyler will appreciate this decision.”
“I hate future Tyler.” Tyler muttered, grabbing a towel and wrapping on his waist while Josh wrapped around his shoulders.
“You say that every time.” They stepped out of the bathroom, still damp, Tyler following Josh into the bedroom.
“You know… a real alpha would’ve warned me emotionally before turning the water off.”
“I verbally announced it.” Josh replied. “That was a warning.”
“That was a threat.” Josh ignored him while they changed into sleep clothes. Josh with pajamas pants only and Tyler stealing one of Josh’s hoodies without asking, obviously. And collapsed onto the bed. Josh automatically reached for Tyler, pulling him close like muscle memory, arm firm around his waist. Tyler melted instantly.
“There…” he said smugly. “Alpha behavior.”
Josh adjusted the blanket around them. “I have always done this.”
“Yes…” Tyler said. “But now you’re doing with confidence.” Josh made a thoughtful noise.
“I will mark this as successful behavior.” Tyler snorted and grabbed his phone.
“Oh no.” Josh said immediately.
“What?”
“You just entered your before-nap-phone phase.” Josh replied. “This usually leads to judgment.”
Tyler grinned, already scrolling. “Oh, absolutely. Oh my god! Remember that guy from your soccer team?”
Josh nuzzled into Tyler's neck, breathing in his scent. “Which one?”
“The one who cheated on his girlfriend with the goalie’s girlfriend that was actually her best friend and then told the whole team he had got a std because of the goalie and then acted confused about why no one wanted to pass him the ball anymore.”
Josh nodded. “He asked if there was tension.”
Tyler snorted. “Yeah. Buddy, the tension is you.”
Josh laughed softly. “Anyway, look, he just hard launched his new girlfriend with gym selfies.”
Josh glanced at the screen. “He must be really living his life. His form is also incorrect.”
Tyler gasped. “You noticed!”
“I notice things.” Josh said calmly.
Tyler kept scrolling. “Oh, ew. Why is she still posting about her situationship like it’s a personality trait.”
Josh frowned. “You taught me that word.”
“And now you see why it’s evil. God, I love being a hater in a safe environment.”
“You think I’m safe?” Josh stroked his hair and tyler whispered an of course, baby. “You are always have very strong opinions.”
“Thank you.”
They lay there for a bit, Tyler narrating his feed. Josh listened, occasionally offering very blunt observations that made Tyler laugh way harder than they should’ve.
Then Tyler suddenly sat up. “Wait.”
Josh stiffened. “What.”
“We should post.”
Josh blinked. “Post what.”
“Us.” Tyler said. “Obviously.”
Josh hesitated. “I am wet. My hair is unstyled.”
“That’s the aesthetic.” Tyler said, already crawling over him and angling the phone. “Okay, scoot. Scoot more. No, you’re too stiff. Relax.”
“I am relaxed.”
“You look like you’re being held hostage.”
Josh tried again. It was worse.
Tyler laughed so hard he almost dropped the phone. “Oh my god. Okay, stay like that.”
Josh sighed. “This is not flattering.” Tyler snapped the picture anyway. Them tangled in bed, Tyler grinning like a menace, Josh looking vaguely confused but solid and warm and very present. Tyler was sure people would think that was an after sex selfie, but he chose not to say anything to Josh. Instead, he immediately started typing a caption.
“What are you writing?”
“Something funny.”
“That is concerning.”
Tyler read aloud as he typed “me and my boyfriend after arguing, showering, and deciding we’re actually right and everyone else is wrong”
Josh frowned. “Why would you post that?”
Tyler added another line.
“he still lets me steal his hoodie so clearly i won”
Josh sighed but didn’t stop him. “You did steal my hoodie.”
“And I’ll do it again!” Tyler said proudly, hitting post. He tossed the phone aside and immediately curled back into Josh’s arms, satisfied. Josh pulled the blanket up higher around them. “You seem calmer.”
“I am.” Tyler said. “I complained, I bonded, I posted. Balance restored.” Josh kissed the top of his head.
Josh got closer. “Good.” Tyler hummed softly against Josh’s mouth, dragging his fingers up to his chest, nails scraping lightly through damp skin that made Josh make a low sound in his throat that he clearly didn’t intend to. His grip tightened automatically, one hand firm at Tyler’s lower back, the other sliding up under his hoodie.
“You are very distracting.” Josh said, voice steady but clearly working harder than before.
Tyler smiled against his jaw. “Good.” And then proceeded to kiss Josh. It looked like they haven’t kissed for ages, when in reality it was just a few hours, since the moment Tyler had left Josh’s apartment that morning.
Josh kissed him back, deeper and much less careful. Tyler climbed fully into his lap.
Josh stopped the kiss but kept close “…You are sitting on me.” he observed.
“Yes.” Tyler said sweetly, already feeling Josh getting a bit excited under his pants. Tyler started rocking forward with a smile. “You’re welcome.”
Josh exhaled sharply and gave up pretending he wasn’t affected, hands sliding up Tyler’s thighs. “You do this on purpose.”
“I do everything on purpose.” Tyler replied, leaning in to bite lightly at Josh’s lower lip. “Especially after we fight.” Tyler had fingers tangling in Josh’s hair.
Josh pressed his mouth to Tyler’s neck, voice low. “You encourage bad behavior.”
Tyler arched into it. “I encourage only the best side of you.” Josh huffed a quiet laugh against his skin.
Tyler slid one of his hands inside Josh’s pants. Of course he had no underwear on. His thumb caressed the head of his dick, he could feel his hand getting wet, but he couldn't care less. His thumb making slow circles but that wasn't enough. He felt his erection while concentrating on the heavy breathing in front of him. Josh tipped his head back against the bed frame. “You are a menace.”
Tyler smiled, leaning closer, voice smug, “and you never stop me.” Tyler’s hand slowly moved inside his own boxers, to get a little bit of relief.
Josh let out a breath, he could feel how hard both of them already were. “I like when you are annoying.”
Tyler could feel himself throbbing against his own hand, “oh, I know. Trust me.” His thumb circled the head of his cock again, caressing. Pre cum already dripped from his head, which helped him slide more easily. “Fuck… I always get hard so fast with you.” He pressed his own erection against Josh’s, who let out a sigh that almost turned into a moan.
“D-dude…” was the only thing that managed to escape Josh’s mouth.
The pace was good, Josh didn’t mind the slow friction and Tyler liked taking his time. Tyler got both of them off for a short time, he could feel Josh’s hand slip inside his hoodie.
Josh’s hand was large and warm like fire, a contrast to his own hand, which was always so cold.
Tyler began to move his hips to rock forward and Josh reached into his boxers. "Let me…", of course he didn't object. Josh rubbed the length slowly for a few seconds and then withdrew his hand, covered in slicks that were even dripping. "Always so wet."
Then he laid Tyler down so he was on top of the omega. His hands were beside his head, their hips gently rubbing against each other. “Mother fucker…” Tyler growled. Josh was fucking his cock. Clothes still on and Tyler dangerously on edge. “Take our clothes off I want to feel you”, Tyler moaned.
“Should I?” But he did it anyway. Lowering his pajama pants just enough for his penis to spring out and ripping Tyler's boxers to the floor.
Tyler tried his best to contain himself as his orgasm built, a pressure in his lower stomach forming, his free hands sought comfort in Josh’s hair. “S-stop Josh, I think i’m gonna cum.”
“You get off so easy.” Josh smiled at that and continued rubbing their dicks together, he couldn't deny that it was driving him crazy.
“Shut the fuck- Fuck fuck fuck Josh… Should have fucked me straight a-away. Fuck!! I-I’m cumming.” Josh cupped Tyler's cock in his hand and felt while was getting wet with thick, hot jets of cum.
"You did great, pretty boy.” Josh whispered as the other tried to control his heavy breathing.
Tyler gave himself a few seconds, Josh’s hand still on his dick, leaving him overstimulated but no less excited. "Wanna fuck me? You're still hard." Josh was very aware at that. “You should just fuck my hand and pretend it’s my pussy.” He had an evil smile on his face. “As a punishment.”
Tyler didn't wait for any confirmation before his hand slipped under the alpha’s clothes. “O-okay”, Josh managed to whisper. Tyler wanted to choke on his own saliva, his hand was small and Josh’s dick was large. Well, bigger than his.
Josh’s breathing grew increasingly louder and his hips moved rapidly, rubbing his cock against Tyler’s until he managed to cum on his hand. "Your hand is too small.” he whispered as he felt his cock being abandoned inside his clothes.
"Your dick is too big.” Tyler rolled his eyes.
Josh blinked, still catching his breath. “…That’s not a complaint I ever expected to receive.”
“It absolutely is.” Tyler said, wiping his hand on Josh’s leg without shame. “This is a design flaw. I have small hands. You should’ve planned ahead.”
Josh stared down at him. “Planned how?”
“I don’t know.” Tyler shrugged. “Shrink. Apologize. Evolve.”
Josh let out a helpless laugh and pulled Tyler in anyway, kissing his forehead. “You like that my dick is big.”
“Fuck it. I really do.” Tyler said smugly. “Ughh, I hate you! I hate that you’re annoyingly warm and you smell good and you make a stupid face when you’re relaxed.” Tyler said, poking his chest.
Josh paused. “…I do?”
“Yes.” Tyler said firmly. “But I love you anyway.”
Josh laughed quietly and rested his chin on Tyler’s head, they were now back on their initial position cuddled on the bed. “You’re obsessed with me.”
Tyler snorted. “I just tolerate you extremely well.”