When Josh returns the next day, Tyler isn't there. He gets two sodas, and waits for about twenty minutes before the boy finall shows up. The ice in Tyler's soda is melted.

"I'm sorry," Tyler pants. He seems to have been having trouble catching his breath lately; maybe he has asthma. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"It's okay," Josh says. He offers him the charger, and Tyler accepts. It's a Sunday, but his battery is at eleven percent. He grasps Josh's hand, linking their fingers together as they sit on the curb. Josh feels something in his stomach when Tyler does this, but he can't put a name to it.

Tyler takes the soda Josh hands him, and drinks it gratefully. He's sweating, and the styrofoam cup is empty in about five minutes straight.

"Are you doing okay?" Josh glances at the plug in his arm. It's at twelve percent.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Tyler shakes his head, as if trying to dismiss the question.

Josh lifts his hand up to touch the boy's forehead. "You're warm."

Tyler only shrugs. "It's a hot day."

It's clear that he doesn't want to talk about it, so Josh drops it.

They talk about other things for a while, hands still linked. Tyler's battery life climbs, but slowly. It's clear that he's sick, but there's a fever going around the neighbourhood, so it's likely that that's all it is. He doesn't seem to want to talk about it, anyway, so Josh leaves the topic alone.

When Tyler goes home, his battery is at fifty percent.