10 Ways to Hold Hands (Joshler one-shots)

8: The Calming hand holding

July 17th, 2017.

8: The calming hand holding - When you're having a hard time falling asleep because you're restless and overthinking everything, or something is bugging you, and someone holds your hand to let you know they're there for you and it's okay to take a break and fall asleep. They'll still be there when you wake up.

~~

Tyler had never thought his life could get this bad.

He'd been dealing with depression and anxiety ever since he was ten years old, which was a very young age to feel stuff like that, but it happened and he couldn't change it.

And just when he thought it couldn't get worse...

Well, apparently it could.

Tyler lost his house to a fire.

It happened at night. They didn't notice until Tyler's mom happened to wake up and walk to the hallway when she heard something. Only then she discovered the fire.

She woke everyone up and they had to jump out of the window. Only then they were able to call the firefighters. Since their house was kinda secluded from other houses, no one could warn them either.

The whole house was gone and so was everything in it. Tyler managed to save one thing, and one thing only: the box of letters Josh wrote him through the years when Tyler was at his lowest points.

Josh had supported him through all the dark days and he'd handwrite Tyler letters which he could read when he was anxious, sad, angry, lonely, scared, etc.

Tyler was now in the big double bed in Josh's guest room on his own. He was staring up at the ceiling with tears dried to his cheeks. He was hugging his favorite letter by Josh close to his chest, 'cause he lost everything else. He even lost his favorite stuffy.

"These are the things we lost in the fire, fire, fire..." Tyler softly sang to himself.

His parents were staying at his grandparents's house, his siblings were at their best friend's places for now. Tyler was with Josh's family, obviously, 'cause Josh was the most important person in his life who had always supported him the most.

"Things we lost to the flames, things we'll never see again", he whispered as he turned on his side.

"All that we have amassed sits before us, shattered into ash", he continued as he thought of a few hours earlier when he visited his old house with his family to see if there was anything left. They didn't find much. They didn't find anything that belonged to Tyler.

"We sat and made a list of all the things that we had. Down the backs of table tops, ticket stubs and tour diaries", he whispered as new tears started to roll down his cheeks.

"We were born with nothing and we sure as hell have nothing now", he muttered, followed by a sob. He wiped his cheeks, but it didn't help.

"Flames - they licked the walls. Tenderly they turned to dust all that I adore", he whispered.

He burst out in tears, his sobs being loud. He tried to quiet his sobs but he failed incredibly.

A minute later, there was a knock on the door. Tyler glanced at the door and it creaked open. Josh peeked around the corner.

Tyler sat up as he tried to wipe his tears away and stop crying, and he was able to calm himself down a little. "J-Josh?" He asked with a cracking voice.

"Hey Ty, are you okay?" Josh asked worriedly as he opened the door a little more.

Tyler's lip quivered and he shook his head slowly. He burst out in tears again.