So In Love

24

Josh and Zach moved everything up to Zacks new apartment before going to find Tyler. He was in the bedroom, sitting the bed. His knees were pulled to his chest and his arms were wrapped around them as he stared at the blankets on the bed.

He didnt look up when the other two men entered. Josh sighed softly and walked over to him. He waved his hand in front of Tyler's face to see if Tyler was zoned out or just not wanting to look at them. Tyler blinked and turned his head away from Josh.

"Tyler look at me." Josh said. Tyler sighed heavily but did. "What happened?" Josh asked. Tyler raised his hands to sign, explaining to Josh what his father had did and said. Josh had made tuler stand up when he finished and hugged him tightly.

"What? What happened?" Zach asked. Josh gave a brief explanation to zach, still holding Tyler tightly in his arms. "Did he hurt you?" Zach asked, walking over. Tyler hid his face in Josh's neck, ignoring the question. "Tyler. Did he hurt you?" Zach asked again.

Tyler sniffled but nodded. "What did he do?" Zach asked. Tyler pulled back from Josh and lifted his head to show his neck. There was a faint handprint from how hard his father had grabbed him. Zachs jaw fell open. "Tyler- holy fuck what did he do try to choke you out?" He asked, gently grabbing Tyler's face and taking a better look.

Tyler shrugged and moved to hug his brother. Zach gently rubbed his back. "You okay? I swear I'll go back there and beat the shit out of him." He said. Tyler shook his head and hugged his brother tighter. He didnt want Zach going back there incase he got hurt too.

"Ty we were gonna start unpacking zachs stuff.. do you wanna come help? You don't have to if you dont want to." Josh said. Tyler pulled back from Zach and raised his hands. I'll come help. "Okay." Josh walking over and gently kissing Tyler's forehead before they headed across the hall.

Zach didnt have alot of stuff so it didnt take the three of them long to unpack. Afterwards they sat down in zachs new living room to  talk and relax. Zach and josh talked over a couple beers while Tyler had fell asleep curled up at Josh's side.

Once it started getting late Josh said goodnight to Zach and told him if he needs anything throughout the night to just come over. He then carefully picked Tyler up and carried him back to their own apartment being careful not to wake the younger.

He gently set Tyler in their bed before climbing in next to him and wrapping his arms around him. He softly kissed Tyler's forehead before shutting his eyes and settling to sleep as well.

The next day Tyler spent the day over his brothers new apartment with him while josh was at work. Everything was fine for the first few hours but then Zach mentioned Tyler talking again. Mentioned how he wished Tyler would talk again and stop letting their fathers nonsense stop him from living his life.

Tyler had pretty much ignored his brother and focused on the tv, not paying much attention to what his brother was saying because it was making him feel like shit even though it wasnt meant to. He hated that he didnt talk and he hated how the thought of it made him want to throw up. He hated that his father was right. He was a coward.

"I dont know why you're letting him be the only thing stopping you from living your life. Like if you just start talking again you'll see, you'll see that nobody else thinks the same stuff dad does. Nobodys gonna hurt you or get mad at you for talking. Nobodys gonna do that I wish you would just see that. I promise that no one-" zach cut himself off when Tyler abruptly stood up and left the apartment.

He went over to his and Josh's apartment and shut the door behind him, locking it before leaning agaisnt it and sliding down it until he sat on the floor. His hands gripped his hair harshly and tears were filling his eyes quickly.

His breaths were shaky and he squeezed his eyes shit when zack knocked don the wood that his back was pressed to. "Tyler? You okay?" His brothers said. Tyler pushed himself up but continued deeper into the apartment rather then opening the door for his brother.

He went into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror, his hands gripping the edges of the counter. He stared intensely at his reflection asking himself why he wouldnt just talk. Why he had to be such a baby. Why he had to be so sensitive. Why cant he just fucking talk like a normal person? Why cant he just be normal?

He sighed angrily and pushed off the counter running his hands down his face. He looked at himself again and opened dhis mouth to talk but even alone in the bathroom where no one could here him or hurt him, he still couldnt, and that frustrated him to no end.