Electricityscape |-/ Tyler Joseph Fic

chapter twenty

I would have rather taken a solid punch to the face than hear the news Carly gave me at my next appointment.

My X-rays showed so much inflammation and irritation, and there was nothing anyone could do about it except max out the meds. But it wasn't really worth it, and we all agreed to take me off of all of them. After a few minutes of crying silently together, my mom and I both drove away in separate cars, since she had to go straight to work from there.

After pulling out of the parking ramp and making my way home, I decided to give Tyler a ring.

He answered fairly quickly. "Hey, babe, what's up?"

"Not much," I replied. "You decent?"

"I am. How did the appointment go?"

I sighed. I couldn't tell him that we stopped the medication. "Well, nothing's really improved. But it's as expected."

"You want to come over to Josh's? I'm here already."

"Sure. See you in ten minutes?"

"I'll see you."

I turned my phone off and tossed it into the passenger seat, and sang along to the radio until I reached Josh's house. I didn't bother in going through the front door, since I wasn't in the mood to fake a smile for Mama Dun, so I just went around to the basement door and knocked.

As Tyler opened the door, I gave him a tired smile, and then he brought me into a tight hug.

"Hey," he whispered into my hair.

"Hey." I held him tighter. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah."

My grip loosened in preparation to let go, but his didn't. "You sure?" I asked with a small laugh.

He nodded, then pulled away to lean down and press a kiss to my lips. I reached up and tangled my fingers in his hair before breaking off the kiss and pressing my forehead against his. He just seemed to know, because he closed his eyes and did the same.

"Want to come sit down with us?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah." I held his hand and led him over to where Josh was sitting. I took a seat next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in for a hug.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hey." As Tyler sat down next to me, I asked, "Can we watch something on Netflix?"

"Anything."

I smiled weakly at him. "Breaking Bad?"

He nodded once, then grabbed the remote to set it up.

We all moved to the couch, and I sat in Tyler's lap with my back resting against him.

A bit later, Josh said, "Going to the bathroom." He stood up and walked past us, making sure we both heard him, as if he was telling us something else.

After the door closed, Tyler and I faced each other.

"You sure you're okay?" he asked.

I nodded out of habit, but then shook my head after meeting his eyes.

"What happened in there?"

I sighed. "It's . . . it's getting worse really fast."

He closed his eyes. "What can they do about it?"

"Nothing, really, except let it spiral my life down into oblivion."

All he whispered was, "I'm sorry."