Revamped

twenty two

Rubbing at his eyes, Tyler sat up in his bed, sighing in resignation.

He'd had a nightmare. Again.

It was like they'd been bombarding him these last few days, worse than usual too. Or maybe they just seemed that way because he'd been getting used to not having them.

He didn't understand the difference. Why were they back?

Making a soft sound of distress, he dropped his head into his hands as he wiped away any lingering tears. This last one had gotten to him, and he didn't like that. It hadn't been...normal.

Josh had been in it.

They'd been at a place Tyler always tried to forget about, but never really could. He knew every room by heart, could find any of his old hiding places blindfolded.

Childhood homes were like that.

At first, it had just been Tyler, hiding in the back of the coat closet like he used to do when he was only five or six, and hadn't learned yet that it was one of the first places his father would look.

Every. Single. Time.

Curled up, even behind the boxes shoved back into it, with the various jackets and sweaters pulled in front of him, knees to his chest and head down. He could hear his footsteps, and flinched as the doorknob rattled, unable to hold back a whimper as it flung open.

"Please," he'd cried out, covering his face as light flooded into the closet. "I've been good today- I promise!"

What good had promises ever been to a man who kept none?

"Tyler?"

Startled by the voice, he uncovered his eyes to see Josh, looking down at him in curiosity. He was younger, somehow, not quite an adult but more of a teenager. And his hair was brown, no sight of pink.

"J-Josh? What are you doing here? Go hide!"

"But why would I do that?" he tilted his head, looking for all the world like a puppy, with his soft eyes and curly brown hair that Tyler wanted to run his fingers through. But now was not the time.

The front door slammed, and the familiar sound of the briefcase dropping echoed, making Tyler desperately pull Josh into the closet, closing the door as quietly as he could.

"Why are we-"

"Shh," he said quickly, eyes locked on the line of light under the door, and Josh obediently quieted.

"Tyler, where the hell are you at, boy?"

He was trembling, hearing footsteps drag closer, closing his eyes and letting a tear fall when the crack of a beer can echoed, the hiss cut off as it was guzzled away.

"Did you hear me? I asked where you were, you sniveling son of a bitch!"

Josh's hand suddenly slipped into his, and he glanced over in the darkness in surprise, seeing him smiling at him.

"Don't worry," he said softly, squeezing at his hand. "He can't hurt you here."

Confused, the younger version of Tyler frowned at him. "What are you talking about? Of course he can. He does. And will," he added, glancing again in fear at the light under the door.