Misery – Chapter 2
Early morning on the second week of February, as Tyler prepares his morning coffee and whips up a pancake batter for breakfast, he realizes – almost like an epiphany – that there's something particularly wrong with the scenery.
He woke up without Keegan by his side and he couldn't help but wonder where he could've went; they've been together for almost three years now and Keegan's always curled up to him whenever he wakes, arms draped over his waist and legs tangled around his. But then he hears the faint sound of water streaming from the shower across the hall and he lets out a sigh of relief, dread still not dissipating quite fully but now feeling a bit silly for worrying. Keegan's just taking a shower, it's normal, it's something people do. So what if he usually showered only after breakfast all the years he's known him– he's allowed to have a change of pace every once in a while.
The pancakes are ready, the coffee steaming hot. Tyler makes Keegan's coffee just like how he wants it - cream, three teaspoons of sugar with just a pinch of cinnamon. He looks through his twitter, his Instagram, checks the notifications from the sites he had signed in for. Talks to Collin, agrees to help him with his move, sent his birthday greetings to Lee.
Keegan still hasn't left the bathroom.
He tries not to get himself too worked up. He finishes his coffee, pours another cup. His hands are starting to shake.
A few minutes pass before he approaches the bathroom door. "Keegan? You've been in there for hours. I'm going to work soon. Are you okay?"
No reply came. Tyler tries again, "Do you need help?"
Nothing.
Tyler twists the knob, peers inside, and sees Keegan sat in the bathtub still completely clothed. His stomach turns, blood going cold. This is wrong. This is all wrong.
"Keegan?" Tyler cups Keegan's cheek, his other hand dipping in the water - "Fuck, it's freezing. We need to get you out of here."
Keegan slowly removes his gaze from the wall and tries to focus his bleary eyes on Tyler. His pupils are blown wide, his viridian almost seeming completely black. "Ty...ler," he breathes, like it's a word he hasnt said a million times, as if he's unfamiliar with the way it leaves his lips.
Tyler wants to carry Keegan out of the tub but he knows better, doesn't want to startle him, not when he's in this state.
"Hey baby," Tyler says, giving Keegan what he hopes is a comforting smile. "Did something bad happen?"
Keegan smiles back, wide with teeth showing, like a little child. "It's cold." he says, simply. His lips are purple and his skin a faint blue. He's shivering so terribly. Tyler's heart aches.
"I'll warm you up." Tyler says, hands entwining with Keegan's ice cold ones. "Let's get you dressed, yeah? I'll help you stand."
"Yeah." Keegan says but he doesn't move, doesn't seem to understand. "Do you think I'm pretty?"
Tyler's breath catches. No, no no no. Not again. This shouldn't be happening, not now. Keegan's getting better, he's been taking all his medications, his weekly sessions with his psychiatrist. Keegan's okay. He's fine. Recovering.
Keegan's eyes are still wide, his face wet, his hair wet, his teeth are chattering. "Tyler,"
"You're beautiful," Tyler replies, warming up Keegan's hand. Wants to kiss him so badly it feels like an actual need. "I don't want you to get sick sweetheart. Come on, let's get out of the wat- "
"Am I a good boy?"
Shit.
"I'll drain the- "
"Have I been a good pet, Josh?"
Tyler swallows the dull burn of anger slowly threatening to boil over the surface. "I'm not Josh."
Keegan blinks, looks at their entwined hands. "Sorry." Keegan says. He looks afraid, now. "Forgive me, I...I'm a worthless animal, a...a stupid runt- "
"Stop it." Tyler snaps. Keegan cowers, the water spilling on the linoleum tiles. Tyler knows he should go about it slow, gently ease himself into doing what's right. Little steps. Calm him down. Gradually pull him out of his reverie. Forcing him out of it is a dangerous thing to do.
But Tyler isn't thinking, can't think, he's angry, he's enraged. Keegan isn't okay, not really, not even with those hours of therapy and medication and staying late at night comforting him while Keegan wept. Keegan still thinks of the man he used to love, the same man who turned him inside out, chewed him up and spit him right out after rearranging his entire being.
Tyler doesn't think when he lifts Keegan out of the tub. Keegan gasps and wraps his arms around Tyler's neck in panic, completely soaked and dripping from head to toe. He's so cold, breathing so hard as if he can't get enough air and Tyler sits him on top of the counter beside the sink to pull the shirt off his frame along with his sweat pants –
"Please," he hears Keegan say, voice high with fright, "I-I'm sorry Josh, please don't punish me, I'm really cold, please, I'm so cold, I'm so cold..."
Tyler stops, his hands resting on Keegan's thighs. "I'm not Josh." he repeats, gently this time, hoping to reassure him, but instead Keegan bursts into tears. He tries to push Tyler away, tries to keep his hands off him. Tyler holds his shoulders, attempts to calms him down, tells him it's all an illusion, that he's safe and no one will ever hurt him...
But Keegan doesn't listen. His wails become louder, more anguished – "Don't hurt me!" he's saying, over and over. "You- you promised- please, d-don't touch me, don't hurt me, I can't, not again, please leave me alone!"
"Keegan—"
"Help me!" he screams, voice loud and distressed. He's crying, terrible heart wrenching sobs escaping his lips, his body weak and shaking. Struggles to get away, nails digging into Tyler's arms, drawing blood. "So-someone- please, please –! He's going to hurt me!"
"No! Stop—"
"Don't hurt me, I'll do anything! I'll suck your cock, I'll let you fuck me, please don't burn me again—"
"Listen to me! I'm Tyler, I'm your boyfriend, you're okay, you're safe—"
"I love you, I love you, I—Josh, I-I need—don't hurt me, don't hurt me, I love you..."
Tyler pulls Keegan in an embrace, wraps his arms around him, gives him all the body heat he can offer, whispers, "It's okay, it's okay," and "I love you, Keegan. I love you, baby boy..." and "I'll take care of you, I'm here, Josh is gone, he's far away, he won't hurt you again, you're with me now..."
Keegan passes out, perhaps from exhaustion. Tyler removes the rest of his wet clothing and dresses him in dry, warm ones. He notices fresh cuts on both of Keegan's wrists, wonders why the fuck he didn't see them previously. He cleans his wounds, puts him gently in bed, drapes a duvet around his shoulders, kisses his forehead. He doesn't go to work.
When Keegan wakes, he has a fever of 40 degrees and no memory of what happened.
