Broken Love //joshler [✔️]

15. Culpability

culpability
[kuhl-puh-bil-i-tee]
noun
guilt or blame that is deserved; blameworthiness.

Tyler had no motivation to get up the next morning. He wanted to lay in bed all day and go back to sleep. He would rather be unconscious and have bad dreams than deal with the nightmare that was his life. He couldn't bring himself to get up, not even when Josh started to get mad.

"What the hell are you doing? Get the fuck up and make me something to eat," Josh muttered. He grabbed Tyler's face roughly, the brunette's eyes opening in fear. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Can't you just fuck off for once?" Tyler groaned, instantly regretting opening his mouth at all. Why did he even talk anymore? Everything he said upset Josh.

"Do not talk to me like that," Josh glared, digging his blunt nails into Tyler's soft cheeks. He winced, finding the strength in him to sit upright and pull Josh off of him.

"Well don't fucking touch me like that, then," Tyler grumbled, touching his fingers to his cheek. He was bleeding. Great. "You're crazy, Josh."

"You make me crazy! You make me do all this shit to you!"

Tears fell without warning, only upsetting the brunette more. Should he be angry? Sad? It's Tyler's fault he gets treated the way he does... It's Tyler's fault. Everything is Tyler's fault.

"And now you're fucking crying again. God, you're such a girl Tyler. Will you ever man up?"

"S-Shut up!" Tyler yelled. His palms collided with Josh's chest as he shoved him back with a strength he didn't know he had.

Josh stumbled back, dumbfounded. It took him a moment to process what just happened. "What the fuck!? You think you're tough now, Tyler?"

"Shut the fuck up!" Tyler screamed, his bare feet stomping against the floor as he approached Josh. "I've had it with you! I hate you! I fucking hate you!"

Slap!

Tyler gasped, burning tears streaming over the stinging cheek. Josh hit him again! How dare he...

Before he could even think, Tyler swung and hit Josh square in the jaw, sending him stumbling back against the wall. The brunette's eyes grew wide with fear, realizing what he'd just done. Hesitantly, and with shaking hands, he took a small step towards the man.

"Josh... I'm sorry..."

Josh was shaking too, but with anger, not fear. The look on his face was enough to turn Tyler pale. He didn't have to say anything for Tyler to know he was about to get his ass beat.

He launched himself at Tyler, sending the both of them onto the bed with a grunt. Tyler was crying, apologizing, pleading for Josh to stop, begging to not be hurt again.

"Please! Please, I'm sorry!"

"Fuck you!" Josh yelled, the back of his hand striking against Tyler's face with a loud smack!

"J-Josh! Let me go!" Tyler cried, his arms pinned underneath Josh's knees.  He flailed beneath the older, crying out when he was hit again, and again, and again. "Stop! Stop!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Josh barked, grabbing a fistful of Tyler's hair. "You're pathetic, Tyler. Fucking pathetic."

Fingers closed around the brunette's throat, squeezing the air out of his lungs. Tyler coughed and sputtered, his eyes feeling like they would pop out of his head at any moment. He was sure this was going to be how he would die, choked to death because he pissed Josh off yet again. It's his fault, though. He deserved it.