Colors of the Wind (Joshler)

Colors of the Wind (Part 3)

When Josh finally makes it to their house, they unlock the door in a hasty manner, passing by everyone as soon as they're inside. They're just crying, and crying, and crying. It's all they feel like doing, so of course everyone is concerned when they see this, as well as Josh rushing up the stairs and into their bedroom.

They throw their bag aside, not even giving themself time to take off their shoes before they're getting onto the bed and curling into a ball, sobbing louder than they ever have.

Like they're in pain.

Which, it feels like they are. In every way.

Josh can't even catch when, but Abby and Ashley-- maybe their mom, too-- all come into the room, trying to see what's wrong.

Of course they get nothing out of them. Laura runs her hand in circles on Josh's back, shushing them, while Abby and Ashley both are attempting to get any answer from them. It's no use. They're an absolute blubbering mess, and it's to the point where their head is so clouded they can't tell who's taking off their shoes for them. Jordan? Their dad?

Who knows.

"Just leave him alone, girls." Bill pipes up.

Josh knows who it is now, but that's not the thing their mind focuses on. Instead of feeling any better, any comfort, they're sobbing louder, more merciless, thinking that maybe if they scream, they would pass out.

"Did Tyler do something?" Abby wonders.

"What did I just say!" Bill scolds. "Leave him alone. Let your mom help him."

Josh screams, then.

They scream, horrifically, and they can't even worry about what anyone else is thinking. They scream, thinking that they might have made the wrong choice by coming back. They scream, shoving their face into pillows and getting as little oxygen as possible. They scream, not able to notice the way their parents are rushing out questions, asking them to breathe.

They scream, and before they know it, they pass out.

***

When Josh wakes up, they're delirious. They blink their eyes open, hand slowly moving to wipe the sweat off of their forehead, groaning at anything and everything.

"Josh, baby?"

It's their mom.

Josh sighs.

She brushes their hair out of their face, and once Josh finally opens their eyes, they look up at her tiredly, head in her lap. Laura smiles with only her lips, a washed look in her eyes when staring down at them. There's so much to say, ask, but there's also so much hesitance along with that.

"Are you feeling any better?" She wonders, softly.

Josh gulps. "I'm fine." They whisper.

Laura shakes her head. "You're not allowed to say that after what happened."

Josh tugs at the neckline of their shirt, feeling so unbelievably hot. "What time is it?"

"Just past noon." She replies. It has been a couple of hours. . . Maybe they just needed to sleep, though. Relax. Get their mind off of what it had been stressing over. Even if they did pass out from being overwhelmed, Josh is positive it was the only way out of that situation without upsetting anyone else.