DOOM DAYS ✓

Chapter 23: Wound Transferal

Wound Transferal: the ability to transfer physical/mental damage from one living being to another.

All Josh wants to do is be friends with him. That's all he wants, really, but Tyler makes it so fucking difficult to even try.

Josh slams the bathroom door closed and locks the door, sinking to the ground. After a couple minutes of crying and eating pasta in the dark, he hears a knock and promptly ignores it.

"I know you're in there," Tyler sighs.

He doesn't respond, only shoveling a large forkful if spaghetti into his mouth. It tastes salty.

"Open the door."

"No," Josh mumbles. "Fuck you."

"Look, J, I didn't mean any of it-"

Josh elbows the door, shutting Tyler up. "You don't get to call me J. You don't get to fucking yell at me and treat me like shit and expect me to just accept your half-assed apology. I might be naïve, Tyler, but I'm not stupid."

He stops and listens for an answer. When he gets none, Josh pulls his knees closer to his chest so his plate is almost eye level and starts to eat again.

"I'm sorry."

It's quiet and barely audibly through the door, but Josh hears it. He stops, fork halfway to his mouth, and listens again.

"What?" Josh heard him, but needed to make sure he isn't being goaded into opening the door.

"There's no excuse for how I treated you. I'm not going to explain my past to try and make you feel sorry for me, but I am... sorry."

Tyler shifts until Josh thinks he's sitting against the door as well. Josh sets his plate on the floor.

He wants to be furious. Hell, he wants to kick and scream, run out of the house and tell Tyler that he can go fuck himself. But... well, he supposes he has a soft spot for socially inept people who are angry all of the time.

"Thank you," he says. "Apology not accepted, but... I appreciate it."

"Wow, what is this, a bank transaction? Do I have to wait three to five business days?"

Josh snorts. "Shut up, you're ruining the moment."

"Sorry. Can you open the door now?" Tyler asks softly, gentler than Josh has ever heard him speak.

So, he unlocks the door and scoots far enough for the older boy to squeeze through. Tyler sits across from Josh, back against the sink cabinet.

"Is there any way I can help?" Josh asks.

Tyler doesn't say anything for a moment, just staring at his face, eyes glowing red in the dark. Josh could see every inch of his face in rose colored clarity. "I... don't know. I'm not used to sharing."

"Really, I couldn't tell."

He rolls his eyes. "Funny. What about you? Hayley told me about your dad."

Josh shrugs. "Not much to say. He died when I was seven of spinal cancer. I don't really remember him that much, but my siblings do. It was harder for them than it was for me."

"Damn."

"Eloquent as always."

"Can I ask you something?" Tyler asks with his eyes focused on the seeing, suddenly shy. Josh isn't used to this quiet, delicate side of him. He kind of likes it.

"Of course," Josh responds. "Anything."

"Why are you nice to me even when I'm not to you?"

Honestly, he should've expected that question. Josh is slowly starting to recognize just how helpless Tyler is in the social department, so it shouldn't be a surprise that his first reaction is to lash out. Tiana normally reacts the same way, except with less bark and more bite.

"Because I like you. You're a pain in the ass and kind of a dick but for good reason. All I want is for us to be friends. And before you say anything, I know you don't do friends, but I don't care."

Tyler sighs and slumps forward, making a pouty face. "Dammit, now you're making me feel bad."

"Good. You should feel bad." Josh smiles reassuringly when his eyes go wide. "I get it. You haven't been around many people who aren't your foster family. In all honesty, I probably wouldn't leave my house if Tiana wasn't my friend."

The thought of Tiana makes Josh sad. He hopes she's okay.

"Yeah, but it's different. She is your friend."

"And we're yours, but only if you let us." He leans forward and gently punches Tyler's shoulder. "Pal."

Tyler looks at him for a second before bursting out into laughter. "You're such a fucking dork."

"I know. It's a perk of mine."

Josh laughs along with him, seeing the hot glow on his cheeks die down until there's no light except the thin ray coming from underneath the door. He stands and waits for Tyler to do that same.

"You know what we should do?" He says, grabbing Tyler's hand.

"What?"

"Build a blanket fort."

"Right now?" Tyler chuckles. "I thought you'd want to book it and never see me again after what I said to you."

Josh grins back at him, even though he knows he can't see it. "I've been bullied most of my life. If there's one thing I know how to do, it's ignore shit talk like that."

He pulls Tyler forward, and they both fall through the wall and into Tyler's bedroom. Tyler catches himself on his hands before he crushes Josh into the mattress, lingering there for a moment before sitting back when Josh rolls onto his stomach.

"How do you make one of those forts?" He asks, coughing awkwardly. Josh swears he's blushing.

"We need blankets, pillows, rubber blankets, and thumb tacks," Josh responds. "And movies. And candy. I mean, if I'm going to be here while I'm healing, we might as well have fun instead of just yelling at each other, right?"

Tyler smiles softly, and Josh's heart beats faster for a few seconds. "Right."

"Yay! Now, let's get this shit show on the road."