Øverturning the lies (a twenty one pilots fanfiction)

~Jøsh~

If I don't do something, Josh realizes, Then-

He swallows and grabs his friend's hand, pulling him along.

Nico seems to be recovering, enough to stand-

No.

Josh pulls some of the yellow flower petals out of his coat pocket.

He doesn't even remember how the got there-had he picked them when he and Jenna were journeying through Trench?

Everything is fuzzy; he has no idea.

But he throws them once more at Nico, praying that it will be enough.

"Come on, come on, come on!" he says aloud, hoping they'll get out in time.

"I'm trying," Tyler says, his voice hoarse from lack of use. "I'm trying."

"I know, but-" Josh looks back, trying to control his breathing, trying to stay calm.

"I know," Tyler says.

Josh believes him. He trusts Tyler, maybe more than he trusts anyone.

His fren reaches out and squeezes Josh's hand. He doesn't let go.

The inseparable duo is together again.

Their physical closeness calms Josh's anxiety, just a little bit.

They manage to take a few more steps, and Josh finds himself thinking that maybe, maybe, they will make it after all.

But then he hears his name.

"Josh..."

He turns and looks at Tyler's face. Fear, so much fear, is in his eyes.

Please not this, Josh thinks, please...

He turns around, and his worst fears have come true.

"Josh!" Tyler says again, and there's a desperation in his voice.

It seems to cut Josh to his very heart.

"Do you trust me?" Josh asks.

Tyler nods.

Josh takes a deep breath.

"I won't let him hurt you," Josh says, desperately hoping he can keep that promise. "I won't."

He's unable to quell the terrible feeling inside of him that says he won't be able to succeed and that something will go terribly, terribly wrong.

So he wraps his arms around Tyler.

His fren looks surprised, but hugs Josh back.

"Remember," Josh tells him, "They can't see yellow, all right?"

He unties his bandana from around his neck and gives it to Tyler.

Spotting some yellow flowers on the ground near him, he picks a couple and hands them to him as well.

"If he comes near you," Josh says, "Whatever you do, you've got to throw these at him, all right? They'll protect you."

"What about you?" Tyler whispers.

Josh gestures to his other yellow clothing. "Besides, that's Nico. He doesn't care as much about me as he does about you."

Tyler nods again.

He swallows, then leans forward and kisses Josh on the cheek.

He doesn't say anything else, but his eyes are saying, "Be safe."

Josh holds one of the yellow flowers tightly. He sees the figure approaching from on his white horse, and he tells Tyler, "Run!"

Tyler does.

Josh prays that he and Jenna will be able to find each other, and that both of them will be safe.

He hopes he will be too, but in his mind his own safety is not as important. Not nearly, no.

He really doesn't have a solid plan, but he feels desperate enough that in his mind it doesn't matter. Desperation, as he's learning, is a powerful motivator.

He takes a step forward. Another.

This is the man that took everything from so many.

This is the man who has fed generation upon generation lies.

This is the man who will pay for his crimes.

JJKAHSKJFhask JOSHLERRR I'm sorry...Ignore me. Just, ignore me. I inwardly fangirl so much reading these scenes with both of them though.