Øverturning the lies (a twenty one pilots fanfiction)

~Jøsh~

Run!!

Something urges him onward.

But-

The bishop was on the ground, and-did he dare say...

Weak?

That-that was...

Well, the very notion went against everything they'd always tried to suggest.

He was having a hard time convincing himself that it was true, even if it was...

Was it?

He turns back, briefly, briefly.

"So it is true..." he says. "It is true."

He knows he can't have much time-surely, surely the other bishops will come soon...

But.

The fact that his best friend's tormentor is lying, apparently defenseless, on the ground is enough to make him pause.

"I-" he says aloud, torn. "I could hurt you. Like you wanted to do to me, just now. Like you did to him. But-"

He takes a deep breath. "I won't. I'm better than that."

He hopes it's true.

I hope I won't regret this, Josh thinks.

He looks at the imposing gray structure for what he truly, truly hopes will be the last time.

Then he goes to rejoin his friends.

No.

He corrects himself.

More like family now.

That last thought...

Don't look back. They can't hurt you now.

But-

Something in his surroundings almost convinces him to just stop.

So he closes his eyes.

They can't hurt me.

Walking, one step forward, somehow.

Then running, running because he's scared and something, something, is pulling him on, something invisible, something powerful...

Don't stop.... not yet.

He doesn't know how much time has passed. It might be a minute, or several. Or an eternity.

He almost stops.

It doesn't seem like he's making any progress.

His worries increase.

Maybe....

Maybe, maybe I should-

No.

Josh doesn't understand where the voice is coming from, or why.

But, on some deeper emotional level he trusts it.

Trusts it in a way that keeps him moving, away, away, away.

He didn't realize how hard it would be to turn back a second time.

But he manages, one shaky step at a time.

Until...

Open your eyes.

He does.

And he doesn't have much time to prepare himself for what he sees, because-

Despite everything he's been through, he manages to smile.

The cold icy feeling that's been lingering since he ventured close to the city he so hates fades, just a little.

Because now, his best friend is here.

Now, he's a little bit relieved.

"You're safe," Josh whispers.

Tyler nods.

He doesn't say anything, but that's okay.

They made it out.

All of them, he corrects himself, noticing Jenna and feeling his smile stretch a little bit wider.

And for now, that's enough.