robbers// joshler

white and blue masks [thirty nine]

word count: 564

two hours until. 

"tyler."

"yeah?"

"are you sure you wanna do this?"

he lays his hand on mine.

"it's the way we planned. we've been planning this for months."

"so you're sure?" joshua asks, grabbing the masks and guns. 

"yes."

-

we're stationed out, watching for melanie to lock up vinyl shelf.

"i feel like... in a way we're betraying matty," ashley says, wrapping her fingers around the van's steering wheel.

"he won't even know it was us. we used cash and borrowed a van."

"yeah i know. i just feeling like something bad is going to happen."

me too. 

-

all three of us watch as melanie locks up the shop and leaves.

"are you ready for it?"

"yep."

i pull the blue mask over my face. i hand the white one to my fiancé.

he's got his gun, and he's got his suit on, and i smile through the blue mask. 

"babe, you look so cool."

he smiles back at me.

"i love you, yeah?"

"i love you more," he tells me. and the way he looks at me. it makes me want to stop everything.

but i don't. 

and we grab our guns, and hop out of the van and run into vinyl shelf.

-

he opens the register and we're shoving cash and more cash into our bags. 

there's some noise from the back room. 

i give joshua a look and he nods to let me go off. i put in the passcode to the door and it slides open. i walk slowly and point my gun toward the person. the person turns around and yells at me.

"woah! hey i'm sorry what is going on?"

conan? 

that's my first thought. he's not supposed to be here. 

"GIVE ME BACK THAT GUN!" i hear joshua yell. 

and then i hear two gunshots afterward.

i run back to joshua, he's on his knees. his hand over his chest. 

"oh god."

-

he's limping as we make our way back to the van.

he's cursing and he's crying.

he throws the white mask off as soon as i lay him in the back seat.

"ashley! hurry we have to get him back to the hospital."

"i know," she replies and goes so fast i fall against the back of the passenger seat.

"tyler.. i'm sorry. i'm really sorry."

"no. i'm sorry," my voice is cracking and i'm on the verge of sobbing. 

he can't die.

he lifts his hand to my own face, "tyler."

"would you drive faster?" i yell at ashley. my whole world collapsing between my fingers.

"i'm going as fast as i fucking can."

"well you're not going fast enough!"

i put my hand over his wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but it won't stop.

"joshua, stay with me, yeah?"

"mhm."

"babe. stay. stay. stay."

i throw the gun toward the back of the van. i swipe my mask off, laying it on top of his wound, trying to barricade all the blood.

"you...you've got my blood.. on your face. it's.. your face is... you've got a pretty kind of dirty face."

"no. shut up. don't talk like you're gonna die."

"tyler."

"shut up."

"tyler?"

"yes?"

"you're.. all i ever wanted."

he's still bleeding, his blood is pooling around him. and i'm freaking out. the tears are leaking out of my face.

"what do you mean?"

"i love you. so so much. everything's gonna be okay."

and i want to believe him. so badly.

"you look so cool."

i stare at joshua, my eyes watering.

so much that's it's overwhelming and creating a shiny spot on joshua's abs.

"you look so cool."

"don't say that," i beg of my fiancé.

"tyler dun?"

"yes, joshua?"

"i love you."

everything's gone wrong.