What Fresh Hell Is This? 𓅓 (Joshler One-Shots)

[15] you don't know the half of the abuse

6 Underground - Sneaker Pimps

Summary

Tyler and Josh are roommates in a mental institute and that basically summarises the band as a whole.

***

Monday, 02:15 a.m.

It was happening again. The screaming, the thrashing about. People would have assumed he was having a seizure if they didn't know better. Josh's eyes reluctantly opened and he turned over in bed to see Tyler go through another episode. Tyler curled into a ball and screamed his lungs out against the fabric of the bed while Josh watched him from a distance, unwilling to interact.

It wasn't long before the doors burst open and a nurse rushed in followed by a security guard fully dressed in black that hoisted Tyler off the bed and carried him out. The nurse left without uttering a word to Josh and shut the door, leaving him to ear piercing silence.

Monday, 10:30 a.m.

"Where do you think all your self hatred stems from, Tyler?" The psychiatrist pushed her round glasses up the bridge of her sharp nose, a few loose strands of blond hair solitary on her face while the rest were pinched into a too-tight bun atop her head, deep red lipstick poorly applied as she probed Tyler with continuous questions that he failed to respond to.

"Do you feel insecure?" Tyler turned his head away from her, eyes surveying the cheap furniture and discount portraits on the wall, nose inhaling the musky deodorant overly applied. He turned back to her, his feet coiling up to his chest in the chair.

"How long till I get this off?" He shook his upper body to identify the straitjacket, as if she had been completely oblivious to it.

"When we feel you're in a mental state that won't cause you to inflict any more self harm." So never, she meant to say. Tyler nodded his head, but the quick and constant jerking made it seem like involuntary twitches.

Monday, 16:25 p.m.

"Dinner time." While most of the patients met in the dining hall to eat, the more antisocial people like Josh and Tyler were given the option to have dinner in their rooms, an option they opted for without reluctance. The male nurse stepped into their room wheeling a small cart with dinner for Josh and Tyler. He placed Josh's meal on his bedside table and for once the male didn't shuffle away from him in a fit of panic, though Josh failed to look him in the eye. The nurse smiled nonetheless and moved Tyler's meal to him and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Tyler also failed to meet his gaze.

"You have to eat, Mr. Joseph." Tyler remained completely still as the nurse spoke, face drawn away from him to stare at the sheets. He didn't want to be fed like a baby. He wanted the jacket off so he could do what he wanted.

"I'm not hungry." The nurse ignored his statement, already grabbing a bowl of rice and stew from the tray. "Please, Mr. Joseph." Tyler was becoming increasingly agitated and kicked the bowl out of the nurse's hand, spilling it onto the floor.

"Just leave me alone please!" Tyler screamed as he shuffled off the bed and pushed himself against the wall, tears welling in his eyes. Josh paused his chewing to survey as the nurse cleaned up the mess, not a bit of frustration on his face and he put everything back neatly. "I'll have someone else come and speak to you about supper." He responded with a weak smile before leaving the room.