Tyler looked up brokenly at Josh. His lips were chapped and faded, but they'd stopped chemo months ago.
"I love you." Josh gave a sad smile. "Guess I'll have to finish that song by myself."
"Yeah." He coughed chest hitching.
The doctors had told them it wouldn't be long now, and Josh didn't doubt it. Tyler could hardly breathe, hardly move on his own. It was hard to watch him.
They were a garage band, they called themselves Twenty Øne Piløts. It was a silly dream to think they could hit it big, but they believed. They'd released a few albums, made a few hits. They were living the dream.
Until reality slapped Tyler with stage four lung cancer.
The chemo was a lost cause, in all truth. It just made Tyler feel worse and it did nothing for the cancer. It spread all over his body, tumors growing all over his insides, eventually spreading to his brain.
The short brown hair was thick between Josh's fingers as he stroked his boyfriend's hair, kissing his forehead softly.
Tyler raised a weak and trembling hand to wipe Josh's tears. "You'll be okay." His voice was barely audible.
"No, I won't." He shook his head.
Tyler hacked, a wet cough ripping through his throat and Josh's heart.
He helped his boyfriend onto his side, putting another pillow under his head so he could breathe easier.
He was wearing one of Josh's shirts and his pajama pants also probably originally were owned by his other half as well.
Tyler swallowed and panted giving a small grin that turned into a grimace. He was in so much pain. "It hurts." He gave a low whine.
"I know, baby. It's going to be okay." He assured.
"That's the thing." His voice cracked. "It's not gonna be okay." He gave a sharp laugh that turning into more coughing.
"I love you, Tyler. Don't ever forget it."
He was breathing quicker and shallower now. "Can...can you sing?"
"You know I'm a terrible singer." A blush spread over his cheeks.
"Please, Josh," He grasped his boyfriend's hand loosely in his. "It hurts so bad."
He forced himself to swallow again, a task that shouldn't take conscious effort. The cannula attached to his nose forced his oxygen intake.
"Okay." Josh thought for a minute.
"I know what you think in the morning." He started quietly, not used to actually singing.
Tyler closed his eyes and listened.
"When the sun shines on the ground," Tears pricked the corners of his eyes.
"And shows what you have done." He was doing a slower, more acoustic sounding version. Tyler liked it.
"It shows where your mind has gone." He sniffed, wiping his eyes again.
"And you swearing to your parents" Tyler's voice was no where close to where it used to be, it was soft and raspy now but just as beautiful.
"That it will never happen again." Josh finished.
Tyler whined sharply, hand clawing at his chest. His breathing was even more labored. His mind was foggy and he replied with the only relevant lyrics he could think of. He was certain it wasn't the right one.
"I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep..." His voice was growing ever softer and it cracked when he tried to hit the notes.
Josh could tell he was fading. He took pride in the memory of his lyrics and almost never messed them up. "But I can't, but I can't when you all have"
"Guns for hands." A faint smile played on his chapped lips.
The nurse stood in the doorway, teary eyed. They were such a beautiful couple. She herself was a Twenty Øne Piløts fan. She took Tyler's dangerously low blood pressure, frowning.
He didn't seem very conscious of her presence, only Josh's.
"Josh...I'm...I'm so cold..." He looked up at his boyfriend through his eyelashes. "It hurts so much..."
The nurse administered some morphine and stood back. She wished there was something more that she could do.
"Do you need more blankets?" She asked softly.
"Please." Josh nodded.
He pulled the blankets around Tyler tighter.
"Turn away..." He whispered. "You know you...you don't want to see what's coming next."
"I'm not leaving you." Josh wiped his eyes again.
Tyler seemed to slip into a trance, unaware of anything for a few minutes. His boyfriend just ran a hand through the soft brown hair, whispering that everything would be okay.
"Lay with me..." He coughed slightly.
"I'll hurt you." Josh traced lines on Tyler's arm.
He then received a bleary glare. "Please."
Josh laid by him, holding him close. Moments passed and the nurse returned with the blankets.
Josh piled them all on Tyler, his thin, practically useless, body warming slightly.
"Y'know...the hardest part of this...is leaving you..." He panted into the crook of Josh's neck.
"It's okay. I'll be fine. I know it hurts you. You can be done fighting if you want." He spoke softly, comfortingly. He was on the verge of sobbing.
"Joshua...I love you...Joshua Dun..." His chest heaved with effort.
She heard it on the way out, almost breaking down crying.
"I love you too, Tyler. I love you so, so much. I love you, Tyler Joseph. I'm so lucky to have you."
Tyler's breathing grew raw and hoarse, breathing was tough, nearly impossible.
"Don't...don't let this break you...don't let it...stop...stop you..." His train of thought derailed.
"I won't, honey. I promise. I love you. It's okay to let go, Tyler. You don't have to fight anymore." Josh sniffed, holding Tyler close enough to feel his weak heart beating.
"Thank you." His words were slurred and barely intelligible.
"I love you."
Josh's warm lips brushed against Tyler's practically blue ones. The kiss was quick, but one look and into the dying boy's glazing eyes and he knew it helped.
He could feel Tyler's heartbeat slow. His breathing ceased and his heart slowed to a stop.
Tyler was dead.
•••I hope you liked it.•••
