Abused

59: Bro

Day 21, week 3. Tyler was still in a coma, and Josh had yet to leave his side. He hadn't gone home to heir hotel room, he hadn't talked to anyone but the doctors and he had not taken care of himself. He hadn't showered or brushed his teeth, he only ate once every few days. He was like an insomniac who doesn't eat. He stares at Tyler's rising and falling chest all day, because besides the beeping of the life support machine it was the only sign of life in Tyler. He hadn't moved his hands or fingers or anything since he'd been here, nothing. Just breathing. That's when the nurse came into the room.

"Sir, we will need to ask you to leave for a few hours. We're going a check up and a survey on him. You can come back later."

"No, I refuse to leave his side."

"I'm afraid you have no choice. Don't make me have to get you forced out of here."

"Force me out, I don't care. I'm not leaving."

"Suite yourself."

"Wait.... only a few hours?"

"Yes. It's 3:45pm now, you can come back at 7:00."

"Fine... I'll go."

The nurse nodded. Josh stood up slowly for the first time in two days and trudged over to Tyler's side, leaning down and pressing his chapped cracked lips against Tyler's forehead. He was so warm. Another sign of life, I guess. Josh walked out of the hospital and Went back to their hotel room for the first time in three weeks.

It smelled like cheap liquor and cigarettes in the place. Josh showered and looked decent, and sat alone at a bar at 4:30pm on a Wednesday. The smoke swirled through the moist air. The funny thing about smoke is it has a lot to do with the dimension of time. Once the swirly smoke comes out of the cigarette, it never goes back in. It's forever... it has a good moral. Some things last forever, whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. Josh never smoked before in his life... the smell of burning tobacco made him gag. He sat alone at the bar sipping on alcoholic beverages, and a tallish man with black hair and plump lips sat beside him.

"What's wrong?" He asked Josh.

"Huh?"

"Well, it is 4:30 in the afternoon on a Wednesday, something MUST be wrong."

"Oh... uh, yeah. It's hard to explain.."

"My name is Boyd. Brendon Boyd Urie."

"Hello Brendon Boyd Urie, my name is Joshua William Dun."

"Nice to meet you, and I'm sure I can handle it. I'm a good listener." Said Brendon. He was so attractive, Josh was definitely attracted to him.

"Well my ... friend.... he is in the hospital in a coma suffering a snake bite. He may never wake up... he may never be the same.."

"Oh... that's insane. I'm sorry, man.. but if he's in such bad shape why are you here and not with him?"

"They kicked me out for a few hours. I've been there three weeks straight without any of my stuff."

"Damn, your a damn good friend."

"Well, not exactly."

"What?"

"See... I'm sorta his h-husband."

"Oh, that's sick dude. What's his name?"

"Tyler.."

"Sorry for bringing it up.., I'm so sorry about this."

"It's okay, Brendon."

"Yeah, I'm pretty stressed. I'm here In India with my new band panic! At the disco trying to become big, you know?"

"Cool, man."

"Can I buy you a drink?"

"Oh, um, it's okay."

"I'm not trying to pick you up or anything, just being friendly."

"Oh... fine. I'll take a fireball."

"Hardcore dude."

"Ya know it."

The two men drank their drinks and chatted away the short few hours until 7:00. Josh got Brendon's number, and headed Back to the ICU to see Tyler. It's not like anything has changed, Tyler never moved. He'd probably be the same as he was two weeks ago. He was still breathing, he was still warm. But he was still in a deep, deep sleep.