S L O W T O W N

City Lights - Part Three

A public bathroom was something Tyler never really dreamed about adventuring to, or in, but with Josh just outside, Tyler stands staring at the arrows plastered on the sign of the wall in front of his face.

Two figures and Tyler didn't know what they meant, so he heads right and walks inside, a couple of cubicles lined one wall with sinks adjacent. Tyler picks the best looking one, without mess all over it, closes the door and begins to relieve himself.

That's when he hears voices.

He knows these ones aren't in his head this time, they're too feminine.

He finishes with his business, cracking the door just a little to peek out at who had just entered. There was a group of girls crowding the sinks, some applying some sort of coloured stick to their lips, other washing hands and talking loudly.

One catches sight of Tyler in the mirror and spins around, yelling, but Tyler slams the door and locks it, a heaving in his chest.

"What's going on?" One woman questions and another scoffs.

"There's some pervert in here!"

He can hear her stomp over to his cubicle and bash on the door.

"Hey! Get out of there!"

Panic sets in, hands reach through the door and try and grab at him, Tyler backs up and scrambles to hide on top of  the toilet, to get as far away from the claws, the once sweet voice becomes something, someone he hears often, deep and threatening.

"There's some creepy guy in here!" Another yells and Tyler feels himself crying before he hears his own whimpers. He yells out for them to shut up but only hears laughs in return.

"Come out here!"

"N-no!" He cries back, clutching his head, cradling it between his knees.

He hums to himself, gently rocking, praying they will go away. He blocks out the woman and sobs softly.

"What did I tell you about going outside?!" He hears his mother berate and Tyler cannot stop mumbling sad sorrowful sorry's to himself.

"You were right you were right," quiet whispers form from his tongue. There's so much static filling his head that he barely hears Josh now outside the door as well.

Tyler stops and tries his best to listen to what's going on, Josh yelling at the women, someone hits the door and Tyler jumps in surprise.

Did Josh just shove one the girls?

There's lots of yelling now and Tyler just his best to listen in on what was being said.

"Hey!" He hears Josh call out and Tyler slowly lifts his head, unfolding from himself. "Tyler it's me, it's me Tyler, it's okay, you're okay, come out Tyjo," Josh coos sweetly, Tyler inching towards the lock. "It's only me now I swear, come on man," Josh leans against the frame, head against the door, and his head jolts up when he hears the lock click open.

"Joshy?"

"Yeah, yeah it's me Ty, you okay?"

Tyler shakes his head and begins to choke on his own tears, bringing his hands up to his face, he falls forward unexpectedly and Josh catches him just in time, holding him closer than he had ever held Tyler, and all previous doubts of touching Josh melt away and flood from his mind, filling his lungs.

Tyler feels as if he's drowning.

"Why'd you come in here?" Josh is angry but soft with his words.

"I didn't know,"

"How couldn't you know? There's signs out the front?" Josh squishes Tyler harder.

"I didn't know what they meant," Tyler talks through broken sobs, slowly pulling back from Josh. "I've never been outside, remember?" Josh looks him dead in the eye, the once glacial stare turned desert, so Josh runs a thumb over his cheek and wipes a glistening tear.

"Do you want to go home now?" Josh asks and Tyler nods. "Hey, what would you do without a big bad Josh here to save you huh?" Josh tucks Tyler under his arm as they exit, Tyler, a little concerned he never got to wash his hands, but he gives a broken laugh, and snuggles up to Josh, taking in the lights one last time before they turn from the park and head back the way they had came.

"Probably die," Tyler giggles and wipes what's left of his tears away with one hand, Josh laughs too, unknowing that Tyler's joke held too much truth. "You said you wanted to live in the city, why?"

Josh wastes no time with an answer.

"Because I hate living at home, because I want independence, because I don't like the job I have, because it's a place I feel safe, because it's not boring and lonely," Josh rattles off, as if he had recited this speech many times. Tyler inhales slowly.

"I think I'd live here too," Tyler, distracted by lights, replies with no thought.

"Really?" Disbelief written all over his face, prior events in the night replaying in his thoughts. Josh could never imagine Tyler living in the busy city, too much fear and emotional break downs for him to even survive here.

"It might take a bit, but I like it. I mean, it's nicer than only seeing my backyard, and four walls every day," Tyler shrugs and Josh smiles, hiding it under his hood.

"Hey how cool would it be if we moved in together and lived here?"

Tyler cocks his head.

"Live together?"

"Yeah like, roommates," Josh adds a little too quickly and Tyler mumbles something back but Josh takes no notice.

"We could run away," Tyler gives another shrug.

"We could, but money is a thing," Josh reminds him. "I've tried for so many jobs here, and I wish I could afford to get a diploma or something, maybe then someone would hire me," Josh sadly exhales, Tyler squishing Josh's arm.

"I believe you can do it,"

Josh smiles.

"Thanks, what are we doing when we get back?" Switching the subject as fast as he can.

"Well do you have to go home?" Tyler prays the answer is no, really not wanting Josh to leave him.

"Probably, work tomorrow," Josh copies Tyler's patented shrug.

"Could you come back to mine for a little bit?" Tyler plays with his own fingers, nail biting the nervous habit away.

"Yeah I could do that! Only for a little bit it's pretty late now," Josh hooks his arm around Tyler's shoulders and rubs his opposite shoulder.

"Okay, can't wait," Tyler smirks a little bit, just to spite Him.