S L O W T O W N

Safety

Tyler shivers as the warm wash cloth is placed against his neck again, softly and carefully scrubbing the black paint away.

Josh rinses it in the basin, wringing it to get rid of all the black, moving back to wash his chest.

Little words had been exchanged, Tyler staring dead ahead without much emotion, fiddling with his hands.

"You didn't hurt yourself, right?" Josh questions, turning to rinse the cloth again.

Tyler shakes his head, sighing.

"I wish. Nothing to do it with," Tyler half laughs, face dropping to serious after a cough once he sees Josh's depressed expression. "No I wouldn't anymore,"

"The droplets on the stairs?" Josh tilts his head.

"Probably paint, I didn't really look too hard when I carried the paints upstairs," he shrugs.

A shared silence fills the air, the only sounds were Josh's footsteps over to the basin and the sound of running water.

"Tyler," Josh takes one of his hands, gently washing it. "Come stay with me for awhile, please. I don't want you alone anymore," Josh grips the stained hand a little tighter.

"I promise you won't have to eat potatoes, or be lonely. You can bring your ukulele!" Josh promises.

Tyler bites his lower lip, thinking for a moment.

He really could leave, he could go stay with Josh, he could be less lonely, he could try for a normal life.

"Okay, okay I'll come," Tyler, nervous, squeezes Josh's hand back. "What should I pack? What should I do about the house?"

"Just lock it? I don't know, you'll be coming back," Josh shrugs, moving onto Tyler's other hand, tenderly holding it as he cleaned.

"Oh," Tyler swallows, thinking over what he wanted to take with him.

"You can always borrow my stuff," Josh smiles lovingly, Tyler giggling. "Steal my hoodies and sweatpants,"

"That's what I'm here for,"

"I like this," Josh drops the washer into the basin, turning and leaning his lower back against the vanity.

"Like what?"

"You being the old Tyler, I like that,"

"It doesn't bother you I have blood on my hands?"

Josh scoffs.

"Oh it bothers me, everyday. I'm currently panicking in your presence, but something tells me to trust you," Josh gives a content sigh.

"I'm never going to hurt you," Tyler's gaze fixated on the tiles, he means it, unsure if Josh would ever believe him.

Josh dries off his hands, passing the towel to Tyler so he can do the same.

He stands, heading into his room, flicking the actual light on and dismantling the blue bulb, pulling out clothing and stuffing it inside his backpack.

Josh follows, pulling out things he thinks Tyler would look good in, teasing him slightly with fingers drawing across his lower back, 'accidentally' touching his ass.

"I think that's all," Tyler slings the straps over his shoulders, gasping and jumping before snatching his ukulele off the desk, holding it tight, eyes running across everything in the room, just in case he had forgotten something.

They settle on the picture of him, smiling in between his parents, Tyler's mouth tightens into a small line.

"You okay?" Josh slips his fingers into Tyler's, giving him a small squeeze.