- Incoming call from Alien Boy -
Tyler picked up on the first ring, he'd been playing Crossy Roads when Josh called a little past one in the morning, "Hey."
"Ty, is it okay if I come over? I'm a mess right now, man. My anxiety is consuming me. I understand if I can't though," Josh spat out in a shaky voice.
"Yeah, of course you can. Are you okay?"
"I don't know. I'll be there in ten minutes, yeah?"
"Okay, you can just walk in, I'll leave the door unlocked for you."
"Okay. Thanks."
"Sure." Josh hung up and Tyler hit the red button to end the sound of the humming.
***
The boys sat on the living room floor, propped against the couch, knees touching. Tyler could feel Josh shaking. Tyler waited for Josh to say something because he wasn't sure what Josh needed to hear.
"Do you ever feel like things are going too fast?" Josh looked at Tyler, eyes wide.
"Yeah, I do," Tyler answered sincerely. He thought it was time to let Josh in on his private world, "Do you want to know about Slowtown, Josh?"
Josh didn't answer but he stopped shaking his leg so much, giving his attention as fully to Tyler as he could. Tyler began, "I know I don't have as bad anxiety as you do, but for years now I've felt that time goes way too fast as I just sit here stuck. So I made myself a world. I called it Slowtown. I say world, but really it is just a town. But it's safe. Time moves at the pace you need it to. You can think. For as long as you need. There are monsters there just like anywhere, but they can't hurt you. They're like ghouls at haunted houses, they can come close, even reach out for you and jump at you and run at you so suddenly that you forget they can't touch you. But that's the thing; they can't touch you. Only bark, no bite. When I say that I've gone to Slowtown, I have. I'm living in it. I'm pulling back from the present and letting myself fly on autopilot. I'm thinking, I'm slowing down. I'm in Slowtown."
YOU ARE READING
Is Not Saving Someone The Same As Killing Them? || Joshler (Bromance)
FanficBeing Revised (5 years later - Woohoo!) ⚠️CONTENT WARNING - Suicide, Depression, Anxiety, Eating Disorder. Take caution, please. Tyler was depressed. Josh was a ball of anxiety. Both loved music. Neither could truly save the other.
