Delicate | JOSHLER

one hundred

"Come on Joshie," Tyler said, their voice comforting. "Don't you wanna be with me forever?"

I looked up at Tyler, instantly cursing myself for it. Their brown eyes were soft and pleading.

"It'll be quick, Joshie, and then I'll never need to lose you."

"I have a family," I muttered.

"You have a mother," they replied.

I sighed, leaning my head in my hands. "You're right. She will be alone if I leave her. I can't."

"But... Don't you love me?" Tyler crawled closer to me on the bed, batting their eyelashes at me. "Please Joshie. Don't leave me alone."

"But why can't you just stay with me like this?"

"You know why. You know that I'm fading. Now that he's gone... There's no reason for me to be here anymore."

"Am I not reason enough?"

Tyler frowned. "You know that's not how it works."

"This isn't fair."

"I know."

"I don't want to leave mom."

"We don't have to. Once you're dead we can stay here."

"Do you promise?"

Tyler nodded silently.

I picked up the bottle of pills and flipped it over in my hands.

"I promise," Tyler pressed when they noticed I was hesitating again. "I promise, I promise."

I nodded and opened the bottle, looking at them. They nodded and pushed a bottle of water. "You're doing the right thing, Joshie."

I looked at his chocolate brown eyes one more time. God, I was head over heels. I took the bottle of water from him and dumped the pills into my hand.