Child • Jøshler

chapter thirty five

"Okay" Tyler began, exhaling and putting his hands into his jeans' pockets "When the doctor comes here, he's gonna ask us what happened. What are you thinking we could say?"

Josh chuckled "Calm down, that's the last thing you need to worry about"

Tyler's brows furrowed as he watched Josh. Soon, a tall man was approaching the two and Tyler redirected his gaze. The doctor stood in front of them with papers in hands.

"Josh" he nodded at the pink haired boy.

"Mr Weekes" Josh put his hand out to shake the doctor's hand. Tyler's eyes widened at the name.

"My boy safe?" the doctor asked, looking at Josh above his glasses.

Josh nodded firmly, smiling "Yes, sir. Brendon took him home"

"Good" Dr Weekes said. He gestured for the three of them to walk over to one of the beds with his hand. The bed was hidden by a lightgreen curtain "Listen now, I don't even wanna know how Peter go these"

"Yeah, I think it's for the best if you don't know" Josh replied, sounding very serious. And making Tyler pretty confused. If Dallon's father knows there's something going on with the kids, why isn't he doing something about it?

"You can step closer once the curtain's away, yes?" Dr Weekes instructed, expecting nods and getting those exactly.

"Yes, sir"

Once the tall man was behind the curtain, Josh sighed and turned to Tyler.

"That's Dal's Dad?" Tyler asked quietly, eyes wide open.

Josh laughed softly "Yeah, he's cool. Kinda old school, but still cool"

Tyler was ready to ask a billion other questions, about Dr Weekes, about Patrick, about Pete, about "them", about so many freaking things. He was goddamn confused and was also highkey hating that. But just when he decided which question to start with, Josh spoke.

"Y'know, I think it's very impressive. How you carried both of us all the way here"

Tyler's mouth shut in an instant. His lips curled into a smile and he looked away from Josh, trying to hide the blush that appeared on his face. Bingo, he impressed Josh. He's really damn good at this, wow. Maybe he'll be writing a love cook book someday, who knows.

"Ah, it's nothing!" Tyler waved Josh's words off with a laugh.

Josh laughed a little, but tried to speak in a serious tone "C'mon, if it weren't for you, Pete would be in a condition much worse than he is in like this"

Before Tyler could say anything, the curtain was moved by Dr Weekes. Josh and Tyler stepped closer to the hospital bed, their facial expressions sad due to the sight. The net was just a series of squares, thus Pete's whole body was now filled in square-shaped scares. Most of his body was pretty tolerable for eyes, but his face was just something that could make you cry. One of the lines went straight across his left eye. Under such heat, he probably lost the eye. There was a piece of white cloth over his left eye, so the boys figured it really wasn't a pretty sight. The right side of his lips was fully burnt, leaving a scar instead of the soft pink lips. That one long line crossed over his nose as well, leaving it slightly deformed, but it wasn't as bad as his eye or his lips. Another line of the net missed his right eye for only an inch, thank God.

Pete tried to smiled at the boys, but it looked like a very bad smile "Hey guys"

"Hey Pete" Tyler and Josh said in sync what made their heads shot up to each other again. Both just giggled and turned their gazes to the floor.

"How's Patty?" was Pete's first question. He was moving his eye from Tyler to Josh, impatient.

"For God's sake, Pete!" Josh shook his head and laughed "You've just been through the worst pain you'll ever feel in your life and the only thing you worry about is the world's best killing machine!"

Tyler let out a shaky breath, not finding this as a time to joke even though Josh seemed to be amusing Pete "We haven't heard from Patrick"

"Boys! Focus! I have things to say!" Dr Weekes snapped his fingers multiple times, making all three boys look at him. He was standing on the side of the bed opposite to where Tyler and Josh stood.

Pete blinked twice curiously.

"First of all, I really don't think there's anything we'll be able to do about your eye, Peter" Dr Weekes began, speaking in a sad tone "The eye is soft and the eyelid is thin - they burned fast. At least your other eye is still functional. The rest of the scars all along your body are something you'll have to live with. At first they might hurt, but later on they'll be just a visual thing. I'm sorry, Peter. I can't really say much, because I don't know how you got yourself into this. Do you have any questions?"

"Can I still have sex?"

Josh and Tyler burst out laughing, but Dr Weekes shushed them before answering "Yes, Peter, you can. Even though, I don't see the need of that. You're a high school senior, you shouldn't have sex before marriage"

Tyler and Josh laughed. Pete did too, in the boundaries the pain made for him.

"Pete?!" Patrick appeared out of nowhere, making his way to Pete's bed and hugging Pete ever so carefully once he reached him "Oh God, I was so worried"

"Thank you, baby" Pete closed his eye, loving every single bit of the fact he's finally holding (or being held) by his love "You save my life. I love you"

"I love you too" Patrick started to cry.