Under Control/Joshler

6.

Tyler's pov:
White noise, blocked nose, terribly dry mouth, heavy head. I very carefully levered up an eyelid and shut it again fast. A merciless sunbeam had squirted straight in my eye, making my brain bleed. I knew the severity of the hangover when I heard Josh breathing next to me.

"Argh..." I sat up in bed with that rather unpleasant feeling you get sometimes that you're going to die in about five minutes. I hear my blood rushing around through tight passages that is giving me an awful ache in my brows. "Was I drinking bleach last night, Jesus..." I say aloud yet quietly. I just be careful not to wake Josh. If I were to, I bet there would be a ray of vomit painting the bed.

I tiptoe to the kitchen to douse myself with painkillers and anything else that could work miracles. I take some through for Josh, along side a spare bowl we never use and a glass of water. I silently slide the pills and water on the bedside drawer and the bowl beside it. You can never be too careful.

I'm sat here battling an angel and a devil on my shoulder. Do I stay in bed and sleep away my regrets? Or do I take a shower that could help with my headache but it could also have an adverse reaction. I choose the second one. Trying to be as silent as a mouse, I tip toe to the bathroom. Even the noise of the shower head spitting into the bath is giving me a migraine! But, the warm water runs down my neck and back feels like I've been touched by God himself! It feels like all my muscles have been unwinded and relaxed. I am on Cloud Nine.

Josh doesn't seem to be though. I hear curses and groans from the bedroom. Someone's regretting last night...not like I can talk, I relate. I turn the shower off and I wrap a towel around myself. I warily creep through to the bed room, being cautious not to make a sound. With the curtains still drawn and no lights are on, I tap against all the furniture to find the drawers for some fresh clothes. I pull over one of Josh's huge hoodies and some pants. "Is that my hoodie?" I jerk my head to see where that sound has come from. It's Josh, and he looks rough. He's across the bed with one eye open, the other shut tightly. "Shhh" I tell him as I close the door on him.

~~~

My eyes struggle to stay open as I tap and type away on my college work. From keeping the blinds shut securely and occasionally slapping myself to stay awake, I've found that nothing is working. I simply can't do my work like this. I stand from my desk but that makes my head spin in crazy circles. If I feel like this, I can't imagine how Josh is feeling right now. "Food. I need food" I mumble pointlessly to myself. I drag my sore feet through to the kitchen to gouge on some good hangover food. I pry open the cupboard and the red and green post-it notes are still stuck to cans, packets and jars. Perhaps I could eat peanut butter on toast? But the peanut butter has a red post-it note attached to it. I check the calories, anyway. 190?! No. I think not. Il just have some butter on toast instead.

A couple bites of the toast in and my brain and jaw have a shock. My calories. How many calories was in those drinks last night? Shit! Oh no, oh no, no no...that must be over a thousand, at least, right? Especially all the mixers! They're full of artificial sweeteners. I was doing so good with my calorie count! Ugh, I've let myself down. I put down my last slice of half eaten toast after losing my appetite, and I chuck it in the bin.

~~~

Josh's pov:
This is the WORST hangover I've had in a long time. That was the first time in ages I've drunk, so that explains a lot.

I hang the bed cover over my head and I stumble out to the living room where Tyler happens to be. He is slouched against the arm of the couch. He looks as rough as I feel; he looks drained, his hair looks messy and he has huge bags under his eyes. "Morning, Dada" his eyes squint when he smiles at me. "Mor-" instead of saying 'morning', my dry ass throat scratches and causes me to start choking my lung up. "Cough it up, it might be a gold watch" He jokes cutely. "Morning, petal" I get out finally, my voice strained and raspy. "Petal? That's new".

I join him on the sofa. I offer him some cover but he declines my generous offer. Instead I wrap myself in the cover and I rest my head on his lap, obligingly letting him massage his long fingers through my unpleasant feeling hair. From time to time, he'll softly rub the back of his finger across my cheek. I could fall asleep right now. He stops playing with my hair, and I frown at the loss of contact. I look up at him and he's counting on his fingers, for something for the other. "What'cha counting?" "Calories". "Why calories?" I am baffled. "I didn't keep track of my calories yesterday, and I'm trying to add what I know", "You really are being serious about this diet, aren't you?". I watch as he flicks his imaginary long luscious hair, "I'm committed".

~~~

"Now, now. It's okay. Urgh. Are you done?". 
Tyler force fed me food against my will. He thought it would help with my stomach ache. But here we are. "Breathe, take a breather-gack-I'm sorry Josh, I can't" I hear him basically running away from the bathroom. He made me like this, he can at least see me through it. I can't blame him though, he doesn't deal with sick, at all. The toilet flushes and takes away the sight and smell from 5 minuets ago and I slide down the side of the wall, feeling my stomach loosen up and my head now only ache and throb on one side.

Tyler knocks on the open door very very quietly, as if it had feelings. "...Are you done?.." his voice is shaky and he sounds nervous. "Yes, sweetie" my words are short and sounds blocked due to my throat feeling burnt from the acid. "C-can I come in? Or do you feel like you're gonna-", "Of course you can". He peeps his head around the door steps one foot in. He sprays the contaminated area with some air freshener and takes a seat opposite me trying to keep his distance. He slides me over a bottle of water and tells me to only 'take sips'. "I don't know how you manage to deal with me being sick" Tyler says in disgust. "Remind me to never drink again" I groan painfully as I rest my head on the closed toilet lid. He changes the subject, and twists the shower handle which forms a fog of steam. "Take a shower, it'll make you feel better", "You're beginning to sound a lot like me..." I squint my eyes suspiciously, "Well, someone's too irresponsible to take a hold of this relationship right now" he looks me up and down sassily, clearly having a dig at me. "You was drin-" "I told you not over do it, didn't I?" he raises an eyebrow at me. Wow. Now I know what he feels like when I tell him off, yeesh.

~~~

Tyler's pov:
"Darling, can you get your paci?" Josh mumbles from under the pile of blankets and covers from the other end of the couch. "I don't feel little today", I take my eyes off the tv and I refuse to make eye contact, so instead, I fiddle with a pillow tucked inbetween the couch and my knees. "Why? What's up, petal?" Josh pulls the blanket off his head and looks concerned. "I feel bad at not counting my calories and being healthy, that's all" my finger traces around the pattern of the pillow. "You was drunk, you can't expect yourself to write down everything you put in your mouth. Awh,  c'mere" he holds open a space for me next to him. "I'll be in the study".

The search engine pops up.
'How to burn calories'.