twø faces

1

Josh was awakened by a scream. His heart immediately started racing. He held his breath, wondering who it was. It sounded close, like it was coming from-

"JOSH!" Josh recognized Tyler's voice and scrambled out of bed. He found the door to his bedroom and raced into the hallway. Then he opened Tyler's door and stopped once he was inside. Tyler wasn't in his bed. He was lying on the floor. Josh rushed over and fell to his knees in front of Tyler. Tyler spoke. "Josh, he made me." Josh could hear the helplessness in Tyler's voice. He glanced at Tyler's arms, which were covered in cuts. Josh couldn't tell how bad they were, but his heart sunk at the sight.

"Come on, Tyler." Josh helped him up and guided him through the dark to the bathroom. When he turned on the light, his eyes immediately shut. It was painful. Josh sat Tyler on the toilet and grabbed a washcloth. He got it wet and started cleaning up some of the blood. Tyler was shaking, so Josh grabbed one of his hands. It had blood on it, but that wasn't Josh's concern at the moment. He just needed to calm Tyler down, let him talk about it if he wanted to, and then put him back to sleep. He'd barely remember anything in the morning.

"Josh."

Josh looked up at Tyler. His expression was mostly blank, with a little panic in it. "Yes, Tyler?"

"I hate him."

"I know. I hate him too."

"Really?" Tyler now had the ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Yes, really," Josh assured him, returning to what he was doing before, trying to mop up the blood coming from wounds that were thankfully not too deep. There was no way he couldn't hate something that did this to Tyler.

"Are you sure you hate me?" Josh glanced up again to find a new expression on his friend's face. His eyes had an intensity to them, an almost mad glee. And Josh noticed he said "me," not "him."

"Blurryface?" Josh asked, slightly confused and slightly scared that he would do something more to Tyler.

Tyler smiled. "You said you hated me."

Josh glared at him. "I do."

The smile turned into a smirk. "That's funny."

"Leave now." The command in Josh's voice surprised him, but it didn't phase Blurryface.

"You don't want me to leave." He shook his head slightly, eyes staying locked on Josh's.

"Yes, I do want you to leave." Josh didn't know if Blurryface would listen to him. He didn't listen to Tyler. But that was different.

Tyler leaned forward a bit. "No, you don't." Tyler tumbled off the toilet, tackling Josh. Josh would have reacted more violently if it wasn't for what happened next.

Their lips met.

It was obviously intentional on Blurryface's part, but it still took Josh by surprise. He couldn't react until Tyler had him pinned to the ground with his own body. Or Blurryface had Josh pinned with Tyler's body. Josh felt his lips part as Tyler's tongue forced it's way inside his mouth. A shudder ran through Josh's body. Blurryface gave a small sound that was almost a laugh and gripped Josh's upper arms tightly. Josh's heart was pounding, and he didn't know what to do. Eventually, he turned his head to the side, forcing Tyler's mouth to leave his. It just moved to his neck, causing another shudder to course through his body. Josh tried to shake free, but Tyler's whole weight had him down.

"Hey!" Josh kept struggling. "Stop!" He pushed on Tyler's torso with his hands, but his arms didn't have much strength because of the upper half of them were still being pressed painfully against the ground.

Tyler's lips found their way to Josh's ear. He whispered, "Tell me you don't hate me, and I'll let you go."

"Let me go!" Josh struggled some more, but still couldn't shake him off.

"Tell me you don't hate me," Blurryface said more forcefully.

"I don't hate you," Josh snapped.

He pecked Josh on the cheek before rolling to the side. Josh immediately grabbed Tyler's arms and looked at his face, but he was asleep.

***

The next morning, Josh woke up wishing it was all a bad dream. The bruises on his upper arms proved otherwise, and he headed down the hall to make breakfast. Tyler was sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal. The box and milk were on the table in front of him. He looked up when Josh walked in.

"Hey Josh." He gave a slight smile.

"Hey." Josh wondered if he knew what happened last night. Was Tyler aware? That would be so embarrassing.

"I'm sorry about last night."

Josh froze.

"He just repeats it over and over until I do it. He won't let me sleep until I do it."

Was he just talking about cutting? "Don't apologize. I'm just glad I'm here to help." Josh grabbed a bowl and a spoon.

"I don't remember anything after we got in the bathroom. Did I fall asleep while you were cleaning my arms?"

So he didn't remember. Josh felt some relief. "Yeah, you did." He sat down at the table and grabbed the cereal box.

"Sorry. Did you have to drag me all the way back to my room?"

"You're not that heavy." Josh was actually surprised he didn't wake Tyler up with all the dragging he had to do.

"Well thanks. You're a good friend."

"No problem." Josh poured his milk and started eating.

Tyler was already done, so he stood up and started putting the things away. "I have work soon, so I'll be leaving in a few minutes."

"Got it," Josh said through a mouthful of milk and cereal.

After a few minutes, Tyler grabbed his keys and walked to the door. "See you later."

"Bye."

The door slammed shut, and Josh set his spoon down.

He pulled his sleeve up to look at the hand-shaped bruise on his arm. Did Tyler seriously not remember what happened last night? And what was Blurryface's business kissing him like that? Blurryface had to know Tyler had a girlfriend. And he couldn't possibly know that Josh...

That wasn't possible.

The thoughts terrified Josh. He didn't understand what had happened.

It consumed his thoughts all day. Thankfully, Josh had the day off from work. He headed off to the garage to clear his head with some drumming, and ended up losing himself in it for a few hours.

__________________

why did i start yet another book i won't be able to write? no idea

hope you enjoy it anyway <3