Trench ➺ joshler [×]

: 5. The Man Behind The Curtains:

Tyler's body was inhumanely pale. Eyes hollowed and his body tucked under a thin sheet. His right arm was hooked up to an IV while his head held a crown of circles attached to it, most likely monitoring his brain.

Josh was a persistent person. After half an hour of fighting and cursing every name in the book the chubby doctor Josh had yet to know the name of allowed him to see Tyler. Of course, not without a guard standing outside the door, peering in once in awhile.
So that's how Josh found himself sitting beside the seemingly uncomfortable bed that belonged to the man he inevitably put in a coma.

Guilt couldn't seem to compare to what the felt. And everytime he glanced at the still heart moniter his own heart dropped. But if the nurses said he was fine, then he'd have some part of hope to believe. It definitely wasn't the strangest thing he's ever seen.

Josh figured he wouldn't leave until he saw Tyler basically do backflips of good health, so he layed his head down on the bed, arms sheilding his vision as he lulled himself to sleep, studying the irregular patterns of beeping and the ongoing droning of the machines.

¡!¡

Slow, loud beeping was the first thing Josh noticed as he slowly drew back into consciousness. Second, was the gentle fingers combing through his insanely curly brown hair. Josh opened his eyes, suppressing his surprise to the best of his ability when he saw soft hazel brown eyes staring casually back at him. His eyes darted up to Tyler's hand, quirking an eyebrow.

"It's only weird if you make it." Tyler stated, referring to his own hand combing through Josh's soft hair.

Josh furrowed his eyebrows, reaching up to grab Tyler's hand and studied his now olive complexion that Josh had grown used to knowing. His skin was almost warmer than Josh's. Which was odd seeing as the shorter man's skin was at a constant 90 degrees.

"Tyler I-"

"It's okay." He said softly, now caressing Josh's arm.

Josh didn't like how casual Tyler was being about the entire situation. He wanted answers, he wanted to scream, mostly at himself for his mistakes, and hug until he couldn't breathe Tyler because he was alive.  But instead Josh replied, "I'm sorry."

Tyler furrowed his eyebrows with genuine curiosity. "For what?"

"I, I hurt you. The whole thing just got way out of hand."

Tyler nodded, glancing down at his free hand, studying his knuckles which still had bruises that should heal in a few hours. "I should've told you, it was my fault." The brunette admitted. "It happens, he doesn't like when Doctor Kavanaugh has us brawl."

Josh slowly nodded, so that was the doctors name. Then Josh remembered the he Tyler hinted at. "Who's he?"

"Doctor K?"

"No," He shook his head. "This guy named Tomas told me that this guy decides if you live or die everytime you... go in a coma."

Tyler stays silent, studying Josh's tense features before his soothing hand stops and Josh secretly wishes back for the feeling. "He does. He's where I get my power."

"Why?" Josh enunciates. He wanted to know everything about Tyler. He peaked his intrest.

"I don't know." Tyler shrugs weakly. "All I know is I can't die, but I can kill others."

Josh furrowed his eyebrows, still confused. "I think we all can kill someone Tyler. You're not alone." He assures. Tyler closes his brown eyes sighing deeply.

"You don't understand." Tyler mumbled.

"Then make me." Josh challenged, determination in his deep neutral brown eyes.

Tyler sits up more in the makeshift 'hospital' bed. He licked his lips, sighing once more as he realized Josh wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. And deep down Tyler wanted to thank him, he hasn't talked about his trauma to anyone else.

"He's not nice, that's for sure." Tyler starts. Josh adjusted himself in the worndown wooden seat as he listened to Tyler with his full attention. "And everything is always some type of, mental game with him. When im in the veil, all I see are glimpses of paper maybe a face here or there and then some type of cryptic message." Tyler took a deep breath, his mind moving at a hundred miles an hour and his mouth only catching every other thought.

"About my power, he draws it from souls." Tyler mumbled ashamed. "That's why I can do alot of things that involve mind and body. Telekinesis, that red energy stuff is just part of the whole package."

"So you haven't even touched the surface of your full potential, huh?" Josh questioned.

T

yler shook his head. "Exactly. That's why I'm here. That's why we wear orange because theres still something there, something more dangerous left within us," Tyler's eyes grow distant "left within me."

"You're not evil, Tyler."
Josh says suddenly.

Tyler looked up at Josh, a crease between his eyebrows as Josh said exactly what he was worried about. It was the first time he's heard that.
Josh has seen that look before. Of regret, of knowing that all you see in your future is the torment and carmage of others. He's worn that face and memorized that prophecy many times.

Tyler smiled. An actual, genuine stupid toothy grin. The brunette realized how intense the situation had gotten, and appreciated Josh's empathy. He also grinned at the fact that he realized through his rants in talking he found his hand in Josh's curly hair once again.

"Hey, you went soft." Tyler teased.

"So did you." Josh chuckled.

"What happened to that constant; 'i hate everyone and everything and care about nothing' attitude?"

Josh stared into Tyler's brown eyes, his hand reaching up to hold Tyler's. Answering his (probably rhetorical question) easily.

"I found someone to care about."