Free & Flightless (Trench)

Chapter 6- Josh

Josh

I raked a hand through my hair. By the time we got to the teardrop-shaped opening, it was almost morning. The pastel sunrise's colors were fighting the stormy clouds that were steadily rolling in around DEMA. Beside me, Tyler slipped his arm from around me for stability and he stood mostly straight. He wasn't putting any pressure on his left foot though, I noticed. I didn't say anything though, since I felt it wasn't my place. Tyler looked at me, his head cocked to the side like a dog waiting for a treat. His eyes were wide with curiosity.
"Where are we going?" He asked. His voice was nervous as his bottom lip quivered. I looked at him.
"To the Bandito camp, where it'll be safe." I said, eyes slowly drifting away from the curious skin-and-bones boy. He looked lost, eyes glassy and confused, even though he was following me and I knew my way around here backwards and forwards and everywhere in between.
"So where are we going, exactly?" Tyler asked wistfully, his eyes scanning the terrain admirably. I thought about it for a moment. After all, I wasn't used to explaining everything to somebody-people usually just..knew. 
"It's called Trench. It's a location, but also an object, and a well-being, an era. It's everything and..nothing, really." I explained it vaguely, but Tyler looked terrified by my explanation.
"I'll simplify it..." I offered. Tyler nodded.
"It's basically, to the Banditos, a place where we stay that conveys hope and light to us. Metaphorically." I was really horrible with explaining, wasn't i?
"So, metaphorically it had a deeper meaning but technically, it's physically and currently a location?" Tyler concluded. I stared at him, surprised at how profound the statement was.
"Yeah...uh, that's basically it..." I said, astounded. Tyler smiled a surprisingly adorable and natural smile. It looked right and flawless on his face, something that should be there all of the time. The crinkles that appear on the corners of his eyes, the laughter lines dancing across his face and the dimples fitting along his mouth.
"That's interesting." Tyler said. Normally I wouldn't believe it when somebody said that but the way Tyler said it was just so...well, convincing.
"Yeah, I guess it is." Josh wasn't good at small talk, that was for sure. Tyler didn't seem to be the master of it either, but after all, he did spend most of his life in a socially broken and horrific place- DEMA. I looked at him with a curious glimmer in my eyes.
"What?" Tyler asked quietly, eyes widening like I saw a spider on him or something.
"Nothing, I was just...admiring your personality." I said sheepishly, feeling the color abruptly rush to my face. I looked down nervously as we walked, feeling Tyler's curious gaze boring into me. Reluctantly I turned and looked at him, smiling a pathetically worthless smile. However, silence ensued soon after.
"You have nice hair." Tyler said after a moment. I looked up, surprised. That is not what I had expected him to say, at all, whatsoever. My cheeks flushed a crimson blood sort of red, and Tyler shocked me again and giggled.
Giggled.
I stared at him, even more bewildered. How could somebody be so sweet? It was admirable, as well as almost certainly impossible.
"That was a little kid laugh, Tyler. You just laughed like a small child." I said, smirking. Now it was Tyler's turn to turn a bright red.
"N-no I don't! I-I mean didn't! I..." Tyler's shoulders slumped and I smacked his back in a playfully sympathetic way.
"Better luck next time, Tyler Joseph." I joked. Tyler had stopped walking and was staring ahead. I turned away from him to look at what he was staring at. Trench curved out all around us in its valley like features, and straight ahead was the Bandito camp, torches and bonfires ablaze. Above flew the vultures. I couldn't help but grin. I sure did miss this place, even though it wasn't for very long I was gone.
"Oh yeah." I said in realization as Tyler's jaw dropped even further to the ground as I passed him a yellow tape roll from my bag absentmindedly after I quickly and efficiently reapplied my own yellow tape across my chest.
"Huh?" Tyler mumbled, yanking his gaze from the camp before us to me.
"Welcome to Trench."

*levitate intensifies*
Sorry for any grammar errors (chuckled nervously)
And Happy Halloween, my spooky peoples! I was stressed out Tyler. Lemme know if I should post a pic of it (without my face it'll be blurry. Ayyyy)
I got a lotta insults for carrying a ukulele around and being dressed as a dude but oh well.
Have a spooky day y'all :)