Free & Flightless (Trench)

Chapter 22- Tyler

It may not seem like it, but this is a fairly important chapter. Pay attention frens :)

Tyler

Tyler grasped the collar of Josh's tank top, gasping for air as he huffed desperately. He managed to pull Josh out of the ditch, and collapsed onto the ground beside him right afterward. That was not an easy feat. Tyler breathed in a shuddering breath, before shaking Josh. Once. Twice. Tyler was internally panicking now.
"Wake up, Josh! Wake up!" Tyler shouted, his shouts filling the air with anxiety. He pounded on his own legs, and started sobbing.
"Idiot! You idiot, going after me!" Tyler sobbed.  He tried regaining his composure, and looked at Josh, searching for any definitive injuries. There was a thin but bleeding cut across his left cheek, and his body was lined with bruises from the remorselessness of the river's current.
Tyler was sure there were other injuries he couldn't see, and he knew he needed to know exactly why Josh had passed out. It was most likely the whole 'being underwater too long' thing, but who knew?
Tyler hesitantly lifted up Josh's tank top, nervously peeking at the muscles that lied underneath. He looked at it, only seeing a few surface bruises and cuts. He folded the shirt back down, and paused at the pants. No...it was not his business. Tyler shook his head at the fact he had even considered such a thing. He knew there was no way he would be able to bring Josh back to the Bandito camp. And frankly, Tyler had no current desire to go himself. Tyler clenched his fists. Why wasn't he waking up? Wake up, wake up wake up.
"This isn't fair, Joshua Dun!" Tyler cried. He was clenching his fists so hard, he could feel blood forming from the deepness of his fingernails. He got no answer. Typical.
"You have been nothing but the greatest thing to ever happen to me, Josh! I wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you, and I hardly know you! You have done so much for me. You've saved my life. And I'm trying hard to save you, Josh, but you have to work hard too! I can't do this. I-I'm not, strong enough, I'm weak, I'm pathetic!" Tyler knew he was loosing it. He sobbed like he had never sobbed before, his body racked with the sobs of every single tear he had refused to let fall out of all his time in Dema. Tyler was so thankful for that flower vase that had fallen that fateful day. But now...he needed that magic flower to show itself and unite Tyler and Josh once again.
"I need you," Tyler whispered, his voice cracky as he stifled a hiccup from all his cries. The tears were still falling in earnest, but he wasn't making any sound. He could only sit in silence, for now, wishing for something good to happen that he knew may never come. He wanted.
"Josh...stay alive." Tyler murmured, looking down at his friend. "My best friend, my only friend, the love of my life." He whispered. He needed him.
He was greeted by silence, the kind that sickened him in every single way.
And then, a small slew of words. Broken, wounded, messily bandages words, but words.
"I'm still breathing, Ty."
It was Josh.
He was alive.

—

Tyler dug through his bag, handing Josh the squashed sandwich. "I'm sorry," Tyler said quietly, propping his head on his hands as he looked up at Josh. Josh shrugged, unwrapping the sandwich rather hastily. Tyler silently watched him bite into it, his face momentarily screwing into one of distaste before fixing itself soon after.
"What did you put in this?" Josh asked, eyeing the sandwich suspiciously before taking another two bites. Tyler shrugged.
"Some questionable meat and cheese. With I think lettuce." Tyler commented, shrugging lazily.
"Questionable? As in, heavily poisoned?" Josh pretended to be shocked, but he was just joking. Tyler was getting good at reading jokes and sarcasm. He was even making some jokes himself, and being sarcastic from time to time. Whenever he did, Josh shone like a proud dad or something. It always made Tyler smile.
Tyler had managed to start a fire while Josh was out. It took Josh over a day to fully wake up, but Tyler waited, occasionally trying to get food from the river and failing catastrophically. He was slowly —actually rather quickly—learning the techniques of surviving as a Bandito. Or surviving in general.
"I have a serious question for you, Ty." Josh said after he finished his sandwich up, brushing the crumbs off of his pants. Tyler looked up. He was so glad he had helped Josh. After looking forever and having to guess names of medical supplies that Tyler had randomly packed, he managed to bandage Josh up and put some healing properties on him.
"Okay. What is it?" Tyler asked, shaking his hair out, which was a bit sooty from the fire so close by. Tyler silently watched the shadow of the flames dance across Josh's features and reflect through his mocha eyes.
"I don't remember much of the day I passed out, but I remember you sobbing and screaming." Josh began. Tyler stiffened.
"Uh...I overreacted a bit." Tyler chuckled awkwardly after he spoke. Josh shook his head.
"It seemed like it was long overdue, Tyler. I know something is going on, and I want you to tell me. But first..." Josh smiled a small smile, and Tyler looked at him curiously.
"You called me the love of your life. What, exactly, did you mean?" Josh had a slightly playful smile splayed across his lips, eyes crinkled at the corners. Tyler flushed red.
"I just..i-I don't really think love's for me..but I know...Well I think I know what it means." Tyler began, uncertain of the words he was speaking to Josh.
"What do you think it means?" Josh asked. He seemed genuinely interested.
"I think it's where you really, really care about somebody in your life, so you do anything for them. And you always trust them, and feel welcome with them, and you have a warm feeling in your chest with you're with them and your heart beats a bit faster and you just know in that moment, with them, you're safe. I-I...I think that's love." Tyler said quietly. He smiled up at Josh sheepishly. Josh sat, shellshocked.
"Was i close?" Tyler asked quietly. And Josh laughed a soft laugh that filled Tyler's happiness tank up to the full brim.
"I...you were so spot on. For somebody with no real socialization, you are the most wordy, poetic, and brilliant person I've ever met Tyler Joseph." Josh said with a smile. Tyler smiled back, a little shyly. He wasn't used to praise.
"Ty...like, a friend kind of love is what you mean, right? You're my best friend, and I..like, I love you and care about you, but I wouldn't marry or date you or anything, no offense, y-you're the sweet Tyler, I—" Josh was beginning to ramble, so Tyler cut him off with a small smile and quiet laugh.
"Just platonic. That's a nice word that I don't know the meaning of. I just mean best friend love." Tyler said. Josh abruptly stood up, walking across the small campfire the two had made, and sat beside Tyler. Tyler was about to protest, not wanting his friend to hurt himself, but all Josh did was pull Tyler into the greatest hug of all time.

A/n: long update!
And sorry hardcore Joshler shippers. I'm all for the platonic usually (expect SpookyFace heccccc ya m8)

This is the joshler content to expect in this story out of any. And also
I stan this so much. These are my favorites on my camera roll.

I'm such a softie for these two I stg