Free & Flightless (Trench)

Chapter 23- Josh+Tyler

Josh

"I don't know what to do anymore," Josh expressed quietly. He felt Tyler's intent gaze on him, and Josh anxiously glanced upwards, toward Tyler. He was sitting criss-cross on the dead grass, a fire between the two of them. His head was tilting, causing his floof fall over one eye. Josh took in a breath, Tyler's eyes never leaving his own. It was a intense but kind gaze.
"With what?" Tyler asked curiously. His head was still tilted, and Josh was worried he would get a knot in his neck from the position.
"With everything. I-I'm just so scared and angry all of the time, you know?" Josh muttered, racking a hand through his hair. He missed his long it used to be.
"I'm sorry." Tyler murmured, his eyes holding sympathy and mirroring the orange and red flames of the fire between the two friends. 
"Sorry usually isn't enough," Josh began, looking down at his lap. Tyler tensed.
"But it is from you." Josh finished, looking up and meeting Tyler's eyes unwaveringly.
They just looked at each other, all warmth and comfort and safe waves of yellow around the two friends, holding love and kindness.
It didn't last.

—

Tyler

Tyler watched as Josh paced, grumbling incoherently as Tyler watched intently from the ground, his head craned to try to attempt Josh's eyes, to comfort him. Josh ignored Tyler in every way he could.
Tyler sighed, exasperated. "I—Josh? Earth to Josh? Joshua Dun?" Tyler tried to make his tone light and airy, but he was still slightly upset. He didn't like being neglected—not by Josh, anyway. Never Josh.
"Hmm?" Josh mumbled. He had stopped pacing now, and was staring intensely at the forest in the direction of the Bandito camp. Tyler decided to not let it waver his currently slightly upbeat mood. He went to let the fire out, since it was now daytime and the fire did nothing but draw unwanted attention towards the two. Tyler reached forward, about to douse it out.
"I'm tired of tending to this fire, Josh." Tyler grumbled, attempting to put it out.
"Why?" Josh asked, eyes still focused near the Bandito camp's general direction. Tyler tried focusing on the fire. This one seemed harder to put out.
"We've used up all we've collected," Tyler noted, but was abruptly cut off by yelping "ow!"  Josh's head snapped up, staring at Tyler.
"What's wrong?" Josh asked anxiously.
"I've singed my hands." Tyler whined, blowing his hands to stop the burning sensation. Josh dumped some river water over the fire, causing it to flicker out into nothingness. Tyler huffed, eyebrows furrowed as he blew on his hands.
"That's not going to do anything, dork. Let me help." Josh quietly knelt down to where Tyler was sitting, grabbing the first aid kit, and began wrapping his hands methodically. Tyler watched, mesmerized. The creme color of the bandages was a somewhat interesting shade Tyler was sort of unfamiliar with.
"Why were you staring towards the direction of the Bandito camp?" Tyler mused, clenching and unclenching his hands. His hands were a bit charred, it was interesting to him. Josh didn't seem to find it interesting though, because he slid his hands over Tyler's, gently holding his hands. Tyler liked it. It soothed the pain a bit. Josh closed his eyes, before answering Tyler's question.
"You know how the bishops are always in my mind?" Josh whispered. Tyler nodded.
"Well, it's back again. A bit noisily, the static sound of their voices whispering worthlessly horrifying things. I can't stand it..well, I have to." Josh chuckled humorlessly, and Tyler frowned. "I'm sorry," he whispered. Josh didn't seem to like the word sorry very much. Tyler was about to apologize again, but Josh had abruptly dropped Tyler's hands, which stung pretty badly still.
"Josh?" Tyler asked, looking up expectantly and hopefully. What was going on in his friend's head? It was concerning him. Josh momentarily avoided eye contact, before finally looking up. Tyler was happy to see Josh's warm mocha eyes.
But for some reason, they weren't mocha.
They were a dark, crimson red. The red of the Bishops' cloaks. Tyler stood up abruptly.
"Hope you don't mind me borrowing your little friend here." Josh's mouth was moving, but it was Nico's voice coming out of his mouth. Tyler shrunk back, slyly grabbing onto a dagger of Josh's and hiding it behind his back. He was not going to do anything he would regret when it came to Josh's life, but he was willing to hurt a bishop who came near.
"Leave him alone!" Tyler growled, his eyebrows furrowed in pure frustration. Josh, well, Nico, looked at Tyler. His eyes flashed mocha for a moment, and he let out a strangled "help—me—". Josh's voice. Tyler looked around as Josh's eyes turned red once again. Tyler was letting his guard down for only a moment, just to see if a Bishop was nearby. Out of the corner of his eye he watched Josh fall, coughing up a storm as he grasped the dead grass.
"Jo—"

—

Josh

There was nothing he could do. The energy Nico had taken out of him had completely drained Josh, and everything was a whir. He hadn't even seen three of the Bishops appear. One with a glimmering weapon.
"Jo—"
That went into Tyler's side.

A/n: well that was hard to write. My bad. Sorry this took so long to update :>
Anybody else binge watching Voltron season 8?