Free & Flightless (Trench)

Chapter 27-Josh

a/n: I have no idea when this story will end lmao
Another/n: uhh so I know Blurryface is Tyler's insecurities and that it's usually written as another person/voice in his head. Blurry still is a voice in Ty's head, but the origin story is different. Don't give me h8 for a new twist plz and thank you :)

Josh

Josh stared at Tyler. "What's a Blurryface?" Josh asked, breaking the suddenly uncomfortable silence that had fallen between the two. Tyler rubbed his temple, and the motion made Josh feel like he had screwed up, and not a little—a lot. He hated screwing it all up; his anxiety was off the charts.
"My insecurities physical form. Sort of. A mindset that Nico created to always remind me on how I screwed everything up...a voice in my head, sort of. But I'm not crazy." Tyler looked like he was panic(!)king (of the clouds), and Josh wanted nothing more than to calm him down. He didn't know how, though.
"How would the Bishops be able to conjure it up inside of you again?" Josh interrogated, his eyebrows furrowed. He was trying so hard to understand what Tyler was saying.
"W-well, Nico o-originally created Blurryface i-inside of me, so.." Tyler trailed off, shaking his head. Josh noticed he did that a lot.
"Just relax, Ty. We'll figure this all out." Josh attempted to comfort Tyler.
"I-I'm not sure." Tyler stammered, his eyes glazed over as if he was seeing something that wasn't quite there. It hurt Josh seeing Tyler like this, when he had only just woken up.
"Will we ever catch a break?" Tyler mumbled, his shoulders slumped. Josh frowned, looking at Tyler sympathetically. Only moments earlier they were cuddling...he wanted that back.
"We will...some day." Josh reassured.
"On our deathbed," Tyler grumbled. Josh looked up in surprise: where was the sweet, innocent, and scared Tyler who had accidentally nearly killed Josh with a flower vase? A Goner.
Josh stared off into space. "Don't say that." Josh mumbled, lost in thought. Tyler muttered out a sorry, but Josh didn't acknowledge it. He didn't understand. Keons and Listo had lied? But why would they? It just wasn't fair to Josh. Or Tyler. Or any of them. Tyler buried his face in Josh's shoulder, his small frame evidentially shaking, from fear most likely.
Jenna chose this as the right time to step into the tent. To Josh's disappointment, Debby stood beside him, glaring at Tyler. Tyler kept his face buried in Josh's shoulder, refusing to acknowledge the two girls before them.
"What?" Josh asked quietly. Jenna looked around the tent. "When did Tyler wake up?" She asked. Josh shrugged.
"A little bit ago, why?" He muttered, looking Jenna and Debby up and down skeptically. Jenna tucked one of her blonde locks behind her ear, her colorful eyes slightly more widened than normal. Josh straightened up, causing Tyler to grumble out a protest before removing his face from the crook of Josh's shoulder, looking down at his lap silently.
"Hate to be a party pooper," Debby began. Josh rolled his eyes: what was that girl's deal? Jenna elbowed Debby, and the two exchanged glances before Debby continued speaking.
"But...oh, what the hell. There's like three huge problems right now, and you're doing nothing Josh! You're basically the leader now that Brendon ended up being a treacherous asshole, and you're sitting here coddling Tyler like he's a stupid infant!" Debby whined. Josh jumped up, storming over to her and going into her face in the blink of an eye.
"Don't talk to me like that." Josh snarled. Debby smirked, her ginger hair blowing a bit in Josh's face. He swatted it away, annoyed and entirely aware that Jenna and Tyler were watching the whole spectacle.
"don't tell me what to do," Debby retorted, licking her lips. Josh backed up a bit in a movement of pure distaste.
"Don't call me the leader then," Josh responded smugly. Debby scoffed, flipping her hair away. He knew she was pining for him, but he had no desire to date such a bitch. (No h8 to Debby ofc).
"whatever." Debby grumbled. Josh smirked, feeling triumphant. He looked over at Tyler, expecting a smug expression on the boy's face. All Josh could see was pure fear.
"W-What are the three problems?" Tyler whispered, his eyes wide. Debby looked at him, then Jenna, then finally Josh.
"Well, for one, you two were so oblivious you didn't even see the small cluster of Bishops come here and slit some Banditos' throats—" Debby began coldly. Josh cut her off.
"Wait, what the hell?! We would've heard that!" Josh exclaimed. Tyler backed into the corner of the tent, his eyes staring intently at something that wasn't there. Jenna cleared her throat.
"Two, we caught wind that Dema has been put into the announcement of a State of emergency." Jenna continued for Debby, who was growling like some uncontrollable cat.
"And three?" Tyler mumbled, looking up. Josh looked at his friend. Were his eyes a bit of a different color? Probably just a trick of the light.
"And three," Jenna began, taking in a big breath. "It appears we have found ourselves in a Lion's den."

A/n: shorter update. I think I finally have this story somewhat planned out, and finally dropped the big one that was in the story's description from so long ago.