crybaby | joshler ✓

SIXTEEN

joshua couldn't even look at his sister. he felt so guilty. it was eating him alive. he couldn't believe he let their father lay a hand on ashley. he had let her down. he had made her feel unsafe. ashley and joshua were sitting on their own runned down couch that smelt of alcohol. their father wasn't home and joshua sweared the next time he saw him he was going to kill him. he wanted to kill him.

ashley was drawing in her notebook while joshua was having a silent panic attack. everything in his life was too much right now. he was so infatuated with tyler joseph that it hurt to even be apart from him. but he couldn't like him. he shouldn't feel that way about another man. the fact that he wasn't there to protect ashley caused even more anxiety. he just wished it would all go away. he was tired.

ashley heard heavy breathing and she looked up from her notebook confused. she then saw joshua shaking and she dropped her notebook and went to joshua's side.

"bubby whats wrong?" she asked running her fingers through joshua's faded red curls. she knew that calmed him down the most. a choked sob escaped joshua's mouth as he started hyperventilating. he couldn't breathe and ashley was scared. she didn't know what to do in these situations. joshua has been having panic attacks lately and she didn't know what to do. she was scared.

"i-im sorry" her older brother whispered to ashley as he started choking. it was never this bad an ashley didn't know what to do. she remembered that tyler gave joshua his home phone number and she knew he needed him right now.

"joshie i'll be right back okay?" she said as she started to get up but joshua pulled her back down. "a-ashley d-dont leave i-im sorry" he sobbed out as he clung on to her. ashley's eyes started to fill with tears. "i promise i'll be right back okay? you're okay i'm not going anywhere" she promised and she walked up the creaky stairs and into joshua's room. she searched around his desk until she found a piece of paper with tyler's number. she grabbed the phone off of joshua's desk and began turning the numbers. after 3 rings tyler picked up.

"hello?" he asked confusingly.

"tyler i-its ashley, joshua's sister, please come here now, i can't calm him down and he's having a panic attack and i need you here" tyler's face went pale.

"what's the address? i'm walking out now" ashley told him the address and she hunged up and walked downstairs. joshua was still shaking on the couch. ashley wrapped her arms around joshua and rocked him.

"it'll be okay bubby, i promise. please don't get mad but i called tyler to come over here" joshua's eyes widened and he shook his head, letting out breaths.

"a-ashley no he can't see our house, he c-cant" he cut himself off with a sob. "joshua he doesn't care about that. he cares about you. nothing is going to stop him from helping you" as soon as those words left ashley's mouth she heard tyler knock. joshua started panicking, making up things in his head. he didn't want tyler to leave him.

once ashley answered the door tyler walked in and looked around the run downed house. it was horrible. beer glasses everywhere, cigarettes butts lingering around the house and tyler's heart broke at the thought that the boy he loved, lived like this. he shook the thought out of his head and went over to joshua.

"hey" tyler whispered. joshua immediately wrapped his arms around tyler, relaxing into his touch. ashley went up stairs to leave the two alone.

"im so sorry tyler" joshua whispered, wiping the tears from his eyes. tyler frowned. "you have nothing to be sorry for. you're safe, okay? you're safe" he repeated softly into his hair. josh smiled for a second before frowning.

"i lied to you. my father his ashley last night and i wasn't here to protect her and its been eating me alive because i didn't make her feel safe. and i just have these overwhelming feelings for you, tyler and i don't know how to stop them or handle them. i like you but im scared" his voice cracked with every word. tyler smiled. he hugged joshua tighter and kissed his forehead.

"we don't have to worry about that now, love. you do everything you can to keep your sister safe. i promise you she doesn't think of you any less after what happened" he said softly to joshua. he had calmed down since tyler arrived. he nodded even though he didn't fully believe it.

"i got tears on your dress" joshua laughed lightly. "it's okay. tears are only temporary."

30 minutes later ashley walked down stairs to see joshua fast asleep in the smaller boys chest. tyler was playing with her brother's hair and he never looked so peaceful and relaxed. she smiled and walked towards them.

"i packed a bag for joshua and i. is it okay if we stay with you for the night? i don't want joshua here right now" tyler nodded and looked down at the sleeping boy. his mouth was slightly parted and soft snores were escaping his mouth. he adored this boy.

"thank you, tyler. we really appreciate everything you do."

"i would do anything for your brother. anything."