Southern Gothic // Joshler

13. Stove

Suicidal idealization / mentions of panic attacks

The duo didn't leave Josh's house for a long while. They didn't leave for church, which Tyler deemed too dangerous, and instead spent every waking moment trying to plan out what they were going to do to destroy the church instead.

It took them three days to finally have the courage to say it out loud.

"We're going to kill Father Urie." Tyler said timidly, finally looking up at Josh, who sat across from him at the dining room table. They had been working on plans for the entirety of the day, legs lazily intertwined under the table as they worked. Tyler was dreadfully ignoring the thunder that was booming outside, not daring to look out the windows. "He's the head of the church, right?"

Josh nodded, moving the sketch of the church layout that Tyler had helped him draw out underneath the lamp light from the chandelier that hung above them both. Bringing it into full view, he studied it for a moment before responding, "And the Preacher."

"And the Preacher." Tyler parroted, jotting that down onto the notepad to his right. The whole paper was a mess of scribbled writing.

"We have to buy more bullets," Josh said softly, looking up at Tyler, who met looked back at him with worried eyes. Both of them knew the town already knew about the deaths of both their families. Word spread fast any time something other than the usual happened.

"It'll be fine, Josh." Tyler reassured him, reaching across the table and grabbing his hand. He rubbed his thumb over Josh's palm gently.

"They'll know," Josh muttered, tears welling in his eyes. Tyler could feel him beginning to tremble. Pulling away from Tyler, Josh took in a shaky breath as he stared at the boy across from him. "They'll know what we're trying to do-"

"No they won't." Tyler stated. "They know we killed them. Guns can't fire without bullets, Josh."

Josh stood up abruptly, pacing around his side of the table as he tried to breathe. "They're going to know and we're going to-"

"Josh!" Tyler interrupted, standing up as well. A clap of thunder shook the house, and both of them jumped. He rounded the table and pulled Josh into a tight hug, who brought his arms around Tyler's waist in return. "It's going to be fine. I promise. We'll go get more bullets in the morning, I promise. I still have some for the shotgun anyway, it's already loaded upstairs."

Josh nodded against Tyler's shoulder dejectedly. "Okay."

Pulling back a bit, Tyler pressed a chaste kiss to Josh's cheek. "We'll make some dinner, yeah?"

"Okay," Josh said softly, sitting back down as he pulled away from Tyler. "What do you want?"

"Don't worry about it." Tyler responded as he moved over towards the pantry. "I'll make it."

Humming to himself, Tyler pulled out a can of green beans and potatoes as Josh got back to work. They were running low on food, too, and Tyler almost wanted to just go out to eat with the money he had stolen after going back into the master bedroom. But they had to hold out until morning. Josh would go buy groceries, Tyler would go buy bullets. They'd meet in the square and walk home together. Then they'd execute the deed the following Sunday.

They were almost free.

Almost.

Tyler sang softly as he pulled a pot out of the cupboard and placed it onto the stove, igniting the gas and smiling as a flame came to fruition.

"Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high,"

He opened the can with the can opener next to the fridge. They had been having a lot of canned foods in the past few days because it was the most abundant thing in the house.