27. Stuff

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I missed you. xx

***Trigger warnings for drug use, dissociation, revenge porn, mentions of sexual activity, and extremely inaccurate information about hacking. (You would think after this many years of absence I would have taken the time to learn how hacking works, but I'm not going to do that.)***

Start the song. It's Be Careful with Yourself by Julia Jacklin.

Tyler was in no way prepared for the intricacies that would be required in order for Josh and Pete to not only remove the photos of him off of the porn site, but to somehow hack Blake's phone from Alabama to delete them from there too. Apparently, they had already worked out a plan that they had complete confidence in, and all that was required of Tyler was that he called Blake and kept him on the phone long enough for Pete to hack his way in.

"No," Ashley responded immediately, cutting Josh off mid-sentence as he explained this plan to Tyler. "We're not putting Tyler in contact with someone who's been actively manipulating and abusing him. Figure out a different way."

Josh and Pete glanced at each other, Pete seeming more understanding of where Ashley was coming from, whereas Josh just seemed a little bit frustrated. Tyler felt relieved to hear Ashley say those words, saving him from having to find a way to tell the other men that he didn't think he would even be capable of talking to Blake without having a complete breakdown. His reprieve from anxiety, however, was temporary.

"A different way to hack a phone that's in Ohio?" Josh asked Ashley, every word soaked in the suffocating reality that there was no other option.

"You're smart. Fucking figure it out," Ashley demanded of Josh. She gestured to Tyler as she added, "He's fucking shaking, and he's not even on the phone yet. Of course he doesn't want to talk to someone who's manipulating and exploiting him, Joshua. I would think you of all people would understand that."

Josh fell silent, realization crossing his face before he was looking at Tyler with an ashen complexion. "Shit, Bambi. I-" He began quietly.

Tyler shook his head, feeling incredibly sick, but not wanting Josh to feel guilty. It occurred to him only distantly that there wasn't really any danger of Josh feeling guilty, but he still ceded, "I'll do it. I just...I need to call Mark first...and there's a chance I might either throw up or have a complete breakdown."

Josh started to nod, but stopped when Ashley interjected carefully, "Tyler, you don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable doing. We can figure out other ways of doing things if we need to. Your safety is more important than anything."

Just when the sick feeling was reaching its peak, Pete decided to chime in and offer, "Not to, like, be a bad influence or whatever since you seem like you've got your head on straight and shit, but given the circumstances, I can definitely give you something for your anxiety."

Before Tyler even had the chance to ask what that meant, Josh answered for him, "Tyler doesn't smoke weed."

Pete hummed. He glanced at Ashley for a moment before asking curiously, "Would he consider eating it?"

Although Tyler could tell that Josh was already about to refuse the offer on his behalf, he found himself leaning into his growing anxiety and asking, "It would help me be less anxious?"

Pete shrugged. "It might."

Tyler found himself looking to Josh for reassurance, needing security from the person who made him feel safest. Josh sighed. "Your choice, Bambi. If you wanna try getting high while you call Mark, that's up to you, but I ain't gonna consent to nothin' for you. Weed has different effects on different people, especially the first time."

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