I'm Going Home - H2OVanoss

chapter nine

Craig sat shocked for a moment. "You what?"

Tyler chewed his lip. "I-I'm in love with you."

Still shocked, he could only mumble, "Really?" Although his face was tinged pink.

"Yes. And I'm sorry if that's weird. But after talking to Evan, I couldn't wait any longer. I needed you to at least know."

Craig nodded his head with a smile. Tyler didn't see, as he was back to fidgeting with the hoodie strings.

"Look if this is going to fuck up our friendship, we can forget about the whole thing. Because I can't lose you." He whispered shakily. Craig hadn't answered yet, and he was becoming more and more nervous.

"Ty, you haven't let me say anything." He said, taking Tyler's hand.

Tyler looks at their hands, blushing.

"You know you can't lose me that easily. And you haven't messed anything up." Tyler lets out a sigh of relief.

"Honey, I have loved you for a long time. I just never knew that you would feel the same. I didn't want to risk anything either." Craig laughs.

"God we're dumb." Tyler says, laughing with the other.

"Yes we are, but now-" Craig mumbles, pulling Tyler close enough for their lips to brush together.

"I can finally do this." Tyler says, before closing the distance between them.

Their lips met for the first time, and Tyler sighed happily.

After pulling away for a breath, he couldn't wipe the grin off his face. "You love me?"

Craig nodded happily. "Yes I love you."

"I can't believe it."

"Oh you will after this." Craig smiled, connecting their lips once more.

• three days later •

• Delirious •

He faded in and out of consciousness as he lay on the cool, stone floor. He tried to focus on breathing, but the heavy chains, clamped around his wrists and ankles, felt as though they were restricting his lungs too.

He thought the chains were very unnecessary, as he wasn't moving anytime soon, but knew it was Ryder's precautionary measures. Jonathan had broken out of the cell before.

He didn't know what day it was. There were no windows in the basement. He had no human contact. He wasn't sure of the last time he'd eaten. If this was Ryder's way of killing him, it was agonizingly slow.

He would've guessed it had been about three or four days since they locked him in there. The morning after he'd talked to Evan, he thought he was going to breakfast, but Ryder had dragged him to that awful, white walled room, and proceeded to whip him seven times, beating him until he was unconscious.

He woke up laying on the dirty floor, and hadn't moved since. Breathing had become a chore, his lungs were begging for fresh air. And with any small movement, he could feel the muscles in his back cramping so severely, his only choice was to lie there.

Tears fell from his eyes slowly, as he wished for sleep to take him. He was exhausted. He couldn't feel the pain so much as he could his body shutting down. He hoped Owen would come for him, but at this point he'd be happy to see Ryder.