Burdens and Bulwarks (Tyler Joseph Fanfiction)

Chapter Fifteen

*Scarlette's pov*

The snow is still going hard and as far as I am concerned it is still a storm, but Tyler insists on going Christmas shopping right now while everyone is inside and staying in because of the storm. We should really be staying in too but, just like Tyler, I insisted that I go with him. No way am I letting him drive in this alone.

"Tyler, I don't think this is a very good idea. Especially with your back tires just getting over recovery." I lean my head on the passenger window, looking outside.

"They're completely different tires, Scarlette!" He scolds me out of annoyance, "they aren't getting over recovery, they got replaced. It's fine."

I sigh, watching as my breath runs onto the window. I watch as it slowly disappears and then I let out my breath again. It's calming... watching it show itself on the glass and then slowly dissipate into nothing.

"I know what you're doing..." Tyler sighs.

"Yeah. I'm connecting with my breath on a personal level. Sh." I shush him.

"No." Tyler scowls at me playfully and I look up at him, wiping the fog from my window. "You think that by coming with me, I won't be able to buy you anything." He raises his eyebrows.

I shrink in size and I feel like he can always read me like a book. "Not true."

Tyler smiles, "mhm. But I've got news for you," he speaks in a high pitched voice. "There's still six more days that I have left, you know."

"Not if we die while driving in unsafe conditions." I raise my eyebrows, smiling.

"We will be fine. I've lived here my whole life. I think I know how to handle a little snowfall." Tyler swerves the car a little and I uncontrollably jump, gripping Tyler's arm. "I meant to do that." He clears his throat.

"This isn't just a little snowfall, this is-"

"A storm. I got it. Deep breaths. We're almost at Walmart." Tyler tries to reassure me and it barely works. I just roll my eyes at him.

"Who goes Christmas shopping at Walmart?" I snort.

"You do." Tyler snaps.

"You don't know that."

"Okay... But don't you?" He quirks an eyebrow at me as he turns into Walmart's parking lot.

I sigh, giving up trying to argue with him because he is right. I do Christmas shop at Walmart.

He parks closest to the front. The parking lot is almost halfway full.

"It's not too bad. Still a little more than I expected." Tyler states, slightly frowning at the amount of cars in the parking lot.

"I guess some people were tackling the same concept you were." I sigh.

"Well it was an irrational one and none of them should be here." Tyler rolls his eyes, opening up the car door and then closing it.

I am about to open my door, but Tyler quickly runs to my side and opens it for me. He grabs my hand and pulls me in tight, walking us over to the store.

"It's cold." Tyler speaks loudly over the wind as he rubs my arm.

I nod my head as we walk through the doors and into Walmart. Tyler grabs a cart as I walk over to some of the flowers they have by the entrance.

"What about flowers? Your mom likes flowers, right?" I ask, playing with the flower's petals.

"Those will be dead by the time Christmas is here." Tyler sighs, pushing the cart forward. "Why do people buy flowers as gifts? They're temporary."