A Shade Darker Than Damaged (twenty one pilots)

|Chapter VI|

For the couple days that I've been recovering from my injuries, they haven't been bad. I'm definitely tired of being here, but it's not so horrible when I have Tyler. A certain thought stuck with me though.

When could I leave? And I don't mean leaving after I recover from my injuries.

I mean Austen was still here and Tyler wasn't leaving any time soon. I couldn't leave them if they're all I have.

Tyler watched me as I considered whether I was going to stay, but I was too involved with my thoughts to divert my gaze from the intriguing white wall.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Tyler bribed, managing to tear my gaze from the wall.

"A dollar actually," I joked, looking over at his warm smile. He hadn't been to Josh and Austen's room for the past few days which made me feel a little guilty.

I know that watching Josh in his unconscious state must be tough on Tyler, but he was still his best friend. I didn't want Josh to wake up to Tyler and I laughing in the room next to him. It was best for Tyler to be there for him.

"What's on your mind?" Tyler asked, the smile on his face slowly fading away.

His eyes traced mine for the answer, but I was good at hiding my thoughts. Eventually I gave into his curiosity.

"Do you think Austen and Josh are afraid?" I pondered. His expression changed from curious to thoughtful. I could see him searching for a response in the back of my mind. He didn't know.

"Maybe," his answer surprised me. There was no sugar coating, just honesty. It reminded me of Ava. She was honest.

"But," he continued," At least they'll have each other. Like we have each other."

I was comfortable with that answer, even if it's a bit romanticized. There was such a confident tone in his answer, that I had no choice but to believe him.

I swung my legs of the bed carefully, balancing myself with the IV pole. Tyler aided the other side of me, walking with me to Austen and Josh's room.

When we walked into the room, the curtain separating Josh and Austen was pushed back. The nurse must of pulled it back because of how lonely they looked.

Austen's parents visited for bits at a time, but never stayed long enough to run into me. I could hear them crying over her body every so often, which sparked more damaging thoughts inside of my head.

We both collapsed on the couch, centered across the two hospital beds.

"What's your favorite color?" Tyler cocked his eyebrow, tilting his head just enough to watch me answer.

"I don't really have one," I muttered, dismissing the odd question.

"Come on, you have to have one. My favorite color is-"

"Josh," I mumbled breathless.

"Josh?" Tyler squeaked, laughing at my ridiculous answer.

"No," I pointed in the general direction of Josh's face,"Josh's eyes! Look!"

Tyler rose from the couch, racing over to his best friend.

"Nurse! He's awake! Josh.....He woke up!" Tyler called, his smile lifting his cheeks.

But there was something off. Josh's gaze didn't focus on Tyler or the sound of nurses entering his room. It looked like he was daydreaming, focusing on a certain spot on the ceiling.

The two nurses hovered over him with a pen light, checking his eyes for dilation while calling his name.

The smallest sound escaped Josh's mouth, his eyes still locked on the ceiling.