Dendrophobia

Chapter 9

You look up from hugging Ty, and glance at the rope ominously swinging from a sturdy branch. Your heart begins to race as you think about what he was going to do. You hold him for a few moments longer to let him calm down.

"Ty?" You ask gently. He looks at you with red puffy eyes and a runny nose.
"What is this place? If it's okay for me to ask."

"I-I come here when my self doubts are too strong. I come out here and scream or cry or simply think. The rope is so I always have a leash around my mind."

You exhale a breath you didn't know you were holding at his last sentence.

"I don't know why I'm out here. Just. The concert. And Jenna. A-And you." New tears begin to prick around his eyes. "I-I know I'm not al-lone, but... I just f-feel so lost!" He yells. You pull him back into a hug and squeeze hard.

"Tyler, I'm sorry. Jenna is always with you and I know tha-"

"That's not- I know. I know she's always with me. I.. never mind. I just miss her being here. I miss seeing her bright blue eyes and lovable smile. I hate myself for starting to replace her. You just. I don't." He begins to stutter and you lay a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Ty, it's alright. It's alright." You pull him into another hug and stand up with him. You feel hot tears begin to drop onto your shoulder and neck, making you run your fingertips lightly over his back.

"Tyler?! (Y/n)?!" A voice screams at the opening of the woods.

"Mark, Josh, and the whole crew have been worried about you." You explain while pulling away from the hug. He puts his hood up and wipes away his tears before walking towards the clearing. You follow him out, watching how he doesn't have a pep in his step anymore. Tyler shoves his hands into his hoodie pockets before Mark wraps him in a hug. 

. . .

"Do you want something to drink?"

Mark had suggested Tyler take a day off from rehearsing. He didn't want to go home alone, so you offered to let him come home with you. You were making dinner while he was sitting on the couch under a blanket, with his knees up. 

"Yeah. Water is fine." He answers and gives you a weak smile. You return it and reach up to grab a glass.

After giving him his water, you return to the pot of tomato soup. You decide a grilled cheese would be good for him so he could get some energy.

You plate up the food and hand him his serving.

"I'm sorry you always have to see me like this." He says quietly.

You take a bite and look over at him.

"Ty, it's not a problem. I don't mind it."

"Yeah, well I'm scared you are. I'm scared that you had to find me in the woods. I'm scared of living."

You weren't expecting him to say the last sentence, and it almost makes you choke on the soup. You cough before turning towards him.

"Tyler. I swear that you are always welcome here and can always come to me. I'll always greet you with open arms."

"Thank you."

The two of you sit and eat in silence.

"I don't know why I originally started going into the woods." He speaks.

You set your plate and bowl on the coffee table and completely face him. Sitting criss cross apple sauce.

"I- I thinking it started the night that Jenna died. I was terrified. She was buried in a cemetery with trees that would turn bright shades of orange, and red, and yellow during the fall. And I'm the spring, they would bloom beautiful blossoms. But, at night, they were.. they were.. what's the word..." He fumbles around for a word.
"Dark.. it made me feel... like the color black. Scared. I was scared of the trees. The night she died, I had sat by her grave almost all day, just staring at the upturned dirt, littered with fading Daisies. Night fell and the trees began to tower over me. I felt uneasy so I decided to start walking home.." He begins to pick at his fingers.

"I-I passed by the park and saw the edge of the forest, and that's when it started. I guess I went in to try to eliminate my fear of them. They would taunt me with their silence and I felt like I should just end it to be with her again. I never went as far as hanging a noose. I needed to make music. So I left the noose there to remind me that I will- have to be, stronger than my mind." He's almost picked the dead skin around his finger nails enough to the point of them bleeding.

You grab his hand to stop him and he looks at you.

"I- I don't know what to say. Just know that if I can do anything to help, don't ever hesitate to let me know, okay? I love you." You didn't realize the last sentence that came out of your mouth, until Tyler's brown eyes met yours.

"I love you too."

Sup. Kinda made a reference to the Forest Fic. Anyways. Let me know what you thought :-)