Checkmate (Joshler AU)

Chapter 16

Josh's POV

I hadn't been allowed to see Tyler after. He had been put on sedatives until the morning when his mother was allowed to check him out.

We left and I remained completely silent.

"What's wrong, Josh? You haven't said anything to me since yesterday," Tyler says with a big frown.

"What's back, Tyler?"

That struck a cord within both him and his mother. His mom flinched and walked away with the excuse of needing to use the bathroom.

"Tyler, I'm serious. Tell me."

"I-it's the c-ca... ca-can-cance... it's my cancer, Josh."

The world stopped.

"T-the what?"

"My cancer..." Tyler sighed, looking at his feet as he scuffs them against the white tiles of the hospital floor.

"C-cancer?"

"Yeah..."

"That c-can't be. You don't have cancer."

"Yes I do, Josh."

"Y-you never told m-"

"I thought it was gone! It was gone for fourteen years! Y-you think I expected to get shot and find out my cancer is back all in a matter of one hospital visit? I didn't so spare me the whole "I didn't tell you" speech," Tyler shouted, gaining the attention of everyone surrounding us.

"I'm sorry, Tyler. I-I just really don't want to lose you."

"This isn't easy for me either, Josh. I get to go through the chemo again. I get to relive the pains my two year old self had to live through. This time there's more on the line," Tyler sighs shakily as he looks up at me with misty eyes.

I instantly throw my arms around him tightly as we both begin to sob onto each other, Tyler's tears staining my shirt and my tears dripping onto his hair.

"C'mon, boys. Let's get you guys back to the hotel. Need your rest for the tournament tomorrow," Tyler's mom said, ushering us out of public view and into the car.

"I-I thought we missed it."

"They postponed it after I had a little chat with them about what happened."

"How many times did you have to scream at them," Tyler laughed quietly, wiping away his tears.

"Surprisingly, only twice. They seemed very understanding."

"Thanks, mom," he sighs softly as he climbed into the backseat with me.

"I love you so much, Jishwa," he murmurs, leaning into me as I open my arms.

"I love you too, Ty," I sigh shakily, wrapping my arms around him.

Kelly glances back at us through the rear view mirror sadly, tears brimming her eyes.

It was a long ride back to the hotel and and an even longer wait to get replacement key cards since ours were stolen. By the time we had finished, Tyler was curled up in my arms like a kitten.

I carried Tyler to our room and laid him on the bed.

"I'll take the flo-"

"Nope, lay with Tyler," Kelly interrupts.

"Bu-"

"No buts. I know how happy Tyler is with you. Please don't let me impede on your time with him," she says with a sad smile, grabbing clean linens from the closet and laying them out on the floor.

"T-thank you," I reply politely, laying next to Tyler.

"Just don't get to comfortable. He's still my son."

We both laugh sadly and go silent in the dark, the only sounds being the ones of the city's nights life and my near silent sobs as I cling tightly to the sleeping boy.

"Don't leave me," I whimper.

"I won't."