Love & Oxygen (COMPLETED)

Chapter 7

The rest of the trip, the boys explored Amsterdam.

They made love every night, the feeling they shared never getting old.

They giggled, they kissed, they cried out of happiness.

They shared so many firsts together, it was unreal.

It was their final night, and Josh took Tyler out on a bridge overlooking everything. It was the most beautiful sight, the lights of the buildings reflecting on the water, the music coming from around them.

Josh was standing behind Tyler, hugging his waist when suddenly Tyler didn't feel Josh's arms around him anymore.

He turned around to see Josh down on one knee, looking up at him with a smile.

"O-oh my, Joshua..." he gasped.

Josh took both his hands, kissing them with a wide smile.

"Tyler Robert Joseph, you've stolen my heart. But we already determined that this trip," he said with a grin. "You... you light up my life. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and the best thing that ever will happen to me. This trip has brought us even closer together, and I didn't think it was possible to get any closer than we already were."

He reached into his back pocket, pulling out a velvet box. "Before we came on this trip, I asked your parents for permission to marry you. I said I understand that we're 17, and I understand we aren't even out of high school, but if I had permission to propose to you on the trip and marry you in a few years. They said yes. And I'm really hoping you will too," he smiled softly.

He opened the box, revealing a gorgeous silver ring. "Tyler Robert Joseph, the love of my life, will you marry me?"

"Joshua..." Tyler said softly. "Joshua, you don't wanna marry me. I-I'm not supposed t-to live past 25. W-we wouldn't be able to travel anywhere. I-I'm always ruining romantic moments with my stupid Oxygen a-and I-"

"I want to marry you more than anything," Josh said. "If marrying me would make you happy, please marry me. We'll be engaged for a few years. We can figure all that stuff out later. You're the one for me, Tyler. The only one in the whole wide world. And if you don't want to marry me, that's okay. But I would absolutely love to marry you."

"I so wanna marry you," Tyler giggled through his tears, sniffling. "Y-yes, Joshua, I'll marry you."

Josh smiled widely, tears running down his own cheeks. "R-really?"

"How could I not?" Tyler giggled, sniffling and wiping his eyes.

Josh slid the ring onto Tyler's finger, standing up and kissing his lips deeply as he hugged him.

"W-we're engaged, Josh," Tyler said in disbelief, smiling and continuing to cry.

Josh grinned and nodded, kissing the ring on Tyler's finger.

It was moments like these Tyler wishes he had friends. He wanted to tell someone he was engaged, but he didn't have anyone other than Josh, so he called his mom per usual.

"M-mom?"

"Hi, honey! Is everything ok?"

"Y-yeah," Tyler smiled softly, sniffling and giggling happily as he looked at his ring. "J-Josh proposed."

"Ohhhh, Tyler!!! Honey!!! That's so exciting!!!" Kelly exclaimed. "Did you say yes???"

"Y-yes," Tyler smiled, Josh grinning and kissing his cheek.

"Awww, Tyler. As soon as Josh asked your dad and I, we said yes. We love you both so much. Can't wait to see you tomorrow. Send me pictures of the ring!!"

"I will," Tyler giggled. "I-I'll see you tomorrow. I-I love you."

"I love you too, honey. Tell Josh we love him as well."

"He loves you too," Tyler said as his now fiancé kissed his cheek.

He hung up the phone, putting it in his pocket and looking up at Josh. "I can't believe I'm marrying you."

"I can't believe you're marrying me either," Josh giggled. "I love you."

"I love you too," Tyler smiled, getting on his toes and kissing his lips.

They headed back to their hotel room, Tyler sitting in Josh's lap after they both changed into comfier clothes.

"My last night being out of Ohio," he sighed sadly.

"But our first night engaged," Josh smiled, kissing each of Tyler's knuckles. "One step closer to being Tyler Dun."

Tyler giggled and blushed. "When are we gonna actually get married?"

"I was thinking maybe 21," Josh said.

Tyler sighed, nodding his head.

Josh furrowed his eyebrows. "What's wrong? Is that too soon? We can get married whenever you want, baby. It was just a suggestion."

"N-no, no. It's just..." Tyler said softly. "We'll only have like four years of being married."

Josh opened his mouth to say something then closed it. Yes, it was true. Tyler wasn't supposed to live past 25. But he also wasn't supposed to live past age 2. Or 5. Or 10. Or 15. And here he was, at 17, doing amazing.

"I-I just... I don't want you to go through burying a spouse, Josh," Tyler said quietly.

"And I won't have to for a very, very long time," Josh said, rubbing Tyler's back. "We've just gotta keep praying and praying. It's worked the past 17 years. It'll work forever."

Tyler sniffled, tears running down his cheeks.

"Baby..." josh said, hugging him tightly.

"I don't wanna die, Joshie," he cried softly.

Josh couldn't help but start crying as well. They had never really talked about something happening to Tyler, but it was always in the back of their minds.

Josh held him tightly in his arms, crying into Tyler's chest as his fiancé hugged his neck tightly and did the same.

"W-were gonna be okay," he eventually said shakily. "Y-you're gonna be okay a-and we're gonna be married all the way until w-we're in the nursing home h-holding hands in our wheelchairs."

Tyler sniffled and pulled back, looking into Josh's eyes and caressing his cheek. "I love you," he said softly.

"I love you too," Josh sniffled.

"W-we're okay," Tyler said softly, running his fingers through Josh's hair to calm him. "W-we're okay. W-we're engaged a-and w-we're happy and i-in love a-and we're okay."

Josh sniffled and nodded, hugging his fiancé tightly.

Everything Tyler said was true.

They were engaged.

They were happy.

They were in love.

They were okay.

Perfectly okay.