Love & Oxygen (COMPLETED)

Chapter 15

Josh knew he and his fiancé needed to be up a bit earlier than usual so they would be able to change Tyler's oxygen.

"It's no big deal, right?" Josh asked nervously.

"No, not at all," Tyler assured him.

Josh nodded. "Ok, I'm gonna unscrew it now. And all I have to do is screw the new one on, right?"

"Yep," Tyler nodded.

"Ready? 1... 2... 3."

Josh immediately started unscrewing the tank, and it came off so Tyler was now completely without oxygen.

Josh grabbed the other tank and started trying to line it up with the screw, but it kept slipping.

"I-is everything okay?" Tyler asked.

"Yes," Josh replied. "Yes, perfectly fine. Just focus on your breathing, baby."

Tyler nodded, believing Josh's lie.

Josh continued to try to put it in, but it simply wouldn't go.

"I-is it in?" Tyler asked.

"N-not yet," Josh replied.

Soon Tyler was starting to become pale. "J-Josh," he gasped. "J-josh, I can't breathe."

"J-just one second, honey," Josh said, continuing to try to get the oxygen tank hooked up. "Just one more second. You're doing great. You're okay."

Tyler lied back on the bed, starting to fade in and out of consciousness. "Joshua," he groaned, needing his fiancé. "Joshua."

As soon as he started to slip out of consciousness, the tank finally screwed into place and oxygen filled his lungs again.

Josh immediately got up on the bed, getting on top of Tyler and checking everything. His heart, his temperature, his breathing rate, everything.

"Talk to me, baby. Talk to me," Josh said, running his fingers through Tyler's hair.

"Josh," he said weakly. "Joshie."

"I'm right here, honey. I've got you. You're okay. I'm right here," Josh promised, kissing his forehead.

"Joshua," Tyler said.

"Yes, baby?"

Tyler didn't really have anything else to say. He just wanted to hear Josh's voice and feel his arms securely around him.

Josh held him tightly to his chest, doing everything he could to make Tyler feel safe.

"Do you feel okay, baby?"

Tyler nodded. His lungs were on fire, but other than that, he was alright.

"Luckily we shouldn't have to do that again for a long while, right?"

"Two weeks," Tyler said weakly.

Josh nodded, kissing his forehead. "I'm gonna go get you some water, ok? I'll be right back."

The rest of the day Josh and Tyler sat in bed and applied for jobs online. Tyler couldn't do a whole lot after the oxygen thing, so he slept a long time, but still, he applied to quite a few more jobs.

It was still absolutely crazy to them that at 17 they were so independent and responsible. 

The only thing left was to finish high school, go to college, and get married.