Love & Oxygen (COMPLETED)

Chapter 29

Tyler hadn't been reacting to the chemo well so he was in a wheelchair. He hadn't been eating much, either, because everything he ate he just threw back up.

Josh had taken a break from school to help take care of Tyler, but Mrs. Joseph told Josh to continue doing school and that she would take care of him while he was gone.

He was reluctant at first, but Tyler told him it was okay.

But the whole time he was away, he felt guilty. So incredibly guilty. He kept checking his phone and texting Tyler but he never got an answer.

He left the library where he was doing his work and went home, finding Tyler curled up next to his mom, shivering as he tried to find a bit of warmth.

"Josh?" Kelly asked. "What're you doing here?"

"I can't leave him like this, Kelly," Josh said. "I know you're here, and I appreciate it so much, but I have to be here with him too, at least."

Tyler was shaking uncontrollably despite how many layers of clothes he had on. He was so incredibly skinny and his skin was as white as a ghost's. Josh's heart broke every time he looked at him.

Kelly nodded. She understood that as Tyler's fiancé, Josh felt it was his job to be with him during this.

He changed out of his jeans and sweater into sweatpants and a t-shirt, getting on the couch so Tyler was between his mom and his fiancé.

Kelly got up, helping keep Tyler sitting up right. "How about you lay down with Josh, honey?" She asked softly.

"Yeah, baby," Josh said, lying on his back on the couch. "Lay down with me."

He helped the incredibly sick, weak Tyler lie down on top of him. He wrapped his arms around him, kissing the beanie that was covering his head.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I love you," Tyler replied weakly.

That was the first time he heard Tyler talk in two days.

"What sounds good for lunch, dear?" Kelly asked Tyler, squatting down so she was eye-level with Tyler, holding his hand gently.

Tyler just shook his head. He didn't want anything. He was tired of throwing up.

"We've gotta put something on your stomach, sweetheart," She said. "You heard what they said. You need to be full when they get here."

"What? When who gets here?" Josh asked.

"They decided to go ahead and give him a g-tube," Kelly said softly. "He's gotta get good in him and keep it down someway, and this is the only way."

Josh sighed, hugging Tyler tighter. "They're inserting it here? At the apartment?"

Kelly nodded. "I thought you'd prefer that over the hospital."

Josh nodded. Kelly was the best mother in law to be ever. "Thank you."

Tyler just slept on top of Josh on the couch for the next few hours. A couple hours in Josh had to pee horribly but didn't want to disturb Tyler, so he forced himself to hold it.

Eventually, the nurses came in and got Tyler prepped for the g-tube insertion.

They put him back in the hospital bed, giving him a numbing shot on the area of his belly where it would be inserted to he wouldn't feel it.

Josh held his hand, distracting him by talking about their future wedding day.

"We're gonna have so much fun," Josh said with a smile. "We're gonna eat cake and dance and kiss all the time and get to see all our friends and family. We're gonna have such a good time."

The g-tube was in, and the nurses left.

Everything was fine.

Until the numbing shot wore off.

Tyler was vomiting left and right until eventually, there was nothing left to throw up so he was just gagging again and again and again.

It hurt Josh to see him like this. Tyler asked him if he could just go to the hospital and have them put him to sleep so he wouldn't have to deal with this.

Josh called the hospital, holding Tyler's hand gently as he talked to them.

"They're sending a nurse that's going to stay here overnight," he explained after hanging up the phone call. "She's gonna handle everything. As soon as she gets here she'll give you some sleeping medication, ok?"

Tyler nodded.

The nurse finally arrived a few hours later, and she immediately gave Tyler sleeping medication. He was asleep in minutes.

The nurse actually stayed up and talked to Josh for a while.

"So you two are roommates...?" She asked, not knowing what their relationship was.

"Fiancé's," Josh answered.

"Oh, wow," she said. "You guys seem really young to be engaged."

"I'm 17, he's 16," Josh replied. "Pretty young."

"This is really hard on you, isn't it?"

Josh sighed shakily and nodded. "I just... I'm used to the Tyler who's always smiling and giving me hugs and telling me to hold on because he can't find his lucky pair of socks. I miss when he would let me snuggle him and hold his hand and show him I love him."

"I know it's hard," she said. "But it's just the medicine in him doing that stuff. It's not actually him. I've worked with this kind of health situation plenty of times before to know he's going to be okay."

"How long until he's back to normal?"

"Anywhere between a week and two months," she said. "I didn't get to do a physical evaluation since I had to get him to sleep so fast. I'm doing one tomorrow and can give you a more precise answer then."

Josh nodded. "I wish I could sleep in his bed with him. The first time we've slept together in two weeks was this afternoon on the couch. And I didn't even sleep. He didn't want to be near me, either. He just wanted to be warm."

"He'll be back to wanting to cuddle with you soon. I promise."

Josh nodded. "I'm gonna go tell him goodnight."

Even thought he was asleep, Josh didn't feel right not giving Tyler a goodnight kiss.

He entered the room, his heart sinking once again at the sight of how horrible Tyler looked.

He gently took his hand, kissing his forehead. "I love you so much, baby. We're gonna get you feeling better real soon. I promise."

He sniffled as he pulled away to go to their room, stopping when he felt Tyler lightly squeeze his hand. He smiled softly, knowing it was his sweet Tyler's way of communicating he loved him too.

"Thank you, baby," he said softly. "I needed that. I'll see you tomorrow."

He went to the bedroom and climbed into bed. It was cold, as it always was when Tyler wasn't with him.

He tossed and turned but couldn't get to sleep, eventually getting up and going to the room Tyler was in.

He was awake.

"Ty," he said softly. "You're up."

Tyler nodded, turning down the volume of the TV.

Josh walked over to him. All Tyler had to do was look at him and he knew he wanted him to get into bed with him.

He climbed in, being careful of the tubes and IV's and everything Tyler was hooked up to.

He put his arm around him gently. "Tell me if it gets to be too much."

Tyler simply turned on his side so he was facing Josh, burying his face in his chest. Josh moved his arm so he was hugging him, Tyler looking up at him silently.

Josh looked back down and pressed their foreheads together. They closed their eyes and soaked up the feeling. Tyler brought his hand to Josh's cheek, caressing it gently.

They both drifted to asleep, just happy to finally be together physically again.