DOOM DAYS ✓

Chapter 20: Healing

Healing: the ability to restore biotic organisms to their optimal health.

Jenna takes Rosa to the kitchen to help her with homework, leaving Tyler and Josh alone in the living room. Josh doesn't meet his eye.

He wants to be mad at him, maybe push the blame on them because they weren't there, but he can't. It wouldn't be fair to Tyler or Hayley because he and Tiana knowingly went against their instructions. If it's anyone's fault, it was theirs.

"Do you remember what happened to you?" Tyler asks, sitting on the couch Rosa had just been on.

Josh shrugs, picking at the loose threads of the blanket. "Enough for me to know it was my fault."

"Josh-"

"Don't you 'Josh' me. You weren't there, you didn't see what happened. I wasn't strong enough and now he has her. And now I'm stuck here because Jenna wouldn't let me leave. For all I know, Tati could be... you know." He can't even say the word.

Tyler looks almost... hurt. Josh doesn't know what to make of that. "Hayley went after Alley Cat. She'll find Tiana. You don't need to go out when you're hurt like that and prove yourself."

"Thanks, mom," Josh says sourly. "Are you gonna coddle me now?"

"Dude, I'm just trying to be nice."

"Don't. It doesn't suit you."

Tyler rolls his eyes. "If this is about yesterday, I didn't mean to make you get all butt hurt. I'm just preparing you for danger."

"Well, it obviously didn't work. How about you prepare us for if and when a monster villain tries to kill us for our powers?"

Josh throws the blanket onto the carpet and forces himself to stand up, getting about two steps away from the couch before his ears start to ring. He blacks out for a second, feeling Tyler grab him before he hits the floor.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Tyler scowls.

"Anywhere but here." Josh tries pulling away, but he's still dizzy and Tyler's grip on him is unwavering. "Go make a blanket fort will your sisters or something. Just leave me alone. I can handle myself."

"What the hell's a blanket fort?"

That stuns Josh. He examines Tyler's face, trying to see if he's serious. "Oh my god, you really don't know what that is."

"If I did, would I ask?" He rolls his eyes.

"You... you're sixteen years old in 2019 and you don't- you don't do sleepovers or anything? Pillow fights? Memes? You didn't do anything fun when you were a kid?"

Tyler shakes his head. "I don't really leave the house unless it's to go to Hayley's place or to patrol, and my sisters aren't exactly tech savvy."

Josh can't help but feel a little guilty. He doesn't know anything about having fun. Oh my fucking god, you're such an old man. I seriously need to educate you on our generation's culture."

"And I need to heal your shoulder before you pop Dahlia's stitches again, so sit the hell down."

He all but shoves Josh onto the couch and kneels in front of him, carefully unwrapping the bandage around his shoulder. Josh winces as parts of the fabric pulls against the blood stained stitching he can now see.

"Jesus, what did you run into?" Tyler mutters as he presses his hands against the wound.

"I'm pretty sure it was part of a billbo- ohhhh!" Josh accidentally kicks Tylers leg as a burning sensation shoots up his arm and chest. "That- that actually doesn't feel too bad."

Tyler scoffs but josh sees a hint of a smile. "There's still shrapnel in your shoulder, so this might take a while. Tell me about these, what did you call them? Blankets forts."

"It's hard to explain. I think it'd be easier to show you," he says.

"You think I want to build a blanket fort?"

"Do you?"

Josh bursts into a fight of laughter when Tyler pauses, clearly considering the idea. "Don't you need to go back home? Your mom must be worried."

Mention of his mom makes Josh's mood do a complete 180. Oh god. He forgot. Alley Cat knows where they live, what if he goes after his mom? Or Jordan, Abigail, Ashley?

They're all in danger and he's sitting there, trying to explain what a blanket fort is to a guy he wants to hate but can't.

"Don't do that," Tyler says, snapping him out of his own thought. "Don't start to spiral. That's not healthy."

"Is any of this healthy?" Josh questions in response.

"I'm a kid with powers in a foster home. My only friend is a blind hero. This kind of life isn't exactly the best, but it's what we got, so don't punish yourself for something out of your control."

He pinches his lips together, ignoring the only friend comment, and looks down. "Alley Cat knows where we live, and I can't go back because I'm afraid that I do, he'll attack them. I can't risk their lives."

"Then stay here," Tyler offers. "It's not like Missy, our foster mom by the way, will look twice at having another stray kid in here."

"No, that's okay, I can figure something-" Josh starts to say, but Tyler cuts him off with a look.

"You're staying here, Josh. At least until you're strong enough to walk."

As restless as he is, Josh knows it'd be dumb to try and fight him on this. "Fine. I'll be your prisoner."

Tyler grins and stands, carelessly wiping his blood stained hand on his jeans. "I hope you like sushi, 'cause Seoyung just bought some pink lady."

"Yeah, I like it."

"Good. It's six o'clock and if you just woke up like Jenna said, you haven't eaten in almost a day." He holds out both of his hands to Josh. "Come on, we don't have all day."

Josh looks out of the window, fear still lingering in his mind, but takes Tyler's hands and allows him to walk him to the kitchen. He can't help but feel guilty about not immediately going out to look for Tiana, even though he's seriously injured. As if sensing it, Tyler turns and glares at him.

"Being afraid won't help her now. Take care of yourself first. When you're ready, we can both go and find her. Together."

"I thought you weren't into the whole friends thing."

"I'm not," he says. "But you and Tiana are a part of our team, and I hate to admit that I've gotten attached to you two little ducklings."

Josh rolls his eyes. "And the moment's gone."