Wait to start the song.

Counselling was always draining for Josh. It was one thing to live with the horrors he'd experienced, but talking about them was quite another. Remembering all of that once a week seemed to do more harm than good, especially when there was nowhere for Josh to go to cope with it afterwards.

In the back of Josh's head the whole time was his father saying, "You're letting outsiders in, Joshua. You've betrayed The Family. You should be disappointed in yourself. You know what you need to do now."

Even if he did know the consequence for ratting out the cult, he wasn't strong enough to carry it out yet. There was still a part of him too weak to punish himself for any of this-the part that tried to convince him that this wasn't his fault. Everyone kept saying that to him, feeding that part of him, but it wasn't right. He had sold out his family, and that's why they were gone.

Still, the only thing Josh could really think of to find comfort in was the promise of another note from his husband. Just a few words scrawled across a paper could make this all go away for a second, and Josh knew it. The only safety he'd ever had was Tyler, and these notes gave him a piece of that back.

The cemetery was illuminated only by dim street lights now that the sun disappeared so early in the day. Maybe to someone else it would feel eerie, but to Josh it was comforting. There was little left in the world for him to fear. He'd faced every demon there was to face, and now his only real threat was humans.

What did make him cautious was the person sitting atop the memorial. It was too dark to make out any facial features, but they were hunched over. With the frigid cold in the air, it made little sense for someone to be out here if they didn't have to be. Suddenly a light turned on, and it took him a second to realize it was a phone light. However, it only took him a fraction of a second to recognise the face being illuminated.

Start the song. It's You're a Wolf by Sea Wolf.

Before Josh could stop himself, he ran to the memorial, making Tyler yelp in fear and surprise as he was scooped off of it and pulled into a bone-crushing hug. It took less than a second for Tyler to realise too, hugging Josh back tightly. Tyler's face was freezing as he buried it against Josh's neck like he always used to.

Tears stung at Josh's eyes as he pulled Tyler in impossibly closer, kissing the top of his head. Tyler's lips brushed against his neck softly. He could feel Tyler's breathing becoming uneven as the tears spilt over.

"I thought you were dead," Tyler sobbed out.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry," Josh whispered back, barely succeeding in holding his tears in. His eyes fell shut as he rested his head atop Tyler's.

"I love you. Oh my God. I love you so much," Tyler whimpered out as he nuzzled in closer. "You smell the same." He let out a watery chuckle then. "I missed how you smell. I missed everything."

"I love you too. I'm so sorry," Josh whispered back. The tears were spilling over now. "How long have you been out here? It's freezing. You're going to get sick."

"A few hours. I don't know. I just had to see you," Tyler replied.

He pulled back from his hiding place in favour of holding Josh's cheeks with freezing hands and kissing him deeply. Every ounce of negativity in Josh's body evaporated as their lips moved together. He backed Tyler up to the memorial, lifting him on top of it and deepening the kiss. Tyler pulled Josh in closer as he wrapped his arms around his neck. He pushed Tyler's legs apart so he could get closer before wrapping his arms around his waist.

Every rule he'd set for himself about not letting people in was washed away as he kissed Tyler. Feeling Tyler's fingers tangle in his hair and his tongue against his own made every single second of heartbreak worth the pain if it meant he could have this right now. For the first time in over a year, Josh felt like he was going to be okay.

Even as they broke apart, gasping for breath, Josh felt safe. Maybe his life had felt meaningless just a few hours ago, but right now, he'd die if it meant protecting the boy in front of him. With Tyler's smile directed at him and his warm brown eyes locked on Josh's, there wasn't a force on this earth that could keep Josh from protecting Tyler.

Tyler's fingers ran through Josh's hair gently. "I like the pink."

Josh laughed. "It's different."

"Different doesn't have to be bad," Tyler replied simply. His eyes searched every inch of Josh's face before he smiled again. "You're beautiful."

Josh rolled his eyes. "I think you've been out here in the cold for too long, sweetheart."

It was hard to tell if Tyler was blushing or if his cheeks were just tinted from the cold, but either way, he looked adorable. "If you're so worried about the cold, you should probably snuggle me before I freeze to death."

"I can definitely do that," Josh replied as he pulled Tyler into another hug, making him laugh when he pulled Tyler's hood up over his head. "Or I can take you somewhere that's actually warm and snuggle you there. Also I can make you hot chocolate and we can talk about all of this."

"That's probably the best choice," Tyler decided. "But it's too cold for you to not snuggle me, and I'm pretty sure I'll die if you stop touching me, so you're going to have to carry me."

Without hesitation, Josh picked Tyler up off of the memorial wall again and headed back toward the house. Tyler giggled, clinging to him as he carried him through the cemetery. It was the best sound Josh had ever heard in his entire life.

"As if I was going to let you walk on your own," Josh chuckled out. "Nope. You're stuck being a princess again. You don't get to walk on your own when I'm here to carry you."

Tyler laughed, burying his face against Josh's shoulder again. "Can't wait. I'm so lazy."

"You're not lazy. You're just royal," Josh replied.

Every time Tyler laughed, the sound seemed to be even more hypnotic. It drew him out of his previous state of self-loathing and anxiety and made him feel like everything was okay again. He couldn't bring himself to think of a single negative thought. All his brain seemed to be saying was, "Tyler Tyler Tyler."

"You're heavier than you used to be," Josh told him as he turned down his grandma's street.

He grinned when Tyler sat back and pouted at him. "You take that back."

Josh kissed his nose. "It's a good thing, Ty. You're healthy now."

Tyler smiled before hiding his face against Josh's neck again, making him laugh as he peppered kisses along the skin there. "You can't kiss me anywhere, not even on my nose, until we're somewhere where I can actually kiss you. It's addicting."

Smiling this much was making Josh's cheek muscles hurt. He hadn't used them like this in a while. For months, he couldn't find a reason to smile, and now smiling was all he could do.

"We're almost there. Don't worry. I'll kiss you soon," Josh told him through a grin.

"Good. I'm having withdrawals already," Tyler replied. He pressed another kiss to Josh's neck. "We've got a lot of time to make up for, mister."

"Yes, we do, but first we have to get past my family. They're going to mob you as soon as they realise who you are," Josh informed him honestly. "Abigail was just yelling at me for not finding you yet today."

Tyler fell silent for a minute before he leant back, looking at Josh with tear-filled eyes. "She's alive?"

"Yeah, we all are, except my dad. I wouldn't leave her behind. You know that," Josh replied softly.

"But...Batibat. Batibat was on the grass next to a kid covered by a tarp. It was on the news. The bodies were gone when I went and got the doll, but there was a little kid by her. I thought...." Tyler's bottom lip trembled.

Josh's heart ached as he shook his head. "No, Ty. She's safe. We're all safe. It's okay," he soothed quietly.

Tyler nodded, burying his face against Josh's neck again. He inhaled deeply. His whole body was trembling. It reminded Josh of the night Tyler had been branded. He'd been shaking with fear the whole night. His need to protect Tyler only grew stronger when he heard him let out a sob.

"Hey, no, don't cry. It's okay," he said softly. "Look. That's our house right there. Abigail is in there right now, safe and sound."

Tyler lifted his head and looked at the house, leaning into Josh when he kissed his temple. He looked back to Josh and nodded. "Okay," he whispered trustingly.
Josh hesitated on the doorstep. "Ty?"

"Hm?" Tyler hummed against his neck, nuzzling it lightly.

"I.... You don't have to do this if you don't want to," he said quietly.

"Do what?" Tyler asked, his arms tightening around Josh slightly.

"You don't have to get involved in all of this again. I was trying to protect you by not pulling you back in but-"

Tyler shook his head. "This is the first time in a year I haven't wished I died inside of the community when everyone else did. Trust me. I'm safer with you. I always have been."

That response made Josh's heart sink. "Ty-"

"I'm safe," Tyler repeated. "I'm always safe when my husband is here."

He kissed along Josh's jaw lightly before connecting their lips. Josh pressed Tyler's back against the siding of the house as their lips moved together. He released Tyler's legs so he could stand on his own, wrapping his arms around his waist again.

Right now, he understood what Tyler had said earlier completely. He'd die if Tyler wasn't touching him. He'd die if he wasn't touching Tyler too. All of these layers of thick winter clothes weren't helping either. He needed to touch every inch of Tyler, just to be sure that he was really here and that he was safe.

Even when the front door opened, Josh couldn't find the will power to to do anything more than separate their lips. He still had Tyler practically pinned up against the wall as his grandfather walked outside. An unlit cigarette dangled from his lips as he froze and made eye contact with Josh.

"Hello," he spoke around his cigarette.

"Hello," Josh replied quietly. Tyler was frozen, definitely blushing this time.

"Everything okay out here?" His grandfather asked before lighting his cigarette.

Josh nodded, his arms soothing up Tyler's sides in relief when he realised his grandfather wasn't going to punish him. It was stupid to still be afraid of the man when he really only ever looked the other way when Josh did questionable things, but it was still habit.

"You and your friend might want to go inside where it's warmer. It's only fourteen degrees out here," his grandfather said calmly. "If I wasn't so unwilling to give up smoking, I'd go inside right now too."

There wasn't really any logic for telling his grandfather before everyone else apart from the simple fact that he seemed the least likely to have a strong reaction. "He's not actually my friend. He's my husband."

That caught his grandfather's attention. "And was the husband TJ or AF?"

Still not willing to break themselves apart, Tyler replied quietly, "I'm Tyler Joseph. It's nice to meet you." He looked timid around the old man as well, and Josh wondered if they were both reminded of the elders when they looked at him.

"Greg McCollum. It's nice to meet you too. I mean it though. You boys will freeze out here. There's hot chocolate on the stove. Tell Jordan to take the couch tonight if Tyler's staying over. You don't really need him hanging around when you two still need to catch up."

"Yes, sir," Josh replied quietly as he took Tyler's hand, leading him to the front door.

"Hey, what's the rule about calling me 'sir'?" His grandfather asked through a cloud of smoke.

"I can't call you that until you've done something to earn my respect," Josh replied quietly.

The two of them had had this talk on his second day here. It concerned his grandfather that he called everyone by titles of ma'am and sir. He had made it a point to explain to him that those were titles of respect, and that wasn't something he owed anyone. While he still should try to be kind, he didn't need to use titles that put other people into places of authority in his life. Too many undeserving people had forced that upon him, and his grandfather had refused to be one of them.

"Take your time, son. You don't owe me anything. You can call me 'sir' when I've earned it," he replied calmly.

"You kind of just did," Josh replied as he opened the front door and led Tyler inside.

As soon as the door closed, he released Tyler's hand and scooped him up again, making him laugh.

"Always a gentleman," Tyler giggled out.

"At least I've got that going for me," Josh said with a smile.

Tyler kissed his cheek. "You've got a lot more going for you than you even know, Joshua."

Instead of emotionally recoiling at the sound of his full name, Josh smiled. It didn't sound as ugly coming from Tyler's lips. Nothing ever could. Tyler was too perfect.

"Ready to be thrown to the sharks then?" He asked.

Tyler grinned. "Oh my God. I'm so ready. I've missed them."

Josh kissed his lips softly one more time before setting him down. He wrapped his arm around Tyler's shoulders as he led him into the living room, where chatter was emanating from. Tyler's arm snaked around his waist, proving that he felt just as clingy right now. For the first time in what felt like forever, Josh was excited to see his family. It felt whole again.