"Tyler?"

I looked around his empty apartment, hoping he'd hear my call for him and appear. My grasp on Phil's hand tightened when I heard a crash coming from his bedroom.

Troye and Connor froze, but their hands stay clasped. "What do you think he's doing in there?"

Another crash. We all jumped. I shook my head as we tiptoed towards his bedroom door. "I don't know, but hey I promised you I'd help him. We'll find out." I whispered.

Troye began to chew his lip anxiously but Connor noticed, pressing a kiss to his cheek to get him to stop. I noticed the door was open, but only a smidge.

"You two stay in the livingroom- I'd rather not have a replay of the fight at the bar," I told the couple behind me. Troye nodded and they sat down on Tyler's couch.

"Should I stay here too?" Phil asked me. I turned to face him, nodding.

"It's safer for you. If anything happens I'll call your name, okay?" I responded. Phil nodded, grabbing my face and molding our mouths together. 

Phil squeezed my hand before pulling away. "Be careful, baby."

I smiled warmly at him before turning my attention back to the door when I heard grunting. I slowly pushed the door open, Tyler coming into view. He was pacing his bedroom, picture frames and sculptures smashed on the floor.

"Tyler," I said sternly. He tensed up, slowly turning to face me. We made eye contact. His eyes were bloodshot with bags under them- he obviously hadn't been sleeping very well. He was sweaty, his hair flat and messy. "Have you been drinking?"

He looked down. "What's it matter to you?" He replied, his voice shaky.

"It doesn't, really. But it'll matter when you get liver cancer from it."

He rolled his eyes and began pacing again, slamming his fists on the desk. "Look at me, Dan!" He screamed, snapping his head towards me. "I'm a mess because of him! That's what love does to you. It destroys you inside and out."

I sighed, cautiously walking to him. "Calm down, alright?"

He grabbed another picture from the wall, throwing it across the room. I watched as the glass smashed to pieces then fell into the carpet. "I can't calm down!"

"Tyler, it's your emotions. We choose to love or hate," I told him, taking his hands and unwinding his fists cautiously. "You let yourself fall in love with Troye. You put your heart in his hands. That's what you do when you're in love. You give up everything, and you let it destroy you when they don't give back."

"He loved me," Tyler murmured, his eyes beginning to water.

I think I'm getting to him.

"He loved me until Connor came along. I wasn't there for Troye. I was busy- I was working day and night, Dan. But I was doing it for us! I was doing it so Troye and I could get our own house, raise kids, have a family of our own! But I loved him. God, I love him. Even with my emotions off I can still feel it. And I hate it, I hate him!"

I nodded sadly. "Tyler, you can at least be friends with him if you just turn your feelings back on-"

"What's the point? You don't get it, Howell. I can't be his friend. I can't ever just be his friend. The small talk, the awkward eye contact, the painful reminiscing- I can't do it. So tell me, what's the point in loving someone when they don't love you back?"

I stopped in my tracks, looking down. "I don't know, Tyler."

"You don't know?" He chuckled darkly. "You don't know?" He repeated.

"No, I don't Tyler! But even if it's not the same love being given back to you, it is still love. And maybe that'll be as good as it gets. But would you rather have Troye hate you and you being stuck alone, or have Troye love you as a best friend and you not be alone?"

Tyler exhaled, running his hands over his face. "I'm in love with him," he sniffled. He dropped to his knees. "It physically hurts how much I love him. I can feel it in my chest, Daniel. When I look at him, when I hear his voice, when I think of him- I can feel him everywhere. He's haunting me without even actually being there."

"Troye, stop!" I heard Connor yell, but without warning, Troye pushed open the door, his fists clenched. Tyler looked up, his eyes widening. Phil followed in after, wandering towards me.

"Listen to me," Troye scowled at the blonde boy in front of him. Connor appeared next to Troye, staying behind him but taking his hand in his. "I will love you no matter what. Even if it's just as a best friend. Tyler, I'm in love with Connor now. You have to accept that. I'm happy with him, and if you truly care about me you then you'd let me act on my own feelings."

"Troye-" I began.

"I can't love you, and I wish I could because I know how great of a person you are and I just want to make you happy. But you can't be mad at someone for feeling a certain way."

"I turned off my emotions so you wouldn't have to see me upset over you two. Hell, I was already halfway packed to move to California tomorrow!"

Everybody went silent. "What?" Connor snapped.

"Tyler, for god's sake, I never asked you to get out of my life! I want you to be my best friend just like how we used to be before we dated! I want you in my life still, I didn't ask you to stop being there and leave without so much as a goodbye!" Troye shouted. "You can't just leave me out of the blue and think I'll be happier! You have to let me go emotionally, but physically you can stay with us. We'd be okay."

"It won't work," Tyler murmured.

"You have to give it a chance, Ty," Troye spoke.

"What about Dan? Doesn't he have his emotions off too?" Tyler accused.

I shook my head. "I turned them back on."

"Why?" He stood up.

"Because of him," I gestured to the raven-haired boy beside me. "I'm in love with Phil and I didn't want my selfishness or fears to get in the way of us."

Tyler furrowed his eyebrows. "But didn't it hurt?"

I nodded. "So much. And honestly, it still does. I cried for hours. All that guilt and sadness hit me as soon as I opened my eyes. But now I'm happy that I have Phil and he has me. Tyler, if you turn your emotions back on now, the guilt won't be as bad. If you wait too long it'll be too late and you'll have to turn your emotions back on yourself- one feeling by one."

Tyler bit his lip. "I don't know. . ." He hesitated. Troye walked towards him, holding his hands out. Tyler slowly took them, and they looked at each other.

"Please, Tilly. I miss you. We all miss you. The real you."

His eyes watered. "Troye, I don't wanna be alone anymore."

"You won't be. You will be if you keep the switch off. Please, you have to come back. For your mom, for your dad, for your siblings, and for me."

Tyler backed up against the wall, taking deep breaths. "You promise you won't let me be alone?"

Troye smiled sadly. "Never. I promise." They hugged, and then the two pulled away.

And then Tyler shut his eyes, we all stood silent while Tyler's breath shook, and we all watched anxiously.

Phil's grip on my hand tightened and I watched as Troye chewed his lip. Connor rubbed his arm soothingly.

And then, Tyler opened his eyes.