Start the song. It's Paper Ships by Dead Man's Bones.
***There will be one incident of vomiting in this chapter.***

A crash and a great deal of yelling were what woke Tyler that morning. Apart from mumbling something and hiding his face against Tyler's chest, Josh was undisturbed. Tyler smoothed his fingers through Josh's hair and watched the door. He smiled when Josh mumbled again before wrapping his arms tighter around Tyler's waist.

It was kind of pathetic how fast Tyler had fallen for Josh. Maybe that came from having Josh as the only person protecting him in a bad situation though. Or maybe it was how soothing his touch was or how gentle he was despite all of the reasons he'd been given not to be. It was hard not to love someone like Josh.

There was a rapid knock at the door, making Josh groan. He started to sit up before wincing, suddenly looking pale. Tyler handed him the bowl that had previously contained goat's blood in case the threw up before going to the door and opening it. He was surprised when Josh's younger brother instantly pushed him towards the closet.

"You've gotta hide!" He hissed.

"From what?" Tyler asked anxiously as Josh sat up, looking confused.

"Social services. Josh isn't supposed to miss more than one day of school in a row. They have to come make sure we haven't been sacrificed or some shit," Jordan said quickly. "Our dad's covering for us, but you need to hide."

Tyler nodded, allowing Jordan to shut him into the closet. Anxiety twisted his stomach as he tried not to focus on the tight space of the closet or the darkness enveloping him.

"Why aren't you at school?" Josh asked tiredly.

Tyler heard Jordan sigh as he sat down on the floor of the closet. "Still trying to find whoever poisoned you. Dad said he'll tell them I'm helping with you and Ash. They're saying she hurt her hand working in the mill. It wouldn't be the first time a kid lost a finger or two down there."

"Someone poisoned me?" Josh asked, sleep and confusion slurring his words slightly.

"Mistletoe. I'll tell you later," Jordan told him. "Lay down. I'll come back up when the social worker does."

"Okay. Thanks," Josh said quietly. Tyler heard him lay down, groaning quietly in pain as he did so. It was all Tyler could do not to run out of the closet and try to take care of him. "You okay in there?" Josh whispered.

Tyler closed his eyes and rested his head back against the wall. "I'm okay. Are you?"

"Been better," Josh replied. He chuckled bitterly, but it sounded pained. "It's not a sanctuary."

Tyler lifted his head in confusion. "What?"

"The sanctuary," Josh replied, his voice distant. "It isn't a good place. Every month when Ashley starts to bleed, they take her there until the bleeding stops. She says it's just an old wooden building where the girls get chained up and have to sit on the floor for a week. When it's over, they have to clean up after themselves and go back home."

There weren't any words for Tyler to communicate what he was thinking. "Then why did she go? She's not, you know, bleeding." He wasn't sure if Josh even knew what the blood meant.

"She should start bleeding this week anyways. They'll probably keep her," Josh replied tiredly. Tyler heard Josh sigh. "She must be so scared."

"Am I allowed to go get her? If she isn't bleeding-"

"No. Men aren't allowed in the sanctuary. She's safer if you stay here." Despite the weight of the conversation, Tyler couldn't help but smile when he heard Josh yawn.

"Close your eyes, sleepyhead. You shouldn't be awake when they come up," Tyler told him softly. "Goodnight, Joshua."

Tyler's words were met with the sound of vomiting. He started to stand up when he heard Josh's bedroom door open. His body froze despite how worried he was about Josh. If anyone saw him, they'd take him back. A couple days ago, he'd have been running out of this closet in order to get home. Not today though. He wasn't leaving this place without Josh. If he got to escape this cult, so did Josh.

"Oh, honey," Mrs. Dun said pitifully. "I told you he's sick."

"Oh my goodness. Is that blood?" An unfamiliar female voice asked. She had to be the social worker.

Josh's wretching stopped and the bed creaked, telling Tyler he'd laid back down. He slowly sat back down on the floor of the closet.

"I'm okay," Josh told her weakly. "It's getting better."

"What the hell happened to this boy?" The social worker demanded.

"Joshua has ulcers. That's been common knowledge to you and your associates for years. They get bad like this every now and then when he's stressed," Mr. Dun told them firmly.

"And what's the source of this stress?" The social worker asked.

Jordan's voice surprised Tyler. "School ain't exactly easy for us. Everyone thinks we're freaks or something. The other day at school, a bunch of kids said Josh should be killed for his religion. That'll stress anyone out."

The memory made bile rise in the back of Tyler's throat. He couldn't believe that girl had said such hateful words to Josh without a second thought. She didn't even know him.

The sound of a pen scribbling against paper seeped through the closet. "And why would they suggest that?"

"Kids throw stones at what they don't understand," Mr. Dun replied simply.

"Joshua, do you have any friends at school that you can talk to about these problems?" She asked.

"No," Josh replied tiredly.

"Here within your...um...."

"Community?" Mrs. Dun provided.

"Yes. Community. Do you have friends here you can talk to?" She pressed.

Josh coughed, but there was no sound of vomiting. "Yes."

"Joshua, do you feel safe at home?" She asked.

"Only when you aren't here," he replied bitterly.

Tyler smirked, covering his mouth with his hands to keep from laughing. There was the Josh he knew and loved. Poisoned or not, Josh wouldn't put up with anyone forcing him to denounce his upbringing. That wouldn't change for someone as irrelevant as a social worker.

"And why do you feel unsafe when I'm here, Joshua?" She asked, sounding concerned.

"You want to take me away from my family and my home. Every time you show up we're all scared. You don't understand, so you try to take us away. That's terrifying," Josh replied. "Can I sleep now?"

"Get some rest, Joshua," Mrs. Dun said softly. "I'll be by to check on you later. Until then, just rest. Do you need anything?"

"I'm okay," Josh replied through a yawn.

The social worker cleared her throat. "If he doesn't stop vomiting blood, you may need to consider professional medical attention for-"

"That is against our religion. If he isn't dying, he's going to be treated here. That's our right," Mr. Dun replied without missing a beat. "We know what's best for our son."

"But if it gets worse-"

"We'll do anything for our boy, but we won't take him to a hospital when we can treat it here," Mr. Dun repeated. "Do you need anything else here or can we get back to our jobs?"

There was a brief pause before the social worker spoke again. "I'm finished here. Am I allowed to leave on my own or...?"

"Jordan will walk you to the fence. Joshua doesn't need him while he's sleeping anyhow," Mr. Dun replied. "Joshua, you get some sleep."

"Yes, sir."

Tyler listened to everyone leave the room, but one pair of footsteps remained when the door closed. His heart thundered in his chest when it walked right up to his hiding place. It opened before he could think of what to do to avoid getting caught. Relief flooded him when Mrs. Dun smiled at him tiredly.

"Come on out now, sweetheart. Keep an eye on my son today please. If the vomiting gets bad again, come find me. I should be around the house," she told him.

"Yes, ma'am," Tyler replied quietly as he stepped out of his hiding place.

She picked up the bowl containing Josh's vomit and kissed his forehead. "I love you," she told him softly.

"I love you too," Josh mumbled as he struggled to open his eyes again.

"No one is going to hurt you ever again. I promise you. Your father will find who did this and punish them, and I'll do anything I can to keep you safe." Mrs. Dun brushed Josh's sweaty hair back.

Josh nodded dazedly, smiling sleepily and relaxing when Tyler climbed back into bed with him. He rested one hand gently on top of Josh's tender stomach, trailing his fingertips along it lightly.

Tyler was surprised when Mrs. Dun kissed his forehead as well. "I'll keep you safe too. Thank you for taking care of my son."

"That's my job. Thank you, Mrs. Dun," Tyler whispered timidly, wrapping his arm fully around Josh when he rolled to hide his face against Tyler's chest.

"You're very brave," she told Tyler quietly. "Don't let this place take that from you."

With that, she left the room, closing the door behind herself quietly. The words hung heavily in the air around Tyler. What was Mrs. Dun telling him? He already knew that this place was bad, but she'd always spoken so fondly of it. Why would she suggest that it wasn't a good place after all?

"Tyler?" Josh whispered against the soft material of his white shirt.

"Need something?" Tyler asked gently, soothing his fingertips down Josh's back.

Josh coughed slightly, keeping his eyes shut. "Can I ask you a favour?" He slurred out.

"Of course," Tyler replied without hesitating.

Josh's body was already relaxing into the mattress as he began to fall asleep. "Pray for me," he whispered.

A lump was forming in Tyler's throat. "I don't know how to pray to your god, Josh, and honestly even if I did-"

"No, yours," Josh mumbled out. "Can he hear you?"

Tyler's eyes slid across the Satanic cross burnt into his arm. It was healed, as promised, but part of him still ached when he saw it. "I don't know. I hope so."

"Please try," Josh whispered.

"Are you sure?" Tyler asked, looking down at Josh.

He received no reply. Josh was asleep again. Tyler kissed Josh's forehead before closing his own eyes. He whispered his prayer, too afraid that if he said it any louder, it would get both of them in trouble. Saying it silently in his head didn't feel right either though. Josh needed to hear it, even if only his subconscious heard the words.

When he'd finished, he kissed Josh's lips softly before relaxing his muscles. Josh's soft breaths kept him from breaking down as he tried to sort out his thoughts. Homesickness and anxiety were overpowering him, but he had to stay strong. Josh needed him. They would get out of this place together, but not until Josh was well again.