josh was at his lowest when the big top rolled into town. tyler was the star of the show until josh stumbled into his life and dragged him down with him.
{lowercase intended}
**sexual content
the music pulsed loudly through the walls of the dining car once the party begun. tyler, josh, and brendon made their way quickly along the tracks towards the sound of the music. the moon hung high in the sky and cast its light onto the empty circus grounds. it seemed that every member of the troupe must have been crammed into the long bistro car for this celebration.
"i don't think i'll stay out late tonight, guys. i'm kind of tired." tyler yawned, hoping josh would be convinced to leave early with him.
unfortunately for tyler, josh was caught up in the rush of his new stardom and wasn't going to be easily persuaded with his head so high in the clouds, "we aren't even at the party yet and you want to leave already?" josh joked, nudging tyler slightly.
"yeah, c'mon, joseph," brendon laughed from ahead of them, "listen to your boyfriend!"
"oh, shut up, urie." tyler crossed his arms, becoming increasingly pissed at brendon's jokes, "i already agreed to go, haven't i?"
******
the three of them were the last to enter the train car, but their entrance didn't go unnoticed. several people shook their hands and congratulated them on the success of the show. all the eyes that were laid on tyler and josh reminded them of being under the spotlight just a few hours before.
"alright, guys, leave dun alone," brendon dispersed the crowd that surrounded them, but a girl with half black and half pink hair reached up and whispered a message into his ear. brendon tugged josh closer to him to relay the girl's message, while unknowingly pulling josh further from tyler who was desperately trying to keep up with them, "okay, josh, just go down the hall to the bathroom, i guess the makeup artists have a surprise for you."
brendon whipped his arm up to point in the direction of the bathroom, accidentally hitting tyler square in the nose.
"what the hell, urie?" tyler reached up to cradle his nose, but blood was already pouring onto his hands and splattered on his leotard, "oh lord, look what you did."
"are you alright, tyler?" josh shook out of brendon's grasp to try and help, "wait here, i'll go get some napkins."
brendon caught josh by the back of the collar and dragged him back, "i'll take care of tyler, just go meet up with the makeup artists, alright?"
josh obliged reluctantly before patting tyler on the shoulder and whispering something to tyler the he couldn't quite hear over the music, but josh's touch was enough to calm the brunette's nerves. tyler was so caught up in his little moment that he barely noticed brendon disappearing and returning from the crowd until he was shoving napkins at tyler's face. his eyed welled with tears from the stinging sensation in his nose. tyler felt a hand that he assumed brendon's start to pull him through the crowded train car, but he couldn't see who it was through his tears.
once through the back door of the car, the cool night air refreshed tyler's face and dried the blood that remained on his top lip, "thanks for getting me out of there... i'm not really put out for parties." tyler laughed, turning around to stare straight into wentz' bloodshot eyes, sending chills down the boy's back, "oh, crap, you're not brendon-"
"you think?" wentz scoffed with his classic dry sarcasm, "listen, kid, i brought you out here during my big party 'cause i gotta make sure you aren't fuckin' my new meat."
tyler let out a single laugh, but tried to grow serious again as pete grabbed the boy by the strap of his leotard and wrenched him closer until tyler could feel pete's whiskey-scented breath against his face, "no, boss, i swear on my life that we're not."
"are you lyin' to me?"
"of course not! please just let me go."
pete released tyler, but slammed the boy back against the railing, "stay out here, bitch. i don't want to see you feeling up on dun again."
tyler thought about objecting, but the ringleader was in a dangerous mood.
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"don't even think about it, joseph. you've pulled shit like this before and you know this time i'll ki-"
the door flew open and hit pete in the shoulder. brendon poked his head outside and laughed nervously at the intensity of the situation, but decided to risk pissing off his boss to talk to them, "sorry to interrupt, fellas, but you both should really see josh's new look."
tyler had to physically stop himself from pushing his boss out of the way to get to josh, but it was clear that wentz was eager to get inside, as well. pete ripped the door open so fast that something flew out of his shirt pocket. tyler reached down quick to pick it up before it rolled off of the platform observed that it was a small, white pill. pete's large, sweaty fingers swiped it out of tyler's hands and pushed his way through the troupe before tyler could say anything.
******
"thank you." josh repeated to every person that complemented him as he stepped out of the bathroom. the makeup artists emerged behind him, keenly watching the excited reactions from the people that laid eyes on josh.
the ringleader staggered ahead of everyone and threw his hands heavily onto josh's shoulders, "damn, where do i sign up?" wentz breathed into josh's ear, causing him to squirm slightly.
quickly, tyler pushed his way through the other admirers until he could see josh. tyler's jaw dropped to the floor when he saw josh's new flame red hair, but he caught himself quickly by biting his lip. tyler didn't realize pete was even there until josh was pulling the ringleader off of his shoulders. it was clear that pete wasn't in the mood for rejection because he started clenching his fists.
brendon broke it up quickly by putting his arm casually around pete, "alright, guys, let's just have fun tonight, okay?"
josh cleared his throat and pete relaxed a little, but tyler could still see his boss eyeing josh dangerously and he could feel his face growing hot with anger.
if pete even thought about hurting josh, tyler would kill him.
