Not Our Best Idea (Joshler One-shots)

Performance Error

"You didn't have to do that, Tyler, and you know it."

I followed Josh into the dressing room, listening to him scold me because of my "over-the-top performance" during HeavyDirtySoul where I almost hurt my back and stayed sprawled on the ground. "Josh, I'm fine! Look at me, I'm walking." I demonstrated, walking around the room in circles.

"That is not what I meant." He sighed and sat down, trying to rub his eyes into focus. Thank God he wasn't wearing any of that red paint around them. "These people out there, they're not used to us. This isn't our usual crowd, this is a TV series and you just-"
"I got too comfortable, didn't I?" I finished for him, slightly questioning whether that was a direct attack to my way of performing.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I have to act less crazy when we have a more diverse audience!" He picked up on my heavy sarcasm and stood up, squinting his eyes at me intensely. "Tyler, I'm not about to tell you how to play your music or how to act around a crowd, but that one wasn't ours. These people came to watch the biggest hit on the radio and they didn't even know us. You made a dozen people stand up and almost go to the stage because they thought your fall wasn't part of the act."

I was looking at him in a way that exaggerated my expressions and made it obvious that I did not come here to be the next hit on the radio, I'm here to be the lead singer of Twenty One Pilots. "I can't believe you're saying this to me right now. You of all people, Josh." I felt really emotional for a second but I still let it take over me because I knew I needed to make a point. "This is how I've always been on stage, with my crowd or another. I will always do what makes me happy and what helps me cope with the tension that a new crowd brings."

I looked in his eyes for an answer or an emotion other than hurt. None was found until he spoke. "Tyler.." he looked up, contemplating his answer and breathing out heavy, cheeks puffed and everything. "If coping with a new crowd means almost breaking your back and laying there for a stupid amount of time, if it means impress them rather than focusing on the lyrics, then.. I don't know if I want to watch you do it."

"Are you saying.." I trailed off, clearly not wanting to finish and fully expecting him to understand. I was still surprised by how quickly this has moved and how touchy a subject it became. "You know, the things you do on stage become a little too much sometimes. It's embarrassing." As soon as he said that, we both regretted having this conversation in the first place. I knew my ego won't let me end it there. "Why don't you leave, then?" I shouted. There it is. I just couldn't leave it, apologize, then do what I want on stage anyway, could I?

"Yeah? Maybe I will!" He turned towards the door and my frozen limbs finally melted into action, my hand grabbing his wrist and pulling him back. I clutched onto him from the back for dear life "No, Josh, I didn't mean it! I'm so sorry." I slid down to my knees, still holding fistfuls of his shirt in both my hands. My head was facing the ground as it witnessed the first tear. I loosened when he decided to turn around only for me to grab his shirt again and keep muttering apologies.

I felt his hand pressing my hair down and looked up with teary eyes to see his. He knelt down to my level and asked with a cracked voice: "Do you really want me out?"
"Oh, Josh." I put my head in my hands, shaking it a firm "no"- well as firm as a sobbing boy can get. "I didn't know what I was saying, it just came out." And even though it was muffled, he understood, because I felt him tug at my chin and bring my face up and slowly kiss my lips.

"I'd never leave you for the world, Tyler."
"I would never want you to." I replied, no hesitation whatsoever. I kissed him this time, bringing him closer with a hand on his neck and one on his hips.

We had so many love bites and hickeys by the end of it all, I couldn't even bring myself to say anything about the argument that caused them. That's one thing we'll be sure not to speak of again.

((Sorry about the upsetting and poorly-written chapter. |-/))