Silence Gives You Space

Chapter Three: Johnny Boy

Marcus looked up nervously, he could see the worry that crossed Josh's face. Josh struggled to gently hold Marcus' body up.

"Hey...are you okay? Breathe it's alright.." Josh's calm voice spoke to the weak younger boy.

"Marcus...hun..." Tenea stood and walked over to Marcus, cupping at his cheek and staring down into his eyes. "Come on...to the bathroom. So sorry Josh, can you tell someone he threw up? I promise we will be out soon."

Marcus and Tenea walked into the girls bathroom, Tenea getting a wet cloth and scrubbing at Marcus' mouth.

"That was Josh Dun..." The boy began to cry, tears dripping down his face. "I just threw up in front of Josh Dun!" He whined. Tenea started giggling, "you saw him and you just threw up all over the ground!"

"Oh shut up!" Marcus yelled and rubbed his eyes. "He's so amazing... and I just threw up and now he's not gonna wanna know me... and I just blew it!"

Tenea sighed and frowned, "Marcus I have been telling Josh all about you for nearly a month now. He's been coming for fun to the Judah and the Lion concerts. So listen when I say. You didn't blow it my queen..."

Marcus looked up sadly, "Really? You've been telling him about me? What's there to talk about?"

"A lot! Like how you have a rat, you like to draw, you make costumes, how you get really hyper, how you drink monsters- go nuts- say weird things then crash. He thought you sounded so unique. He begged me to invite you to this concert. You know he lives in LA right?" Tenea winked.

"Of course I know that...you and I were huge fangirls about Tyler and Josh." Marcus huffed.

"So... get out there, and slide the hell in!" The girl pushed Marcus out the door. The boy stumbling and looking back towards the sitting area shyly.

He walked over, Ari and Judah had left, so only Josh was left there, patiently awaiting his return.

"Hi...I'm so sorry about that..." Marcus waved nervously and looked down.

"Oh thank god you're alright! It's totally fine don't worry about it at all." Josh smiled and patted the space on the couch. "Come and sit!"

Marcus gently sat down, his hands fiddling with the edge of the red alien crop top. "

"That's such a cool shirt!" Josh laughed. "Aliens are awesome! You watch the X-Files?"

"Hell yeah I do! Grew up on that shit man!" Marcus laughed openly. "I'm also a huge Star Wars and Star Trek nerd!"

"My oh my you are far more awesome than Tenea said you were! I'm so glad I could meet you Marcus. Tell me more about yourself." Josh smiled, his eyes squinting.

God did those squinty smiles make him cuter.

He was already to die for cute though.

Ugh. Please don't throw up again.

"Well, I'm 24, I have a rat named Kylo, I live in Reno Nevada, I'm genderqueer, pansexual, and I'm basically a hermit." Marcus laughed softly.

"Tenea told me about you being genderqueer. Would you tell me more, personally from you? I really wanna know more." Josh sat up a bit more, he was looking into Marcus' blue eyes with full earnest.

Not many cared about his status as genderqueer... but for some reason Josh Dun cared. And that. Was. Amazing.

"The textbook definition is: denoting or relating to a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of male and female genders. And for me personally. I go by Male, Female, and they/them. I was born to a female body and a female name. I was Mary. But then Marcus came along and I couldn't deny how amazing it felt to have a boy identity. My they/them identities also have names for when I fall into them. Kylo, Moose, and honestly Tyler. Tyler became a name for me after Ari, Tenea, and myself found your band. Tenea was like our Josh and Ari and myself were both Tyler. I'm so sorry this is all probably stupid and confusing....I keep the name Marcus for most of the time cause I love being androgynous most of the time... But yeah... there's confusing old me!" Marcus cringed at how long the explanation was.