After The Confetti Falls {Joshler}

Chapter 7: No Safe Place

Tyler sits by one of the windows in their tour bus, watching the scenery roll by silently, his dark eyes reflecting the sky and the grass with a thoughtful expression, his hand supporting his chin and fingers curled around his jawline, and Josh, well, Josh watches Tyler. Josh wishes with everything in him just to know what's on his mind, but he doesn't know how to ask. He just seems so immersed in whatever he is thinking, seeing, and feeling, Josh just feel like a bystander who doesn't know what to do but watch mesmerized by the man across from him. He knows he shouldn't be staring, or mesmerized, but he can't help himself. Everything he does is beautiful.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer." Tyler says with a blank tone and expression, not turning his gaze away or even lifting his chin from his hand making him slur. Josh's cheeks turn pink, blushing and looking away. He feels really weird now, not sure how to move past that. 

"I'm messing, Josh. You can stare longingly at me as much as you'd like." Tyler says, attempting to hide the self-satisfied grin spreading across his face. Josh just blushes more now, and laughs nervously. Tyler is so cheeky, and Josh can do absolutely nothing about it. His brain searches frantically for something to say. 

"So, uh, what did you think of Tyson?" No no, that wasn't good. Stupid, stupid, Josh. Why would he ask that? Tyler is silent for a minute, and twists his lips up like he's searching for something to say that is difficult to word.

"Well, to be nice, he's lacking character, but he is...." Tyler pauses as if searching for something nice to add. "Hot?" Tyler says, scrunching one side of his face up. "I don't know, what do you want me to say about him? I only met him once." Tyler says, shaking his head and looking back out the window with stormy eyes. Josh laughs dishearteningly. He's not really sure what he wanted Tyler to say either. He's not sure wether he should be offended, but he can start to feel offence creep in. Tyler doesn't understand Tyson, and he's probably just bitter that he's a guy. Even so, it's hard that his best friend and boyfriend didn't hit it off well. It feels weird calling Tyson his boyfriend. They're not really official, but he doesn't know what else to call him. His very-attractive-guy-that-he's-been-seeing-for-a-little-over-a-week-and-is-interested-in-but-it's-complicated. He's gotta find a way to bridge the gap of hatred between Ty² because he can't take them not being friends, or at least courteous acquaintances. Josh tries his hardest to look anywhere on the bus but Tyler, but he can't help that Tyler is the most interesting and beautiful thing on the bus, or for that matter, anywhere. He just needs to get him talking so it won't be so awkward. 

"Soooo.... How're you feeling about the concert, and performing with your injuries?" Josh asks, pulling his legs up on the bench seat to sit cross legged. 

"Actually, really good. I mean, you know how much I love concerts, you and I are on the same page about them, but it's actually going to be really cool to see the response. I might even inspire some people. That would be the coolest thing." Tyler says with a smile, his eyes glistening at the possibility. 

"That's to cool. I'm glad to hear it." Josh responds. Tyler smiles to himself. Mission accomplished. Then he freezes for a minute with a contemplative expression, and gets up suddenly grabbing his crutches that are leaned against the bench, and walks out of the room with no explanation. Josh is about to ask him why he's leaving, but his mouth hangs open just a moment too long and Tyler is gone into the other room. Josh waits in the silence, wondering what he did or said, maybe he made him uncomfortable, maybe he just doesn't want to be around him, but as these possibilities run through his mind, Tyler walks back in with a keyboard tucked under his arm. Oh. Well, now Josh is excited. Tyler sets the keyboard down and his fingers play softly and delicately a beautiful, sad sort of tune that Josh recognizes right away. Josh could honestly listen to Tyler play or sing anything, or both, every minute of every day for the rest of his life and he would still love it as much with his dying breath as he does right this moment. The tune makes Josh's heart feel heavy, but oh, how Tyler plays it so beautifully. Then he starts to sing, and Josh is sure the world collectively held its breath in that moment.