Together let's breathe - Josh Dun fanfic

17. Tyler

I know the last few days have been rough on Josh. They have been rough on me too. Two days ago he showed up to sound check with bright yellow hair. It's never bothered me that he dyes his hair crazy colors. I didn't even mind when he had bright pink hair as one as my groomsmen. The issue I have with it is when he uses his hair color as a distraction instead of dealing with his feelings. His hair became blue right before Blurryface was released, and we were both worried about how it would be received. The pink started after Debby moved to California, and now we have yellow.

I know it's because he thinks Marie rejected him. However I don't see it that way. I know they have been texting back and forth since Josh got back from Kansas City. They have even been able to video chat once. I should understand more than anyone that those things are never enough. That's the whole reason why Jenna is sleeping next to me right now.

When she is gone I have the same dream every night. We are in our bed at home and I run my fingers through her blonde hair and she gives me a sweet giggle when my finger tips  touch the back of her neck. She blushes and buries her face in my neck. That's when I always wake up and more than once I have Josh's hair in my hand.

Jenna has been so kind and understanding these past two weeks. I never want her to feel like she isn't my first priority. And if she has ever doubted it, she has never told me. Every time Josh and I go our separate ways after a show, me to the arms of a woman who loves me and him to an empty bed, I feel guilty. Maybe it's wrong to feel guilty about being a good husband. At our wedding I vowed to forsake all others, does that mean Josh and his feelings too?

My number one goal when I first started making music was to have as many people as possible hear my message. Now I play sold out shows every night, I can't listen to the radio without hearing my own voice and Blurryface was the number one album on the music charts for a while. I have a wife who shares my faith and values, who understands my struggles, loves to take care of me and is unbelievably beautiful. I have everything I have ever wanted. The only missing puzzle piece is Josh's happiness. It has been on me for so long to be Josh's protector and to insure his well-being, that I don't think twice about being the one to save him this time.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the guilt eating me up, but something made me untangle myself from Jenna and leave the bus. I quickly scribble a note for her before I leave.

"Jen- Please don't worry about me. I'll be back later. - Ty"

I had one mission in mind and that was to do what Josh couldn't do. Bring Marie back.

                                                                             ...

I scoot my way across the back seat of the taxi.

"Where are we going?" The driver asks me.

"The airport please." I answer. 

Do I even know what city I'm in right now? The car starts moving forward and I try to look for any familiar landmarks that could hint to where I am. The sun is barely peeking out from the horizon and light has just started to touch the ground. 

"Hey!" the driver says "You're that guy in the band my daughter likes!"

That made me realize I've decided to take this trip from wherever I am to Kansas City completely alone and unguarded. Marcus is going to kill me when he finds out, that is if a mob of crazy fans don't get to me first. 

"Could I get a picture with you? My daughter would flip!" He says.

At the first red light we hit I lean from the back  seat and he takes a picture of the two of us. I didn't match his beaming smile, but he doesn't seem to mind.

  I arrive at what I learn is the Nashville airport, get on the first plane leaving for Kansas City and sleep through the five hour flight. I take another taxi to Marie's apartment and now the sun is right in the middle of the sky, blinding me. I knock on her door, apartment number 1127. It isn't until then do I start to think about what I'm going to say. If Josh himself couldn't convince her why did I  think I could? I have no plan, but damn was I determined. The door opens and standing in front of me is a taller, non-tattooed version of Marie. She doesn't say anything, expecting me to fill the silence.

  "Is...is...Marie here?" I stammer.

"MARIE!" she yells without taking her eyes off me. "You look really familiar." she lowers her voice to tell me.

"I'm sure I do" I think to myself. I've done twelve interviews, two photo shoots and been on the cover of one magazine all in the last two weeks. 

 "I'm Tyler." I say hoping that is enough explanation. 

"Oh! I know where I've seen you! Marie has pictures of you all over her room."

If she has pictures of me, that means she has pictures of Josh standing right next to me.

"Who do I have pictures of all over my room?" I hear Marie say before appearing in the doorway. She looks at me stunned. This is when I need to step up and fight for my friend.

"I think we should talk" I say.

She lets me inside, where I end up spilling my guts and Josh' guts too I guess. I talk for almost an hour straight telling her everything I can about Josh. I tell her about when we first met and how my depression was at its worst and that Josh helped me through and I helped him through his. I tell her about his breakdown after their first night together and how to lead to our first big fight. I explain that seeing the two of them acting so natural together is what changed my mind. I tell her about what happened with Debby and how he turned her down to be with Marie. I tell her how miserable he has been without her and how his face lights up when he gets a text from her. Marie, along with who I know now is her sister, takes in everything I've just poured out. 

After I give her a moment to digest, I say "I was hoping that this time you would come back on tour with us."

Charlotte is the first one to speak "You might think I'm crazy, but I think you should go."

 "Are you serious? You have been the one telling me to forget everything that happened and to move on. You were so proud of me for turning Josh away when he was here." Marie says.

"I know. I did that because I thought Josh was a creep, but I don't know kid. Sounds like I was wrong about him." Charlotte responds.

  "Look, I know this relationship didn't start out the way Josh intended, but he really cares about you Marie. This relationship isn't going anywhere through texting. He needs you there with him."

                                                                                   ...

We have about three minutes to get to the other side of the airport to make this flight back to Nashville. If we leave now, I will arrive in plenty of time before the show and no one will have had to worry about my whereabouts. I start running when I notice that I am quickly losing time, but as soon as I do Marie isn't beside me anymore. She has fallen behind, trying to keep up with my pace. I reach my hand out behind me and she grabs on. We run hand and hand to the gate just in time to find out that we are too late.

"Please we need to get to Nashville as soon as possible" I beg the woman behind the counter.

"I'm sorry sir, but the next flight doesn't leave until 3 p.m."

That means when we land we will only have an hour before Josh and I need to be on stage. I pull out my phone to call Jenna, but it's completely dead. She and Josh are going to be panicking knowing I'm not there. I can't call them from Marie's phone because I planned on her arrival being a surprise. Thinking about Jenna not knowing where I am or if I am safe scares me to the point I start to panic. Marie must be able to sense my worries. She puts one hand on my shoulder and her eyes lock with mine.

"Hey, everything is going to be okay." she says as if she has seen into the future.

Somehow just with those words she has calmed me down enough to think clearly again. This is one more thing that lets me know that Marie is the perfect woman for Josh.