Revamped

two

The band was taking a break, mingling with whatever friends had shown up, and Tyler was still sitting at the piano bench, fingers fiddling with the keys, not quite pressing down but fluttering along them in imaginary song.

Transfixed, he practically had a heart attack when a voice broke through his thoughts, sending them scattering to the wind in fright.

"You were really good earlier."

Turning, his gaze caught on a familiar blonde, her smirk fixed firmly in place, and for the first time, aimed at him.

He merely blinked, feeling his face heat slightly as he glanced back at the piano, mumbling "Thanks. I've played for awhile."

She nodded, studying the instrument and reaching out to run her slender fingers along the worn and dented wood, her dark eyes solemn.

The silence stretched and Tyler started to feel slightly uncomfortable, wondering why she'd come up to him in the first place. She wasn't even-

"I was wondering if you'd be interested in helping out a friend of mine." She cut his thought straight in half, startling him all over again. How did she keep doing that? It was like he couldn't even remember what he'd been trying to think in the first place.

Shaking his head, he frowned at her in confusion. "Help your friend? How would I even-"

"Don't worry about that right now. Details aren't always fun." She grinned, seemingly amused at his irritation. Taking a seat on the edge of the stage, she flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder, the pale skin catching the low light of the bar and making it seem almost translucent. It was captivating, but Tyler dragged his eyes away and met her gaze, which was knowing and still amused.

Flushing all over again, he fought the urge to scowl at her like a child and instead wondered what the hell was wrong with him. Why was he even talking to this woman?

As if to answer his unspoken question, she purred "How would you like to become my friends new favorite toy?"

•*•*•*•*•

Ignoring the fogginess in his own head, Josh frowned as he leant against the bathroom stall, listening to Dallon retch up half his wallet's worth of alcohol and Brendon cackling.

"You should've- should've seen how-" more laughing, Brendon practically bent in half as he howled, "you turned green for fuck's sake! I've gotta say," he sighed, straightening and wiping tears from his eyes, "that is definitely not your shade, my friend."

"Not so sure I'd agree. I think you got pretty milky back there." Theo chimed in, eliciting another round of gagging from Dallon and more laughing from Brendon.

How the dairy product was responsible for such a reaction, Josh couldn't say.

Sighing, he turned to gaze at his reflection in the mirror and blinked in surprise. For one thing, he hadn't realized that his lack of self-care had taken such a physical toll on his image.

He ran the pad of his fingers over the bruises under his eyes, noting the hollowness in his cheeks and the pallid state of his complexion. He knew he was pale, but this was just...sickly.

Glancing up at his hair, he frowned slightly at the faded color, the eternally messy state it always seemed determined to stay in. When was the last time he'd even showered?

Blinking, he realizes Theo is watching him, raising a brow, blue eyes unreadable.

Josh glanced away quickly, turning from the mirror and leaning against the counter, crossing his arms and staring at the floor. It didn't matter that he looked like shit. Wasn't like he had anyone to impress anyways.