band one-shots

if i can't have you || josh dun

hi i hate this but it's  c o n t e n t  😩😩

also yeah that title is a shawn mendes reference 😔 sorry kids it's not an emo lyric this time

ship: josh dun x reader

~

"I like Tyler." I tell Josh.

I'm not completely clueless, and I know that by saying this there's an 85% chance that this information will make its way to Tyler immediately. But I choose to risk it. Because I've run out of all of my other options and Josh might help me.

"Oh." He shuffles his feet awkwardly. "Okay. Did you want my help, or-"

"Yeah." I cut him off, nodding. "I just don't know what he likes or how to tell him. Or if I even have a chance in the first place."

"Um...well..." Josh inhales as he thinks. I would've expected him to have an answer much sooner, considering he was Tyler's closest companion, but I waited patiently.

"The best thing to do is probably to make him jealous."

"How do I do that?" I've been speculating over this for weeks, and I considered everything from a pathetic anonymous note to just straight up kissing him one day. Neither plan had seemed very formidable. So I was open to anything else.

"Date someone else. Or pretend to. Tyler wants what he can't have." He smirks. "Hell, pretend to date me. That'll really piss him off."

"Really? You'd do that."

"Sure. I don't mind." There's something like longing in Josh's eyes, but then he blinks and it evaporates. Maybe I'm seeing things.

"Okay."

~

"Tyler, we have something to tell you." Josh clutches my hand in his, and I try my best to force a smile. Acting as if the red-haired boy next to me is who I can't stop thinking about, when I know in my heart that it's Tyler.

Tyler nods to us from across the room. "Yeah? What's up?"

"I'm dating Y/N."

"Oh." His eyebrows spike upwards in surprise, but he doesn't seem the least bit jealous or angry. "That's great." He smiles, a genuine one. It contrasts badly to the plastic one on my own face. "When did you guys get together?"

"Around last week?" Josh offers, unconvincingly. Tyler shoots him a skeptical look and he backtracks. "It wasn't really a specific thing, it, um, just happened."

"Well, cool. I'm happy for you guys." Tyler fist-bumps Josh, their signature greeting and goodbye. "I'm on my way to the studio now, so see you."

As soon as he's gone and the door has slammed shut, I turn to Josh. "Are you sure this was a good idea? He doesn't seem jealous at all!"

"Y/N-"

"This is bullshit- It's never going to work-"

"Y/N. It'll work." Josh's voice is calm, like always. "I know Tyler."

"Do you really-"

"Yes. Trust me." He sets his hand on my shoulder and rubs it soothingly. I look up at his face, but his eyes avoid mine.

~

It's been two weeks, and I am so fucking tired.

Tyler doesn't act any different. Hell, he makes a point of making jokes about how cute of a couple Josh and I are. He embraces the relationship better than I do.

I pull Josh away, out of earshot of Tyler. His hand feels ice cold in mine and when he looks at me, he already knows what I'm going to say.

"I know it's not working."

"No shit. Does he not like me? Josh- am I just not fucking attractive? Like, at all?" My anxiety creeps in. "Because it's okay, I get it."

"No-" Josh sighs and pushes his hair back. "You're not unattractive, Y/N. You're like- extremely attractive." He freezes and lets his hand drop back down to his side. "Shit I didn't mean to say that- Okay look, I lied."

"What?" I'm insanely confused as to what Josh is trying to say.

"I lied about Tyler. He's not a jealous type of person." Josh starts to explain, but I cut him off almost immediately.

"Then why did you tell me that he was?"

"I-" Josh's face fades to a reddish tone, matching his hair almost exactly. "I wanted you to date me. And I didn't want you to date Tyler, so I tried to come up with a shitty plan. It didn't work, obviously," He adds, motioning to the hurt expression on my face.

"You wanted to date me?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry- I really liked you. And everything means nothing if i can't have you. So I was desperate. I can still try to help you with Tyler if you want. For real this time."

"No." I shake my head. "I don't think I want Tyler anymore."

"Then wha-"

"I want you." And I let myself fall into his arms and it feels almost like how I imagined Tyler would hold me. But better.

~

"So Tyler, me and Josh are dating."

"Weren't you dating before? You already told me."

"No, we're like actually dating this time."

"Bitch what the fuck-"

~

fun fact 13 year old me was a josh stan bc i thought he was cute and tyler was ugly

skskxjs my train of thought was smth like "ew bald man u g l y rED HAIRED BOI C U T E"

i only listened to Blurryface back then so i was clearly a fAke fan 😬👊 r.i.p