JOSH DUN VS THE WORLD ✓

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: THERE'S STILL TIME FOR A WORLD ENDING DISASTER

SAVING...

SAVING...

SAVING...

SAVING COMPLETE!

That evening, which would normally be a date night for them, instead is spent at the Holy Moly Cowboy Bar. Josh gets there early to meet up with Halsey before Sex Bob-Omb is supposed to play.

"So, how's the domestic life treating you?" She teases, sipping her iced tea.

Josh rolls his eyes, getting a Diet Coke for him and some fruity alcoholic beverage for Tyler- weird, just the way he likes it. "It's great. I really like him, you know? It's so weird how quick this all happened."

"It looks like he makes you really happy."

"Yeah, i am. He makes me feel like I can do anything, like I can make up for my mistakes." He smiles to himself, stirring his coke with a straw. "I might've told him I loved him earlier today."

Halsey chokes on her drink, coughing for a moment before catching her breath. "You did what?"

"Okay, it's not that big of a deal-"

"Not that big of a deal?!" She slams her hands down, shaking their glasses. "Dude, you confessed your love! That's some next level shit!"

Josh drops his head into the table, groaning. "I know! I'm an idiot. What do I do?"

"Well, what did he say?"

"He kissed me. A lot."

"Well, I suppose he was reciprocating." She squeals with excitement. "This is so cute! You guys are officially my new OTP."

"Stop fangirling, ya weirdo," he jokes, swatting her as she tries to nuzzle his cheek.

He feels a tap on his shoulder and turns to see Max with a black eye and Hayley with a busted lip. She's beaming like she just won the lottery, winking at Josh when he looks at her. Max looks exhausted.

"Woah. Did you guys get attacked by the psycho ninja too?" Josh asks.

Hayley raises her eyebrows and looks at Max, bursting into giggles. "No! We got into a fight."

"A fight?" He raises an eyebrow in concern. "Don't tell me it was with-"

"With Jon? Hell, yeah it was. He thought it was a good idea to shit talk you to us."

"And you guys... beat him up for it?"

"In my defense, Hayley hit him first. Hard," Max says. "You know how she is, tony and full of unbridled rage."

She flexes and laughs. Josh doesn't remember the last time she looked that happy.

"Don't act like he didn't deserve it," Hayley cooes, plopping down onto the seat next to Halsey.

"Jon doesn't live with me anymore, so Hayley and Young Ryan were talking about moving in so we can plot rent," Max explains, sitting beside Josh. "I think he's staying with one of his speed dial hookups."

"Good. He's a dick. I'm kind of sad that he's not going to be around when Sex Bob-omb get famous, though."

Max shrugs. "It was bound to happen."

Young Ryan comes in soon after alongside Billie, Abigail, and Tyler. Billie highfives Hayley and makes a beeline to the bar. Abigail nods at Josh, who nods back, and she goes to the bar with Billie.

Tyler sits directly on Josh's lap, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek. Halsey, once again, spits her lemonade all over the table. Hayley cracks up laughing, and Max snickers. Young Ryan just says hi and meekly pulls Max to help him set up their equipment in the back room.

"Hey, babe," Tyler beams.

"You're overly happy," Josh says, smiling. "Did something happen?"

"Something did. Something amazing and spectacular and very very-"

"Did you two finally fuck?" Hayley asks.

Halsey's wheezing at this point, bent over the table and slamming her hand down. "Oh- oh my god."

"Hayl, shut the fuck up," Josh snaps, winking in her direction so she knows he's not mad.

"Nope. I just heard the best news." Tyler leans closely Josh's ear and whispers, "I never told you I love you too."

Josh jolts up, grinning from ear to ear now. "You don't have to."

"But I do. It's mandatory by law."

"Damn." Josh shrugs. "I guess I'll just have to say it too, then. Just so it's even."

He kisses Tyler's nose, making him laugh, and Hayley slaps his arm. She puts a finger in her mouth and fake-gags.

"Sorry to interrupt this disgustingly cute scene, but we've got thirty minutes."

"Oh, shit. I gotta go, babe." Josh pecks Tyler's lips.

"See you," Tyler says, getting off his lap so Josh can follow Hayley to the backroom.

Josh waves to Halsey and Tyler and turns to walk facing forward, sighing dreamily. "Have you ever been in love before?"

Hayley sends him a look that he can't really describe, but he thinks it's jealousy. "Depends. Once this dude at Panera tipped me five dollars for telling him where the papaya mango blend was. Pretty sure jay was love in first sight."

"Never mind." Josh nudges her with his shoulder. "I feel amazing. Like nothing can go wrong anymore than it already has, ya know?"

She laughs. "Don't jinx us, twink. There's still time for a world ending disaster," she says.

"I hope not. I've been planning this thing with Tyler, and I wanted to wait until after this gig to..."

The rest of his sentence dies in his throat as they pass by the band they were opening for. He hadn't even asked who'd offered them the gig, and now he realizes.

It doesn't click until Josh sees Brendon and Jenna sharing drinks. Brendon, the ever-present cocky bastard, raises a glass at him when they make eye contact. Jenna make a throat-cutting gesture, giggling so loud that he can hear her clearly from across the venue.

He looks behind at Tyler, who's charging happily with Halsey and Josh's younger sister. "Oh, shit. I think the world ending disaster came early."

"What are you- oh, fuck me." Hayley cracks her knuckles. "You want me to fuck his shit up?"

"Not yet." Josh tears his eyes from the obvious ex alliance and focuses all his mental energy on their performance. "First, we play. Then, we fuck some people's shit up."