JOSH DUN VS THE WORLD ✓

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: THERE ARE NO BEACHES IN CANADA

SAVING...

SAVING...

SAVING...

SAVING COMPLETE!

They host the celebration at the same house where Josh and Tyler met. Billie manages to have the party that same night, so Josh calls his boyfriend up from Max's apartment.

"What's up, babe?" Tyler answers.

"Guess what shitty Canadian band just got a deal with one of America's biggest indie-rock record labels?" Josh beams over the phone, laughing when he hears Tyler's gasp.

"No fucking way. You guys got a deal? Did you already sign?"

"Yup."

"With what label?"

"That's a surprise. I'll tell you tonight in a special way." Josh wiggles his eyebrows and Max groans from the other side of the apartment.

"God, you're so horny all the time," Tyler says with a chuckle. I guess that's what the emergency band practice was for."

"Yeah." Josh looks nervously at Hayley and Max, who are both dressed for a party. Young Ryan's still in the bathroom. "We're having a celebratory party tonight at Billie's place. You want to go?"

"Hell yeah I do. What time?"

"Not sure yet. Hayley's working out the details with Billie now, but I was going to head home so I can get dressed up before we get fucked up."

"I just got home, so I'll get ready to get fucked up."

"I'll see you in a few, then. Love you."

"Love you too. See ya."

Josh hangs up. Hayley starts awwing from the kitchen, pouring whiskey into a half-full liter bottle of coke.

"That's so cute," She teases. "Let me guess, you like long walks on the beach?"

He flips her the bird and grabs his coat off the ground. "Fuck off, Williams. There are no beaches in Canada."

"See you at the party, ya pansy!" She shouts as he shuts the door behind him.

NOW ENTERING:
THE PARTY

Josh sits against the wall with a red solo cup full of Fanta grape. From where he and Tyler are on the second floor, he can see Hayley and Halsey dancing below, their hands clasped together as they spun in circles on the dance floor. They're cute.

Tyler's head rests against his shoulder, going on about a new comic book movie he wants to see in theaters.

"- and even though I know he's going to be the main villain, I really want them to redeem his character and become another father figure for Peter," he rambles, letting Josh play with his fingers.

"I think you just want to see Jake Gylenhall on screen more with Tom Holland," Josh says.

"They're both really hot, okay? Especially Gylenhall. He's a god. You totally agree with me."

"Well, yeah. Jake Gylenhall was my celebrity crush."

"Mmm." He moves so his lips are barely brushing against Josh's ear. "Who's your crush now?"

"Take a wild guess." Josh turns his head, kissing Tyler softly with a hand on the back of his neck.

"Yo, homos!" Hayley shouts over the music, waving them down. "Come dance with us! Max's about to do the announcement!"

Josh nudges Tyler and stands, pulling him up with him. "You ready for the big news?"

"Honestly, I'm kind of freaking out. This is a big thing for you guys," Tyler says, letting go of Josh's hand so he can grab another cup while they pass the drink table.

"It shouldn't be that surprising, considering you've probably already seen this happen."

It's meant to be a joke, but Tyler pulls him to a stop right when they step off the stairs. "Actually, now that you mention it, I haven't seen this happen."

"That's a good thing, right?" Josh suggests, smiling hopefully.

Tyler scrunches his nose, obviously not convinced, but doesn't say anything else.

The music dies down until it's background noise, and Max hops onto their makeshift stage, which is four beer pong tables pushed together. He taps his microphone a few times, causing it to feedback.

"Hello, hello, testing," he says, fiddling with the buttons of his flannel. "Welcome, my fellow Canadians, to Sex Bob-omb's debut party!"

Josh screams, the crowd exploding with cheers and drink tossed into the air. He sees Young Ryan and Hayley squeezing through the crowd to join Max so he quickly pecks Tyler's lips and follows them.

When he makes it to the front, he notices a tall man in a dark suit standing behind the tables, glancing over the crowd with uncaring eyes. He looks familiar, but Josh can't put his finger on where they've met before.

Hayley grabs Josh's sleeve and yanks him up on the tables, and the crowd goes through another round of cheers. Josh locks eyes with Tyler, who's joined by Halsey, and smiles, seeing seeing how tense his boyfriend is even from there.

"This is Hayley Williams, our drummer, Josh Dun, our bassist, and Young Ryan Seaman, our very own backstage manager!" Max points them each out as he says their names, each getting applause as he does so.

Josh waves and sees the man stand on the table to his left. Since his eyes keep glancing over at Tyler to make sure he doesn't get too uncomfortable, he sees panic bloom across his face.

"And the man of the hour, Dallon Weekes, our rep for Mister Sinister Records!"

Dallon, the man in the suit, steps forward, taking the offered microphone from Max. "Thank you, Max Frost, for accepting my offer and joining us as Mister Sinister now-"

Tyler's gone in a blink. Josh can only watch as Halsey turns around, calling his name. She looks up at him, confused, and she disappears as well. His phone in his pocket.

HALSEY BB
I'm going after him

He quickly types back.

JOSUHA
please make sure he's okay
if he's not, tell me, and I'll leave

Hayley pulls him into a side hug, tears in her usually-cold dead eyes. Max has a wild, confident smile on his face, and Young Ryan is talking. They all look so happy, so unconcerned, as Dallon says something that Josh doesn't really process and hands the mic back to Max.

"Alright, let's party!" He shouts, and the group goes wild, the room going black as the only light comes from glow lights on tables.

Josh sits on the table and hops onto the ground. As soon as he starts walking into the crowd, someone grabs his shoulder.

"Josh Dun. I believe we haven't had a proper introduction." Dallon offers his hand to shake. Josh does so reluctantly. "We need to have a chat, you and I."