Reprise

Chapter One: I've Been Through This Once Before

A/N: I wanna preface this by saying a couple things: 1) ive only been to Sarasota Florida like once, and it was very brief so I know virtually nothing. Almost 100% of how i describe Sarasota is probably gonna be wrong so if youre actually from there pls forgive me. 2) this is kinda written the way a good multichapter fic might be, despite the fact that ive never written a good fic in my life. 3) if anyone wants to beta this monstrosity, pls hit me up. If i try to edit this it'll come out worse probably. 4) none of these characters are real and the bands are made up!! If I include any "song lyrics" by any of the bands, theyre made up. If there's a song that's real you'll probably know. 5) I might not post for months then some back with a short chapter or i could post like three chapters in a row. I know no consistency and I fear no god. 6) song recs are always welcome, thank you and goodnight

You keep bringing it back up, the room is spinning
Scars from the knife you twisted
-Medicate, Weigh the Anchor

JoshMelliar was not well known for making good choices. He made choices, at least. He wasn't as indecisive as Collin, which wasn't a very high bar, but still. It's the principle that counts.

He was almost 29 and standing in the middle of a Target aisle at 8 A.M. because god damn, did he wanna make his own DIY lava lamp. He was also possibly mildly hungover, but hey, he was going through a rough period. It was allowed.

He briefly wondered if he should call Collin and check up on him. Collin probably thought everything that happened was his fault. Which was unfair, because the dude was like some sort of angel trapped in human form. New Machina or Saltrocks would probably take Collin in and let him play with them anyway, which soothed some of Josh's unease.

He discarded the idea of calling him though, as he groaned and had to steady himself by putting a hand on one of the Target(™) shelves. The lights were way too bright, and man, his head was actually killing him right now. His brain was literally throbbing, like Ben had slammed his drumsticks down on Josh's noggin.

And okay, maybe it was his decision to go to Target at the crack of dawn anyway, because he wanted his goddamn lava lamp. He was an adult, he could handle it. Even if he wished he knew where the store's light switch was.

He sighed and pried his eyes back open, squinting. Everything was so bright, because the lights reflected off of any white colored object. And he was in a store that hadn't discovered the existence of any colors other than white or red. Adulthood was fun.

Okay, Josh thought. "Alka seltzer tablets," he said out loud, and then winced. Even his own voice sounded too loud to his tender ears. Maybe he was more hungover than he thought.

He scanned the shelf for any of the necessary ingredients, but he couldn't see anything other than like, baking powder and hand soap. At this point he didn't even know if he was in the right aisle.

He'd wonder if he was even in the right store if Target wasn't so obnoxious with its branding.

"Alka seltzer tablets," he said again, as if to trick his brain into actually working. "Christ, where would they even be?"

He'd have to be insane to ask any of the store employees, so he'd just have to brave it and try another aisle. Maybe he'd get lucky.

His mom would probably know, but he didn't think to bring her. He was only passing back into town for a quick visit, anyway. Sarasota was always somewhere between vibrant and quiet, but for him it was familiar. It's where he grew up, where his parents lived. He'd moved away when Rex Gang Kill started to become more well known, and between touring and writing songs in Chicago, he hadn't really come home until now.