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The first person Tyler tells is Pete.
They're in McDonald's, and Tyler asks if anyone in Panic asked for anything. Well, he means to. Instead he opens his mouth and says, "Josh and I are having sex."
Pete snorts. He doesn't look very surprised, which is a little unsettling. Just a little. Pete is already pretty darn unsettling. "Good for you, dude."
"I mean- I meant to say- Does anyone- I..." Tyler stammers. Pete just claps him on the back and goes to order.
The second person Tyler tells is Brendon.
They're in a some greenroom. Tyler is writing, and Brendon's on his phone. Tyler means to ask what Brendon thinks of a song lyric. Instead he says, "Josh and I had sex last night." He blinks. "I didn't mean to say that."
Brendon smirks. "Okay." He goes back to his phone, and Tyler goes back to his notebook. Then, "Who's on top?"
"Josh is," Tyler says, because he apparently has no filter.
"Hah. Dallon owes me ten bucks," Brendon says, getting up. He leaves Tyler gaping behind him.
The third person Tyler tells is Joe.
Joe is high, and Tyler might be too, just by inhaling the smoke around him.
"Pass me the Doritos," Joe says.
"Josh and I had shower sex this morning," Tyler replies.
"Dude," Joe says companionably.
They sit in silence for a moment.
Then Tyler remembers something. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that," Tyler says.
"Dude," Joe reiterates.
The fourth person Tyler tells is Patrick.
Josh has just left Tyler on their bus, saying something about buying some chips or pretzels or something. Whatever. Tyler is too sated and orgasm-stupid to care.
Patrick steps onto the bus and sits down next to Tyler, who is sprawled out on the couch. "What happened to you?" Patrick asks.
"Josh blew me, and then I jerked him off," Tyler says.
"Um."
"Oh, gosh, did I say that out loud?" Tyler says, pushing himself into an upright position. He's starting to sense a theme. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
"No, it's fine," Patrick says. "I mean, it's not a surprise, I just didn't expect you to say that."
"Neither did- wait, what do you mean, not a surprise?" Tyler stares at him. "Who told you? Was it Pete?"
"No one told me," Patrick assures him.
"Then what did you-"
"Tyler," Patrick says. "Let it go. You'll figure it out."
The fifth person Tyler tells is Spencer.
Tyler is flat on his back, Spencer glaring above him. Spencer's drum kit, or what's left of it, is scattered around Tyler.
"What the fuck." Spencer says. Says, not asks, because Spencer Smith does not ask questions. Questions ask Spencer Smith.
Please don't kill me, Tyler thinks. He tries to say it too, but all he gets out is "Mllerg."
"What." Spencer says.
"Josh and I are sleeping together," Tyler says hurriedly.
Spencer stares.
Tyler stares back.
Spencer raises an eyebrow.
Tyler's brain catches up.
"I mean, don't kill me," Tyler says, scrambling away.
The sixth person Tyler tells isn't a person, it's many people. And it's on purpose.
"I have something to tell you guys," Tyler says once they've all finished dinner.
Maddie shrugs. "Okay."
"Um." He takes a breath. "I'm dating someone."
"Is it Josh?" Jay asks.
"What?" Tyler gapes.
"Are you dating J-"
"I heard you," Tyler says. "But how did you know?"
"Sweetheart," Tyler's mom says, "everyone knows."
"I'm guessing it went well," Josh says once their mouths separate.