Work Text:
Tyler hated road trips.
He hated being pressed in a vehicle for hours on end, watching the world zoom by. People were doing things; he could be doing things.
In the past couple of years, with all the touring he was doing, Tyler had become accustomed to it.
But that didn't mean he liked it.
Tyler pressed his face to tinted windows of the tour bus, watching as it turned into the venue parking lot and moved around to the back where the others buses were. They were playing a festival today, and even though him and Josh didn't play for quite some time, they had to get their stuff put backstage. Tyler was thankful they had a crew now - he remembered how much it sucked when it was only him and Josh carrying all their equipment to and from the stage which happened to be all the way across the parking lot (just their luck) all day long. Tyler hadn't liked the van either; it had been cramped and didn't help with his hatred for road trips. The only good thing was that with all the guys in the car, he could press himself up against Josh until their skin was touching, and blame it on the lack of space. Josh always had been abnormally warm.
Tyler liked warm. Tyler also liked Josh.
As soon as the bus was parked, Tyler was pushing open the doors and throwing himself off. The minute his feet touched the asphalt, he stretched his arms and legs. Then he looked up at the sky, squinting from the sudden burst of light. The afternoon sun felt good on Tyler's skin. It was a wonderful change from the constant blast of AC.
He could hear the crew members coming out after him, preparing to start moving equipment from the bus to the stage. He knew he really should help, but there was exploring to be done. Tyler really needed to stretch his legs. "I'll help in a minute!" He yelled before taking off.
Josh was the exact opposite of Tyler. He loved road trips, because it was fascinating to watch the landscapes of each state change. That also meant he could avoid his duties at home, and sleep the trip away. Road trips also meant fast food every night, and Josh never turned down Taco Bell.
Roadtrips meant seeing Tyler every day.
He did, however, prefer the bus to the van. It was easier to sleep when he could block out the light and sounds of other people.
Josh had barely woken up when the tour bus lurched to a stop. He could hear people moving around outside his curtained bunk, and assumed they must have arrived at their destination. With a sigh he rolled out of bed and went to his suitcase to put on fresh clothes, or in his case, semi-fresh clothes. Josh shimmied into black basketball shorts and pulled a hoodie over his head. He ran a hand through his mess of purple curls before popping the hood up and pulling on the strings so the fabric puckered in front of his face. At one point his hair has been bright purple, but it had faded so much that now it was a pastel lavender colour mixed in with the dark brown of his natural hair. He really needed to re-dye it, but he liked the days Tyler took his hat off and played with his hair, commenting on how much he liked the pastel colour. He also liked when the two of them went to the store to chose out a new hair colour for Josh. Tyler was like a kid in a candy store.
"Tyler?" He yelled out as he entered the front of the bus, met with the reply of silence. He didn't hear anyone else either, so he assumed they had started taking the equipment to the stage. Josh knew he really should help, but that next race in Mario Cart was calling his name.
He was about halfway through his second race when Tyler appeared in the doorway, his hands behind his back and a giant smile on his face. Josh narrowed his eyes, suspicious.
"Hiya Josh!" He said excitedly, taking the few steps to the couch and dumping the contents hidden behind his back on the cushion next to his friend. Josh eyed the pink and yellow flowers that now covered the seat next to him. With a sigh, he paused his game and set the controller down to the side. Tyler pushed down on Josh's shoulders, causing him to slide to the floor. He then put a knee on either side on Josh, pulling on his hoodie to reveal his bed head.
"Tyler, what are you doing?" Josh asked, trying to turn around. Tyler pushed on his shoulders again.
"It's a surprise," he replied, taking one of the flowers between his fingers. He tucked it behind Josh's ear. It wasn't until Josh felt the cool tip of the stem and the excess water running down his neck did he pick up what Tyler was doing.
"Tyler frickin' Joseph, are you sticking flowers in my hair?"
"Maybe."
"You are not doing that." Josh attempted to stand up once more, but Tyler refused to let him move.
"Plwease Joshie, let me do this!" Tyler stuck out his bottom lip and made his eyes as big as possible, and Josh knew he was stuck. He let out a long sigh. Josh never could say no to Tyler.
"Fine, but I don't like it." He turned back around and folded his arms, his face stuck in a permanent pout. Tyler went to work turning Josh's hair into a masterpiece, carefully placing flowers in random. Every time Josh felt more water running down the back of his neck, he resisted the urge to let out another sigh. He couldn't believe he was letting Tyler do this. If anyone walked in to see Josh with a head full of flowers, his man card would slip off the face of the planet.
Five minutes later, Tyler wiped his hands on his jeans and made sure Josh's hair was perfect. "Done!" He declared, moving his knee over so he could stand up. Tyler then offered a hand to a still pouting Josh.
"I hate you." He muttered under his breath.
"Oh shut it, you love me. Now go see how beautiful you look!" Josh rolled his eyes but allowed Tyler to usher him to the tiny bathroom of the tour bus. Before the two entered, Tyler's hands slid over Josh's eyes. "Ok. One, two, three... Look!" Josh's cracked one eye open after Tyler removed his hands, and he couldn't help but to smile. Seeing all the flowers in his fading hair - knowing Tyler has so badly wanted to do that - made him feel nice.
"You're a woodland prince!" Tyler exclaimed, wrapping his arms around his friend. Josh chuckled.
"Exactly. I'm a woodland prince." He hugged Tyler back, and staring at the giant smile plastered across his face, he had never wanted to kiss him more. But Josh couldn't do that. Josh couldn't -
"You look beautiful," Tyler mumbled into Josh's shoulder, his grip tightening. The drummer blushed.
"You made me that way."
"So you love it then?" Tyler pulled away, still grinning.
"Yeah. I love it." They stared at each other for a minute, before Tyler reached out to kiss Josh's cheek.
"We should probably go help move stuff." Then he disappeared down the hallway.
Josh stood there for a few more seconds, his fingers brushing the spot Tyler had kissed him. It wasn't exactly what Josh had in mind, but it was still nice. He followed his friend to find Mark standing in the doorway, Tyler already outside. Immediately Josh regretted coming out of the bathroom.
"Dude, what the hell?"
Josh only rolled his eyes. "Tyler thinks I'm beautiful." Then he pushed passed Mark and went to go help.