Chapter Text
It's been just under a month since the Quiet is Violent tour ended, and it’s now almost mid December. Tyler sat at his kitchen island nursing a red bull he opened 40 minutes ago, he’s got his favourite comfy Aztec print leggings on and one of his oversized vests so he feels ready and content for the day, and watching the snow fall outside is always something he relishes in, but the grey sky looming through the windows doesn’t add much natural light to the kitchen. His mind, as always, is flickering 100 thoughts a second.
Tyler hadn't seen Josh in a week and a half (not that he’s counting but his birthday was the last time he saw him), they’d spoken and Skyped a couple of times sure about little album details and the Fairly Local video shoot concept but not hung out much in the three weeks since the tour ended, but that's about to change.
They've got just under a week solid blocked off so that they can finish up any ideas for the next album, with the final recordings of it set to start right after, the deadline quickly approaching and a music video to record before the year ends.
Album is already set to release in May and tour to start just before its release after a few singles.
It’s all go go go.
Tyler likes to tighten up ideas and flow as soon as possible or it all gets jammed into his head running around and blocking up and stealing his days away from him, so the plan is for Josh to come over, hang out and work their asses off on the next album.
Tyler doesn't know why but he feels a little nervous seeing Josh again, during the Quiet is Violent tour there were these occasional moments and glances that made his stomach flip and his brain short circuit.
The way Josh would move past him so close in the bunks, glancing into Tyler’s eyes as he passed and the way his skin smelt fresh but salty and sweet from stage after killing it on the drums…
His reminicising was cut short when he heard the buzz at the door, once twice then impatiently a third time
He gets up from his seat at the kitchen island and stalks across the room, pulling the door open a little too harsh and seeing Josh stood there, huge beaming grin on his face like always, his faded pinky/red frizzy hair attempting to burst out of his cap. He’s wearing his baggy basketball shorts loosely around his hips and a fitted but worn in black band tee that shows off every curve and muscle of his arms… distracting Tyler slightly as he looks him up and down in a deliberate way but he’s quickly drawn from thought when Josh speaks
'I brought a tonne of snacks and red bull Ty... what took you so long, let's get moving' he giggled as he glanced down over Tyler and back up again mirroring the same slow steady pace Tyler had just done to him
And Tyler can't help but feel that same little flip and brain fuzz as Josh slides past him in the doorway his woodsey vanilla scent wrapping around his head.
••—|-/—••
As Tyler sits at the desk and Josh sits across from him on the old tartan sofa legs up crossed and opening a fresh cold red bull
‘Have you been thinking about where you want this album to go? Any final changes for the songs before we record next week?’ He asks Tyler eyes beaming up at him, slowly wiping away the little spill of red bull from the corner of his mouth and chin, Tyler had to shake his head a little to keep his mind from reeling at the sight of Josh dripping in front of him why that does something to his mind he has no clue and rubs his hand slowly along the back of his neck looking sheepish as he responds
‘Oh just a couple changes man, nothing major, I do think this feels like a new path to go down, this album feels strong already but I want something to build from this piece, I want to immerse the clique. To start a story. I don’t want it to fall into regular old stuff yknow? The introduction of these characters is going to go somewhere I can feel it’
‘Oh I so get that dude, I love where we’ve taken it so far, I can’t wait to get recording next week and the video concept for Fairly Local looks sick dude’ Josh can’t help but grin at Tyler, noticing how he’s looking a little awkwardly at him eyebrows stitched together in a little deep in thought frown
••—|-/—••
Tyler feels as though he’s been staring at Josh for maybe a little too long now, it’s been 7 hours since they started brainstorming, Tyler’s shown Josh some demo changes and little melodies on the piano and Josh, being Josh, has loved every single piece which makes deciding harder and harder, the guy loves everything Tyler does!
They’re sat together backs against the sofa now, legs crossed and oh so close to touching, he can feel the heat radiating from Josh’s side and he feels like he just wants to curl right up in there, he frowns at the thought. What was even going through his mind? He needs to say something, it’s been too long since he last spoke and Josh is looking at him expectantly waiting for a response.
‘We’re never going to finalise anything if you keep saying you love everything Josh’ Tyler grins
‘I know but how can I not? You’re so incredible Ty, the way you pull melodies out of thin air and evoke the feeling through them is crazy’ and Tyler can see the small way Josh bites down on his lip and his deep mocha eyes slide up and down him so quickly you wouldn’t catch it if something didn’t tie you together and then Tyler can swear he sees Josh’s eyes flick down to his lips for just a millisecond but he shakes that thought away, that couldn’t possibly mean anything he tells himself, this is Josh his best friend, the guy who dropped everything to be in a two piece band with him. This is just how best friends are, right?
Tyler finds the space closing between him and Josh. Everytime either leans in to write an idea or moves their head to speak to the other and it feels dangerous. So in mild panic he decides to jump up onto his feet, shake out his legs, and he clears his throat.
As he walks away he says to Josh ‘I’m uhm g-gunna go make some mac and cheese, you want anything man?’ He breathes shakily as he turns back to see Josh sat in what seems like slight shock. Josh stands and grins at Tyler ‘no thanks man, I’m gunna wait down here and try out some different beat changes… you enjoy your gross concoction of mac and ketchup’
‘It’s not gross, you’re palette is just is not as sophisticated as mine, clearly’ he giggles at Josh. Josh shakes his head as he smiles, eyes gleaming under the low basement lights something sitting behind them Tyler can’t quite reach ‘yeah, that must be it man’
As Tyler walks up the basement stairs rubbing the back of his neck and shaking his head, he can hear the faint sound of Josh drumming against the coffee table slowly fading as he gets back into the kitchen. He just now realises how late it’s gotten, he checks the clock on his microwave to see it’s already 10:45pm. where does the time go when I’m with him? What is it that makes time seem so small… ugh it’s nothing.. he pushes past his thoughts and pulls his boxed mac and cheese from his cupboard.
As he prepares his food he notices how shakey his hands seem to become when he’s thinking of Josh.. when he’s around Josh… it’s just the tiredness that’s all he tells himself. He grabs his steaming bowl of mac and cheese, grabs his ketchup from the fridge with another couple cold red bulls and heads back down to the warm low lit basement.
Josh has been drumming away on the coffee table, Tyler can see the beads of sweat sliding down his forearms he can feel himself blushing and mouth opening wide, almost causing him to stop in his tracks, taking in too much air when he reminds himself to breath. Josh just looks up at him with those ‘melt into me’ brown eyes confused and smiling
‘You okay dude?’ Josh says so low and rough it takes Tyler by surprise again. ‘Y-yeah man, all good. Uhm just thinking, you got anywhere to be tonight or wanna stay and work a bit more on this?’ He’s flustered and his cheeks and ears are feeling hot and he’s sure Josh could see just how red he’s gone if it wasn’t for the dim glow of the room and the pc monitor offering little to the space.
‘Nah dude, I’m all yours’ Josh gleams up at him.
Oh.. that’s hit Tyler right in the stomach and the heart.
••—|-/—••