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Josh got bored of waiting long ago. He had already warmed up on his practice pad, rehearsed some fills on the kit, annoying Tyler slightly with repetitive noises and constant cussing at the mistakes, and walked around the basement at least five times like he didn’t already know every little corner of this place.
Nick was taking ridiculously long once again, forcing boys to wait before they could start their rehearsal. Josh was fairly irritated. They have a show to play tomorrow, it’s not like they decided to meet up just for funsies.
Tyler’s calmness and patience started really getting on his nerves. Josh walked up to him, shamelessly leaning forward and staring into his notebook and MP3 player.
Tyler removed one of the earpods, looking at the drummer quietly, with a question in his eyes.
“What’cha up to?” Josh collapsed onto the old couch next to him.
“Listen to this.” Tyler handed him both of the earpods, still connected to his player.
Josh was so bored that he didn’t even question this. Whatever keeps him from quietly scolding Nick in his head. He put the earpods in—it didn’t take him long to recognize Katy Perry’s voice. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. Quite far from Tyler’s usual choice of music. Josh glanced at him, but he gestured to listen for a little longer.
The song ended abruptly, and Tyler immediately looked at Josh with a spark in his eyes.
“Do you think we can cover this? Tomorrow.”
Tyler enjoyed their new live-covering initiative a lot. They had only done a couple songs, but he was dying to play some more. He saw a lot of beauty in taking someone else’s lyrics and putting them into a whole new perspective.
“If you want to, sure.” Josh felt the need to elaborate. “I mean, it would be pretty easy on drums, it seems possible to get it clear by tomorrow’s show. It—it’s just not…something I would expect you to want to cover.”
Tyler laughed it off, and Josh was grateful for that. He was scared to unintentionally dampen Tyler’s elation, but he didn’t even seem to notice the slightly hesitant undertone in Josh’s voice. His passion was so endearing to him, Josh was always cautious not to scare it away.
“Why not?” Tyler grinned. “I think they’d like it. We can add some more drive and emotion to it. The original drum part is pretty plain, but you can experiment with it a bit.”
A smile lit up Josh’s face.
“I’m pretty sure we still have quite some time before Nick arrives,” he said invitingly, standing up and heading to his drum kit, Tyler following him, twinkling with excitement.
❀ ❀ ❀
Nick wasn’t too happy with the boys’ last-minute decision to add a cover to the setlist, but he still agreed that it was a fair way to make it up to them for being late for probably a hundredth time. Luckily, the loose schedule allowed them to squeeze in one more song, and they decided to play it right in the middle of the show, after Holding on to You and before Slowtown.
For the entirety of the next day Tyler was sparking like a live wire. Besides favouring playing Newport, he was overly excited about this new cover. Watching him, Josh couldn’t help but also be in high spirits about the upcoming performance. They practiced it all together once more, and then it was time to put on a show.
They opened with Ode to Sleep, as usual.
It was pretty much the best audience the boys could ask for—an entire club of people jumping, screaming, and singing along like their life depended on it. Josh and Tyler exchanged contented smiles throughout the next couple of songs, doing their best to provide for the people who showed up for them. After the final notes of Holding on to You, Tyler thanked the fans, already knowing what song is coming up next. The tension that had welled up in his gut was making him jittery, and now it was finally the moment to vent it all out. He smirked, nodding to the guys to start playing. Josh hit the drums, and Tyler got up, walking to the edge of the stage.
Tyler snatched short glimpses of him. Stole glances at every opportunity, wanting to stare so hard but not letting himself to. He turned away from the audience a little more often than usual. While he climbed onto the piano, he allowed himself a proper look at Josh for a couple seconds.
He looked so heavenly. An angel, a holy creature, so dissipated in his music that distracting thoughts didn’t seem to bother him at all. Unlike Tyler, who felt like he was barely able to keep his hands to himself. The hands that wanted so much to trace every line of lean muscle, find every freckle and birthmark, inadvertently slip under his longsleeve and feel his heart rate jump at that. Hands that wanted to touch, touch, touch, lips that wanted to kiss, a mouth that wanted to breathe in his air and whisper sinful words not even an inch away from Josh’s kiss-swollen lips.
Kiss me, ki-ki-kiss me
Infect me with your lovin'
Fill me with your poison
Tyler turned away. If he keeps staring, he will lose himself and mess up. Soon, the show will be over, and if he’s lucky enough, Josh will let him.
And he will. How could he not, when Tyler was here, stepping dangerously close to the kick drum, singing in Josh’s face with dozens of people watching them.
Take me, ta-ta-take me
Wanna be your victim
Ready for abduction
Josh could hardly keep it together when Tyler practically pointed at him, singing this. God was that hot. A brief thought flashed through his mind, wondering who was whose victim in their case. Josh chuckled at that. Does it really matter? After the show they will hopefully meet in the green room, and Tyler will be all over him once again. That's all that matters.
Boy, you're an alien
Your touch, so foreign
It's supernatural
Extraterrestrial
❀ ❀ ❀
Josh and Nick left the stage a little earlier, the latter then slowly heading to the bar. Tyler lingered there for a bit, thanking the fans with bows and pressed-together hands. When he entered the green room, he was met with a stunning view.
Josh, shirtless, sitting on the small sofa, all sweaty and still panting after the performance. Tyler had to remind himself to breathe before he slowly approached him.
“I think they really liked the cover,” Josh grinned before chugging a bottle of water. Tyler sat next to him, the tiny couch being a perfect excuse to keep no distance between the two.
“Oh they for sure did. Told you they were gonna like it.” Tyler reached forward, tucking a wet curl away from Josh’s face.
He threw the empty bottle to the side, turning and focusing on the man in front of him.
“Am I really an alien to you?”
“`Course you are. Silly.” He cupped Josh’s face and stroked his cheekbones with his thumbs, lust breaking through the fondness.
“You're so hypnotizing
Could you be the devil?
Could you be an angel?”
Tyler hummed slyly, climbing onto Josh’s lap, hands wandering down his neck with no longer a longlseeve to stop them.
“Wow. So needy, so pent up. All because of me.”
“Oh shut up.” Tyler nearly rolled his eyes and fell down to Josh’s neck, surprising him with an unannounced bite near the collarbone.
“Ah—Then kiss me already.”
Tyler obeyed. He lifted up, immediately smashing their mouths together and eliciting another gasp from Josh. His hands slid onto Tyler’s back, fingers scrunching the fabric that was so out of place right now.
Tyler broke the kiss, lips trailing down Josh’s throat, leaving a glistening wet path behind. Josh tilted his head back, exposing himself to the utmost. Tyler’s teeth lingered on his Adam’s apple, nipping at it. Josh hissed and mewled at the pain, only for Tyler to force a new stifled moan out of him with a soft, soothing lick of his tongue a second later. His hands circled around Josh’s chest and shoulders, while the strong arms dragged Tyler closer, desperately trying to find an inch of bare skin beneath his shirt.
“And who’s needy after this?” Tyler hovered over Josh’s ear, whispering.
He didn’t give Josh time to answer, licking and sucking on his gauged earlobe. The man clawed into Tyler’s sides with both hands, letting a high whimper slip out. He grabbed Tyler’s neck, pulling him away from him for a moment, and staring into his sparkling eyes with wide-blown pupils.
“You’re so pretty,” Josh exhaled.
Suddenly, the hunger and wildness in Tyler’s eyes were swapped with fondness and tenderness. Pink rose on his cheeks embarrassingly fast. He looked away, sheepish.
“You’re the pretty one.”
Josh pulled him in for a kiss, but this time it was slower, more deliberate and affectionate.
This is transcendental
On another level
Boy, you're my lucky star
Tyler’s hands tangled in Josh’s messy curls. He pulled away, but Tyler didn’t want to let him go.
“This might be my favourite part of playing shows,” Josh chuckled and kissed Tyler’s nose.
“Perhaps we could do this not only after shows. I’m not particularly excited about the idea of Mark or Nick walking in right in the middle of all this anyway.” Tyler feigned contemplation, still straddling Josh’s thighs like there’s nothing special about it, making him giggle.
Josh gently wrapped his arms around Tyler’s shoulders.
“Perhaps.” He smiled before pressing their lips back together.