Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was starting to get on his nerves.

That fangirl was too much.

She was always there—always in their faces, always begging for Josh’s attention. And because Josh was a golden retriever of a man, he never got rude with her, never told her to stop. Even when she was blatantly flirting, batting her lashes, clinging to his arm, trying to get his number—he never shut her down.

And it pissed Tyler off.

For some reason, he hated seeing Josh treated that way. Hated it even more that Josh just let it happen when he was so clearly uninterested. Whenever Tyler brought it up, Josh would just shrug. She’s a fan, it comes with the gig, right?

Wrong.

And now, here she was again.

After the show, she was waiting for them right outside the venue, grinning like she belonged there. Tyler’s jaw clenched as he watched her latch onto Josh’s arm the second they stepped outside.

"You guys were amazing!" she gushed. "The energy, the songs—just wow. Seriously, I could watch you perform forever."

Josh, ever polite, smiled warmly and nodded along. Tyler, on the other hand, could barely hold back a scowl.

"Could you let go of him?" he said, voice clipped. Then, after a beat, he forced himself to add, "Please."

She blinked, clearly thrown off by his tone. Even Josh turned to him, eyes wide, mouthing a silent Dude, what the hell?

"Why?" she asked, tilting her head, her voice deliberately sweet. "He never said it made him uncomfortable."

Tyler gritted his teeth. Of course Josh never said it. The guy was too nice for that. But Tyler? Not so much.

"And it’s not like he has a girlfriend," she added, throwing Josh a playful wink.

The audacity.
The nerve.

That was it.

Tyler’s eyes darkened, and before he could think twice, the words were already out of his mouth:

"No, but he does have a boyfriend who would really like you to stop hogging him."

Silence.

A lot of things happened at once.

Josh’s eyes went impossibly wide, like a deer caught in headlights. The girl immediately took a step back, her arm slipping from Josh’s like he was suddenly on fire. Her face shifted from flirty confidence to outright horror.

"Huh?!"
"Oh!"
"Yeah."

A beat passed.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry," she gasped. "I—I had no idea! I swear I would never go after someone’s boyfriend! I must have come across so rude—oh my God!"

Tyler folded his arms across his chest, standing his ground, while Josh just gaped at him like he’d grown a second head.

Tyler wasn’t sure what he was more proud of—the fact that she had finally backed off, or the fact that he had just fake-dated himself into a whole new problem.

The girl shifted her weight from one foot to the other, searching for an exit from the awkward mess Tyler had just created.

"I should—I’m gonna go," she said with a crooked smile, aiming for warmth but landing somewhere between forced and flustered. "See you at your next show!" she squeaked before spinning on her heel and making a very hasty retreat.

They stood in silence, listening to the sharp clink of her heels against the pavement. Only when she was completely out of earshot did Josh slowly turn toward Tyler, his face still frozen in sheer horror.

"Dude!" he finally yelled.

"What?"

"What?! What did you just do? Why would you—" Josh groaned and dragged a hand down his face, pacing like he was trying to physically walk off the secondhand embarrassment.

Tyler shrugged, utterly unfazed by the obvious breakdown his best friend was having. "It’s no big deal. At least she’ll leave you alone now."

Josh stopped pacing to stare at him—hard. The kind of stare that made Tyler shift uncomfortably.

Wait. Shit.

Did he just completely screw this up? Did Josh like her?

Tyler opened his mouth, ready to clear the air just in case he had unknowingly stepped all over something personal, but Josh beat him to it.

"What do you think is gonna happen now that you told one of our biggest fans—the same one who comes to every single event we do—that we’re a couple?"

Tyler blinked.

He hadn’t thought at all.

It was instinct, plain and simple. He saw Josh being uncomfortable and stepped in to handle it the way he thought was best. No big deal. Right?

Except... it was a big deal.

Because this girl was definitely not going to shut up about it. And she was definitely going to spread it around. And by tomorrow, there was a very real possibility that headlines would be buzzing about the two members of Twenty One Pilots being in a committed relationship.

Tyler grimaced.

"Shit."

"Yeah. Shit, Tyler," Josh shot back, kicking at a loose rock. "Why didn’t you just leave it alone? It was fine. Annoying, sure, but fine."

Tyler rolled his eyes. "No, it wasn’t fine. She was all over you, and you wouldn’t tell her off. I just did it for you."

"By saying we’re a couple," Josh deadpanned. His tone was so deeply unimpressed that Tyler actually winced. "Tyler. What the fuck?"

Yeah. Okay. Maybe that wasn’t entirely a solution.

"Well, we’ll just explain that it wasn’t true and—"

"Oh, yeah, great idea. And have her go back to flirting with me like crazy? No thanks. I’d rather not."

"If you had just told her you weren’t interested—"

"She’s sweet! I didn’t want to hurt her feelings!"

"Yes, and look where we are now!"

Josh clenched his jaw and took a step back, exhaling sharply.

"So what?" he said, voice dangerously close to disbelief. "We just pretend we’re dating now? Just to get her off my back?"

Tyler bit his lip.

This... wasn’t ideal.

But did they really have a choice?

That girl had been relentless, her presence growing more unbearable each time she showed up. No boundaries, no shame. And if they told her he lied? She might just double down. Hell, she might not even care if Tyler said Josh was uncomfortable.

At the same time, this was risky.

They’d just been nominated for Stressed Out. They were finally making it big. And this? This was exactly the kind of story the media would eat up.

There was no clean way out of this.

Tyler exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. It wasn’t like he minded fake-dating Josh. Josh was great. They knew each other inside and out—it wouldn’t be hard. But how long would they have to keep it up? What if one of them met someone they actually liked?

Then again… maybe this wasn’t the worst thing.

Being seen as taken might actually help them. Ever since they started gaining recognition, there had been plenty of people—fans, industry people—getting way too bold with their advances. It always left them feeling awkward, struggling to brush it off. Maybe this would keep some of that at bay.

Tyler winced. He still wasn’t fully convinced, but… he didn’t see another way out of it.

"I guess."

They sat across from each other, staring dead into each other’s eyes.

The news had spread online like wildfire. The damage was done. Now, they needed a plan.

"Okay, so... we need rules," Josh said.

"Yeah," Tyler agreed.

Silence.

It was easier said than done. How the hell were they supposed to navigate this? They obviously couldn’t date around. But what about their families—did they tell them the truth? How long would they date for? Did they need a pre-planned breakup date? And should they make an announcement, or just let the rumors run their course without confirming or denying?

The last option was probably their best shot. Confirming it would just make things worse. The media would latch onto them like leeches, and they really didn’t need that on top of everything else.

Josh sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "My family thinks we’re dating."

Tyler blinked. "Wait, what?"

"They’ve kinda thought it for a while," Josh admitted, shaking his head.

Tyler snorted. "Are you serious?"

Josh groaned. "Yeah. They said it was, quote, obvious from the start because I’m obsessed with you, unquote."

Tyler grinned. "Aw, you’re obsessed with me?"

Josh flipped him off with a chuckle, and Tyler just smirked.

"Guess we’re not telling them the truth, then," Tyler mused.

Josh nodded. "At least they won’t blow our cover by accident. And hey, my parents already love you, so... win-win, I guess."

"Of course they love me," Tyler said with a wink. Then he frowned, suddenly realizing something. "Man, my brother’s gonna kill me when he finds out through the media."

Josh tilted his head. "That’s your biggest concern?"

Tyler sighed. "Nah, but I’d much rather think about his reaction than the internet’s." He scrubbed a hand through his hair. "I’ve been online a little. Overall, people seem okay with it, but there’s also a load of... shit."

Josh winced. "Right. Coming out as dating your bandmate is one thing, but coming out as gay and dating your bandmate... Ugh." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Remind me why you told her we were dating again?"

Tyler groaned. "Oh, come on! Are we still on this?"

Josh let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah. Because it’s about to change our lives, buddy."

Tyler blinked. And then, suddenly, he had an idea.

"Oh, what about pet names?"

Josh frowned. "What about pet names?"

"Well, wouldn’t it be weird if we kept calling each other man or buddy?" Tyler asked earnestly.

Josh rolled his eyes. "What am I supposed to call you? Love?"

It was stupid. Just a pet name. Nothing more.

But the way Josh said it…

It wasn’t baby (that would’ve been so fucking weird). It wasn’t sweetheart (still weird). But love?

It was different.

A little British—without the accent—it should have sounded dumb.

It didn’t. Not even a little.

Tyler had to physically look away to gather himself.

"So... is that what you’d actually call a partner?" he asked, clearing his throat.

Josh shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. I kinda like it."

"...Huh."

Josh narrowed his eyes. "What? Why?"

"Nothing," Tyler muttered.

Nothing at all.

Tyler cleared his throat.

"Okay, so… let’s forget about pet names. Let’s just keep them guessing. We tell our families we’re dating so they don’t blow our cover, and if someone asks, we say yes. Other than that, we just act like every other day."

Josh groaned. "Ty’. Let’s be real—if anyone asks us anything specific about our relationship, we’re screwed." He shook his head. "No, we need a storyline or something."

Tyler blinked. "Oh. Right."

He hadn’t thought about that. He’d been so caught up in the immediate problem that he hadn’t realized people would actually ask questions.

"So…" Josh tilted his head. "When do we say we got together?"

Tyler frowned, thinking. "What about… when we were working on Blurryface?"

Josh raised a brow, waiting for him to elaborate.

"I mean, we were together all the time back then. It would feel natural, right? If we had started dating during that time?"

Josh licked his lips and nodded slowly. Tyler pressed on.

"Yeah, and I would’ve been the one to make the first move."

Josh scoffed. "You?"

Tyler tilted his head. "There’s no way you would’ve."

"I could have!"

"What? No, Josh. You could barely tell that girl to back off."

"Yeah, but that’s different!" Josh argued, crossing his arms.

Tyler snorted. "Right. Sure. So how would you have done it, then?"

Josh opened his mouth. Closed it. Leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. He was clearly trying to come up with something to shut Tyler up. And Tyler? He was eager to hear it.

Josh inhaled sharply. "I would’ve—"

He cut himself off. Fidgeted. Twiddled his fingers.

Then he turned back to Tyler, eyes defiant. "Okay, if you’re so sure you would’ve made the first move, tell me how it would’ve happened."

Like he really thought Tyler wouldn’t know exactly what he’d do.

Tyler just smirked, all smug confidence. "Easy. I would’ve kissed you in the middle of a rehearsal."

Josh blinked.

Mouth slightly open.

"That’s it?"

"I mean… yeah. No need for words," Tyler said, still looking way too pleased with himself.

"Dude, I would've punched you in the face if you just kissed me without any reason," Josh said, blinking at him.

Tyler groaned, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, but in this storyline, we'd probably have been flirting like crazy. I just would've been the first to do something about it."

Josh looked away for a second, like he was actually picturing it—seeing all the could have and would have in his head, a fun little montage of a life they were making up. A lie they were about to tell the world.

"Okay," he finally said. "That's it then… I mean, we don’t need all the details."

Tyler nodded, then frowned. "There's one last detail."

Josh sighed. "What now?"

Tyler hesitated, but it was something they had to address. "What if we meet someone we actually like?"

A real problem. What if tomorrow, one of them met someone and fell hard? They couldn’t just cheat, not when the entire world was watching. Even if their relationship was fake, it would still look real.

Josh tilted his head, a small, crooked smile playing at his lips. "I think we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. But we’ll need to talk about it."

Tyler exhaled, nodding.

Why did all of this seem so easy with Josh? Why could he picture this fake relationship so vividly—every step, every moment, like it wasn’t a lie at all?

Oh well.

It’s not like he needed to answer that.

Right?

They should have thought this through.

Maybe added more fake dating history—little details that would make Josh actually comfortable. Because turning bright red the moment someone asked about them in an interview? Not helping.

Tyler, as always, acted on instinct. Flashing a smile, he answered without hesitation.

“Oh, yeah, we don’t like talking about it,” he said, hoping the interviewer would take the hint and move on.

Of course, she didn’t.

“Oh, come on! The internet has been buzzing with questions! Are you two really together, or is this just a publicity stunt?”

Tyler’s jaw tightened.

A publicity stunt?

He hated that implication. He would never do something so cheap, so calculated. The idea that people might think they were lying for attention made his skin crawl.

Beside him, Josh still hadn’t spoken. He looked completely frozen—like a deer caught in headlights.

Jesus.

Maybe they should just come clean. Say it was a misunderstanding with a fan or something. Tyler hated that Josh had to suffer through this, stumbling over a situation he didn’t create. It was Tyler’s fault, and now he could practically feel Josh’s anxiety spiking as he struggled for a way out.

Then, just as Tyler was about to take control again—

“It’s okay, love. We can tell.”

Tyler’s head snapped toward Josh.

Josh’s face was still burning red, but he was forcing himself to look at ease. His voice had been barely above a whisper, but it was enough. The mic had definitely picked it up.

There was no going back now.

Alright. Fine. Tyler could do this. They’d talked about it. He could roll with it.

The interviewer swooned. “Aw, that’s so sweet! How long has it been?”

She leaned in, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Tyler opened his mouth, ready to answer—

Then he felt it.

A warm hand, slipping into his.

Josh was squeezing his fingers tight, his palm damp with nerves. And Tyler knew—this wasn’t for the cameras. It wasn’t even for him. Josh was reaching for something solid to hold onto. Tyler shut his mouth. Let his brain catch up to his heartbeat.

Then, he turned back to the interviewer and smiled.

“Honestly? It’s kinda private,” he said smoothly. “I can only say it’s not new.”

Then, because why the hell not, he winked.The interviewer ate it up, grinning like she’d just won the lottery.

Inside, Tyler was falling apart. His pulse pounded in his ears. Josh’s hand was still sweaty against his, still gripping like a lifeline.

And Tyler was still holding on.

Guess they were rolling with it now.

“Dude, that was insane,” Tyler whisper-shouted as they slipped out of the interview.

Their hands were still intertwined.

Tyler didn’t let go. Not until Josh did. And Josh—he still looked stunned, like he was staring at something miles away.

“We’re screwed,” Josh mumbled.

Tyler’s head snapped toward him. “What? No, I think we nailed it. Everyone’s gonna believe this.”

Josh stopped walking, forcing Tyler to halt too. His eyes finally focused, locking onto Tyler’s.

“Yes. Exactly.” His voice cracked. “You sounded so in love, like you were telling the greatest love story of all time.”

Tyler winced. He had done that. He’d spun that ridiculous story—flirting, making the first move, looking at Josh like he hung the damn moon. And Josh? He’d just sat there, blushing, frozen in place.

Tyler immediately took a step back—still holding Josh’s hand—and scowled. “Dude, you weren’t saying anything. You just sat there and turned red. I had to step up!”

Josh shook his head, still looking shell-shocked.

Tyler narrowed his eyes. “I’m not the one who dropped a pet name.”

Josh let go of his hand instantly.

Tyler barely had time to process the loss of warmth before Josh turned and started walking—fast. Not looking back. Not letting Tyler catch up.

And just like that, Tyler felt bad.

He sighed and hurried after him. “Come on. What was I supposed to say? That you’re just fun to hang with?” He huffed. “I had to make it believable. I always do that. If I sounded casual, people would think it was a stunt.”

Josh didn’t slow down. “Except it is,” he shot back.

And—well. Yeah.

It wasn’t a publicity stunt, but it wasn’t the truth either. It was some messed-up, instinctive decision that had spiraled out of their control. Now, they had to live in it. Their career, their lives, might be affected in ways they hadn’t even thought about yet.

Maybe one day, it’d be some funny young and dumb story they told people.

But right now?

Right now, it was real.

Tyler caught up, grabbed Josh’s elbow, and forced him to stop—to look at him.

“Look, I know it’s not ideal,” he said, voice softer now. “And yeah, maybe I didn’t have to say all of that, but I—” He exhaled sharply. “I panicked, okay?”

Josh just frowned, still looking wary.

Tyler huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “For what it’s worth, most of what I said was true.”

Josh’s frown deepened, confusion flickering across his face.

Tyler smirked. “Okay, not the ‘head over heels’ part, but—” He hesitated, then shrugged. “You are my favorite person. You are my safe place. I do like spending time with you more than anyone else. That much is real.”

Josh’s face softened. His gaze flickered to the ground, like he was trying to figure something out, and Tyler wished he could see inside his head. He wanted to understand.

But he knew better than to push.

Finally, Josh sighed. “It’s fine,” he muttered. “It’s just—these interviews are already stressful for me, and now? Lying on top of all that?” He shook his head. “It’s complicated.”

Tyler nodded. “I know.”

They had to be more careful.

It was imperative.

Tyler woke up to a ton of notifications. His phone screen was flooded with alerts, each one making his stomach sink a little further.

Because of course. Of course there was a picture.

It was everywhere—him and Josh, caught mid-argument, faces tense, hands gesturing. The caption?

Trouble in paradise.

Fuck.

They hadn’t even seen anyone when they were arguing. Hadn’t worried for a second that someone might be watching. Or worse—listening. If anyone had overheard too much, their whole cover could be blown.

Tyler groaned, rubbing his face, but before he could spiral, his attention flicked to another notification.

A text from Josh.

For a split second, he thought it’d be about the picture.

Nope.

Josh: I have a friend’s wedding in a week and they want me to bring you as my date.
Josh: What am I supposed to do?!
Josh: I can’t say no!!!! That would be suspicious as fuck!
Josh: Bro
Josh: Buddy
Josh: Help

Tyler exhaled sharply and ran a hand over his face, trying to wake up fully. Then he typed back:

Tyler: I’ll be your date whatever it’s fine

Josh’s reply was instant.

Josh: IT’S YOUR FUCKING FAULT

Tyler: WE’VE BEEN OVER THIS! LET IT GO

Josh: NEVER

Tyler rolled over with a groan.

This was a fucking nightmare.

Not the fake dating. Not even Josh. It was the public eye. The way people perceived them. The way a single word could send the internet into a frenzy.

With a sigh, he opened his phone again, scrolling through the aftermath of their interview. Comments flooded his feed—people saying it was “obvious” all along, that they had “always known.”

He snorted. Yeah, right.

Then he kept scrolling. And found things he probably shouldn’t have.

Fanart.

A lot of it.

About them. About that moment he had described—the one where he “made the first move,” kissing Josh over the drumkit, like it was some cinematic love confession.

His breath hitched.

It was stupid, really. Just a bunch of drawings. But the longer he stared, the more real it looked. The more he could see it, plain as day—like a memory that never happened, suddenly burned into his brain.

Tyler swallowed hard and scrolled faster.

And found worse.

Because of course there was worse.

It wasn’t exactly news that some fans took things too far. But this? This was borderline erotic.

His stomach twisted. Nope. Nope. Absolutely not.

And yet—his brain betrayed him, flashing an image of Josh bent over, flushed and breathless.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH ME?!

Tyler slammed his phone down onto the mattress like it had personally attacked him. Then scrubbed at his eyes, as if he could physically erase the mental image.

He couldn’t.

This was bad.

Up until now, he hadn’t actually thought about it—what this fake relationship meant in the public eye. He and Josh hadn’t changed much about how they acted around each other. They were already close, already comfortable. But from the outside?

From the outside, it meant they were kissing. It meant they were sleeping over at each other’s places. It meant they were planning a future together.

And, apparently, to some people, it meant they were doing… other things.

Things that some fans had clearly put way too much thought into.

Tyler groaned and flopped back against his pillow, draping an arm over his face.

This was going to be a problem.

The wedding was nice.

Low effort, low stakes. Exactly how Tyler liked it.

Josh was off talking to some old friends, and Tyler was just existing, sipping his drink, not having to do much. Their whole job here was to show up hand in hand, and, luckily, no one was scrutinizing them.

Josh’s friend—the groom—didn’t care about their whole situation, didn’t pry, didn’t act weird about it. Just invited his buddy and his boyfriend, no questions asked. Tyler respected that.

They were going to leave soon anyway.

He wandered toward Josh, who was laughing with a group of guys, deep in conversation. Without thinking much of it, Tyler looped an arm around his waist, a casual move, just to signal hey, I’m here, let’s go.

Josh immediately leaned back against his chest, head tilting like a deadweight.

Tyler stumbled, tightening his grip to keep them both upright.

“Oof, what the—”

One of the guys laughed. “Dude, you should bring your man home,” he said to Tyler, grinning. “He’s hammered.”

Josh’s head lolled against his shoulder. “Hey, I’m not hammered,” he mumbled, voice lazy. “I just—got a lot to drink. But I’m fine.”

The way he nuzzled into Tyler’s neck said otherwise.

Maybe he wasn’t blackout drunk, but he was definitely comfortable. Definitely warm and tipsy and sleepy.

Tyler exhaled, tugging him a little closer, letting him settle. “We’re heading out anyway. It’s late.”

“By the way,” one of the guys said, “do you guys plan on getting a house soon? I was gonna ask Josh, but he said he didn’t know... ’Cause I might have something that could interest you. Music room and everything.”

Tyler froze.

Oh.

Oh, shit.

That was a real couple question. The kind of question that made things sound permanent.

He swallowed hard, trying to find a response—

But Josh beat him to it.

“I didn’t say I didn’t know,” he corrected, words a little sluggish but far too confident. “I said Tyler hasn’t asked me to move in yet. Big difference.”

Laughter erupted around them.

Tyler was too stunned to react.

Josh was nailing the fake dating act. Just absolutely throwing him to the wolves.

“So, Tyler,” one of the guys teased, smirking. “Gonna make the move? Seems like this one’s getting tired of waiting.”

Tyler forced a laugh. A deeply unnatural one.

“Oh, I’m not tired of waiting,” Josh said, all easy and smug, his body so relaxed against Tyler’s. “Do you know how long it took him to make the first move?”

Nope. Absolutely not.

Tyler’s grip on his waist tightened. His face stretched into a strained, polite smile.

“Yeah, I think we’re gonna go now. Great meeting you guys, have a good night.”

And then he spun them both away, steering Josh toward the exit with absolutely no room for argument.

Josh barely even resisted. Just lifted a sleepy hand in a lazy wave, like he hadn’t just thrown a live grenade into Tyler’s lap.

And then—clear as day, just as they were walking off—

“It’s only payback.”

Tyler’s eye twitched.

This was going to be a long ride home.

They didn’t even make it to the car.

Because in some God-forsaken moment, straight out of a nightmare scenario, Tyler somehow—somehow—ended up with the damn bridal bouquet in his hands.

He had no idea how it happened. One second, people were cheering, hands were reaching, and then—bam. The thing just landed in his grasp.

A sea of disappointed girlfriends turned to glare at him. A handful of relieved boyfriends sighed in collective relief.

Tyler blinked down at the stupid white bouquet. Then at the people watching him.

And then at Josh.

Who just laughed.

Like this was the best joke he’d ever heard.

Tyler groaned, barely resisting the urge to chuck the bouquet onto the nearest table, when—

“Come on, kiss him!”

The words cut through the noise, some too enthusiastic wedding guest hyping up the moment, and Tyler barely had time to react before—

Josh did.

Soft lips, warm hands. One on his cheek, the other fisting his shirt like this was something real, something that mattered.

Tyler froze, bouquet still clutched in one hand, the other gripping Josh’s waist like it was the only thing grounding him.

The cheers blurred.

The flashing cameras? Definitely a problem for later.

Because right now, all Tyler could focus on was—

Josh.

His warmth, the way he moved against him, the way his lips curved just slightly, like he was smiling into the kiss.

And then—just as quickly—it was over.

Josh pulled back, grinning way too wide, eyes twinkling like he’d just won something.

Tyler? Tyler was short-circuiting.

The crowd hollered, the music picked up again, and suddenly, no one was paying attention to them anymore. The moment passed—forgotten by everyone.

Everyone except Tyler.

He swallowed hard. The heat of it. The taste of Josh. The camera click that meant this was definitely going to be all over the internet.

The bouquet.

The kiss.

The way it felt—like something real.

Tyler shoved it all down, buried it deep, and did the only thing he could do.

He tugged Josh by the waist and got them the hell out of there.

(Later, he found himself sitting on the cold bathroom floor, one hand stroking Josh’s back as he dry-heaved into the toilet.

And still—like an idiot—he was replaying the kiss in his head.

That was his damn problem.)

Tyler was staring at the bouquet.

Hard.

Like it held the answer to all his problems—like if he just looked at it long enough, he’d suddenly understand what the hell was going on inside his own head.

It didn’t belong here.

The thing sat in the middle of his plain living room, all white and delicate, the blooms so obnoxiously perfect they looked like something out of a fairy tale.

It was a reminder.

One he couldn’t bring himself to toss, even though it would wither in no time if he didn’t do something with it. But if he did preserve it, if he actually kept it—

What the hell would that mean?

Tyler scrubbed a hand over his face and let out a groan. He was going insane.

He hadn’t checked the internet yet.

Even though he wanted to. Even though it was all he could think about.

Because he needed to see it. Needed to know how it looked—not just in his head, but from the outside. From an objective angle.

Like that would somehow make a difference. Like that would change the way his stomach flipped every time he replayed the moment in his mind.

What does it matter? he scolded himself. It was just a kiss.

Except his brain had apparently forgotten the "fake" in fake dating.

He kept catching himself acting different. Kept having these knee-jerk jealous reactions whenever Josh mentioned people Tyler didn’t know. Kept wondering what Josh was up to when they weren’t together. Kept texting him—non-stop—just to ask if they’d see each other, even when they didn’t have to.

That wasn’t weird.

Friends could do that.

But Tyler knew the difference.

Before, leaning into Josh had been second nature—instinctual, easy. Now, he was doing it on purpose. Taking every moment he could to touch him, to breathe the same fucking air as him.

That was a problem.

A big problem.

Tyler exhaled sharply, shaking his head as he stared at the bouquet.

How had they ended up here?

All he’d wanted was for that damn fangirl to back off.

And now?

Now, he was stuck.

Completely and hopelessly stuck.

He snatched his phone off the couch and opened Twitter.

Trending.

Of course they were trending.

His stomach clenched as he scrolled, knowing exactly what he was about to see—but nothing could have prepared him for how beautiful it would look.

The moment. Their moment.

Josh’s hand, firm on his cheek. His fingers curling, holding Tyler in place. His lips crashing down, bodies flushed together like they couldn’t bear a second of distance.

And the bouquet.

White and delicate, framing them like some kind of symbol they couldn’t deny.

Josh’s grip on his shirt—tight, like he needed to hold on.

Tyler’s breath hitched. His chest felt tight, like something was crawling up his throat. He should shut it down.

Instead, he zoomed in.

His own eyes were wide—pure, raw shock written all over his face. He knew that part was real.

But Josh? Josh’s eyes were closed. His brows furrowed. His lips moving. Like he wasn’t just faking a soft, sweet kiss for the crowd—like he was stealing it. Like he meant it.

Like he wanted it.

Tyler’s heart slammed against his ribs. A hot pulse rushed through his veins. His thumb hovered over the screen, over the evidence of whatever the hell had just happened between them.

He should shut it down.

He saved the picture.

And then he scrolled. Desperate for more.

But apparently, people had been respectful—or stupidly selfish, because there was only one picture. No videos, no alternate angles.

It had to exist, though.

It was a wedding. People were constantly snapping photos. There had to be something out there, a better shot, a closer shot, anything.

Would it be weird if he reached out to the groom?

Probably not. It’d make sense—he and Josh were dating, after all. The guy would probably be happy to send over a few more shots. Maybe even something from the official photographer.

…Would it be weirder if he asked Josh to ask the groom?

Yeah. That would be weirder. But Tyler didn’t even know the guy. He couldn’t just message him out of nowhere.

Also, the guy was on his honeymoon, for fuck’s sake.

Tyler exhaled sharply and rubbed his temple.

Still—he wanted to see more.

To see what he looked like.

To see if he closed his eyes.

It was just for information.

Just information.

Tyler decided he would never act on it.

Josh had probably just gotten caught up in the moment. Maybe the alcohol had gotten the better of him that night. It didn’t need to mean anything. It was only Tyler—stupid, pathetic Tyler—who apparently wanted it to mean something.

It didn’t. He should drill that into his thick skull.

They had better things to focus on—setlists, shows, new music he’d been thinking about for months. That damn Grammy nomination.

Things that actually mattered more than him falling for his best friend through fake dating.

(What the fuck was his life now?)

He thought things would settle down. The news of their relationship was finally dying down—two months in, people were losing interest. Even if the picture had sparked a few new conversations (“Are they gonna get married now that Tyler caught the bouquet?”), at least the world was starting to move on.

And maybe… maybe it was time for them to move on, too.

To start planning the breakup.

Because Tyler wasn’t sure how much longer he could stand this.

Especially since Josh had gotten so much better at it.

He wasn’t hesitating anymore, wasn’t flinching in public. He’d throw an arm around Tyler’s shoulder, press a casual kiss to his cheek, toss out pet names like they were real. And the worst part?

Josh had started inventing things.

Whole memories.

Things that never happened.

Like that time a fan asked what Josh had given him for their one-year anniversary—because, technically, according to the storyline, they would’ve been together for a few years by now.

“Oh,” Josh had said, eyes twinkling with mischief. “Actually, we didn’t get to celebrate properly because this guy—” he nudged Tyler, grinning, “—couldn’t stop working.”

Tyler had frowned, already uneasy. (Where was this going?)

“So,” Josh continued, “I actually brought him a picnic in his home studio. With, like, candlelight and everything.” He shrugged, like it was nothing, like it was just a fact. “And yeah, that was it.”

Then he’d leaned in.

Soft smile. Distant look in his eyes. Like he was actually remembering it.

(Remembering the thing that DID NOT FUCKING HAPPEN.)

And Tyler—who had no idea how to handle this version of Josh, the one who could lie so smoothly, so easily—had been forced to smile.

To play along.

And to not look like he was about thirty seconds from bolting out of the room.

One other thing that was making him lose his mind:

Josh had started using pet names.

Not just in public.

In private.

Where no one was around to hear.

“Hey, love, could you toss me that bottle?”
“Where are you going, babe?”
“We’ve got five minutes till stage, hun.”

And goddamn it if it wasn’t the thing that was going to throw Tyler over the fucking edge.

This needed to stop.

Because Tyler had too many questions in his head, too many close calls where he nearly rapped Josh’s mouth just because of a stupid nickname, and a friendship to actually preserve.

So, yeah. It was time.

They were lounging around some venue, the crew setting up nearby, when Tyler finally pulled Josh aside.

“Hey, can we talk for a second?”

Josh immediately tensed, arms crossing over his chest, brows furrowing. “Sure. What’s up?”

Tyler inhaled. “I think it’s time we break up.”

A lot happened on Josh’s face.

Most of it, Tyler couldn’t decipher.

Josh exhaled slowly and took a step back. “Okay…” His voice was careful. Strangely dangerous. “Did you meet someone?”

Tyler blinked. “What? No. Not at all.” He shook his head. That was way off base, but he guessed it made sense for that to be Josh’s first assumption. “I just—” He hesitated, looking around. Shrugged. “We haven’t seen that fangirl in a while. She’s probably not coming back. If we break up now, we can finally just… move on. No more fake dating. No more pretending.”

He didn’t look at Josh when he added, “It’ll be better for both of us.”

Josh didn’t respond right away. “Yeah, right. If you think so…”

A pause.

Then Josh’s expression shifted, considering. “What do we do, though? Just make a statement? So close to our third anniversary?”

Tyler groaned. “Shit. You’re good at fake dating.” He laughed, shaking his head. “I completely forgot about that. Yeah, the fans are not gonna be happy.”

Josh nodded. “And then there’s the holidays. Then the Grammy’s.” He listed them off so casually, like he’d already thought about this.

Tyler frowned. “Okay, so what? We don’t break up for another… what? Five months?”

“I guess,” Josh shrugged. “Or we just do it now. If you’re tired of it.”

Tyler hesitated.

The fans would definitely analyze the timing. If they broke up now, right before their supposed three-year anniversary, people would talk. If they broke up during the holidays, their families would start asking questions. If they broke up before the Grammys?

They were fucking dead.

That would be all anyone talked about instead of their music.

Tyler sighed heavily. “It’s not that I’m tired. I just—” He groaned. “You’re too good at this.”

Josh’s eyebrows shot up. He blinked. “I’m sorry?”

Tyler threw his hands up, actually grumpy about it. “You make up these perfect romantic stories, and I’m just here tripping over my own feet. That’s not fair.”

Josh barked out a laugh. “Wait—you’re actually upset that I’m better at fake dating than you? Unbelievable. You’re the reason we’re in this in the first place!”

“I KNOW.”

Josh kept laughing at him, which was just so fucking rude, honestly. Then, suddenly, he went quiet.

He shook his head.

“Let’s think about it, Ty’. We don’t have to break up just yet,” he said, tilting his head.

And for a split second, the way he said it—so earnest, so sincere—made Tyler wonder. Made him think.

Does he actually like this?

Josh, treating him like his perfect boyfriend. The thought made Tyler’s stomach flip.

Tyler was pacing, the headlines looping through his brain like an ominous threat.

• Tyler Joseph & Josh Dun from Twenty One Pilots: a fake relationship for clout?
• Listen to the audio now. TOP fake dating, they’ve been lying for months!
• Fake dating or fake audio? What is going on with Twenty One Pilots?

This was bad. Very, very bad. The worst that could have happened.

Josh sat on the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. Silent.

Tyler didn’t know who had recorded them in the venue. Didn’t know why, or for how much money. Didn’t care either.

Because it had been bound to happen.

They hadn’t been careful. Hadn’t talked behind closed doors when they definitely should have. And now? Now, they were in the public eye again, but this time, it wasn’t for their music.

It was for their biggest lie.

Their phones were blowing up—PR had been calling nonstop, but neither of them had answered. They’d been avoiding them since the start of this fake thing, insisting they could handle it on their own. That they didn’t need help.

Maybe they should have told them.

Probably.

Definitely.

“The fans are—” Tyler exhaled sharply, hands in his hair. “They’re pissed, Josh. Some are defending us, some feel betrayed, some are saying the audio is fake—”

“It’s not,” Josh muttered.

“I know it’s not!” Tyler snapped, voice rising. “That’s the problem! What the fuck do we do now?! We can’t just—” he gestured wildly, pacing faster—“just say I dumbly told a fan we were dating to get her to back off, and then we, what? Ran with it because we didn’t want to be bothered? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Josh lifted his head, deadpan. “Yeah. But that’s exactly what happened.”

Tyler stopped dead, mouth falling open.

“That’s not helping, dude!”

He turned, pacing again, frustration curling hot in his chest. His eyes flicked to the withered bouquet in the corner. The stupid thing he still hadn’t thrown away. His mouth started running before he could stop himself.

“And it’s not even—like—it’s not even really fake! You kissed me at that wedding, we—” his voice caught, but he pushed through it, hands moving erratically—“we do all this coupley shit behind closed doors—like, who the fuck are they to tell us what’s fake or not?!”

Josh didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

Tyler’s chest heaved, pulse hammering, brain still spinning out.

“They think they know us. Like they can judge us. Like we owe them an explanation. Fuck that! We’re a band, not a reality show! We do music! We’re best friends! What do they care if we’re really in love or not?!”

Josh blinked at him.

Tyler didn’t stop.

“But we can’t just—say nothing! That’ll make things worse! And if we say it’s true, we’ll get backlash, but if we say it’s not, we’re technically lying, and there is no way to come out of this—what the fuck are you doing?”

Josh had moved. At some point during Tyler’s meltdown, he’d started digging through his bag, then searching the room like he’d lost something important.

And then—

He turned. Crossed the space between them.

And dropped to one knee.

Tyler’s brain glitched.

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

Josh was—no, he wasn’t.

But he was.

He was on one knee. He was pulling off one of his rings. He was looking up at Tyler with the smuggest fucking smirk.

Tyler’s heart stopped. Then kicked against his ribs at double speed.

“Josh.” His voice came out wrecked. “Get up.”

“Tyler—”

“Josh. Get the fuck up.”

“Ty’—”

“GET UP!”

“OH MY GOD, LISTEN TO ME!”

“JOSH, YOU CAN’T—”

“I LOVE YOU!”

The world tilted.

Tyler froze, mind stalling out completely.

He must have misheard.

But Josh was still down on one knee. Still not budging, not even remotely hesitant. His face was open, vulnerable, like he’d been holding this in for years.

Tyler tried to speak, but his throat closed up.

“Would you listen to me for one second and stop freaking out?”

Tyler winced, eyes still too wide. “Considering everything that’s happening right now, I’m not promising anything.”

Josh nodded, understanding. But he still didn’t get up.

He exhaled slowly, gathering himself. Tyler braced, every muscle tensed.

“I love you,” Josh said again, softer this time. “And you obviously love me too.”

Tyler choked on air.

Josh laughed. “Yeah. Exactly.”

“Josh—”

“For the longest time, I thought you didn’t. That I’d never have this. But now?” He tilted his head, smile small but sure. “Now, I know I do. And I refuse to let it go.”

The words hit like a wrecking ball. They sank in, deep and irreversible.

Josh watched him, waiting. Letting it settle.

Tyler opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

Because fuck. Fuck. Josh was right.

He’d felt it too. Had ignored it, had rationalized it, had buried it under the excuse of a fake relationship.

But it hadn’t been fake for a long, long time.

He sucked in a sharp breath. “And you want to—what? Get married?” His voice was too high, too raw.

Josh shook his head. “No. I want to double down.” His smile widened slightly. “I want to get engaged.”

Tyler’s stomach flipped.

“You said it yourself, Ty. We don’t have to explain ourselves. We don’t have to deny or confirm anything. We can just—” he shrugged—“move forward with our very real relationship.”

He hesitated, just for a second. “I want this. You want this too.” He swallowed, nervous for the first time. “I think?”

Tyler did. He really fucking did.

But the words were caught in his throat, thick and impossible. He nodded instead. Hard.

Josh’s face split into the biggest grin, one that sent something warm and electric through Tyler’s chest.

“Good.” His voice went quiet, intimate. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.”

Tyler swallowed, pulse hammering. “How long?”

Josh’s lips twitched. “Since Blurryface.”

Tyler short-circuited.

“WHAT?!” His voice cracked. “But that’s—that’s even before we started the fake dating thing!”

“Yeah.” Josh shrugged. “Do you understand why I freaked out when you told that fan we were together? I thought I was going insane.”

Tyler just stared.

His whole life had just been rewritten.

Josh, the entire time, had—

“Will you marry me?” Josh interrupted his existential crisis, voice teasing now, eyes dancing. “Someday?”

Tyler’s breath caught.

“Yeah,” he rasped.

Josh’s smile. God.

He slowly slid the ring onto Tyler’s finger. Like it wasn’t the most batshit insane thing they’d ever done. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Tyler stared at it for a second before grabbing Josh’s collar and hauling him up.

Then he kissed him.

Josh melted immediately, pressing close, letting Tyler take whatever he needed. His hands found Tyler’s hips, grounding, steady, there.

When they finally broke apart, breathless and spun out, their foreheads rested together.

Tyler blinked.

“We’re engaged,” he whispered, still dazed.

Then his eyes snapped wide.

“OH MY GOD. WE NEED TO TELL PEOPLE.”

Josh laughed, the sound breathless and bright. “Yeah. That’s kinda the plan.” But his cheeks were flushed, his lips still parted, and Tyler saw it now. The tiny, almost imperceptible shake in his hands.

This mattered. So much more than he’d let on.

Tyler whirled around, already reaching for his phone.

“We need to tell people! Oh my God, they’re gonna—”

Josh caught his wrist.

Tyler stopped.

Josh’s fingers squeezed—gently, grounding. His other hand reached up, brushed the side of Tyler’s face, thumb grazing his jaw.

“Hey,” Josh murmured, voice warm. “Just us for a second?”

Tyler swallowed. His heart was still pounding, his mind still racing, but—

Josh was right here.

With him.

For real.

No cameras. No PR teams. No audience. Just them.

Tyler exhaled, pressing their foreheads together again.

“Just us,” he whispered back.

Josh grinned against his lips. “You’re so in love with me.”

Tyler groaned, shoving him. “Shut up.”

Josh just laughed, catching him by the waist before he could get away.

Yeah. It was fine. 

Years later, it was the kind of thing they joked about. A memory of their young, dumb years. But they never actually told the world the truth. So of course, it was bound to slip out eventually.

It happened during a meet-and-greet, while they were reminiscing about the Trench era. A casual, offhand moment.

“Oh man, you were so mad we didn’t celebrate our one-year together,” Josh joked, nudging Tyler.

Tyler huffed, offended. “Of course I was! We could’ve escaped or something!”

“Ty’, we were literally preparing for tour. There was no way we could’ve gotten out of it, even for a second,” Josh rolled his eyes, fondly.

From the crowd, a fan frowned. “Wait but… Josh, you said in an interview or something that you celebrated your one-year in Tyler’s home studio. During Blurryface.”

A low hum of agreement rippled through the crowd.

Josh blinked. “Oh yeah, but that was the fake—” He froze.

Tyler immediately elbowed him.

Silence.

Josh turned, pleading with his eyes. “Huh… Tyler?”

Tyler sighed, already knowing they were so beyond saving. He crossed his arms, tilting his head. “Well… Do you all remember that whole fake dating rumor?”

Another hum of agreement.

“Yeah, so, that was true.”

The crowd collectively inhaled.

Tyler continued casually, like he wasn’t rewriting history in real time. “But it’s okay because Josh actually proposed to me while we were still fake dating, so it wasn’t fake anymore, and technically we’ve only been really together for three and a half years, not six.”

He clapped his hands.

Josh stared. Hard.

“Okay, next question?”

Silence.

Then, from the very back of the crowd—

“WHAT THE FUCK?!”