I Prefer The Drummer (Book 2 // Joshler)

Part Seven

It's been months since Tyler started to rehearse and rediscover his passion for music. Josh is happy right now, they're both living passionately, rehearsing one last time before the big night.

"Okay, 5-6-7-8!"

Josh is hitting his drums as he watches Tyler dancing around the room, wearing a skeleton hoodie zipped up all the way. It isn't long before he grabs the mic and starts rapping the words he held onto so dearly.

"There's an infestation in my mind's imagination, I hope they choke on smoke cause I'm smoking them out the basement. This is not rap this is not hip-hop, just another attempt to make the voices stop. Rapping to prove nothing, just writing to say something 'cause I wasn't the only one who wasn't rushing to sayin' nothing. This doesn't mean I lost my dream, it's just right now I got a really crazy mind to clean."

The way Tyler articulated every syllable was perfect as if he'd never stopped doing this every single day. They kept playing, this wasn't a job anymore, this was simply their life.

After their rehearsal was done, Tyler and Josh headed back to their apartment to finish packing up the remainder of their things.

"Can you believe it?"

Tyler was overwhelmed with joy, he could barely contain himself. He couldn't even begin to understand how this happened. He'd been working so hard, these past few months especially, and it felt amazing to see all his hard work finally pay off.

"I know, Tyler, I know."

"You don't understand, Joshie!!! We're going on tour! "

Josh chuckled, not only at the nickname but also at Tyler in general. This is all he's ever wanted since the accident, for them to be back on stage and tonight was the night; it was gonna happen, over and over again. Their first show since a year, in Columbus. 

When they got back to their apartment from the studio, both boys finished packing their remaining items and piled them up by the door. Chris was gonna come up and bring all their things on the tour bus which, in a couple of days was heading straight for Canada. That was the next part of their tour before it got cancelled a year ago.

Tyler insisted on doing their first show in Columbus, their hometown, due to the accident, he felt he owed them that much. Just a few more hours, a few more hours until Tyler was standing on stage for the first time; he was finally coming home, he'd been holding on to you for so long.

***

Josh is standing in front of the door. On the other side is a stage, in front of that stage there are thousands and thousands of fans waiting for them.

"Are you ready?"

Tyler walks up beside him and turns to face Josh. He's waiting for an answer but instead he sees the boy beside him shake and he's staring at the ground, avoiding Tyler's gaze.

"Josh?" 

Tyler's fingers are brushing up against his arm and he's got a smile on his face. He brings his fingers to Josh's chin, lifting it up so their eyes meet. That's when he kisses him, sweetly but passionately. Tyler brings his other hand out from behind his back and Josh smiles. Tyler hands him a pair of drumsticks.

"For good luck!"

Josh grabs them and grips them tightly as he starts to ponder of something great: the day he first got those drumsticks.

June 18, 2015

Tyler sat down on the couch and rubbed his head, it still ached from the fall, he's only been out of the hospital for a couple weeks. Kelly and Chris come join him in the living room, holding up a cake. They're singing loudly and Tyler rolls his eyes, he's supposed to actually care about celebrating the birthday of a stranger he doesn't even remember?