✓ ❘ 𝐄𝐌𝐎 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 ─ 𝐌𝐂𝐑. 𝐏!𝐀𝐓𝐃. 𝐅𝐎𝐁. 𝐓Ø𝐏.

Oh, Those Summer Nights. (Part 9) (Brendon Urie x Reader)

You set down your cup of coffee when you heard a knock at your hotel room door and swayed over to answer it. The after-effects of last night – all of last night – we're hitting you hard both mentally and physically, and it only got worse once you opened the door.

"What?" you groaned, closing your eyes and letting your head hit the doorframe softly.

"Good morning to you, too," Brendon scoffed, creasing his brows in amusement.

"I'm not in the mood, Brendon. Can't you hold off on your attempts to win me over until at least lunchtime?"

"I won't be here at lunchtime. Or anytime today, for that matter."

You opened your eyes to frown at him in confusion.

"Fall Out Boy are playing a show in Vegas tonight and their opening act pulled out last minute so Pete called last night to ask if we could play," he explained, stuffing his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. "My flight leaves in an hour."

"Oh," you mumbled, not sure how to feel.

"So I came to say bye for now," he shot you a smile for a couple seconds before it morphed into a mope, "And to... apologise. I'm sorry for going behind your back. Although I swear that none of what happened last night was planned. Cross my heart and hope to-"

"I believe you," you cut him off, straightening up and pulling the complimentary robe tighter around your body.

He sighed in relief and smiled crookedly. "That's good. Nice to know I didn't completely screw up my chances."

"Don't be so sure of yourself," you cheeked with a smug look.

"Right. Nice shirt by the way," he winked at you and smirked before turning and walking off.

You loosened your robe and looked down at the shirt you were wearing, noticing for the first time that it was a Panic! one.

"Unbelievable," you scoffed, rolling your eyes and shutting the door.

~

"Thanks," you smiled up at Josh, scrunching your nose as you took the beverage from him.

"No problem, beautiful."

You shifted your glance from him, focusing it on random objects and people around the room. The drummer noticed your awkwardness and exhaled heavily as he sat himself down next to you.

"Listen, about last night..." he let his words hang in the already tense air not because he wanted to, but because he didn't know how to further the conversation without screwing things up even more. "I didn't mean to cause a scene."

"I know you didn't," you assured him, nodding lightly. "Your actions weren't unwarranted, though. Anyone would've reacted the way that you did. Even me."

You stared into your mug of coffee intently, as if the answer to this big mess would somehow magically materialise if you looked hard enough. You continued talking a moment later.

"I'm sorry, Josh. What you saw was not a one-sided matter. I'm just as much at fault as Brendon is. If not more," you turned to Josh and chewed the inside of your cheek while shaking your head at yourself, "I let it happen. Not my proudest moment, but I did. And I'm sorry for messing up this thing between us and hurting you – you don't deserve it. But if there's one thing I've learnt in all this mess, it's that I can't stop myself from feeling what I feel, and I'm not going to apologise for that."

"Of course not," the drummer agreed, nervously running his hand through his hair, "And I don't expect you to. Look, I'll admit... you still having feelings for Brendon? It freaking sucks, and it took me a while to get to this point – 'cause I was selfish and I wanted, I still want, you all to myself – but I finally get it, and I accept it. Just like how I'll accept it if you do end up choosing him. You are the most important person here. Your feelings matter more than mine or his. If you end up choosing me, that's amazing. And if you don't, that's... well, less amazing, but I'll be cool with it. But until you make that decision..."

"Lemme guess. You're gonna keep fighting to make sure I pick you?"

He gave you a sheepish smile and a small shrug and you wheezed.

"Well, that's just lovely."

"(Y/N)?"

"Mm?"

"There, uh, there's kinda something I have to confess," Josh looked down guiltily, trying to avoid your gaze. "So you know how Brendon left to open for Fall Out Boy in Vegas?"

You nearly dropped your coffee. "No," you groaned softly, looking at him pleadingly, "Josh, tell me you didn't."

"I'm so sorry. I was mad and wasn't thinking straight and I just..." he rambled, waving his hands around as you let out more irritated groans, "I feel awful about it and I wish I hadn't done it. I'm so s-"

"I can't believe this. I actually can't," you whispered, shaking your head before standing up and storming off, leaving a regretful Josh in your wake.

~

It was the final night of twentyonepilots' tour, and you were in Boston, MA – the furthest city from Las Vegas. The distance proved to be no obstacle, though, since Brendon burst onto the tour bus a mere two minutes after Tyler and Josh had gotten on.

Brendon was noticeably pissed off, and he looked ready to wreck havoc as he scanned the bus' occupants. His eyes landed on you sitting crossed armed in the corner booth of the lounge area, a bored expression on your face; you weren't at all surprised by the singer's appearance. In fact, you were more surprised that he hadn't shown up in the middle of the show and tackled Josh right on stage.

"Do you know what he did?" Brendon spoke slowly, but with clear rage, "He fucking set me up!"

"I know," you nodded, "and I haven't spoken to him since we left Seattle because of it."

"I said I was sorry," Josh whined, throwing up his hands as he looked at you imploringly.

"You're sorry?" Brendon leaned forward before laughing bitterly and lazily pointing a finger at the drummer. "He's sorry. Oh, wow. Okay. That fixes everything."

"Dude, shut the hell up," Josh grumbled, shutting his eyes and holding up a flat hand at Brendon.

"Josh, I get that you feel threatened by me, but come on, dude. Sending me off all the way across the country? That's a new level of pathetic."

Josh pushed himself away from where he was leaning against the entryway to the bunk area and advanced on Brendon, stopping just two feet away from him. "I said shut up," he snarled.

"Do you guys want some jousting sticks or something?" you remarked from your place on the couch, rolling your eyes and shaking your head as you stood up to wedge yourself between the two band members and shove them apart. "Both of you shut up. This has gotten way too ridiculous and you're both acting like toddlers. So here's how this is gonna go: it's been a long week for all of us, so we're gonna have a quiet bus ride to the hotel, go to our separate rooms and have a good night's sleep because lord knows we need it. Then in the morning – Josh, you're going to get your ass on a plane back to Columbus; Brendon, you'll be on a different flight to Columbus, and you'll stay with Tyler's family while he and I go somewhere far away from you idiots, so that I can finally make a decision. Once I've decided, we'll fly back to Ohio and well..."

Drawing in a deep breath, you looked at the two males you were caught between.

"I'll let you know which one of you I've chosen, I guess."

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Thank you for reading x