The Tattoo // Joshler AU

Chapter Twenty One

Tyler's POV

New Year's Eve wasn't something I tended to get too excited about. Honestly, I thought the whole idea of getting extremely drunk and then kissing someone at a certain second was quite stupid. This year was different though.

Jenna had convinced me to go with her to some quiet restaurant that was out of the way of the 'party' parts of LA. Considering that it was New Year's Eve, and that I didn't want to always be such a grouch, I said okay.

I slid into the car, giving Jenna a quick kiss as she shut my door. I loved the sweet yet simple little things she did, and opening my car door for me was one of them. She drove quickly, obviously not wanting to be late for the reservation that she'd made.

She'd told me to dress casual, so I'd gone with a cute black sweater, and some black skinny jeans, nothing special really. The engine purred softly as we raced through the outskirts of the city, and to pass the time, I looked over at Jenna.

My beautiful Jenna.

The outside lights illuminated the side of her face and the blonde hair that was styled so perfectly. Honestly, it took my breath away. The fact that someone like small Tyler Joseph could be marrying someone like her was completely unfathomable to me.

She was everything that I wasn't, but she loved me anyway.

The jerk of the car stopping jolted me out of my thoughts. Cold air washed over me as Jenna, once again, went to open my door, and I took her hand, encasing mine in it. She lead me to the front door of the small restaurant that was set on the windy beach, the harsh air biting at my exposed skin.

The front of the establishment was lit up by strands of lanterns dangling over the tables that sat on the sand. Nearly all the tables were empty, and Jenna ushered me towards one that was slightly out of the way of the others; silent, intimate.

Pulling my chair out for me, she whispered a faint "I love you" in my ear, sending thrills down my spine.

"Tyler...I didn't just bring you here." My eyebrows crinkled in confusion, not quite sure what she was implying. Suddenly, two hands covered my eyes, completely disorientating me. A faint giggle sounded in the air, and my mind raced as I tried to put a face to the laugh. It clicked, and I let out a soft gasp as I realised exactly who was here with us.

"Madison?"

"Surprise!" My mouth dropped open in shock as I took in who stood before me. My mom and dad, my sister, and my two brothers gathered around me, each in turn enveloping me in a warm hug. I looked over at Jenna to see the bright smile on her face as she witnessed our family reunion.

"How?" My mom's small incline of the head towards the woman of my dreams had me racing into her arms. She's done all this for me, had actually arranged for my whole family to fly over to see me, knowing that I hadn't seen them in months.

Tears pooled in my eyes and gently fell onto Jenna's shoulder as she held me while I was overcome with emotion. To see all my family there was possibly the most astounding feeling I'd ever had.

Jay stood there grinning, next to Madison, who was crying almost as much as I was, her hand clasping my mom's. Zack and my dad stood next to each other, their postures stoic and manly but their eyes showing how much this actually meant to them.

"How about we sit down?" Jenna pulled out my chair for me, clearly wanting to make a good impression on my parents and siblings. The soft glow of the lights lit up all of our faces, highlighting the smiles that were identical from person to person.

"So, Jenna, what do you do?" My mom began the subtle interrogation, leaning across the table to hear her answer over the distant sound of crashing waves.

"Well, I had just been unemployed, but I currently work for a real estate firm, as the person who shows customers houses." Mom smiled at that, evidently pleased that she did actually have a steady job, and wasn't some no good, spongeing girlfriend.

As if I'd even be with someone like that.

"Madison! How was prom?" Her beautiful face lit up at that, the memories of what must have been an incredible night coming back to her. She began to describe the event in vivid detail, yet I was only half listening. I was so happy just to be in their presence, my incredible family and stunning soulmate.

Sure, maybe I did work in a coffee shop, and maybe I wasn't following my dreams, but I had all these wonderful people in my life to make up for that. Material things don't make memories. I couldn't be so consistently happy without at least one of the people who was sitting around the table. My mom and dad raised me, my siblings annoyed me, yet supported me, and Jenna simply cared for me, loved me when no one else could, or would.

Her smile brightened my world, her laughter was the single greatest sound there was, and her arms were my safety blanket. Without her, I wouldn't have been able to hear about my sister's corsage, or see Jay roll his eyes as she swooned over how good her boyfriend looked.

Fingers slowly slipped into mine, and Jenna's hand tenderly squeezed mine. I looked up to see Zack smiling at our intertwined hands, before he caught my eye and winked. Her arm pulled me closer, just close enough for her lips to press onto my forehead, causing my mom to squeal, resulting in a deep blush that spread to my neck and cheeks.

I barely even noticed our food arriving, or departing, if I was totally honest, as I was too engrossed in catching up with the people that meant so much to me. Yet, I never let my hand leave Jenna's, keeping that piece of comfort firmly with me.

"Oh, let's dance!" My girlfriend pulled me up at my mom's words, guiding my hands onto her hips as she held onto my shoulders. We swayed to the melody that was playing quietly through the crisp night air. I nestled my head into her shoulder, letting myself be taken away by her familiar smell and lost in her beautiful golden locks.

"Tyler?" The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as her breath washed over me. One of her slender fingers tilted my chin upwards to look into her blue eyes.

"Yeah?" I breathed out, captivated by her, by her very essence, the being that was there, holding me every second. All around us, my family members were smiling, laughing, enjoying each other's company, loving the fact that we were all back together again.

The one elderly couple that had been sat at the table nearest to ours were dancing next to us slowly, the man reaching out to brush his wife's hair out of her face. The moment was entirely perfect.

Jenna kissed the tip of my nose before pulling me even closer than I already was.

"Happy New Year."

A/N: sorry again about the late update, i've been having a bit of writer's block lately so chapters may not be so consistent :/ if anyone's got any ideas, please let me know either in the comments or in direct messaging ! thank you love bugs so much for reading <3

~b.c.