#heavydirtyqueue

[ohprettyweeper]

Caught on Fire

Part 3

Summary: Zack is close to getting out of the hospital, but complications arise and cause concern for everyone. Pairing: Josh Dun x Reader Word Count: 1400 Warnings: Hospital-related scenarios. A/N: Enjoy the read! Tag list is always open, enjoy this next part!

Part 1 | Part 2

After your few days off, you returned to work walking on cloud nine. The other nurses and even the doctors noticed it, and a couple of them commented.

“Wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain firefighter, would it?” Nicole asked, coming in to cover the second-half of a shift for another trauma doctor.

You blushed. “I don’t know, maybe.”

“All I know is, Josh Dun was at my house a couple of times in the last few days, and his head was way up in the clouds. Things must be starting off pretty well.”

“I think they are,” you nodded, finally letting a smile break through. “We’ve only gone out a couple of times, but I really like him. I thought maybe at first it was just the prospect of being with a firefighter again, being part of the station family. But Josh is — Dr. Joseph, he’s funny and he’s caring and he’s a gentleman. He’s all the things you just don’t see much of anymore.”

Nicole smiled. “First of all, you can call me Nicole when it’s just us, or outside of the hospital. Second of all, I really am happy, for both you and Josh. I think you guys make a great couple. I’m looking forward to having you at the barbecue.”

You nodded, thinking how nice it would be to see some of the other firefighter families again. You remembered how proud you used to be, showing up on Chad’s arm, talking rescue and emergency medicine with those who could relate, and girl talk with the wives who weren’t part of the medical community. The pride you remembered feeling going to these functions as Chad’s date paled in comparison the pride you already felt simply imagining being at Josh’s side.

Trauma was slow again, but the ER was picking up. You stepped out of the trauma office to help with some dismissals, and were charting on one dismissal when you saw Nicole rush out of the trauma office and run towards the elevators. Charting could wait for later; you were her nurse on duty and she might need the help.

“Where you headed?” you asked, barely making it onto the elevator with her.

She didn’t even look up from her text message, thumbs furiously passing over the digital keys on the screen. “Med-surg.”

Med-surg — the floor Zack was staying on. You had assumed by now that the younger Joseph brother was home and on the mend, but judging by the look on Nicole’s face, that wasn’t the case.

“Is it Zack?”

She swallowed and nodded. “I wasn’t paged. Tyler’s up there, he texted me. You don’t have to be there, Y/N. If I get a trauma page, I’ll be right back down.”

The decision was made then and there. If you were going to be part of this family again, you were going to do it right. You didn’t say anything, simply leaned against the back of the cart and waited for the elevator to reach the floor.

As soon as Josh got the text from Tyler that something was happening with Zack, he explained to the other guys, who told him to go straight to the hospital. With his duty covered, he didn’t even bother changing out of his station shirt and turnout pants.

“What’s the latest?”

Tyler was seated in the waiting room on the med-surg floor, his head in his hands. He lifted his head when he heard Josh’s voice.

“Oh, hey, man.” He swallowed. “I don’t know. Nicole came up twenty minutes ago. Zack was coughing and he couldn’t catch his breath. They started talking about intubating again and pulled in all these machines. I panicked, texted Nicole. She came up with Y/N, and I haven’t heard anything since. They’ve got the door closed.”

Josh sat next to his friend. “Well — has anyone ran a crash cart in that direction?”

Tyler licked his lips. “Crash cart’s been sitting outside his room. They haven’t brought it in yet.”

“That’s a good thing.”

Tyler nodded, but didn’t say anything else. Josh didn’t push. Without knowing what was happening, he didn’t know what to say anyway.

Another twenty minutes, and then some, passed before Nicole and Y/N came to find them in the waiting room. Nicole sat next to Tyler and took his hand.

“They’re taking him to CT. I think it’s a pulmonary embolism, possibly caused by the irritation in his lungs from the smoke inhalation. Depending on the size of the clot, it’s possible we may be able to dissolve it with meds, but if it’s too large, they’ll want to operate. I already have a cardio-thoracic attending coming down for a consult —”

Tyler shook his head, pushing out of his chair. “No. If Zack has to have surgery, I want you to do it.”

Nicole took her husband’s face in her hands. “I want to, Tyler, but this is not my case. Honestly, I shouldn’t have even been in the room now, but this hospital has a very understanding staff. Dr. Ellis is amazing, and he is going to take great care of your brother, okay? The best you can do right now is to call your family, get them here — don’t make them panic, just let them know Zack needs the extra support right now. I need to go back down to the ER, but I’m going to check in, I’ll keep up with his chart. You come down if you need to, or page me back up. All right?”

Tyler hugged her again, promising he would do his best to do as she said. Nicole got up to go, but Y/N lingered, even after Tyler got up to make his phone call. Josh looked at her. He didn’t think his worry was written all over his face until she got up, pulled him from his seat, and wrapped him in a fierce hug.

“Zack’s gonna be okay,” she assured. “A PE can be scary, but this hospital is the place to be for any scary medical situation. Nicole was right — Dr. Ellis is great.”

Josh nodded against her hair. “Yeah, okay. I don’t know why I’m so worried. Maybe because Tyler is, and I worry about him, too.”

“I get it,” Y/N replied, pulling away. “I need to go back to the ER, too, but, if you can, stop and see me before you leave. Please?”

“Of course. Nicole will keep you updated?”

Y/N smiled. “Oh, I don’t doubt it. I think she might be as excited as we are about this — this thing.”

“This thing,” Josh repeated with a smile. He leaned forward to kiss her, hesitant to let it linger while they were there in the hospital. “Maybe, sometime, we should find a name for this thing.”

“Maybe we should.” She kissed him one more time. “I’ll see you, Josh.”

“See you.”

Already behind Nicole, Y/N jogged toward the elevator, throwing a smile over her shoulder at him while she waited for the cart to return to the med-surg floor.

By the end of your shift, you were ready for a good breakfast and a long nap, and not necessarily in that order. Josh had come by before leaving the hospital, updating both you and Nicole that Zack did in fact have a pulmonary embolism, but Dr. Ellis was confident that close observation and the administration of a thrombolytic would take care of the issue, without need for surgery.

Since he had seen you before he went back to the station, you didn’t expect him to be waiting in your driveway when you got home.

“This is creepy,” he admitted as soon as you both were out of your cars. “But I figured maybe you needed breakfast, and maybe I could cook for you?”

You smiled. “It’s like you read my mind — except that I think I need sleep first.”

He tilted his head to the side. “I could sleep first. I just got out of the station, you know.”

“Yeah. You were cuter in your turn-out pants.”

“Oh, really?” Josh laughed. “What do you say, Y/N? Take a nap with me, then I’ll cook for you.”

You thought for only a moment before nodding your head. Josh grinned and waited for you to unlock the door, then followed you into the house.

@oceaneyesinahouseofgold​

[this-little-kitsune-blog]

[ohprettyweeper-fics]

I Wish You Would

Summary: Josh can’t let go of the girl who holds him in the palm of her hand.  Pairing: Josh x Reader Word Count: 500 Warnings: Implied drinking, implied sexy times.  Square Filled: Come Pick Me Up - Ryan Adams; @bandombingo​

GIF found via Google Image Search. 

I’m back in LA. 

The moment Josh hit send on the text message, his brain wished he could take it back. Before leaving for the most recent leg of their tour, he had told himself he wasn’t going to see Y/N again. Nothing good ever came out of seeing her. Of course, nothing horrible came out of seeing her, either, except for that limbo they always fell into: Josh wanting more, Y/N convincing him this halfway thing they had was enough. Both of them seeing other people regularly. 

But, when they were together, she was everything. Funny, caring, loving. The planets aligned and life made sense. They could sit and talk for hours without even touching each other — sitting on opposite ends of the couch, catching up on life and trying to find the answers to the big questions, or listening to records and debating whether Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones were more legendary. 

When the conversation lulled and the drinks and snacks ran out, the mood would change. Y/N would look at him the way he never expected any of his other close friends to look at him, and Josh would be putty in her hands. 

She would crawl closer to him on the couch until she was leaning against his shoulder, and Josh would kiss the top of her head. His heart would begin to race and, sometimes, he could feel Y/N tremble as his fingers intertwined with hers. He would pull her into his lap and search her eyes for anything that told him this time might be different. This time might be more than a fleeting exchange between them. 

Of course, no matter what Josh saw in her eyes, the night would progress. Most of the time, Y/N would still be there in his bed the next morning, but sometimes she would leave before Josh woke. Those were the mornings when he felt most ridiculous for letting her leading him around like she did; she held all the power and Josh was only hoping to someday fall into her forever.

The months away had done him some good, he thought. They hadn’t talked much, and mostly through text. He felt certain as they wrapped up the last few shows that Y/N was the last person he would contact when he got back home. He was through the airport, home, unpacked, showered, and had takeout on the way before he texted her. 

Finally! I’m on my way. 

The moment Josh read her text message, his heart beat faster with the excitement of seeing her again. Maybe he hadn’t waited long to text her, but she hadn’t waited long to reply and come over. With that small fact as a encouragement, Josh allowed himself a bit of hope that maybe, just maybe, Y/N was as addicted to him as he was to her. The hope that followed was that maybe, just maybe, one day, she would come over — for good. 

[ohprettyweeper-moved]

Banana Kitten

Summary: Tyler comes home to a not-so-welcome houseguest.  Pairing: Tyler x Reader Word Count: 395 Warnings: None. A/N: many of you saw my post about the kitten i adopted last weekend, but at any rate, it inspired this silly little drabble. enjoy :) 

Tyler had been in meetings with the label all day, working out the details of the next album release. He was tired but excited, and couldn’t wait to get home and fill Y/N in on the newest developments. 

He opened the door and called out a greeting to her; she answered from the kitchen that she was making dinner. 

“Watch where you walk, by the way!”

Watch where he walked? The floors didn’t look wet, and he didn’t see any messes, but Tyler still heeded her warning. Good thing, too, because he might have squished the brown and orange kitten that skittered out to the front room to meet him. 

Tyler’s eyes went wide. He bent down with his hoodies sleeves over his hands and scooped the tiny creature up. It settled immediately in the crook of his arm and started to purr, but Tyler wasn’t any more excited about its presence in his house. 

“Y/N! What is this?”

He could see her wince before she even turned around. “That’s Banana.”

Tyler raised his brow and handed the kitten over to her. “Banana? I don’t like cats, but you brought one home, and then you named it after a food I don’t like? Are you mad at me?”

Y/N laughed and cuddled Banana close to her face. “It’s not always about you, silly. I’m not mad at you at all. Someone shared her add from the shelter today, and I couldn’t help myself. Her little eyes were just calling out to me. She’s so lovey, and she doesn’t seem like a snooty little cat, so far.”

“So far,” Tyler sighed, reaching out for the kitten again. He held it up to his face; Banana pushed her head forward to bump her little nose against his before licking the tip of his nose a couple of times. Tyler sighed and tucked the kitten into the crook of his arm. The purring started again. “I’m not promising she can stay, babe.”

Y/N nodded, batting her eyelashes at him for some extra persuasion. “A trial basis, I get it.”

Thirty minutes later when Y/N went to tell Tyler that supper was ready, he was asleep on the couch with Banana snoozing away on his chest. If this was any indication, she didn’t think the kitten would be on a trial stay for long. 

[ohprettyweeper]

Caught on Fire

Part 2

Summary: Your first date with Josh goes even better than you planned. Pairing: Josh Dun x Reader Word Count: 1560 Warnings: FLUFF A/N:Tag list is always open, enjoy this next part!

Part 1

After a few good hours of sleep, you woke up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day. You threw your hair up, slipped into your light, cotton robe, and made way for the kitchen. You turned on the coffee maker, then remembered your date that morning and immediately flipped the switch back to the ‘off’ position.

Josh’s next day off coincided with your next day off after he had asked you to meet up sometime, so you two had decided that it would be the perfect time to meet for coffee. You’d managed to get away from your shift early, stopped on the med-surg floor to check Zack Joseph’s condition before heading home to get some sleep.

A hot shower, natural hair, and light makeup later, you analyzed the contents of your closet. The Spring weather would allow for a pair of nice jeans, a solid color v-neck tee, and your favorite pair of sandals.

Shrugging at your reflection in the mirror, you told yourself, “Here goes nothing.”

Josh was already sitting at a table by the window in the café where the two of you had agreed to meet. A lot of EMS and hospital staff frequented here, as well as those on PD. You had never come here and not run into someone you didn’t know.

You knocked on the window and waved at Josh, who grinned when he saw you. A few moments later, you were seated in the booth across from him, nerves not entirely on the fritz, but not exactly calm, either.

“Good morning,” Josh greeted.

“Good morning,” you returned. “How was your shift?”

“Well,” Josh said, letting out a breath and ticking a list off on his fingers, “none of my guys had to be delivered to the hospital, didn’t have to pull any sleeping old guys out of bed before they died, no houses burned to the ground. So not too bad.”

You nodded. “That is a good shift. ER wasn’t so bad, either. Trauma was pretty dead. Makes for a slow night, but I’ll take it if it means people aren’t dying.”

“No kidding.”

The waitress came by then, took your coffee orders, left menus, then left you two to your conversation. You shared the few things that had happened in the ER, and Josh updated you on some of the guys at the station.

“Oh, speaking of that — I hear Zack is going to make a full recovery.”

Josh nodded, sipping at his black coffee. “Yeah, he’s got a few days left, then they’ll start talking about sending him home. It’ll be a bit before he’s back on the job, but he’ll get there. You been talking to Nicole?”

“Uh, no,” you said, suddenly embarrassed but not sure why. “I’ve been checking in after my shifts, when I can. I’m not bothering him or anything, I just —”

“Slow down, Y/N. I think that’s sweet of you.”

You bit your lip in an effort to stop from blushing. “Thanks. I know it’s probably none of my business, but when I was with Chad — before he left, of course — I felt like I was part of the family you guys have at the station. I got to know people and you guys got to know me. After Chad left and we decided to call it quits, it felt a little bit like I lost that family.”

You cleared your throat, thinking that perhaps that had been an overshare but you felt a load off your chest. You had your friends, but outside of the ER, it wasn’t the same as it had been with the firefighter group. You missed it more than you knew, until you had seen Josh and the guys again at the hospital.

Josh reached across the table and took your hand, squeezing gently. “We missed you too, you know. Or at least I did. And I know Nicole has always enjoyed when she works with you at the hospital.”

You smiled with relief. “Yeah, I enjoy that, too. She kept me updated on you guys every now and then. I suppose I could go ahead and embarrass myself a little more and let you know it was always kind of nice when she would mention you were still single.”

“Oh really?” Josh smiled, a warm pink painting over his cheeks as well. You realized he still had a hold of your hand, but you didn’t mind. You liked the way his calloused hand cradled yours; there was something about it that made you feel safe and secure.

The catching up continued and before either of you knew it, lunchtime had come around. Since coffee was all you had for breakfast, you were starving and so was Josh. After a few minutes of perusing the menu, Josh flagged down the waitress and the two of you ordered lunch. Another two hours passed before Josh finally announced he needed to get going.

“Not because I want to,” he assured as he walked you to your car, “but I promised my mom I’d come by this afternoon.”

“Of course, I get it. I think it’s too early on to be making your mother mad, anyway.”

Josh smiled. “Yeah.”

“What? Did I say something wrong?”

He shook his head adamantly. “Definitely not. I actually like the way you said that it’s early on — like there’ll be a later.”

“You want a later?” you asked, brow raised.

“I definitely do. Do you?”

“I do,” you smiled.

Josh’s fingers laced through yours, pulling you to a stop in the middle of the cafe parking lot. You bumped into him, but his strong figure held strong. His smile was a nervous one as his hand carded into your hair and his lips met yours.

Josh strolled up to his house when he got home from his parents, still floating on cloud nine. He had stamped down his attraction to Y/N while she was with Chad, but now that Chad was completely out of the picture and she was open to a relationship with Josh, it was as though a whole new world of potential had opened up.

He phoned Tyler as soon as he was in the house, checking on their plans for guys’ night out.

“We’re still on,” Tyler confirmed. “Nicole’s working the overnight shift, so I’m on my own. By the way, Nic said she saw Y/N last night and maybe overheard a conversation about how excited she was for her date with you this morning.”

Josh chuckled. “Oh yeah? Well, then I guess that would explain why it went so well.”

“I guess so. Hey, why don’t you bring her to the barbecue at our place next weekend?”

“That’s not a bad idea. She mentioned missing being around everyone.”

“Perfect. Listen, I just dropped off some food for Nicole at the hospital, I’ll be home soon. Mind picking me up, then we can go meet everyone?”

Josh nodded. “Yeah, that sounds fine. I’ll see you in a while.”

He disconnected the call. The idea of Y/N being back around with their group, but by his side now and not Chad’s, it made him even happier than he had been before Tyler extended the invitation to bring Y/N to the barbecue.

After washing up a bit and changing his clothes, Josh sprayed on some cologne and checked the time. He didn’t need to leave just yet to pick up Tyler, so he decided to take a chance and call Y/N.

“Well, hey you,” she greeted.

“Hey,” Josh smiled. “Is it too soon to be calling? I don’t wanna look like a nerd.”

“No, you’re not a nerd and no, it’s not too soon to be calling,” she giggled. “How was your visit with your parents?”

“Good. Try to see them when I can, but since Zack got hurt on the job, they’ve been even more tense than usual. Mom’s always happy to see me safe and sound.”

Y/N sighed. “Can’t blame her for that.”

“You don’t have to worry about me, Y/N. I’m always safe. But it’s nice to have you worried about me, too.”

They talked for a while longer, until Tyler called on the other line to figure out what Josh’s hold-up was. He switched lines back and apologized that he needed to end the phone call.

“This morning it was your parents, tonight it’s Tyler. You don’t need an out to only get doses of me, you know,” she teased.

Josh chuckled but returned, “I’ll never get enough of you, I promise. Can I call you tomorrow?”

“I’d really like that.”

“Okay. Night, Y/N.”

“Good night, Josh.”

Reluctantly, he hit the red button to end the call. He found his keys and made way for Tyler’s, realizing how long it had been since he had felt this way about a girl. He already wanted to spend every second possible with her.

Can I take you out on your next day off? Josh texted on his way out of the driveway.

Her answer didn’t take long. My next day off is tomorrow.

I’ll see you then. Call you in the morning to make plans.

Josh shoved his phone in his pocket and worked on getting the twitterpated smile off of his face before he met up with the guys.

Tags: @oceaneyesinahouseofgold​

[this-little-kitsune-blog]

[ohprettyweeper-fics]

Nothing to Do

Summary: The reader gets a phone call she never expected. Pairing: Reader’s Choice x Reader Word Count: 1030 Warnings: Car accident, hospital setting.   Square Filled: Forever & Always - Parachute; @bandombingo​​​​

“Ugh,” you groaned, checking the time on your phone, “he’s late. I’m starving!”

You sent another text message that went unread and, of course, unanswered. Sighing, you went into the kitchen to find something to snack on. Tour buses ran late all the time; if you had learned anything in your time dating him, it was this. Normally he called to let you know, but he could be sleeping, or out of signal — or lost in a heated video game tournament. 

You found a sleeve of crackers and pulled out a few to hold you over until he was home and ready to eat. 

Time wore on, and you still hadn’t heard from him. Your messages were still unanswered, and the calls were going directly to voicemail. Your next call had you on the verge of leaving a very hangry voicemail, but you were stopped by the ringing of the house phone. 

The house phone. Not a device you two used often, if at all, just an extra component to your cable and internet package. A number you listed for telemarketers and companies you didn’t want to hear from. At any given moment the voicemails on there you hadn’t checked could be in the double digits. As the ringing echoed through the empty house tonight, your heart dropped; something told you this wasn’t about extended car warranties or scam cruise vacations. 

“H-Hello?”

A woman’s throat cleared. “Yes, may I speak with Y/N, please?”

You tried to swallow, but your throat was dry. “This is Y/N.”

“Okay, good. He wasn’t sure this was the number, but it said ‘Home’ in his phone. It’s a miracle they even found his phone and its functioning.”

Oh, God.

Another clearing of the woman’s throat. “There was an accident. Their bus was crossing an intersection and a semi driver had fallen asleep at the wheel …”

You didn’t remember the rest later. You responded to her questions and, when you hung up the phone, the name of a hospital and a room number was written down on a scrap of paper on the counter. You were numb nearly from head to toe, but somehow managed to gather your things and get in the car and drive to the hospital. 

In the parking garage, you sat and stared at the steering wheel for a full forty-seven seconds before you got out of the car. You walked the halls in a daze. At the elevator bay, you pressed the button to call a car to take you up to the correct floor — with your finger on the button, your eyes caught the sparkle of the ring he had put on your finger following your acceptance of a very important question. That had only been a few months ago. 

What the hell is happening?

You checked in at the nurse’s station, and a young man there pointed you to the corridor back and to the right. As he walked with you to the room, he warned you that adrenaline was still in effect, but it wasn’t going to last much longer. Once they took him in for surgery, the chances of survival were there … but they were so slim, you could see that the nurse was hesitant to give you any sort of hope. 

Once, when the two of you had just started dating, a weird miscommunication between band members had resulted in a brawl between a few of them. If you didn’t know any better, and save for a few wires, you would have thought he was laying there, being treated for the bruises and scrapes from that altercation. He even gave you a sad smile when you walked in the room. 

Immediately, your body was able to function again. You rushed to his side, held his hand, stroked his hair. He reached up for your face; even with the adrenaline, you could see now that he was weak. 

“It was the highway, not NASCAR,” he joked, “guess the driver didn’t know that. It’s not his fault though. These things happen.”

You nodded, your eyes full of tears. One blink and they fell in salty streams. “But they’re not supposed to happen to us. Are you in pain? Does it hurt?”

“I’m a little sore,” he admitted. 

You leaned to kiss him, careful not to disturb any of the machines or to make his pain any worse. “I should have gone with you. I could have missed that meeting. It wasn’t that important.”

“It was important,” he argued. “And you being there wouldn’t have changed anything, Y/N. You’d just be in a bed in the next room, or worse.”

Or worse. 

You didn’t want to think about what could be worse, but there was no pushing the thoughts away now when the reality of it was laying there in a hospital bed. A couple of nurses came in and warned you that his surgery needed to happen soon — the operating room was prepped and ready for him. Nodding, you turned back to kiss him again. 

“I love you, so much,” you said, your voice cracking with a sob. How was it possible that that might be the last time you would ever say that to him?

He nodded. “Not as much as I love you, beautiful. Whatever happens, you’re gonna be all right. I know you will. You’re strong. You’re stubborn.”

“Too stubborn,” you said, shaking your head. 

“Nah,” he argued, “that’s what I love about you. One of the many things.”

His attempt to make a joke only made you cry harder. You kissed him and, even when you could no longer pucker your lips, kept your forehead against his until the nurses told you they couldn’t wait any longer. You walked with him as far as they would let you, but before they rolled him away, he grabbed your hand and kissed your knuckles. 

“I love you,” he said again, eyes glued to yours. 

You nodded and kissed him for maybe the last time. “I love you more.”

A few seconds later, you were standing alone on the tile, arms hugging yourself. There was nothing left to do now but wait. 

[ohprettyweeper]

net a print of this to hang up in my room.

break the circle

[ohprettyweeper-moved]

Midnight Mac ‘N’ Cheese

Sequel to Late Night Chat

Summary: Tyler keeps the reader company when she has trouble sleeping.  Pairing: Tyler x Reader Word Count: 1225 Warnings: None? You might have to reach for a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese by the time you’re done reading though.  A/N: If you haven’t read Late Night Chat, this will still make sense, for the most part. LNC is only 425 words, so if you want a quick read before delving into this, click that link at the top ;) Happy reading, frens! 

As the tour continued, sleeping on the bus didn’t get any easier. Whether it was the bumps and swerves, or the rushing of other cars past the bus on the highway, you weren’t sure. Maybe it was the weird little cubby that had been designated as your bunk for those few months. 

You made a habit of getting up and having a snack if it took too long to fall asleep. That seemed to help, sometimes, and you were never one to pass up a midnight snack. Tyler didn’t join you except for that one night with the Oreos, but you had learned to be much more quiet so you didn’t wake up anyone else. They all worked just as hard — probably harder — than you, and your insomniac tendencies were no excuse to keep anyone else up. 

This particular evening, you decided that instant macaroni and cheese was the way to go. You felt like you did on that when Tyler had gotten up and shared cookies and milk with you; things were going well, but you were missing home. You missed being close to people. There were times when you wanted to throw your arms around Tyler and beg him to hug you like he had that night. Immediately, you would remind yourself that you were here to work and nothing else, and hope he wouldn’t notice the blush on your heated cheeks. 

The microwave was louder than you had thought it would be on an otherwise silent tour bus, but you winced through the three minutes it took to cook the noodles — well, the two minutes and fifty-nine seconds you allowed the microwave to go on. You hit the stop/cancel button just before the thing signaled that it was done in a feeble attempt to not make anymore noise. 

“Were you planning on sharing?”

Tyler’s voice stopped you mid-stir. You winced again. “I was trying not to wake anyone.”

He shrugged and pulled another container down from the cupboard. “So I guess you’re not sharing.”

You managed a nervous chuckle as you continued to stir the cheese sauce in with the noodles. You let the bowl set on the counter for a minute or two, waiting for the sauce to set in, and for Tyler’s food to finish. When he took a seat on the couch along one wall of the bus, you sat next to him. 

“Sorry you’ve had to find me doing the midnight snack thing again,” you commented, cheek full of cheesy goodness. 

Tyler shrugged. “I don’t mind. I was surprised someone was up.”

“I’m always up around this time. You said I’d get used to sleeping on the bus, but I’m starting to think you’re a liar.”

Tyler snorted. “At least I don’t eat my mac ’n’ cheese with a spoon.”

“I’m using a fork.”

“No, sorry. Josh does that. It was the first offense I could think of that was worse than telling you you’d get used to sleeping on the bus and having it not come true.”

“Ah, now I’m catching on,” you laughed. “Why are you up?”

“Because someone was running the microwave at a very ungodly hour.”

“But now you get to have a snack, too,” you offered, giving him a goofy smile.

“That’s true I do.” The two of you sat in silence for a few moments before Tyler nudged you with his elbow. “Nice hoodie. I see you’ve caught on to the yellow theme.”

You swallowed a good-sized bite of noodles. “This may or may not be your hoodie.”

“Seriously? I was looking everywhere for that thing! I don’t know how I didn’t notice it was mine. Do you know how anxious I was to get my replacement for it?”

“I did, and, actually, I had every intention of telling you that I snagged this from your clean laundry pile when your assistant brought it in, but then you freaked out and I panicked. I’ve been sleeping in it for a couple weeks.”

Tyler took the last bite of his mac ’n’ cheese. “Does it help?”

You nodded. “Yes, actually.”

“Then keep it.”

You smiled and thanked him. He waited patiently for you to finish your snack, then held his arms out for you. With an even bigger smile, you fell against his chest, wrapping your arms around his middle. 

“Know what might help you sleep, even more than a cozy hoodie?” he asked. 

Your cheek rubbed against his thin t-shirt. “No, what’s that?”

“Having someone to fall asleep next to you.” He paused to wait for your reaction; you looked up at him with a raised brow. “I know you feel sometimes like you’re alone here. I wasn’t eavesdropping, but I did overhear you talking to someone on the phone once and mentioning that. I didn’t want to push anything, but — anyway. You’re not alone, Y/N. I’ll even put my yellow hoodie on, for extra coziness.”

Wiping away the sudden extra moisture from the corners of your eyes, you nodded. Tyler loosely held your hand and led you back to the bunk area of the bus. He stopped at his bunk long enough to grab the yellow hoodie and an extra pillow. He pulled the hoodie over his head, tossed the pillow next to yours, then climbed into your bunk first before pulling you up next to him. 

“You can kick me out whenever you want,” Tyler promised. 

You smiled, accompanied by the breath of a laugh. “We’ll see if you hog the covers or not.”

Tyler only laughed and held the blanket up for you to snuggle under. You molded yourself into the little spoon as Tyler tucked the blanket around you. He let his arm rest over your hip; you felt safe. Sleepy. And maybe still a little hungry? You ignored that part of it and just enjoyed having Tyler next to you. You enjoyed getting to know him on tour, had wished for more moments like the Oreo night, but this — this was perfection. It felt like the start of something new. 

“Y/N?”

“Hmm?”

Tyler sighed. “I’m still kind of hungry. Do you want another thing of mac ’n’ cheese?”

You rolled to face him. “I was actually just trying to ignore that I was still hungry. I’d love one.”

“Don’t get up,” Tyler said, carefully climbing over you, “I’ll make them and bring them back here. With forks, not spoons.”

The seven minutes or so that Tyler was gone seemed like forever. You had just about decided to join him back at the front of the bus when he pulled the curtain on your bunk, had you hold the container that had two forks in it, then, carefully again, resumed his position as the big spoon. 

“We’ll have to share, there was only one left.”

“Works for me.”

You two worked out a wonderful combination of snuggling and snacking. There were no words exchanged between the two of you, but you did share a coy glance or two. About halfway through the container of mac ’n’ cheese, when it was your turn to take a bite, Tyler set his chin on your shoulder. 

“This is nice,” he murmured, echoing sentiments from that first hug the two of you had shared. 

You nodded, handing the container back to him. “Yeah. It is.”

[ohprettyweeper]

Caught On Fire

Part 1

Summary: Josh finally acts on a long-time attraction. Pairing: Josh Dun x Reader Word Count: 1655 Warnings: Firefighting & related danger, hospitals & related scenarios. A/N: Welcome to my new series! I promise this will be the longest A/N for any chapter! Before you ask, yes, I have selfishly given myself the role of Tyler’s wife with my dream job. With my real first name instead of Kansas. It’s fiction so I can do that, right? Oh, and most of these medical situations will be drawn from my own experience working in one of our Level I Trauma Center ERs, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be accurate, and sometimes I’ll stretch it for purposes of the story. I do have a taglist for this, so you’re welcome to ask to be tagged. Also, Happy Birthday Josh! 

Flames lashed out at him from all directions. Smoke was thick in the air, mixing with the oxygen in the building and making breathing a dangerous activity. Some felt claustrophobic in this situation, Josh had heard before. Some felt that impending sense of doom, as if Death himself had come to swallow them up and drag them down into the destruction caused by the fire.

Not Josh. He loved every minute he spent fighting fires, right down to the second that the only thing remaining of the blaze was glowing embers and smoking piles of ash. He had been born to fight fires, many people in his life had told him over the years. Josh believed that, too, down deep into his soul.

“Dun! I’ve got a body over here!”

Josh followed the direction his close friend and fellow firefighter, Tyler, had searched out in the burning home. A man twice their age was in the bed, coughing and sputtering, but not entirely conscious. Josh guessed he had been sleeping when the fire started and had inhaled too much smoke to get himself out before the fire nearly took his life.

“C’mon, buddy,” Tyler encouraged, lifting the man off the bed and hulking the older man over his shoulder. “I’ll come back.”

Josh shook his head. “We’re almost done with the search. Take him and the rest of us will be out soon.”

Tyler nodded and headed toward the exit with the old man still slumped over his shoulder. Josh watched his friend hurry out of the house, went back to the quadrant of the house he had agreed to search, then called for the rest of the team to evacuate behind him.

Before the last man, Zack, could make it out, the ceiling crumbled, blocking out Zack’s escape route. Josh watched from the front walk; a few seconds later he was running back into the fiery structure to get to Zack.

“Where you at, man?” Josh called through the radio.

“Fell through the floor to the basement,” Zack radioed back. “Trying to find a way back up. Stairs aren’t sturdy enough.”

Back on the porch, Josh called for a rope and other equipment necessary to pull Zack from the basement. “We’ve got to do this quick. Somebody make sure Tyler stays out till we get Zack.”

Josh had grown up with the Joseph brothers, and Zack was like a brother to him, just as Tyler was. The bond between Tyler and Zack was even stronger though, and Josh couldn’t have his best friend making any risky, irrational moves in an effort to save his younger brother.

Mark came in with the rescue equipment, taking post as an anchor for Josh to help Zack get the harness secured in place before pulling Zack up from the basement. The younger Joseph brother was starting to panic, pulling his oxygen mask off in an effort to feel less trapped. The basement ceiling was starting to crumble, threatening the rescue if Zack didn’t do his part soon.

“Put that mask back on!” Josh ordered.

Zack shook his head. “I can’t! I can’t breathe!”

“The mask is to help you breathe, idiot! Now come on!”

But Zack shook his head, breathing faster and more shallow with every respiratory cycle. Josh cursed under his breath and turned back to Mark. “He’s hyperventilating. Get a couple more guys in here — not Tyler. We’re going to have to do all the work.”

Two more firefighters rushed in after Mark radioed, taking hold of the rope. They nodded to Josh when they were ready, and he nodded back.

“All right, on my go,” Josh instructed. He got a good grip on the rope, checked one more time to make sure everyone was in place and ready to get Zack out of that burning basement, then gave the command. “Pull!”

After several good heaves, Zack was up out of the basement. He wasn’t coherent enough to fight Josh re-affixing his oxygen mask over his face, or to argue when Josh lifted Zack over his shoulder to carry him out much like Tyler had done with the old man they had found.

“Have a bed ready for us, he’s going to need transport,” Josh said into the radio, hoping that Tyler wasn’t in a full-on panic over his brother’s well-being. As it was, the older brother rushed to Josh almost as soon as they were out of the house.

“What’s going on? What the hell happened?” Tyler demanded. “He’s not breathing?”

“He’s breathing,” Josh said, dropping his gear and walking alongside the cot as the medics rolled Zack over to an ambulance. “He panicked and took off his mask for a while. We got him out, he just needs to be checked over.”

“I’m going with them,” Tyler said, attempting to climb into the back of the ambulance. Josh stopped his friend with a hand on his chest. Tyler tried to push past him but Josh knew it wasn’t going to do any good to have Tyler in the ambulance.

Josh caught Tyler’s gaze. “You’re panicking, Tyler. You’ll overwhelm the medics, and they need to concentrate on Zack. I’ll travel with them, all right? You meet us at the hospital.”

Tyler nodded, defeated, and backed away as Josh climbed into the back of the ambulance with Zack. The heavy doors shut behind them; Josh gave Tyler a thumb’s up for reassurance as they drove away.

“I bet Tyler’s a hot mess.”

Josh was leaned against the counter of the nurse’s station, waiting outside the room while the ER team assessed Zack and got him out of his gear and into a gown. He looked beside him to see Y/N, a nurse at the hospital Josh had known for what seemed like forever. She had dated a guy who used to work with Josh and Tyler for a while, until the guy moved away and the relationship ended. Still, she was acquainted well-enough with most of them to understand the gravity of the situation. Josh smirked.

“Had to convince him to let me ride in the ambulance instead. Surprised you’re not in there.”

Y/N sighed. “Wish I could be, but I’ve got a STEMI we’re about to take up to the cath lab. You gonna be okay?”

Josh nodded. “Oh, yeah. I’m sure I’ll be better when I know what’s up with Zack — he took off his mask when he panicked. More worried about smoke inhalation than anything.”

“That’s a legitimate concern,” Y/N nodded. She nudged him with her elbow. “The Joseph boys aren’t that easily knocked out, Dun. Zack’ll be fine. You’re more likely to have problems with Tyler having an anxiety attack or barking at one of the nurses or techs.”

Josh managed a laugh. “You’re right about that.”

“Y/N, we’re rolling,” another nurse called, grabbing some extra supplies from a nearby IV box.

Y/N nodded to her colleague, then looked back to Josh. “Duty calls. Update me on Zack when you can. I’ll be back down in a while.”

Josh thanked her and watched as she jogged over to the STEMI patient’s room. She winked at Josh as they rolled the bed toward the elevators, and he returned with a smile. He watched after her as she went, wondering why he hadn’t ever taken the time to get to know her better than as a mere acquaintance.

Hours later, Josh was still in the ER with Tyler, Zack, and their parents. Though he hadn’t been unmasked for long, the degree of damage the smoke inhalation had done was enough for the attending doctor to intubate Zack, to prevent potential problems caused by swelling of the young man’s irritated airway. Zack would spend a couple of days monitored in the ICU, and a more certain, detailed treatment plan would be developed from there. Barring any complications, however, everyone assured the Joseph family that Zack was going to be just fine.

“You look a little tired.”

Again, Y/N’s presence sort of caught Josh by surprise, but he didn’t mind. He took the coffee she offered with a grateful smile. “Yeah, I am. But I’m not going to leave until Tyler’s wife gets here.”

Y/N nodded. “How is Nicole?”

Josh sipped at his coffee. “That’s right, I forgot you knew her when they were still dating. She’s great — speaking at a trauma conference this week, but she’s on a flight back, now. I’m not sure she’s even gotten our messages yet about Zack.”

“I’m sure she’ll be here as soon as she does. Probably before she even gets home,” Y/N guessed. “My shift is about over. Can I do anything else for you before I go?”

“Nah, I’m all right. Thanks, though.”

With a tired smile of her own, Y/N gave him a little wave before leaving the room. On a whim, Josh got up and followed her, catching her just past the nurse’s station. He could feel the blush creeping up his neck and into his cheeks.

Josh had to clear his throat before he could speak. “Do you want to get together sometime? Maybe for coffee that’s better than hospital cafeteria coffee?”

Y/N frowned. “Josh, I made that coffee.”

He winced. “Oh, well, I didn’t mean the coffee that you brought me in particular —”

“I’m teasing you,” she laughed. “I’d really like it if we met up sometime. You have my number.”

“I do. I’ll talk to you soon, after we’ve both had a chance to sleep.”

“Perfect,” Y/N smiled.

They shared a quick, friendly hug before she continued on her path to the nurse’s lounge before clocking out. Josh stood rooted to the spot for a moment, glad that he had worked up the courage to ask her out but wondering how he would get any sleep with this kind of excitement brewing, waking all of his nerves.

Tag(s): @oceaneyesinahouseofgold​

[this-little-kitsune-blog]

[ohprettyweeper]

i know i'm not the only one who got 'sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind' vibes here.

[ohprettyweeper-fics]

She Chased Away the Rain

Summary: Josh reflects on his relationship with the girl who pulled him out of a dark place.  Pairing: Josh x Reader Word Count: 730 Warnings: Mentions of depression.  Square Filled: The Love We Stole - Bear’s Den; @bandombingo​​​

Josh was sitting on the porch when Y/N showed up. She had a Coke icee in each hand, and smiled as she trekked up the front walk to sit next to him. She handed him one of the cups. The condensation that had formed felt cool and refreshing against his warm skin. 

“Thanks,” he smiled, taking a drink right away. He drank too much too fast though, causing an eye-squinting pain in his head and down his spine. “Ack, brain freeze!”

Y/N giggled. “Every time, never fails! I should start handing your icee over with a warning.”

“Maybe,” Josh agreed with a laugh. 

A laugh. Now there was a sound he didn’t take for granted so much anymore. A few months ago, Josh wouldn’t have been able to name the last thing that had made him laugh or smile, save for polite chuckles and fake grins — an act he put on to appease those around him. As sometimes happens in life, a dark cloud had settled over Josh’s mind. The rain came, and he was unable to fight through it. With friends and family and fans, he was his normal quiet but happy self. At night, when he was alone, a million thoughts flooded his brain. Worry and self-doubt kept him from sleeping, from eating. It was all he could do some days to take a shower or get a work-out session in. 

Y/N had been the one to see through all of that. She was the one who, finally, asked him what was wrong. Josh couldn’t believe the saving grace he had found in that; she hadn’t asked if he was okay — she knew he wasn’t. She had asked what was wrong, and then stood there without saying anything until he was ready to answer her. To spill out every demon that had haunted him for the last while. 

“Oh! I got something else!” 

Her voice cut through his reverie of the dark months until she saved him. She pulled a package of tropical Skittles from her pocket, tore open the corner, and poured some into his palm before popping a couple into her mouth. 

“I must be special if you’re sharing your favorite candy with me,” Josh teased. 

“You are special.” She dropped three more Skittles into her mouth, then leaned her head on his shoulder as she happily munched away. 

How easily she had pulled him from the depths. She listened intently every time he needed to talk, and came back with exactly what he needed to hear. Not always what he wanted to hear, and sometimes things he knew, but only believed coming from someone else. Josh kissed the top of her head as he thought about all of their multi-hour talks during the time he was getting back to being himself. 

Somewhere in that time, he had re-discovered Y/N. Though she had been his friend for a while, he got to know a deeper side of her; knowing her more intimately had brought on feelings that were so strong, Josh’s heart ached at the very thought of her sometimes. The ache was less and less, as carrying him through the rain for that time had seemed to endear Josh to her, as well. 

Everything happens for a reason. Josh usually hated cliche quotes and sayings like that, and more than likely, if Y/N hadn’t helped him find his happy again, they would have found their mutual happiness another way. But, thinking of the overused statement eased the guilt of the time she had given up to listen to his problems and help him move past the depression. The darkness was scary, but it was worth it to have found this love with her. 

“Hey,” Y/N said, lifting her head and shoving the remainder of the Skittles back in her pocket. “It’s a pretty nice afternoon. Can we take Jim for a walk?”

John took another drink of his icee, careful not to induce brain freeze again. “Yeah, I bet the ole boy would love that. And so would I — almost as much as I love you.”

Her laughter filled the air in response to his teasing. She kissed him softly. “But not as much as I love you.”

Josh smiled and stole another kiss before helping her stand from the steps to head inside. 

[ohprettyweeper-moved]

A Field of Sunflowers

* * * * * 

Y/N had been a little down lately, but she assured the boys she was only a little homesick. They were stopping in her home state soon anyway. She would be back to normal in no time. 

As they drove through the midwest, where she was from, the homesickness started to fade. She sat next to the window, watching the flat prairie pass by. Wheat and corn fields painted the land in shades of tan and green, but when a bright patch of yellow was in view up ahead, she yelled for the bus driver to stop. 

“This better be an emergency,” he grumbled, directing the big bus — and the entire caravan behind it — to the side of the road. 

Y/N didn’t say anything, just rushed off the bus and towards the field ahead. Tyler jogged to catch up with her. He followed her as best he could, but she was moving fast, and the stalks, about at his waist right now, weren’t the easiest to move through. When she finally stopped, she turned her face to the sky and took in a deep breath. 

“Y/N?” 

She turned to face him, and shrugged. “I love sunflowers, and now — I’m home. All that weight that I feel like I’ve been carrying recently just floated away. I don’t know how to explain it.”

The prairie wind blew her hair around her face; Tyler pushed the wild strands away so that he could see her eyes. The way her smile reached every bit of her face — he had missed that recently. Y/N covered Tyler’s hand with her own, holding his gaze. 

Later, Tyler would remember this as the moment he fell in love with her. 

[ohprettyweeper]

I Shouldn’t Go

Summary: It’s been a year since you’ve seen Josh, but it’s time to face up to the fact that things are really over. Pairing: Josh x Unnamed OFC, previous Josh x Reader Word Count: 1345 Warnings: Angst, light drinking. Inspired By: Floorplan - Sara Bareilles A/N: Repost from my old account. 

Tuesdays were always so benign. Wake up, get ready to work out, hit the snooze button anyway, rush to get ready for work. Your nine-to-five was boring sometimes, but you openly admitted to loving the job. You liked Tuesdays because nothing ever happened on Tuesdays.

Until it did.

You were happily living your single life, in an excellent routine of not thinking about your ex very often, when his name was suddenly plastered everywhere, it seemed. He had found a new girlfriend, another musician, and the shippers were losing their minds over it.

“They’re having a party in a couple weeks, a more personal celebration for the new album,” Lexie shrugged, rolling her desk chair next to yours. “You could go. Meet her. See him.”

You looked at her in awe. “How the hell do you even know that?”

Lexie fidgeted and shrugged. “I just — you know. Tyler texted me.”

She rolled her chair back to her desk and furiously typed at the assignment in front of her. You frowned and sauntered over to her desk, leaning against the drawers where she kept her files.

“You still talk to Tyler?” This was shocking news; their break-up had happened right on the heels of yours. You had no idea they still talked, ever.

“Every now and again, we touch base. I’m single, he’s single, so it’s not weird.” She turned back to you. “Anyway, the point is, there’s a party, I’m going, and you should go with me. Maybe it would give you some closure.”

You snorted. “Closure? Lex, I have closure. Josh and I called it quits, I did the crying and the depression, and I moved on. I don’t need closure.”

“That’s why you’ve said his name once, just now, in the year since you two split up? Y/N, you need closure. Tyler and I, we had it out. We’re friends now. Maybe one day it’ll be more again, maybe it won’t. The difference is, I had my closure to that part of my life. To that part of my relationship with Tyler — that’s why we’ve been able to move on. You and Josh are never going to be able to move on, not really, until you have that closure. Yell at him, cry in front of him. Whatever you have to do, except act like everything is fine when you know good and well that it’s not.”

Her eyes focused on her screen then, and you knew the conversation was over — and so was your facade about being okay.

The day of the party arrived and you were — well, suffice it to say this was not some benign Tuesday. No, it was a highly-pressured Saturday where you were trying to look the best you had in, well, a year so that you could impress your ex-boyfriend in the presence of his new, amazing, famous girlfriend.

“I can’t believe I agreed to this,” you groaned as you put in your earrings while Lexie tried to make some sense of the cyclone of clothes on your bed. “This is such a horrible idea. I’m going to see him and I’m going to panic and make a fool of myself.”

Lexie tossed a couple shirts to the side and sat on edge of the mattress. “I really don’t think you will. I think you need to see him happy with someone else so that you can get happy with someone else.”

You chin quivered and for the first time in a year, you told the truth. “What if I don’t wanna be happy with someone else?”

“Oh, Y/N/N …”

Lexie was off the bed in an instant to hug you while you cried. You knew that she had suspected for a while that you weren’t entirely over Josh, but to have you actually fall apart about it — that she hadn’t expected.

The party was in full swing by the time you had touched up your makeup, and you and Lexie had gotten on the way. She promised not to leave your side, but knowing now what was potentially going on with her and Tyler, you let her know you didn’t expect her to keep that promise.

“I’m a big girl. I cried about it, I’m ready to move on.”

Lexie didn’t look convinced, but she squeezed your hand anyway, kissed your cheek, and practically skipped off to find Tyler. You smiled after her, hoping that whatever happened, Lexie would be happy. You took a deep breath and decided you would feel better with a drink in your hand; a little liquid courage never hurt.

With your favorite drink in hand, you wandered around the party, greeting people you missed seeing since you and Josh had split. They seemed happy to see you too, but the tension was high, and so were the awkward moments every time they asked if you had seen Josh yet.

When you finally spotted him, he was with a group of people, Lexie and Tyler included, laughing at something someone had said. His back was to you, and his arm was around the new girlfriend. You opened your mouth to say something, but your voice stuck in your throat as you panicked. Just the thought of Josh turning around seeing you stopped your breath and made your heart beat nearly out of your chest.

You turned to run, but not before Lexie had spotted you and her face gave you away when she saw you flee. Josh turned to see what she was looking at, spotted you escaping, and turned to run after you. He didn’t catch up to you until you were out on the lawn, your drink having been dropped from your hand somewhere along your escape route. You put your hands on your knees and tried to catch your breath.

“Y/N!” Josh called.

You stood and faced him. “I’m sorry. I thought I could be here, I thought I could see you. Lexie thought it would give me closure …”

He shook his head. “Why’d you run?”

“I was fine, you know. I cried over you and did the post-breakup thing. And then Lexie tells me about this party and makes me come with her.” You took a deep breath. “You don’t know how many times I’ve forced myself not to call you or message you. How many times I wished you weren’t okay without me.”

“God, Y/N,” Josh groaned, running a hand through his hair.

“I know,” you said, choking back the lump that had risen in your throat. “I know. This is God-awful timing. You’re happy now and —”

“You’re right, I am happy now,” Josh interrupted. “You think I didn’t want to call you? I asked about you for months after we split. I wanted you to come back, but you didn’t. You ended it all, do you remember that? You can’t walk away, tell me you need time, then expect me not to give you the time you need. Present moment excluded, I’m not one to chase you down when you’re the one that walked away. I can’t believe you would come here and do this, Y/N. After a year? Really?”

“I’m sorry!” you cried.

Josh scoffed. “Yeah, now that I’m happy with someone else, you’re sorry and you wanna talk it out. Too little, too late, Y/N/N.”

He turned and walked away then, leaving you a crying mess there on the front lawn. Suddenly aware of people watching the whole scene from the doorway, you turned and started walking home; you couldn’t stay here. This was never how things were supposed to go.

As you neared your house, after assuring Lexie via reply to her twelve text messages that you were fine, the tears began to subside, for now, anyway. Josh had really moved on, so it was time for you to do that, too. It wasn’t going to be easy, you knew. Losing Josh for good was a loss you would hide in your heart for the rest of your life.

[ohprettyweeper]

tyler just looks so happy!