Work Text:
Josh has learned a lot of things about Tyler Joseph over the past six months.
He knows Tyler used to question his faith around the time they first saw each other, but has since restored his relationship with God. He knows Tyler’s favorite article of clothing is this pretty floral robe he bought at some place in the mall. He also knows that this doesn’t make Tyler any less of what Tyler identifies as. He knows Tyler got a double mastectomy, a hysterectomy, and had chest contouring done, but has no interest in genital reassignment surgery.
He knows Tyler plays a crazy amount of instruments and spends a lot of his time singing. He knows Tyler chews really loudly and bites his nails. He knows Tyler really likes French toast at two o’clock in the morning, that he doesn’t get a lot of sleep and often has bad headaches but it never affects his mood, that he gets very cuddly whenever they’re alone but not so much when they’re in public. He knows Tyler has been battling depression for a long time, knows that sometimes he doesn’t want to talk or go anywhere, knows that he needs his alone time and he needs his social time and he needs his Josh time, knows more or less how to tell the difference between, knows not to take offense when it’s the first.
He knows what Tyler looks like just after waking up, groggy and yawning and slow, and what he looks like when he’s crying and after he’s crying and right before he cries. He knows how his eyelashes flutter when he sleeps, how he looks so genuinely at peace among the pillows and blankets, how he’ll sleep anywhere in any position at any time he can manage but most likes sleeping nestled against Josh’s side. He knows what Tyler’s fingers feel like following the dips in his spine, tracing shapes into his hip, slotted in the spaces between his own.
He knows a lot about Tyler, but this is new.
“Knitting?” Josh tugs on the deep purple beanie, smooths it out atop his head, and reaches for Tyler’s hands, “Don’t get me wrong, this is really awesome! I love it. I just didn’t know you knitted. Knit. Knitted?”
“Both work,” Tyler says simply, head ducked slightly to hide his blush even as he allows Josh to pull him closer. Not that he didn’t want Josh to know, he just… Kind of didn’t want Josh to know. But now he does and Tyler chose that and it’s okay. “Do you really like it, though? Hats are hard. Usually I just make horribly disfigured gloves and scarves.”
“Yeah, dude! It’s super cute. Like, it looks like someone knit it, but it doesn’t have that, like, well-meaning grandma vibe. It looks like something you’d buy somewhere,” Josh grins and presses a kiss to Tyler’s cheek, still clasping his hands as he begins to sway slightly.
Tyler, for his part, just gives Josh his best withering look before letting out a laugh, “Fuck you, Josh. I could totally be your well-meaning grandma.”
“I mean, yeah, but then this would be some really weird incest, and I dunno how into that I am,” Josh tilts his head forward, leans up the slightest bit brush his lips against Tyler’s, and then rests forehead on Tyler’s shoulder, “Seriously, though, thank you. This is really nice.”
“Y’know. Thought you deserved something for putting up with me for six months.”
The words come out light, but Josh knows better, has been there through every panic attack and nightmare and breakdown and whispered ‘I’m sorry I’m sorry please don’t leave me’. He also knows better than to get all serious about it, though, knows Tyler doesn’t need that right now, so he just turns his head and kisses the junction between his boyfriend’s neck and shoulder. He drops Tyler’s hands in favor of wrapping his arms around Tyler’s waist instead, nuzzles at his collarbone and a second later leans up for another proper kiss, “Ah, wasn’t too bad. Contrary to popular belief, I actually like you!”
“What?” Tyler plays it up, gasps audibly, “That’s fuckin’ crazy! I had no idea. You and Debby, man. There’s some real chemistry there. Definitely thought you were gonna get back together.”
Josh hums thoughtfully and grins when Tyler playfully punches his bicep, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding, you know I’m kidding. Brendon, though… I can’t make any promises about him.”
“Strangely enough, I think I would be okay with that. But only if I get to watch.”
“Deal,” Josh waggles his eyebrows at Tyler and kisses him once more, deep and slow and gentle all at once. One of Tyler’s hands finds its way up to his hair, carding through it and tugging at the sensitive curls at the nape of his neck, and the other rests on his chest.
Josh wants to let it go on--fuck, does he want to let it go on--but he and Tyler have places because it’s their sixth month anniversary, damnit, and they can do this later. Reluctantly, he pulls away, takes Tyler’s hands again and starts to pull him back towards the door, “Alright, time to go, babe.”
That earns him a whine, but Tyler follows him, anyway, and it isn’t long before they’re out the door.
Josh doesn’t take the beanie off until they fall into bed that night.