Josh hadn't felt the weight of driving for so long on such little sleep until now, and sleep had never felt so tempting. Josh didn't even remember dozing off until Melody had gently shaken awake, Francis at her side.

"Sorry, I should have offered earlier but you can sleep on one of the couches in the back room if you'd like." Francis rocked from foot to foot behind Melody.

Josh shook his head, "Sorry, that's okay. I didn't even mean to fall asleep."

"Josh- it's Josh, right? You look like you're seconds away from passing out. There's no way we're letting you drive off from here in a state like this."

Josh sat up straight, "I'm okay, I promise. Besides, I don't want to be a hassle."

Melody rolled her eyes. "There's no point in trying to argue with Franky, he always gets his way."

"I can even give you a massage if you'd like." Francis perked up.

"Ooh, Francis gives the best massages. Not like me though. I have sausage fingers."

"I love your sausage fingers." Francis spoke in a hushed tone, rubbing Melody's hand in between his own.

"I know you do." Melody giggled, pecking Francis' nose.

It would have made some people uncomfortable seeing their confidence in showing their love in public, but Josh loved it. Majority, if not all, of the people he knew had paranoia of being watched and most definitely did not show PDA. Josh understood why, after all, he'd slept with Haley Williams two years ago and was still 'Joshua Dun, that journalist who showed Hayley Williams good sex'.

It didn't affect his ability to find work, but ⅔ interviews he had it would be brought up. He envied this couple, because even though their lives had complications in the past and present, they were unafraid of showing their love. It was times like this, just for a minute, that he wished he'd never gotten popular as a music journalist.

Then, Tyler slipped straight into Josh's mind. He suddenly felt guilty because for the first time he could picture the lifestyle that Tyler held. He couldn't think of the last time Tyler had a relationship, and with the mass of fame he held Josh didn't doubt that if he did the media would know. God, Josh was complaining about his popularity, but it was nothing compared to Tyler Joseph.

Once paparazzi caught a photo of him smoking weed out on his balcony and Josh was wrapped, back then any photos of the guy were rewarded with a pay rise. He felt no pity for the guy, even after Ryan told him that after that Tyler refused to leave his house for three whole months. Tyler May be an asshole but Josh was just as cruel as he could be back before he actually knew him.

"Josh, sweetie, have you made up your mind?" Josh registered Melody's voice, and then her gentle hand on his shoulder.

Josh blinked a few times before looking up at her. "Sorry. Yeah, okay, I guess I am pretty tired."

Josh smiled sheepishly as Francis helped him up and he was lead through a door and into the back room. It was small and had a few other doorways leading to different places, in the corner was a small kitchen and in the centre was a large couch, coffee table, and a small tv.

"No one comes in here besides Melody, Dom and myself. The boss is interstate this week." Francis reassured Josh.

"Dom?"

"Yeah, the big beefy tattoo artist. He also goes by Taurus or something, at least that was his nickname in prison." Melody explained casually.

"Prison?" Josh raised his eyebrows.

"Yeah, he was falsely accused of murder a while back. However, after like, seven years they realised that he was framed and caught the real guy."

"Oh.. I'm glad?"

The bell rang in the front room and Melody quickly made her way back to the door. "Dom and I can manage the customers. You two chill out here." The pair then watched her slip out and close the door behind her.

"She's a lovely girl." Josh smiled at Francis, sitting down on the couch.

"She is. I wouldn't want to have anyone else as my fiancé."

"You're engaged?" Josh asked and Francis grinned as he held up his ring finger for Josh to see. "Congrats, dude."

"Thank you. Now, take off your shirt if you're okay with that and get comfy. I'll be back in a second."

Josh did as Francis said and slipped his shirt off, folding it up and dropping it onto the floor before lying on the couch with his face down.

"Take a look at this magic." Francis said later, Josh watching curiously as the other clicked something and the back of the couch dropped down onto stands so that it was flat. The armrests soon followed.

"Cool, yeah? It was a gift from the boss." Francis spoke quickly with a bright smile.

"It is pretty cool." Josh laughed, the guy's aura making him feel just as cheerful.

Francis then climbed onto the bed, shuffling over to Josh on his knees and placing a clear glass bottle of oil on the space next to him.

His smooth hands trailed over Josh's shoulders and down his back. "Gosh, you're tense. When was the last time you had a massage? Or even did yoga?"

Josh just shrugged, enjoying the feeling of Francis' warm hands.

"I'll take that as never."

Francis' hands worked over Josh's body fluently, finding any tense knots and working them out. Some parts did hurt but Josh knew that it would help him in the end, besides, not even halfway through he was fast asleep.

Josh slept like a log until it got dark, and when Francis woke him up it was only because they were closing the shop.

"Oh shit, is there any hotels near here? I need someplace to charge my laptop."

Francis glanced over to Melody, "you could spend the night at our place?"

Josh quickly shook his head, "No, no way. You've done enough for me already."

"Josh, we want you to come home with us." Francis grinned slyly at the other boy.

Josh's cheeks started to heat up. He looked over at Melody who was focused on something else but looked up to smile at him, then back to Francis.

"I- Fine, just so I can charge my laptop." Josh mumbled.

The pair left in their car and Josh followed close behind on his motorbike, arriving at their house just over ten minutes later. Josh focused on parking his bike on the curb before looking up at the quaint home.

Compared to Josh's place, this one really looked like a home. It was a small, red-brick sort of one-story house. Josh followed the pair inside after Melody the unlocked the house. The two took their shoes off at the front door so Josh did the same.

The smell of incense flooded Josh's nostrils as he stepped inside. The warm appearance was amplified to the extreme on the inside of their house and Josh felt a pleasant sense of security.

"Do you want some tea?" Francis asked Josh as he hung his coat up, going across the living room into what Josh assumed was a kitchen.

"Yes, please." Josh smiled shyly, trying to subtly look around the room.

"Are you two always this friendly to customers?" Josh hummed, looking up at the wall which was littered with picture frames of Melody, Francis and many people Josh couldn't even pretend to know.

"Of course not." Melody grinned. "Just the pretty ones."

Josh felt the familiar burn settle across his cheeks. "You guys have gotta stop doing that."

"Doing what?" She smiled, following Josh's glance to a photo of the two surrounded by others. "That's Franky's family." Melody nodded.

"Oh- I'm not trying to like- invade your privacy, or whatever. I'm just kinda nosey. 'S my job."

Melody looked over at Josh with a curious frown, "What is your job, Josh?"

Confusion settled across Josh's face before realisation struck, he wasn't usually around people who weren't aware of his profession. "Oh, yeah. I'm a journalist."

Melody's face lit up with interest. "Really? In what category?"

"Mostly music." He shrugged.

"That's really cool. Well, Franky and I aren't very private people, especially after a few glasses of wine, so ask away, Josh."

Josh laughed gently. "I really don't wanna intrude more than I already am."

"Nah." Melody shook her head and waved her hand in disagreement. "You have to chill out, Josh. We aren't the kind of people who'll write a paragraph about how you're- I don't know, 'a selfish pig who accidentally and harmlessly drooled on his pillow while napping' and send it in to the media."

Josh was unsure of how he already felt so comfortable with these barely-strangers but he decided he was allowed to complain. "Sorry. I'm just kinda on edge asking shit 'cause of this guy I'm into. He's so paranoid and I'm always walking on eggshells and it sucks. I really wanna get to know you guys more though."

"Wait, the Christian-homophobic guy you mentioned a few times back in the shop?"

"His name is Tyler." Josh said quickly before adding, "Yeah, him."

"Let me guess? Is he in the music industry too? Cause all you guys seem so uptight because of it."

He laughed. "You're spot on, man."

"Well, we aren't 'Tyler' and we're pretty hard to offend. As long as you're not an asshole but whatever."

"I'm nice." Josh mumbled.

"Sure, Sweetie. You rock up at our shop before lunch, running on absolute minimum hours of sleep, and expect me to believe that you have a clean conscience?"

"Any crimes I may have committed are completely unrelated to my personality." Josh joked.

Melody giggled and put a hand on Josh's shoulder, "Let's go see what Franky's up to. Shall we?"

Josh nods as he melts into her touch, putting his hands into his pockets awkwardly.

Mel lead him down towards the kitchen where Francis was setting the table. "I made dinner, leftovers tonight. Would you like tea?"

"Please." Josh responded quietly, still looking around shyly.

Melody pulled out a chair for Josh before sitting in the one beside him, subtly shuffling closer so that their hips and shoulders touched. She was warm.

"Chai, green tea or English Breakfast?" Francis asked, placing the kettle on the stove.
"Green, thank you." He smiled.

The three settled into a comfortable silence while Francis made them tea and carried the food onto the table.

"Gosh, it's quiet in here isn't it?" Francis asked as they began to serve up. Melody nodded in agreement but did not stop in the task of loading up Josh's plate with as much food as it could hold, it looked healthy and delicious. Nothing like Chinese take out back in LA.

Josh nodded to Francis' statement as he watched Melody, amused by the treatment but feeling unworthy. "You don't have to give me so much, I'm freeloading and this is your food." He shrugged.

"Nuh-uh, Franky went to culinary school for a while and his cooking is crazy good. It's healthy too, and believe it or not but all of this is actually vegan." Melody said proudly while Francis blushed.

"Well, thank you both." Josh said quietly, waiting for them both to get some food so that he could eat.

The other two served up their food but while Mel started to eat, Francis got up to put on a CD. "Oh, I love this album." He said as he slotted a disk into the machine and adjusted the volume.

Just as Josh began to eat he almost choked, speaking up to play it off. "Yeah, I love it too..."

"Josh? You okay? You don't look so good. You don't have any allergies do you?" Mel asked worriedly.

"No- No! This is just- This is Tyler." He said quickly, smiling awkwardly at Melody.

The two looked at Josh with wide eyes, the only sound being Tyler Joseph's soft singing in the background. "Hold on. Crazy-Homophobic-Christian-Sap-Tyler... is Tyler Joseph?"

Josh giggled, blushing. "Yeah." He said before he just began to eat again.

"...Then that just confirms it." Francis said in a whisper as he slid back into his seat.

"Confirms what?" Josh asked, looking up once more.

Francis leaned forward. "Do you remember a person named Freya? They lived on the streets for quite some time."

Josh was quiet for a moment, thinking. "I think- Wait, no way! Dude!" Josh smiled at Francis knowingly. 

"I could never forget you, Mr Big-Shot. I recognised you as soon as you came in and I said: 'Mel! That's him- that's the bagel guy!'."

"Shit, man I feel bad now." Josh frowned. "You've changed so much, I'm so proud."

Francis smiled brightly. "I am too. When I first started living on the streets I was so scared that I started going by she/her again. I think that I would still live in that fear if I had not met Mel- or you."

"Franky! You have to tell the bagel story again. I love it so much." Melody giggled excitedly, rubbing Josh's shoulder.

"Well, if I remember correctly, it was a cold day in Columbus and I had not eaten in so, so long. Then this guy my age comes up to me and he says nothing- just holds out a black poppy seed bagel. I nearly ran, I was so scared of other people but I trusted him. We stuck together for a while but naturally, people just drift apart. Josh was my partner in crime. The hope of seeing him again in the future gave me a reason to live. He's the one who cut my hair short again for me." Francis said wistfully.

"Fuck." Josh whispered to himself, lifting his sleeve up to wipe his eye subtly. "I missed you so much, man. I was so worried something would happen to you on the streets."

"Same to you. Then years later your name starts popping up everywhere. How did that happen?"

"It's really embarrassing, actually." Josh laughed gently, shrugging off the question.

"Oh, come on. Give a man some tips, I'd love to be famous like you." Francis said half-jokingly.

"I slept with someone famous." Josh mumbled, looking down at his legs.

Francis didn't seem all that phased. "One thing that the streets taught me is that sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do."

Josh just shrugged in response, eating some more so that he didn't have to talk through the embarrassment.

"Hey don't be shy. No matter what, you'll always be 'Josh the bagel guy' to us." Mel said reassuringly, wrapping an arm around him.

Josh laughed gently, leaning into her unintentionally. "I guess that's a good legacy to have."

The trio finished their meals in a comfortable chatter, Josh offering to help Melody when she got up to do the dishes. She only laughed, pushing him away gently. "Hasn't the adrenaline washed off? Go relax, you and Francis are the stars today." Melody smiled, turning away from Josh once more.

"Wanna watch a movie with me?" Francis asked as Josh walked into the living room. Josh nodded in return, going to sit next to him on the sofa. They sat at opposite ends, more for Josh's comfort than anything. He definitely wasn't sure where he fit in with the pair's dynamic and was terrified of pushing any boundaries.

Josh didn't actually pay much attention to the film which Francis had put on, he was exhausted and he still had so much to process. He couldn't believe that Francis had come so far, leaving him was one of Josh's biggest regrets, and now he was sure that he wouldn't lose contact with him again.

"What else have you got planned, Josh?" Francis asked, looking over to Josh.

It took a moment for Josh to register the question but he spoke up quickly. "I know it's lame, but I wanna try my hand at the Casinos. Just to like, figure out how much I hate them." He grinned. "Then it's just some more," Josh held up air quotes, "personal development." He placed his hands back on his lap. "That sorta shit, I just needed a break really."

Francis cackled loudly at Josh's joke, "I get what you mean. I can take you if you'd like? Just to make sure that you don't accidentally spend all your cash and can't get home."

Josh laughed. "I'd like that very much."

Francis smiled at how Josh didn't deny him. "Aw, gone all soft now?"

"I'm not soft," Josh started. "Just a little warm around the edges."

Francis laughed again, "you always were tougher than I was, you weirdo."

"I don't know man, you underestimate yourself way too much." He hummed.

"I think my hairy legs and bad odour actually worked as a forcefield."

"Absolutely." Josh grinned, looking over at Francis with his gaze wandering all over the changed man.

Francis stares straight back at him, taking in the changes in Josh's appearance too. He was no longer scrawny and the bags under his eyes were gone, he looked so genuinely happy.

Francis scooted over and took Josh's hands in his own, "I'm so happy to see you again, Bagel Man."

Josh smiled adoringly, squeezing his hands gently. "The feeling's so mutual."

"Gosh, get a room." Melody walked in, rolling her eyes jokingly and smiling at the two.

She did not doubt Francis' love for her, and she understood the connection they had that many could not relate to.

Josh let go of Francis' hands gently, moving over to the side of the couch so Melody had space to sit. Melody sat down between the two of them and pulled both boys into her sides, wrapping an arm around each of them and squeezing them tightly together. "My two little babies back together..." She cooed happily.

Josh smiled bashfully, reaching to hold the hand Melody had around him. Minutes passed and Mel's hold did not weaken, it appeared that she was ready, and happy, to cuddle both Josh and Francis all night.

Once Josh's heart settled down once more he focused on the movie, moving impossibly closer to Melody to get comfortable. Josh didn't understand why beauty expectations wanted people to be deathly thin, Melody was like a massive, warm pillow who could hold more gentle love and compassion than any Victoria's Secret model.

Josh, being completely exhausted, fell asleep where he was sitting before the movie's end credits rolled. It took Francis a while to convince Mel that Josh would be fine if she left him to sleep in her own bed, but finally, she complied and Josh was given a soft pillow and blanket. The pair were especially proud that they had done so without waking the sleeping boy.

Don't be so sentimental, no

This is love is accidental, so

Give it up, this was never meant to be

More than a memory for you

-All Time Low, Break Your Little Heart

Josh wholeheartedly lost track of the days as they passed, not bothering to check his laptop and slowly getting used to the ghost feeling of his phone in his pocket. He never brought his cell on trips like these and was contempt with just hanging out with Mel and Francis. Finally, days later he was sitting in the shop and decided to turn on his laptop.

Josh had been interviewing many of the people who came to the shop, mostly for tattoos, and had fun writing their answers down on a notepad. Francis even said that maybe he'd have them made into a little book for people to read through while getting a tattoo or a haircut. However, as soon as he turned it on he wished he never did.

He didn't look through his twitter direct messages, just the onslaught of questioning fans demanding to know why he looked so similar to the guy with Tyler Joseph. One photo was from the airport in California, the other was them shopping in Atlantic City.

Josh only sighed, not really thinking through a proper excuse before tweeting: 'That guy may look like me, but does he have a tattoo there? Or, in the open mouth photo, can you see a tongue piercing?'. He figured that would at least clear up his end, but now there was still Tyler who could be seen clear as day with a 'mystery man'.

"Hey, Francis? How long does a tattoo take to heal?"

"Usually 2-3 weeks. Just depends on the size and how you treat it, why?"

"I kinda need one that'll be healed as soon as possible."

"Do I want to know why?"

Josh remained silent so Francis just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Dom? You don't have an appointment for the next hour, do you think you could give Josh a small tattoo?" Francis called into the staff room from where they stood at the counter.

Dom emerged shortly after and Josh could have sworn that the guy had to duck under the frame.

"Yeah, I can do that. Anything in mind?" He asked, his voice low and husky.

"Yeah, actually..." Josh pauses to dig through his wallet, finding a small piece of paper with a strange shape, a box with 3 sides and an x, drawn on it. "Just behind my ear maybe, I think that'd look cool."

Josh timidly handed the paper to the massive guy and watched him walk back to the table and sterilise his equipment. Francis places a hand on Josh's shoulder and he jumped. "Calm down, Josh. Dom wouldn't hurt a fly- literally. Once a bee got stuck in here, and he stopped mid-tattoo to help it escape before the boss gassed it."

"Quit making our customers believe I'm a sissy." Dom glared, pulling his gloves on.

"I don't think that at all!" Josh squeaked, causing both Dom and Francis to laugh.

"Come, have a seat Josh." Dom said, signalling to the padded bench. Josh sat down, looking at the tattoo gun subtly.

"You look nervous, have you had a tattoo before?" Dom asked. He was using some of the hairdressing clips to pin back Josh's curls so that he had more space to ink behind his ear.

"I've had a few stick and pokes but- Something tells me this is gonna hurt more."

"Much more, but I'll be gentle." Dom promised, wiping Josh's skin with antiseptic before placing the stencil where Josh wanted it.

His hands moved with precision that Josh couldn't dream of having, well, at least it seemed Dom did. Josh couldn't actually see his hands but the look of calm focus on Dom's face gave enough away, the guy knew what he was doing.

"May I ask," Dom spoke up after twenty or so minutes. "Is there a special meaning behind your tattoo?"

Josh looked over at Francis, then at the ceiling. "It means a lot, but it's kind of a secret."

Dom huffed a laugh through his nose. "You went around asking nearly every one of my clients about their tattoos. I think I can keep a secret."

Josh sighed jokingly. "It's for progress and friends I've made along the way." He said quietly.

Dom smiled, "I like that. I'm sick of young girls coming through to get tattoos about their breakups, even though they dated the guy for three months."

"I was kidding. It's about Lucas, my ex-boyfriend of three months who broke up with me over a game of Uno." Josh grinned.

Dom pauses in thoughtful silence. "I hope you are kidding, Joshua."

Josh went quiet for a moment. "O- Of course I am!" He laughed.

"Thank god. I nearly 'slipped' and put the needle straight through your neck."