Warnings: Implied smut (scandalous, I know), mentions of anxiety & self-doubt

Word Count: 1507

Summary: Tyler helps you calm down after a sleepless night.

Author's Note: Hopefully this makes up for the pain that The Worst Part caused :)

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You pressed your face deeper into the pillow, trying desperately to block out your thoughts by focusing on the quiet whir of the fan that stood at the foot of the bed. Tyler was snoring lightly next to you, unaware that you had been unable to sleep for the last few hours. The only indicator of the time was the moon outside, slowly sinking lower in the sky. You had pushed your alarm clock onto the ground in a fit of frustration some time ago.

Another memory of something embarrassing you had said at the dinner earlier tonight ran through your mind, making your stomach twist in discomfort again. You squeezed your eyes shut and forced your face deep enough in the pillow that you could no longer breathe through your nose. The fabric of the pillowcase wrinkled between your fingers as you tried to push the thought out, but it remained bouncing around your head.

With a sigh, you gently pushed the covers off of your body - it was too hot for them, anyway - and slowly made your way across the bedroom, making sure to avoid the spot in the floor that you knew would creak loudly if you stepped on it wrong. Tyler didn't even stir as you slowly closed the door and turned the light on, keeping it dim enough that it wouldn't ruin what little bit of tiredness you did feel.

Your feet made quiet padding sounds as you walked over to the sink and began to run the water. It splashed quietly against the porcelain, mesmerizing you for a moment before you remembered why you had even come into the bathroom in the first place. Keeping your hair pushed back with one hand, you used the other to splash cool water over your face. Some of the water ran down your wrist and fell onto your shirt, creating dark spots on your loose tank top.

All you wanted was to get that stupid dinner out of your mind. You should have listened to your gut when it told you not to go in the first place - being around famous people had never been one of your favorite pastimes - but you had wanted to support Tyler. Now you were here, unable to sleep because your mind wouldn't stop its endless loop of every mildly embarrassing thing that had slipped past your lips.

You shut the water off and rested your hands against the edge of the sink. Your breathing had started to get shaky again, so you shut your eyes and carefully counted your breath. Josh had taught you some breathing techniques one time after a particularly stressful show. They had come in handy a number of times since then, although it didn't feel like they were doing much tonight.

You shut the bathroom light off and slipped back into the bedroom, once again being careful to avoid the creaky spot in the floor. One glance at Tyler sleeping was almost enough to ruin your careful attempt to avoid waking him. He was half-wrapped up in blankets, his mouth hanging open against his dark pillow. The fan was rustling his hair slightly and his basketball shorts had ridden halfway up his thighs, revealing the typically hidden Josh tattoo that resided there.

"Y/N?" Tyler croaked before you had even made it back to the bed. "What are you doing?"

You started a bit, not having realized that Tyler had woken up from his deep sleep.

"Can't sleep," you murmured as you slid beneath the covers. "Brain won't shut off."

Tyler reached out and gently curled his fingers around your forearm. His eyes were still half-shut, his sleepy demeanor not totally worn off yet.

"Want to talk about it?"

You shifted slightly, "You're tired, Ty. It's ok."

His grip on your forearm tightened, pulling you towards him.

"No," he mumbled, his voice slowly growing stronger. "Rather listen to you."

"I doubt that."

He nodded against his pillow, which you realized was noticeably closer than it had been a moment ago.

"Just let it out."

You finally succumbed and allowed him to pull you entirely into his chest. His bare skin was radiating heat against your cheek, but you didn't mind if it meant being close to Tyler. The steady drum of his heartbeat also helped to slow yours.

"I made a fool of myself at dinner. You could just tell from the looks on their faces that they thought I didn't deserve to be there. And I don't. I'm not famous, just dating somebody who is."

"They didn't think any less of you," Tyler said. His voice was hoarse, but steady and reassuring. "Trust me, you deserved to be there more than half of those people."

"Thanks," you said, letting a small laugh escape.

"I know you don't believe me, but it's the truth."

Tyler wrapped his arm tighter around you, letting his fingers rest on the strip of skin that was exposed beneath your tank top. You idly traced his chest tattoo, your eyes fixated on the tree just outside the window. It was waving idly in the summer wind.

"Why do you put up with me, Tyler?"

"Put up with you? Now that seems like an odd way to phrase it."

"There's so many people out there for you to choose from. People that are like everyone else at the dinner tonight that won't make a total fool of themselves. You could be with someone funnier, or more attractive, or that could actually be on tour with you all the time. But instead you put up with me, who has other responsibilities and looks average and gets maybe one or two good jokes a day," you sighed, blinking back tears that you hadn't even felt coming. Maybe the thoughts in your head tonight went deeper than you realized.

"Because I don't want someone funnier or more attractive or that's on tour with me all the time. In fact, I admire that you would rather spend time away from me to work on something that you're passionate about. I don't want someone that wants to be around me all the time, because it makes the time we do get that much better. And I know you've heard me tell you how stunning and hilarious you are a million times already."

"I suppose so," you mumbled into Tyler's chest.

He used his free hand to tilt your head up towards him and carefully wipe away your tears with his thumb. You stared into his brown eyes, letting your mouth curl into a small smile.

"I love you," he said. "You, Y/N. Not anybody else."

"I love you too, Ty."

"There's nobody else that I would rather come home to every night," he said, pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of your nose. "Or wake up next to every morning."

"Well, almost every morning."

He smiled and pressed a kiss to your cheek.

"I love your smile." Another kiss. "And your laugh. Your sense of humor. And when you touch me," he sighed wistfully, "I think I melt a little."

"Like this?" you giggled, running a thumb along his cheekbone.

His eyes fluttered closed as he leaned a little further into your touch.

"Exactly like that."

You eventually dropped your hand back down to Tyler's chest. His eyes slowly opened, still slightly glazed over from sleeping.

"Do you want to hear more about why I love you?" he asked quietly.

"I think I get your point."

You leaned forward and properly kissed him. His grip on your waist grew a little tighter, holding you close to him. It was a slow, sleepy kiss that made you never want to pull away.

"Thank you, Ty," you whispered. Your lips were still close enough to Tyler's that they brushed together now and again. "I'm sorry for waking you up in the middle of the night, but it means a lot that you were willing to calm me down."

"I would do anything for you," he smiled, leaning forward to kiss you again. "Even if that means waking up in the middle of the night."

"We can go to sleep now. I think I've calmed down enough to sleep."

You started to shift back to your side of the bed, but Tyler caught you and held you close.

"You know, I think I might have some other ideas that might help you sleep."

Your heartbeat sped up significantly as Tyler's hands began to travel lower on your hip.

"Oh yeah?"

Tyler rolled so that he was now hovering over you, trapping you between his body and the bed. He leaned down and peppered kisses along your jaw.

"Mmmhmm," he mumbled.

You giggled as Tyler continued to kiss his way down your neck. Before he got too far, you caught his jaw and tilted his head so that you could look into his eyes.

"I love you, Tyler Joseph."

"I love you too, Y/N Y/L/N."

And with that, all of your insecurities were forgotten.