Tyler Joseph x Reader

Don't Want The World To See Me

Warnings: Angst

Word Count: 3022

Request: Iris - GooGoo dolls for Tyler song imagine

Author's Note: As the request indicates, this fic is based on the song Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls! It's written a little differently than what I usually do, but I think it turned out pretty good. Also, hopefully you aren't minding all the long fics lately. I've been trying to keep them on the shorter side, but I inevitably get carried away ever time. Anyway, I hope you like this one! :)

*     *     *

Confetti was still falling slowly over the crowd, casting a yellow tint to the faces looking back at him. A smile was plastered on his face, but it was only for show. His mind had been elsewhere the entire night, distracting him from fully focusing on the music. It wasn't a feeling that Tyler was used to and he had done his best to make it appear as if everything was fine, though deep down he knew it wasn't.

When Josh wrapped a sweaty arm around him, he hardly felt it. A slight nudge reminded him to bring the microphone to his lips and repeat the words he said every night.

"We're Twenty One Pilots and so are you."

The room erupted in cheers as Tyler held his hands up, crossing one of his fingers behind the others. He didn't have to turn his head to know that Josh was doing the same next to him. After one final glance around the room, Tyler turned and walked offstage.

People swarmed around him the second he arrived backstage, taking things from his hands or offering him something. He grabbed a water bottle from a nearby crew member and quickly took off the cap, downing the entire thing in one go. Another faceless hand held a towel out to him, which he took and threw around his neck. His free hand reached up and used the fabric to wipe away the sweat that had collected along his shirt collar.

Crew members threw praise at him as he made his way back to the dressing room, to which he simply smiled and quickly thanked them. In his head, he could only remember all the things that had gone wrong. If you asked him, this had been one of the worst shows of the tour so far. It shouldn't have come as a surprise. With how he was feeling tonight, how could a show have gone well?

It was a relief when he finally made it to his dressing room, providing him with his first moment alone. He needed to take a second to compose himself before he would be stuck on the bus and forced to put on a brave face for everyone. There was only one person that he was ever willing to let to fully let his guard down around, and they were currently halfway across the country at home in Ohio.

Tyler would give anything to be in their arms right about now.

His moment alone was ended promptly by a knock on his dressing room door. A crew member popped her head in shortly after he answered.

"We're getting ready to pack up the room soon. Do you need more time?"

"No, I'll be out of here in a second," Tyler answered.

"Ok. Thank you."

He slowly wandered over to the mirror on one side of the room and leaned forward, firmly resting his hands on the counter in front of him. He took a moment to study his face, wondering if the pain that he could so clearly see within it was evident to anyone else.

Tyler eventually pulled himself away from the mirror, gathered up what few personal belongings he had brought with him into the room, and began the walk to the tour bus. This was the last moment of peace he would get until he laid down for bed that night, so he was determined to make the most of it. He slowed his pace to nearly a crawl and allowed his eyes to roam over every inch of the plain, concrete walls. If he listened carefully, he could make out the distant hum of people leaving the venue after the show.