lead singer || a tyler jøseph x reader

chapter 26

(TYLER POV)
She'd been in the hospital for days. I stayed the night most of the nights unless I couldn't or she forced me home. I cuddled her and sang her songs until she fell asleep. I hated seeing her in pain. She acted like nothing was wrong, but she knew. I told her everything.

Today, I sat silently in the waiting room as she got yet another surgery. Each one was supposed to be the last, but of course there were complications after complications. Her family showed up a few times and said hello. Josh came by, and they had a silent talk. Things had been slightly awkward between the two of us, but they were okay. We were still friends. Still Tyler and Josh.

Still the lead singer and the drummer.

I thought about how grateful I was for my voice. If it wasn't for the way I could sing, I wouldn't have inspired others. It sounded awfully self-centered, but it was true. If I didn't have my singing ability, I wouldn't have gotten assigned to the duet, and I wouldn't have fallen in love. I was so, so grateful to have fallen in love.

The truth was, I had a crush on (Y/N) for as long as I could remember. The way her hair fell along her shoulders and back. The way she smiled. The cute sound of her laugh. I hadn't worked up the courage to talk to her much, but she smiled at me when I looked over at her. I had expected it to be just a dream, but our chemistry was unbelievable.

The first time that I had kissed her, I had imagined it to be like what others had told me their first kiss was. A touch of the lips. Maybe a little spark. Boy, was I wrong. The rush I felt was unlike anything I could have ever imagined. It was amazing. I knew, right then, that we had chemistry. More than chemistry. We had love.

The reason I hadn't kissed her before is because I was scared. I didn't want it to be wrong. I thought it would be. But it was right. She was right.

Thinking about this made tears drip down my face. I loved her. I told her this often, but I didn't think she understood. I loved her. I loved her. And she told me that she loved me too. And I believed her.

But something in the way that she looked at me since the accident had changed.

She had forgotten much of her high school experience. I had asked her what she remembered, and her response had hurt me.

"Your name is Tyler. You're... in a band? You sing. You sing songs. And you sing them to me. Josh is your best friend. I had a little crush on him one time," she had said. Immediately after, she had covered her mouth. "I didn't mean that. I didn't love him. And... he liked a girl. Her name... I don't remember her name. But she was a friend. Who had a crush on you." Liza.

"Do you remember how we met? Or what we did at your house? Or our first kiss?" I asked. She had sat in thought for a moment.

"You... went to my school. And we... performed. And pencils. Something with pencils." She stopped talking afterward, and I stopped asking. It was clear that she didn't remember anything else. I didn't know if the amnesia was permanent, but I hoped it wasn't. I just wanted her to remember me.

I had started to sing her the love song, and she said it sounded familiar. It was stupid, but it made me sad. We had worked for weeks to write it. She told me she didn't like singing, but I caught her doing it sometimes. I always listened. Her voice was beautiful. Just like she was.

Waiting for her surgeries was always the worst part. There was always a chance that she wouldn't come back. The hours ticked by, feeling more like years. I hated this.

"Mr. Joseph?" the doctor asked, and I stood up. Shakily, I watched as the doctor walked over to me.

"Yes?"

"(Y/N) is out of her surgery. She's doing fine and it was successful. But as you know, she's had plenty of complications along the way. If anything happens with this surgery, we have one method. And if that doesn't work, then... Then her survival chance is slim to none," he explained. The doctor went on to talk, but I stopped listening. All that I felt was fear. "You can go in and see her."

I nodded, running my hand through my hair as I followed the doctor to her waiting room. She was already awake. He walked out as soon as I entered.

"Hey Tyler!" she said cheerily, her voice hoarse.

"Hey, (Y/N)," I answered, crawling into bed with her. She yawned and cuddled up to me.

"What did the doctor say about my surgery?"

I didn't know whether to tell her the truth or keep her happy. She was just out of surgery, and there was no use worrying her yet. But she deserved to know.

I had no idea what to do.

"Tyler?" she asked, interrupting my thoughts. Her smile was so innocent.

"Oh, he said it went well. There's nothing to worry about."

Lies, lies, lies.

But a little white lie never hurt anyone, right?