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Josh had always been a bit dog-like.
From dopey, unencumbered smiles, his easygoing demeanor, and the undying loyalty he possessed, he was as close to a Golden Retriever as one could get. Whereas Tyler was known to be flakey and inconsistent, Josh was reliable and steadfast. He always came to Tyler's defense and aid when Tyler needed him more often than he was willing to admit.
In many ways, Josh really was the dog to Tyler’s cat. Historically, the two species never got along. Though in their personal history, that couldn’t be further from the truth. They fit together easily like they were meant to be from the start. There was seldom any friction between them. It was Tyler’s easiest relationship. Always had been.
Except in the sexual aspects.
Both of them were undeniably awkward when it came to that arena, which made sense. They had been best friends first. It was hard enough even admitting to having feelings for each other. Their first kiss had been endearingly clumsy. They got better over time, though Tyler wouldn’t have minded if it didn’t. The fact he was kissing Josh at all was enough for him.
Awkwardness aside, it opened up a whole world for them. A world previously unexplored. The prospect was exhilarating, full of stolen kisses backstage, quick hand jobs in dressing rooms before they went out, and late nights in the various hotel rooms they stayed at. It certainly gave Tyler something to look forward to as they dealt with the monotony of tour life.
Josh had started wearing necklaces for shows. This wasn't out of the norm. He and Josh had been dressing up since the start, though jewelry was different from matching masks.
The necklaces were on the looser side when they started appearing. Tyler didn’t think anything of it, considering them just another piece of pizzazz to add some dramatic flair to their sets.
That was, until Josh started to layer them. They became tighter, wrapping around his throat in a way tight enough to make Tyler swallow hard and look twice. The material ranged from rows of pearls to chains that reminded Tyler of old school dog collars his childhood pets wore. A few of Josh’s necklaces even had dangling hearts or charms. It was almost unmistakable from a tag that declared a dog’s name and to contact the owner if they were lost.
There was something about the necklaces that turned Tyler on in a confusing way he wasn’t sure what to do with the feeling. Like most things, he settled on the path of inaction. Surely he would get over whatever was going on. Or Josh would stop wearing the necklaces. Whatever came first.
But Josh didn’t stop. And neither did Tyler’s body.
“Is there a problem?” Josh asked one night after a show, referring to how Tyler had fumbled the words to a few of their songs. Sure, messing up “RAWFEAR” was understandable. It was off the new album. But “Tear in My Heart”? Unforgivable. He had a decade of practice getting it right. With the sheer amount of times they’ve played it, there was no reason that should’ve been the one with issues.
“No,” Tyler lied through his teeth.
“I don’t believe you. You know, I can always tell when you’re lying,” Josh said. “I just let you think I can’t.”
“But you’re not this time?”
“Nope. So spill. What is it?”
“You.”
“What about me?”
As if to make the problem at hand worse, Josh’s head fell into a puppy-like tilt, staring over at Tyler with receptive, fixed eyes.
“Do you have to wear those every night?” Tyler motioned to the necklace around Josh’s neck. Tonight it was another layered necklace. The first two rows were strung with pearls and a charm on the front. Below was a chain that reminded Tyler of a barbed wire fence.
Josh looked down.
“Are they that ugly?”
“No. That’s not why.”
“Then….?”
Tyler couldn’t believe Josh was going to make him spell it out for him. Embarrassment that had been steadily climbing threatened to choke him out. He cleared his throat and tried his best to muster up something, not picky with his word choice.
“They distract me.”
“Why? Do the stage lights bounce off them? We have someone to fix that. Just say the word.”
“No. I mean like—” Tyler fidgeted with his hands. “It’s… attractive. So I keep getting caught up in staring instead of singing.”
A small smirk crossed Josh’s lips.
“You’ve been performing with me all these years and never got distracted before, but my necklaces are what’s finally getting to you?”
“Not true. I’ve been distracted plenty of times before,” Tyler murmured. “There’s just something different about this, okay?”
“What is it?”
Christ. Josh was seriously about to make him explain something he hadn’t even come to terms with himself. He steeled himself to make the admission.
“Spit it out. I won’t judge you.”
“I know.”
He did know that. Josh was never critical towards him. Never cast a narrowed gaze in his direction. Tyler was free to be himself as he pleased. This had nothing to do with Josh and entirely himself. He was caught up in his own self-inflicted shame spiral. One he had to fight to get out of so he could say what was really on his mind.
“BasicallyIjustthinkitshotandwaswonderingifmaybeyoudbedowntotrysomethingwithme.”
Josh laughed.
“Slow down. I didn’t get any of that.”
Tyler rubbed his arm. He had learned he wasn’t a freak for this desire (despite the contradicting story his overthinking brain fed him). He had obsessively scoured the internet to the point it cut into his unconscious hours (not that he slept much anyways). But that didn't make confronting it any easier.
Turns out, it was more common than he thought for people to be turned on by animal inspired dynamics. He consumed stories: people who dressed up with ears or tails (or both). People who had specific honorifics. Even some people who ate out of bowls or slept in dog beds.
Imagining Josh with ears and a tail kneeling before him got him instantly hard. In fact, he rubbed himself while thinking about it, not allowing himself to fully get off to the idea. That’s how far the shame would allow him to go. It was a miracle he was even bringing it up to Josh now. With each second that passed, he had to bite his tongue to keep it from issuing a series of regretful neverminds.
“You’re going to think it’s stupid.”
Of course Josh wouldn’t. Tyler could recite the alphabet backwards and Josh would raptly listen like he was performing Othello. He was always amused by what Tyler had to say, something Tyler appreciated more than he was ever able to put into words.
Plus, Josh had been subject to so many stupid inside jokes over the years. It would’ve been genuinely surprising if this was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Despite all of that, Tyler practically twisted in on himself as he tried to say the words again. This time, a lot slower and not thrown together in a jumbled mess.
“Your necklaces. They remind me of dog collars a bit. And uh, that just got me thinking.”
It was as if it was the first time Josh considered the possibility of similarities between the two, eyes widening.
“Huh. Okay. Thinking about what?”
“You. As a dog. Not literally!” he jumped to clarify. “Still you. But with ears and a tail.”
Josh laughed, instantly making Tyler think he fucked up. Josh was never going to want to sleep with him again. He’d be lucky if Josh didn’t quit the band after this and join another one. One that didn’t involve the vocalist imagining him as a dog.
“Forget I said that.”
“Absolutely not. Tell me more.”
“Oh. Jeez. Uh.” Tyler scratched the back of his head. “I haven’t really let myself go in depth with it.”
“Let yourself right now then.”
A challenge Tyler wasn’t sure he’d be able to meet with how despite being backstage, he was convinced he could feel the stage lights from above causing him to break a sweat. He’d need an extra cold shower after tonight (for more reasons than one).
“Okay,” Tyler said. “Well obviously, you’d have on the ears and the tail. And a collar too. Like your necklaces. And you’d be on your knees looking up at me. Maybe I’d scratch behind your ears and tell you how good you were being for me before…” Tyler swallowed hard. “Yeah.”
“Finish the thought,” Josh said. “C'mon, Tyler. You can do it.”
“You’d suck me off.”
Josh laughed again, though this time his laugh was lower. Husky. If Tyler was bolder, he would’ve thought Josh didn’t hate the idea. Maybe even liked it.
“Fascinating stuff.”
Tyler opened his mouth to say something when one of their crew members came by and interrupted them. Normally, Tyler would’ve been annoyed. He hated when he and Josh’s conversations were halted. This time, however, the interruption was more than welcomed. He zoned out as he listened, waiting for the sear on his cheeks to simmer down.
𐂯
Tyler put thoughts of canine Josh to the back of his mind, shelved out of reach. He pretended like he hadn’t been stupid enough to bring it up. Ever since he left the backstage area that night, he had been kicking himself mentally for it. All he could do now was act like it never happened. Whenever thoughts would resurface, he’d shoot them out of the skies of his mind as if they were clay pigeons.
Though it was hard when Josh kept wearing those damn chokers for shows. After their conversation, he hadn’t stopped. In fact if Tyler didn’t know any better, he’d have thought Josh bought more. He swore there were some around Josh’s neck that he’d never seen before, firing off no cylinders of recognition. But that didn’t make sense. Why would Josh want to remind him of their humiliating exchange that both of them were keen to forget?
They were in the hotel. A perk ever since admitting their mutual feelings was that they didn’t need to splurge for two rooms and could share a single room with a king size bed. It reminded Tyler of the old days where they shared the back of the van, lack of personal space meaning they ended up with their limbs thrown around each other. Except here they actually had space. And a shower, which is where Tyler found himself. He figured by the time he came out, Josh would be in his night clothes consisting of a baggy shirt and boxers.
Surprised didn’t describe the start of how Tyler felt as he walked out, towel wrapped around his waist, to see Josh in a sleeveless tank top and shorts.
“Why aren’t you—”
That wasn’t even the most surprising part. That went to the set of cropped dog ears that matched the color of the rest of his hair, nestled in Josh’s loose curls. A fluffy, curled tail of the same color swung behind him. Buckled around his throat was a red collar. A silver bone tag hung off the fabric, catching Tyler’s eye.
“H-Hey,” Tyler said, nervously looking Josh up and down. “What’s going on here?”
“Hm? Oh. Nothing,” Josh answered, so blasé Tyler thought he was imagining what he was witnessing. He walked over to Tyler, dropping to his knees just like Tyler had described in his half-formed fantasy.
Josh looked up at him from the carpet. Tyler brought a hand under his chin rubbing under. Josh melted into his touch, nudging Tyler’s hand.
“You look cute,” Tyler said. “Really cute.”
He was waiting for Josh to say this was another one of their bits, getting back up and slapping Tyler on the back. Telling him he couldn’t believe he bought into it at all. But Josh remained on his knees, meeting his gaze. He rubbed his head on Tyler’s leg. Tyler felt his breath catch in his throat, letting out a sharp guttural noise despite the fact nothing happened.
Yet.
Tyler felt himself stiffening underneath the towel. Josh moved up farther, rubbing his face over Tyler’s bulge. He let out a tiny whine that shot straight to Tyler’s cock. He licked over the fabric, letting out another impatient whine.
“You want a treat?” Tyler said, voice understandably shaky.
Josh nodded.
With trembling hands, Tyler untied the towel and let it drop, showing off how hard he was already.
Josh came closer, stopping only when his tongue touched Tyler's cock. He ran his tongue around the tip. When he passed over the slit, Tyler shuddered.
“J-Just like that. Mhm. Good puppy.”
The second the name slipped from his lips, he felt stupid. But Josh didn’t seem to agree, whining some more. He kept licking Tyler until he wasn’t content with just that, bringing his cock into his mouth.
Tyler dug his fingers into his curls.
“You’re being such a good boy,” he praised, which spurred Josh on further, taking more of Tyler until he could hear his cock hit the back of his throat.
“Careful,” Tyler said. “Don’t hurt yourself.”
What initially started as Tyler worried over Josh’s gag reflex turned into him worried if he was going to last much longer. He never usually lasted very long when Josh’s mouth was around him. Even less when Josh was responsible for making such precious and vulnerable noises. And those ears. Those damn ears Tyler stroked while Josh went down on him. And the collar that jangled with each motion of Josh’s head. And the tail that bounced behind him.
“I’m so close, puppy.”
Josh didn’t lessen up, whining around Tyler’s cock. The vibration was enough to bring Tyler to the brink. He came down Josh's throat, shuddering as he did. Josh swallowed every drop.
“Good boy,” Tyler said. “You’re such a good boy.” He gave his ears another stroke.
They wound up on the bed, where Tyler was able to catch a better look at the collar. More specifically, the charm that read:
If lost, please return to Tyler Joseph
Underneath was Tyler’s number, engraved in stable certainty with bold numbers.
Tyler’s head was spinning.
Josh really went all in on this. All to fulfill his stupid, embarrassing fantasy. Though the deeper they got, it seemed like it was one of Josh’s too. Or at least that it was one Tyler had inadvertently helped him figure out that he liked too.
“Let me get myself ready for you,” Tyler said, rolling over on his back. He grabbed the bottle of lube on the bedside table. Neither of them had bothered to put it away. With the two of them, they knew they'd surely be getting some use out of it.
Josh swung in the opposite direction, winding up on his stomach. A pillow was pressed up against his crotch. He let out a whine.
“Soon, puppy. Soon. I promise,” Tyler said, coating his fingers in lube. He slid one in, keeping his attention on Josh.
It seemed as if Josh couldn’t wait. He had started humping the pillow, grinding and whimpering. Tyler felt his cock getting hard already again. As if it was his fault. He blamed Josh, ass in the air and tail moving, as his hips rubbed against the pillow Tyler wished was him instead.
Tyler cursed under his breath, slipping in another finger. He needed Josh inside him. Now. And clearly Josh needed it too.
He bit his lip, holding back a moan, as he watched Josh hump the pillow.
“Don’t finish. I need you inside me.”
Josh whimpered, head falling into the pillow. He looked over at Tyler, eyes filled with needy pleading. Tyler almost brought blood out of his lip with his teeth.
“I’m almost ready,” he said, voice full of strain. “C'mere.” He patted his thigh with his free hand.
Josh crawled over.
Tyler stopped fingering himself. There was no way in hell he could continue to be tortured like this, seeing Josh be that needy, without doing something about it. Together, he and Josh slipped Josh’s shorts off. And his underwear, stained with pre-cum.
“So needy,” Tyler said. “Aren’t you, puppy?”
Josh nodded, a slight flush rising to the surface of his cheeks.
“We’re going to take care of that.”
Tyler rolled over.
“Come fill me.”
That was the only prompting it took. Josh mounted him, pushing himself into Tyler and letting out his loudest whine yet. Thank god Tyler had prepared himself, because Josh had little self control. It wasn’t long before he started thrusting. The sound of skin slapping skin echoed in the room.
“You’re such a good boy,” Tyler praised. “You’re making me feel s-so good.”
Josh whined, burying himself deeper inside Tyler. As if he needed to be as deep as humanly possible and wouldn't be content with anything less. He laid on top of Tyler, making it so that no matter what, his cock couldn’t slip out and he could pound Tyler’s hole easily.
Over time, Josh became more feral, growling in Tyler’s ear. He nipped at his shoulder. Left what Tyler would imagine were a few bite marks. Dug his nails into Tyler’s back, making Tyler cry out in a beautiful mixture of pleasure with a hint of pain.
Josh’s collar didn’t stop jingling now. Tyler felt the cool metal rubbing up against his skin with each thrust, turning warm with the exchange of body heat. He reached down, wrapping his fingers around his cock, stroking himself.
“Don’t stop, puppy. You’re gonna make your owner cum again.”
It was such an intoxicating thought: Josh belonging to him. They had always belonged to each other. Josh always had his heart and Tyler had his. But still, there was something so hot about Josh wearing a physical reminder of that around his neck. At that moment, Tyler could feel Josh's name searing into his thigh. He wondered if Josh felt the same with his tattoo of Tyler's name.
Josh growled, pounding him harder and harder. Tyler couldn’t take it. It felt too damn good. He moaned into the other pillow (the one Josh hadn’t grinded on) and felt himself cumming over his fingers.
“Cum for me,” Tyler encouraged. “I n-need it. Be a good boy and cum in me.”
Josh whined loudly as he held himself deep in Tyler, head pressed to Tyler's back.
Tyler could feel Josh shaking against him as he felt his cum fill him up, just like he wanted. Tyler shuddered, relishing in the sensation as Josh collapsed on top of him, panting.
“Ewwww you drooled on me,” Tyler teased, rolling over after Josh finally brought himself to pull out.
“If you think that’s gross, watch this.” Josh surged forward and licked Tyler’s cheek, earning another “ewwwwww” except this one was followed by a giggle.
“So how was that?” Josh asked.
“Better than I imagined.”
“So I shouldn’t return the ears and tail?”
Tyler shook his head and kissed Josh on the mouth.
“Definitely not, puppy.”
Josh grinned and blushed, wrapping his arms around Tyler as he brought him into a sticky hug.