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the city lights of los angeles glittered like scattered diamonds far below the canyon ridge, but up here, perched on the edge of the hills, josh dun’s world was made almost entirely of glass.
his mansion was a sleek, modern beast of steel beams and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered no privacy and asked for none. every room bled into the next, every surface reflected the endless sky or the twinkling sprawl of the city. it was the kind of house that looked like it belonged in a magazine spread. and it had been, multiple times. architectural digest,
vogue, gq. josh had posed shirtless on that very balcony for all three.
tonight he stood on that same wide balcony, the cool evening wind licking across his bare chest and shoulders. his skin was still warm from the long day: back-to-back shoots, a grueling workout with his trainer, then another fitting for next week’s campaign. his schedule was chaos dressed up as glamour. tomorrow he’d be on a plane to milan. the day after that, tokyo. but right now, at dusk, the only thing that mattered was the strange, electric feeling that had been crawling up his spine for weeks.
he wasn’t alone.
josh rolled his shoulders, tattoos shifting under the fading orange light, and leaned against the glass railing. that was when he saw it. just for a fraction of a second. a tiny, sharp glint deep in the treeline below the house. the unmistakable flash of a lens catching the last rays of sunset.
his breath caught.
he didn’t move at first. he simply stood there, shirtless, sweatpants hanging low on his hips, and stared straight into the darkening trees where the glint had appeared. the wind rustled the leaves, but nothing else stirred. still, josh could feel eyes on him. heavy, focused, hungry.
a slow smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
instead of stepping back inside and closing the curtains like any sane person would, josh turned deliberately, walked into the brightly lit living room, and left every single curtain wide open. he flicked on every light as he passed -kitchen, hallway, bedroom- until the entire glass house glowed like a lantern against the hillside. anyone looking up from the canyon would see straight through every room.
he paused in the middle of the open-plan living space, heart beating a little faster than it should. then he glanced once more toward the treeline, invisible now in the growing dark, and let the smile widen into something almost wicked.
josh ran a hand through his brightly dyed hair, exhaled a quiet laugh, and murmured to the empty room -to the man he knew was still out there watching-
“he’s still there.”
`*-🌲🌳-*`
tyler joseph’s apartment was a tomb of obsession.
it was a single room in a crumbling building on the edge of silver lake; bare walls, one flickering overhead light, and a mattress on the floor. but the walls weren’t really bare anymore. every inch was covered in photographs. black-and-white prints, color shots, grainy telephoto captures, all of josh dun. josh laughing on a balcony. josh stretching after a run.
josh shirtless in the golden hour light. josh’s tattoos gleaming under studio lights. hundreds of stolen moments, pinned edge to edge like wallpaper from a fever dream.
tyler sat cross-legged on the mattress in the dark, the only illumination coming from the red glow of his darkroom lamp and the faint blue light of his laptop screen. his fingers trembled slightly as he scrolled through the newest batch of raw files. he hadn’t slept properly in days.
he never did anymore.
across town, the routine continued like clockwork.
josh’s day had been brutal in the way only the glamorous could be. a dawn call time for a fragrance campaign in a downtown studio, hours under hot lights, half-naked while strangers adjusted lights and oiled his skin. then the gym, where he pushed weights until his muscles burned and sweat carved rivers down the colorful ink on his arms and chest. now, as the sun dipped low again, he was finally home.
he knew the shadow was waiting.
even as he pulled his black suv through the private gate and up the winding drive, josh felt it. the prickle at the back of his neck, the low hum of awareness that had become as familiar as breathing. he didn’t look toward the treeline as he killed the engine. he didn’t need to. he knew tyler was there.
inside the glass mansion, josh moved with deliberate laziness. he kicked off his shoes, stripped off his damp tank top, and headed straight for the massive open shower in the master bathroom. every light in the house was already on, he’d left them that way this morning. the curtains remained wide open, framing the glowing interior like a stage.
under the spray of hot water, josh let the steam rise around him. the glass shower door stayed clear and unobstructed. when he finally stepped out, he didn’t reach for the towel rack right away. instead, he stood dripping in the bright bathroom light, water sliding down his tattooed torso, and slowly dragged a thick white towel over his skin. he took his time, letting the towel slip lower, then lower still, until it finally dropped to the floor at his feet, leaving him completely naked in full view of the canyon windows.
he didn’t look outside. he didn’t have to.
in the treeline below, tyler’s breath hitched. his camera was already up, lens trained on the glowing house. his hands were shaking so badly he almost missed the shot. the long telephoto zoomed in tight on josh’s body, the way the light caught the droplets on his skin, the sharp cut of his hips, the casual confidence in every movement. tyler’s heart hammered against his ribs as he clicked the shutter again and again, capturing every second of the slow towel drop.
josh padded barefoot into the living room, still naked, and turned on the music. low, pulsing beats filled the bright space. he started to move. loose, unselfconscious, hips rolling as he danced alone in the middle of the glowing room. his arms rose above his head, colorful tattoos shifting with the rhythm, the city lights sparkling behind him through the endless glass.
tyler couldn’t look away. his finger kept pressing the shutter, rapid-fire, the camera growing warm in his unsteady grip. each shot was sharper, more intimate than the last. josh’s body in motion, the flex of muscle, the easy smile playing on his lips as if he were performing for no one and everyone at once.
tyler’s mouth was dry. his pulse thundered in his ears. he whispered to himself, barely audible, “fuck… look at you.”
back in the house, josh spun once under the bright lights, eyes half-lidded, and let the music carry him. he knew the shadow in the treeline was drinking in every second. the thought sent a slow, dangerous heat curling low in his stomach.
he danced until the song ended, then another, and another.always under the blazing lights, always with the curtains thrown wide open.
and tyler captured it all, hands shaking on the camera, unable to stop.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
josh stood in the center of his brightly lit living room, the city lights twinkling far below like distant stars. the music had long since faded, but the silence felt louder than any bass drop.
he knew exactly where the shadow was tonight, same spot in the treeline, same invisible weight pressing against his skin.
he turned slowly, deliberately, until he was facing the canyon windows head-on. his eyes locked onto the exact patch of darkness where the lens always hid. for the first time, he didn’t just sense it. he addressed it.
pretty boy.
the nickname slid into his mind uninvited, smooth and warm like honey over gravel. it fit. josh could picture the stranger behind the camera even without seeing him clearly. dark curls, intense eyes, that quiet, predatory focus. pretty in a way that made josh’s pulse kick up a notch.
he smirked, the expression slow and knowing, and held the stare for several long seconds.
then he moved.
six months ago, it had started by accident.
tyler remembered the night with crystal clarity. he had been out scouting locations for a personal project, nothing glamorous, just chasing moody night shots of the canyon. his camera was slung over his shoulder, lens cap still on, when he wandered too close to the private road. that was when he saw the glass mansion for the first time, glowing like a beacon against the hillside.
and there, framed perfectly in one of the massive windows, was josh dun.
fresh from a shower, towel barely clinging to his hips, laughing at something on his phone.
the lights inside were blindingly bright, turning the entire house into a stage. tyler had frozen, heart slamming against his ribs. he told himself to keep walking. instead, he raised the camera, removed the lens cap with shaking fingers, and took the first shot.
that single click had ruined him.
now, half a year later, tyler was back in the same treeline, camera steady in his hands despite the adrenaline surging through his veins. he watched josh move through the house with that effortless grace, tattooed arms flexing as he reached for a glass of water, the low-hanging sweatpants from earlier already discarded somewhere.
josh paused at the edge of the living room, fingers brushing the light switch panel. one by one, he flicked on every single light in the mansion, kitchen, hallway, bedroom, even the upstairs loft. the entire structure blazed like a lantern, every room visible from the canyon below. no shadows left to hide in. no excuses.
then, with a casual shrug of his shoulders, josh hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his sweatpants and pushed them down. they pooled at his ankles, and he stepped out of them completely naked.
for the first time.
the cool air of the house kissed his skin, raising faint goosebumps along his arms and thighs. josh didn’t cover himself. he didn’t rush. he simply started walking.slow, unhurried. through the open floor plan. past the kitchen island, down the hallway, into the bedroom and back out again. his bare feet padded softly on the polished concrete floors.
every step was deliberate, every angle of his body on full display: the colorful swirl of tattoos
across his chest and arms, the sharp lines of his hips, the easy confidence in his posture.
pretty boy is watching, josh thought, the nickname echoing louder in his head now. he could feel the heat of that gaze like a physical touch. it made his skin tingle, made something low in his belly tighten with quiet thrill.
he completed the loop and stopped once more in the living room, turning to face the windows directly. his eyes found the lens spot in the treeline again. this time, he didn’t just stare.
josh smiled.
it was soft at first, almost gentle, then it curved into something sharper, more intimate. a smile meant only for the man hidden in the dark. he tilted his head slightly, as if inviting closer inspection, and held the look for one heartbeat, two, three.
in the treeline, tyler’s breath punched out of him in a sharp gasp. his hands jerked on the camera. the lens dipped for a split second. he nearly dropped the whole rig. his heart slammed so hard he felt it in his throat. josh was looking straight at him. not near him. at him. and that smile… it wasn’t coincidence. it wasn’t random.
tyler’s finger froze on the shutter. for one terrifying, exhilarating moment, he thought josh might wave. or call out. or worse; come outside.
but josh only kept smiling, naked and glowing under the blazing lights, before finally turning away and continuing his casual walk through the house.
tyler stayed rooted in place long after josh disappeared into the bedroom, the camera heavy and forgotten in his grip. his hands were still shaking when he finally managed to lift it again and fire off a few desperate, blurry shots.
back inside, josh flicked off the bedroom light last, leaving the rest of the mansion illuminated like a promise.
pretty boy, he thought again, climbing into bed with the curtains still wide open. the nickname felt right. dangerous. addictive.
he fell asleep with that smile still lingering on his lips.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
josh woke up to sunlight pouring through the uncovered windows, warm and unforgiving across his bare skin. he didn’t reach for the curtains. he didn’t even glance at them. instead, he stretched lazily in the middle of his king-sized bed, tattoos shifting over muscle, and let the daylight claim every inch of the glass mansion.
from that morning on, the curtains stayed open 24/7.
no more closing them at dawn or drawing them at dusk. every window remained a wide, unobstructed frame. morning light flooded the kitchen while he made coffee naked. harsh afternoon sun sliced through the living room during his stretches. golden hour painted the bedroom in amber as he changed after the gym. night turned the entire house into a glowing lantern again, every room visible for miles across the canyon.
the house had always felt exposed. now it felt intentional.
josh moved through his days with a new awareness humming under his skin. he knew tyler was out there, sometimes in the treeline during the day, sometimes deeper in the shadows at night. the constant exposure made something dark and thrilling twist low in his gut.
he’s watching right now, josh thought as he stood in the kitchen at noon, completely naked, sipping black coffee while the sun beat against the glass. his body reacted instantly. blood rushing south, his cock thickening and lifting without a single touch. he glanced down at himself, half-hard and unashamed, and a slow smirk tugged at his lips.
every fucking time.
the admission settled in his chest like truth. he was hard every single time he remembered those hidden eyes on him. whether it was broad daylight or the dead of night, the mere knowledge that tyler was somewhere out there with that long lens trained on his body made
josh ache. he didn’t fight it anymore. he let the arousal simmer, let it build until it became part of the routine. a quiet, private high that no photoshoot or runway could match.
he finished his coffee, set the mug down, and walked slowly through the sunlit living room, letting his hips roll just enough to emphasize the swing of his hardening cock. no towel. no robe. just skin and ink and the bright, relentless light.
in the treeline below, tyler’s obsession had started to consume him whole.
he barely slept anymore. the moment the sun dipped, he was already hiking up the familiar path with his camera bag slung over his shoulder, heart racing before he even reached his usual spot. nights blurred into one long vigil. he’d catch a few restless hours during the day in his dim apartment, surrounded by the ever-growing wall of photos, then drag himself back out as soon as dusk approached. sleep felt like a waste of time, time that could be spent watching josh exist in that glowing glass box.
tyler’s hands were steadier now when he raised the camera, but his pulse never was. he catalogued every new detail: the way josh’s tattoos caught the daylight differently than artificial lights, the casual way he scratched the back of his neck, the subtle flex of his ass when he bent to pick something up off the floor. every shot fed the hunger. every hour without sleep made the hunger sharper.
he told himself it was just photography. just art. but the lie grew thinner every night he chose the canyon over his bed.
that evening, as the sky bled into deep purples and oranges, josh stood once more in the center of the brightly lit living room. the daylight performance had bled seamlessly into night.
he was naked again, body warmed by the lingering sun and the constant thrill of exposure.
his cock was fully hard now, heavy between his thighs, but he didn’t touch himself. not yet.
instead, he walked right up to the floor-to-ceiling glass, close enough that his breath fogged a small circle. his eyes scanned the darkening treeline until he found the familiar spot. the slight shift in shadow that gave tyler away every time.
josh’s gaze locked there, intense and unwavering.
then, slowly and deliberately, he mouthed the words straight toward the trees:
i see you.
the message was clear. unmistakable. no sound, just the shape of his lips forming each syllable under the blazing house lights.
in the darkness below, tyler’s camera nearly slipped from his hands again. his breath caught hard in his throat, chest tightening with a rush of heat and fear and raw want. josh wasn’t guessing anymore. he knew.
and he was daring tyler to keep watching.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
the studio was a whirlwind of lights, reflectors, and half-naked bodies, but josh’s mind was miles away. back in the canyon, framed by endless glass and the weight of unseen eyes.
“josh, eyes up here, babe,” the photographer called, snapping his fingers. “we’re losing the light.”
josh blinked, forcing his focus back to the camera. he was shooting a new athletic wear campaign. tight compression shorts that left little to the imagination, his colorful tattoos popping against the stark white backdrop. but his movements felt mechanical today. every pose he struck, every flex of muscle, carried an undercurrent of distraction. his gaze kept drifting toward the studio windows, as if expecting to find a lens hidden in the city skyline beyond.
one of his assistants, mia, hovered nearby with a water bottle and a concerned frown. she’d been with josh for three years, sharp, efficient, and far too observant for her own good.
“you good?” she asked quietly during a lighting reset. “you’ve been spacing out all morning. that’s the third time you’ve missed the mark.”
his other assistant, alex, chimed in from the side, adjusting a reflector. “yeah, man. you’re usually locked in. what’s going on? new project eating your brain?”
josh flashed them his trademark easy grin, the one that sold millions of magazine covers.
he ran a hand through his sweat-damp hair and shrugged. “creative fuel, that’s all. got this idea brewing. something raw, voyeuristic. makes the shots hit different, right?”
mia narrowed her eyes but nodded, handing him the water. “if you say so. just don’t burn out before milan.”
josh took a long sip, the lie sitting smooth on his tongue. creative fuel. it wasn’t entirely false. the constant awareness of tyler watching him was fueling something. just not the kind of creativity he could explain to his team. every time he moved under the hot studio lights, he imagined tyler’s lens on him instead. the thought kept him half-hard under the thin fabric of the shorts, a secret thrill that made the long hours bearable.
by the time the shoot wrapped in the late afternoon, josh was buzzing with it. the need to get home, to escalate, to reward the invisible audience that had him so twisted up.
tyler, meanwhile, had pushed his luck too far.
the sun was dipping low as he crept closer than usual through the underbrush of the canyon. his usual spot felt too distant today, too safe. the new batch of daylight shots from earlier had been good, but he craved sharper details. the way sweat beaded on josh’s skin after the gym, the exact curve of his spine. so tyler had moved down the ridge, slipping past the warning signs and closer to the property line. his camera bag snagged on a branch, and he cursed under his breath, freezing in place.
that was when the security guard’s voice cut through the quiet.
“hey! who’s there?”
tyler’s heart slammed into his throat. he dropped low behind a thick cluster of bushes, camera clutched tight to his chest. footsteps crunched on the dry earth. too close, way too close. the guard’s flashlight beam sliced through the growing shadows, sweeping just inches from where tyler hid.
he held his breath, lungs burning, every muscle locked. one wrong move and it was over, cops, questions, the end of everything. minutes stretched like hours until the guard muttered something about “damn kids” and turned back toward the main gate.
tyler didn’t exhale until the footsteps faded completely. his hands were slick with sweat as he finally crept back to a safer distance, but the adrenaline buzzed hot in his veins. he’d almost been caught. for josh. the risk made his pulse race in a way that felt dangerously addictive.
back at the mansion, josh knew something had shifted the moment he pulled up the drive.
the house was still blazing with lights, curtains wide open even in the fading daylight. he could feel the tension in the air. the way tyler had pushed closer today. security had mentioned “suspicious movement” in passing when josh waved at the gate. it wasn’t hard to connect the dots.
he risked it for me, josh thought, the idea sending a fresh wave of heat straight to his cock.
time to reward that.
he didn’t bother undressing in the bedroom. instead, he headed straight for the massive open shower in the master bathroom, leaving every light in the house burning bright. the glass door stayed wide open, no barrier, no privacy. steam began to rise as he cranked the hot water, but josh barely waited for it to warm before stepping under the spray, completely naked and already half-hard.
he faced the canyon windows directly, the entire shower on full display. water cascaded over his shoulders, tracing rivers down his tattooed chest and abs. his hand slid down slowly, wrapping around his cock with a low groan that echoed off the glass. he didn’t rush.
this was for tyler, slow, deliberate strokes from base to tip, thumb brushing over the head as he hardened fully under the bright lights.
josh’s head tipped back against the tile, eyes half-lidded but still locked toward the treeline.
he imagined tyler’s camera zooming in, capturing every twitch, every slick slide of skin on skin. the risk tyler had taken today made it hotter. josh’s hips jerked forward into his fist, pace quickening as the pressure built.
“fuck… pretty boy,” he muttered under his breath, the nickname slipping out like a prayer.
in the treeline, tyler’s hands shook violently as he raised the camera. the long lens framed the shower perfectly. josh’s powerful body arched under the water, hand working himself with shameless need. tyler’s finger hovered on the shutter, breath coming in short pants.
this was new. this was explicit. no more teasing glimpses. josh was putting on a full show, and it was all for him.
tyler clicked. once. twice. dozens of times. the camera captured it all: the way josh’s muscles tensed, the flush creeping up his neck, the exact moment his mouth fell open in a silent moan.
josh’s strokes grew erratic, hips thrusting into his hand as the orgasm built fast and sharp.
he didn’t hold back, coming hard with a choked groan, ropes of white spilling over his fist and washing away under the spray. his body shuddered, forehead pressing against the cool glass as the aftershocks rolled through him, eyes still staring straight out into the darkness.
tyler’s breath caught in a broken gasp. he kept shooting through it all, the shutter rapid-fire.
this was his first truly explicit photo of josh coming undone, raw, vulnerable, and
devastatingly beautiful. the image burned into his mind even before he reviewed it on the screen.
as the water continued to rain down, josh straightened slowly, a satisfied, wicked smile curving his lips. he knew tyler had seen every second.
and he couldn’t wait to do it again
`*-🌲🌳-*`
josh lay sprawled across the wide leather couch in his living room, every light in the house blazing as usual, curtains thrown wide to the night. his hand moved lazily over his cock, slow, practiced strokes that should have felt good. they always had before. but tonight the pleasure stayed frustratingly out of reach, hovering just beyond the edge no matter how tightly he gripped or how fast he pumped.
he closed his eyes and tried to chase the high, picturing anonymous bodies, past hookups, even the rush of a runway show. nothing worked. his body knew the difference now. the ache was there, heavy and insistent, but the release refused to build.
he’s not here.
the thought hit like a cold splash of water. josh’s hand stilled. he sat up slightly, eyes flicking toward the darkened treeline beyond the glass. the usual subtle shift in the shadows, the faint glint that gave tyler away, was missing tonight. or maybe it was there and josh just couldn’t feel it anymore. either way, the absence carved a hollow space in his chest.
“fuck,” he muttered, dropping his head back against the cushions. his cock twitched in his grip, still hard but unsatisfied. he tried again, stroking faster, thighs tensing as he pictured tyler’s lens on him. imagined those intense eyes watching every twitch, every bead of precome.
it worked. immediately. heat surged low in his belly, the familiar coil tightening fast and sharp. josh’s breath hitched, hips jerking up into his fist as he chased the building wave.
only when he was certain tyler was out there, watching, wanting, did the pleasure finally crest. he came with a low groan, spilling over his knuckles in thick pulses, body shuddering through the release.
panting, josh stared at the mess on his stomach, a bitter laugh escaping him.
pathetic. i can’t even get off unless i know he’s watching.
the admission settled deep, equal parts humiliating and intoxicating. tyler had ruined him.
the quiet, hidden photographer had become the only key to josh’s pleasure. without that invisible gaze, everything felt flat. empty.
he cleaned up slowly, still naked under the bright lights, and wandered the glowing house with a restless energy. the need was already creeping back in, even minutes after coming.
josh knew he’d be hard again soon, aching for the next performance. for him.
across the canyon, in his cramped darkroom, tyler worked under the safe red glow of the safelight. the air smelled of chemicals and paper, a scent that had once been comforting but now felt charged with obsession. one by one, he slid the fresh prints into the developer tray, watching images bloom to life like ghosts rising from the liquid.
josh in the shower. water streaming over tattoos. head thrown back. mouth open in that perfect, wrecked expression.
tyler’s fingers trembled as he lifted the print, letting it drip before hanging it to dry. his voice came out in a broken whisper, barely louder than the hum of the ventilation fan.
“josh…”
he said the name like a prayer, soft, reverent, desperate. another print went into the tray: josh’s hand wrapped tight around himself, veins standing out on his forearm, hips snapping forward.
“josh…”
the whisper grew thicker, edged with want. tyler leaned closer to the developing image, eyes tracing every detail he’d captured. the way josh’s abs clenched at the peak. the flush across his chest. the raw vulnerability in that single moment of release. tyler’s free hand pressed against the front of his jeans, palm grinding down as if he could somehow feel what he was seeing.
he developed print after print, each one more explicit than the last, whispering the name over and over until it filled the small darkroom like incense.
“josh… fuck, josh…”
back at the mansion the next evening, josh stood naked in front of the massive living room window, heart pounding with a new kind of boldness. he’d spent the day thinking about it, about the note that had been burning a hole in his mind since morning. with a black marker and a sheet of heavy paper, he wrote the words in clear, deliberate script:
“you’re beautiful when you think i can’t see you.”
he taped the note to the inside of the glass, right at eye level, positioned so the treeline would catch it perfectly under the blazing house lights. then he stepped back, admiring his handiwork with a satisfied smirk. the message was simple. honest. a direct line thrown across the canyon to the man who had become his addiction.
josh didn’t linger. he turned and walked deeper into the lit house, leaving the note on full display like an offering.
later that night, after the shoot, tyler finally allowed himself to approach the window’s edge under cover of full darkness. his camera bag was heavy on his shoulder, body still buzzing from hours of watching josh move through the glowing rooms. the note stopped him cold.
he read the words once. twice. his chest tightened, breath coming short. beautiful. no one had ever called him that. especially not like this, acknowledging the watching, the hiding, the obsession.
tyler’s hand shot out before he could think better of it. he ripped the note from the glass, the tape tearing with a sharp sound that echoed in the quiet night. the paper crumpled slightly in his fist as he shoved it deep into his pocket, heart racing like he’d stolen something precious.
he kept it.
all the way back to his apartment, the note burned against his thigh. when he finally unfolded it under the dim light of his room, surrounded by walls of stolen photos, tyler traced the handwritten letters with a trembling finger.
“you’re beautiful…”
he folded the note carefully and tucked it into his wallet, right next to the single explicit print he couldn’t bring himself to delete.
the game had shifted again. and tyler was falling faster than ever
`*-🌲🌳-*`
josh stood motionless in the center of the glowing living room, heart hammering against his ribs like a war drum. every single light in the mansion was on, blinding, merciless, turning the entire glass house into a stage built just for one viewer. the curtains had been open for weeks now, but tonight felt different. tonight there was no teasing, no slow build, no games.
tonight he was done waiting.
he walked straight to the floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the canyon, the cool glass meeting his bare chest as he pressed close. the city lights sparkled far below, but josh’s eyes were fixed on the darkness directly ahead. the exact patch of treeline where tyler always hid. he could feel him there tonight, the weight of that gaze heavier than ever.
josh was already hard, cock heavy and aching between his thighs. he didn’t touch himself right away. instead, he simply stood there, naked and fully lit, letting the moment stretch. his breath fogged the glass in slow, steady clouds. then, deliberately, he wrapped one hand around his shaft and started to stroke.
slow.
painfully slow.
his grip was firm but unhurried, sliding from base to tip with deliberate care. precome beaded at the head and he smeared it down the length, making each pass slick and obscene. his eyes never left the darkness. he stared straight into the shadows where he knew tyler stood, camera raised, lens trained on him like a weapon.
watch me, pretty boy.
the thought burned hot in his mind as his pace remained torturously measured. he twisted his wrist on the upstroke, thumb pressing just under the head the way he liked best. a low groan slipped from his throat, the sound raw in the silent house. his free hand braced against the glass, fingers splayed wide, while his hips began to rock gently into his fist.
tyler’s camera was already clicking somewhere in the dark, but josh didn’t care about the shutter sounds he couldn’t hear. all that mattered was the knowledge that those intense eyes were drinking in every detail. the flex of his tattooed forearm, the way his abs tightened with each stroke, the flush creeping up his neck and chest.
he sped up gradually, strokes growing longer, firmer. his forehead dropped forward until it rested against the cool glass, breath coming in ragged pants that left wet marks on the window. his mouth fell open on a silent moan, eyes still locked on the treeline even as pleasure coiled tighter and tighter at the base of his spine.
“fuck…” he whispered, voice hoarse. “come on… watch me.”
the orgasm built like a wave he couldn’t hold back any longer. his hand flew faster, hips snapping forward, the wet sound of skin on skin echoing through the bright room. his balls drew up tight, thighs trembling. josh’s entire body tensed, pressing harder against the glass as if he could push through it and reach the man watching him.
then it hit.
josh came hard with a broken groan, forehead grinding against the window, mouth wide open in a silent cry. thick ropes of come splattered against the glass in messy streaks, sliding down slowly in the bright light. his cock pulsed again and again in his fist, hips jerking erratically as the pleasure tore through him, leaving him shaking and breathless.
he stayed there for several long seconds. forehead still pressed to the glass, chest heaving, eyes half-lidded but still directed straight into the darkness. a lazy, satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips even as the last aftershocks rolled through his body.
in the treeline below, tyler’s hands were shaking so violently he could barely keep the
camera steady.
he had captured it all. the slow build. the deliberate strokes. the exact devastating moment when josh’s face broke open in ecstasy. mouth slack, eyes glassy, forehead against the glass as he came undone against the window. the shot was perfect. raw.
intimate. devastating in its honesty.
tyler’s own cock throbbed painfully in his jeans, untouched and leaking, but he didn’t reach down. he couldn’t. the image on his screen burned into his retinas like fire. this was too much. too real. too close.
his breath came in short, panicked bursts. without thinking, he started packing up his gear with frantic movements. lens cap snapped on, camera shoved into the bag, tripod collapsed in seconds. he didn’t review the shots. he didn’t linger for one more second.
tyler turned and disappeared into the night, legs unsteady, heart thundering in his ears.
he was done.
he had to be done.
because if he stayed any longer, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from walking straight up to that glass and breaking every rule he’d ever set.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
tyler’s apartment felt smaller than ever, the red glow of the darkroom lamp casting long, bloody shadows across the walls.
he sat on the edge of his mattress, laptop open, the single surviving photo glowing on the screen like a accusation. josh’s face at the exact moment of release, forehead pressed to the glass, mouth slack and open, eyes glassy with pleasure. it was devastating. perfect.
ruined.
tyler’s hands hovered over the keyboard. one by one, he began deleting the rest.
hundreds of images vanished into the digital void. the towel drops. the naked walks through the lit house. the slow dances. the shower scenes. the note. all of it. gone. each deletion felt like tearing off a piece of his own skin, but he kept going, jaw clenched, eyes burning. he told himself it was necessary. healthy. the only way to stop.
when the folder was almost empty, he paused on the final shot he couldn’t bring himself to destroy. that one image of josh coming against the window. tyler stared at it for a long time, thumb tracing the edge of the trackpad without clicking. his chest ached with something sharp and hollow.
“i can’t do this anymore,” he whispered to the empty room. his voice cracked. “i can’t.”
he closed the laptop, stood up, and forced himself to pack the camera bag away in the back of his closet. the tripod followed. the extra lenses. everything that had become an extension of his obsession. then he crawled into bed fully clothed, staring at the ceiling, repeating the same promise over and over like a mantra:
no more canyon. no more glass house. no more josh.
he wouldn’t go back. he couldn’t.
the next night, josh woke slowly in the middle of his massive bed, the sheets tangled around his naked body. the house was still blazing with light. every lamp left on from the evening before, every curtain wide open to the canyon darkness. it had become automatic now, this ritual of exposure. he stretched, muscles loose and satisfied from the intense release the night before, already half-hard at the memory of pressing against the glass while
tyler watched.
he rolled out of bed and padded barefoot through the glowing rooms, cock swinging heavy between his thighs as he moved toward the living room window. the same window. the stage.
josh stopped in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass, expecting that familiar prickle at the back of his neck. the electric awareness that meant he was there. he scanned the treeline, eyes narrowed against the contrast of bright interior and dark exterior.
nothing.
no subtle shift in the shadows. no faint glint of a lens catching the house lights. no presence. just empty trees swaying gently in the night breeze.
josh’s stomach dropped.
he pressed closer to the glass, forehead almost touching it again, and stared harder.
minutes ticked by. the treeline remained still. silent. vacant.
the panic started small. a cold twist in his gut. then bloomed fast and ugly. his cock, which had been thickening with anticipation, softened completely. he reached down anyway, wrapping his hand around the limp length and stroking once, twice, trying to force the arousal back. nothing happened. the heat wouldn’t come. the thrill was gone.
he’s not watching.
the realization hit like a punch to the chest. all the lights, the open curtains, the deliberate
performances; they suddenly felt ridiculous. pointless. like dancing alone in an empty theater with the spotlights still burning. without tyler’s hidden gaze drinking him in, the entire house felt cold and exposed for no reason at all.
josh’s hand dropped away from his body. he stood there naked under the blazing lights,
chest tight, breath coming shorter than it should. the performance that had consumed him for months now rang hollow. he had been hard every single time because of him. because of the pretty boy in the trees. without that audience, josh didn’t know how to want anymore.
he stayed at the window for a long time, eyes searching the darkness again and again, hoping for any sign. a movement. a flash. anything.
but the treeline stayed empty.
finally, josh leaned his forehead against the cool glass, the same spot where he had come so hard the night before, and whispered into the dark, voice raw and quiet:
“where did you go, pretty boy?”
the words fogged the glass in a small, fading circle. no answer came back from the canyon.
only silence.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
the studio lights felt too harsh, the air too stale, the constant chatter of the crew grating on every nerve josh had left.
he was supposed to be shooting a high-profile denim campaign. simple setup, clean lines, his body oiled and flexed for the camera. instead, he stood rigid in the middle of the set, jaw clenched so tight it ached. when the photographer asked him to adjust his pose for the third time, josh finally snapped.
“can you just fucking decide what you want already?” his voice came out sharper than intended, cutting through the room like a whip. the entire crew froze. mia, his assistant, looked up from her tablet with wide eyes. alex paused mid-adjustment of a light stand, mouth slightly open.
“josh–” mia started carefully.
“i’m not feeling this today,” he cut her off, already yanking the half-buttoned denim shirt off his shoulders. “cancel the rest of the shoot. tell them i’m sick or whatever the hell you have to say. i’m done.”
he stormed off set without waiting for a response, ignoring the stunned silence behind him.
his phone buzzed repeatedly in his pocket, calls from his agent, concerned texts from the brand. but he silenced it all. the irritation boiled under his skin, restless and ugly.
everything felt wrong. the lights were too bright but not bright enough. the eyes on him were professional, detached, and completely insufficient. he needed that gaze. the one that made his blood run hot. without it, nothing landed right.
by the time he got home that evening, the irritability had settled into a deep, gnawing frustration. josh walked straight to the living room window and stared out at the treeline, the same way he had every night since the absence began. nothing. still nothing. he checked again at midnight, then at 2 a.m., pacing the glowing house like a caged animal, lights blazing, curtains open wide. the ritual continued even though the audience had vanished.
he couldn’t stop himself from looking.
tyler, meanwhile, was drowning in a miserable imitation of normal life.
he stood on a quiet street downtown, camera raised toward an old neon sign flickering against the dusk sky. the composition was decent. moody, atmospheric, the kind of shot he used to love taking before josh consumed everything. he clicked the shutter once, twice, then lowered the camera with a heavy sigh. the image on the screen felt flat. empty.
soulless.
“fuck,” he muttered, deleting the photos on the spot.
he tried again the next day in a park, capturing runners and fallen leaves, then at the pier with the ocean rolling in the background. every frame came out technically fine but emotionally dead. no spark. no obsession. no need. the camera felt like a dead weight in his hands, a reminder of what he was trying to quit cold turkey. his apartment walls, once covered in josh’s image, now stared back at him blank and accusing. the single kept photo remained hidden in his wallet, untouched but burning a hole through the leather.
tyler went through the motions, eating, sleeping (badly), developing random rolls of film, but everything tasted like ash. he missed the canyon. he missed the glowing glass house. he missed the way his heart used to race when josh performed just for him. the withdrawal clawed at him constantly, leaving him restless and hollow.
that night, back at the mansion, josh’s obsession reached a fever pitch.
he had checked the treeline at least a dozen times already, standing naked in front of the windows under the blazing lights, eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. still empty. the absence was starting to drive him insane. the house felt too quiet, too pointless.
the performance had lost all its power.
desperate for relief, josh killed every light in the house for the first time in weeks. the mansion plunged into darkness, curtains still open but now revealing nothing but black glass and distant city glow. he collapsed onto the couch, hand already sliding down his stomach to wrap around his half-hard cock.
he stroked slowly at first, then faster, trying to chase the release he so badly needed. eyes closed, he pictured tyler, dark curls, intense stare, the way his hands must shake on the camera. but the fantasy felt distant, muted. without the knowledge that tyler was actually out there watching, the arousal wouldn’t build properly. it stayed shallow, frustratingly incomplete.
josh pumped harder, thighs tensing, breath coming in short grunts, but the edge never came. after twenty long, desperate minutes, he finally gave up with a frustrated growl, hand falling away. his cock remained stubbornly hard and aching, untouched by any real pleasure. no orgasm. no satisfaction. just more emptiness.
he lay there in the dark, chest heaving, staring up at the ceiling with burning eyes.
the lights stayed off, but the curtains remained open, just in case.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
josh couldn’t take it anymore.
the irritability had festered into something raw and volatile. he’d snapped at his team twice more that week, canceled another shoot, and spent every night pacing the glass mansion like a ghost, checking the empty treeline until his eyes burned. the house felt like a stage with no audience, and the silence was slowly driving him insane.
at 11 a.m. the next morning, he stormed into his home office, still shirtless and barefoot from another sleepless night. he grabbed his phone and texted his two most trusted assistants.
debbie. jenna. my office. now.
they arrived within twenty minutes, debbie with her sleek ponytail and sharp eyes, jenna with her ever-present tablet and calm efficiency. they had been with josh for years, handling everything from schedule disasters to ndas. they knew when he was serious.
josh didn’t waste time on pleasantries. he stood behind his desk, arms crossed, tension radiating off him in waves.
“i need you to find someone for me,” he said, voice low and clipped. “no questions. no cops. no press. just find him and bring him here. tonight.”
debbie raised an eyebrow. jenna glanced at her, then back at josh.
“who?” jenna asked carefully.
josh ran a hand through his messy hair. “he’s been watching me. for over a year. from the canyon. black hoodie, faded, with some kind of small white logo on the left chest.
fingerless gloves sometimes. camera rig is serious shit, big telephoto lens, probably on a tripod. early to mid-twenties, dark curly hair, pale skin, intense eyes. that’s all i’ve got. start with any photographers who’ve sold shots of me under pseudonyms. check security footage from the ridge if you have to. just… find him.”
the two women exchanged a quick look but didn’t argue. they’d seen josh in obsessive modes before, but never quite like this.
“tonight?” debbie confirmed.
“tonight,” josh repeated. “bring him to the house. alive and unharmed. i’ll handle the rest.”
they left without another word, already pulling out phones and making calls.
across town, tyler was in the middle of packing to leave la.
his duffel bag lay open on the mattress, half-filled with clothes, camera gear shoved into a separate case. he’d booked a one-way ticket to chicago for the next morning, cheap flight, no return. the single photo of josh was tucked deep in his wallet. the note was folded in his pocket. everything else was being left behind. he needed distance. space. a chance to breathe without the canyon pulling him back.
he was zipping the bag when a sharp knock echoed through his apartment.
tyler froze.
another knock, louder, more insistent.
he approached the door cautiously, peering through the peephole. two women stood outside: one with a ponytail, the other holding a tablet. they looked professional. too professional.
“who is it?” he called, voice tighter than he wanted.
“tyler joseph?” the one with the ponytail asked. “we need to talk. it’s about josh dun.”
tyler’s blood ran cold. he backed away from the door, heart slamming. how the fuck did they know his name? how did they find him?
before he could think of bolting out the back, the door handle rattled. they had a key, probably from the building manager. the lock clicked open.
debbie and jenna stepped inside calmly but quickly.
“you’re coming with us,” debbie said, voice even.
“like hell i am–” tyler started, backing up.
jenna moved first, grabbing his arm with surprising strength. debbie took the other side. tyler struggled, fury and terror spiking through him as they marched him out of the apartment.
“what the fuck is this? let go of me!” he snarled, trying to wrench free. his hoodie rode up
as he fought, feet dragging on the hallway carpet. “this is kidnapping! i’ll call the cops–”
“no, you won’t,” debbie replied calmly, guiding him down the stairs. “josh just wants to talk. you’ve been watching him for a year. he knows. now he wants to see you up close.”
tyler’s stomach dropped. they knew. josh knew. the realization hit harder than the physical grip on his arms. he was furious. rage burning hot in his chest, but underneath it was pure terror. what the hell was waiting for him at that glass mansion?
they shoved him into the back of a sleek black suv parked at the curb. jenna slid in beside him, debbie taking the wheel. the doors locked with a heavy click.
tyler pressed himself against the far door, breathing hard, eyes wide with a mix of anger and fear. “you can’t just drag me out of my apartment like this. this is insane.”
debbie met his eyes in the rearview mirror as the suv pulled away. “trust me, tyler. compared to what josh has been going through this week, this is the calm option.”
tyler clenched his jaw, fists tight in his lap, heart racing as the city lights blurred past. he was being taken straight to the glowing house he’d sworn to leave behind.
and he had no idea what josh planned to do when he got there.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
the black suv rolled through the private gate at exactly 2:07 a.m., tires crunching softly on the gravel drive. tyler’s heart hammered so hard he could feel it in his throat. his wrists still ached from where debbie and jenna had gripped him earlier, and the fury in his chest had only grown sharper during the silent drive up the canyon.
when the car stopped in front of the mansion, tyler’s breath caught.
every single light in the house was on, turning the sleek glass structure into a blazing beacon against the dark hillside. curtains wide open, just like always. the entire interior was on full display, living room, kitchen, hallway, bedroom, like nothing had changed. like tyler had never stopped watching.
debbie killed the engine. jenna opened the back door and gave tyler a firm nudge. “out.”
tyler stumbled onto the driveway, legs unsteady. the cool night air hit his face, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside him. he was still wearing the same faded black hoodie, the one josh had described to his assistants. his hands were clenched into fists at his sides.
they didn’t give him time to hesitate. jenna took one arm, debbie the other, and they marched him up the wide stone steps and through the front door.
the moment they stepped inside, the brightness was overwhelming. tyler blinked against the glare as they pushed him straight into the living room.
and there he was.
josh dun sat on the wide leather couch facing the canyon windows, completely at ease in nothing but a pair of low-slung gray sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his hips. his colorful tattoos were on full display across his chest, arms, and torso. his hair was messy, like he’d been running his hands through it for hours. bare feet planted on the floor, elbows resting on his knees, he looked every bit the predator who had finally caught his prey.
debbie and jenna released tyler’s arms and stepped back without a word. a second later, the front door clicked shut behind them, leaving the two men alone in the glowing house.
tyler stood frozen just inside the living room, chest rising and falling rapidly. this was the first time they had ever seen each other up close, no lens, no darkness, no distance. josh’s eyes were even more intense in person, locked onto tyler with a mixture of hunger, frustration, and something dangerously close to relief. tyler’s own gaze flicked over josh’s body, the tattoos he had photographed a thousand times, the sharp cut of his hips disappearing into those sweatpants, the way his muscles shifted as he slowly stood up.
the silence stretched between them, thick and electric. neither moved. the only sound was the faint hum of the lights and the distant rustle of wind outside the open windows. tyler could feel the heat rising in his face, a confusing mix of terror, anger, and the same raw want that had kept him coming back to the canyon night after night.
josh took one slow step forward, then another, until only a few feet separated them. his eyes never left tyler’s face, taking in the dark curls, the pale skin, the way tyler’s hands trembled slightly at his sides.
the charged quiet felt like it could snap at any moment.
finally, josh’s voice broke the silence, low and rough, carrying every ounce of the week’s
withdrawal.
“you stopped coming.”
`*-🌲🌳-*`
tyler’s feet moved before his brain caught up.
he spun on his heel and headed straight for the front door, heart slamming against his ribs.
“this was a mistake. i’m leaving.”
he didn’t make it three steps.
josh moved fast, surprisingly fast for someone who had been lounging on the couch moments ago. he crossed the room in a blur and planted himself directly in front of the door, one hand flat against the wood, blocking the exit. his bare chest rose and fell steadily, tattoos shifting with each breath. the low-slung sweatpants hung even lower now from the movement, exposing the sharp v of his hips.
“you’re not going anywhere,” josh said, voice low and dangerous, the words vibrating through the bright room. “not after a year of this.”
tyler stopped short, only inches away from josh’s body. he could feel the heat radiating off him. up close, josh smelled like warm skin and faint cologne, and it made tyler’s head spin. he tried to step sideways, but josh mirrored the movement, keeping him trapped.
“move,” tyler growled, fury and fear mixing in his tone. “you had your assistants kidnap me. this is insane.”
josh’s lips curved into a slow, sharp smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “insane? you spent fourteen months hiding in my treeline with a telephoto lens pointed at my dick. let’s talk about insane.”
they started circling each other slowly in the middle of the living room, like two animals sizing each other up under the blazing lights. tyler moved left; josh moved right. the glass walls reflected their movements back at them, multiplying the tension.
“you knew i was there the whole time,” tyler accused, voice tight. “you left the curtains open. you walked around naked. you put on shows. what the fuck did you expect?”
“i expected you to keep watching,” josh shot back, eyes never leaving tyler’s face. “but you
didn’t. you disappeared right after i came on that window. one perfect shot and you ran.”
tyler’s jaw clenched. “because it went too far. you were jerking off looking straight at me. i couldn’t–”
“couldn’t what?” josh interrupted, voice dropping even lower. he took a step closer, forcing tyler to back up. “couldn’t keep pretending you weren’t getting off on it? couldn’t admit you wanted more than pictures?”
they circled again, the space between them shrinking with every pass.
josh continued, raw honesty bleeding into his words. “i’ve been performing for you since the very first night i saw that lens flash. every light left on, every curtain open, every slow towel drop, every dance, every stroke in the shower, it was all for you, tyler. i got hard knowing you were out there. i couldn’t even come anymore unless i knew you were watching. you ruined me for anyone else.”
tyler’s breath hitched. he stopped circling, chest heaving. the confession hung heavy in the air between them.
“you’re fucking crazy,” tyler whispered, but there was no real heat left in it.
josh tilted his head, eyes dark. “maybe. but at least i’m honest. what about you? you kept coming back. night after night. you whispered my name in your darkroom like a prayer. don’t think i didn’t notice the way your hands shook on the camera.”
tyler’s face burned. his hand instinctively went to his back pocket, fingers brushing the edge of his wallet. the single photo was still there, tucked safely inside, the one image he couldn’t delete.
josh noticed the movement. “what’s in your wallet, pretty boy?”
tyler swallowed hard, throat dry. the fight drained out of him in a rush, replaced by raw, aching truth.
“…the photo,” he admitted quietly, voice barely above a whisper. “the one of you against the window. i deleted everything else. but i kept that one. it’s still in my wallet.”
the charged silence returned, thicker than before. josh’s eyes softened just a fraction, the dangerous edge giving way to something hungrier, more intimate.
he took one final step forward, closing the last bit of distance between them.
“now we’re getting somewhere,” josh murmured
`*-🌲🌳-*`
the silence after tyler’s admission crackled like electricity ready to arc.
josh held tyler’s gaze for one long, heavy beat, then turned without a word and walked back to the wide leather couch. he dropped down onto it, thighs spreading wide in a deliberate, unhurried motion. the low-slung sweatpants rode even lower on his hips, the waistband barely clinging to the sharp cut of bone and muscle.
without breaking eye contact, josh hooked his thumbs into the fabric and pushed the sweatpants down just enough. his cock sprang free, already half-hard, thick and heavy against his thigh. he wrapped one tattooed hand around the base and gave a slow, lazy stroke from root to tip, letting tyler see everything under the bright house lights.
tyler couldn’t look away.
josh’s eyes stayed locked on his the entire time, dark and intense, as he continued the slow, deliberate movements. his thumb swept over the head on each upstroke, spreading the bead of precome that had already formed. the wet sound of skin on skin was obscenely loud in the quiet room. josh’s chest rose and fell steadily, but his gaze never wavered. challenging, inviting, daring tyler to keep watching.
“want to see it up close?” josh asked, voice low and rough, the words hanging between them like a dare.
tyler’s hands shook violently at his sides. his fingers curled into fists, then unclenched, then curled again. he could feel the heat flooding his face, his neck, his entire body. his own cock was painfully hard, straining against the front of his jeans, the outline obvious even in the bright light. every instinct screamed at him to step forward, to drop to his knees, to finally touch what he had only ever captured through a lens.
but he fought it.
his feet stayed rooted to the floor, body trembling with the effort of holding still. “josh…” the name came out broken, half warning, half plea. “this is… fuck, you can’t just–”
“i can,” josh cut in calmly, still stroking himself with that same torturously slow rhythm. his hips rolled up slightly into his fist, muscles flexing under the colorful tattoos. “i’ve been doing this for you for a year. now you’re here. no lens. no distance. no hiding in the trees.”
tyler’s breath came in short, ragged bursts. his eyes flicked down to josh’s hand despite himself, watching the way the shaft glistened, the way josh’s thumb pressed just under the head on every pass. his own cock twitched hard in his jeans, a fresh wave of want crashing through him. he took one involuntary half-step forward before catching himself, hands still shaking badly.
josh smiled, slow and dangerous, eyes never leaving tyler’s face.
“come closer, pretty boy,” he murmured, voice like velvet dragged over gravel. “you’ve earned it.”
tyler stood there, torn between bolting for the door and falling to his knees, every inch of him vibrating with the war raging inside his body.
the lights stayed bright.
the curtains stayed open.
and josh kept stroking, slow and relentless, waiting for tyler to break.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
tyler broke.
the last thread of restraint snapped with an almost audible crack. one second he was standing there shaking, fighting every instinct screaming at him to stay away. the next, his knees hit the floor hard between josh’s spread thighs.
no grace. no hesitation. just raw, desperate need.
josh barely had time to exhale before tyler’s hands shoved his sweatpants the rest of the way down. tyler’s mouth was on him a heartbeat later, hot, wet, and frantic. there was no teasing, no slow licks or careful buildup. he took josh deep in one messy slide, lips stretching wide around the thick length, choking slightly as the head hit the back of his throat.
a broken groan tore from josh’s chest.
“fuck– tyler– ”
it was the first time he’d said tyler’s name out loud like that, raw, wrecked, and dripping with months of pent-up want. his hand flew to tyler’s dark curls, fingers threading tight, gripping hard enough to make tyler whimper around his cock.
tyler didn’t care about finesse. he sucked like a man starving, sloppy and urgent. spit dripped down his chin and onto josh’s balls as he bobbed his head fast, hollowing his cheeks on every upstroke. his hands gripped josh’s tattooed thighs, nails digging into skin, holding him open while he worked him with pure desperation. the wet, obscene sounds filled the brightly lit room, gagging, slurping, broken moans vibrating around josh’s cock.
josh’s head fell back against the couch, hips jerking up involuntarily. “shit… just like that– tyler, fuck–”
tyler looked completely undone. eyes glassy and wet, cheeks flushed, curls messy from
josh’s grip. he pulled off just long enough to gasp for air, a thick string of spit connecting his swollen lips to the glistening head of josh’s cock, before diving back down even deeper. he took him to the hilt, nose pressed against josh’s pelvis, throat convulsing around him as he swallowed.
josh’s grip tightened in tyler’s hair, the other hand fisting the leather cushion so hard the material creaked. his thighs trembled on either side of tyler’s shoulders.
“tyler– gonna come– fuck, i’m–”
tyler didn’t pull away. if anything, he sucked harder, tongue pressing flat against the underside, moaning loudly around the thick length as if begging for it.
josh came with a loud, shattered groan, hips snapping up as he spilled down tyler’s throat in heavy pulses. “tyler–!”
tyler swallowed every drop, throat working convulsively, not wasting a single bit. he kept sucking through the aftershocks, gentler now but still greedy, until josh was twitching and oversensitive in his mouth. only then did he slowly pull off, lips shiny and swollen, a thin trail of spit and come still connecting them for a second before it broke.
tyler stayed on his knees, forehead resting against josh’s tattooed thigh, breathing hard and ragged. his own cock strained painfully against his jeans, untouched and leaking, but he didn’t move to touch himself. he just stayed there, trembling, trying to catch his breath while the bright lights of the house washed over both of them.
josh’s hand loosened in tyler’s curls, fingers stroking gently now, almost tender, as he looked down at the man still kneeling between his legs.
“pretty boy…” he whispered, voice hoarse.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
they stayed locked together in the bright silence of the living room.
tyler’s forehead rested heavily against josh’s tattooed thigh, his breath still coming in rough, uneven pants that ghosted warm across josh’s skin. his hands remained curled loosely around josh’s hips, fingers trembling with the aftershocks of what he’d just done. josh’s cock, spent and softening, rested against his stomach, a faint sheen of spit and come still visible under the unrelenting house lights.
neither of them moved to pull away.
josh’s fingers stayed threaded gently through tyler’s dark curls, stroking slow, soothing patterns against his scalp. the frantic energy from moments ago had settled into something quieter, heavier, more intimate. the glass walls reflected their tangled forms back at them. tyler on his knees, josh sprawled on the couch with his sweatpants shoved down around his ankles, the entire canyon night watching through the wide-open curtains.
tyler was the first to speak, voice hoarse and barely above a whisper.
“i’ve wanted to touch you for so long…” he swallowed hard, eyes still closed, forehead pressed tighter to josh’s thigh. “fourteen months. every single night i told myself it was just the photos. just the shots. but i… i wanted this. i wanted to taste you. to feel you in my mouth. i thought if i stopped coming to the canyon i could make it go away. but it didn’t.”
josh’s hand paused in tyler’s hair for a moment, then resumed its gentle stroking. a soft, low laugh rumbled out of his chest. warm, almost fond.
“pretty boy,” he murmured, the nickname slipping out like it had always belonged there. he leaned down, pressing a slow, lingering kiss to the top of tyler’s head, lips brushing against messy dark curls. “you think i didn’t know? every time you shook behind that camera… every time you stayed longer than you should have… i felt it.”
tyler let out a shaky breath, finally lifting his head just enough to look up at josh. his lips were still swollen, eyes glassy and vulnerable in the bright light. “you really did all of it for me?”
josh’s smile was small but genuine. he cupped tyler’s cheek with one hand, thumb brushing over the flushed skin. “every light. every open curtain. every slow stroke against that window. it stopped being a game months ago. i needed you watching. and now…” he glanced down at tyler still kneeling between his spread thighs. “now i need you here.”
the quiet stretched again, comfortable this time, filled only with their breathing and the faint hum of the lights.
josh finally shifted, sitting up a little straighter while keeping tyler close. his voice was softer when he spoke again.
“stay the night. curtains stay open.”
tyler’s eyes flicked toward the massive glass windows, then back to josh. a faint, exhausted smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“you’re never gonna close them, are you?”
josh laughed again, low and warm, and leaned down to press another kiss to tyler’s forehead.
“not a chance.”
`*-🌲🌳-*`
tyler woke slowly to the feeling of warm sunlight spilling across his bare skin.
he was in josh’s bed; massive, low platform, sheets tangled around his waist. the floor-to-ceiling windows let in the bright morning light without mercy, no curtains drawn, no blinds lowered. everything was exposed, just like the night before. his body ached in the best way: lips still slightly swollen, jaw sore, a faint bruise forming on his hip where josh’s fingers had gripped him.
he turned his head and found the bed empty beside him.
the scent of fresh coffee drifted in from the kitchen. tyler sat up, rubbing a hand over his face, and that was when he saw josh.
josh moved through the sunlit house completely naked, tattoos vivid in the daylight. he poured two mugs of coffee at the kitchen island, muscles shifting under his skin as he stirred in sugar. the morning light caught every line of his body. the colorful ink across his chest and arms, the sharp cut of his hips, the easy confidence in every step. he looked completely at home in his own exposure.
when josh noticed tyler watching, a slow smile spread across his face.
“morning, pretty boy,” he said, voice still rough with sleep. he picked up both mugs and walked back toward the bed, offering one to tyler. “figured you’d need this.”
tyler took the mug, eyes never leaving josh’s body. heat was already pooling low in his stomach again. the events of last night felt surreal in the daylight, but the want was still there, sharper now that he’d finally touched.
josh set his own mug down on the nightstand and climbed back onto the bed, kneeling in front of tyler. without a word, he spread his thighs wide, mirroring the position from the night before, and wrapped a hand loosely around his half-hard cock. this time it was softer, lazier. no frantic performance, just an open invitation in the bright morning light.
tyler’s breath caught. he set his coffee aside and watched as josh began to stroke himself slowly, eyes locked on tyler’s face. the sunlight made everything more intimate, more vulnerable. no shadows to hide in.
but something shifted inside tyler.
he reached out, placing a hand on josh’s wrist, stopping the movement.
“no,” tyler said, voice quiet but firm, the first real order he’d ever given in this house. “not like that.”
josh’s eyebrows lifted slightly, surprise flickering across his face, but he didn’t pull away. a spark of interest lit in his eyes.
tyler continued, gaining confidence. “sit back against the headboard. legs spread wider. hands behind your head.”
josh obeyed, a small smirk playing on his lips as he shifted into position. he leaned back, thighs falling open, hands laced behind his head. his cock rested heavy against his stomach, fully hard now under tyler’s gaze. sunlight poured over him, highlighting every detail.
tyler moved between josh’s legs, kneeling on the bed. his hands slid up josh’s thighs, thumbs pressing into the muscle. “stay just like that,” he murmured, voice low. “don’t move unless i tell you to.”
the power shift felt electric. for the first time, tyler wasn’t the one hiding behind a lens. he was directing. controlling. josh’s breathing grew heavier, chest rising and falling as he held the position, eyes dark with arousal and something like delight at the change.
tyler took his time, letting his hands explore, tracing tattoos, brushing over sensitive skin, until josh was leaking against his stomach, hips twitching with the effort of staying still.
only then did tyler reach for his camera bag, which jenna had brought in with him the night before. he pulled out his camera, the one that had captured so many stolen moments.
he lifted it to his eye, lens pointed directly at josh.
for the first time, with permission.
“stay exactly like that,” tyler said softly, finger hovering over the shutter. “look at me.”
josh did, eyes burning into the lens as tyler took the first official, up-close photo, sunlight pouring in, josh spread open and obedient on his own bed, hard and waiting.
the shutter clicked.
tyler lowered the camera slightly, a small, satisfied smile tugging at his lips.
“good,” he whispered. “now we’re even.”
`*-🌲🌳-*`
they spent the rest of the morning tangled in bed, trading lazy touches and quiet words until the sun climbed higher. eventually they migrated to the living room, still naked, coffee long forgotten. josh sat on the couch while tyler paced slowly in front of the massive window, the same one that had started everything.
tyler stopped, turned to face him, and crossed his arms.
“so what happens now?” he asked. “you gonna keep leaving the lights on like some kind of
beacon every night?”
josh leaned back, spreading his arms along the back of the couch, a lazy grin on his face.
“yeah. i am. but you don’t have to hide in the trees anymore. new rule: you can come inside whenever you want. front door’s unlocked for you. just walk in. but the lights stay on and the curtains stay open. that part doesn’t change. i like knowing you can see everything. even when you’re already here.”
tyler’s eyes darkened. he stepped closer until he stood between josh’s knees. “and what if
i want to be the one calling the shots sometimes?”
josh’s grin widened. “then do it. i’ve been performing for you for a year. i’m not scared of letting you take control.”
tyler’s hand slid into josh’s hair, gripping just tight enough to tilt his head back. “good.
because i have a few ideas.”
the negotiation ended there.
tyler pulled josh up and walked him straight to the same floor-to-ceiling window where josh had come undone weeks earlier. he spun josh around so his chest pressed against the cool glass, hands splayed wide on either side of his head.
“stay right there,” tyler ordered, voice low and rough.
he retrieved lube from the bedroom in record time, slicked himself quickly, and pressed back against josh from behind. no slow buildup this time, just raw, emotional need. tyler pushed inside in one deep thrust, burying himself to the hilt as josh groaned loudly against the glass.
“fuck–tyler–”
tyler set a brutal pace immediately, hips snapping hard, one hand fisted in josh’s colorful hair while the other gripped his hip hard enough to bruise. every thrust shoved josh harder against the window, the entire glowing house on display to the canyon below. it was rough, messy, and deeply emotional; months of watching, wanting, and denying finally crashing
together.
josh moaned with every thrust, forehead pressed to the glass, breath fogging it in rapid bursts. “harder–don’t stop–”
tyler leaned in, biting down on the junction of josh’s neck and shoulder as he drove deeper. “you like this? being watched while i fuck you against the same window you used to jerk off on?”
“yes–fuck, yes–” josh’s voice cracked, cock trapped between his stomach and the glass, leaking steadily.
they moved together like they’d been doing this for years instead of hours. tyler pounding into him with desperate, punishing strokes, josh pushing back to meet every thrust. the emotional weight hung heavy between them: the year of distance, the obsession, the relief of finally having each other.
tyler’s hand wrapped around josh’s cock, stroking in time with his thrusts. “come for me.
right here where i used to watch you.”
josh shattered first, crying out as he came hard against the glass again, painting it in thick streaks while tyler fucked him through it. tyler followed seconds later, burying himself deep and coming with a broken groan of josh’s name, hips stuttering as he filled him.
they stayed pressed together against the window for a long moment, breathing hard, sweat-slicked skin sticking together.
later, after they’d cleaned up just enough to function, tyler pulled out the single photo he’d kept. the devastating shot of josh coming against the glass. he laid it on the coffee table.
“i kept this one,” he admitted quietly.
josh picked it up, studying it with a soft smile. “then let’s keep the rest too. make them ours.”
they spent the afternoon digging through tyler’s old files on his laptop (the ones he’d deleted but tyler had secretly backed up). what started as nostalgia quickly turned into something playful and filthy. they began recreating the old stalker shots on purpose. josh striking the same poses from the towel-drop nights, the naked walks through the lit house, the dancing in the living room, only this time tyler was right there, touching, directing, and photographing with permission.
the power flipped back and forth between them with every new recreation. one moment
tyler was ordering josh into position. the next, josh was pinning tyler against the glass and taking control again.
as golden hour approached, they were tangled together on the couch, laughing breathlessly over one particularly explicit recreation, when a bright flash lit up the canyon below.
not a camera glint from tyler’s lens.
a paparazzi telephoto.
josh tensed instantly. “shit. they must have followed my assistants up here last night or caught the suv.”
tyler sat up, eyes narrowing toward the treeline. “they almost got us.”
josh pulled him back down, kissing the worry from his mouth. “they didn’t. not this time. but we’re gonna have to be more careful… or maybe i just won’t care.”
tyler looked at him, a mix of amusement and heat in his eyes. the game wasn’t over. it had only changed shape.
and the lights were still on.
`*-🌲🌳-*`
–six months later–
the magazine lay open on the coffee table, glossy and perfect under the warm light.
rolling stone – summer issue.
the cover was pure josh: shirtless, tattoos blazing across his chest and arms, head tilted back with that signature half-smirk, hair wild and colorful. the headline screamed in bold white letters:
josh dun – the art of being seen
inside the spread, every photograph was credited to the same name in small, elegant type:
photography by tyler joseph
the images were intimate, raw, and undeniably erotic without crossing into explicit territory the magazine could print. josh laughing naked in golden morning light. josh stretched out on the couch with sunlight pouring over his skin. josh pressed against the familiar floor-to-ceiling window, forehead to the glass, eyes half-lidded and smiling softly at the camera. each shot carried the same charged energy that had once belonged only to stolen moments in the dark.
tyler had finally stepped out from behind the trees.
–
the living room glowed exactly as it always did.
every light in the mansion was on. curtains thrown wide open to the sprawling city lights twinkling far below the canyon. the glass walls turned the entire house into a lantern once again, but now it felt like home instead of a stage.
tyler stood in the middle of the room, camera raised to his eye. the same camera he used to hide with in the treeline. josh leaned casually against the window, completely naked, the colorful tattoos on full display. city lights glittered behind him like scattered stars.
this time, josh wasn’t performing for an invisible audience.
he was looking straight at tyler.
a slow, genuine smile curved his lips as he held the pose, relaxed, open, completely unafraid. his eyes were soft and warm, locked on the man behind the lens with quiet affection.
tyler’s finger hovered over the shutter. for a moment he simply looked at josh through the viewfinder, heart swelling with something deep and steady. no more hiding. no more running. just them, in the bright, open house they had built their strange, beautiful obsession into.
he pressed the shutter.
the soft click echoed gently through the room.
josh pushed off the window and walked over, still smiling. he slid his arms around tyler’s waist from behind, chin resting on his shoulder as they both looked out at the glowing city together.
tyler lowered the camera and turned his head just enough to brush a kiss against josh’s jaw.
“you happy?” he asked quietly.
josh’s arms tightened around him.
“lights stay on, pretty boy. always.”