Icy Inferno (Troyler AU)

⋙ Chapter Twenty-Four

And I am low and unwell
This is love
This is hell
This sweet plague that follows me

Flesh And Bone ~ Keaton Henson

 

Tyler

Everyday was spent travelling towards the border. Life was meant to be better in the neighbouring country, where people lived without fear of discriminatory prosecution. Mom kept having to reassure me, saying we’d have a new start. But who said I wanted a new start? I was fine before. Maybe I could’ve kept up the disguise for a little longer, to be with Troye a little longer.

I had to banish those thoughts. It was too late to change things.

I felt like was living half a life. Food and water were sparse. When we lucky enough to find a petrol station, all of the food was lined in grease, and the water tasted worse than sea water. We took it in turns to drive. The scenery was dull, nothing but empty fields on either sides. The roads were straight, the bends few and far between. Whenever I wasn't driving I was thinking about painful memories. When I wasn't doing that I'd be sleeping. The seats weren't meant for sleeping in. They were uncomfortable. Most the time I would sleep for twenty minutes before the car rolled over a small bump and I woke up. It was rough but it had to do. I had to hope things were surely going to be better in the long run.

A few days into our travels, mom arranged for us to take a break. In the middle of nowhere, we pulled up in front a building named The Nerd’s Fighter. Disguised as a pub, it was in fact a safe house for elementals. Inside there were bizarre posters saying things like "French the Llama" and "Squid of Anger". Only one person was at the bar, with three pints surrounding them. Unsurprisingly they'd passed out, snoring so loudly the glasses shook slightly. The front room was lit mainly by lanterns, looking outdated to the outside world. I guessed it made it look less suspicious that way, without bright lights.

It was run by a man simply known as John, who was willing to hide us for a day or so. When we arrived, my first thought was that he looked and acted an awful lot like my chemistry teacher Mr Green - just that his hair was a little more crazy than my teacher's. Once John found out we were Yokela’s, he grew fretful. Then he looked us over and relented. He said he’d let us stay, and would help find a doctor. I wondered who needed a doctor, until I fell face first on the concrete.

*

I was lying on a bed in a dark room. There was little noise but a far away dripping and breathing. Troye sat at my bedside, smiling down at me. His presence didn’t surprise me for some reason - the bounds around my wrists did. I pushed against them, hoping they'd weaken. But they didn’t loosen. I let out a groan of frustration, falling back down onto the bed with a thump.

He laughed softly at my struggle. "Baby it’s okay. They’ll understand what you did eventually.”

“What did I do?” I asked, ignoring how abnormal his words were.

“You killed someone. And that’s okay. After all, I’d always expected it from my little monster.”

“You think I’m a monster?”

“Well of course! We’re all monsters here.”

I didn’t know where here was, but I got that it wasn’t the safe house. The walls had messages written on, in blood that dripped down to the floor. I couldn’t distinguish any words, but got the sense that I didn’t want to know.

“I’ll make you forget, if you want me too.”

“How?”

He stood up, before straddling me unexpectedly. I wasn't sure what was going on, until his darkened eyes locked onto mine. I studied him as he took off his shirt in a way that would’ve been normal if it wasn’t for him biting his lip and touching himself a little too much. I felt myself growing lustful beneath him. Somehow sensing my desire, he slammed his lips aggressively against mine. His hands seemed to everywhere all at once, ensnaring me. I gasped at his cold touch, pushing against the bounds - too get away or to get closer to him, I couldn't tell. It felt so weird, but I didn’t want it to end. No smoke was rising, unlike every other time we touched. I should’ve found it odd but I couldn’t. I was enjoying the feel of his lips too much. He pulled away with a soft kiss, leaving me wanting more. I kept my eyes open, watching him pull off my clothes in rushed movements.