the relationship arrangement// tyler joseph

chapter six

on friday evening, you were supposed to meet tyler at whatever ballroom your college had reserved for the night. you weren't sure what to expect, but once you entered the building, you were amazed at the sight in front of you. it truly looked like some sort of castle, perfect for hosting a ball. it was huge, and as you looked over the golden railings that stretched across the entire top floor, you were beginning to wonder how you were possibly going to find tyler in the abyss of people dancing below you.

you wandered over to the large marble staircase, covered with a velvety red carpeting. you took careful steps down, trying not to trip over your dress. when you picked your head up, you noticed tyler's familiar face staring up at you from the bottom of the steps. he was smiling in a way that made you feel like you were undeniably special.

you walked down the stairs a little faster now, excited to see him. once you reached the bottom, he held his hand out, so you placed your hand in his soft one. "you look beautiful," he stated as he pressed a kiss against your knuckles.

"you do too," you replied. he was beyond alluring in the suit he wore. upon closer look, you also noticed that he wore a light blue tie that matched your dress. it was such a subtle aspect to his appearance, but you thought that it made him all the more adorable.

he led you into the crowd of people, so you happily wrapped your arms around his neck and swayed to the music with him. that lasted for a few minutes, until you caught sight of a snack table nearby. you stopped what you were doing and grabbed his arm, dragging him over to it. it was covered with brownies and cookies and a variety of candies.

you picked up one of the brownies, holding it up near tyler's face. "it looks just like you," you told him before taking a bite. he watched you in amusement.

"is it good?"

"yup. try it," you said, bringing it to his mouth. he took a bite of it, a few crumbs falling onto the floor and sticking to the side of his mouth. you smiled as you reached up and brushed them off. stuffing the rest of the brownie into your mouth, you picked up a plate and began filling it with all the different kinds of snacks that were on the table.

after a while of eating and a few more dances shared with tyler, you both decided to take a break and explore the huge building that you were in. he held your hand as you walked up the stairs and made your way into an empty hallway. it was dimly lit, and pieces of art with golden frames littered the walls. all that you could hear were your footsteps over the distant music and chatter of the party.

you stopped to look at one of the paintings, tyler standing beside you still. you felt his eyes on you, even as you studied the art on the wall.

"you know," he started, his voice just above a whisper, "there's something i wanted to try again." you shifted your attention over to him. his eyes were staring into yours, flashing towards your lips for just a second.

"what?" you asked, already having a clue as to what he was about to say. you hoped that it would be what you thought, because you wanted it too.

"all week long," he said, lifting his hand up and rubbing his thumb over your lips, "i've really wanted to kiss you again." you felt your face heat up, and your skin tingled from his touch. the look he was giving you, it was something indescribable. his eyes seemed to hold all the love in the world, and it was directed solely at you.

"i've wanted it too," you admitted, your nerves making your voice shaky. you usually weren't so nervous around him. even this week, you hadn't been thrown too off balance by his affections, but this was something different. that overpowering emotion in his eyes was about to make you melt.

he leaned in, his lips hovering right above yours and his nose brushing against your own. you had no idea where to look, his face was so close to yours. "may i?" he asked, his voice unbearably soft. you nodded your head in reply.

finally, he closed the gap between you and his lips pressed against yours. it was like being transported into another dimension, feeling his mouth on yours and his hands gripping you tightly. all you could think about was him, how much you loved being in his arms. how much you loved kissing him. you weren't sure how you had gone so long without it, how you had spent so many years being in a friendship with him without experiencing any of this.

you knew that you couldn't stop. that you would want his kisses forever, and that no amount could ever be enough for you. you desperately hoped that he felt the same, because this wasn't something that you could just forget about. it was something that you would continue to need, even after this kiss.

when his mouth disconnected from yours, he didn't pull all the way back. he stayed close, breathing out a few breaths that you could feel against your face.

"if i'm going to be honest, i've wanted this for far longer than just this week," tyler spoke.

"really?" you asked him, surprised. you didn't ever consider the fact that tyler might've had feelings for you before this whole ordeal started.

"you couldn't tell?" he looked as if he was holding in a laugh.

"no! how could i?"

"i just thought that it was obvious," he said with a chuckle. "i still remember when it first hit me. i was picking you up one day, and you were walking to the car. the wind was blowing in your hair and the sun was shining down on you and i just couldn't stop staring."

you could remember times when you had caught tyler looking at you, but you never thought much of it. for all you knew, he could've been spacing out.

"i always knew that you were pretty, but in that moment, i guess i kind of just realized that you were really, really pretty," he explained with a laugh.

"how sweet of you," you replied, flattered by his compliments.

unlike tyler, you weren't sure that there was a specific moment where something happened to cause you to realize your feelings for him. it was something that happened slowly. you'd always liked how he looked and appreciated his beauty, and occasionally you'd imagine what it would've been like to date him, but it was nothing you ever thought would happen. this week, when tyler had you in his arms and placed kisses against your cheek, those feelings seemed to just have become more obvious.

without warning, he kissed you again. although he was gentle, you could tell that he was eager by the way he held your jaw, the way he pressed his body so close against yours you felt yourself back into the wall behind you. he suddenly pulled back upon noticing that he had you pinned, and an almost inaudible giggle escaped his lips. "i'm sorry about that," he told you, grinning. you didn't mind, though.

all you knew was that the week would soon be over, which meant that this little agreement you had made with him could possibly come to an end. then again, maybe it wouldn't. he had admitted to liking you. still, you were afraid that he would change his mind somehow. you didn't know how it would be possible to go back to being his friend after you had witnessed this soft, romantic side of him.