Bitter Treats (BxB Romance, In Progress)

14: Sweet Talk

Where was that damn pen? Tyler hung over the bedside, trying to find the writing implement underneath. Nothing. Well, there were three socks, a button, a couple of coins, and heaps of dust. He didn't bother trying to retrieve the items. Those were a problem for another day, or rather for another person. Donna could deal with them when she vacuumed his room, which she did weekly since that was a difficult task for Tyler to master on one leg. Although, it wasn't like he had been fiend of vacuuming even before his accident. It had been more of a bi-yearly occasion when the dust bunnies threaten to rebel and make his room their kingdom.

Sitting up and brushing curls out of his face, Tyler looked toward the desk. There was probably a pen over there, underneath the mountain of papers and books. But getting there seemed like a steep task since his crutches stood on the other side of the bed.

Always so much logistics. Being disabled often seemed like one endless administrative task, where he had to calculate exactly how to best spend his energy and plan every step for optimal efficiency. Unfortunately, calculations and planning had never been Tyler's strong suit. He was more of a try-and-hope-for-the-best kind of guy.

With a sigh, he rose from the bed, opting to forego the crutches and instead jump on one leg toward the desk. His physiotherapist had warned him that such moves could put unnecessary strain on his right knee and ankle, especially since the latter had been busted up in the crash, but Tyler was young and spry! His right leg could take it, hopefully. At least this once.

Hop. Hop. Hop.

His ankle only hurt a little from the exercise.

Leaning against the desk for balance, he rummaged through piles of papers on the desk. Perhaps he should clean the surface at some point. He had after all wondered where his Geology notes for the upcoming test had gone. Those could be useful at some point.

Underneath a towel--which probably shouldn't be on the desk at all--Tyler finally found the treasure he was in search of. A blue pen with the logo of Vale U on the side. To make sure the pen actually worked before he made his way back to the bed, Tyler scribbled a circle on what looked to be a receipt. Or was it his missing Geology notes? He made a mental note to check later. Right now, it was crucial for him to study Psychology.

If he hadn't read the assigned chapters before tomorrow, Robby would be disappointed in him. Of course, his tutor would never voice such judgment but Tyler would see it in his adorable eyes. There would be a resigned mattness nestled into the azure blue irises. Tyler couldn't stand the thought of being subjected to such scorn. He wanted a proud glint of sunshine and a hint of things to come.

Hop. Hop. Hop.

To save his ankle from more impact, Tyler threw himself forward, landing spread eagle across the bed. He should grab his Psychology books from the nightstand and start studying but instead, he found himself dreaming of those blue eyes.

Closing his eyes, Tyler relived the moment of closeness they'd experienced the evening before when he and Robin were supposed to be pet-sitting Des' rabbit--well, initially they were supposed to be studying but that was soon forgotten in favor of bunny duties--and had bonded over Tyler's pet taming capabilities. He'd shown Robin how to stroke the fur of the frightened lagomorph to calm it, and it seemed the method had a soothed Robin's nerves as well because before Tyler even knew what had happened, their hands had been interlaced and their lips on a trajectory toward one another.

It had been real. He hadn't imagined it. Tyler was almost sure of that. Shaking fingers enveloping his own. A gentle hand whisking away a stray curl from his face. A pair of quivering lips coming closer. Then, the door had opened, bursting the bubble right before it captured them both. If only Des had come home a few seconds later.