The Good Life ~ Troyler AU

thirty-two - tyler

Dan didn't speak much; he seemed entirely preoccupied with his own thoughts, and I didn't know what to say to him, so we just sat opposite each other in silence. He was much taller than me, but he was curled up so tight that he looked like a child afraid of the dark.

I rested my head on my knees, sighing. I wondered what would happen when Carter came.

I didn't have to wait long to find out. All too soon there was an almost sarcastic knock, and Dan winced even more violently than I did. "Is it -" he started nervously, and then the door started to open painfully slowly. I heard a tiny laugh and Dan scrambled to get out of the way as Carter took a step in. He ended up pressed right against me, his scruffy brown hair brushing against mine, his breathing quick and anxious. 

"Two of you?" Carter said, feigning surprise as he looked down on us. The room was so small that he towered, and when he shut the door he seemed to fill it completely. I could almost hear Dan's heartbeats becoming as fast as my own. "That's new. That's fun."

"Back off," I tried weakly, wanting to at least try and protect my terrified companion - I guessed Dan was in his early twenties, but he looked barely older than eighteen right now - and Carter raised his eyebrows.

He hauled me to my feet then, fast and painful. "You know not to talk to me like that," he growled, and suddenly Dan was standing too, wobbly but adamant.

"Carter, we've known each other for years - before all this, you know that I -" Dan started calmly, and then Carter backhanded him so hard that he crumpled and I jerked out of Carter's hold to kneel beside him.

Dan's eye was swelling, but he shook his head when I went to touch it. "I'm fine. I'm fine." he insisted, and I heard Carter's laugh again.

"You guys have bonded pretty quickly. What would Troye say, Tyler? And what would Phil say, Dan?"

I winced at Troye's name, but Phil's took me by surprise, and Dan made a noise like a wounded animal. His eyes were vacant; I knew he wouldn't be much help, and I didn't want to draw any attention to him when he was so vulnerable, so when Carter pushed me onto my back and proceeded to kick the shit out of me, I didn't protest again.

Finally he left. I lay still, breathing hard as I waited for the pain in my stomach to die down, and Dan crawled over to me, sneaking an uneasy look at the closed door before helping me sit up.

"I'm sorry," he said lowly, and I shook my head.

"It's not your fault." I gave him a sidelong glance, unable to control my curiosity."But, umm...if you don't mind me asking...I've met Phil, do you..."

Dan grimaced, a shadow flitting over his face as he turned away slightly. "Phil Lester," he said hoarsely, "was my boyfriend. And I loved him and I thought he loved me, but well," his mouth twisted bitterly, "One day we were on a job, right? And I must have gotten knocked out something, but I woke up down here, and Carter said..."

His voice trailed off, thickening as he tried not to cry. I averted my eyes and waited until he was ready.

"Carter said that I'd been fired, that they were keeping me down here because I knew too much. But...no one ever came. My friends never came. Phil never came." Dan stared at nothing. "I shouldn't love him anymore, y'know? Not after that. Not after he let them lock me down here without a care in the world and never came to visit, not even when sometimes I was nearly dead. I shouldn't love him. But I do."

I dug my nails onto the backs of my hands, shivering suddenly even though the temperature hadn't changed and never would, and touched the place on my wrist where Troye used to trace my veins like miracles. "I know exactly what you mean." 

just by the way guys this story does have a plot it won't just be mindless sad ramblings about tyler