The Selection (Troyler AU)

♔Part LIV♔

Who the fuck allowed school to be a thing honestly

Also so you know how The Selection (more the actual series than this story) has a caste system that I lowkey rarely bring up here bc Tyler's a Prince (a One) and Troye's a Servant (a Six) and neither of them care too much? Well, we actually started learning about India's caste system in Human Geography literally this last week and I think that's a beautiful coincidence tbh

I never thought too much about bringing it deeper into the story but still it does represent the social standing between Tyler and Troye in a new way, especially since the lowest caste is an Eight and Troye is only two above that, whereas Tyler is the very top.

Just incase you need a better definition of a caste system: the strict social segregation of people on the basis of ancestry and occupation. Basically, if you work as, Idek, a teacher, then you're a teacher for the rest of your life, and you're in the caste that teachers are in for the rest of your life with no ascent or descent, and your children will be born in your exact caste and be required to have the same (or similar) job that you have. (In India's, there were also Dalits, or people that were considered below the castes. Until recently, they were restricted to the most undesirable jobs and we're not allowed in certain schools or temples. I suppose in The Selection, an Eight would be the equivalent of that).

Okay the lowkey history lesson is over let's actually get to the chapter now.

Tyler POV

I shut the door to Troye's room behind me, absentmindedly bringing a hand up to my mouth, and let a finger brush over my already-grinning lips at the memory of what'd just happened moments ago.

My face warmed at the thought of it.  I ran a hand through my hair, hoping that I looked at least semi-presentable, seeing as I was on my way to dinner with the Selected.  I knew I couldn't have looked too bad, since I'd only been in Troye's room for a few minutes after the execution, but the lingering sensation of the kiss had left me flustered enough to feel exposed just thinking about it.

I honestly didn't know where it'd come from.  At first, I'd merely hoped that being in Troye's company could lift my spirits after that god awful execution; with his fingers running soothingly through my hair, and his lips pressed beside my forehead, I was halfway between not being able to get enough and having more than I could've ever asked for.  Even as he told me the story of how he'd acquired his violin, I'd felt a huge weight slowly lift off of my shoulders with each word, until I'd almost forgotten what was bothering me in the first place.

But the kiss . . . There was something tender about it that I'd never experienced in my life up until now. It was soft music and clear skies and shy smiles all at once, but to compare it to anything felt wrong because it was incomparable to anything I'd ever felt before. Never before had I enjoyed the feeling of my heart swelling in my chest, or missed that fuzzy feeling in my head that I'd only ever felt from trying wine for the first time. It'd taken feelings I'd perceived to be undesirable, and turned them into something I now yearned for.

Taken feelings I believed undesirable.  Made them something I longed for.  Sounds familiar, doesn't it? I thought to myself, shaking my head at myself knowingly. 

Of course it sounded familiar.  It was Troye's biggest impact on my life.

I smiled despite myself at the thought, wondering just how much color would be brought to my formerly monotone skies as I continued to spend time with him, when I arrived at my room to get dressed for dinner.