Troyler AU - Uncuff Me

twelve

Tyler took a long drag of air before he stepped forward and gave the dark mahogany door a firm push. The bell tinkled above his head and the sudden burst of warm air hit his face and quickly enveloped him. It was almost close to eleven, two patrons passed him and left through the door he had just came in, and the pub was noticeably less swarmed than it would be during happy hour. He looked around in search of a familiar face, then made his way over when he spotted the blonde seated at their usual place at the bar, the pint in hand already half empty.

Tyler made himself known as he sat on the stool by the bar. "Hey."

"Hey, mate. Got here alright?"

"Yeah. The weather's a bit chilly, but that's yesterday's news."

"Hah! Don't be such a sissy. Come on. Let's get a pint in you and you'll warm up in no time." Marcus said as he waved down the bartender and ordered a pint of beer and two shots of tequila. They both sat quietly until the bartender returned with their drinks. Marcus pushed the beer and a shot of tequila towards Tyler before grabbing the other shot and raised it, tilted his chin towards Tyler and motioning for him to do the same. Tyler did so and Marcus clinked their shot glasses together and downed them in a big gulp.

"So, what's up?" Marcus asked as he sucked the sliced lime, his eyes squinting from the sourness of the lime and the burn from the tequila.

"Nothing. Just felt like coming out for a drink." Tyler answered as he sprinkled the salt on the lime before he popped it in his mouth. He knew Marcus would never buy into the reason he'd just told, for he has never 'felt like a drink' and especially not on a Wednesday night. But for some reason, Marcus didn't comment on that and just let the silence stretched on. At times like these, he was ever grateful that Marcus knew him well enough to catch up on his mood, even without him needing to say much. 

Tyler continued to sip on his beer while Marcus did the same, both basking in the comfort of the low murmurs in the pub until Tyler let out an eminent sigh.

Marcus crooked his eyebrows as he watched Tyler fidgeting in his seat like he has a thousand fire ants up in his pants. "This is about Troye, isn't it?" He finally asked.

Tyler nodded as his fingers played with the tattered corner of the coaster under his pint. "Marcus, I think I'm fucked."

Marcus was about halfway bringing his pint to his mouth when Tyler spoke. His hand stopped mid-air as he looked at Tyler, an array of expressions flew by his face; shock, distraught, empathy, and then supportive. "Oh, Tyler. I'm so sorry to hear that. I must say, I thought it wouldn't come to this, mate. I mean, I know you would have taken every precaution there is and I understand, sometimes when emotions run high, inhibitions run low, and accidents do happen. But yeah, I'm sure we can figure this out. We will figure this out, together. I'm gonna be with you every step of the way if you need me to, mate. There's medicine for it now, right? I mean-"

"Wait, hold up. Back pedal a little bit. Medicine? Jesus, Marcus. You think that Troye and I- that we're-..." Tyler asked, disbelief painted his face.

"Well, yeah. That's what you're trying to tell me, right? Wait. You're not?"

"Fucking hell. Of course not. Do we look like some kind of idiots that would put our health to risk? We've taken every precaution that's needed and we've had our monthly checkups since we've started seeing each other and they always come back clean, alright? Holy shit, Marcus. How in the hell did you come to that assumption?"

"Phew, okay. I'm glad that you and Troye are all good in that regard." Mascus said while Tyler shot him a death stare. "Hey, hey.. to be fair, you've been extremely cryptic as shit recently, you brood more than you usually would and you looked like you haven't slept in days. And then you asked me out for a drink and looked like you're about to hurl, what am I suppose to think, mate? You could have been less cryptic and be more specific when you said, and I quote, 'I'm fucked'."