Ruin Us (Troyler AU)

Beginnings

A/N: Hey there! I've been tweaking this chapter for a while now, and it still feels kind of forced and choppy in places to me, but hopefully y'all still enjoy it. Exposition, man, it's rough. Please let me know what you think! I'm really excited about this story! It's been quite some time since I've attempted a multi chapter fic. 

February 2013

I glanced down at my wrist for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. 00 days 00 hours 03 minutes 10 seconds. People were buzzing in every direction around me and I wondered yet again if I should just leave and wait to meet Tyler some other time. Meeting my soul mate should take precedent over everything, right? It should be magical, full of fireworks and prolonged eye contact and nervous smiles. It shouldn’t be on a stage at Playlist Live while I’m fanboying over some other man. And, for that matter, how was I supposed to fully enjoy meeting my YouTube role model and guardian angel if halfway through talking to him my timer went off? The timing of this whole thing was way too inconvenient.

I was getting closer, I could see Tyler’s shock of blonde hair clearly through the mass of people milling around the stage. I could hear him speaking to someone else and slowed down, not wanting to interrupt. My stomach soared into my throat as it occurred to me how close I was to speaking to him, hugging him, hearing his laugh first hand. I supposed leaving now wouldn’t make much sense. There wasn’t a point in putting my life on hold for an event that would happen regardless.

02 minutes 15 seconds. My heart sounded like a jackhammer where it clumsily thudded around my chest. My timer had been counting down from the time it had been installed on my wrist three years ago, and over those three years I had envisioned this moment countless different ways. First, of course, I’d had to reconcile myself with the fact that the person whose timer would go off with mine would not be a woman. After that I had pictured a million different men, trying to imagine a face that could make me entirely content to never date another person. It was strange. I had always thought I would have more experience by the time I approached this moment. But here I was, a gay 17 year old who had never dated anyone and had only kissed three people, two of whom were girls. And here was the moment.

01 minute 37 seconds. If I had been more focused I would be able to hear every word Tyler was saying now. He was speaking to a tall, professional looking woman about something seemingly important, but that was all the information I bothered to gather. I scanned the crowd quickly, looking for likely suspects. Mostly the people on the stage were other YouTubers and people working the event, wearing black tech shirts. I didn’t see any boys who seemed close to my age. 

28 seconds. I wasn’t entirely sure I was still breathing. The woman speaking to Tyler shook his hand firmly; their conversation seemed to be coming to a close. I looked around me again, wondering if this boy was going to drop from the ceiling or something. As they said their polite and professional goodbyes I sidled closer to Tyler, hoping he would notice me of his own accord. 10 seconds. I couldn’t keep my eyes off of my wrist anymore, watching as the numbers ticked away, both impossibly slow and way too fast.

05. The woman walked away. 03. I saw Tyler turn towards me out of the corner of my eye. 01.

“Hi, can I help-” I looked up at the sound Tyler’s bouncy voice and our eyes met. Beepbeepbeep Beepbeepbeep Beepbeepbeep. Tyler froze mid-greeting, mouth open, eyes wide. “Oh,” he breathed quietly, finally closing his mouth.  I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. It was only when my lungs started screaming for air that I remembered to inhale. How does one react to finding out their idol and mentor is also their soul mate? Well if one is me, they stand rooted to the spot with what is probably a fairly unattractive look of shock on their face, apparently.