His eyes were brown, but they looked dead inside. His skin was pale and it looked like it his a thousand scars beneath his oversized clothing. The hand of a snake stayed in his back pocket or around his waist for the entire night, keeping him quiet, keeping him shackled.
"Brad, Ryan, This is Tristan." Con beamed, introducing me to the couple, Ryan cutting off Brad's hand as it went to reach for mine, the taller and blonder man shaking it first and firm. Brad gentler and more timid.
"Lovely to meet you." Brad smiled quietly "Con's told me all about you."
"All good things, I hope." I laughed a little, nervous around the extremely attractive man who was way out of my league.
"Of course." The brunet smiled gently before we were all lead to our table by a waitress, myself being seated opposite Brad.
We all ordered our respective meals and ate over small talk and the occasional politically inclined conversation, myself staying pretty quiet, along with Brad, who kept his lips tightly pursed whenever the topic of relationships came up between the two couples, I noticed him clenching his teeth when Con and James were saying how genuinely happy they were, before he forced out a smile and an in-genuine 'same'.
I quietly picked at my meal and ate what I felt like of it before everyone was done, we all payed a share of the bill and decided to head back to James' for a while (not that I had a choice in the matter, James was going to make me go to his whether I wanted to or not.)
"Does anyone want a cup of tea?" I offered after about twenty more uneventful minutes in James' living room. Everyone nodding, telling me how they liked it. I'd have done anything to be in the safety of my bed, I was so tired of hearing how happy the couples were, although Brad didn't have me fully convinced. His boyfriend had caught me staring at him a couple of time and that had earned me some filthy looks, to which I shrugged off, it wasn't like I was going to be in regular contact with this guy anyway.
"Let me take these in." Ryan smiled to me, making me jump as he appeared behind me, grabbing two mugs in one hand and one in the other before I could decline, leaving his own and mine, which I carried in.
I walked in to a room full of people thanking Ryan, as if he'd made the drinks, it annoyed me a little, I saw straight through his immediate manipulation. I've dealt with so many people like that before, hell, I was guilty of it, therefore I immediately clocked when someone else was pulling the typical moves a manipulative asshole would pull.
About three hours later, Brad and his boyfriend were saying their goodbyes, Ryan's hand firmly in Brad's back pocket as they arranged another friendly meeting like this soon.
"He's an asshole." I sighed, sitting on the now free couch that the other couple had vacated "He's more manipulative than I am."
"He's not that bad." James rolled his eyes "At least he's not convincing me to illegally buy you drugs."
"Medication." I corrected.
"Drugs." James retorted, this still being a touchy and controversial topic between the two of us. Neither believing the other's judgement.
"That's not the point. I think Brad's being hurt in some way." I pointed out casually, checking my phone for the first time in a few days.
"That's a strong statement you're masking." Con sighed "Honestly I think I just got a bad impression, he seems lovely now I've spoken to him properly."
"That's what he wants you to think." I shook my head "That's the point I'm trying to make."
"Nah, you're just jealous 'cause Brad's gorgeous and not banging You." James shook his head
"I mean, he is gorgeous." I nodded "His eyes...Wow." I sighed "But goddamnit I'd hate to see a boy like that get hurt."
"And he isn't." Con decided "As his best friend, funnily enough I know him better than you, and I think he's fine."
"You don't know the ins and outs of being a manipulative cunt." I argued "Literally, he's so obvious, Ryan is manipulating you to make you like him so you don't suspect anything. Trust me."
"I'm not going to trust anyone who won't shower or feed himself, thanks." Connor snapped, standing up before leaving the room.
"Well done Tris." James sighed "You've upset him."
"...I-I'm sorry." I sighed, looking at the floor "...I only wanted to help." I whispered but James hadn't stuck around to hear my explanation. I heard quiet muffling upstairs, James' voice raise slightly, Connor falling quiet.
I don't blame him, James angry is one scary thing, it feels like his words are picking you up and throwing you against the wall, taunting you and teasing you. They're as sharp as knives and you can feel every single one piercing your skin.
It doesn't help with the way his entire body takes over the anger, absorbing him. He goes rigid, ready to fight, even though subconsciously he knows you'd never dare. His face turns red, and his tone stays harsh.
And then he crashes down, guilt of everything he's said rushing over him like waves, he ends up pulling you into his arms, comforting you, apologising for everything he said. I can imagine that's what Connor is having done to him now, tears staining his pale cheeks.
James came back downstairs about twenty minutes later, picking up his car keys on his way into the living room.
"Come on." He smiled gently to me "We better get you home, Con wants you out."
"Fair enough." I sighed, getting up "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to upset him at all, I just thought I'd say something, you know?"
"Mhm." James hummed "It's fine, just don't mention it again."
"Noted." I sighed "...What's Brad's last name?" I asked as we got into the car.
"Simpson." James replied quietly, starting the car and driving me home.
YOU ARE READING
Knuckles // Tradley AU
Fanfic"I loved the boy that hated my guts" - The one where Tristan has no sense of purpose and no reason to leave his bedroom. Or The one where Brad feels worthless and can't bare to leave the man that's destroying him. (This is a re-write of a story I a...
