Ruin Us (Troyler AU)

Stranger Things

A/N: I'm baaaaack! I can't believe the wonderful response I've been getting. It might not seem like much to some people, but to me 226 reads is pretty crazy and I'm so thankful. You are all amazing and I'm super glad that you're enjoying this story. I'm certainly having a blast writing it.

I'm actually really excited about this chapter. It turned out better than I expected. I would love to hear what y'all think about it, so any comments (positive or otherwise) would be much appreciated. As far as warnings go, sex is mentioned like twice in passing, but that's about it.

Finally, this chapter is dedicated to samsiobhan. She is a super talented writer, and even more awesomely she takes writing (and getting better at it) seriously, which is one of my favorite things to see in a fanfiction writer. You should definitely check her out if you haven't. Anyway, enjoy! <3

The door opened quickly and Tyler’s flushed face appeared behind it, visibly brightening at the sight of me. “Hey!” he grinned, drawing out the y in a way that positively screamed Tyler. He stepped out of the way to let me in and I smiled back.

“Hey, long time no see,” I teased. Tyler laughed and winked saucily before striding further into the room, giving me a second to take in my surroundings. Everything was carefully organized- a blazer hanging crisply in the closet, a suitcase full of neatly folded clothes at the foot of his bed, his laptop and phone charging side by side on the bedside table. I wondered briefly if this was his natural state or if he had tidied before inviting me over.

“Want some Doritos?” he asked, gesturing in the direction of an open bag resting on his bed beside a pattern of wrinkles that suggested he had been lying there moments before. “Some of my people gave them to me. They know their queen.” He put a hand to his chest, feigning strong emotion, and I laughed.

“I’m okay.” I was suddenly very aware of how heavy and useless my hands were, hanging limply at my sides, and shoved them into my back pockets roughly. Tyler bit his lip. He seemed to be studying me. I tried to hold his gaze, but failed epically and instead dropped my eyes to the white-carpeted floor.

“So, selfie time?” Tyler’s bouncy voice broke the silence like a cracking fire, and my eyes snapped back up to his. It was then that I realized that it was very hard to look at him without smiling.

“Yeah, let’s do it.” I stepped towards him as he pulled out his phone. The following process took longer than expected, involving lots of ugly faces, ruffling of hair, and merciless teasing. Something in the atmosphere felt softer when we had a task to perform. The air became easier to bend into conversation, and my mind didn’t wander to strange questions of forever and it’s relationship to right now. But when a satisfactory selfie had been captured and we were sat on the edge of his bed with no remaining distraction I inhaled and the air felt sharp. The world had come into focus and everything was real again. Too real.

Tyler laid back and I felt the mattress shift a little under his weight. I chewed on a peeling bit of skin by my thumbnail and wondered what kissing him would be like. I guessed I would find out soon.

“Troye?” His voice was softer than I’d ever heard it, and I turned, confused. There was a strange sort of determination in his eyes. I wondered where the alcohol he’d consumed earlier had gone. “I don’t think we should… I mean- Um.” He faltered, looking a little lost. He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and left them there as he spoke again, this time quickly, as though trying to get the words out with as little breath as possible. “I don’t know what you came here expecting but I want you to know I didn’t invite you with the intention of having sex with you and I really don’t think we should have sex yet. We should really just take things slow because I mean you’re hot as hell but you’re what? Like eighteen?”