My Darling Lies Over the Ocean (YouTubers AU)

8. Feeling safe in each other's arms really matters

"Attention!"

Tyler jolts up in bed from the blaring voice. The once pitch black room is illuminated by a red, emergency light. Moonlight flutters in from the open curtain of the balcony. Tyler feels like he hasn't slept at all.

"Please grab your life vest from beneath your bed. Secure them, as per the instructions. Then, calmly make your way to the deck of the boat."

Evan is awake, cowering in the comforter. He dives under the blanket, mess of red hair disappearing beneath the devout. He presses his hands to his ears as a blaring beep sounds three times, his thin arms shaking uncontrollably.

Tyler springs out of bed as the instructions are repeated. He sprints to their suitcases, knocking them over and nearly ripping the zipper open. He grabs a mess of clothes for himself. Yanking boxers up his legs, his shaky fingers button up his shirt before he pulls up a pair of pants. He grabs an assortment of clothes for Evan as well, tossing them onto the bed.

He drops down to his knees, frantically pawing beneath the bed until his fingers find the slick material. He yanks two from the dark confines, jumping to his feet to find a shaking lump still under the blankets.

"Evan, sweetie," Tyler calls gently, the edge of urgency beneath his deep voice. "We have to go now. Come on, honey. I'll put your life vest on."

A pair of hazel eyes appear from the covers, full of tears and terror. Tyler attempts a small smile, anxiety raising in his throat, almost panicking to when seeing Evans's chest is still bare. He offers his hand to Evan, who takes it immediately.

Tyler helps him out of bed, tight muscles forcing him to be mindful of his strength. The little redhead burrows into his chest, quaking marching Tyler's racing heartbeat. His naked skin catches the cold night air, creating goosebumps on his trembling form.

Tyler gently takes Evan's chin, lifting his face to gently catch his lips. The smaller man sighs contently, sliding his lips with Tyler's, before a repeat of the warning forces them to break apart.

"We're going to be okay, okay?" Tyler assures gently, pecking his husband's button nose.

Evan nods slowly, gulping but trusting his husband.

Tyler pulls Evan's clothes from the bed. Still lost in the shake of fear and daze of sleep, Evan allows the brunette to dress him, lifting his arms to slide the shirt over his head. Evan sets his hands on Tyler's broad shoulders, stepping into his underwear and then his shorts. The older slides them up, buttoning the pants.

Evan dressed, Tyler crouches quickly to grab the first life vest, trying to put it over his husband's head. Evan jumps back, shaking his head frantically. His eyes as big as dinner plates, he stares at the orange flotation device like it's a death trap.

"Come on, Ev," Tyler presses, more frantic as time passes.

"I can't, Ty," Evan quivers, tears returning to his eyes. "It'll give me a panic attack. I can't have anything right around my neck. Please, don't make me put it on."

Tyler takes on a second to consider, making a snap decision when the warning seems to blare louder. "I won't fasten it, okay? But you have to put it over your head. Please, sweetie? Please?"

Evan swallows hard, eyes flashing across the vest in Tyler's hands. He nods, stiff, allowing Tyler to slip the orange flotation device around his neck. Even without it tight around his neck, he can feel his breathe flattering. He forces himself to take deep breaths, lungs tight and burning.

Tyler slides his own life vest over his head, not fastening his either, before grabbing Evan's small hand. Left hand clasped around a pale right, they race to the door, Tyler jerking it open.

The hallway is a mess of frantic couples, running arm and arm. It's a mess of panicked footsteps and distraught screams of those swept away in the current of terrified passengers. The bright lights of the hallway are flickering erratically, the chaos only amplified when the corridor goes dark.

Tyler squeezes Evan's thin hand, chest constricting as he prepares to run into the absolutely chaos. The small redhead is pressed against Tyler's back, trembling uncontrollably as he waits for his husband to lead them.

Tyler waits for a small gap in the sea of panic. He steps out without warning, knowing Evan could not hear him. His pace is an immediate jog to keep up with the flow of the crowd. Evan's short legs are stumbling into a run, hand a vice on Tyler's in a desperate attempt to stay together.

The swarm spews into a stairwell, trampling down flight after flight of stairs to find the main deck. There's too much confusion to read the floor numbers as they pass in an utter blur. The crowd bends when it crashes into others running up from the lower decks, both sides fighting to push out of the door.

Tyler can feel Evan's grasp fading, his hand slipping until the larger hand is only gripping his short fingers. He curses himself for not grabbing his husband's arm instead, but for read of being trampled, has no time to correct the mistake. He pray Evan can stay with him a bit longer as they slip out of the stairwell.

The line divides into two, the pace never showing despite the presence of choice. They filter towards separate ends of the boat, though Tyler has no choice in the matter. The rift of passengers he is swept in stomp through the buffet area, towards the back of the boat.

The hallway divides again, slipping right and left. A crew member in a bright red shirt, the first Tyler had seen, shouts over the commotion. Attempting to direct the roaring crowd, the man's voice is completely lost. The ocean divides by the choice of no man. Rather, the collective panic pushes people in whichever direction their peers run.

Tyler's eyes flash left and right, too close to the middle to trust the current. Evan's fingertips are pressed on Tyler's palm, the brunette's long fingers still clasped around them.

Tyler dives right, swept with a flow. He feels his husband's warm touch for only a step, his palm suddenly going cold. His heart lurches, whipping around fast enough to smash shoulders with people around him. He can just just barely catch sight of the bright red hair lost in the current of panicked people.

"Evan!" Tyler scream, deep voice reaching across the hallway. His blue eyes catch with terrified, tear-filled hazel, the man too small to push back against the thud of those around him.

Tyler shoulders past those rushing towards him, eyes locked onto the fiery red hair. He can only take a few steps before his gaze is blocked by a red shirt by a tall, broad shouldered man. The crew member at the junctions still shouting in vain as the second one shoves a hand into Tyler's chest.

"Sir, please make your way to the deck," the man demands, finger snapping towards the deck.

"That's my husband!" Tyler demands, motioning across the current. His eyes are searching desperately for the pale man. His lung constrict, Tyler finally understanding why Evan hates having things around his neck.

"Please make your way to the deck, sir," the man repeats. "Please do not make me call security."

Tyler can feel himself getting pushed back as the current quicken, shoulders smashing with those shoving past. His eyes flicker across the mass Evan was once in, but he can't find him anymore. Heart beat hard and fast, he twists away from the restricting hand on his chest, shouldering past him.

"Sir!" the worker calls, but it's too late.

Tyler is shoving past those rushing towards him. The crew member grabs Tyler by the shoulder, jerking him back. It's enough to knock him off balance, allowing the man to twist an arm behind Tyler's back. Though it's making more commotion than if he was left to fight the current, the crew member forces Tyler with the direction of the feet around him.

"Let me go!" Tyler growls, shove forward by the grip on his arm and another on his shoulders.

"Please, don't make a scene, sir," the man hisses, leading them both out to the deck.

Tyler cranks his neck back, and he things he seems a flash of red hair or a glimmer of hazel eyes. He can't be sure as he stumbles forward, towards the cold night air.