Ruin Us (Troyler AU)

Promises, Spoken and Otherwise

A/N: Hey guys! So after publishing the last chapter I realized that I kind of screwed it up and it didn’t accomplish what I wanted it to at all. I considered trying to rewrite, but I’ve decided just to press on and hope y’all won’t mind too much. This chapter is sort of the start of the actual story, and everything thus far has been more of an introduction I guess? The last chapter was intended to fill the gap between them meeting and the action of the story and establish what the mood between them has been like, but I got too caught up in the night in question and wasn’t nearly broad enough. Ah well, I’ll just have to learn from my mistakes I guess. I’m not much of a prose writer, and sometimes it definitely shows. :P 

Anyway, I would really like to take a minute to thank all of you who have been reading, voting, and most of all commenting. It seriously means so much to me. Reading your comments always makes me smile and squeal and act ridiculous, especially the really lovely and detailed ones. I love to hear what you think and to know that you are enjoying what I’ve written thus far (though I would by no means be opposed to hearing criticism as well, provided it is constructive). Believe me when I say I probably wouldn’t have gotten this far if it wasn’t for all of your incredibly kind words. <3

This chapter is dedicated to roromir. I found her fic Tyler Oakley is a lady, or Kisses on Camera before I had a Wattpad account and fell in love with her writing. She publishes lots of incredibly cute oneshots, which I definitely think everyone should check out because they make me melt.

And finally, before this author’s note gets to be longer than this chapter, warning-wise I think the only “inappropriate” thing in this is Tyler swearing like a sailor. It’s mostly just a lot of adorable. Enjoy! And please please please let me know what you think!            

February 2014

“So we have one minute until we all donate! Are you guys ready? We’re all gonna push donate at the exact same minute- this is the last one minute donation.” Tyler’s voice held the same familiar upbeat bounce that he used in his videos, but the nervous excitement vibrating through him was almost tangible, even through the grainy livestream webcam. I was sitting cross-legged in my hotel bed, skinny jeans on, shirtless, a toothbrush hanging limply from my mouth. I had been trying to get ready while watching the livestream, but ultimately the intensity of the moment had caught me. I needed to be fully engaged when Tyler finally reached the goal of $500,000 that had seemed so impossible.

“3… 2… 1… Okay, donate!” I pressed the donate button, sending in my last $25 offering to the cause, watching as Tyler half-heartedly attempted to remain some semblance of collected. The energy of the moment coursed through my body and it was impossible to sit still. I got up quickly, running to the bathroom to spit out the toothpaste in my mouth and rinse my toothbrush. I could hear Tyler’s slightly distorted voice in the other room.

“I’m not gonna refresh yet. I’m reeeally nervous I’m really nervous I’m really nervous I’m really nervous.” I darted back into the room, not bothering to sit down. This was it.

I refreshed the campaign page a moment before Tyler did, an excited squeal leaving my mouth at the sight of the bold number there. $500,055. I quickly clicked back to the tab with Tyler’s livestream, watching as he let out an incoherent shriek and fell back onto his couch. He was so flipping cute. And he’d done it. He’d actually done it.

I didn’t know what to do with myself. I sent Tyler a congratulations text and finished getting ready in a daze, still listening to his voice as he tried to process what had happened. He seemed minutes away from tears and it occurred to me that I’d never seen him cry. We had known each other for over a year now, and I had never even seen him come close to that level of vulnerability. There was no question in my mind that I needed to be with him as soon as possible, though there could be some debate over whether that was for his sake or mine.