Tyed

chapter five

"What?" Tyler assumed they were going to go to Colby's house, but it's whatever. He rattles off his address, and Colby puts the cigarette in his mouth for long enough to surprise Tyler by picking him up around the waist. For a moment, Tyler's flailing in the air, his sense of proprioception totally thrown off, before he realizes he's on his feet and he's fine. He's indignant about being so easily moved- he goes to the gym, he's almost 6 foot, there should be no way- but with all this weird attraction he's feeling to Colby, it should come as no surprise that he actually kind of enjoyed the strength that was just displayed.

"Follow me," Colby says, stubbing his cigarette out on an ashtray on the table. "I'm taking you home."

"Why're you saying it like that?" Tyler says, frowning. "I thought we were..."

Colby doesn't answer, and Tyler has to scramble to catch up to him heading down the stairs. He feels cold and rejected, and although it's not like he hasn't been rejected before, it's usually nicer than this. Tyler does follow him, though; he quickly unwraps the green ribbon and hides it in his pocket, just in case.

At the bottom of the stairs, Colby stops and waits for Tyler to come stand next to him. "Let's talk when we're out of here," he says, and Tyler takes that as encouragement. Tyler sees Lachlen speaking to someone at the bar and figures he'll be fine; he can just look him up on social media later to let him know what happened, if Lachlen wants to know. He follows Colby out, and as they hand their ribbons back to the girl at the front, Tyler receives a knowing look from her that he wishes he could respond to without being an asshole. He says nothing, though, and follows Colby out onto the empty street. Back on the façade of old buildings, empty of personality, the magic of the colours and lights almost fades, until Tyler recaptures it the moment he looks into Colby's eyes.

It's sudden and unexpected that Tyler finds himself pressed against the old bricks, and with a sharp breath he looks up and into eyes like a wolf's. "Let me make one thing clear," Colby whispers, low enough to send a shiver up Tyler's spine. His eyes search Tyler's like he desperately needs to find something. "I like you."

Tyler's dumbstruck, and it takes him a moment to answer. He spends that moment mesmerised by Colby's eyes. "Really?" is what comes out of his mouth, somehow sounding both disbelieving and insecure. Tyler wonders if he's ruined his chance by speaking so carelessly, and that keeps him from saying anything else stupid.

"Yeah," Colby breathes, stabilising Tyler's internal worrying. "I do."

"So where are we going?" Tyler asks, beginning to get impatient. His heart is racing, he can almost hear the blood rushing through his veins, and Colby's so close. When Tyler leans away from the wall, he pushes his chest out towards Colby, and breaks his gaze away for just long enough to glance at Colby's lips before looking back.

"No," Colby answers, not looking away from Tyler's face. He bites his lip as he considers, but ultimately the sentiment just comes out a little stronger. "No."

"What?" Tyler's brows furrow, the mixed signals becoming more and more tangled up in each other. Sure, he's drunk, but he's not sure he could make sense of this anyway. "What do you mean, you like me but no?"

Colby reaches up and takes Tyler's face between his hands. Tyler closes his eyes and just listens to the sound of Colby's voice. "We'll talk tomorrow," he says, each word soft and gorgeous. "But tonight there's just one thing I have to do."

"What?" Tyler whispers, opening his eyes for just a short moment before an overwhelming wave of feeling takes over him, a blossoming heat spreading over his body starting from his lips as Colby kisses him. It takes Tyler's breath away, drives his heart at a thousand miles an hour, every nerve exploding with energy. It's like they've just created an entire sun between them, with this kiss alone. As Colby's lips move against his, Tyler reaches and grasps at Colby's shirt, pulling him closer with an intense desperation that's unfamiliar and exciting to him. He needs every inch of his skin pressed against Colby's, as soon as possible. The desperation and magnetism causes a few clashes of teeth, a few bitten lips, but even so, Colby's a good kisser. Possibly not the best kisser, considering Tyler's lost count of how many people he's kissed, but there's no one else Tyler wishes he was kissing right now. There's something electric, a connection, two opposing sides of a magnet forcing themselves together. Something special, something that meant Tyler didn't much care what happened next. Nothing Colby could say would make him want him any less, Tyler decides in that moment.