Title: 40
Author: Dark-Dreymer
Pairing: Tommy/Merton
Rating: PG
Summary: An alternate take on the episode 'What's Vlud got to do with it?'
Disclaimer: Do not own the characters or the show, if I did things would've been… well basically this
Comments: Are greatly appreciated. I'm fairly new to this fandom but not to fanfic, I can take criticism and it'll help me get better, so be brutal and be honest. Thanks :)
When Merton stepped up to the podium and started whispering to Lori Tommy had only one train of thought running through his head: 'Oh for the love of God Merton, please don't!' But whatever higher powers were listening apparently decided to not respond, probably too caught up in the train wreck of watching Merton try to sell himself to a crowd of uninterested women. He could vaguely hear Lori reading a series of ridiculous lies about Merton in a less than enthusiastic tone, but mostly his senses were diminished by shared embarrassment for his friend.
"I'm going to start the bidding at one dollar." Tommy winced at Lori's words and the broken look that crossed Merton's face when nobody responded.
"Since all proceeds do go to charity I would be willing to pay five dollars." Merton dug a crumpled looking note out of his pocket, as nobody continued to respond Merton continued to dig around in his pockets for any money he had on him, "I will go out of pocket as much as 30 dollars…"
"40 dollars." As if possessed by some unknown force Tommy found himself throwing a hand in the air. As every head swiveled to look at him Tommy could hear Lori rambling off some line about it being an auction that only women could bid at, "Nobody else wants to bid?" Tommy looked at the staring mass of young women, "Then why can't I bid?"
"You already have a date Tommy." Lori informed him.
"40 dollars." Tommy repeated looking over at Merton and finding that his friend was looking steadfastly at the floor, "I'll pay 40 dollars to take Merton Dingle on a date." The banging of Lori's gavel made it official, but no less terrifying.
"Thanks for bailing me out Tommy, I made a right idiot of myself today." Merton was clearly trying to sound cheerful but his slumped posture and the miserable way he was swirling the straw in his glass of lime soda betrayed his true feelings.
"Come on man, you'd do the same for me right?" Tommy tried to inject some cheer into his friend with a friendly half-hug.
"I can't exactly see a room full of girls rejecting you." Merton muttered with venom.
"I don't know, if I wolfed-out on the runway I'd probably have been stuck with the one who was least hurt in the stampede to get away." Tommy was glad to see the flicker of a grin that joke brought out on Merton.
"Hello Tommy." A voice behind Tommy made him turn and he found himself face-to-face with the girl who'd bid on him earlier, "I'm Tristan."
"Tristan, hi." Tommy smiled, "This is my friend Merton." The jock waved a hand at Merton who was blowing bubbles in his lime soda, his chin resting in his hands.
"I remember from earlier." Tristan said, "Some of the girls thought it was strange of you, but I think it was sweet that you helped out your friend." Tommy couldn't help but smile at the compliment, and Tristan smiled back with a slight nervous giggle asking Tommy if he'd like to dance.
"Do you mind?" Tommy asked Merton, the Goth simply waved a hand towards the dance floor.
Conscious of leaving Merton on his own Tommy only danced with Tristan for a few songs before asking her if she'd like a drink, the resulting five minutes of sitting with Merton passed painfully slowly with the Goth hardly speaking a word no matter how hard Tommy tried to include him in the conversation. Eventually Tommy was dragged back onto the dance floor, and despite keeping a close eye on the table somewhere between the end of some S Club track and the start of the Macarena Merton managed to slip away.
"Tristan, don't go anywhere I'll be right back." Tommy told his date, slipping out of her grasp and making his way towards the exit. Outside he caught a glimpse of Merton walking into an alleyway and rushed to catch up with him, "Merton, buddy wait up."
Merton stopped short and turned back to look, sighing and turning to face Tommy when he realized who it was; his hands tucked into his coat pockets and his whole posture one of misery.
"Why did you leave?" Tommy asked simply when he had caught up.
"Look Tommy I appreciate your help earlier, but having to sit by myself while you're on a date… I think leaving me to my embarrassment might have been more merciful." Merton's gaze remained fixed on the ground, one foot stubbing the concrete aggressively.
"Merton don't worry about those girls, they don't know anything about you, some day you'll find a girl who…"
"Don't give me the 'some day' speech!" The Goth cut in, "I get that one enough from my parents. Why can't today be some day?"
"Merton." Tommy grasped his friend's shoulders and shook him slightly to break him out of his misery, "You are a really great guy and if they can't see it it's there loss. I know you, I know you're clever, funny, witty, loyal and even if you don't want to admit it you're fragile." Merton's eyes glistened slightly with unshed tears as he looked up at Tommy, "…and you have great hair." Tommy ran one hand through the rebellious spikes affectionately as Merton shook slightly with quiet laughter.
Just like when he'd bid for a date with Merton, Tommy found himself directed by some force he didn't entirely understand and suddenly he was leaning down to capture Merton's lips with his own. Merton gasped in surprise, and for a split-second Tommy worried that he was about to be pushed away, but then Merton opened himself to Tommy's advances and let a peculiar little noise from the back of his throat reverberate between them. Tommy tasted lime soda and mint and some new taste he couldn't pin down to anything else he'd ever experienced, but he knew he'd never get enough of it, his lips gliding against his friend's in a way that spoke of more passion than experience but was nonetheless very enjoyable. When they broke apart at last Tommy found his forehead resting against Merton's, his hands still holding Merton's shoulders; silence, except for the ragged gasps of them both, filled the air for what seemed like a very long time before Merton finally spoke. "That kiss cost you forty dollars." Tommy chuckled, Merton so close to him that he could probably feel the vibrations in his chest, "Was it worth it?"
"Every penny." Tommy stated pressing a kiss to Merton's forehead and stepping back, "I need to go tell Tristan I'm leaving…" The jock indicated over his shoulder, back in the direction of The Factory, "But then could I maybe walk you home?"
"Yeah sure." Merton nodded and watched Tommy jog off, fingers pressed to his still tingling lips and a feeling of complete bliss washing over him.