A/N: Hello again, dearies! This one isn't exactly a sequel to 'Fix You' or anything, because it's a little angstier than the previous one, and a little slashier than that one too (and I'm so proud of myself!), but I hope you guys enjoy it anyway!
I Need You Now
Jeremy Gilbert hurried down the stairs, cursing the person who was ringing the doorbell with the franticness of a person who was late for a very important date while wondering who the hell would be at his door at 1 in the morning.
Elena and Jenna were still out, he knew, and besides, they had their keys, they wouldn't have to ring the doorbell.
Which continued ringing.
"I'm coming, alright?" he snapped, finally reaching the door.
He yanked it open, and his scowl only deepened as he took in the figure standing there.
"I told you I'm done, Tyler," he said coldly.
But both he and Tyler Lockwood knew that Jeremy didn't mean what he said.
Without saying anything, Tyler came into the house, strutting into it as if it were his own.
Closing his eyes, clenching his teeth, trying to control his breathing, making sure he didn't break this time, Jeremy closed the door and slowly turned to face Tyler.
"What do you want?"
Tyler looked at Jeremy, his face not two inches away from the younger boy's. "What do you think?"
And he pushed Jeremy against the door, shutting him up by pressing his lips against Jeremy's in a kiss that was urgent and angry and immediate and needy all at the same time.
Jeremy was only half aware that he held out for all of two seconds before giving in.
"So what happened this time?" Jeremy asked, watching dully as Tyler picked out his clothes from the pile of their clothes on the floor.
"I don't want to talk about it," Tyler answered without really answering Jeremy's question.
"You never do." Jeremy looked down. "Shit happens at home, you come here for a screw and once you're done you leave."
Tyler ignored him, gritting his teeth, ticked off at how much the words affected him because they were true. Jeremy was his escape.
"Wasn't this what you wanted?" Tyler asked, flashing Jeremy a bitter smile. "Wasn't that how this whole thing started?" His smile grew into a smirk as he straightened, shirtless, staring at Jeremy. "Don't tell me you want more, Gilbert."
"Get out, Lockwood."
Tyler's expression hardened. He grabbed his shirt. Pulling it over his head, he left Jeremy's room.
Jeremy buried his head in his hands. He needed a drink. He needed something to stop himself from trembling the way he was.
Tyler had hit a nerve, but Jeremy wasn't sure why. Did he really want something more from Tyler Lockwood?
Yes, he did.
He gritted his teeth. No, he did not. He could not. He would not.
Jeremy sat on the couch, his head spinning from the painkillers he had taken earlier.
He stared at the door, waiting for it to open and for Tyler Lockwood to walk in, because he knew he would.
What time is it?
He glanced around, looking for a clock, then realized that in the dark he wouldn't be able to see what time it was anyway. He gave up, slumping back on the couch.
He continued staring at the door.
Why was he waiting for Tyler? Hadn't it been…last night…or the night before that...Jeremy really couldn't remember anything right now, but he knew that it was recently that he had told Tyler he was done with him, with…whatever they had going on now.
It wasn't a relationship.
It wasn't a friends-with-benefits thing. (They weren't friends.)
Jeremy didn't know what it was, but he knew he…enjoyed it. Tyler made him feel important, something he had stopped feeling once Anna had died.
Of course, once it was over, Tyler left without a word, and Jeremy was all alone again.
He still wished that he knew what it was that brought Tyler back to him again and again.
Jeremy frowned. Why wasn't Tyler here yet?
Then a voice inside his head spoke up.
He doesn't care for you. Why would he? You're just some toy he plays with when he needs to feel better about himself. He doesn't care about you, Jeremy, just like everyone –
SHUT UP.
Jeremy squeezed his eyes shut, fighting hard against the tears that fell anyway.
Stupid Tyler freaking Lockwood. Who the hell gave him the right to make Jeremy feel this way?
He stood up. He needed more painkillers.
It's all my fault. I should have known…
You couldn't have known. None of us could.
If anything happens to him…
How is he?
The doctors say he's stable…
Has he woken up?
What happened?
Elena, it's gonna be okay.
What if he doesn't…?
Tyler sat down on the chair that was placed next to Jeremy's hospital bed. Visiting hours were over, but doors were always open for the Mayor's son (even though Mayor Lockwood was dead and elections weren't for another week).
He studied Jeremy. In the dim hospital lights, he looked pale, washed out. If not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, Tyler would have doubted that he was alive. His dark hair was messy, strands of it plastered to his forehead and falling into his closed eyes, making him look paler than he was. Without thinking Tyler reached out and brushed his hair back.
The touch of his skin against Jeremy's startled him, and he pulled his hand back.
He watched Jeremy quietly for a while.
"Hey," he finally whispered. "I don't know if you can hear me, but it's worth a shot, right?" He realized he was nervous, and he gave a little laugh. He picked up Jeremy's hand, closing both his hands around it, as if by doing so Jeremy would hear him better. "I'm sorry, Jeremy. This is all my fault, isn't it? If…If I hadn't treated you like crap, maybe you wouldn't be here right now. I'm sorry, Jeremy. You…you deserve so much better." He awkwardly set Jeremy's hand back down on the bed. "When you get through this, I promise I'll be a better guy."
Tyler had half a mind to get up and leave, but another part of him wondered if maybe Jeremy would wake up now. If he did, then it'd be a scene straight out of those cheesy romance flicks that Vicki liked, he thought.
He watched Jeremy, waiting.
After a while he sighed. Jeremy wasn't waking up. Not tonight. He buried his head in his hands, feeling useless and disappointed and guilty and angry all at the same time.
Jenna…Elena...Stefan…Mr. Saltzman…
Jeremy noted these voices as he floated in and out of consciousness. They were all worried and upset, and Jeremy wondered whether they were worried about him.
Then Jeremy had heard a voice that he was not expecting at all, and he had forced himself to listen.
"Hey. I don't know if you can hear me, but it's worth a shot, right?"
It was Tyler's voice, he realized, and in his mind he frowned. He hadn't expected Tyler to be here.
As he began to feel his body again, he felt his hand lifted up and enclosed in two rough, slightly callused hands. He smiled in his mind at the familiar touch.
He listened to Tyler, every sentence surprising him more than the last. Tyler felt guilty, he realized. Tyler blamed himself.
Tyler cared more for him than he let on.
"When you get through this, I promise I'll be a better guy."
Jeremy lay there, still and unmoving, processing whatever he had just heard. He had to talk to Tyler before he left.
He slowly opened his eyes, squinting against the brightness of the fluorescent lights, until his eyes adjusted to them. Then he turned his head slowly to look at Tyler.
"Hey," he managed to rasp.
Tyler raised his head. "Jeremy?"
Jeremy frowned slightly as he tried to sit up. Tyler was immediately on his feet, helping Jeremy. Jeremy felt himself flush at Tyler's touch. His head was heavy and spinning, but he tried not to think about it.
"Water, please," he rasped, his throat dry.
Tyler poured him a glass of water and held it out to Jeremy, who took it with trembling hands, sipping it slowly.
Done, Jeremy handed Tyler the glass and watched as Tyler set it back down on the little table next to the bed.
Tyler rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "So you heard all that?" he asked, looking up at Jeremy.
Jeremy nodded. "It totally was your fault."
Tyler frowned. "Gee, thanks," he muttered sarcastically.
Jeremy smiled faintly. "I'm going to hold you to that promise, you know?"
Tyler nodded, a little smile on his face. "I'd expect nothing less."
The two boys looked at each other.
"The doctors have suggested you go for rehab," Tyler informed him. "Jenna and Elena are alright with it, but it'll ultimately be your call."
Jeremy nodded, looking down.
"If you go ahead with it, I'll be there for you."
"Thanks."
They fell into an awkward silence.
"I should go…"
Jeremy glanced at Tyler and shrugged in what he hoped was indifference. "I guess."
Tyler leaned forward and kissed Jeremy, but this time the kiss was tender, almost as if Tyler thought that Jeremy would break.
"Goodnight, Jeremy," he said softly.
Jeremy smiled back. "'Night, Ty."
-|end|-
Reviews are love, dearies!