Us, Servants to the Moon – Chapter 1
Author's Note: I always suspected there was something going on between Jeremy and Tyler, but the last episode totally got me hooked! Now here's my attempt at getting them together. This is only the first chapter, so if you like the story, I'll continue!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of this story.
It was lunch break and Jeremy Gilbert was sitting on the ground with his back against the cold and decrepit wall of the school building, all by himself. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand.
The schoolyard in front of him was filled with people. Some of them were eating, some of them were talking, some of them were laughing. He couldn't care less. They were just random faces to him. Actually, it had been a while since the last time he cared. Until last night.
From afar he could see his sister Elena and her friend Bonnie among the crowd. Even they were enjoying themselves between classes. There was no one who could know about his misery. No one. Except one.
"Well, it's no surprise," a red-haired girl said with a grin, "for someone who lives in such a fancy mansion."
"No, it's actually kinda old," Tyler replied. "We already had two pipe bursts this year. But it was a nice experience, too. I didn't have to leave my room when I wanted to take a bath."
The group started laughing and Tyler laughed with them. It was a good feeling. It helped him blowing the cobwebs away. For today, he just wanted to forget. To tell himself that everything had just been a dream. A weird, sick dream.
Still, he knew Jeremy Gilbert was sitting over there, watching him. He avoided looking back at him.
Tyler had a lot of friends, Jeremy knew. He was surrounded by them right now, laughing and joking around, as if this was just an ordinary day.
It wasn't. Jeremy opened the bottle in his hands and swallowed some of the water. Yes, water. It had been a while since this bottle had last been filled with pure water. He liked the taste of it, today. It was smooth and boring.
The bell rang and Tyler and his friends turned around to return to their classroom. His eyes rested on Jeremy for a second, but then he looked away and took up talking to his friends again.
It didn't hurt Jeremy. Not at all. In fact, he was happy about it. It took his mind off so many questions that were burning inside his chest.
No, he still couldn't understand. That person last night, it hadn't been him. It couldn't have been. He had rung Tyler's doorbell being himself, and hours later stormed out through that same door being someone else.
"Gilbert." Tyler's face appeared as the door was opened. "Come in."
Jeremy entered and followed Tyler into some long corridor. A few doors were ajar; one of them was leading to Mayor Lockwood's former study.
"I'm kinda surprised you came," Tyler said over his shoulder.
Jeremy didn't look back at him, because he was distracted once again by all that old, valuable furniture. "I'm surprised you didn't think I would come," he countered.
Tyler didn't reply. Instead he opened one of the doors and led Jeremy into a large living room.
Jeremy noticed that it was not the same room he and Tyler had talked in two days ago, before being interrupted by those girls, Aimee and Sarah. This room seemed to be a place to welcome guests. It was just as fancy as the entire house. An expensive carpet on the floor, dark and heavy furniture all around. The fireplace had been lit, emitting an unsteady, flickering light.
"You can sit down over here," Tyler said, pointing at the couch in the middle of the room, while he was walking over to the cupboard to take out two glasses and a bottle.
Jeremy put the bag he had brought along with him down. It contained his sketchbook, even though Tyler had already seen it. Right now, he didn't even know why he had brought it along in the first place, so he decided to just leave it where it was.
Tyler sat down next to him and put the glasses on the table. "You like some?"
The bell rang a second time and ended Jeremy's thoughts almost painfully abrupt. It was not until now that he realized that his mind had started to go through last night's events once again, like it had already done thousands of times before. He didn't want to think about it anymore, but at the same time, it was what kept him going.
Eventually he put his bottle into his bag, stood up and walked back to his classroom.
It was math class and the teacher was writing seemingly random numbers on the blackboard. Tyler copied them without even thinking. His mind was somewhere else, living over and over again what he couldn't understand. The classroom was entirely quiet and his friends weren't able to distract him from his thoughts anymore. So in his head he went back to the living room of his home once again, trying to find clues that could help him understand. But there weren't. It had all started so naturally.
"And you say the curse is triggered by killing someone?" Jeremy clutched the glass with both his hands, taking a nib from time to time.
Tyler was sitting sideways on the couch with his right arm on the backrest, facing Jeremy. "I told you, it doesn't seem to matter if it's killing someone willingly or if it's just an accident. When Sarah was falling down the stairs and I…" He shook his head as if to wipe a bad memory off his mind. "You can't imagine how relieved I was when she opened her eyes."
"So you don't want the curse to be triggered?"
Tyler shifted slightly. "I thought I wanted it to. I kept getting on my uncle's nerves with this all the time and now… I really don't know. I mean, it could happen anytime anyway, right? Accidents do happen."
Jeremy nodded slightly.
"But I really don't wanna hurt anyone, you know? I mean, I couldn't. I couldn't murder someone. And still, it lures me somehow. It's like it's already in my genes. Like a destiny my family is supposed to fulfill. I know they call it a curse, but I still wish for it somehow." He looked back at Jeremy and there was something in the other boy's eyes that made him feel as if he understood him completely.
"Believe it or not," Jeremy replied. "But I know exactly how you feel."
"How's that?" Tyler asked with honest curiosity.
"Well," Jeremy looked up at him with hesitating eyes. "I also wanted something in the past others' might think of as a curse."
"Hm," Tyler took the bottle and filled his own glass once again. He let go of the topic, because he obviously thought Jeremy was talking about drugs; and Jeremy was relieved about that. Even though Tyler had entrusted him with his secret, Jeremy didn't know if he was ready to tell him his own.
After school Jeremy saw Tyler and his friends driving away in Mayor Lockwood's car. This time, he was sure, Tyler honestly hadn't noticed him. He wondered what it would be like if they suddenly met each other by chance. Would they greet each other? Would they keep ignoring each other? He couldn't tell, right now. Maybe it would be best for both of them to let the dust settle on this whole thing, before doing anything rash. He needed more time to find an explanation for what had happened.
"Jeremy." It was Bonnie who was suddenly standing next to him. "Are you waiting for Elena?"
"Uhm…" Jeremy was taken by surprise. "Yeah, yeah, actually I am."
"She already left with Stephan, sorry." Bonnie was giving him her 'it's a pity' smile. "I can drive you home if you want me to."
"No, thanks," Jeremy struggled not to be snippy. "I'm fine."
For a moment she looked at him as if she was about to ask him if something was wrong, but then she smiled and turned away. "Alright. I'll see you."
"I'll see you, Tyler."
"Sure." Tyler waited until his friends had left, then he parked his father's car in the garage. His mother wasn't home yet, he knew, so he entered the house and went to the kitchen to grab something to eat. He wasn't feeling very well somehow, so a quick snack would do, he decided. When he walked back to his room, the door to the living room was ajar. He forced himself to ignore it and simply walk on, but something made him stop. He gently pushed the door open, as if it was forbidden to do so, and took a peek inside.
The fireplace was dark and the room was cold. However, the two glasses were still standing on the table, just like they were last night.
Tyler's eyes stopped at the couch. For a second something inside him stirred and the memory started to get vivid again.
The hours flew by and the first time Tyler took a look at the clock he realized that it was already way past midnight. He could have never imagined spending such a good time with Jeremy Gilbert of all people. But everything they had talked about had seemed to flow so naturally, and he realized that he had learned a lot about Jeremy he hadn't known before. They also had quite a few things in common, like sketching and drawing and mountain biking.
Tyler realized that he was feeling quite comfortable at this very moment, while Jeremy was talking something about techno music, Tyler didn't quite understand. He noticed a funny feeling around his stomach and started wondering if maybe he had drunken a bit too much tonight. However, it was a good feeling and he started laughing quietly for no reason.
"What's wrong?" Jeremy paused immediately and looked at Tyler almost reproachful. "Am I boring you?"
"Not at all." Tyler found it hard to stop laughing. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me." He tried to look serious again. "Please go on."
"Okay. So what I don't like about techno…" He looked back at Tyler. "I think you had too much booze tonight."
"I think you had too much, too, Gilbert," Tyler replied quickly. "Look at your nose, it is glowing like in one of those cartoons."
He had had too much last night, Jeremy admitted. Maybe that was the explanation he was looking for. Noisily he shut the door to his room and lay back on his bed. It simply had to be. Alcohol makes you do strange things. And still, it seemed too easy, too trivial. It might be able to explain some of it, but not this warm, comfortable and absolutely clear feeling he, even now, remembered so well.
Even though he knew he shouldn't, Jeremy closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, as if it allowed him to soak up all those unfamiliar, but pleasurable sensations once again.
"No, my nose is not glowing." Jeremy shook his head vehemently. "Stop talking shullbit. Bullshit."
"Shullbit, right," Tyler cracked up. "You had too much."
Maybe Tyler was right, Jeremy thought quietly, but it somehow didn't matter. He was feeling really good and it was a feeling that was different from being drunk. It was the feeling of having a really great time in a place and with a person you hadn't expected. "So what I was talking about, techno," he started once again, "the thing about it is…" He babbled a few more sentences and Tyler was nodding his head attentively, although something seemed to distract his mind and when he looked at Tyler, who was still listening to his drivel, he realized that he had no idea what he was actually talking about. Still, he continued and suddenly something inside him realized how warm the air in this room had already gotten. Cozily warm. It must be because of the fireplace, Jeremy thought while babbling on, it probably emits more warmth than an ordinary heater. The flames' unsteady light filled the room with a dark red, warm glow. He would tell Jenna to get one of those, too, were his last thoughts before Tyler Lockwood's lips touched his own.
It felt awkward, yet at the same time rebellious and passionate. Tyler's lips were as warm as the air around them and Jeremy didn't even think of pushing him away. The kiss felt good, in a strange, unfamiliar way. It was somehow the logical consequence of this enjoyable evening, as if to seal the newly forged bond between two people who had more in common than they had initially thought.
Jeremy could feel a prickle running down his spine. All doubts, all rationality was wiped away for this one moment. He closed his eyes, giving in to this warming sensation, and shifted on the couch, using his weight to push back against Tyler.
Tyler felt Jeremy starting to kiss him back in a more demanding and fierce way than he had expected. It scared him for a second, but at the same time he decided he liked it. It made the blood rushing through his veins pulse inside his ears. Whatever causes had brought them together here and now, Tyler didn't care. He wanted this. More than anything.
Suddenly he felt Jeremy putting his hand against his cheek, cradling it, then running his fingers through his hair. The kissing intensified once again and Tyler could hear Jeremy whispering his name.
"Tyler…"
A boy's voice. Tyler. Tyler Lockwood. The son of Mayor Lockwood was kissing another guy. Jeremy Gilbert, Elena's constantly whining, sissy little brother.
At this moment, Tyler came to his senses again. Suddenly scared, he snapped his eyes open, grabbed Jeremy's hand and pushed him back forcefully.
Jeremy could feel his head spin by this unexpected reaction. Insecure he stared back at the other boy.
"Get your hands off me, Gilbert," Tyler hissed at him, furious.
Jeremy stared back at him for a while. Tyler could see that his lips were still slightly red from their kiss. He looked confused, disappointed and somehow angry.
Instantly Jeremy grabbed his bag, stood up and rushed towards the door without saying goodbye.
"Jeremy, wait," Tyler said in a suddenly regretful tone of voice, but Jeremy was already gone.
Tyler was staring at the couch for a while, then he blinked and turned around. He hated those things he had been feeling last night, he hated Jeremy Gilbert's dense mug, his constantly stupid and hypocritically compassionate expression, but most of all, he hated himself for staring at this freaking couch for what seemed like ages. He was the mayor's son, and whatever he was, he was not gay. Never.
He needed to put this crap behind him. His life would go on and something like last night would never happen again.
The door to the living room shut noisily behind him.
To be continued…
