Disclaimer: I am not the Bard and shall never pretend to be. I am simply using his characters and using them to my delight and enjoyment while praying I'm not putting his grave on a perpetual downward spiral.
A/N: Hello everyone! Back in the beginning of January I got a request from MidnightGoddess2112 to do a version of my story "Peace" for Tybalt/Romeo. I don't write often for this ship, though I do like it, so this took me a bit longer than I would have liked. I had a ball writing it though, and I hope you all enjoy this, especially you, MidnightGoddess. Thanks for the suggestion :)
1. Air
There is none between them; it is all chest to chest, flesh pressed together until it seems to be nearly melted into one skin, because an irrational part of them fears that if they let the tiniest sliver of air between them it will force them apart like everyone else seems to do.
2. Apples
Romeo wonders how it is humanly possible for a man- a Capulet man of all people- to look so freakin' attractive doing nothing but eating an apple.
3. Dark
Tybalt now knows that, when you add a bit more wine to Romeo than he is typically accustomed to consuming, you get a sexy, lusty angel that really doesn't mind screaming out his ecstasy into the dark.
4. Bugs
They swarm in the July heat and for some reason they are particularly attracted to the stables, but Romeo doesn't care about them or the annoying buzzing in his ears their thousands of tiny wings make, because this is the only time he has been able to catch Tybalt alone all week.
5. Coffee
Romeo is like Tybalt's living, breathing coffee; the thought of him upon rising with the sun injects the green eyed Capulet with energy for the day to come, and the effects of seeing him in the day keep him up at night.
6. Beginning
At the beginning Romeo isn't sure that he can maintain whatever this is between himself and the King of Cats; Tybalt has always been simply too wild, too uncontrollable for anyone to hang on to for long, but by the end of it all when he takes his final bow on Juliet's grave he is very glad that he did.
7. Despair
Tybalt is not not exactly prone to despair, but the moment the words "I hate you" slip out he can feel it sweeping up in him, because surely Romeo would leave him after something like that; the relief is palpable when Romeo just smiles and answers, "No you don't."
8. Doors
At this point in his life all of Romeo's doors are open and he could walk through any one of them to a happy life; being with Tybalt isn't one of those choices, but the youngest Montague would turn his back on all of that for the sake of being with his feisty King of Cats.
9. Drink
Tybalt will be the first to admit that he tends to drink more and more often than he probably should when he fights as much as he is prone to; however, he really doesn't care, because the alcohol clouding his brain makes it possible, if only for a moment, for him to dream that he could have Romeo for his own.
10. Duty
In a world where Tybalt, by some miracle and perhaps a moment's hesitation on Romeo's part, lives while Romeo dies, he finds that he cannot do his duty as a husband to the woman his uncle chose for his wife; it's not that he doesn't like her, it's that he loves Romeo more.
11. Earth
The walls are slick and wet with last night's rain, the earth is soft beneath his feet, and the small collection of rocks at his feet is growing progressively smaller as he throws them onto the balcony; a part of him is glad Tybalt doesn't appear, because that means that he can simply throw the rose up to the balcony and walk away without hearing the rejection he is sure he would have received.
12. End
Romeo knows the moment his blade slides into Tybalt's stomach that he has signed not only Tybalt's death certificate, but orchestrated his own end as well; he knows Tybalt knows it too, which is why he is sure the Capulet understands the silent 'Forgive me' in his eyes.
13. Fall
His fall from Romeo's blade to the cobblestone ground feels like it takes an eternity; however, when he's finally on his back and the sky is all he can see he nearly wants to laugh, because on that one particular day the sky was the same shade of sapphire as Romeo's eyes.
14. Fire
Sometimes when Tybalt gets really angry he reminds Romeo of a fire; wild and untamable, burning down everything standing in it's path, and though Romeo may love the Capulet with all of his heart he tries never to be on the receiving end of his fury.
15. Flexible
Tybalt has never been a fan of flexible plans, which is why this thing between him and Romeo feels so different; everything is spontaneous and unplanned, and even though he doesn't normally like that, he will always be willing to dip out of his comfort zone if it means he can have Romeo.
16. Flying
Romeo has always heard that falling in love is much like flying, but he respectfully disagrees; in flying there is freedom, but he has found in falling for Tybalt that there is nervousness and unmatched fear of discovery.
17. Food
Tybalt's favorite thing about the Prince's balls used to be the food, since they always inadvertently served his favorite sweets; lately, his favorite thing has been watching a certain blue eyed Montague heir flit around the dance floor.
18. Foot
It was when he was (grudgingly) sitting across from the King of Cats at one of the Prince's attempts at peace between their families that his foot touched that of the Capulet; Romeo swore he felt a thrill of electricity shoot through him, and their gemstone eyes met.
19. Grave
Tybalt has always known, always anticipated that he would go to an early grave fighting for the Capulet name; that is why he treasures the relationship of passion and fire that he shares with Romeo, because those things swelling within him when he lays eyes on the Montague makes the dead man walking feel alive.
20. Green
Tybalt is a memory stuck firmly in Romeo's head, drenched in the rich emerald of his eyes and dripping happiness and love he will never have again: green has always been Romeo's favorite color.
21. Head
Whatever the rest of Verona may say, Tybalt actually does use his head and think things through on occasion; however, he doesn't dare think this through, because he knows if he does everything in him will start screaming for him to stop, and he likes the feel of Romeo's lean body sleeping next to him too much to let that happen.
22. Hollow
Romeo prays that Juliet can't tell that his heart really isn't into it like it should be if he is bedding the woman he truly loves; he can't focus on her and her soft, feminine curves when the only thing he wishes for is it to be Tybalt's muscled, chiseled body instead.
23. Honor
Never let it be said that Tybalt has no honor, or at least none worth defending, because that is most definitely not true; however, he does have to admit that he is a bit relieved when Mercutio steps in and takes Romeo's place in the duel, because he honestly doesn't want to risk harming his secret lover.
24. Hope
They live with a (probably foolish) flicker of hope that one day within their lifetimes the feud will be resolved and they will no longer have to hide, and all of Verona shall be blinded by the blazing inferno of passion and fire that is Romeo Montague and Tyablt Capulet
25. Light
Romeo notes that Tybalt and Juliet are two totally different lights in his life; Juliet is much like the soft, warm glow of a candle to whisper secrets to friends by, while Tybalt is more like the sun, fierce and strong, that calls Romeo from rest and just makes him want to live.
26. Lost
He came with the intention to end things with Romeo, explain that this relationship isn't healthy for anyone and the hatred between their houses could never allow them to stay together, but the genuinely happy smile that appears on Romeo's face, the light touch of his hand on his cheek, and the kiss pressed to his lips convinces him that he would soon be lost with his raven haired Montague.
27. Metal
Metal flashes in sunlight and sweat drips down his skin in the ungodly July heat, but Romeo would gladly walk through the scorching burn of hell itself as many times as he must if the blood on his sword could belong to to anyone but the one man who held his heart.
28. New
Tybalt is not new to the feeling of lust, and he is certainly not new to what follows; but it is the fact that it is Romeo he is doing this with and the fact that he genuinely loves him that has the dark haired Capulet proceeding like a foal first learning to walk.
29. Old
Romeo is nearly eighteen years old, came of age when he was sixteen like all of Verona's boys: why is it, then, that when he standing in Tybalt's presence he feels like a little child while his heart flutters in a way that it should not for a Capulet?
30. Peace
Tybalt has never been a peaceful man, anger in his blood and fire in his soul; however, when his heart learns to burn for a certain sapphire eyed Montague, he sometimes finds himself wishing that his first response to insult could be to bite with words and not with blades.
31. Poison
Romeo feels the poison in his blood, running like ice water through his veins and slowly making him lose feeling in his body, but when with his dying breath as he tries to conjure the face of his love he realizes what a fool he has truly been, for those eyes do not belong to Juliet; they belong to Tybalt.
32. Pretty
On the street Tybalt calls Romeo "pretty" and "fair", words used to describe a maiden and not a gentleman; however, at night in the shadows of his bedroom he gets to behold the Montague as the handsome, striking man he is.
33. Rain
It was in the rain, with the water running down Tybalt's carved and perfect features that Romeo truly noticed just how handsome the emerald eyed King of Cats really was.
34. Regret
Tybalt glances at the naked Romeo who is halfway out of his bed at the moment their eyes meet, smiles coyly, and says, "Romeo, I regret nothing I said to you last night and I meant every word; now for the love of God come here."
35. Roses
They hurry because time is running away from them and they have to pack as much into every moment as they can; they worry because there is a constant chance that someone will catch them together; and they don't stop to smell the roses, usually because they are to busy staring at each other to notice that the flowers are even there.
36. Secret
It has to be a secret, Tybalt knows it does; but is it so wrong of him to want to walk up to Romeo in broad daylight and take him right then and there?
37. Snakes
Romeo has always thought of Tybalt more of a snake than a cat, with fangs ready to clamp down and poison anyone who crossed him; however, the critical difference Romeo notes is that he has never encountered any snakes with eyes like Tybalt's.
38. Snow
Snow is uncommon in Verona, even in the dead of winter, so when Romeo looks at him with those goddamn eyes of his Tybalt can't help but let himself get swept outside into the cold; later the Capulet watches fondly as his exhausted and slightly shivering lover sleeps, draping his coat over him and press a light kiss to his lips.
39. Solid
They are the ground holding each other up, solid and sturdy and always firm beneath their feet; Tybalt has never realized he could love and ground someone like he does Romeo, and now that he know what real true love feels like, Romeo doesn't think he will ever love anyone but Tybalt again.
40. Spring
Spring begins with much welcomed warmth and sunshine as Romeo walks the streets with a single blood red rose and a love struck smile on his face; he has had all winter to come up with exactly how he plans to court a certain brown haired, emerald eyed King of Cats.
41. Stable
Tybalt cannot for the life of him figure out why in God's name the stable boy who brings him his horse makes his heart flutter in his chest; it isn't until after the hunt and he hand the beast over to the care of the same boy that he realizes the child looks like he could be Romeo Montague's twin.
42. Strange
Romeo's been acting quite strange of late, strange enough for even Mercutio to notice; however, the brunette doesn't say anything after the day he happens to spy Romeo and Tybalt alone together, because he's never seen Romeo as happy as he is in Tybalt's arms, and as his best friend it is Mercutio's job to keep him where he belongs.
43. Summer
As is, it certainly is a summer Tybalt shall never forget; he has fallen in love, tried to hide it, acted on it on several occasion (in varying states of sobriety), gotten into countless brawls, killed a kinsmen of the Prince and friend of the Montagues, but at the end of it all his only prayer is that Romeo will still love him.
44. Taboo
For them there is nothing more taboo than this and they know it; they are Montague and Capulet, water and oil, ice and fire, and by all accounts they should be trying to kill each other, not save each other by loving each other.
45. Ugly
It is an ugly wound for sure, and Romeo regrets it the moment it marks his fair Tybalt's flesh.
46. War
Tybalt's head and his heart are at war within him, one calling for him to make Romeo Death's lover and the other to make him his own; watching the Montague across a sea of partygoers, the rising tent in his pants is agreeing far more with the latter.
47. Water
Romeo finds that Tybalt is not the water to soothes the thirst he has for love and affection; rather he is a brandy, one that burns on the way down but leave him warm and tingly and inexplicably happy.
48. Welcome
Tybalt finds it rather odd and extremely infuriating that his heart flutters a bit whenever Romeo's eyes land upon him; he should hate those eyes, ones as blue as the doublet with the Montague crest he wears, but instead he almost wants to welcome them to search his soul and find favor with whatever they may discover.
49. Winter
In the summertime insults and swords flying in the streets while words clash in the bedroom; however, Romeo never argues with Tybalt in the winter, because the one time he did he couldn't stand that his bed was as cold as the air around him.
50. Wood
They are like wood born of two kinds of trees; they are more different than anyone could imagine, but throw them both into a feud made of fire and ash and they shall burn together.
A/N: Well, there you have it! I hope I did a good job with this! Please review with your thoughts, and don't forget o include which one was your favorite!