Chapter Twelve
Damon tossed Elena over his shoulder to squeals of protest. Jeremy hung back with Tyler feeling the knot inside him relax at the sound of his sister's jubilant laughter. She wiggled over Damon's shoulder but he held her in place as the group made their way through the busy amusement park. To the side Caroline had her arm through Stefan's yammering to him about the merits of having a Fast Pass and the disadvantage they had without one.
Jeremy was used to being a part of a secret couple among open ones, so when Tyler's hand found his, a special excitement bubbled within him. No one knew them there, so they could just be that gay couple some stranger saw on his way to The Rattler. Non-heterosexual PDA in Virginia would earn them a second look either way, but while they were nameless nobodies it was attention they could handle.
With a round of giggles Damon finally complied, setting Elena back on her feet. He frowned over at Caroline. "Enough with the Fast Pass whining. Isn't it enough that I bought all of you tickets, you ungrateful blonde baby."
Caroline glared back at him. "No one likes waiting in long lines, Damon, you…dumb idiot." She shot back.
Damon was about to sound off a retort when Elena grabbed his arm and steered his attention elsewhere. Probably best not to let a thoughtless, aggravated Caroline get into anything heated with Damon. There was no telling what would come out of her mouth and Elena had a secret to protect.
"Let's just pick a ride, shall we?" Stefan aided in making the peace.
Tyler's hand subconsciously tightened around Jeremy's and he looked over at him with growing amusement. He grinned mischievously.
"You scared of roller coasters, tough guy?" He teased.
"Shut up." Tyler's reply was low as he arched his eyebrows, and Jeremy's smile widened.
"No, it's cool." He refused to drop the issue as they passed a diner style restaurant on the grounds on their way to a ride on the other side. "You transform into this terrifying, hairy moon beast every month but a little hydraulic amusement park fun makes your inner wolf yipe. It's very humanizing."
Tyler pinched his side and Jeremy laughed as he jumped away. "What did I say?" Tyler warned him.
"I don't know." Jeremy dragged the response out, laying on a faux sense of concentration. "I couldn't hear over all the yipping."
Tyler was frozen a full second before launching himself at Jeremy. Adrenaline shot through his veins in a rush and Jeremy shirked away, taking off and slamming into Damon's shoulder in his hurry to move past him. The vampire scowled but Elena reached over and grabbed his far arm to keep him from smacking it out at her brother. Tyler rounded them with more grace and ran for Jeremy who made the mistake of zigzagging toward the restaurant and getting cornered by the barrier.
Tyler reached him and grabbed his sides, tickling him exactly where it got to him the most. Jeremy laughed loudly amid shouts of protest. He pushed at Tyler but his arms were weak with uncontrollable laughter.
"You sorry?" Tyler asked as he tormented him.
"Yes." Jeremy gave up but Tyler only tickled him harder. "Yes!"
Tyler stopped his assault after the louder surrender, stilling his hands on his hips. Jeremy breathed heavily, watching him with suspicion.
"That's what I thought." Tyler leaned down over Jeremy who was forced into a submissive position, half sitting against a short rail along the wall of the restaurant. He kissed Jeremy, bringing his hand up between them and threatening to resume his attack on his stomach. Jeremy chortled, capturing the hand and freezing it in his own as he kissed him back.
Tyler started laughing and Jeremy opened his eyes, turning to see what he was looking at. On the other side of the glass window of the restaurant, an elderly couple stared at their antics. Jeremy stood, still holding Tyler's hand and adjusted his fingers around it.
He dipped into a bow and Tyler yanked on his hand, dragging him back to the traffic on the main route.
"What? Everyone loves dinner and a show." He joked as they trailed at a distance behind the rest of the group.
Tyler grinned at him. "Come here." He tugged him against his side and kissed him again. "Dork."
Jeremy chuckled and pulled Tyler along faster to catch up with everyone else.
The Whirlwind consisted of twelve circular pods that held two people each. It lifted off the ground and spun around a central point at increasing speeds. After the first run of spins, the pods began to rise and fall, flipping around vertically while still being pulled around the central engine at whipping speeds. They stood in line at the short metal gate watching it in full swing as they waited their turn.
Tyler exhaled in exasperation. "God…dammit…"
Jeremy turned away from the ride, setting his grin on him. The ride attendant opened the metal gate and counted in the next twenty-four people. As Tyler grudgingly followed Jeremy to a bright blue pod, Elena popped up at their side and grabbed Jeremy's arm with a bright smile.
"Mind if I steal my brother for this one?" Elena pulled Jeremy away to a yellow pod down the line before he could reply. Tyler dropped his head to his shoulder irritably and Jeremy mouthed an apology over his shoulder, not in the position to decline a request from his sister at the moment.
"Guess that leaves you with me." Damon gave him a phony smile and Tyler openly scowled.
"I'd rather throw up with a stranger." Tyler stated flatly, then reconsidered. "Or when I feel it coming I could just turn my head in your direction."
Caroline swooped in for a save. She pushed Stefan toward Damon who stumbled and furrowed his brow at her, having not been paying attention to the animosity brewing between the other two.
"We'll let the siblings ride this one together, hmm?" She grabbed Tyler's hand and pulled him to a pink pod with her. Tyler's eyes dragged across the ground, and as she climbed up into the seat her voice lowered with a grave edge. "You throw up on me and I'll bite you."
He looked up sharply.
Down the line, Jeremy was already in the yellow pod and pulling the safety restraint down over his shoulders. Elena grinned as the attendant came and checked that they clicked the belts correctly. As he walked away she turned to Jeremy and he looked back at her uncertainly.
"Okay?" He asked.
She smiled. "Yeah. I just… I wanted to say thank you for being there for me lately. I know I keep saying I'm fine, and I am. I really am. But it's nice to know you're there for me either way. You're a good brother, Jer."
It was the first time since the night she came home cut and disheveled that she brought up the subject of the attack herself. It felt important, and he nodded somberly.
"Elena, if you need me for anything, ever, that's all you need to say." He told her sincerely, planting his feet firmly on the pod floor.
Her grin relaxed and she nodded. "You do for yours." She quoted their mother.
She used to tell them that all the time, usually before having to go do something for Jenna that she really didn't want to do. She could be right in the middle of something, but if Jenna called upset over a breakup or needed help with a work thing, their mother would drop what she was doing, grab her keys and head over. Family looked out for each other. They might not have their mother anymore, but they had what she taught them. Being available was on the top of that list.
Elena sat back and grabbed the metal handgrips on the overhead safety restraint as the pods slowly began to move around the centerpiece.
"Five bucks says Caroline pukes by the end of the day." She bet as the pod gained momentum.
Jeremy figured Tyler was the more likely bet but didn't need to give Elena that information. He smirked. "You're on."
Jeremy couldn't get a grip on himself, doubled over in laughter. They just got off The Superman and were reviewing the action shots taken on the multiple screens at the end of the terminal. Cameras along the track captured snapshots of the coaster passengers after certain drops and twists. On one of the middle screens their group's six-some was busted soon after takeoff.
It wasn't one of Jeremy's favorite rides. The track was shorter than most and besides the blackout tunnel the ride was pretty forgettable. In the front of the cart and directly behind him, he and Damon were clear in the picture, holding their arms up and hooting in excitement. Directly beside him, however, Tyler's face was contorted in horror as he gripped the safety bar.
Jeremy gasped for breath as he leaned on the counter and pointed at the screen, indicating the one he was looking at to the attendant. "That one. I want that one."
His shoulders were still shaking as he reached in his pocket for money and looked back to see Tyler fighting a blush off by glowering at him. He burst into laughter again, leaning over the counter as he waited for the picture printout.
"I'm going to frame that." He promised as his chuckles wound down with a sigh. "Perfect."
Elena twirled a keychain with a Six Flags logo in her hand in a souvenir shop late in the afternoon. Jeremy tried to direct his attention her way and off of the twelve year old kid messing with a rack of postcards who looked about as red as Elmo if he was on fire, covered in tomato juice and dipped in strawberry jam. Someone forgot sunblock. His slightly pudgy look didn't help either. It was like watching a giant cherry walk around in clothes and a baseball cap.
Elena shook the 'E' shaped keychain at her boyfriend. There were red flags inside the thick clear plastic. "Will you buy me this?"
"Yes, I will." He answered cheerfully, clearly still happy with himself over making the blood deal with the Meadows' vampires. "You can have whatever you want. I'm in a good mood."
"A spending mood." Elena interpreted, intrigued.
Damon tilted his head with a confirming smirk. Caroline scooted up next to him with a tote bag and a cute t-shirt she found.
"Does that go for everyone or just Elena?" She looked up at him innocently and he eyed her down his nose.
"Eh, why not? It's good for the soul to do for those who can't do for themselves." He peppered as much condescension into his voice as possible.
Caroline twisted her face at him with snooty defiance. "Screw you. I can do for myself. I'd just rather spend someone else's money. It's more fun that way."
Before Damon could fire some snarky remark right back Stefan dropped a hand on her waist and pressed a credit card into her hand to appease her.
"Spend mine." He invited and Caroline beamed.
Jeremy was about to step in and make the offer himself because Elena was watching Caroline wearily, probably remembering how easily she spilled the beans about Tyler to him. News of her attack would definitely send Damon off the deep end and put a damper on an otherwise fun day.
Growing bored of the store and deciding not to get anything he ambled outside to wait for everyone else. Sitting on a bench in the brick courtyard between the shop and a small bathroom rest stop, he was grateful for the light wind in the air and the cool temperature. He didn't know how that kid got so burned. Rain wasn't coming but the sky was overcast enough to give all the benefits of cloud cover without the drawback of getting caught out in a shower.
Closing his eyes, he tried to absorb every moment of the day and lock it into memory. Today was special. Not having to hide who he was, was special. Just having fun with his friends after a long drawn out session of moping and listening to music with swear words in the chorus and acoustic guitars holding the verses together felt good. He wished every day could be like this. Light, happy and open.
He lost track of Tyler inside so was surprised when he felt someone sit down very close to him on the bench, leg pressing against his own. He cracked his eyes open as Tyler wrapped an arm around him and shook a small white shopping bag in the hand hooked over his shoulder. Jeremy peered down at it.
"For me?"
Tyler nodded blankly so Jeremy took it out of his hand. He looked at him sideways with half a smile before pulling the bag open and reaching inside. Out came a black bracelet made out of thin rope with a silver plate dangling on it. Jeremy smiled up at him.
"Look at the letters on it." Tyler encouraged.
Jeremy looked back down at it. On the silver part in old English script were the letters 'JT'. Jeremy's brow furrowed. JT? …Jeremy/Tyler?
He chuckled, looking back up at him. "That was the fastest engraving job ever made."
Tyler shook his head, pulling a piece of cardboard out of his pocket and showing it to him. "Nah, the brand is Just Try." He smirked. "It's like a sadder version of Just Do It."
Jeremy chortled at the Nike slogan. Just Try did sound like it was in the Nike family. Maybe if Nike had an emo cousin prone to failure. 'Jeremy/Tyler' was definitely better.
Jeremy pulled it over his hand and spun it around his wrist so the silver plating was face up. He looked back at Tyler sincerely. "I love it."
"Yeah?"
Jeremy cupped his cheek and kissed his lips. He nodded, glancing down at the bracelet. "Jeremy/Tyler…"
"Should Just Do It." Tyler finished. They chuckled as the rest of their group ambled out of the shop.
"Come on." Damon waved them over as they set off automatically down the path. "Wanna hit a couple more rides before we take off."
Caroline swung a few bags as she walked prissily behind him. "One of us needs to stay behind with all our stuff while the rest of us get on the rides."
Tyler got to his feet instantly, raising his hand. "I'll do it!"
Jeremy shook his head as he stood up after him. "You're such a chicken." He called him out with mystified awe in his voice.
Tyler held his arm out for him and Jeremy stepped under it. He didn't deny it, keeping a straight face. "You still love me?"
"Yeah…" Jeremy leaned into his side. "I have a thing about wusses."
Tyler hummed low in his throat as he repressed a laugh. He closed his arm around his neck, pulling him closer and kissing the top of his head. "Good."
"Group shot! Come on, get over here!" Caroline waved the group over on their way out of the park.
The sun was setting and more than anything Jeremy wanted to crawl back in the Escalade and go to sleep. Walking all day long and getting stuck in gigantic lines could do that to a person. Caroline handed her lime green digital camera to a woman in a big floppy straw hat and hustled over to the rest of them in front of a large running fountain.
Damon was sitting on the cement bench that ran along the fountain as a tall barrier and Elena was perched on his knee, ready with a radiant smile. Damon tossed his arm around Stefan's shoulder beside him on the bench and Caroline quickly sat on the broody vampire's lap to balance the picture by mimicking Elena's pose. Jeremy squatted in front of Elena who leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, resting her chin on the top of his head. Tyler dropped to one knee in front of Stefan and tipped his head to the side, leaning it against Jeremy's.
The woman fired off a round of several snapshots to be sure to capture the pose without motion blurriness. As Jeremy got back to his feet the speakers around the outside of the park flipped to the same Avril Lavigne song from the night of the rally. Two assurances in life were that public places would always play pop music and while shopping at Academy at least one Journey song would travel down the aisles.
He stretched to loosen his muscles with a groan. "Not this shit again."
Tyler looked up to focus on the sound and grinned at his expense when he recognized the song. "I thought you loved this shit."
To rub it in, Tyler twisted and rolled his arms out to mime Jeremy's dance moves last time they heard this song playing. Elena laughed and Jeremy raised his tongue to the roof of his mouth, nodding with a roll of his eyes. Tyler didn't stop though, so Jeremy set his eyes on him in warning.
"Oh do you want to go there?" He asked.
Tyler's eyebrows shot up but he continued rolling his arms to the sides and dropped low, turning his legs out. He didn't have Vicki's form but he didn't look bad either. Caroline clapped and bounced on her heels, grabbing Stefan's arm and slapping his chest.
"I knew you were an Avril fan." Elena managed to hold a straight face as she started copying Tyler, moving with a little more prissiness but still able to pull off the same teasing effect. She moved directly in front of him and danced in his face. Jeremy shook his head at her. "Come on, Jer, you know you want to."
"You too?" Jeremy stared at her disapprovingly. "Traitor." He accused but his stony expression cracked and as his lips shot upward he started rolling his arm out in front of him. "I'll dougie the shit out of both of you."
At the jokingly sinister words, he went off into the moves with much more technical success and natural ease. He danced around them and Tyler burst into laughter unable to keep going and stumbling off to the side. Elena kept up a little longer but it soon fell apart as she giggled herself out of control too. Jeremy kept going, because it was late, they sucked and they garnered some attention from passersby anyway.
Caroline grabbed one of Stefan's hands and put his other on her waist, moving with him in an easier form to the beat. Introverted Stefan struggled at first to put on such a public show but descended into a smile of amusement and pulled her around more easily. Damon smirked and moved in a more subdued way off to the side on his own.
By the end of the song a crowd of onlookers clapped and whistled. Caroline and Jeremy bowed and Stefan covered his face with his hands, shaking his head at the attention. As they wandered off toward the parking lot, Tyler tugged his grey knit cap back over his head and zipped up his jacket as he chortled quietly. Jeremy wanted to laugh and grumble about the embarrassing show at the same time. He smiled at Elena as she grabbed his arm and laughed. She seemed happier than she had in a long time. That stupid Avril Lavigne song would probably be stuck in his head for days. He tightened his hold on Elena's arm and listened to her chuckle to herself.
It was worth it.
A/N: With all the angst going on I thought the group deserved a little break. lol
