Jeremy came back in the living room. He saw Tyler sitting still on the stairs, his head resting on his crossed hands.
"Aimee is taking Sarah to the hospital to make sure she's okay, wanna come with them?"
Tyler kept looking in front of him "I'm good, thanks"
Jeremy realised Tyler didn't really care about Sarah, all he was caring about was the curse. Jeremy found this pretty selfish, but maybe legitimate. He didn't know what it felt like to be afraid of being a supernatural being, especially that he tried to become one less than a month ago. But even though he had no idea he still felt concerned about Tyler who still looked shocked by the recent event. So he sat next to him.
"Tyler, are you okay?" he asks while putting his arm on the other's shoulder
Tyler immediatly stood up up as he began to feel his crush's hand.
"Yeah! I... I just need a drink"
Tyler went straight to the bar and drank a shot of tequila while Jeremy followed and watched him.
"Want a drink too?" The older one asks.
Jeremy didn't know if it was a good idea to leave Tyler by himself, but he wanted to leave quickly so he could tell Damon what he found out.
"No thanks, I'm gonna take off"
"Oh come on, no one's here now" Tyler filled another glass and handed it to Jeremy "Let's finish what we started"
The latter crossed his arms "What exactly did we start? Wasn't the point of this making out with the girls who now just left?"
"It was, until I found out you knew about my family curse. And talking about it with someone else was better than being with any girl." Then Tyler smiled "Plus I don't think you were really into Sarah or Aimee, am I right?"
Jeremy looked down and smiled too.
"Yeah, you're right. Sarah's really not my type"
Tyler really loved that smile, it was even more enjoyable when he was the one causing it. He also liked hearing that Sarah wasn't Jeremy's type, even if he found it weird because Sarah seemed to be the same kind of girl as Vicky. Though Jeremy dated a weirdo after her, so maybe his tastes have changed.
"See? Just the two if us is fine!" Tyler handed the glass again "So let's just have a drink between dudes and chat"
They didn't need to chat anymore, Jeremy got all the informations he needed.
"Still, I have to see someone." Jeremy said as he was taking his backpack "Maybe another time"
Who was that someone? A friend or a date? Tyler hated being jealous like that, but he had to know.
"Someone?" Tyler rose an eyebrow and fake smiled "Looks like you had other plans huh? Is that why you rejected Sarah?"
"What? No! It's not a date!"
Thank God
"Alright, do you want me to drive you there?"
"No thanks, I'll walk"
"Okay then, see you!" he waved him.
"Bye" Jeremy waved back and made his way to the front door.
"Wait!" Jeremy stopped and turned as Tyler was walking towards him "I just wanted to thank you for today. Talking about my family curse with someone else, it really released a weight on my shoulders"
"No problem man"
"It's like... You're always here when I need to talk, about stuffs I can't tell anyone else."
They stopped talking and starred at each other. Everytime they looked each other in the eyes there was something magnetizing, magical about it. Tyler felt like the rest of the world disappeared and a new one was created based on the two of them. Anything could happen, he wouldn't care as long as Jeremy would still be there. Jeremy realised how close they grew, he almost felt like he could read in Tyler's mind. He saw how much the other guy needed him. This reminded him that Tyler wasn't just a guy he had to take informations from, he was also his friend. After that he hesitated staying, but really wanted to see Damon as soon as he could.
"That's what friends are for" Jeremy answers tapping Tyler on the shoulder.
The contact was brief enough not to make Tyler feel awkward. He was just happily surprised by what he just heard.
"We're friends now?"
"I guess so. Why? You don't feel that way?"
"Yes, I do." Tyler rubbed his neck looking down "It's just weird since we used to be enemies and all, I thought our relationship was more complicated than that"
"It's not, and it shouldn't be. Our hatred is far behind us now"
Tyler smiled "You're right"
Jeremy smiled back "See you around"
"Yeah, see you"
Jeremy left and started walking to the Salvatore's house.
Working, or at least trying to work with Damon gave a sense in his life again. For the first time in a long while he felt useful. Being with Anna made him realise what he needed in his life: adventure. His life became more precious now that he wasn't certain of when it would end. Being in the middle of dangerous stuffs could get him killed, or knowing everything and being able to do something about it could save his life. He prefered the second option, and being around vampires kinda reminded him of Anna. Not that it was the only thing he saw in her, he already liked her when he thought she was human, but her being a supernatural being is what made him falling in love with her. She made him seeing life a different way, a much more interesting and entertaining way. And he wanted to be part of that, with or without her. But it would have been better with her: facing dangers with someone you love increases the feelings, and gives you a real reason to fight. He missed her, he felt so helpless about her death. How could have he let her die? People held him back, sure, but he could have done something else: like pretending to give up and follow her, finding out where they would take her so he could be able to save her... But he was all new to this and didn't know how to handle these kind of situations yet. That's also why he wanted to be involved in the supernatural stuffs, to be able to protect the people he loves. Even though Anna was dead, he still had a part of his family that was still alive and in danger.
Even thought the guy killed him not a long time ago Jeremy thought working with Damon was the best option if he wanted to be part of this. He knew Elena wouldn't agree and try to keep him away to protect him, while Damon didn't care if he lived or die. He was proud of all the informations he got from Tyler, well, not in a moral way because he kinda feels like he was betraying the other guy. Tyler confided himself and Jeremy was going to tell everything to someone else. It's for a good cause he thought. Still, he used him: he just took informations from Tyler and took off. Plus the guy really seemed to need company, and not from anyone considering the craziness of his problem. Jeremy started to feel guilty, he stopped walking and looked back. He's been gone for a dizain of minutes, he couldn't see Tyler's mansion anymore. But maybe it wasn't too late to go back there. Damon could wait after all, it's not like he was even expectig him to come. Jeremy hesitated for a few minutes, and stepped back.
He arrived at Tyler's front door and knocked. No one answered.
"Tyler?"
Song: Too Close by Alex Clare
Jeremy heard a glass breaking. So he opened the front door that was left unlocked.
"Tyler? What happened?" He calls as he walks to the living room.
He found Tyler stumbeling, gripping himself at the bar, with broken pieces of glass to his feet. The latter started to panic when he saw his crush.
"Jeremy? What are you doing back here?"
"Are you drunk?"
"Maybe I am, Mum!"
Jeremy starts yelling "What the hell Tyler?"
"You didn't want to drink with me, so I drank by myself"
"Why did you need to drink so much?"
"Sarah survived, I had to celebrate that"
Tyler took a bottle of tequila half empty and drank straight from it. Jeremy dropped his bag and walked towards Tyler as he was lecturing him.
"That's not why: your father died and you found out you could become a werewolf by killing someone, which you almost did! So you're drowning your problems in alcohol!"
When he arrived in front of Tyler he raised his hand toward the bottle Tyler was drinking from.
"Gimme that!" Jeremy orders.
"Wanna drink with me in the end?"
Jeremy grabbed the bottle and tried to pull it away from Tyler who was resisting.
"Stop it! It's not the solution!"
"Look who's talking! When your parents died you started smoking you hypocrite!"
Jeremy's face came closer and closer to Tyler's as he was yelling "That's the point! I know what I'm talking about: drugs may ease the pain at first, but it ruins your life! And when you will realise it you will want to..."
Their faces were getting too close, Tyler felt his heart pounding. He wanted to kiss Jeremy too badly, and the alcohol didn't ease fighting his pulsions. So he quickly let go off the bottle and stepped back.
"Alright! I stop!"
"Thank you"
Jeremy calmed down and tidied the bottle. Tyler left the bar and let himself fall on the couch that was next to it.
"Thank YOU, I think you just prevended me for doing a big mistake"
"I did, trust me"
Tyler looked at Jeremy, his vision was a bit blurry, and it felt like everything was moving. He blinked and began to wonder what his life would be without the young boy. No one would have conforted him during his father's funeral, he couldn't have spoken about the werewolf curse to anyone he trusted, moreover he would have become an alcoholic and turn into the broken messed up loser Jeremy was after his parent's death. A life without Jeremy was all he was wishing for a few months ago, now this thought has become almost unconceivable. His life was a real mess and Jeremy was the only one who could make it better. He wanted to say all of this to him but he was afraid that if he started talking he would go too far. In fact, he was afraid of going too far as long as Jeremy was there.
"You can leave now, I'm gonna go to my room. I won't drink again, I promise"
"Can you even walk there?"
"Yeah, totally!"
"Show me"
Tyler watched Jeremy hesitantly. He was 90% sure he couldn't walk to his room. But doing it was the only way to get rid of his crush, so he decided to give it a shot anyway. He got up and started walking to the stairs, which he was doing hardly so he used the couch to stay up. Jeremy walked to the stairs and watched him, trying not to laugh. Tyler was starring at the stairs he wanted to reach and the 10 feet that were between it and him. Then he let go off the couch and tried to walk as fast as possible but tripped. Jeremy catched him, using a hand to hold his friend's chest and with the other one on his back.
"Whoa, easy!" Jeremy said.
Tyler really liked having Jeremy's hands on him. He turned his face to his crush, starred at his lips, he also wanted to put his hands on him...
Jeremy's voice brought him back to reality "Is there something wrong? You're heart's beating really fast"
Tyler pushed Jeremy away "Get off me Gilbert!" Which made him fall on his back on the stairs
"Ouch!"
Jeremy couldn't hold his laugh.
"Dude, you're uncapable of climbing the stairs! Who knows? Maybe killing yourself could also trigger the curse"
"I can handle this!"
Tyler tried to sit on the stairs, then gave up when he realised doing it fast made him want to puke. Jeremy sat on the stairs next to him.
"Come on, it's okay to admit you can't do something when you're dead drunk"
"It's not that! I just..." Tyler covered his face with his hands "I don't want you to see me like this, I think I'd rather crawl to my room"
"So what? I've seen you drunk before"
Tyler got his hands off his face and rested them on his stomach "Never that much Jer"
Jeremy half smiled "You're right, it's like you're having your first hangover"
Tyler tried to sit again, slowly this time. He managed to do it even though after his head hurt even more.
"I never drink that much in front of people, I always manage to stay in control"
"Like when you tried to rape Vicky?"
"I knew that..."
Tyler immediatly stopped talking. Was he going to say that he knew that Jeremy was following them and predicted he would stop him? Damn, he wasn't thinking straight anymore, he became too talkative. And what he just said intrigued Jeremy.
"That what?" Jeremy asked.
Tyler opened his mouth but nothing came out of it, he had no idea what to make up. Jeremy got closer to Tyler's face.
"That what Tyler?"
His lips were too close to Tyler's. The temptation was becoming stronger and stronger...
"Just get out! Or I might do something stupid!"
"Like what?"
Tyler grabbed Jeremy's face and put his lips on his. When the latter realised what was happening he pushed Tyler away.
"Ew! What the hell?"
Tyler couldn't believe he actually did it, he kissed him! He just kissed Jeremy fucking Gilbert! That was something he never expected to do, he has restrained himself for so long, and he just let it go! He had no idea what to do or say, his heart was beating faster and faster, he could barely breathe...
Jeremy got up and stepped back. He looked at Tyler, speechless, and ran away.
When he made his way to the street he could hear a "Fuck" coming from Tyler's mansion. Then he realised he forgot his backpack in the heat of the moment. He couldn't go back, that would have been way too embarassing. Jeremy decided to go home instead of the Salvatore's mansion, he wasn't in the mood for investigation anymore. As he was walking he started to regret running off like this, but that was all he found to do in the moment. He started to think he shouldn't have gone back to the mansion to check on Tyler, but realised that if he hadn't his friend may have ended up alcoholic. Though his mother could have noticed and help him too... maybe not after all. Carol Lockwood may be a neglecting mother, since she let her husband hitting her son.
Jeremy thought about the kiss again: it was gross, Tyler's mouth smelled like tequila, and it was the first time he got kissed by a guy. Why would Tyler Lockwood even kiss him? Does he have feelings for him? Jeremy didn't really want to know the answer to this question but he couldn't help wondering. Was Tyler gay? He didn't think so, he dated a lot of girls and never seemed to have any feelings for any guy. But that didn't mean anything, he could have pretend everything, just like any popular person in the closet would. After all there could have been other reasons: maybe he wanted to experiment, maybe he didn't have sex in a long time and was ready to do anything with anyone drunk. Maybe Jeremy was worrying for nothing, maybe Tyler was just so drunk he could kiss anyone. He prefered to hold on to that explanation and forget about what happened. Although he wondered what would happen the next time he would see Tyler. Being kissed by him was embarrasing, sure, but he didn't want their friendship to end because of that. Jeremy hoped Tyler would feel the same.
AN: Sorry it took so long, this chapter had many differents versions that could influence the rest of the story and it took a while before I chose which one to take. But here it is :)