AN: To the people who still miraculously follow this story, I'm sorry for this extremely long hiatus (especially to the person I told the next chapter would be "out soon" 4 years ago, I truly believed it back then). In all honesty, I lost interest in fanfiction and started writing my own novel, but I still promised myself to never cancel this story. I needed the motivation and time back, and I finally got it. Now that I've got more experience, I'm a much faster writer, but have more on my plate on the other hand, so I won't promise any deadline anymore, just that this story will be completed eventually.
As they were walking through the forest, Tyler wondered where Jeremy was taking him. He's been to this place before, but his werewolf senses made it a whole new experience. Enjoying the fresh air on his face, he took off his jacket to extend the feeling on his bare arms. He didn't even need it as a werewolf anymore, contrary to Jeremy who was keeping his hoodie on. Closing his eyes, the wolf focused on all of his other senses, smelling the trees and the fresh grass, feeling the breeze caressing his skin, listening to its blow through the tree leaves, rhythmed by Jeremy's footsteps. Tyler came closer to the last sound, absorbed by the sweetness of his breath, the caressing sound of his moving hair, his chocolate aroma mixed with his natural sweat… Tyler exhaled, almost tasting the smell.
"Did you just find my candy bar?" Jeremy asked.
Tyler opened his eyes, froze and faced an uncomfortable close-up of his crush, who stopped walking to face him. Thankfully, Jeremy's cluelessness made it easier for him to keep his grip.
"Sorry, I … got hungry."
Jeremy took the snack out his pocket, cut it in half and gave a piece to Tyler. They went back to their walk and Jeremy started a conversation.
"Hey, I saw you with Matt this morning. Are you two back on speaking terms?"
His voice trembled a little. When he saw them talking at school, the first thing that came to Jeremy's mind was that he wasn't going to be Tyler's only friend anymore. Then he was glad their friendship got back to normal, even eager to hang out with the two of them again, but he couldn't forget the initial jealousy. This didn't seem like a normal friendly feeling.
"Yeah." Tyler answered, "Turns out he's been dodging me because he felt guilty for attacking me at the ball."
A failed attempt of murder due to vampire compulsion… Jeremy wished that was the worst thing he had ever done to Tyler.
"I was going to invite him at the grill." Tyler continued, "But right before I had the chance to, Caroline made him leave by saying hello."
"Well, at least she talked to him, that's a progress. Do you think these two will ever make up?"
"I hope so, I hate seeing Matt like this."
"Why can't they just tell each other how they feel?"
"It's not always simple Jer. Loving someone can be paralyzing. Your body does stuff you can't control, you can't shake those feelings out, you spend every day in anguish… You wish you could say how you feel, but the thought of any bad consequence makes the words hang in your throat."
Jeremy turned around with puzzlement, making Tyler realize he had talked too much.
"Matt is really talkative about it." the wolf lied.
Jeremy didn't buy those excuses anymore. He may have been clueless or in denial about Tyler's attraction before, but hearing Caroline talking about it, with the same nosiness she would have with any other pairing, made him realize how normal it could be. After all, why would being with a guy more complicated than being with a vampire? Still, even if he was opened with the possibility, he wasn't sure if that was what he wanted. If Tyler would be more honest about his feelings, maybe it could help Jeremy figuring out his own.
"You know, I used to be the way you described with Vicki." the human said, "But once you dive in and make your move, not even half of what you fear ends up happening. Even if it goes wrong, it's like falling off a bike. You get hurt, but you know you can pick yourself up and try again."
Jeremy turned around and walked backwards, his eyes on his friend.
"Good for you." Tyler said.
"Right, I forgot who I was talking to." Jeremy teased, "Popular Tyler Lockwood, confident with all the girls, never afraid to flirt with them and ask them out!"
Because they never meant anything to me, Tyler thought. You've always been the only one.
Keeping those words inside made Tyler's stomach twist. Out of frustration, both of them stopped talking. When they arrived at Jeremy's secret destination, the leader stopped and turned to his friend.
"Here we are."
Tyler looked around, noticing the trees being bigger and less numerous compared to usual.
"Why did you bring me here?" he asked.
"To make sure we'd really be alone."
Tyler's breath stopped as he tried to block the innuendo from his mind.
"Why… Why do you want us to be alone?"
"All I've been able to see since you turned was a basketball game in a public place. Let's test what you're fully capable of!"
It made the young werewolf feel like an experiment, but he could do that to make his crush happy.
"Like what?" he asked reluctantly.
"I don't know, anything you feel like doing!"
"No werewolf stuff coming into my mind, sorry."
"Come on, aren't you even a little curious?"
Jeremy's eyes sparkled in a way Tyler couldn't resist.
"Alright, I guess… I wonder how fast I can really be."
The wolf stepped forward and observed the trees, thinking of the path he could make around them, he then glanced at Jeremy, who was staring at him with a thrilled impatience, and ran, keeping this mental picture in mind.
The observer tried to hide his disappointment: the werewolf was fast, but not to the point of getting blurry like a vampire. But when Tyler came back to him, Jeremy saw something he hasn't seen on any other creature before: the excitement of novelty.
"Man, that was awesome!" Tyler exclaimed, "It felt like being, on a car … no, a train, but without the train. No, you know what? It felt like being the train! But with nerves, muscles … and some big-ass reflexes! So many trees in my way, and I didn't even hit any of them!"
The enthusiasm in his eyes was priceless, it didn't matter how powerful Tyler was anymore. The wolf spontaneously climbed a tree until he reached a huge branch, sat on it, grabbed the other end and folded it until it broke, making a 20-inch large piece of wood fall a few feet away from Jeremy.
The latter remained speechless. From his high branch, Tyler could have only seen Jeremy's widened smile as a human, but with his new senses, he could also perceive his crush's pupils dilating with amazement, and his heart beating as fast as his own. With all those crazy things happening lately, it made him want to believe in everything he thought impossible before.
"That was amazing!" the human shouted.
He then walked to the broken branch, toward the leaves, and ripped out a 2-inch large stick.
"Not as amazing as your human ability!" Tyler joked.
He jumped from the branch and landed with the grace of a majestic beast. Jeremy's been told a straight person could enjoy the beauty of the same sex, but he wasn't sure if that was the meaning of his current gaze…
"What's your next move?" added Tyler as he walked closer, "Breaking a toothpick in half?"
With a smirk, Jeremy threw the stick in the air.
"Shut up and fetch!"
Tyler raised his head: the branch was stuck inside some leaves, about 15 feet up.
"You're joking, right?"
"Come on!" Jeremy insisted, "You'd be testing your speed, agility and heightened senses!"
"And you think the word 'fetch' will make me do this?"
"Please, you handsome and powerful gift of nature, get that damn stick from the tree!"
"I like the nickname, but you do it."
"What?"
Jeremy chuckled nervously, but Tyler locked his eyes on him, determined not to repeat himself.
"Come on, what for? I'm just human."
"So? That doesn't make you crippled or anything! Was your plan really watching me do stuff the whole afternoon?"
Phrased that way, Jeremy realized how objectifying he was being, but couldn't really deny it.
"I guess so…"
"Well, I'm not some video game character for you to control and watch. You gotta do your own stuff sometimes! Unless you think this exercice for ten-year-olds is too hard for you…"
Jeremy tilted his head with a smirk, and Tyler raised his eyebrows daringly. The human took off his sweater, threw it to his friend and started climbing.
It took him a few minutes to find the stick, but even if it was in his sight, grabbing it was another story. The closer he got, the more the branches were shaking dangerously. Although, with Tyler under him, maybe it wouldn't be so dangerous… Jeremy took the risk and, in spite of the instability, caught the stick without falling, then moved back to a steadier part of the tree.
"Got it!" he shouted as he waved the hand holding the proof, "Can you catch it?"
He let go off the branch and the wolf grabbed it very easily.
"Do you really think I had to be a werewolf to do this?" Tyler joked, "Or did you think your precious stick would have broke by hitting the grass?"
"I just gave you a taste of your next test."
Jeremy turned around and faced the sky. His body was rushing with adrenaline, but his mind was in complete trust.
"Jer, what are you…"
Closing his eyes, the human stretched out his arms and dove backward. Wind flew through his entire falling body before he landed in Tyler's arms. When Jeremy caught his breath, he realized his hands were firmly holding his savior's shoulders. His heart was pounding like it was trying to escape his chest, reminding him of the time Anna pinned him against the wall before he offered her his blood. Having their lips so close made him think about Tyler's kiss. Maybe he didn't hate it because of the person, but because of the context or the reeking whiskey breath…
Tyler let go off him and pushed him away before he could push his thought further.
"You dumbass! You could have snapped your neck!"
"Come on," Jeremy said without losing his smile. "I knew you'd catch me."
"Well, I didn't, and you scared the shit out of me! After everything, I can't even imagine losing you, especially over something this stupid!"
Jeremy realized how different this was compared to putting himself in danger with Anna. His ex had been a vampire for centuries; when he cut himself in front of her, she would have killed him only if she wanted to, not because she would have lost control like Caroline did with the man at the carnival. Tyler was still figuring his condition out, it was way too soon to toy with his abilities like this.
"Man, I'm sorry. I… I just wanted to show you how much I believed in you."
Those words made Tyler's anger go away, but replaced it with anxiety and guilt. He couldn't believe that few seconds ago, he had Jeremy in his arms bridal style and just pushed him away. He wished he could go back to that moment with his emotions in check…
"I'm sorry too, for yelling. I just freaked out, seeing you falling like that…"
"I know, that was stupid of me."
"The rest of it was fun though. Running, breaking the bench, watching you climb… I think I'm starting to enjoy this part of being a werewolf. And that's all because of you so … thanks for that."
In spite of the flattery, Jeremy could see in Tyler's gaze that something else was wrong.
"But…"
"There's still the other part." the wolf answered.
"Right… I'm sorry, I didn't think of researching it."
"It's not your full responsibility, you know? I already have a plan."
Tyler walked backward and tilted his head to a direction.
"Come on, I'll show you."