Array
(
[text] =>
Hey peoples, sorry for the short chapter. This has been an awkward couple of weeks of self contemplation.
Warning: The language in this chapter isn’t exactly kid appropriate. Tyler sort of loosens his tie in this chapter.
Tyler was heading out to his car around six for once. He almost shouted with joy the moment he realized he could actually leave before seven. A moment later, he found himself following the new hire towards the back doors. While walking behind Richie, he noticed the not-so-subtle sneers being thrown at the young man. Tyler sighed at people’s ignorance. Apparently he sighed too loudly because Richie whipped around. Tyler met his wide eyes with an uninspired yawn. “What?”
Richie shook his head and turned back around, “Nothing, I just thought you were someone else.”
Tyler frowned slightly, “Who did you think I was?”
“No one,” Richie answered curtly.
Tyler glared at the back of Richie’s head and grabbed him collar, promptly pulling him to a stop. “I asked a question and I want a proper answer.”
“Did you seriously just grab my collar?” Richie asked, his temper quickly flaring, “You do not grab people’s collars.”
Tyler rolled his eyes, “Do all gay guys whine as much as you?”
“Depends, do you treat all gay guys like animals?”
“Not particularly. I treat all kids like animals, mostly because they are.”
Richie sighed loudly, “You’re incorrigible.”
“And you bitch more than my wife,” Tyler released him and continued walking.
“I do not bitch,” Richie spat then scurried after Tyler after realizing that he wasn’t going to stop. “I do not bitch,” he repeated stubbornly, “I just don’t understand how you can be so rude.”
“Well,” Tyler said sarcastically, “It all starts with not giving a damn and the rest comes naturally.”
He opened the back door to the parking lot and left a stunned Richie behind. Richie snapped out of his trance and brushed past Tyler rudely to get to his car. Instead of even pretending to be offended, Tyler rolled his eyes and opened his truck door and slid in. He also watched as Richie hopped into his car a few parking spots away, still fuming, and pulled off. Tyler strapped on his seat belt and started his car, still watching Richie drive carelessly out of the parking lot. He was also watching when a car slammed into Richie’s car, passenger side. The force sent Richie’s car off the street, onto the sidewalk while the car that hit him drove off like the hounds of hell were on their heel. Thankfully, no one was close enough to get hurt but the few who were over to the side stared, gapping.
Tyler gapped along with them for a couple minutes before jumping out of his car. He struggled to unhook his seatbelt, which now strangled him like a snake, and sprinted across the parking lot murmuring, “Shit, shit, shit, shit.” He pulled at Richie’s door and groaned when he realized that it was still locked so he ran to the other side. The collision had forced the passenger door open and Tyler crawled inside. His heart shattered when he saw the young man bleeding profusely from a cut on his forehead. Tyler undid his seatbelt and hooked his arms under the younger man’s arms and pulled him gently out of the car. He didn’t let Richie touch the ground but carried him in a bridal hold safely away from the car. There was some applause over to the side but Tyler ignored it and laid the poor man gently on the ground far from the car so he could see the damage. Thankfully, the gash on his head seemed to be the only injury he had.
“I already called the ambulance,” a gentle female voice above him said, “They’re on their way.”
Tyler grunted, “Did anyone get that fucker’s license plate number?”
“No, sorry.”
Tyler waved away the apology, “Whatever. I didn’t want to be charged for murder anyway.”
The voice chuckled, “Are you two close?”
Tyler gazed down at Richie, unknowingly allowing a smile to grace his features, “Nah, he’s just a kid I like to mess with.”
Soon after the ambulance came and Tyler climbed in the truck with them as they took Richie away to the hospital. Tyler went through the process of telling the police what he saw, lying to the police about being related to Richie, and waiting for Richie to regain consciousness. Meanwhile, he called home and told his kids that he would be late. Again.
So there he was. Sitting at the bedside of a guy he hardly knew because he didn’t want the kid to wake up disoriented then have to find some way to get home with his car totaled. He was really far kinder than he wanted to be at that moment.
When Richie woke up, his mind was a haze. He opened his eyes and stared at an unfamiliar white ceiling with curiosity before realizing that it wasn’t his ceiling. He sat up slowing, his head throbbing ridiculously.
A familiar voice chimed pleasantly, “You’re one hell of a moron.”
Richie groaned at the voice and the throbbing in his head, “What happened?”
“Nothing much,” Tyler assured him sarcastically, “You just got rammed at seventy-five god damn miles an hour, nothing to get worked up about. How do you feel? Like shit? I hope you feel like shit ’cause I didn’t stay here for a good three hours for you to wake up feeling like a god damn rainbow.”
Richie rubbed his eyes tiredly, “I’m gay, I always feel like a rainbow. Listen, Mr. Delroe, my head hurts too much for me to get mad, can you just tell me what happened in the least asshole-ish way possible?”
Tyler snorted, “Your dumbass got hit, the bastard ran like a fucking girl and now you’re in the hospital with a very pissed off boss. Now you’re up to date, happy?”
Richie rolled his eyes, “Peachy.” Then a thought suddenly hit him, “How’s my car?”
Tyler smirked, “That piece of shit is in the junk yard now. He hit your engine so the whole thing exploded. You’re lucky you got out of there before it did.”
“Oh God,” he threw his head into his hands, “Not my car. How did I even get out?”
“I pulled you out.” He shrugged at the look of complete disbelief and gratitude that Richie openly displayed. “I wasn’t going to let you blow up like a damn firecracker. It’s not even the fourth of July yet.”
Richie broke into a grin. Then he chuckled. Then he laughed.
Tyler watch with horror as Richie went through a moment of temporary insanity. The man just shook his head at Richie, giggles kept on erupting from him as he tried to keep them down. “Seriously, Mr. Delroe,” Richie grinned, “This is the second time you’ve saved me.”
Tyler stared in confusion, “What was the first?”
“Accepting my sexuality,” he answered easily, “And actually defending me.”
Instead of pretending to understand, Tyler furrowed his brow and commented, “It’s pretty fucking sad that you compare defending your sexuality to saving your life but it’s your life. Fuck if I understand that shit. If you’re okay then go sign yourself out. I’m driving you home.”
“Really,” Richie’s mouth dropped open in shock, “You really don’t have to, you’ve already done so much for me.”
Tyler responded, annoyed, “Why the ever loving hell did you think I’d wait this long for you if I wasn’t planning to drive you home?”
“Oh,” Richie scrambled out of bed, “I didn’t think of that, I’m sorry.”
Tyler snorted, “Obviously.”
Richie followed Tyler down the hospital halls to the reception desk. Tyler waited impatiently while he signed out then led him to the car. They both climbed in the car and drove to Richie’s apartment in a comfortable silence that was only disturbed when Richie told Tyler to turn. Once they pulled off, Tyler said curtly, “I’ll pick you up at nine on the dot. Don’t make me wait.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Richie said quickly, “I’ll find a way.”
Tyler snorted, “Right. Kid, don’t argue, just be grateful. I’m not usually this generous. Like I said, nine on a dot, don’t leave me waiting. Got it?”
Richie rolled his eyes at the authoritative tone, “You do realize that I’m a grown man, right?”
“Yes, a grown man that got his head kicked around by some heavy machinery. Nine on the dot. Got it?”
“Yes, father,” Richie slammed the door shut.
Tyler rolled down the window and yelled jokingly, “Don’t use that tone of voice with me, young man.”
Richie was still laughing when he reached his apartment door.
[text_hash] => b450d050
)