You make me ache

Ch47: Blanket Forts and Lies.

Tyler's POV.

"Ty, Ty I'm so sorry," Troye mumbles, his voice weak but filled with sincerity. I rub my face, my palm coming to rest against my mouth as I shake my head at him. The loud wail of our fire alarm blasts through the apartment more fiercely than the billowing smoke that swirls from the oven. The shrill noise wracks through our bodies, causing me to grimace at the attack on my eardrums. Troye's shoulders are slumped, his usually sparkling, blue eyes saddened with disappointment; he looks helpless.

 "Oh Troye," I say gently, my fingers still pressed against my jaw and lips. The whole situation is absurd yet it is far from shocking. When Troye had told me that he was cooking tonight, I had known it was never going to end well. It never does. His expression remains hopeless and I crave to bundle his slight body into my arms, and cuddle him until I feel his hypnotizing smile grow against my skin.

 "I just wanted you to come home and have a relaxing night," he replies, as his gaze diverts from my face to study his bare feet, "but all I've done is cause more stress and chaos".

 "Come here Doofus" I say, my voice only just audible over the blaring alarm. My body stepping towards him, my arms spread wide open inviting him into my eager embrace. "This chaos might not be what I wanted to come home to tonight, but you are". His body melts into mine, his head dipping down and resting on my shoulder. I allow my hand to rise up and find the loose waves of Troye's damp curls, yet the overpowering smell of burning drowns out the familiar smell of his shampoo as my fingers thread through his unstyled hair . He squeezes me tightly, his hands clutching at my blazer and causing a lazy smile to grow across my lips at the immediate comfort that his touch never fails to provide me with.

 "I really am sorry though Tilly".

 "Don't be, it's nothing that can't easily be solved," I reply and with that thought I break into a gentle laughter.

 "You're laughing?" he asks, his obvious bewilderment ringing in each spoken syllable. With my body shaking in amusement, I nod my head in response,

 "I'm just thinking of you having to deal with the irritated, 'fire-fleeing' neighbours... again".

 "Ugh, they must hate me by now," Troye groans into my shoulder. I continue to chuckle at his words, my body still gently vibrating against his before our embrace ends.

 "You probably won't even need to explain that it's a false alarm. They'll see you and just know". Continuing to laugh light-heartedly at his groans, I flash him a smile and wrap my fingers around his wrist before trailing his hand with my fingers, subconsciously not wanting to end our touch.

 "Ugh, This is always so embarrassing".

 "It'll be fine, go and face the angry mob and I'll get started on this," I say nodding towards the still billowing smoke and burning food.

 "At least some people will be glad when I head back to Perth" he sighs, and my light amusement quickly ends, his words leaving me silent with a sudden heaviness pooling in my gut.  He continues to grumble at the wailing alarm but nevertheless he slides on a pair of shoes that sit by the front door and makes his way out of our apartment.  I hear him quickly mutter "Wish me luck" before the door closes behind him but I am too distracted by his prior words to reply. Today's meetings had been stressful and seemingly never-ending but Troye's heartbreaking reminder that he will be leaving the country soon is suddenly the worst part of my day. My tired body grows heavier with the thought but with the oven still smoking, I slip on a pair of oven gloves and force myself to concentrate on salvaging the kitchen before we no longer have one.

With the oven door still open I can see a ceramic pie dish sitting on the middle shelf. As I take it into my hand I note that inside the dish is something that sort of resembles pumpkin pie.