blue neighbourhood ✧ tronnor (incomplete)

13. Connor

short filler update since i was feeling somewhat inspired.
since i may not update this until after christmas, i hope all of you who celebrate christmas have a lovely day and for those of you who don't celebrate it, have a lovely friday !! i love you all a lot x

"How about this?" Troye called, leaning back against the trunk of a tall tree and gazing into the distance.

"Perfect!" I replied, holding the camera to my eye and pressing the shutter multiple times, experimenting with different angles and zooming in and out to get the perfect image.

Once I was happy with my final products, I replaced the lens cover and sat on a pile of brown, crunchy leaves. "Okay, I think I've got everything I need now."

Troye sat opposite me and crossed his legs, his exposed knees poking out of the holes in his jeans. The sky was gradually growing darker above us and I knew it would soon be time to head home, but I wanted to extend my time with Troye for as long as possible. The only time I felt truly safe and comfortable was when I was in his presence, and the thought of returning home alone to my Dad petrified me.

"Earth to Connor," Troye clicked his fingers in front of my eyes. "You okay? You spaced out again."

I nodded. "Yeah, I just don't want to go home."

"I'll come back with you, if you'd like?" Troye suggested. I pondered on what he'd said for a moment.

"Troye, I don't think that's a good idea. You're better off not meeting my Dad, I don't want him to hurt you."

Troye stood up. "I don't care, I'm coming with you. Now come on, you need to lead the way - how the hell am I supposed to know which way we're going?"

Reluctantly, I stood up and lingered by Troye's side briefly before beginning the walk back to my house. "It's this way."

We didn't talk much on the way back. Mostly due to the fact that I was absolutely terrified of how my Dad would react when Troye appeared at our front door beside me, but also because of how adamant Troye was about meeting him in the first place. My Dad had never taken kindly to any friends of mine before, but he was yet to physically harm any of them. What worried me most was the possibility of Troye standing up for both himself and me, which would only aggravate Dad further. I didn't want it to reach that penultimate.

The main difference between Troye's house and my own was that his was a lot bigger and well kept, not to mention that it was in a much nicer and friendlier part of the community. It was the equivalent of having a death wish if you left your front door - or any door or window for that matter - unlocked, since people will constantly try to break in and take whatever you have. Fortunately, everyone in the neighbourhood is too scared of my Dad to even consider trying to force an entry.

"Okay," I breathed as Troye and I arrived outside my house. "We're here."

I led him up the footpath to the front door and unlocked the door as quickly and quietly as possible. I pushed the door ajar very slightly and listened hard, trying to hear any sign that would give away Dad's presence. After standing in pure silence for a matter of minutes and hearing nothing, I concluded that he wasn't at home.

"Just be quiet," I whispered. "I'm not absolutely sure he isn't home."

Troye tagged along behind me as we tiptoed up the stairs to my room, the pair of us listening for my Dad. When we reached my room it had become clear that Dad wasn't home, but that fact didn't relax me whatsoever. I knew that at somepoint he would come home, and I could only pray it wasn't while Troye was still in the house.

"Your room's cute." Troye murmured as he studied the four walls individually, his blue eyes scanning every poster, drawing and concert ticket that was stuck to the paint with blue-tack or sticky tape.

"I hate it, but it's too much effort to try and change it. I'm not really here that much anyway, so I don't spend much time surrounded by everything." I explained.

Troye shrugged. "Nah, I like it."

I retrieved my camera from my backpack and went to put it back in the drawer beside my bed. Before I could close the drawer, Troye appeared beside me and grabbed it back out, removing the memory card swiftly. "Can I see the pictures you took?"

I sighed, hoping the process wouldn't take too long. As much as I enjoyed spending time with Troye, the fact that he was stood in my house made me extremely uncomfortable. "Sure, could you grab my laptop from the desk?"

Troye nodded and grabbed the laptop, returning it to me and plopping down next to me on the bed. I pulled my legs up onto the bed and crossed them, creating a leg-rest for my laptop. I inserted the memory card into the reader and waited momentarily before the numerous pictures I'd taken of Troye flashed up onto the screen. I began clicking through them, waiting a few moments between each transition. The pair of us sat in silence as I continued to flick through image after image, the sight of Troye's bright eyes and photogenic features sending butterflies in my stomach crazy.

"These are so cool. You actually made me look good!" Troye chuckled in amazement. He was focusing greatly on the different pictures that were flashing up on the screen, but the only thing I could focus on was how he had gradually shuffled closer to me - to the extent that our hips were now grazing against eachother. I could feel his heartbeat on my arm and I could hear his light breathing. Yet, I didn't mind. I wanted to be as close to him as possible, but this was most likely the closest I would get.

"Dude, you're spaced again." Troye mumbled, taking the laptop from my hands and closing it down. "I know something's up and I'm not leaving here until you talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about, I'm fine. I'm just tired." I lied.

To my dismay, Troye saw straight through my lie. "Bullshit. That's your excuse every time, and I know you slept okay last night considering you were sleeping right next to me. Now can you please be honest with me? I'm trying to help you here."

I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. "I just don't think it's a good idea for you to stay here."

"Why?"

"Because if Dad sees you he'll get mad. I don't want him to hurt you and I don't want you to see him angry." I explained.

"I'm not scared of him, Connor."

"But he could hurt yo-"

"I won't let him! And I won't let him hurt you either! We're gonna get you out of here and you're gonna be safe and happy. I refuse to let some good for nothing excuse of a father abuse and manipulate his son anymore, I'm fed up of standing back and allowing it to carry on happening. You mean too much to lose. In the last few months we've gotten to know eachother and I want to keep knowing you! You just need to let me in again!"

"You don't understand! You don't understand! You do-"

My words were abruptly cut off. My attempts to speak were blundered by the sensation of something stopping me. I opened my eyes to find Troye pulling away from me, his actions cautious and wary.

"I'm sorry, it's too soon and I shouldn't have done that." Troye whispered, making every effort to avoid eye contact with me.

Without saying anything, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. We moulded together so effortlessly, like it was something we'd done so many times before. It was unsynchronised and messy but I didn't want it to end. I felt like I was floating on cloud nine, and nothing could bring me down from my sudden high.

"Connor, what the fuck are you doing? And who is that?"