Escort

IV

I want to make it absolutely clear that none of the characters in this chapter are intended to have had enough to drink to be considered drunk or unable to make lucid, rational decisions.

Okay, so long chapter right here!! As in 10,8k words long, making it miss the mark of the combined word count of the first three chapters by only 1,8k. I hope that makes up for the long wait! This one was much easier to write than the last one (can't imagine why *whistles*) and I'm really excited! Once again, I'd like to thank my trusted beta CantHandleTroyler for helping me edit! :D

I'm dedicating this chapter to Kali (MelancholyMango) for 5 reasons: 1. she's one of the best Troyler writers ever, 2. she's a genuinely sweet and very funny girl whose reactions to spoilers are literally everything (#SlugLife), 3. she lives for the type of content that this chapter is about to give you, 4. she and I really shouldn't be left alone on Skype together when we're thirsty, and 5. she's been sweet enough to dedicate, not one, but TWO chapters of her incredible book - the phenomenon - "Freak" to me!! I'm still not over that and I am convinced that "ALLF" wouldn't have gotten even half of the attention it did if it wasn't for those dedications. I can't ever thank you enough, Kals <3 To the rest of you, I'm sure you're all familiar with her work since they are some of the best reads on Wattpad, but in case you haven't read them, what the hell are you doing with your life?! Go do it now!! Or.... at least after you've read this ;) Enjoy!

(Oh, and did someone say "smut"??)

-

As soon as the words left his mouth, Troye wished he could take them back; to just reach out and reel them back in, as if they were visible letter shaped bubbles hanging in the air between the three of them, and swallow them back down, leaving everyone oblivious to their previous existence. He knew he was flushing to the roots of his hair by the way his face was heating up but he made sure to keep smiling, even if his cheeks were beginning to hurt from the strain.

All Troye had wanted to do was get David to back off and finally leave him alone. What he hadn't meant to do was blurt something as infinitely stupid as saying that Tyler was his boyfriend. Boyfriend, for fucks sake! Saying that he was his date would have sufficed! But Troye had panicked and managed to back himself into a pretty little corner. He couldn't very well backtrack his way out of this one now. He had to keep up pretences and go along with the story, at least while David was around, if not the rest of the night. Tyler would probably have a field day.

Troye watched as David's mouth fell open to form an 'oh'. His eyes went from looking at the hand Troye was resting on Tyler's shoulder, to glancing at the finger's holding Troye's waist, flickering briefly over Tyler's face, and then back to Troye again. David's face morphed from an expression of surprise to one closer to indignation, as if Troye and Tyler touching each other somehow offended him.

"I- I didn't realize," David stuttered. "It looked like you were fighting."

A ripple of annoyance ran through Troye's body. He didn't need a knight in shining armor to come save him. He wasn't a dainty princess, and David sure as hell didn't have any right to make assumptions. But in the interest of keeping up appearances, Troye faked another laugh.

"Just a lover's spat, you know how it is." He lifted his hand and tried to make a dismissive gesture. It came out looking more like an 'aw shucks' elbow-hook so Troye quickly lifted his drink to his mouth to down the remaining wine in one gulp, arguing that more alcohol was exactly what he needed right now. Preferably enough to make him black out so he wouldn't have to deal with this situation. Though, since he didn't feel more than a faint buzz yet, Troye knew it was futile.