The last strands (#Tronnor)

Chapter 18: The truth

Tyler had managed to get, as he referred, "Connor's sorry ass" out of Seaside's Den with ease and a little help from Cindy, got him on his Kia truck and drove away from the bar and unto Connor's apartment around two in the morning. Asides Connor's dead weight and the complete silence held between the two, Tyler would have considered the entire operation all in all a flawless success. Well at least Connor was still breathing, and to Tyler that implied that he had done a marvelous job, but there still was the need to discuss a couple of matters that neither of them knew how to. Much to Connor's reluctance, of course, it was necessary.

As soon as Tyler had managed to open Connor's door (without any help), the green eyed drunk boy lounged himself on top of his living room couch, with every intention of falling asleep and sending Tyler pretty much to fuck off. Naturally Tyler wouldn't have it that way, as he made pretty clear to Connor.

-"You are not running away from this right now."—he said, matter-of-factly—"You will sit up straight and talk. Now."

Connor couldn't care less of what Tyler had to say, and he made that clear enough by doing absolutely nothing. The atmosphere was tense enough as it was, and he wasn't helping on it much. Tyler walked into the house and stood in front of him, with a deadly serious glare.

-"You did not just make me drag you home just so—"

-"I did not. Make you do anything."

Connor stood up straight, with an ironic smile and a ploy full of despise.

-"I didn't ask you to do anything for me, ever."

With a little difficulty, he stood up and looked back at Tyler, dead in the eye. Connor was a bit taller, but the two of them were pretty short as it was, and there was barely any intimidation at all. But it still felt like a threat.

-"But I will ask you that if that's all you fetched me for, then you are welcome to leave."

The silence Tyler kept was far more intriguing to Connor than what he foresaw, because for once he seemed to be one step ahead of him. Tyler had always been the one to lead, he had always made sure that everyone needed his help, never the other way around. If anyone needed something, they would go to Tyler, and he always had the answer to almost everything. He was almost the king of YouTube in America, but not to Connor. Not anymore. He had outgrown that, and it was one of the few good things that he had taken from their fight. Now, for the first time, Connor was in advantage. Connor was in advantage, because Tyler no longer had power over him, and he clearly wasn't used to that position.

Tyler's eyes were red with rage, but he hadn't gone there to fight, and he also wasn't leaving without getting what he went for.

-"I have a reason to be here."

Connor was fairly shocked, and it didn't take any alcohol for him to notice that. He laughed, because at that point what other choice did he have?

-"Really? Why are you here, then?"

-"Listen, Connor."—Tyler said with a low tone—"Whatever issues you and I have we must put aside. For now. This isn't about you or me."

-"Then who the fuck is it about?"

-"Don't act like you don't know."

The realization was like the cold water shower Connor needed to be dropped back into reality. With one hand on his hip and the other across his face, he looked away from Tyler, pondering on what to do or say. Once again he found nothing.

-"... What did he tell you?"—Connor asked, dismissively.

-"... He didn't have to tell me anything."