Icy Inferno (Troyler AU)

⋙ Chapter Twenty-Nine

Three of them looked around the area, absolutely clueless as to what I was saying. They had a right to be - we were in the middle of a derelict concrete jungle, where no greenery existed. It was the one named Phil who responded. He seemed mildly shocked, yet he coolly replied "Why don't you use sheep shears?"

"The emo goose took them."

"Even the fluffy ones?"

"Even the fluffy ones," I said with a smile. They were the one's, and they wouldn't be leaving any time soon - not on my watch. "You're welcome to stay at mine until the storm let's up. It's number 666."

"Did I miss something?" The blue-haired one asked again - the one I could now correctly name 'Tyler'.

"It's code. For the resistance," Phil replied.

He scoffed. "It's not exactly subtle."

"It works, and that's all that matters. If you join, you can bring that up and get it changed."

The window rolled up and they parked on the side of the street. I led them into my home, I checked the street, ensuring they hadn't been followed, before closing the door.

They had already made their way to living room, looking round as if in a foreign land. "Cute hamster," was the first thing Dan said upon entering.

"I wish I could say that's the weirdest compliment I've been given," I sighed.

"This place is gigantic. And lovely. I love the colour scheme," said Troye. "It's very chill. Like the calm before the storm."

"Thank you Troye," I smiled. Hardly any one liked the colour scheme- Then I froze.

He hadn't told me his name yet.

A string of curse words whipped round my head. He didn't react though - at least, not outwardly. Perhaps he hadn't realised I wasn't meant to know his name, too oblivious to the weirdness. I had to hope that was the case. He continued to look at the furniture and then said "There's not many photos though."

"No."

"Don't you like having family photos about?"

"My relationship with my family is complicated to say the least. I'd rather have blank walls than reminders."

He frowned but before he could question it, I told them all to take a seat and make themselves comfortable. They did just that. I noted that Tyler was kept glancing at Phil. It wasn't a look of anger. It was more like he was desperate to talk to him. About what, I didn't know, but ti looked like Phil was purposely avoiding making eye contact.

"Would you like anything to drink?"

"Coffee would be nice," Tyler said.

"Urm, could I have some apple juice?" Troye asked.

"Sure thing" I managed to withhold his name that time. "And for you two?"

"Do you have any tea?" Dan asked.

"Urm, I have green tea, if that's any good."

"No proper tea?" Phil asked. His face resembled a child who'd dropped their ice cream.

"I wasn't expecting British people. If I'd known I would've brought tea and scones." Although it was meant as a joke, it was partly true. Despite all I knew about these people, nationalities hadn't been prioritised. If I'd been organised I would've known that.

"That's a harsh stereotype."

"And yet you want tea."

Dan cleared his throat. "Please may I have green tea?"