Drowning : Troyler AU

Chapter Six - Tiny Circles

*Troye's POV*

We sat like that for nearly an hour. Neither one of us bothering to say anything as Tyler drew small circles into the back of my hand. Before finger by finger almost painfully slow taking his hand into mine. My hand tingled with every touch. I was warmed by his fingers. As he delicately intertwined our hands I stopped pretending to care about the ducks.

I refused to make eye contact with him, unwilling to break the magic of this moment. I thought that maybe if I looked at him, he might stop and I definitely didn't want that. Instead I looked out upon the river to the sunset as it danced and glittered across the surface.

I could feel his eyes on me. Looking directly at me. I couldn't help but smile to myself as he just stared at me for what seemed like the longest time but felt far too short as it abruptly ended.

"Come on, we've got a dinner to get to." Tyler says softly, as though he knows he's waking me from my trancelike state. Like he can feel how special the moment we just shared was, as if it were special to him as well.

I simply smile at him as he pulls me up from the ground. His hand never escaping mine. When I look at him I can't help but notice he has this look of pure contentment on his face that I recognize but it's like I'm seeing it for the first time... This must be what my face looks like. Calm, happy, safe, everything that Tyler makes me feel like.

"So, uhh where are we going?"

"Just this little place I know." Tyler replies with a smirk on his lips. So he wants to keep it a secret that's fine with me. I'll let him have this one.

"Seafood?" I'm allergic so I have to check. I don't want him being all disappointed when his plan doesn't work out.

"No."

"Okay."

*Tyler's POV*

I'm so excited to show Troye this restaurant. They serve the best Chinese food I have ever had.  They make these dumplings that taste like heaven and the restaurant itself is done up in the perfect way. It looks beautiful, delicate and proper and yet when I'm in there I couldn't feel more comfortable. I want to know if Troye has the same reaction. everywhere I've taken him today has been a test. It wasn't exactly my plan. But I've taken him to all my favorite places. I want to make sure that he loves them too. He seems to know how important these places are too me and is loving them as much as I do.

As I'm dragging Troye into the restaurant, he stops. Just stops walking right in the door way. I can see it on his face. He loves it. He looks completely amazed at the interior. Everything is perfectly laid out the brown and red surfaces mixing together. The lighting bouncing around the room and illuminating the crevasses and creases of the intricate floor plan and making his face glow, even more beautiful than before.

I ask the waitress for my usual table and turn my attention to Troye as she leads us to a secluded corner of the restaurant. I decide to sit adjacent to Troye on the small square table I spend so much time at. I giggle to myself as he struggles for words.

"Ty-It's perfect. How did you know?"

"Because it's my favorite place, that's why."

I smile at him wide, and honest. Trying to explain without words how much I love this place and how much I'm grateful that he too likes it.

He looks so innocent and sweet. After spending the whole afternoon with him I can tell he's someone I want in my life. Hell I could tell he was someone I wanted in my life after the first time I laid eyes on him and I was positive the first time I heard his voice.  I need this boy in my life. I would prefer if it was too touch and kiss and share all those infinity special moments with. Stop it Tyler, he's not gay... or at least he's not out yet. After I first laid eyes on him, I asked around a bit to see if anyone knew which way he was swinging, from the few people who knew him I never got a clear answer. No one had any clue either way.

So that means I still have a chance and by the way he was holding my hand by the river I have a much better chance than the average straight guy. Which gave me hope. I was going to get this boy.

I must having been zoned out for a while because I was interrupted by our waiter. She clears he throat loudly followed by "Ty--" Troye asks questioningly.

"Oh yeah. Sorry" Way to not be awkward Tyler, trying to impress this boy, remember. "Can we get the leek and lamb dumplings as well as the vegetable dumplings?" I smile up at her apologetically having no idea how long she was standing around waiting for me.

"Anything else?"

"No thanks, that's it." I had decided to order for Troye as well as this was his first time here and the menu was mostly written in Chinese. I looked to him for approval but he mostly looked confused.

He was so adorable when he's confused. His eyebrows knit together and he looks more determined to figure things out then he does hopeless. I liked that about him, his determination. To be completely honest I like everything about him. From the way his lips curled up at the edges when he was trying not to laugh at one of my jokes; to the way his eyes lit up when he caught me staring at him.

 I just like him.

I wanted to tell him how much I liked him. bout how he drove me wild, but I thought I better not. I didn't want to scare him off by showing the extent of my feelings when I knew it was irrational to like him this much after just meeting him a few days ago and only striking up a conversation this morning. Even if we had talked noon stop for hours. I was still at risk of coming on way to strong.

But he deserved to know how amazing he was so I settled for a simple "You know, you're pretty cute when you're confused Troye-Boy" I didn't know where I got the nickname from, but from the way his face lit up I knew I would be using it plenty from now on.

"Thanks Ty." He said blushing a little bit. I was only the tiniest bit proud of myself for managing to get him to blush over the smallest of compliments.

We ended up spending the rest of the evening sharing the most amazing Chinese food and I could tell that he liked it by the way we were fighting an intricate and equally ruthless chopstick ninja battle for the last dumpling.  I decided to let him win. I say let, he swooped in a stabbed it straight down the middle and plopped it in his mouth before I could make a play to get it back. Before promptly singing 'We are the champions' with his mouth still full of dumpling.

I dropped him home and it was a little awkward as we said our goodbyes. Neither of us knowing whether we should hug, or he should just split? This wasn't helped by the fact the gear box meant that any in car hugging would have been uncomfortable. IN the end I decided to just grabbed his hand and gave it a little squeeze. Before saying "Bye Troye-Boy, cya in class tomorrow." I earnt myself another blush with the one.

So here I am driving home. Thinking about him. Still. 20 minutes later. I didn't have any delusions I was going to be thinking about him the whole ride home.

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A/N:

OMFG ISN'T TRXYE AMAZING. I just have to mention it before I say anything else. I am loving Touch sooo much and I was actually listening to it on repeat the entire time I was writing this. If you haven't downloaded it from iTunes yet. DO IT! You won't regret it I promise.

Also this chapter is dedicated to my real life bestie @JanoMyLove because she listens to me rant endlessly about characters and plots for this story and edits for me, when I'm failing at life. PLEASE GO SHOW HER SOME LOVE <3 She's writing an amazing story about the Janoskians which you should all read.

Thanks lovlies xx