Work Text:
To say Tyler was depressed would be an understatement. He was in fact completely devastated and had been for about a month. You see, Tyler managed to get into college on a sports scholarship, as had his high school girlfriend Lindsay. Unfortunately so had Lindsay’s best friend Heather.
Heather had never liked him. At first Tyler thought it was just because he got in the way of her manipulating Lindsay, but eventually he found that she was actually crushing on the blonde. And about a month ago she finally convinced Lindsay to ditch him.
Now here he was at a college Halloween party. In particular, a masquerade ball. He was dressed as a hockey player in his red and white jersey, a mask and jeans, but people kept thinking he was a serial killer for some reason? Either way he wasn’t even sure why he’d come.
He glanced over at his friend Owen, who was currently dressed as a giant pumpkin. Right. Owen thought he should get out there. Apparently isolating himself in his room whenever he wasn’t going to class or practice wasn’t healthy. To be fair, Owen had also somehow managed to drag Noah into it, for much the same reason.
Tyler wasn’t really having a good time though. Owen was spending all his time dancing with people, including an unenthused Noah. Everyone else was busy doing their own thing. And Lindsay… Well she’s in the corner of the room with Heather and the queen bee was not shy about draping an arm over the blonde’s shoulders. Tyler doesn’t think she’s made a move yet, but he wouldn’t be surprised if she did so tonight.
Tyler was just about to storm out and back to his dorm when someone spoke to him. “Well, well, to whom do I have the pleasure of meeting on this most Hallowed of nights?”
The voice was buttery smooth with an accent Tyler couldn’t place. He turned to see the person before him was a beautiful stranger dressed in a vampire costume with a small white mask over his eyes and nose. He had long brown hair that brushed his shoulders, a matching soul patch, a muscular physique, and beyond that mask a pair of piercing murky green eyes that seemed to stage through his soul.
Tyler swallowed. The man before him was gorgeous. He wanted to greet him, but when he opened his mouth all that tumbled out was. “I like girls.”
The stranger gave him a knowing smirk. “I see. I could not help but notice you are alone tonight.”
“Yeah.” Tyler sighed. “My girlfr- ex-girlfriend broke up with me a month ago and I’m pretty sure my chances of getting her back are zero.” He glanced over at Heather and Lindsay. The queen bee was currently dancing with her. She looked over Lindsay’s shoulder and smirked at him.
The stranger produced a rose from seemingly nowhere. If Tyler had to guess it had been hidden somewhere in his costume. “Then it is her loss.” He sniffed the rose and threw it at Tyler who dropped. He could feel the heat rush to his face. The stranger chuckled. “Would you like to dance?”
Tyler’s brain short circuited. “Uh, what?”
“Dance.” The stranger repeated.
He frowned. “You don’t want to dance with me. I have two left feet.”
The stranger looked down at Tyler’s feet, a bemused look on his lips. “Your feet seem normal to me, and I’m quite versed in dancing. I can lead us easily.” He offered his hand. “Shall we?”
Tyler took the other man’s hand and found himself swept up into a dance. Tyler was klutzy. According to Noah his middle name was Klutzy. Which was strange because as far as he knew he didn’t have a middle name. The point was that Tyler had never danced smoothly in his life. Yet now in his stranger’s arms, he was doing okay. Sure he wasn't about to enter a dance competition, but he wasn’t tripping over his own feet either.
“Isn’t this nice?” The stranger whispered, his breath running across Tyler’s ear, sending pleasant chills running through him. “I am pleased you decided to join me. I must admit I found myself drawn to you. I can’t say why that is, but I imagine your pronounced cheekbones play a role. Though it is hard to see them behind your hockey mask.”
“My cheekbones?” Tyler swallowed.
“Yes.” The stranger smirked. “They are truly lovely. I have to wonder if I have a chance with you.”
“I like girls.” Tyler repeated.
“Indeed, but do you like guys as well? The two are not mutually exclusive.” The stranger told him.
Tyler didn’t know how to respond. His dance partner raised his hockey mask up just enough to bare his lips. “I think you do.”
Before Tyler could respond he saw Heather twirling Lindsay into a dip and kissing her. Tyler pushed the stranger away and ran. He sat himself in a chair in the back corner of the room. Devoid of everyone but Noah, who had fallen asleep on his book.
He could feel his eyes tearing up. Well Heather had finally gotten what she wanted. It’d taken her years but she’d won Lindsay over. Tyler shouldn’t be surprised. That woman was determined.
“There you are carino.” The accented voice of the stranger entered the area. Tyler turned to see him. “Was I too forward?”
“No. I just. Saw my girl- ex-girlfriend kissing someone else.” He admitted.
The stranger sat down in the chair next to Tyler’s. “That can be painful, but there is no reason you should not enjoy yourself. Pay her no thought.” He leaned forward. “I’ll help.” With those words the stranger’s lips closed on Tyler’s own.
Tyler expected it to feel strange. Or at least to be unable to get into it. On the contrary though, it felt completely natural, and he quickly found himself deepening the kiss, desperately trying to drown out the thought of Heather kissing Lindsay. He could feel the stranger’s tongue dance across his lips and willingly allowed it passage, losing himself in sensation. He could feel the stranger’s hands in his hair.
“Oh come on! Get a room!” A voice startled Tyler out of his trance. He glanced over to see an annoyed Noah.
He pulled away from the stranger. “I thought you were asleep.”
“I was, and I didn’t exactly want to be woken up by the sounds of wanton lust, but here we are.” The cynic glared.
The stranger turned to the cynic. “I do apologize.” He took Tyler by the hand and escorted him over to the entrance of the party. “We could continue this? In my dorm room perhaps?”
Tyler swallowed. Until now he’d not even known that he was into guys. Not to mention he didn’t even know this guy’s name, and hadn’t even seen him with his mask off. And yet… Tyler wanted to continue. He wanted to see where this went. He wanted to embrace this new feeling. He needs to find some kind of pleasure after his loss. And this felt right.
“Let’s go.” he whispered.