Work Text:
The forest is always prettier at dawn. And high, as Tyler has discovered. It’s an amazing combo.
For a long time, just the forest at dawn would do. It’d slow his racing thoughts, distract from any remaining aches, soreness, or injuries he happened to acquire from basketball.
He’d wake early, before school, on the weekends- maybe not even wake, And go for a walk. Long and slow to an old bench deep in the woods.
He’d lay down, stare up through the leaves and watch as the sky changed colors, listening to the world wake up.
Then that stopped working.
His joints started hurting more and more as he got injured until they ached even when laying down.
His mind got fuller, school got worse, he slept less.
Then he bought weed.
Best decision of his life, if you asked him. And despite what his parents say, he didn’t drop out of college because of his usage. They just don’t believe he actually believes in his music career.
Since then, his morning routine is to take a gummy, walk to a bench in the woods, - whatever bench, not necessarily the same one- and lay down and watch the sun rise.
Like today.
He went to his favorite bench in the park after another sleepless, music filled night. Doubt filled too. He’s starting to realize maybe he isn’t going anywhere.
He didn’t like that train of thought- it always ended up in one station. A dangerous one, he’s found.
It didn’t help that his knees were killing him, and his back had a particularly profound ache that he refuses to connect to his poor posture and old injuries.
They never went away, and he’s started to accept he’ll always be in some sort of pain unless he’s high, trapped with his thoughts and broken body.
It was rough.
He took two gummies instead of one.
And it’s starting to hit, the very edges of his thoughts turning fuzzy and quiet. Above him the sky is navy blue and the black leaves sway and swirl in the wind. The pressure in his throat shifts down onto his chest, warm and comforting.
He sighs, tucking his arm under his head. He lets his eye lids get loose, unfocus. He starts to float in a sea of warmth on currents of organic sounds.
He’s a nice twenty minute hike into the small wooded park, thick trees all around him. He’s off a small path, nice and secluded even during the day time. It’s far enough from people to be quiet and wooded enough for there to be trees above him.
Just how he likes it.
The sky shifts slowly, navel to a deep indigo, violet and rouge, then tan with pink hair and-
What.
Tyler blinks- forcing his gaze straight.
It focuses on another man’s face above his. Right above him.
He doesn’t startle, snorting slightly. His appearance is… bizarre.
Hooked nose, brown-green eyes dusted in red eyeshadow and glitter, gold and silver chains and jewelry on every part of his face, red swirling face paint, and highlighter-pink hair.
Okay, maybe not bizarre exactly, but odd. Most so are his ears, pointed and seemingly frost bitten with how blue they turn at the tips.
Tyler snorts again. “What the fuck man. Why're you so close?”
The man’s eyes widen and he squeaks, stumbling back.
Tyler’s head lolls to the side to watch him and he is once again struck by how weird this guy is.
He’s in practically nothing. An outfit meant for a rave, maybe. Blue mesh shirt, gold bracelets, little shorts, and fucking yellow fairy wings. And he’s barefoot, because why not? It’s only mid spring and, quite frankly, cold. Why would any sane person wear shoes?
“You can see me,” the guy says suddenly.
“…what?” Tyler blinks slowly, brow furrowing. “Of course I can?”
“I… you can’t. You shouldn’t…” he looks almost distraught, hand running through his curly pink hair. It pulls his already see-through shirt up, exposing toned muscle that Tyler very forcibly has to ignore.
“Dude. Are you high?” Tyler laughs because that makes sense. Some dude went to a weird party, got high and happened to stumble upon the only other high person outside right now. Now they get to be high together. “Me too. Dude, come sit, you’re absolutely fucking tripping.”
The guy looks horrified as Tyler drags himself up and pats the bench next to him.
“you’re hallucinating,” he declares. “You’re high and hallucinating."
Tyler stares. “I don’t know what you took but I just had some weed. A little. I’m not hallucinationing a whole person.” The guy frowns, looking like a kicked puppy. “Now are you gonna sit or what? You’re gonna miss it.”
That seems to catch his attention. “Miss what…?”
Tyler raises a weighted arm, gesturing at the sky. “The sunrise.” he can't help but smile up at the empty sky.
The man looks over him slowly, brows furrowed. “That’s what you’ve been watching every time you come here?”
“What, have you been stalking me?” It occurred that this could be true. This guy looks insane, is in the forest at five am, and apparently knows Tyler comes here often.
If only he cared. He finds that the buzz under his skin and the pretty glow of this guy is far more concerning.
The man flushes pink, stammering, “n-no I- uh. This shouldn’t be happening.” he seems almost inclined to leave.
Tyler tips his head back, groaning. “Just sit. Or leave, I don’t care.” he does.
The man hesitates for a moment before slowly stepping up and sitting beside Tyler. He moves as if he were a wild animal, poised to strike. A victory nonetheless.
Tyler's never been a flirt, and he’s particularly bad at it when high. Too straightforward, no finesse. He just doesn't care. He totally plans to flirt with this guy.
Maybe they can get breakfast after this. He’s really fucking hungry right now and waffels and a redbull sound amazing.
Tyler tips his head back, staring up at the sky again. “My name is Tyler. What’s yours? Or should I just call you ‘weird stranger’?”
“That’s fine.” He sounds uncomfortable, yet something bushes in Tyler’s arm, down all the way to his wrist. He ignores it.
“Dude. I’m not actually gonna call you that.”
“Fine… uhh, call me… Josh,” he mumbles.
“Oooh-kay. Nice to meet you Josh.” Another brush on his arm, then his leg. Tyler ignores it again.
They sit in silence, Tyler's head still craned back. It starts to ache, even with the fuzz stuffed into his nerves. He groans, letting his head swing forward.
“Are you always this awkward or only with me? Am I the lucky guy today?” He jokes, laughing to himself.
Josh is stiff beside him, not resting back into the back rest. Perfect posture, board straight.
He’s full out staring at Tyler with his intense eyes. “I’m not usually this awkward, no,” he says. Tyler comes to realize the guy is devastatingly pretty.
He noticed it before, but damn. Up close it's unreal. The dazzling makeup and soft features are wonders for him.
Tyler looks away, flushing red. He becomes suddenly very aware of how scantily clad the man is. “So I am just lucky, then?”
“I guess you could say that,” he talks in a low voice, like he’s scared to be overheard. Intimate.
Tyler’s face is on fire. He’s still out of it- this all feels on the edge of a very vivid fever dream. He stares down at the dirt, eyes lingering in the trees somewhere far off in front of him.
They lapse into silence. It’s awkward, heavy, and definitely charged. Well, Tyler thinks it is anyway, and it’s hard to conceptualize what this guy is thinking.
“Y’know, it’s kinda weird to just stare…” Tyler mumbles, still feeling Josh’s gaze on him.
“Sorry sorry. Just, you fascinate me. I’ve never been as intrigued by someone as I am with you.”
Tyler remembers this guy knows of his bench habits and can’t help but feel a tad uneasy. “You sound like a serial killer right now.” The laughter doesn't come as easily this time. He's heard that pretty guys are the best serial killers because they can lure in their victims.
Or something. Maybe that's carnivorous plants or something.
“I'm not, I swear it. I just… I dunno.” something brushes over Tyler's arm again. “I don't mean to scare you.”
The sky is pink now. The thin clouds are glowing, glowing like Josh’s hair. Tyler's eyes burn as he stares at them again.
“Where were you comin’ from?” Tyler switches the subject. He can't say he particularly cares if this guy ends up killing him. He doesn't care about much right now, and the thought of a fairy murdering him in the forest is quite funny. “Looks like a party.”
“Not a party, no. Just out and about.” he doesn't elaborate.
More silence. Another light touch on Tyler's jeans. The touches send shock waves through Tyler's nerves, intense even though the thick clothing.
Tyler huffs. “Y’know, for being as quiet as you are you sure are pretty distracting.” He fidgets with the hem of his shirt, feeling the soft fabric between his thumb and forefinger. Josh is still staring, he can tell.
“I'm distracting you?” he sounds genuinely puzzled, Tyler glances over and he looks dumbfounded. Small frown, furrowed brows.
It looks hilarious. Tyler bursts out laughing, far louder than the situation calls for. “Yes. Dude, have you seen yourself? Youre a fucking highlighter.” he looks over, grinning.
Josh still looks confused, but amused nonetheless. The corners of his eyes crinkle when he smiles, Tyler realizes. It folded the red eyeshadow and glitter over itself. “A highlighter?”
“Uh-huh. And I mean- the whole rave-outfit-thing? It's mesh- and glittery. Very distracting.” Tyler can't look away from it. He’s not sure he wants to. It's all too fun.
Josh laughs, and it’s such an enchanting sound that Tyler forgets to. Warm, it flows through the space like it’s part of it.
The weird touch happens again, over his arm and leg. It doesn't leave, now a soft pressure point on his thigh.
“You’re pretty distracting, too. Just so you know,” he throws it out there, in the same awkward manner as everything else. Like he’s scared to admit it.
Tyler’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh really? How is that?” As far as he’s concerned he’s a completely regular guy. Gray long sleeved shirt, blue jeans, brown hair.
Basic.
Josh’s eyes trail down him, leaving fire in their wake. It’s all Tyler can focus on, the way he’s looking at him.
“It's not everyday I see someone who just… watches the sunrise. Appreciates nature like that,” he murmurs, a soft smile playing at the corner of his lips.
“I… I’ve always done it,” Tyler flushes red, trying not to stumble over his words. “That doesn’t count. That’s not distracting.”
Josh huffs. “Fine. You just are distracting. You just are.”
“That’s a lame reason.”
Josh thinks a moment. “You pose questions. Questions I can’t answer. That’s distracting.” He then smiles, clearly pleased with his answer.
Tyler doesn’t care about the poetics of it right now. Maybe in a few hours he would, but right now he’s more focused on getting this pretty boy to keep talking.
“Oh, so you want to get to know me. That’s what I’m hearing.” He smiles, head tipping backwards again. He feels the soft caress continue on his arm.
Josh scoffs. “I didn’t say that-“
“You keep touching me,” Tyler blurts out. “Looks like you like me. It’s okay if you do- I’ll keep a secret.”
The movement halts, but doesn’t disappear up.
“I-I’m not touching you.” Josh raises both hands, eyes wide.
“Well sure you are, I can feel it right-“ Tyler lets his head fall towards his side. No hand, not even a thought brushed up against him. Just thin translucent fairy wings. “-now.”
He frowns.
The wing pulls away.
“What the fuck.” Tyler blinks, tracking it as it pulls back towards Josh's side. There’s no wind, nothing that should make it move. “What is that?”
It twitches.
“Uhm- I’m go-gonna go…” Josh stands rapidly, trying to leave.
“Woah- no wait!” Tyler lunges forward grabbing Josh arm. “Wait wait. I’m- what the fuck.”
Josh freezes in Tyler’s grip, watching in horror as he inspects the thin wings on his back.
From this angle, it becomes hard to believe they are fake.
They disappear into thin slits on the back of Josh’s shirt, fading into Josh’s skin tone seamlessly. His skin seamlessly.
They are large, long, and shimmery in the morning sun. The sunrise shines through them in rainbows.
“Woah…” Tyler stares until his eyes are almost dry. His free hand reaches up of its own accord, running over the membrane-like material.
It’s soft, velvety like a well loved shirt.
It flinches away as Josh makes a soft, startled noise.
Tyler releases him in a hurry. “Oh my god. Dude- you… you have wings?” There’s no way- maybe Tyler is hallucinating.
But no, he’s not. There’s no way.
“I-I’m sorry, I need to go-“ Josh doesn’t move, frozen like a deer in headlights. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Josh. Dude. Be so for real with me right now- I’m too high for this. Are those real?” Giddiness appears in his voice.
Josh doesn’t respond, mouth just parted and eyes wide. He’s still just staring at Tyler.
“Ohmygod. You cannot leave right now. I have so many questions- pleaseeeeee,” Tyler is not above begging.
There’s a moment where he thinks Josh will ignore him, flee anyway. But instead, he slowly sits back down, muttering I’ve come this far.
“Okay- okay. So…” Tyler’s mind helpfully blanks out, awe overcoming what remains of his rationality.
Josh looks at him expectantly, face completely pink. “So…?”
“I dunno what to say, actually,” Tyler admits. “I didn’t expect to come across a fairy while high this morning.”
Josh knaws on his lip nervously. “I didn’t think you’d see me. Why can you? What changed?”
“What changed?” A puzzling question. Tyler has to think long and hard before he realizes- “wait. Have you seen me before? You have been stalking me, haven’t you?”
“It’s not like that,” Josh all but whines. “You come here all the time. It’s weird, of course I noticed it. Like I said, not many people just come and watch the sunrise. None do it regularly.”
“Really? No one else?” He’s a bit baffled by that. There’s no way.
“No one is as consistent as you. No one as… calm. Or, present, I guess. You're very present.”
Which of course makes Tyler lose his shit. “You think I’m present?” He cackles. “Every time I’m here I’m high. I’m as distant as I can get.” Even now, he feels one slap on the head away from floating off.
Josh shrugs slightly. “I mean, you can see me. Most people can't… focus like that.”
Tyler calms himself. “I think your weird fairy magic just doesn't work on high people.”
“Maybe.” Josh looks over Tyler again. “Why do you do that? Get high- come lay out on a bench just to watch the sunrise?”
The joy drips out of Tyler, smile falling. “Lots of reasons.”
“Give me one, please?” puppy dog eyes.
Tyler rolls his. “Pain. It's the simplest. Physical… mental… the usual.” Josh tilts his head slightly. “What, you don't have that type of thing? No lamenting your existence? How old are you, by the way. Don't fairies live forever or something?”
Josh snorts. “No, we don't. I'm twenty five. And, we do, but also not. We have things to help.” he hesitates. “I could help, if you came with me.”
“What?” The limited air gets sucked from Tyler's lungs. “Where are you where?”
More gnawing on lips, now flushed as red as his face paint. “My home. Where I live- with you know. Other fairies? They won't like that you know about me… but they'd like it even less if I let you go.”
“I-i have a life- i cant just go-”
“You could. It'd be easy- seamless, if you wanted. No more pain. No more earthly struggles.” Josh shrugs. “Just say the word and I'd take you away from it.”
Tyler's head spins at the concept. No more aches- ones already trying to creep back in at the edges, no more struggles with the future, fear of money and time slipping away.
“I don't know,” it's all he can say. “I don't know. That's a big decision…”
Some hope is Josh's eyes dim. He really wanted Tyler to go with him. “Then don't decide. Not right now, at least. Come back, tomorrow- or later. I'll be around and you can decide then. You can go find out what you want.”
“And if I decide I don't want it?” Tyler knows what his answer is, deep down. He’s just not sure how to say it. “You said they won't like me walking away knowing about you.”
Josh smirks. “Well, hopefully it won't matter. But, even then, who’ll believe some stoner in the woods? Come back when you're ready.”
And then Tyler blinks, and Josh is gone. Just glittery mist in the morning air, a twinge of magic and smoke in the atmosphere. The feeling of a fading dream, burnt up by early light.