Always (Boyxboy)

Chapter Twenty-One - Tyler

"So when are you talking to him?"

They were sitting in the Bradford's dining hall, Tyler and James side by side with Michael sitting across from them, his attention on a cloth napkin he was folding until James asked the question. "Talking to who?" the Bradford asked before realizing James wasn't addressing him. "Oh. Is him my brother?"

"It is," James confirmed for Tyler, smiling across the table at the dark haired boy. "You see, Tyler has finally admitted that we were right, and there is something between them".

"No," Tyler cut in, shooting his best friend a displeased look as Michael looked at him expectantly for an explanation. "I don't know how he feels about me, but I've come to terms with how I feel about him". There was a scoffing sound to his right and Tyler drove an elbow into James's side.

"Tyler thinks Pierce could possibly not like him," James clairfied to Mike's questioning look.

"Oh," the boy said, drawing the word out long. "I see". He addressed Tyler then. "Pierce hates everyone but you. I don't think you need to worry about him not returning your feelings".

"That doesn't really help my nerves at all," Tyler grumbled, shooting a quick look at the front of the room with the table where all the other Bradford's were sitting, Pierce included. The man was talking to his oldest brother, looking less than pleased. Quickly, Tyler tore his eyes away.

They had only spoken once so far, when Tyler had first entered and had to greet them all. Upon seeing him, Pierce had smiled and said, "how are you feeling, idiot?" and Tyler had smiled right back and said, "worse now that I'm seeing you, prick". Neither of them believed that though. He could tell by the way Pierce's eyes lit up suddenly at the banter.

"So," James began, kicking Tyler's shin multiple times under the table. Due to him missing Kalen a great amount, James had been incredibly annoying so far, constantly moving or talking to keep his mind off of his boyfriend two states away who was getting dinner with his friend Lonnie at the moment and not texting James back. "Tell us when you're going to talk to him".

It was slightly annoying to Tyler that Mike was now paying attention to the conversation as well, since he wanted as little people knowing about his plan to confess as possible incase it blew up in his face, but he figured Michael wouldn't be one to rub it in or make fun of him, so he let it slide. "I don't know when," Tyler admitted, shrugging. "Usually we just happen to make eye contact and then leave to meet up".

"What are you going to say?" Michael asked, leaning forward slightly to keep his voice low. This was appreciated.

"I guess I'm just going to say that I'd like to start spending more time with him outside of sex," Tyler explained with a shrug. "I don't know. Maybe I'll say I want more days like the one we had the last time we were together when we just hung out in his apartment".

"Wait. So you're not going to tell him that you love him?" James inquired, and Mike's eyes grew incredibly wide with surprise. Groaning, Tyler brought his hands up to cover he face. The ability to disappear would have been nice. "I thought you were going to tell him about your feelings!"

At the same time, Michael asked, "you love him? Like love love?"

"I can't just tell him that I love him out of nowhere," Tyler hissed under his breath st James, answering Michael's question in the process. "That would most definitely scare him away. Like, hey Pierce, you know how we've been having sex for over theee years now? Well I just realized that I've been in love with you practically the whole time. That doesn't make me sound overbearing at all".