Big Brother's Back. For a Bit.
Forgive me. I just wanted to write something. Argh. The path of no return nearly eventuated. I'm glad I have no idea who Tyler Easton is. For now. Anyway, let's cut the crap. Remember that old fic I wrote about Will & Darcy? Well, this is a sequel of sorts. Don't read too much into it. Read it, comment on it, concrit it, and there will be jam for tea. <3 And I will love you forever and always.
Soundtrack: Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis
Tyler kicked a can out of his path and sat down next to Will. Will was drinking. As usual. It wasn't strange that he managed a tavern.
"Not seen you in a while, mate," Will drawled after a long swig of beer. "Thought you upped and left this godforsaken place already."
"You would have, wouldn't you," Tyler replied. "If not for your bar."
"Yeah."
"I got a factory job up south. Gonna get some money and burn it off in college."
"College? Not enough of those sodding books?" Will laughed drunkenly. "I suppose you have it in you." He took another drink. "Just like my twat of a brother."
Tyler had heard. Will's brother Darcy was basically an unpaid slave of sorts, working like some wretched Cinderella in Will's bar. He felt a twinge of pity for the poor guy. Will regarded him as more of an enemy than a brother. This was exactly what Tyler was here for.
"... had the nerve to tell me to go and sod myself the last time he had to wash the dishes, so I told him, you have no choice, if you wanna step out right now you gotta pay the rent, all of it, this goddamn minute. And well he went all quiet, serves him right, don't you say."
Will was rambling on about Darcy again. The poor fellow. Tyler decided to lay out his plans.
"You're driving the poor guy mad, Will," cautioned Tyler. "Be a good man, no, a good brother and just let the poor fellow off. You know what? You don't even hafta feed him. I'll take him off your bloody hands. Take him to the factory and give him some stupid job, make him pay you back the rent. Sound good?"
"That's the worst idea you ever pulled out your arse," Will snapped rudely. "I don't give a toss about money. I just hate my brother."
"Yeah, you're taking the higher road right now, aren't you?" Tyler said angrily. "It's stupid and childish and no one cares, Will."
Will gave a snort. "Do what you want. I'm bored of him already and he's annoying. But that is still the lamest idea you ever pulled out of your arse."
Tyler huffed and got up, walking into the bar and slamming the door.
Darcy dried his hair with a ratty towel and pulled a faded old purple sweater on. It was almost midnight. He'd better make sure the bar was neat and closed up before turning in. The next day was going to be a busy day. Weekends were always busy. Darcy stomped down the stairs, feeling gloomy.
The door opened with a creak. Tyler Easton walked in.
Darcy hadn't seen Tyler Easton in an eternity. The tale was that Tyler had left for the city. It hadn't been surprising. Darcy didn't like most of Will's friends but Tyler Easton was one fellow he thought was decent. He was almost someone Darcy would acquaint himself with. Almost.
Tyler did a double take when he saw the dark-haired youth on the stairs. He'd forgotten just how much Darcy resembled Will. It was strange to see the guy he'd just left behind outside the bar before him again. It was almost surreal.
Darcy's eyes were exactly like Will's, large and coloured a deep, deep blue. On closer inspection, though, Will's hair was slightly more curled.
The twins were both very good-looking. Will had a slightly wilder, offbeat look. Darcy - Darcy just looked grumpy. And slightly laughable, given that he was wearing a faded, oversize sweater which was the most awful shade of purple. Still, he managed to give off a charm that came to Will naturally, too. The Cheverell brothers had always shared this charm. Tyler could see why Will was always getting his way. He used his charm. Unlike the oblivious Darcy, who was (unfortunately Tyler had to agree with Will here) a bit of a twat. Or a snob, to put it more accurately.
Darcy blinked twice.
Tyler gave him a nod. “Hello, I’m Ty-”
“Tyler Easton,” muttered Darcy in his characteristically grumpy way. “Yeah I know. Of course I know. What are you doing here.”
It wasn’t a question. Tyler knew it wasn’t a question. It was simply a statement, phrased in the form of a question. What Darcy really meant was “You don’t have business here”. Darcy gave him a look and sauntered off behind the bar-top. He picked up a dishcloth and started cleaning a dirty-looking dish from the basin.
His disheveled black hair reminded Tyler of a stray dog he’d seen a few days back. It was messy. Tyler felt like running a comb through it. He didn’t feel this way with Will. Will’s look came together naturally. He was a badass through and through, hair be damned. The hair helped, in fact. Darcy, on the other hand, was terribly uncoordinated, what with his odd purple sweater, faded jeans, untidy hair and his goddamn deep blue eyes, which were now boring through Tyler with a thoroughly unwelcoming look.
Tyler couldn’t believe he’d just tried to help this guy. Darcy started wiping yet another dish. He raised one eyebrow at Tyler, as if to say Well, what now.
There was no helping it. Tyler didn’t approve of Will’s ways and was not going to let Will’s snobby brother get in the way of upholding his moral principles.
“Did you ever think of leaving this place?” Tyler said, pulling out a chair and sitting on it.
Darcy gave him an odd look. Tyler felt like clipping him around the ear, best friend’s brother or not. “What leave? Don’t joke around with me. It’s not funny, I tell you.”
“I am serious!” Tyler said, as sincerely as he possibly could. “I’m trying to help you. I-I’m now working in a factory.”
“And?”
“Let me finish! I’m working in a factory. You know, one of those chocolate places? Well, you know what, they’re hiring. I figured they might need a guy like you. Someone smart, someone who can handle machines.”
Darcy gave a snort. He sounded a lot like Will.
“If you want you can come up south with me. Get yourself a job. You don’t have to live like this. I know Will can be a bit evil sometimes. What do you say?”
Darcy gave a rattling cough. Tyler wondered if he’d been eating properly. It struck him that it wasn’t a coincidence that his sweater was oversized. It was Darcy who was thin, thinner than he should have been.
“You’re a better person than I thought.”
Darcy smiled at him. It was a tired-looking smile. His eyes crinkled at the sides. Suddenly their deep blue colour reminded Tyler of sunflowers and the Mediterranean sea. Tyler’s sudden urge to comb the tuft of messy black hair came back again.
“I’ll go with you.”
You’re a bigger twat than I thought, Tyler said mentally.
“As you should.”
Darcy gave him a mock frown. “I didn’t know you’d betray my brother. Aren’t you supposed to be his best bud or something?”
“Best friends don’t let each other bully their brothers.”
Darcy threw his dishcloth to the floor. “Well, I’m outta here, then.” He stepped out behind the bar-top and stood there awkwardly. “Er - I guess you’ll have to wait while I pack?”
Tyler was somehow amazed that anyone related to Will would even do something as mundane as packing. If it were Will they’d be off already, speeding off into the darkness on some horrible motorbike, probably with a few bottles of beer in tow.
But this was Darcy, and Darcy didn’t ride motorbikes, nor did he drink, and he packed and he gave his would-be-benefactors rude looks with his deep blue eyes and wore oversized sweaters and and had messy hair.
Tyler hoped that he would pack a comb.
THE END
Don't kill me. I'm suffering from the after effects of caffeine overload. There will be more to come, as long as I am slightly cracked up and am distracted enough, so. Don't mind the intrusion on your Friend's pages.