RP: Opening Day of 'Once Upon a Time' by Tyler Ross

[allisonmrose]

Date: March 14th, 2011
Characters: Allison Rose, Tyler Ross, Alex Jameson, & Everyone Else
Location: Forty-Two Cups
Status: Public
Summary: It's the opening day of Tyler's exhibition 'Once Upon a Time'!
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[tyler_ross]

The morning had gone pretty well. Rita had been disappointed but understanding when Ty talked to her about going to a freelance status, and his new position would start next week. The thought of basically quitting the Metro Weekly left him feeling a little melancholy because he'd been there for years, and he had friends who worked there, so it was hard focusing on the excitement of being able to concentrate on Shutterbug without having to balance the two.

He had picked Alex up at the Abbey so they could drop by Forty-Two Cups to see the opening of his exhibit before grabbing some lunch and getting back to work. Now that he'd parked, though, he wasn't entirely sure he was ready to go inside and see it. Maybe it would have been better to wait until the reception on Saturday, but he'd wanted a chance to see it with just Alex. He was nervous now that they were here, and he was worried they'd go inside and Allison would tell them no one else had been in all day or that those who had stopped in hated everything.

"Maybe we should just skip this and get lunch instead," he suggested, looking at Alex and smiling wryly. "Not sure I can do this, baby."

[angelalexjay]

Alex had been hard pressed to concentrate that morning. It was a big day for Ty. He talked to his boss, his show was starting, and really, that would have been enough. But Ty was wound up, and Alex had the perfect thing to unwind him. He hoped.

"Baby." He reached over and took Ty's hand, kissing his fingers. "If we don't do this now, while no one's watching you, then how much harder do you think it will be come Friday?" He thought he sounded fairly reasonable, but he'd lay it on thick. "Besides, I've been dying to see which ones you picked. You gonna torture me some more?" He made sad puppy eyes at Ty.

[tyler_ross]

"Oh, that's just not fair," Ty muttered, trying to scowl at Alex. "You can't give me The Eyes. Not when I'm being anxious and weird about this." He sighed and leaned over to brush a kiss against Alex's mouth. "Unfortunately, you're right. I need to do this or Saturday night will be impossible. God, I've invited like everyone I know, I swear."

He stole another kiss. "No more torture. I said you could see them today, so let's go before I lose my nerve." Ty knew he'd be okay once he got inside, but it was actually making it inside that was the tough part. He got out of the car and took Alex's hand before they entered the gallery, squeezing it as he scanned the downstairs area.

[angelalexjay]

"That's exactly why you need The Eyes. If Tigger was here, he'd be doing it too." Alex said, kissing him back. "Be anxious and wierd, but do it anyway." Ty was the bravest person he knew, and would be fine, but he needed a little reassuring and coddling like the next person.

"So there will definitely be people there who love what you've pulled together." Alex pointed out, kissing Ty back and climbing out of the car.

He took Ty's hand, making sure to enter beside him, rather than drag him in, or be dragged in. They were equals in all things.

Alex looked around, ignoring people and the cafe in favor of scoping out what Ty had put together. He grinned at him. "Congratulations, baby. It looks great."

[tyler_ross]

Ty leaned in for a quick kiss. "Allison has done a great job," he said, squeezing Alex's hand again before they walked over to one of the photographs. He and Allison had decided to put the few color photos he'd chosen downstairs, since they were more vibrant and eye-catching in a way. He was proud of ever photo he'd chosen, and he really liked how the frames and the wall color really made everything pop.

When they reached a photo he'd taken the summer after that year in college, he just looked at it. The oil derrick was a shadow against the vividly colored sky as the sun set behind it. He'd taken that photo the week before he got kicked out, and it had a bit of sentimental meaning to him. "I took this one years ago, before I moved here." He looked at Alex. "What do you think of what I've chosen so far? Good choices or any bad ones?"

[angelalexjay]

"Allison had the easy part. These pictures make the place come alive." Alex stroked his thumb over Ty's hand. It was so new, touching Ty like this in public. Feeling both ownership and being owned. He wasn't sure he'd have appreciated it properly if his dick had been working. As it was, he felt all touch more acutely, with the payoff being the touch itself.

"This is.... a bit of a premonition. Like the future, with all its shadows, was creeping closer, but with the color showing that the end would be explosive. And you made your new beginnings out of that." He moved closer, wrapping his arm around Ty's waist.

"It's a great thing you've done here." He caught sight of a picture, and blinked. "Is that the old apartment?" He was caught by how the light seemed to glow out of the windows, Alex's very silly disco ball bouncing reflections into the walkway outside. If he recalled, that was the night someone got drunk and the disco ball broke. "Makes me think we should get another disco ball for the house." He smirked at Ty.

[tyler_ross]

"You see a lot more than I do," Ty said, leaning back into Alex's embrace. "But, yeah, I guess it kinda is symbolic. Had no idea when I took that photo that I'd be leaving Midland a week later and wouldn't be back."

They walked towards another image, and Ty smiled. "No disco balls in the house," he muttered. It was their old apartment, which had been in some restored building, but the outside had still maintained a bit of a rundown factory feel to it. He'd loved that place, even if it had been drafty and expensive and the walls were so thin he could everything, and everyone, Alex was doing. They'd stayed there a couple of years, and it had been more like home than just about anywhere else. But now they'd have a house of their own soon, and they'd really have a home. "I love how the broken edge of the brick and the lights looked in this. Plus, a little sentimental value."

[angelalexjay]

"Well, its the country. We might not be as big as LA, but Fort Worth isn't country like that. So you're seeing the sun go down on your time there, as well. Nothing bad about it, necessarily." He gave a squeeze. "Gave you me, that move." He smiled. And gave him Ty in return.

Alex mock pouted, but didn't argue. "You made that place look so much better than it deserved, Ty. It was a dump. Hell, no wonder you got mad at me for not telling you I had money." He muttered, half to himself. He'd lived simply, and some might say cheaply, but he'd seen no reason to do otherwise.

"So, um. I was wondering what you were doing Wednesday afternoon?" He was a bit hesitant in asking, but he didn't want Ty to think he was going to shut him out of this side of things.

[tyler_ross]

"I've never been to LA," Ty said. "The Metroplex is probably the biggest city I've been to, you know?" He moved his hand down to rest on Alex's. "But, yeah, coming here gave me you, and that kinda makes it all worth it."

Ty snorted. "It wasn't a dump. I liked it. First time anywhere really felt like home. Never really felt like I belonged anywhere until that place, until meeting you. It had character."

They walked to another photo, a graffiti image with an old building made beautiful from the artwork. He looked at Alex and considered it. "I have to drop by the Weekly in the morning, but I'm off for the afternoon. Haven't got any plans that I know of. Why? Do you need me to work?"

[angelalexjay]

"It was a sieve and I was afraid it would start leaking at the first hard rain, or cave in under snow or ice." Alex retorted. "And it fits you, not cause it was a dump, but for its character. You made it livable. You cared about the space, and about me, even when I didn't realize it." He turned to hold Ty, reaching up to stroke his face. "That's why you're going to be a success as a photographer, you know. Because you see what everyone else misses, and you make it beautiful, just as it is."

"No, not work. Remember that dinner I went on, with that food blogger? Turns out he's a psychiatrist. And, um, I thought in light of the tests coming back normal, maybe..." He trailed off, embarrassed, his neck and ears heating up.

[tyler_ross]

"You are beautiful. And not just here." Ty caressed Alex's cheek and leaned in for a kiss. "You didn't hate that place too much, you know? You stayed there with me for years. But our house...it's gonna be an amazing home for us."

Ty thought back and remembered when Alex had gone out with Dr. Dinner. "I remember. I didn't know he was a psychiatrist, though." He turned towards Alex and wrapped his arms around him. "I'll go with you. Maybe he can help or help us figure out how to help." He stole another kiss before squeezing Alex. "I'll drive us. You've made the appointment already?"

[angelalexjay]

"No, guess I didn't. And anytime I started getting annoyed with it, you shook me out of that mood." He gave Ty a lopsided smile. "You made it so easy to want to stick with someone. For pretty much the first time in my life. Never lived anyplace for so long, and there were times when I wanted to get up and just... go, you know? Course, those were the times I fucked you through the mattress, so." He shrugged, still smiling a bit.

"Yeah. A nice guy. Didn't try and analyze me between dinner and dessert or anything." He relaxed into Ty's arm. "Yeah. After lunch. I'll leave Chris in charge. See what all comes of the visit."

He gave Ty a squeeze, then stepped back, taking his hand before turning towards the stairs. "Is the shed up here?" He asked, referring to the site Ty had gone wild over, where Alex had the start of an awakening, at least where Ty was concerned. Woke up to the idea that someone would possibly get to know him and not think he was broken.

[tyler_ross]

"You wanted to leave that often?" Ty teased, nudging Alex's side with his elbow. "I seem to remember ruining many mattresses. Well, not ruining, but there was definitely a lot of through the mattress activity happening." He leaned in for a quick kiss.

Ty nodded. "Okay. I'll pick you up after lunch then. Well, I'll probably just come by the Abbey after work and eat something there before we go, but I'll definitely take you and wait for you. I'm glad you know someone you can see who makes you feel comfortable, at least." Ty squeezed Alex's hand and hoped this doctor could give them some direction.

"Yeah, it's upstairs. I developed that one in black and white," he said. "C'mon. Let's go on up and see how they look."

[angelalexjay]

Alex smirked. "Well, I was a restless type. Still am, I guess. But you're grounding me, and not just through mattress activity. Though when we can get back to that..." He let his voice go husky as he kissed Ty back.

"Sounds good. And yeah, more comfortable with the idea of it being someone who knows a bit about my in advance. Like I do him. He's a widower, sorta. Lost his partner of like 30 years a few years ago. So, I think he gets it." Alex hoped so, anyway.

Alex walked upstairs with Ty, looking around at all the prints. He saw the shed and made his way over. "Looks even better than I thought." He murmured, remembering that day, their long talk, how Alex had realized that Ty mattered, how much he mattered. He looked at him then, heart in his eyes. "Everything, babe." He whispered, squeezing his hand.

[tyler_ross]

"Wow. Thirty years? Poor guy. I can't imagine losing you, and it's only been seven years," Ty said, tightening his grip on Alex's hand. He looked at a photo of a piece of driftwood with the sun rising behind it and wondered if he and Alex would have thirty years as an 'us' or maybe longer. He liked to think they would, and he wasn't going to dwell on any other possibility.

When they got upstairs, he was extremely pleased with how everything was set up. Allison had done an amazing job, making the photos actually look like art. He followed Alex to the photo of the shed, leaning in to rest his forehead against Alex's as he returned the hand squeeze. "I love you, too, angel."

[angelalexjay]

He glanced around quickly, and seeing that there was no one else upstairs just then, he moved in fast, wrapping his arms around Ty and snogging the breath out of him.

When he pulled back a bit, he murmured, "Want you to fuck me tonight. Don't care if I can't get it up, want you in me, baby." He kissed him again, fiercely. He would have time with Ty. Even if it meant he had to wrap him in cotton to keep him safe, he'd have time with him.