oh yes of course and also I do take x reader!!!
(i didn't know if you wanted platonic or romantic so we have both!!!)
Platonic:
- You'd met Tyler and Taylor in kindergarten. Tyler was arguing with Taylor about a box of crayons and you offered one to Taylor so then you could get them to stop talking and hopefully earn a gold star next to your name. (Spoiler: You got two friends instead)
- You'd always like being with Tyler and Taylor... They were both so fun, playing baseball with Tyler was a challenge (Somehow he'd get so many homeruns you were sure he'd be a professional soon) but always fun and building lego houses with Taylor (Even though your parents always complained about stepping on them) was fun.
- You were always there, whether that be birthdays or celebrations, your family was always in the picture because of how good you guys were friends.
- So naturally, you were absolutely devastated when their dad died. It was almost like you had also lost a family member. Tyler was busy caring for his family and Taylor was trying to help her mom get better, so they couldn't spend as much time with you as before.
- By middle school, you guys barely said hi in the halls. The inside jokes stopped. So did the birthday calls. Your mother insisted on interacting with them but her suggestions went through and out both of your ears. It would've been awkward, almost as if you were simply barging in and saying, "Hey I know it's been ten years since we've talked and you've been grieving, but I was waiting for that to be over so we could be friends again!"
- That was until Savannah. Specifically, the night you were trapped in a room with four acquaintances and two childhood friends you hadn't spoken to in years. Yeah, very awkward.
- But it seemed like Savannah had brought everyone closer together including you, Taylor, and Tyler. You were sitting in one of the buses, picking at the peeling leather, before Taylor had suddenly sat next to you.
“Hey… uh, I saw that phantom almost scratch you. Everything okay?”
You were shocked, nevertheless, but of course relaxed when that signature smile appeared on her face. "I'm alright, you?"
Taylor swallowed, knees curling up to her chest. "Yeah."
You leaned back on the seat, "Not as scary as those ducks if I'm being honest." You feigned nonchalance, a smirk starting to appear on your face.
She snorted, "“You still afraid of ducks?”
“One chased me when I was five, of course I am!” You smiled, sitting up straight to look at her.
“Yeah, and it still lives rent-free in your nightmares.” She laughed.
- Nevertheless, you were glad to have one of your friends back. As for Tyler, it took some warming up to get both of you back to where you were when you were kids. But it was shorter then you had expected.
“You still do that thing with your thumb when you’re nervous,” You said, half-smiling as you tried to reach out to him. Currently, you all were gathered in Logan's room for a sleepover.
He glanced down at his hand and shrugged. “Old habits.” Tyler said, moving his pawn piece forward. You furrowed your brows at his curtness.
“You ever miss it? Us being friends?” You asked, moving your knight.
“We were idiots.” Tyler commented, avoiding the question.
He didn’t look at you as he moved his piece forward. “Doesn’t matter.” You sighed, moving your rook before sighing and moving it back to move a pawn piece instead before Tyler stopped you. "Illegal move."
"Didn't know you knew how to play chess." You muttered, lips curling up into a small smirk.
Tyler didn’t answer right away. He tapped the top of his pawn once, twice, before finally glancing up at you. “I didn’t. My mom taught me last summer.” He paused. “I suck at it. Still do.”
You blinked, surprised. “You? Admitting you suck at something?”
He gave a small, reluctant grin. “Don’t get used to it.”
A beat of silence stretched between you. Not tense, just... Quiet with the faint sound of Aiden scrolling through Tiktok and Taylor talking to Ashlyn while she braided her hair.
It was comfortable enough that you didn’t rush to fill it. “I wasn’t trying to guilt-trip you earlier,” You said finally, voice softer. “I just… I don’t know. Missed you.”
Tyler looked down again. The corner of his mouth twitched, but his voice stayed low. “Yeah. I missed you too,” he admitted, almost like it hurt to say it out loud. “Didn’t know if you’d want me back.”
You stared at him. “Dude. You’re literally the worst at emotions.”
“Thanks. I try.” You both cracked a smile, the air between you shifted just a little. Easier. Warmer.
Tyler nodded at the board. “Your move. And don’t cheat this time.”
- Out of all things, you liked Taylor's smile the most. Fortunately, it was something she did all the time. Smile, laugh. But mostly, you enjoyed it when you were laughing with her. When you could enjoy your happiness with hers.
- You supposed you've always had a crush on her, maybe it was when she shared the candy she had at lunch time with you and stuck out her tongue at Tyler when he sulked about wanting some as well, or maybe when you noticed how pretty she was in fourth grade but you had always liked her.
- So how great is it that you two ended up growing apart? How great was it that you weren't even sure she liked you? Well, you were sure to be proven wrong because other then her brother's comfort, yours was the one she sought out the most when her dad died.
“Hey… uh, I saw that phantom almost scratch you. Everything okay?”
You were shocked, nevertheless (And sort of flustered), but of course relaxed when that signature smile appeared on her face. "I-I'm alright, you?"
Taylor swallowed, knees curling up to her chest. "Yeah."
You leaned back on the seat, "Not as scary as those ducks if I'm being honest." You feigned nonchalance, a giddy smile starting to appear on your face as you felt her warmth radiate off her body.
She snorted, "“You still afraid of ducks?”
“One chased me when I was five, of course I am!” You smiled, sitting up straight to look at her.
“Yeah, and it still lives rent-free in your nightmares.” She laughed. There it was, that laugh... You loved and missed that laugh so much. And it was you who made her laugh.
A moment of comforting silence enveloped the both of you before she rested your head on your shoulder. You stiffened, body heating up as she muttered, "I missed you, y'know."
"... Missed you too, Taylor."
- I feel like the one thing you liked about Tyler was definitely his dedication. His dedication to take care of his family, his dedication to always be right, it was something you respected and admire.
- And whether it was him getting into a fight with a person who had come up to you and made fun of you or maybe when you shared food together, everything had just simply been chalked up to be a crush. A crush that had formed from close proximity.
- Well, it seemed like the universe had a funny joke to play because even when you grew apart you still found yourself looking for him through the crowds of people. And unbeknownst to you, Tyler had done the same.
“You still do that thing with your thumb when you’re nervous,” You said, half-smiling as you tried to reach out to him. Your heart pounded at the closeness and you swore your head felt like exploding. Currently, you all were gathered in Logan's room for a sleepover.
He glanced down at his hand and shrugged. “Old habits.” Tyler said, moving his pawn piece forward. You furrowed your brows at his curtness.
“You ever miss it? Us being friends?” You asked, moving your knight. You were treading lightly, you didn't want to say the wrong thing.
“We were idiots.” Tyler commented, avoiding the question.
“That’s not a no.” You pointed out.
His eyes widened, breath hitching slightly before moving another pawn forward. “Doesn’t matter.” You sighed, moving your rook before sighing and moving it back to move a pawn piece instead. You didn't notice how Tyler hesitated before placing his hand on the hand that was moving the pawn piece, "Illegal move."
You widened your eyes, you were sure you were about to explode now... "D-didn't know you knew how to play chess." You muttered, biting the inside of your cheek.
Tyler didn’t answer right away., clearing his throught and quickly retracting his hand. “I didn’t. My mom taught me last summer.” He paused. “I suck at it. Still do.”
You blinked, a small smirk appearing on yours lips. “You? Admitting you suck at something?”
He gave a small, reluctant grin. “Don’t get used to it.”
A beat of silence stretched between you. Not tense, just... Quiet with the faint sound of Aiden scrolling through Tiktok and Taylor talking to Ashlyn while she braided her hair.
It was comfortable enough that you didn’t rush to fill it but sort of awkward considering you two technically just held hands. “I wasn’t trying to guilt-trip you earlier,” You said finally, voice softer. “I just… I don’t know. Missed you.”
Tyler looked down again. The corner of his mouth twitched, but his voice stayed low. “Yeah. I missed you too,” he admitted, almost like it hurt to say it out loud. “Didn’t know if you’d want me back.”
You stared at him. “Dude. You’re literally the worst at emotions.”
“Thanks. I try.” You both cracked a smile, the air between you shifted just a little. Easier. Warmer. His eyes lingered on yours, flickering down before he widened them.
Tyler cleared his throat, nodding at the board. “Y-your move. And don’t cheat this time.”
(Hope you like it! Also this is a lot longer then I intended it to be lol...)