Tyler Moss

That jack off just left me home and straight disappeared for three days. Worst of all, I was left in the dark again! What happened after Giovanni knocked me out? How dare Levi speak to Liam about his problems before his boyfriend?

"...don't know the details because the teacher made me leave before hearing more," Liam said. "Levi will come to see you, he said he would. He probably just ran into a problem with it, you knows he's a pathetic guy."

"Since when we're you such an advocate?" I muttered. Liam should be the last person who takes his side. "You should take my side! You're my friend you know!"

"My mind changed a bit after the visit to George's grandmother to be honest."

"Fuck off, you got satisfaction about being right and seeing him in a shitty state," I called Liam right out on his shit.

"What do you want me to say, dude?"

"For me to kick his ass!"

"So you can tell me that you're not going to do it? Just be patient."

"If I do that, he'll never show up."

"What can you do?" Liam shrugged me off. "I don't want to die, so I'm staying out of it."

"Tyler?" I heard someone call from behind me. I turned to see an older man, who looked almost exactly like my dad, Dressed in an expensive suit.

"Uncle....Rhys?" I asked a bit of confused. "Dad said you were dead. You aren't dead?"

"You remember me? And don't worry about Your dad, he just hates me sometimes," uncle Rhys ruffled my hair. I knew dad didn't get along with his brother sometimes, but I was never sure why. "Wow, you're getting so big! Did he really say I was dead?"

"Dad said you couldn't even return as a spirit because he put a stake thru your heart and buried you in cement." I told him. "You must've hit on mam."

"Nothing like that." Uncle Rhys looked taken aback. "That's harsh from my brother in law. Your mom doesn't talk about me?"

"No." I said. Uncle Rhys automatically looked a bit choked but got himself together. "My own sister, she's still a brat."

"I'm gonna take off Ty," Liam patted my shoulder before walking off. "Go with your uncle, then go straight home. You'll meet up with Levi at some point."

"Um...ok," I poked at Liam's concerned face. Why was he suddenly concerned about me going home? "I will."

"Good, see you tomorrow."

"Weirdo. Anyway, why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be off stealing wives?" I asked. "Dad said you were gross like that."

"I'm an international playboy, not an international home wrecker! I only go with single women!" Uncle snapped at me.

"Why not settle down with someone?"

My uncle laughed. "I work in Interpol, Tyler. I see exotic beauty almost every day, and I don't have the willpower to be with one person."

"So...you go all over the world....being a whore?"

"Please, whores get paid. I'm just a very open lover."

"Dad did tell me not to take after you." I shook my head at him and smiled.

"Your dad really has nothing good to say about his brother in law, does he? I just want to see my nephew sometimes but your dad banned me from the house."

"Why?"

"When your mom brought your dad home, after you were born, I told him your mom was a catch but a little crazier than he realized....uh, we shouldn't be discussing this! It's grown up business, they lasted longer than I thought though. I was sure Drita wouldve killed him by now."

"So you tried to break them up?" I asked.

"No, because they had a baby together already. I was just looking out for him as I knew my sister well. She takes after our dad, who was a leader during the troubles. Anyway, your school has gotten bigger since I attended."

"I guess, who cares. Do you really want to talk about school? Uncle Rhys, do you still work as a police detective?" I asked.

"Yeah, the reason I'm here is because I received a report," uncle scratched his head. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with that young man who just left. You know a student by the name of Levi Winchester, right?"

"Yes! Did something happen to him?! Is something wrong?!" I jumped from my seat. "Did he show up?! Has something been reported to you about him?!"

"Uh, no, I'm just here for intel. He hasn't come to school recently right?"

"Did you get demoted to truancy officer, Uncle Rhys?"

"Tyler, answer the damn question!"

"No."

"And you haven't been in touch?"

"No."

"Not for these past three days?"

"Not at all."

"You seem seriously worried, is he your little friend or something?"

"No, he's my boyfriend." My uncle looked extremely taken aback by me saying this. A mixture of shock and fear and offense graced his face. "Uncle Rhys?"

"R-really?"

"Yes, him and I are dating."

"Dating? My baby nephew is dating?" Rhys started to look a bit sad.

"I'm seventeen."

"Is that so? I suppose you are old enough to date...or are you? Your dad must've completely flipped out knowing how much they worry about you....and you know how much I worry-"

"Then where did you go?"

"I don't think-"

"I won't tell dad I saw you." I promised. Uncle Rhys groaned knowing there was no chance of me letting this go.

"I've been avoiding you and....the rest of the family out of shame, ya know. We were investigating a money laundering ring and caught the low level guys mid transport. They all talked. The investigation was almost done, we just had to submit the paperwork and get the court date. Then our star witness was killed because of my negligence to the situation. I stopped paying attention because I got really cocky.

"I assumed the boss was just killing off subordinates so they wouldn't talk, and I promised your dad I would reveal the truth behind everything to make it up to him, but I could never find the evidence. And then time went on, and I still had nothing to show for it. So I kept telling him to wait and wait while I had nothing! Eventually, I stopped checking in."

"Uncle Rhys, dad and I are fine. And I'm sure if you just told him, everything will be ok. I'm sure he misses you too."

"I'll try to call later," I was unconvinced by his tone and quick answer. "How's dating going? Tell me about this guy, right now."

"It's great!" I couldn't help but smile as i recounted all the events leading up to Levi and I getting together, minus some obvious details. "He's really such an amazing person, I don't think I want it to be anyone but him."

"Is he respectful?"

"Yes."

"Is he good to you all the times?"

"Yes."

"Have you two-"

"None of your business, Uncle Rhys."

"Promise Uncle Rhys you'll save yourself for marriage! Bottoming is no joke and you should be committed if you're doing it."

"What makes you think I'm bottoming?" Did everyone think this.

"I've been around the world, fucking men and women. My dear nephew, you are not a top. Wait till marriage." Asshole.

"Stop looking for a reason to make me hit you, uncle Rhys."

"Young love is so cute. Will I be invited to the wedding? I see a nice ring there."

"If it will even happen," I stared at the ring on my finger. I just don't want to remove it ever. How could a union happen....if one half was missing? How could it happen if I was left in the dark about everything.

You can't marry a runaway groom.

"I'm sure it will Tyler. Marriage is a huge step."

"I hope it will, I haven't heard from him in days, and I'm kind of going insane," I admitted. Levi found his father and who knows what else! He must be spiraling out of control right now. I know how emotionally unhinged he tends to get. "He's always kind of been mentally closed off. I can't tell what he's thinking sometimes, and it seems like when everything goes right, something brings it all down. He thinks he has to suffer in silence and alone! And when it becomes too much, he just explodes."

"Not everyone can open up like you were taught to do, Tyler. How was his upbringing?"

Nonexistent. I don't even know where he lives. "He doesn't really talk about it."

"You don't know about his home life? Who are his parents?"

His father was a psychopathic maniac according to him, but it's not like I had a name. "He doesn't really talk about it."

"How about his past?"

"He doesn't really talk about it."

"For fucks sake, what does he talk about?"

Dammit, I knew it wasn't normal, but now he must know something. If I could just find him, I'd know myself! "He's always been a good person, we always have each other's back, he's always worried about me, and he's always been next to me." I felt my eyes burning as the tears finally spilled out.

"Tyler-"

"That fucking jerk! How dare he just disappear?! After everything we've been thru together he knows I don't want to be without him!!" I cried. Uncle Rhys patted my shoulder. "Am I stupid for thinking that he loves me just as much?! Why cant he just trust me?! Am I overreacting?!"

"Tyler, take a breath. He might be going thru something that you can't help him with," he explained. "And you're in no way stupid, it sounds like he's trying to keep you out of something."

"Do you think he's going to leave me?" I asked. Uncle Rhys scratched the back of his head and shrugged. "Did I somehow force him into this."

"It sounds like it but I'm sure that's not it."

"You suck at this! How is that supposed to make me feel better!" I let all my tears flood out more as I whined. My tantrum was attracting attention, but I didn't even care. "You think he's going to leave me! You're the worst Uncle eveeerrrrrr!"

"T-Tyler! Stop crying! I'll go look for him and bring back him to you, I promise. I'll put all my resources into it!" Uncle said frantically. "Stop crying! People are going to think I did something to you."

"You mean it?" I looked at his blurry face.

"Yes! I promise, please don't do that again."

I wiped my tears. "You better call dad too or I'll make a bigger scene."

"Tyler-"

"I can cry louder! I'm not too embarrassed to make a scene."

"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Uncle Rhys looked visibly annoyed. "You act like your mom too much. Have you told them?"

"We were supposed to, then he disappeared."

"Sounds like....uh, he needs finding. You've turned into a real brat."

"I don't care? Levi loves it." I bragged.

"Ugh, go the fuck home. I'm already exhausted after talking to you. It's like both your parents are insulting me as you sit there," Uncle Rhys huffed.

"Don't forget."

"Yeah, yeah!"