#tyler001

[gemma-devereux]

CLOSED STARTER who: @tylermason where: Gemma's penthouse

The Nashville sun streamed in the floor-to-ceiling windows of Gemma's bedroom, slanting across her face and waking her way earlier than she'd planned to be woken up, which meant she'd gone to bed with them open instead of shutting the blackout curtains, a part of her normal nighttime routine. She squinted, coming into alertness, the pieces of last night putting themselves together in the same moment she realized she was laying underneath the weight of someone else's arm. Tyler. She closed her eyes again, rubbing sleep from them. She hadn't exactly intended for her and Tyler to pick up right where they left off the moment she'd gotten back from her first leg of touring, but that's exactly what had happened, just like every other time one of them had been gone and come home from touring.

It'd been happening for over a year, but Gemma still tried her best to not really think about it, because truly, they were rivals for all intents and purposes, topping the charts and flip-flopping back and forth for whose song was at number one. Their labels, Gemma's especially, only added fuel to the fire (she had her mother to thank for that). Gemma had expected to hate Tyler by default, but she didn't, if anything, she craved him, the time they spent together in secret because obviously, they could never be seen in public. It was a lot of backdoors and late nights and knowing all bets were off the next time someone left for tour, which sucked, at times, but that was the way it was.

Slipping out from under his arm, Gemma picked up her underwear and his shirt from the floor, slipping it over herself, her head pounding from drinking the night before. She tiptoed out of the room, only to tiptoe back in later with coffees, sitting on the edge of the bed against the pillows, tilting her head back against the headboard as Tyler stirred. She knew, of course, they would each return to their lives and whatever they had in their nights and mornings would be gone, as it always was. "Are you doing anything for the fair today?" She asked around a yawn. "I'm performing later." With this, a groan followed. "So much for a break from tour."

[gemma-devereux]

Gemma let him lean in, her eyes fluttering shut, lips pursing automatically as she anticipated his kiss, the feeling of his lips never ceasing to steal the breath from out of her lungs. His voice came out just as breathless as she felt, and Gemma was certain he could probably hear her heartbeat roaring in her ears. For so much of tour (when she'd been with Rowan), she'd thought this chapter of their lives was over, the two of them, together. She never expected them to fall right back into their old ways and how much she'd realized she'd missed him when she'd come back, missed the feeling of his hands on her.

They usually weren't ones to spend this much time talking or cuddling after hooking up, but Gemma could feel a shift in the environment between them. They were actually talking, both of them opening up a little more than usually, and she saw that in his eyes when he sat back and took a breath. She swallowed, meeting his eyes, for a moment fearful of what he was about to say. The beat of silence between them seemed to stretch on for ages, and she was about to open her mouth and ask him what was wrong when he spoke, twisting her heart in the most painful way.

At first, it sounded like a breakup- a breakup of what exactly, she didn't know, because they'd never really defined whatever it was they were doing, but as she listened to him continue, it sounded like the opposite - a proclamation of love, of wanting more, of wanting more with her, and it was so unexpected that Gemma was stunned into silence, blinking. If anything, she'd thought she'd been the one who was more into it than he was, but hearing the vulnerability, hearing the emotion in his voice told as he told her she meant more to him than the secrecy made it seem made her heart thump unevenly.

"I- I didn't know I meant that much to you," She confessed, reaching across the rumpled sheets between him to rest a hand on his arm, swallowing. "I don't... I don't know where to go from here either but I think before we do anything we should talk and..." Gemma trailed off, trying to figure out what she was saying. "I mean, figure out what we are, I guess. This-" She motioned between them, "Just kind of happened and I love that it happened but we've never been dating or had conversations about any of it and I just- I don't know what we are." She said, because it was true. What had started casually had kept happening again, and again, and again, until it had been happening for so long that neither one really thought of defining it as anything. "You mean a lot to me too, more than I expected to feel," Gemma said.

Tyler couldn't help but feel a mixture of emotions swirling inside him as he listened to Gemma's words. Her smile, her laugh, and the way she responded to his touch stirred something deep within him. He knew they had to keep their relationship a secret, and he understood the reasons why, but it didn't make it any easier.

He met her gaze, trying to read the thoughts behind her eyes, wondering if she felt the same longing he did. It was true; he wouldn't mind stepping out of the shadows, being seen together, and experiencing those normal things couples do. The idea of going public and not having to hide brought a mix of excitement and fear to him.

As she caught his hand against her cheek, he felt a rush of affection and a longing for more. The intimacy they shared was undeniable, and he cherished every moment spent with her. But he also knew the risks involved. The country music industry could be unforgiving, and the media's scrutiny could be relentless. Keeping their relationship private was a necessary protection, even if it meant sacrificing certain aspects of a traditional romance.

"Yeah, it does sound like a song lyric," Tyler said softly, a hint of a wistful smile crossing his lips. He understood Gemma's need to clarify, to remind herself that while they couldn't go public, their moments together were real and unforgettable.

He leaned in, gently brushing his lips against hers, trying to convey the depth of his emotions without words. "I won't forget this either," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He wished they could be more than just friends with benefits, but he also respected Gemma's boundaries and the need for discretion.

He took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts. "Gemma, I... I don't know how much longer I can keep pretending that this is enough," he confessed, vulnerability seeping into his voice. "I want more, but I understand the risks. It's just... it's getting harder to ignore what I feel for you."

He looked away for a moment, gathering his composure before meeting her gaze again. "I don't want to lose you, but I also can't keep hiding like this forever. I wish things were different, that we could be together openly, but I know it's not that simple. I just need you to know that you mean more to me than this secrecy allows."