Sam Merlotte (samshifts) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2018-08-11 18:36:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | sam merlotte, tyler lockwood |
Who: Sam Merlotte and Tyler Lockwood
What: Moving furniture
When: Pre plot
Where: Sam's apartment
Rating/Warnings: None
Status: Compete when posted
Tyler was feeling pretty good about himself. He only had a few more shifts left at the gym before he started pre-season training with the UCI football team. He and Caroline had finally gotten back together, and things were going good other than the Klaus of it all. Everything really did seem to be coming up Tyler.
He turned the corner, just in time to see a man struggling with what looked like a rather large entertainment system. Tyler watched as it wobbled one way, then the other, and then started to fall. Faster than a normal human, but not so fast as to draw too much notice, Tyler ran and braced the entertainment system to stop it from teetering over. “Need a hand?” he asked.
***
Sam knew on a logical level that he didn’t really need an entertainment system this big but it had been a good price and judging by how heavy this thing was it was better made than the smaller one that had been next to it. But looking back maybe he should have taken the store up on the offer of delivering it for him because he was going to have a fight to get it in on his own.
He saw it start to fall and moved to catch it but he wasn’t fast enough. Luckily for him though - somebody with better reflexes than him was there. “Thanks. I thought I could handle it but I think we can both safely say I was wrong about that.” He said with an easy grin. One thing he was glad to say came out of growing up was an ability to laugh at himself in situations like this.
***
“I don’t think a lot of people could handle this on their own,” Tyler said. He probably could, though the sheer size of it would have made it pretty hard to maneuver on his own. But he also had the benefit of supernatural strength, which he doubted this man could claim.
“I’m Tyler. I’ve got nothing going on right now and could help you get this up to your apartment if you’d like.”
***
“I’m Sam. I’d shake your hand but probably best to wait on that.” He said, shifting his position slightly as he reached out to help balance it.
“That’d be great if you don’t mind. I’m on the second floor but there’s a freight elevator that we can use if it won’t go up the stairs.”
***
Tyler made his way to the other side of the entertainment centre and took hold of it, intentionally taking on the lion’s share of the weight, though he grunted a little to give the act a little more realism. “Nice to meet you, Sam,” Tyler said. “If I’ve got to help you up the stairs, I hope you’ve got beer up there,” he said jokingly.
***
“What kind of bartender would I be if I didn’t have beer? Even if we use the freight I’m grabbing one.” Sam told him as they lifted. “Since you’re going backwards I’ll let you set the pace.”
***
“You’re a bartender, huh?” Tyler asked. “Where do you work?” Tyler himself moonlighted as a bouncer at Purgatory, mostly for the free meals that came after his shift was over. He walked slowly backwards, glancing over his shoulder now and again. He knew Sam said he could set the pace, but Tyler knew that he couldn’t, not really. Not if he intended to keep up the idea that Sam was helping with more than making sure he didn’t bang the entertainment system into the walls. “You’re going to have to tell me where I’m going.”
***
“The place hasn’t opened up yet but it’s gonna be called Fangtasia. I worked for Eric in Louisiana and he brought me out here to work for him when it gets going.” Sam told him trying to look to make sure they weren’t going to be walking into any of his neighbors. That really wouldn’t be the best way to get to know any of them better. “Well depends on if you want to chance the elevator being available. If so you’re going to want to make a left at the hall coming up in about...15 seconds? If not keep going straight and I’ll warn you before we hit the stairs.”
***
“Fangtasia?” Tyler asked, a little surprised at the name. It sounded almost like some kind of vampire bar or something, except for the fact that no normal person would ever open up a vampire bar. “Interesting name.” He frowned, listening for the elevator that Sam had mentioned. He couldn’t hear one moving, which he assumed meant that it wasn’t in use. “Let’s go for the elevator,” he said, tuning slowly around the corner. Sam was likely to appreciate it, at least.
***
“Apparently it’s the name of his place in his Dreams. Me I’m just having Dreams where I turn into a dog.” Sam said, a little bit of amusement in his voice now that he’d had some time to get used to it. If the ability ever did cross over it could come in handy he figured. If only as a way to get around quicker since dogs didn’t have to worry about traffic lights. “Elevator works. And on top of the beer I think I might even have some pizza in the fridge.”
***
Tyler was pretty sure he was hidden by the entertainment centre, so once they got to the elevator, he let go with one hand to press the elevator button. Within a couple of seconds, it dinged and the elevator doors open. Tyler stepped inside and eased the furniture to the ground, feigning a relieved grunt as it hit the ground.
Just because Tyler didn’t need to eat food like pizza anymore didn’t mean that he didn’t want to. “That sounds great, man. Pretty sure pizza and beer is the go to currency of moving after all.”
***
Moving this thing was definitely pulling on a different set of muscles than his normal moving cases of beer around the bar but it felt good. He’d been lazier than he liked since moving here and it was definitely making itself felt now. Maybe it was about time for him to actually join a gym out here instead of just thinking about it.
“It was the last time I helped somebody move anyway. You’re not a vegetarian are you?”
***
Tyler couldn’t help but laugh at the question. “No, definitely not,” he responded. The only vegetarian vampire Tyler knew was Stefan, and all that meant was that he fed on animals instead of humans. Hardly what most people would consider a vegetarian.
The elevator door opened again on Sam’s floor, and Tyler stuck his foot out to keep the doors from closing and knelt down to lift it again. “You ready?” he asked.
***
“Good to know. Because if you were - that could be a problem. It’s a Meat Lover’s pizza.” Sam said as he knelt down to lift his side of the center back up. “Let’s do this. My apartment’s unlocked. Fourth door on the right.”
***
“That’s my favourite kind,” Tyler said. He followed Sam’s advice toward the apartment, but it was only once he got there that he realized that there was going to be a problem. He hoped, probably foolishly, that Sam hadn’t signed his lease yet, but when Tyler attempted to back through the door and encountered something that felt like an invisible wall, he knew that he’d made a mistake.
“Actually,” he said, stopped directly in Sam’s doorway. “Do you think you can handle it from here? I uh… have somewhere I might need to be.” He was really going to have to start working on his excuses.
***
“Good answer.” Sam said, easy nature showing through as they worked together. He looked around the corner of the center, confusion on his face. “Um...yeah. If you can just help me get it all the way through the door I can get it into position. Gonna be kind of hard for you to get out with how we are now I think.”
“If you can just take another couple steps back you’ll be in the living room and then we can negotiate for you to get out easier.”
***
Tyler knew what he was going to say was going to sound idiotic at the very least, but he didn’t think he had much of a choice. As much as he enjoyed being a vampire, there were some serious pitfalls.
“So you want me to just step through the door?” he confirmed.
***
Sam lifted one brow and looked at him curiously. “Yeah. I want you to just step back through the door.” He said, a part of him wondering what he was getting himself into accepting help from a stranger.
***
Tyler was glad the entertainment centre was there to block the look of relief that crossed his face, and Tyler stepped backwards into the apartment. “Where do you want it?” he asked. \
***
“You sure man? I don’t want to make you late for whatever else you got going on?” Sam asked, growing more confused by the moment.
***
“You know what? I’m already here. There can wait for me,” Tyler said, internally wincing at how quickly he had just flip flopped. This guy was probably going to think he was completely insane.
***
Sam raised one brow as he he looked around the corner of the unit at the other man. “Alright. If you’re sure man. I was thinking against that wall right behind you. So that I don’t have to move my chairs or worry about glare from the window hitting the screen.”
***
Tyler followed Sam’s directions to where he wanted it, and, once it was in place, lowered it to the floor with Sam. “Smart,” he said, taking a step back and glancing at the placement. “Nothing worse than window glare on your TV.”
***
Sam stepped back, making sure everything was just where he’d wanted it. “Yeah. It will ruin a football game faster than anything. Except your team losing.” He said with a small shrug. He looked at the man who’d helped him curiously, debating whether or not he should bring up the pizza and beer he’d offered earlier since the guy had said he had somewhere else to be. “I know you got somewhere to be so I’ll give you my number so you can hit me up when you’re free for that beer and pizza.”
***
Tyler laughed. “Yeah, your team losing is definitely worse,” he agreed. He imagined that would be especially true now that he was coaching. Losing a game when he was playing on a team sucked, but losing when you were coaching a team was career threatening. At least he wasn’t head coach. “Thanks,” he said, fishing his phone from his pocket so Sam could input his number. “I’ll definitely do that.”
***
Sam programmed his number in quickly, grateful that he hadn’t had to get a new one after the move. “It’s a Louisiana number so you should be able to figure out it’s mine pretty quickly. The last name’s Merlotte.” He told him, handing the phone back to him.
***
Tyler took his phone back and glanced at the number. “I’ll definitely be coming to collect on that pizza and beer sometime soon,” Tyler assured him. “I’ll catch you around, Sam Merlotte.”