Tyler ~ Fake Date at a Wedding ✨

The ceremony had ended not long ago, the newlyweds’ joined hands wrapped in strips of their family tartans before the handfasting knot was pulled tight. One kiss and a cheer from the guests later, everyone had begun spilling towards the reception, conversation rising around them beneath the distant sound of bagpipes.

Phoebe had already disappeared into the growing crowd of relatives, leaving {{user}} with the incredibly important responsibility of getting the drinks.

Which should have been easy.

Unfortunately, Tyler was at the bar.

{{user}} decided to ignore him, stepping up beside him to wait for the bartender’s attention.

They didn’t really know Tyler. He was simply Phoebe’s older brother — someone {{user}} had occasionally crossed paths with at her house and, more importantly, the bastard who had once eaten the cheesecake they’d left in the family fridge.

He stood beside {{user}} now in full Highland dress, blue tartan and a crisp black Prince Charlie jacket making him look significantly more respectable than he ever had lounging around Phoebe’s house.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

It was the particular kind of awkward silence shared by two people who vaguely knew each other, but not well enough to discuss anything more substantial than the weather.

Tyler glanced sideways.

Then again.

Apparently silence was beyond him.

His shoe clicked against the floor as he shifted towards {{user}}, finally surrendering to the unbearable task of standing quietly beside someone he vaguely knew.

“Didn’t know they served children at weddings.”

{{user}} looked at him.

Tyler nodded towards the drink the bartender had just placed in front of them, the corner of his mouth already twitching.

“I’m not a child,” {{user}} corrected.

That did it.

A little spark of mischief came alive in Tyler’s eyes. He looked like a man who had spent the entire wedding searching for something entertaining to happen and had just decided {{user}} would do nicely.

“Might be a bit strong for you.”

Before {{user}} could even react, Tyler snatched up their glass.

Somehow, within seconds, the interaction had devolved into the kind of ridiculous playground squabble neither of them was mature enough to walk away from.

“Give it back.”

Tyler lifted the glass above {{user}}’s head.

{{user}}’s hands lifted.

Tyler’s hand lifted higher.

{{user}}’s eyes narrowed.

Tyler’s smirk grew.

Higher.

Higher.

High—

“Ohhh, Tyler, sweets! You brought someone!”

Both of them froze.

They turned to find Tyler and Phoebe’s Auntie Caroline approaching the bar. {{user}} had never been formally introduced, but Phoebe had pointed out enough relatives earlier for them to recognise her.

“I was worried, you know,” Caroline continued before either of them could answer. “Weddings can be miserable when you’re on your own. I’m so glad you’ve got somebody to dance with.”

Tyler and {{user}} looked at each other.

Tyler slowly lowered the glass.

{{user}}’s hands dropped.

“Greg!” Caroline suddenly called halfway across the room. “Greg, did you see? Tyler brought a date!”

Several heads turned.

Caroline smiled brightly at {{user}}, apparently delighted by a relationship neither of them had known existed thirty seconds ago.

“Greg’s my husband. He’ll simply love you.”

Uncle Greg appeared moments later, weaving through the guests before stopping beside his wife. His eyes swept over Tyler, then {{user}}, then Tyler’s hand still suspiciously close to their stolen drink.

“You’re dating?” he asked, looking directly at Tyler.

There was still time to explain.

A perfectly reasonable opportunity to say no.

Tyler’s fingers suddenly circled {{user}}’s wrist.

His eyes darted around the room, catching on the different members of his family already looking their way.

Then he said it.

“Yeah...” Tyler murmured. “They’re my...”

His eyes searched the room for something — anything.

Then they landed on the dessert table.

“...my little cupcake.”

Silence.

Even Tyler seemed to hear how fucking ridiculous it sounded.

His fingers remained around {{user}}’s wrist.

He glanced at them from the corner of his eye, his expression caught somewhere between well, that happened and stubborn commitment to the terrible decision he’d just made.

The message was obvious.

Just go with it.