Shawn and Tyler Ch. 02

Chapter 2 - Tyler Gets Flowers From His Armed Escort

Shawn and Tyler talked on the phone here and there, but it was almost every day. Sometimes Shawn was still on duty when they spoke. Tyler knew Shawn was tired. They agreed not to talk to Dawn about each other because there wasn't much to say. They weren't really dating, only talking on the phone. Other than hanging out that Saturday together for a few hours, they haven't seen one another in person. Shawn wanted to ask him to dinner, but because of his hours, he just didn't have the time to, and Tyler beat him to it.

Shawn agreed to meet him after work. He told him that he would be in uniform but could change if he would like. Tyler stated it would be fine. He really liked the thought of seeing Shawn in his uniform. It made Tyler hard thinking about it. They decided that they could hit a little diner just off-campus.

Shawn texted Tyler a few hours before he was supposed to get off and told him that he needed to work over an hour. So now it will be seven instead of six. Shawn asked if he was willing to wait or if he wanted to reschedule. Tyler said he didn't mind waiting.

Tyler worked later that night while waiting for Shawn to finish at the station. He expected Shawn to call when he was near so he could meet him outside, but he didn't realize the time when Shawn was standing there watching him. Tyler was absorbed in setting up formulas for another project.

Shawn walked in a little after seven, he was going to change, but because he was late, he decided to stay in his uniform. When he walked in, two other employees in the office, a student and a full-time, looked up at him, and he motioned them not to say anything. He stood at the counter and watched Tyler for a few minutes before speaking. "Excuse me, Sir, can I get some service?"

Tyler looked up from his computer, smiled, and looked at the time. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Just a few minutes." Shawn smiled. Tyler quickly packed up his things and went around the counter. "You ready?" Tyler nodded. Shawn had a feeling that Tyler didn't want him saying anything or touching him while in the office, so he waited until they were outside. "How are you doing?" Shawn asked while they were walking to the restaurant and occasionally touched Tyler in the small of his back. Tyler loved this but wouldn't tell Shawn. Tyler just responded that he was okay. They only talked a bit as they walked.

Shawn was a gentleman who held the door open for Tyler when they arrived at the diner. They grabbed a booth, and the waitress came over and greeted them. They both looked over the menu quickly and ordered. While they were waiting, there wasn't a quiet moment between them. There even weren't any awkward silent moments. They were enjoying every minute that they had with one another.

When their dinner finally came out, it turned out to be a sloppy moment for Shawn. Of course, he would spill ketchup on his uniform. He was glad it was dark blue. It blended in. He was also glad it wasn't mustard, but at least he could laugh at himself. Tyler smiled, but he was trying to hide it.

The waitress came around and asked if they wanted dessert, and Tyler said he shouldn't, and Shawn asked why. Tyler gave in to apple pie while Shawn had a piece of chocolate cake. Shawn smiled that he could influence Tyler into getting dessert. When the check came, Tyler was about to reach for it because he had asked Shawn, but Shawn grabbed it up and pulled out his wallets. "But I was the one that asked you."

"Yeah, and your point?" Shawn stated.

"Thank you," Tyler smiled. He wasn't going to argue with anyone that wanted to pay the bill. He looked at Shawn's wallets. "Why do you have two?"

"This one is actually in the wrong pocket, it's my badge and ID, and this one is just my regular wallet." Shawn was about to stick the wallet with his badge and ID back in his pocket.

"Can I see it?" Tyler asked before Shawn put it away.

"What for?"

"I've never seen a badge before."

"Babe, one's right here on my chest," Shawn said with a chuckle, Tyler blushed, but he handed over his wallet.

Tyler opened it up and looked at the badge, then flipped the leather cover over to reveal his police identification card, then Tyler reached across the table and took Shawn's other wallet and looked at his license."

"Shawn Michael Michaels? Really?" Tyler thought it had to be a mistake. That is why he took Shawn's other wallet and noticed that Shawn didn't stop him.

"Nosey, aren't you. And yes." Shawn smiled. "Shawn is the name my mother picked, Michael is my father's first name, and she wanted it but didn't want her son named Michael Michaels. So, Shawn Michaels."

"But Michaels' isn't Dawn's maiden name, isn't it Taylor?" Tyler handed Shawn back both his wallets.

"Yeah, it is. My parents were never married." Shawn said dryly. He doesn't like talking about his past.

During almost the entire date, Shawn had been ignoring the vibrating phone in his pocket. He knew it could only be one person calling to bug him and ask if he had bothered to call Tyler lately. Shawn was getting to the point of avoiding her call until he wanted to pick it up.

Then Tyler's phone started to ring, and he pulled it out of his bag. "It's Dawn." He couldn't avoid it like Shawn, and he answered. "Hi Dawn, how are you tonight?"

"I'm good. What are you doing? I heard you worked late tonight, and I'm parked near your car. And I see that it's still here, but the office is closed." Dawn asked.

"I'm out to dinner with a friend. Can't I go out with a friend?" Tyler looked straight at Shawn, wondering if she knew.

"Of course, I just wanted to... well...." Dawn now didn't know how to ask what she wanted to know.

"Spit it out, Dawn."

"I'm confirming my stupid brother hasn't completely blown his chances with you. I just know you two are perfect for one another." She prayed that Shawn would call him or has been.

"Okay, Dawn, well, I'll try calling him tomorrow. I need to get back to the person I'm with." Tyler smiled at Shawn. He hoped that saying he would try calling would make her think he wasn't out with Shawn.

The waitress walked up and asked if everything was all set, and Shawn handed her the money and nodded, not wanting to speak, so Dawn didn't hear him. "Okay, Tyler, I'll see you tomorrow," Dawn stated and hung up.

"Where are you parked? And I'll walk you to your car," Shawn asked as they left the diner.

"Oh, am I going to get an armed escort to my car?" Tyler laughed, "On the other side of campus."

"Well, I'm parked near, so I can drive you around to your car." Shawn didn't want to let Tyler walk alone in the dark, and he also wanted to spend as much time as possible. They spent a while talking in Shawn's car, while they held hands. Shawn would rub his thumb over the top of his hand as they sat there. "You know, Tyler, we could have gone to one of our places to talk for all the time we've been sitting here." Shawn chuckled.

"I would love you to come back to my apartment, but my roommate would get upset if we made noise. He has to work early in the morning."

"I have to work too, but I don't have a roommate, you know, and don't live far from here, which you also know." Shawn was hoping that Tyler would accept his invitation. "If you would like to come over."

"Just to talk, I really like you, but I want to go a little slower. Not that I didn't like the other time, which I still feel bad that I didn't reciprocate."

"In time." Shawn smiled. He wished Tyler would stop saying he didn't reciprocate. Shawn was okay that he didn't. "But yes, tonight, let's just talk. I have to be up in the morning for work, so it would be a bad idea to be up all night physically." Not like Shawn hasn't ever done that, Shawn leaned over and kissed Tyler. "Follow me, or I will follow you."

"I'll follow you," Tyler responded. He really enjoys being in the company of Shawn.

When Shawn woke, he smiled. It was lovely to wake up holding someone after not having sex. Shawn eased himself out from around Tyler. He didn't want to wake him, at least not yet. Shawn watched Tyler sleep for a few minutes before leaving the room with his things to get ready for work. He couldn't believe that he wished Tyler was his. Shawn wanted to know everything about him. He intrigued Shawn.

Shawn knew that Tyler didn't have to be at work until nine. It was only five-thirty. Shawn was thinking about just waking him and leaving a key. Which is what he did. He pulled out a spare and wrote a note in case Tyler didn't remember being woken. Shawn set his alarm clock for Tyler, so he had enough time to make it home, shower, and go to work.

"Babe... Babe." Shawn lightly patted Tyler's back and kissed him on the cheek.

"Mmmm." Tyler was barely awake, and Shawn knew it but told him that he was leaving and about the key.

Shawn left, smiling. He knew that Tyler was asleep before he told him much. He noticed Tyler's bag beside the couch and thought about his phone. Shawn decided to plug it in for him and sat the bag on the couch with a note on top telling him his phone was in the kitchen charging. Shawn knew if he didn't get his ass out the door, he would be late, so he left.

Tyler woke to an annoying, beeping noise and rolled over to shut the clock off. He didn't want up at seven-thirty. Eight, but not seven-thirty. He knew he didn't have to be in until nine.

Then Tyler could smell him, and his eyes popped open. He was still in Shawn's bed. He sat up and looked at the clock and saw the note with the key and kind of remembered Shawn saying something about it.

He picked up the note, 'Tyler, I couldn't see waking you so early. Please lock up on your way out. We'll talk later. Shawn.' Tyler got up and put his pants and dress shirt back over his t-shirt. He left his tie off. He grabbed the note and key, went into the living room, and stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hi Tyler, imagine my surprise when I drove by to see if Shawn was home, and I found your car in his driveway instead of his."

"Please don't tell Dawn. We haven't decided on anything yet."

"You two are fucking, so you've at least decided on that much," Dean stated.

"We aren't," Tyler responded.

"Oh, are you part of the." Dean put up his hands to do the air quotes. "We make love, not fuck club?"

"No, yes, but we didn't do either." Tyler stumbled over his words. Dean just smiled. "Really, we haven't."

"Okay, okay, if you say so," Dean responded. "I take it Shawn's at work?"

"Yes, and that is where I need to go." Tyler looked and saw his bag on the other end of the couch and went to grab it.

"The note says your phone is in the kitchen. Hmmm, Shawn is already taking care of you, and you're sure you aren't giving him head?" Tyler turned red, remembering that Shawn gave him an incredible blowjob, and he didn't reciprocate. He turned towards the kitchen to get his phone, so he could hopefully make a quick exit.

"I've got to go. I need to get home so I can make it to work on time." Tyler stated, and Dean just nodded.

When Tyler got to his car, he realized that he still had Shawn's key in his hand, but he wasn't going to return it now. He laid it on the seat and drove home. He barely had enough time to shower and get to the university when he finally calmed himself.

Dawn was sitting in the office waiting for Tyler when he saw her. He thought he couldn't get a break from any of Shawn's family today. Not that Dawn knew anything, he thought hopefully. He set his things down at his desk and turned on his computer. "Well, I heard something interesting."

"What was that?" Now afraid that Dean had told her.

"That you walked out of here last night with one of our campus police officers, and you were seen eating at a diner just off campus." Dawn thought it sucks that Tyler could possibly be dating someone else and didn't give Shawn a chance.

"Okay," Tyler responded. He was relieved that she didn't know that it was Shawn.

But it didn't help that just then, a delivery person walked into the office with flowers and asked for Tyler Stevens. Tyler looked surprised, went to the counter, and signed for them. He pulled the card out as he walked back to his desk and sat the vase down. Dawn stood up and read over his shoulder.

'I should've had these to give you last night. Thank you for giving me a chance. Your Armed Escort.' Tyler was smiling. He was so happy that Shawn was so sweet that he thought of sending flowers.

"Oh my God, you are dating someone else. Shoot." Dawn looked sad.

"Dawn, I'm not."

"Clearly you are, but it's okay." Dawn smiled. "I hope you are happy with this guy. Hey, I'll talk to you later." She didn't know how he could deny it when the guy sent him flowers with a beautiful note like that.

Before Tyler could say anything else, Dawn left. She was upset that he could possibly be dating someone else. It didn't help that Dawn was told a couple more times by a few different people that she missed the hunk that Tyler walked out with last night. Then someone stated they had seen her brother on campus, saying it was nice seeing Shawn. Dawn was confused. Shawn didn't come and see her, but the person was gone before she thought to ask when they had seen him.

Tyler texted Shawn and asked him to call him as soon as possible. Dean just flat-out called Shawn, and so did Dawn. Dean was the first to get answered because he was the most persistent.

"WHAT?" Shawn finally answered he was just getting back into his unit after handing someone back their license. Once he was done running the guy, he had a clean record, and because Shawn was continually getting phone calls, he decided to let him off with a warning.

"Boy, you're a little testy. I guess Tyler didn't give you any like he said." Shawn became completely silent. "Yeah, I was surprised to find him in your bed this morning instead of you."

"You didn't...."

"Of course not." Dean cut Shawn off. "Tyler was scared I was going to tell Dawn. Why don't you two want Dawn to know?"

"It's not anything yet. We're just feeling each other out."

"Bullshit. You like him. You left him in your bed, set the alarm, gave him a key, and plugged his phone in. You just jumped ahead two to three months into this relationship than you had with Mark. Hell, I don't think you left a key for Mark even when you left him in the house for the first few months." Shawn couldn't respond to this because he knew he didn't leave Mark a key for almost six months. "Shawn, are you still there?"

"Yeah." He was now thinking he was going to have to calm Tyler down.

"You seem distracted."

"Well, I had you, Dawn, and Tyler trying to get a hold of me, and I'm trying to work." Shawn was frustrated that he was getting all these calls while working.

"Alright, I'll let you go, but you better tell Dawn soon, or you know you'll have hell to pay."

"Yeah, I know." Shawn was already paying by Dawn calling to push him to call Tyler.

Shawn pulled his patrol car off to a side street so he could make his next call. He didn't know who he should call first, Dawn or Tyler.

He decided to call Tyler. That would be the easiest of the two. At least he hoped and prayed. The phone rang once before an anxious Tyler picked up. "Shawn, thank God you finally called back. Between Dawn and Dean, I don't know who's the worst."

"Okay, Babe, slow down." Shawn didn't even notice he had been calling Tyler, babe. It was coming out naturally. Tyler had noticed and loved it. "Let's take one thing at a time. First Dean, because I have talked to him and then Dawn."

"You've talked to Dean, so you know. Oh, I accidentally walked out with your key. I was so derailed by his presence that I just wanted to get out. Then at work, Dawn was waiting at my desk this morning. I knew he had to had told her, but then she asked what campus police officer I was dating because she had been told I had been seen leaving campus with one."

"So, she thinks you are dating a campus police officer?" Shawn laughed.

"Yes, and the flowers you sent this morning. Oh my God, signing them the way you did, was priceless. She was reading over my shoulder. By the way, they are beautiful, thank you. But I feel bad because she thinks I missed the opportunity to date you. She looked so sad that I've gone out with someone else."

"Do you want to tell her?"

"I think we have no other choice," Tyler responded. He hated to hurt Dawn unnecessarily.

"How about over dinner? I'll set it up with Dean."

"Alright, but what if I get cornered by Dawn again about the campus police officer? What should I say?"

"Make something up." Shawn laughed.

"You're terrible, Shawn, you know that, right?" They talked until they were interrupted by Dawn's call.

"Hello, Dawn."

"Hi Shawn. How are you doing?" Dawn asked.

"I'm okay, a little tired, but I'm always that of late, and yourself?" He thought she was extra nice.

"I'm good, thanks for asking." She was debating if she should tell him or not.

"Dawn, I'm sure you didn't call me while I was on duty to ask how I was doing. What's up?" Shawn asked.

"There's no easy way of saying this, but I think. Well, I'm pretty sure Tyler is dating a campus officer. Shawn, it sucks because I really thought you two would have been perfect for one another. I'm sorry, but you were also a dick and didn't call him." Shawn thought. Boy, she quickly turned tables on him.

"It's okay, Sis. Tyler can do what he wants. I've been so busy and haven't had the time to call." Shawn smiled. He loved lying to his sister.

"Also, Shawn, Nat said she saw you on campus the other day, or she swears it was you. Were you here?"

Shawn knew he couldn't lie about this because he did talk to a few people, and it would get back to Dawn that he was seen. "Yeah, I stopped to see you, but I got a call, so I had to leave."

"Oh, so you weren't going to come by and see Tyler?"

"No, if he happened to be in the office when I had them call for you, it would have been a bonus. I won't lie. But I will stay clear since you say he's dating someone."

"It doesn't mean you can't try to date him too," Dawn said mischievously.

"Okay, Dawn, I'll talk to you later." Thinking gee, she would try to break someone up to have them date him.

Shawn decided that he would stop and see Dean for lunch. It was an uneventful morning. He didn't hand out any tickets. When he called the station to state he was out of his unit for lunch, he saw Dean heading back into his building and ran to catch up with him. "Shit, man, you look tired, and they let you pull people over looking this way?" Dean laughed. Shawn just punched his arm. "You want me to call out police brutality?" He smiled. "Come on, I'll buy you a coffee."

"Thanks, I need one." Shawn laughed at Dean's joke.

In the lobby of Dean's building, there is a little deli. Dean asked how long Shawn had and told him to have a seat, that he would get the coffee. Five minutes later, Dean returned with a sandwich, chips, a large black coffee, and a muffin for Shawn, and just a Latte for himself.

"You didn't need to buy me lunch."

"I didn't. You owe me about fifteen dollars." Dean smiled. "What did you come down here to talk about?" Dean knew it wasn't just a social visit.

"Can't I just come to see my brother-in-law?" Shawn laughed.

"Oh, now I'm your brother-in-law. Yeah, there is definitely something you want." Dean picked up part of Shawn's sandwich and took a bite.

"Hey, that was a three-dollar bite." Shawn laughed. "I need you to meet me for dinner with Dawn."

"Well, that isn't too hard. Dawn always wants to get you out to dinner to hook you up with someone." Dean thought Shawn should already know that.

"Yeah, that's the problem. I don't want Dawn to have a date sitting at the table. I'm going to bring Tyler."