Big Gestures Usually End With You Flat On Your Ass (standalone)
Title: Big Gestures Usually End With You Flat On Your Ass
Author: ivesia19
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: gen, but probably some vague Brendon/Ryan because I can’t help it
POV: 3rd person limited (Ryan)
Summary: Kinda a crackfic! When Ryan realizes that his band is drifting apart, he tries to make everything better. Too bad he’s an epic failboat.
Disclaimer: The boys belong to themselves (and possibly each other)
Author Notes: Instead of writing a serious/angsty/heartfelt sequel to this, I decided to write something fun and faily. So, here it is.
Beta: habezweikatzen
---
---
Sometimes, and this isn’t something that Ryan usually admits to, but sometimes Ryan Ross likes to go on livejournal. For the most part, he stays away from the fanfiction - for the most part. More often than not, though, when he gets up the nerve to sign into his livejournal, he just goes straight to more neutral sites. Just to see what the fans are up to.
Not to feed his own ego or anything. Really.
Some of the posts are just honest to god “Why I love :insert band member name here:” posts, and Ryan only reads the one on himself. Okay, he reads them all, but just to see how accurate people are. Sure, Spencer has stylish shoes, but people have sorely forgotten to mention how great Ryan’s own footwear choices are.
He’s reading down a couple more posts, ones about the new tour dates that people are excited about (and thankfully, this time Ryan actually heard ahead of time that they’re playing), when he sees a small post.
It’s in patdquestions, which Ryan sometimes checks if he needs to remember exactly what day Jon’s birthday is or if Spencer is allergic to peanuts or not - Ryan could swear that it was Brendon.
Is the band breaking up?
He stares at the question for a moment, because what?
Of course they aren’t breaking up! They love playing together and being together and…And just then, Ryan realizes that’s it’s been almost two weeks since he’s even so much as twitter replied Spencer or Brendon (actually, he’s never twitter replied Brendon. Just hasn’t seen the point when there’s direct message and texts.). He still sees Jon, though! That counts for something!
Ryan sits there, thinking about just how much time he hasn’t been spending with his band lately, thinking about how much work they really aren’t getting done on the third album - though Jon and Eric managed to make a song in an afternoon that they posted online - when he suddenly has the thought: what if they are breaking up?!
Panic seizes Ryan. Oh, god he thinks I have to do something about this!.
So, he pulls out one of his notebooks, one that has half-written lyrics scribbled over on the beginning pages and messily drawn pictures of ninja turtles toward the end, and puts his pen to the paper.
How to save the band he writes, thinking for a moment about adding and thereby not subjecting myself to a life of pretentious poverty, but he decides against it.
He looks down at the paper, only that small phrase written, and he bites his lower lip, trying to think of a good strategy.
Fuck, this is hard.
---
One. Remind Spencer that we’re childhood best friends who should never ever leave each other’s side.
Ryan knocks on Spencer’s door, the two plastic bags swinging as his arm falls back to its place near his side. It doesn’t take Spencer long to answer the door, and when Ryan hears the turning of the knob, he holds up the bags.
“I couldn’t find a Port of Subs, so I got us Subway!” Ryan says, handing Spencer his bag. “I got your favorite: turkey with provolone cheese, extra mayo, no onions. “ He grins, proud at himself for remembering Spencer’s order. “And there’s sour cream and onion chips in there, too.” It took Ryan a while to find a sub shop, but he knows that it’ll definitely be worth it. Spencer loves subs.
The bag, however, the bag full of a sub that Ryan made sure was perfectly made, is hanging off of one of Spencer’s outstretched fingers, and he’s staring at Ryan. “Um, hi,” he says.
“Hey,” Ryan says. He pushes past Spencer, into the house, and Spencer closes the door after them, looking a little bewildered. “So, I was thinking we should hang out today. Eat subs, talk about Counting Crows. Maybe look at old pictures.” He meant to bring some pictures with him, but he forgot. Oh well, Ryan is sure that Spencer has some somewhere. Possibly, he has a scrapbook. “Hey! Remember that time that stripper yelled at us?” Ryan can’t remember the whole story, but he remembers that it’s one that Spencer likes. “Wasn’t her name Candy?”
Spencer furrows his brow. “Ry, it’s like three o’clock. I’ve, uh, already had lunch.” He looks down at his shoes for a moment, and Ryan follows the eyepath. Damn, Spencer really does have some nice shoes. “I also kinda have plans and was just about to leave, so…”
Ryan frowns. “You have plans?” He hadn’t even thought of that. When he had planned out today, he had just assumed that everything would go perfectly to plan. Spencer would open the door, be so touched that Ryan remembered his sub order, and then they would reminisce about their childhood. Possibly they would go skateboarding in a park or something later.
Ryan had even found his old skateboard and stopped by Target to pick up some kneepads. He was actually looking forward to Spencer making some sort of vulgar joke about it. Though, in all seriousness, Ryan has a tendency to fall. Especially when he’s on wheels.
“Sorry,” Spencer says. “If I had known you were coming over, I would have tried to rearrange things.” He looks uncomfortable, but Ryan doesn’t know what to do - doesn’t know how to make things better. “We can hang out later this week, though, if you want.”
“Yeah, okay,” Ryan says, but he doesn’t even try to keep the disappointment out of his voice. It used to be that Spencer always chose Ryan over everything. He doesn’t want to think about what it means that Spencer rather go hang out with unidentified other people.
Ryan bets they’re boring. Ugly, too. But why would Spencer chose to hang out with boring, ugly people over him?
“Just call me later, I guess,” Ryan says, turning to leave.
When he gets in the car and drives off, his lonely sub staring at him from the Spencerless passenger seat, Ryan turns off the stupid mixed CD he burned.
He doesn’t even want to think about all that time that he wasted trying to find an mp3 of their first Summer League demo. Fucking out of date links.
---
Two. Give Jon some high quality weed. Let him talk about as many shitty television shows as he wants to when he’s stoned.
The weed is good quality. Ryan hadn’t been expecting anything less from the guy that he bought it from. Some friend of a friend that he had met at a JJAMZ concert, but still, this guy has a reputation. So, it isn’t really Ryan’s fault that he smokes a bowl by himself while waiting for Jon and Eric to get back.
He has big plans, though. Earlier, before he started smoking, he lined up a list of truly horrible television shows on his Tivo for him and Jon to watch. iCarly, Spongebob, Drake and Josh…. Jon really liked some shitty, shitty shows.
It’s taking a little bit longer than Ryan had expected for Jon to get back, though - he and Eric were apparently just going out to look for some new something (Ryan hadn’t really been listening - he was too busy planning his epic awesomeness) - so he packs himself another bowl.
After he takes his first hit, Ryan makes a mental note to get out all the food that he had bought. He’s smoked with Jon enough times to know what to expect, so Ryan bought a whole bunch of hot and cold food (Jon always likes the temperature differences), but he’ll set it all up later, after this bowl.
It’s a little quiet in the house, so Ryan turns on the first episode of iCarly. He really hates that blonde chick - so annoyingly seemingly superior - but he kinda likes the brother. At least, he likes how he sets everything accidently on fire. Ryan can relate.
Ryan is sitting there, watching Nick and thinking about that time that he accidently put tinfoil in the microwave for the third time in the same week, when Jon and Eric come in. Jon’s shoulders are slumped and he looks a little sad. Ryan hates when Jon looks sad.
“Jon!” he exclaims, pushing himself up to go and give his friend a hug. His legs are a little unstable, but Jon Walker is great for hugs, so it’s worth the teetering walk across the carpet. “You look so sad. Like a puppy on a Sarah McLachlan commercial.” He frowns. Those commercials are terrible. Also, he is totally feeling the weed. “We should watch shows and smoke and eat food and be friends!” Ryan suggests.
These are all great ideas, he knows. Especially since Nick shows love bright colors. Blue is such a beautiful color.
Just as Ryan is thinking about how terribly beautiful blue actually is, Jon shakes his head. “I’m kind of exhausted, Ryan. Plus, I’m trying not to smoke so much, anymore.” He goes over and slouches down in the chair. Ryan knows something is wrong because Jon doesn’t even laugh when something bursts into flame on the screen.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, sitting down on the floor, leaning against the comfortable plush of the chair that Jon is sitting in. It feels amazing. “You look so sad, Jon Walker.”
“I’m fine,” Jon says, but Ryan knows that something about the way that Jon says that is off. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Ryan is about to say something, he really is. He’s about to let Jon tell him all his problems - Ryan’s pretty sure it’s about the band and how everyone thinks it’s falling apart - but then he realizes just how sleepy he is.
“I want you to tell me all your problem,” Ryan says, stifling a yawn. “And we’ll work it out together. Once I take a tiny, tiny nap.”
Ryan doesn’t stay awake long enough to hear how Jon answers, but when he wakes up a couple hours later, Jon is sleeping soundly, the low hum of the television in the background.
He can’t wake him up now, that’d just be mean, so Ryan goes to get some ice cream.
It turns out, though, if you put ice cream in the refrigerator to get soft enough to scoop but smoke up and fall asleep for four hours and forget about it, it melts.
Moose Tracks is gross all melty.
---
Three. Snuggle with Brendon like he always wanted to.
Back when they were back on tour, back when they all lived in the same place - in small, cramped bunks - Brendon used to try and get Ryan to snuggle with him. A lot.
The problem is, Ryan doesn’t really like snuggling. He really, however, doesn’t like not having a band, so he decides to suck it up and head over to Brendon’s for some quality snuggling time. He even washes his softest shirt with special detergent that claims to make anyone snuggly. Well, at least a teddy bear.
Ryan knocks on Brendon’s door, and immediately, the bark of a dog sounds out. He hasn’t seen Brendon’s dogs since his brief stay on an air mattress a couple of months ago, but Ryan liked them. They are yappy and energetic - kind of like Brendon.
When Brendon opens the door, Ryan keeps the animated movie behind his back just in case Brendon is planning on leaving like Spencer did. He doesn’t want to embarrass himself again by proudly displaying his surprise only to have it thrown back in his face.
“Hey! You’re not busy are you?” Ryan asks.
Brendon shakes his head and says he’s not busy. He looks a little taken aback to see Ryan standing there, but when Ryan brings the movie around from behind his back - a black-market copy of “Up” - Brendon grins so large that Ryan can’t help but smile back. Finally! He’s done something right!
Following Brendon into the room with the big t.v., Ryan only stops a couple of times to pet a whichever dog jumps up at him first.
“How’d you get this movie?” Brendon asks as he goes to put it in his dvd player. His entire body is thrumming with excitement, and Ryan sits back on the couch happily. Ah, success.
“Back-ally blowjobs,” Ryan jokes. Brendon laughs, and Ryan adds, “But when I told them it was for you, they told me that your mouth is far prettier. They’re expecting you tomorrow near the Walmart.”
Brendon shakes his head and sits down next to Ryan on the couch. Ryan notices the space and discretely moves a little closer. “Damn straight my mouth is prettier,” Brendon says, and when Ryan moves so that their bodies touch, he looks over. “What are you doing?”
Ryan tilts his body closer. “Snuggling,” he says. “You always want to snuggle,” he reminds.
“Oh,” Brendon says. “Okay.” There’s a ghost of a smile flickering across Brendon’s pretty mouth, almost like he can’t believe it but doesn’t want not to, and he leans against Ryan. “This is nice,” he comments, snuggling, and just as Ryan puts his arm around Brendon, pulling him closer, Brendon sneezes.
“Gesundheit!” Ryan says, petting Brendon’s hair, snuggling against Brendon. This is nice, he’s missed this. He smiles, there’s no way that Brendon will leave the band when Ryan gives him snuggles! Snuggles!
Then Brendon sneezes again. And again. And again.
His body twitches against Ryan, and he pulls back, leaving the side of Ryan cold.
“Sorry,” Brendon says. He sneezes again, looking unbelievably sad when he says, “I think I’m allergic to you.”
Ryan frowns. “That’s ridiculous, you can’t be allergic to a person. Especially not me!”
Brendon shrugs, but mid shoulder lift, he sneezes again. “Well, I’m allergic to something.”
Ryan glares.
To make matters worse, when Brendon hits the play button, after sliding to the other side of the couch away from Ryan’s sneezing-inducing odor, the screen comes up blank. That is, until the gay porn kicks in.
Then it’s just…awkward.
---
Ryan is depressed. Somehow, he managed to mess everything up even worse than before.
He turns his phone off, not really wanting to deal with awkward calls or even more awkward text messages from the rest of the band. Instead of screening his cell, Ryan retreats back to his bed, pulling back the big, fluffy comforter before burrowing in.
Next to the bed, his iPod is resting on the table, so Ryan grabs it and turns on the music loudly. He closes his eyes and listens to the gentle beat of the latest Motown band he’s discovered.
Ryan gets so lost in the ‘do-ops’ and the ‘oh, girls’ that he doesn’t hear Brendon come into his room. He does, however, feel the bed sink when Brendon joins him under the covers. Ryan pulls out the ear buds.
“You smell better,” Brendon says, wrapping his arms around Ryan’s body, drawing them closer together. “Yesterday you smelled weird, but now you smell like you.”
“I tried a new detergent,” Ryan admits, letting his body sink against Brendon. It’s strange how easily his body relaxes against Brendon - almost as if he belongs spooned up against his lead singer.
“Hmm,” Brendon hums. “Well, I like you like this.” He curls around Ryan and hums a little tune. “Not that I’m complaining, but why exactly did you show up at my house yesterday for snuggle time? I do like snuggle time with you, you know.”
Ryan does know, especially since Brendon is pretty much glued to his back.
He shrugs, sure that Brendon can feel the motion and sighs. “I guess I just don’t want you thinking that we’re growing apart. I don’t want the band to break up.”
“What makes you think that we’re breaking up?” Brendon murmurs.
Ryan flushes red. “Fangirls.”
Brendon laughs. “Ryan, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”
“Or me,” another voice calls out, and when Ryan turns, he sees Jon standing there. “Is that why you were acting so strangely the other day? I know you don’t watch iCarly willingly.” Jon smiles fondly and shakes his head.
“Jon Walker, tell Ryan that we’ll never leave him,” Brendon says, tightening his grip on Ryan, pulling him closer, moving them toward the middle of the bed to make room for Jon.
“We’ll never leave you,” Jon says, settling against the other side of Ryan, wrapping his arms around both boys.
“Damn straight we won’t, you jackass.”
Ryan doesn’t even need to look over from where he’s tucked against Brendon’s chin to see Spencer, but when the bed dips to the left, Ryan knows that Spencer’s lain down next to Jon.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Spencer says.
“You’re stuck with us, Ross,” Brendon assures.
“For a long ass time,” Jon throws in.
Ryan smiles. “Good.”
---
Other Stories
Author: ivesia19
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: gen, but probably some vague Brendon/Ryan because I can’t help it
POV: 3rd person limited (Ryan)
Summary: Kinda a crackfic! When Ryan realizes that his band is drifting apart, he tries to make everything better. Too bad he’s an epic failboat.
Disclaimer: The boys belong to themselves (and possibly each other)
Author Notes: Instead of writing a serious/angsty/heartfelt sequel to this, I decided to write something fun and faily. So, here it is.
Beta: habezweikatzen
---
---
Sometimes, and this isn’t something that Ryan usually admits to, but sometimes Ryan Ross likes to go on livejournal. For the most part, he stays away from the fanfiction - for the most part. More often than not, though, when he gets up the nerve to sign into his livejournal, he just goes straight to more neutral sites. Just to see what the fans are up to.
Not to feed his own ego or anything. Really.
Some of the posts are just honest to god “Why I love :insert band member name here:” posts, and Ryan only reads the one on himself. Okay, he reads them all, but just to see how accurate people are. Sure, Spencer has stylish shoes, but people have sorely forgotten to mention how great Ryan’s own footwear choices are.
He’s reading down a couple more posts, ones about the new tour dates that people are excited about (and thankfully, this time Ryan actually heard ahead of time that they’re playing), when he sees a small post.
It’s in patdquestions, which Ryan sometimes checks if he needs to remember exactly what day Jon’s birthday is or if Spencer is allergic to peanuts or not - Ryan could swear that it was Brendon.
Is the band breaking up?
He stares at the question for a moment, because what?
Of course they aren’t breaking up! They love playing together and being together and…And just then, Ryan realizes that’s it’s been almost two weeks since he’s even so much as twitter replied Spencer or Brendon (actually, he’s never twitter replied Brendon. Just hasn’t seen the point when there’s direct message and texts.). He still sees Jon, though! That counts for something!
Ryan sits there, thinking about just how much time he hasn’t been spending with his band lately, thinking about how much work they really aren’t getting done on the third album - though Jon and Eric managed to make a song in an afternoon that they posted online - when he suddenly has the thought: what if they are breaking up?!
Panic seizes Ryan. Oh, god he thinks I have to do something about this!.
So, he pulls out one of his notebooks, one that has half-written lyrics scribbled over on the beginning pages and messily drawn pictures of ninja turtles toward the end, and puts his pen to the paper.
How to save the band he writes, thinking for a moment about adding and thereby not subjecting myself to a life of pretentious poverty, but he decides against it.
He looks down at the paper, only that small phrase written, and he bites his lower lip, trying to think of a good strategy.
Fuck, this is hard.
---
One. Remind Spencer that we’re childhood best friends who should never ever leave each other’s side.
Ryan knocks on Spencer’s door, the two plastic bags swinging as his arm falls back to its place near his side. It doesn’t take Spencer long to answer the door, and when Ryan hears the turning of the knob, he holds up the bags.
“I couldn’t find a Port of Subs, so I got us Subway!” Ryan says, handing Spencer his bag. “I got your favorite: turkey with provolone cheese, extra mayo, no onions. “ He grins, proud at himself for remembering Spencer’s order. “And there’s sour cream and onion chips in there, too.” It took Ryan a while to find a sub shop, but he knows that it’ll definitely be worth it. Spencer loves subs.
The bag, however, the bag full of a sub that Ryan made sure was perfectly made, is hanging off of one of Spencer’s outstretched fingers, and he’s staring at Ryan. “Um, hi,” he says.
“Hey,” Ryan says. He pushes past Spencer, into the house, and Spencer closes the door after them, looking a little bewildered. “So, I was thinking we should hang out today. Eat subs, talk about Counting Crows. Maybe look at old pictures.” He meant to bring some pictures with him, but he forgot. Oh well, Ryan is sure that Spencer has some somewhere. Possibly, he has a scrapbook. “Hey! Remember that time that stripper yelled at us?” Ryan can’t remember the whole story, but he remembers that it’s one that Spencer likes. “Wasn’t her name Candy?”
Spencer furrows his brow. “Ry, it’s like three o’clock. I’ve, uh, already had lunch.” He looks down at his shoes for a moment, and Ryan follows the eyepath. Damn, Spencer really does have some nice shoes. “I also kinda have plans and was just about to leave, so…”
Ryan frowns. “You have plans?” He hadn’t even thought of that. When he had planned out today, he had just assumed that everything would go perfectly to plan. Spencer would open the door, be so touched that Ryan remembered his sub order, and then they would reminisce about their childhood. Possibly they would go skateboarding in a park or something later.
Ryan had even found his old skateboard and stopped by Target to pick up some kneepads. He was actually looking forward to Spencer making some sort of vulgar joke about it. Though, in all seriousness, Ryan has a tendency to fall. Especially when he’s on wheels.
“Sorry,” Spencer says. “If I had known you were coming over, I would have tried to rearrange things.” He looks uncomfortable, but Ryan doesn’t know what to do - doesn’t know how to make things better. “We can hang out later this week, though, if you want.”
“Yeah, okay,” Ryan says, but he doesn’t even try to keep the disappointment out of his voice. It used to be that Spencer always chose Ryan over everything. He doesn’t want to think about what it means that Spencer rather go hang out with unidentified other people.
Ryan bets they’re boring. Ugly, too. But why would Spencer chose to hang out with boring, ugly people over him?
“Just call me later, I guess,” Ryan says, turning to leave.
When he gets in the car and drives off, his lonely sub staring at him from the Spencerless passenger seat, Ryan turns off the stupid mixed CD he burned.
He doesn’t even want to think about all that time that he wasted trying to find an mp3 of their first Summer League demo. Fucking out of date links.
---
Two. Give Jon some high quality weed. Let him talk about as many shitty television shows as he wants to when he’s stoned.
The weed is good quality. Ryan hadn’t been expecting anything less from the guy that he bought it from. Some friend of a friend that he had met at a JJAMZ concert, but still, this guy has a reputation. So, it isn’t really Ryan’s fault that he smokes a bowl by himself while waiting for Jon and Eric to get back.
He has big plans, though. Earlier, before he started smoking, he lined up a list of truly horrible television shows on his Tivo for him and Jon to watch. iCarly, Spongebob, Drake and Josh…. Jon really liked some shitty, shitty shows.
It’s taking a little bit longer than Ryan had expected for Jon to get back, though - he and Eric were apparently just going out to look for some new something (Ryan hadn’t really been listening - he was too busy planning his epic awesomeness) - so he packs himself another bowl.
After he takes his first hit, Ryan makes a mental note to get out all the food that he had bought. He’s smoked with Jon enough times to know what to expect, so Ryan bought a whole bunch of hot and cold food (Jon always likes the temperature differences), but he’ll set it all up later, after this bowl.
It’s a little quiet in the house, so Ryan turns on the first episode of iCarly. He really hates that blonde chick - so annoyingly seemingly superior - but he kinda likes the brother. At least, he likes how he sets everything accidently on fire. Ryan can relate.
Ryan is sitting there, watching Nick and thinking about that time that he accidently put tinfoil in the microwave for the third time in the same week, when Jon and Eric come in. Jon’s shoulders are slumped and he looks a little sad. Ryan hates when Jon looks sad.
“Jon!” he exclaims, pushing himself up to go and give his friend a hug. His legs are a little unstable, but Jon Walker is great for hugs, so it’s worth the teetering walk across the carpet. “You look so sad. Like a puppy on a Sarah McLachlan commercial.” He frowns. Those commercials are terrible. Also, he is totally feeling the weed. “We should watch shows and smoke and eat food and be friends!” Ryan suggests.
These are all great ideas, he knows. Especially since Nick shows love bright colors. Blue is such a beautiful color.
Just as Ryan is thinking about how terribly beautiful blue actually is, Jon shakes his head. “I’m kind of exhausted, Ryan. Plus, I’m trying not to smoke so much, anymore.” He goes over and slouches down in the chair. Ryan knows something is wrong because Jon doesn’t even laugh when something bursts into flame on the screen.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, sitting down on the floor, leaning against the comfortable plush of the chair that Jon is sitting in. It feels amazing. “You look so sad, Jon Walker.”
“I’m fine,” Jon says, but Ryan knows that something about the way that Jon says that is off. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Ryan is about to say something, he really is. He’s about to let Jon tell him all his problems - Ryan’s pretty sure it’s about the band and how everyone thinks it’s falling apart - but then he realizes just how sleepy he is.
“I want you to tell me all your problem,” Ryan says, stifling a yawn. “And we’ll work it out together. Once I take a tiny, tiny nap.”
Ryan doesn’t stay awake long enough to hear how Jon answers, but when he wakes up a couple hours later, Jon is sleeping soundly, the low hum of the television in the background.
He can’t wake him up now, that’d just be mean, so Ryan goes to get some ice cream.
It turns out, though, if you put ice cream in the refrigerator to get soft enough to scoop but smoke up and fall asleep for four hours and forget about it, it melts.
Moose Tracks is gross all melty.
---
Three. Snuggle with Brendon like he always wanted to.
Back when they were back on tour, back when they all lived in the same place - in small, cramped bunks - Brendon used to try and get Ryan to snuggle with him. A lot.
The problem is, Ryan doesn’t really like snuggling. He really, however, doesn’t like not having a band, so he decides to suck it up and head over to Brendon’s for some quality snuggling time. He even washes his softest shirt with special detergent that claims to make anyone snuggly. Well, at least a teddy bear.
Ryan knocks on Brendon’s door, and immediately, the bark of a dog sounds out. He hasn’t seen Brendon’s dogs since his brief stay on an air mattress a couple of months ago, but Ryan liked them. They are yappy and energetic - kind of like Brendon.
When Brendon opens the door, Ryan keeps the animated movie behind his back just in case Brendon is planning on leaving like Spencer did. He doesn’t want to embarrass himself again by proudly displaying his surprise only to have it thrown back in his face.
“Hey! You’re not busy are you?” Ryan asks.
Brendon shakes his head and says he’s not busy. He looks a little taken aback to see Ryan standing there, but when Ryan brings the movie around from behind his back - a black-market copy of “Up” - Brendon grins so large that Ryan can’t help but smile back. Finally! He’s done something right!
Following Brendon into the room with the big t.v., Ryan only stops a couple of times to pet a whichever dog jumps up at him first.
“How’d you get this movie?” Brendon asks as he goes to put it in his dvd player. His entire body is thrumming with excitement, and Ryan sits back on the couch happily. Ah, success.
“Back-ally blowjobs,” Ryan jokes. Brendon laughs, and Ryan adds, “But when I told them it was for you, they told me that your mouth is far prettier. They’re expecting you tomorrow near the Walmart.”
Brendon shakes his head and sits down next to Ryan on the couch. Ryan notices the space and discretely moves a little closer. “Damn straight my mouth is prettier,” Brendon says, and when Ryan moves so that their bodies touch, he looks over. “What are you doing?”
Ryan tilts his body closer. “Snuggling,” he says. “You always want to snuggle,” he reminds.
“Oh,” Brendon says. “Okay.” There’s a ghost of a smile flickering across Brendon’s pretty mouth, almost like he can’t believe it but doesn’t want not to, and he leans against Ryan. “This is nice,” he comments, snuggling, and just as Ryan puts his arm around Brendon, pulling him closer, Brendon sneezes.
“Gesundheit!” Ryan says, petting Brendon’s hair, snuggling against Brendon. This is nice, he’s missed this. He smiles, there’s no way that Brendon will leave the band when Ryan gives him snuggles! Snuggles!
Then Brendon sneezes again. And again. And again.
His body twitches against Ryan, and he pulls back, leaving the side of Ryan cold.
“Sorry,” Brendon says. He sneezes again, looking unbelievably sad when he says, “I think I’m allergic to you.”
Ryan frowns. “That’s ridiculous, you can’t be allergic to a person. Especially not me!”
Brendon shrugs, but mid shoulder lift, he sneezes again. “Well, I’m allergic to something.”
Ryan glares.
To make matters worse, when Brendon hits the play button, after sliding to the other side of the couch away from Ryan’s sneezing-inducing odor, the screen comes up blank. That is, until the gay porn kicks in.
Then it’s just…awkward.
---
Ryan is depressed. Somehow, he managed to mess everything up even worse than before.
He turns his phone off, not really wanting to deal with awkward calls or even more awkward text messages from the rest of the band. Instead of screening his cell, Ryan retreats back to his bed, pulling back the big, fluffy comforter before burrowing in.
Next to the bed, his iPod is resting on the table, so Ryan grabs it and turns on the music loudly. He closes his eyes and listens to the gentle beat of the latest Motown band he’s discovered.
Ryan gets so lost in the ‘do-ops’ and the ‘oh, girls’ that he doesn’t hear Brendon come into his room. He does, however, feel the bed sink when Brendon joins him under the covers. Ryan pulls out the ear buds.
“You smell better,” Brendon says, wrapping his arms around Ryan’s body, drawing them closer together. “Yesterday you smelled weird, but now you smell like you.”
“I tried a new detergent,” Ryan admits, letting his body sink against Brendon. It’s strange how easily his body relaxes against Brendon - almost as if he belongs spooned up against his lead singer.
“Hmm,” Brendon hums. “Well, I like you like this.” He curls around Ryan and hums a little tune. “Not that I’m complaining, but why exactly did you show up at my house yesterday for snuggle time? I do like snuggle time with you, you know.”
Ryan does know, especially since Brendon is pretty much glued to his back.
He shrugs, sure that Brendon can feel the motion and sighs. “I guess I just don’t want you thinking that we’re growing apart. I don’t want the band to break up.”
“What makes you think that we’re breaking up?” Brendon murmurs.
Ryan flushes red. “Fangirls.”
Brendon laughs. “Ryan, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.”
“Or me,” another voice calls out, and when Ryan turns, he sees Jon standing there. “Is that why you were acting so strangely the other day? I know you don’t watch iCarly willingly.” Jon smiles fondly and shakes his head.
“Jon Walker, tell Ryan that we’ll never leave him,” Brendon says, tightening his grip on Ryan, pulling him closer, moving them toward the middle of the bed to make room for Jon.
“We’ll never leave you,” Jon says, settling against the other side of Ryan, wrapping his arms around both boys.
“Damn straight we won’t, you jackass.”
Ryan doesn’t even need to look over from where he’s tucked against Brendon’s chin to see Spencer, but when the bed dips to the left, Ryan knows that Spencer’s lain down next to Jon.
“We’re not going anywhere,” Spencer says.
“You’re stuck with us, Ross,” Brendon assures.
“For a long ass time,” Jon throws in.
Ryan smiles. “Good.”
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