(no subject)
Spencer's on his way back to the dirty hole that they called a house when he first sees Brendon. At first, he thinks it's just a pile of rags and bones, but then two chocolate brown eyes blinked up at him and, woah. It was a boy. And he crouches down in front of him, which Spencer wouldn't usually do but those eyes, and says, "Hey."
And the boy blinks again and says, "Hi."
Spencer later finds it amazing that Brendon only said one word, but that's when he knows him better. "Are you okay?" he asks softly and the boy starts to nod, then winces.
"Yeah, I'm. I'm." He can't seem to finish and Spencer sighs and stands up, offering him his hand. "What?"
"Look," Spencer says, "you're clearly not. So you can either come with me to the filthy hovel where we live and maybe get some food. If Ryan's been lucky. Or, you can stay here and. Well. Maybe not get some food."
And all at once Brendon grabs Spencer's hand and stands up hastily and brushes the dirt off his pants and says, "Dude. Thanks."
Spencer just shrugs, ignoring how light Brendon is and how skinny -- not quite as skinny as Ryan, but Ryan's meant to be that way, and this boy doesn't look as though he is -- and starts to make his way back to the house. Brendon stumbles after him, without saying a word, and Spencer only just catches him. (Later, he'll realise how starving Brendon must've been, not speaking at all, and just be so grateful that they found him in time.)
He ends up carrying Brendon back to the house, which would usually be impossible but Brendon's so fucking light that it's really sort of scary. When they get there, Brendon's closed his eyes and Spencer can't work out if he's asleep or unconscious, so he just dumps him on the floor. Ryan's sat morosely with a tin of baked beans, and narrows his eyes as soon as Spencer enters.
"Dude, what the fuck. You took, like. Forever." He catches sight of the body on the floor and his eyes widen. "Spence, what." Spencer's beginning to wonder if he's done the right thing, he knows Ryan doesn't take easily to new people, but then Brendon groans and opens his eyes and Ryan's whole face softens.
"Oh my God, Spencer. What-- where?"
He seems almost incapable of speech but Spencer knows what he means, so it's sort of okay. "I don't know who he is or anything," he explains, hearing himself sound stupid. "I just found him, and. Well. Look at him, I couldn't leave him."
"Yeah, I know," Ryan says softly, still staring at the heap of bones and skin that seems to make up the boy at the minute. "Uh. What's your name?"
"Brendon. My name's Brendon," and Ryan smiles. He turns away from Brendon to open the tin of beans, and pours them into three dishes. There's not much, but there's enough. Spencer notices that Ryan halves his portion in order to give Brendon more but doesn't say anything. There'd be no point. He finds the bottle of whiskey that they keep for emergencies -- and it really is for emergencies, Ryan doesn't drink and Spencer never liked drinking alone -- and hands it to Ryan.
"Here. Do you think?"
Ryan nods and holds the back of Brendon's head, pouring a little into his mouth. Brendon splutters a bit but swallows, and looks all the better for it, large brown eyes now sparkling. "Wow. What was that? Because seriously, that was--"
"Whiskey," Ryan fills in, cutting Brendon off. He pushes the bowl of food over to Brendon, and hands Spencer his own.
"So," Brendon says, once he's eaten and managed to persuade Spencer to give him a little bit more whiskey, "so. How come you're all, like. Street kids and all."
Spencer and Ryan exchange glances, unsure of how much to tell him. Ryan's dad is probably still looking for them, so they can't tell Brendon the details, not if Brendon's going to leave them. Spencer knows firsthand that the temptations of giving information in return for a reward is just too great, especially for kids who live on the street. Especially ones with no money, none at all.
Brendon catches the movement and sits up on his heels, curiously looking at them both. "Hey, hey. Guys. What-- dudes. You don't, like. Trust me or something?"
Ryan sighs. "It's not that. It's just. It's complicated."
Brendon bites down on his lower lip. "Complicated how?" Ryan and Spencer exchange another look and Brendon rolls his eyes. "Tell me."
"Look," and Spencer can't help noticing Ryan lean forward, "it's not as easy as that." He frowns. "I can't. Not unless I'm sure."
Brendon pulls a face. "What, you don't trust me or something? Look, it seems like you're all scared that you're going to tell me this big thing and I'm going to run off and blurt it out. So let me make it easy for you, I don't have anywhere to run off to, and I'm, like. I'm a total blurter, okay? But not with things that matter."
"You don't have anywhere to run off to," Ryan repeats slowly and Brendon nods eagerly, eyes wide. "So." He glances at Spencer, then catches himself. "Do you think that. You know."
Spencer smiles. "We barely know him," he points out but he knows Ryan's mind is already made up, knows he's just manipulating the boy almost because, hey. Spencer can see that Brendon is good for Ryan, can see that already, and he needs someone else around.
Ryan sticks his tongue out at Spencer anyway. "Well, I'm going to tell him," and Spencer's smile grows.
"Whatever, Ryan, it's your decision."
"Tell me," Brendon insists and Spencer shakes his finger.
"Don't whine. Not if you're staying, you can't whine."
"But I always whine!" Brendon protests, then catches onto the first part. "Wait. I'm. You're letting me stay!?"
"Against my better judgement, it seems," Spencer mutters but Ryan smiles and it's so rare that, yeah. Maybe Spencer can deal with a whiner.
"So how come you're on the streets?" and Brendon's acting like he's never asked it before.
"Well, uh. Have you heard of. Of George Ross?"
Spencer didn't think Brendon's eyes could get any wider but apparently so. "The billionaire?"
"Yeah. Well. I'm his son." Spencer's worried Brendon's going to, like. Explode or something. He's rocking up and down excitedly, and Spencer can't help telling him to calm down, which Brendon predictably ignores.
"So how come you're here? Shouldn't you be like, in a hot tub or something? I always imagined him having hot tubs. Do billionaires have hot tubs?"
If that was anyone else then Ryan would be sarcastic, Spencer knows, but he just laughs. "Yeah, I think we-- he had a couple of hot tubs, you know? I didn't. I didn't really hang out at home too much."
"Why not?" Brendon wants to know, but Ryan's not ready for the entire truth yet and passes it off as, "Well, we didn't get along too well."
"Is that why you left?" and this boy really reminds Spencer of some puppy, doesn't he ever shut up?
"Uh, yeah." Ryan licks his lips but he's always been a good liar ("Sorry, sir, I just ran into a door, no, really I did, I've always been clumsy") and follows it up with, "Yeah, my dad and I. We... We argued, we argued a lot, and. He didn't really want me around, I don't think. And my mom, she walked out on him so she was never around. So. I just made it easier for him by leaving, before. Before, you know, he could tell me to."
Brendon mouthes an oh and turns expectant eyes to the other boy. "So, how about, uh-?"
"Spencer," Spencer replies, and Brendon grins.
"How about you, Mr Spencer, sir?"
"Ryan told you."
"Yeah, but, didn't you--"
"I'm his best friend," Spencer states simply, and oh. Brendon gets it. "How about you, anyway?"
"Oh." Brendon flushes, a deep red colour, and looks away. "I, um. You know. Let's just go to sleep. I'm tired. Isn't anyone else tired? I bet we're all really tired--"
"Brendon, if you're going to change the subject, you could at least try to be subtle," Ryan points out, sounding amused, and Brendon glares at him.
"Fine. I was, I was kicked out, okay?"
"Why?" Ryan asks, and Spencer's thinking it too.
"Because my parents are Mormon," Brendon says and okay, Spencer doesn't know what the fuck that is but Ryan seems to, so he makes a mental note to ask him later and at least act like he knows what's going on for now.
"Why does your parents being-- being Mormon mean you get thrown out?" Spencer asks, wondering for a split second if Brendon said 'morons,' then dismisses it on the thought that Brendon was unlikely to even know that word.
"Because, um. I hope it's not, like, a problem but I'm well. I'm gay," Brendon says and Ryan replies almost straight away, "Well, of course it's not a problem. I'm gay, too." Spencer attempts to ignore the way Brendon's face lights up and instead tries to remember if he missed something between meeing Ryan, meeting the many girls Ryan fucked, and now.
Brendon distracts him from his thoughts by saying, "Well, I'm beat. Where do we sleep? Is there just this room?" and Ryan says, "Yeah, but there's some blankets over there if you want," and Spencer says, "Ryan," and Brendon says, "You know, I think I'm just going to sit outside for a bit," and Ryan says, "Don't get raped," and Brendon says, "It's not rape if you're willing," and Spencer says, "Ryan," and Brendon's hastily disappeared by the time Ryan snaps, "What?"
And all that Spencer can think to say is, "But you're not gay."
"And since when did you determine my sexuality, Spencer Smith?" Ryan sounds more amused than anything else, but he's angry. Spencer can tell these things. "Just because I never asked you to bend over in the shower--"
"It's not about that!" Spencer exclaims (because, really, it's not) but Ryan doesn't look convinced.
"What is it about, then?"
Spencer totally means to say all those girls you fucked and maybe even follow it up with a it's not fair to lead Brendon on like that but all that comes out when he opens his mouth is a small voice saying, "But you never told me."
The tension leaves Ryan's face in an instant and he says softly, "Oh, Spencer."
"I'm your best friend." Spencer hates how whiny and pathetic he's sounding, but, "And you never told me."
"I just. I didn't know when to. I thought. Fuck, Spencer, I never even admitted it to myself. I went through the denial thing with all those girls, and then. Look, I never told you this, just. My dad found out, and. And he nearly killed me. I just." Ryan sighs, again. "I was scared you'd react like that. Okay?"
And ouch, that hurts, it really does. Spencer stands and mumbles, "I'm going to go, um. Go sit outside. I'll send Brendon in." He adds, "And no checking out my ass when I go," but fuck, is it too soon to joke about it? Ryan's smiling though and Spencer is relieved and, to be quite honest, he's just glad to know now.
He sees Brendon staring at the stars (and twitching slightly, doesn't that boy ever sit still?) and says, "Hey."
Brendon starts, and looks at him and says, "Oh my God, Spencer, I totally understand if you want me to go--"
"I knew you were going to be trouble from the moment I found you, Brendon..."
"Urie," Brendon fills in helpfully and he's smiling back at Spencer (who hadn't actually realised he was smiling but hey, apparently so) and Spencer jerks his head at the house.
"Go on," he says gruffly and it's almost like he's giving them his blessing, in some weird street-kid way.
Besides, Spencer's always been there for Ryan and he's damned if Brendon Urie is going to change that.
---
The next day, they figure that Brendon really needs some more food because, well, he was starving and two-thirds of a tin of beans really shouldn't have done that much to change that. Spencer's the best at stealing food, but Ryan is the best at making money, so they mutter between themselves until Brendon interrupts.
"Hey. Hey, guys, I'm, like. I'm totally a part of your group now so let's stop with the exclusion, yeah? Yeah. Totally."
Spencer rolls his eyes. "Okay, fine. We need food, especially you. So. We're just trying to work out how the fuck to get it. Because I can steal it, but Ryan's good at making money."
"Well, why not do both?" Brendon says, as though it's obvious. "Then we'll have food, and can spend the money on something else."
"It's not as easy as that," Spencer explains. "Ryan can get money, but. It's not exactly the best way, so we try to avoid that as much as possible."
"Why," says Brendon, and then, "How?" but Ryan just says, "I'll explain later."
Brendon pauses, looks thoughtful, and then looks at Spencer. "If you had money," he says, almost wistfully, "or if we did, if we had all the money that... that we could ever need. What would you buy?"
"Shoes," Spencer says right away, "definitely," and then defensively, "What?"
"Shoes?" Brendon repeats, almost sniggering, and Spencer glares at him.
"I like shoes. Shoes are... they're good. I like shoes."
"Uh, okay." Brendon smirks. "Sure, shoes, yeah. Yeah, you're straight, Spencer," and it's so out of the blue that Spencer is actually speechless, just sits there with his mouth opening and closing like a fish.
A few minutes later he actually manages to croak out, "What the fuck," but Brendon's giggling now. "No, really. I. What? I'm straight--" and Brendon's still laughing-- "I am!"
"But shoes?"
"I like shoes!" Spencer shouts but Brendon's almost in hysterics and glares aren't even doing any good. "Ryan, I. God, just tell him. Just 'cause you're gay, Brendon."
"Just 'cause you are," Brendon counters and even Ryan's smiling.
Spencer rolls his eyes, "Look, whatever," and Ryan nudges Brendon lightly.
"Drop it, Brendon."
"What about you, Ryan?" Spencer asks, half anxious to change the subject. "What would you buy?"
And he expects Ryan to say something deep or meaningful, make some obscure reference or mention his freedom, but Ryan just blinks and says, "Well, I don't know."
And that's nice.
---
One day, Brendon comes "home" -- because it's not home, Spencer will never think of it as home -- complaining that his head itches. They ignore him at first; Brendon's always complaining and usually just wants attention, but then he's lounging all over Ryan and Spencer looks up just in time to catch the look of disgust on Ryan's face as he pushes Brendon away from him.
Brendon pouts, landing rather hard on his ass. "You were stroking my hair! You know I like that. Why'd you stop?" Spencer didn't think it was possible to draw out a word for so long that it became a whine, but. He hadn't thought a calm Ryan was possible either (oh, alright, sort of calm. Calmer, anyway).
"Fuck. Your-- ew."Ryan's still staring at his long, pale fingers in distaste (pianist's hands, Spencer's always thought) and turns his hands over, carefully inspecting them.
"What is it?" Brendon whines, sitting back on his heels with an almost puppyish look, and Ryan stares at him.
"You've got lice."
Brendon's grin is so wide that Spencer's surprised he hasn't split in two already and he immediately grabs at his dark hair, tugging at a short strand and crossing his eyes in an attempt to see the roots. "Oh my God, I've always wanted pets."
This is unbelievable. "Brendon, what the fuck. We've got to wash your hair. Ryan's, too."
Brendon looks like Spencer's just punched him in the stomach. "You mean? But. Oh, Ryan, can't I keep them?"
Ryan glances at Spencer, who shrugs. "I don't think so. I mean, you totally can, but. Only, I'm never touching you again if you do." Brendon opens his mouth but Ryan glares. "Ever, do you hear me?"
Brendon's face falls and he nods sullenly until Ryan smiles. Spencer's relieved, to be honest. "I'll do Ryan first, then you. Okay? Do we have any water?"
"Yeah, I managed to tap into the water system!" Brendon proclaims, sounding way too proud of himself, and Spencer goes to fill an old bucket with water. He comes back with a cloth, as well, and hands it to Ryan.
"If I'm doing you first, then. I figured, you know. Get it over with." He knows how much Ryan has a Thing about his hair and hears the other boy sigh, swinging the cloth around his shoulders, and Spencer can't help thinking of superheroes (or no, is it villains?) before Ryan sits down.
"Okay, whatever." He's clearly trying to psych himself up for it and Spencer hasn't even touched him before Ryan shrieks "I can not let you touch my hair, Spencer Smith!" and launches himself to his feet. (Ryan will later insist it was a yell but Brendon totally knows it was a shriek and not a manly one either, like he sometimes does when faced with caterpillars.)
Spencer rolls his eyes. "Ryan--"
"No, I don't have fucking lice and you can't touch my hair." Ryan comes to a decision. "Look. I'll deal with Brendon, and then. And then, if any of us get lice, we'll figure it out then. Okay?"
Spencer shrugs, "Whatever, it's up to you," and moves off. "I'm going to, like. Get us some food."
Ryan smiles, "Okay. Don't take too long," or I'll worry but he doesn't need to add that, they've known each other too long. Brendon cheerfully flops down in front of Ryan looks up at him expectantly.
"My hair needs a-washing!"
---
A few days later, Ryan comes out in red spots all over and complains of itching. They can tell it's not chicken pox or measles, and Spencer's worried. But Spencer's always worried, so they just ignore it and hope it'll go away. By the fourth day, the rash covers his usually pale arms and legs and Ryan's in major freak-out mode.
"Maybe it's the lice! What if it's the lice? Maybe they're back," Brendon panics but Ryan ignores him, staring down at his hands.
"We should get you to a doctor," Spencer says because, hello, they totally should. Ryan could be, like. Terminal or something. It's not as though they live in the most sanitary of places.
Ryan stops gazing unhappily at his legs to frown at Spencer. "Yeah, except you know, doctors. They cost money, Spence. Money that, oh yeah. We don't have."
"I could steal some," Brendon offers and, even without thinking, Ryan and Spencer both say "No." Brendon is not a thief. They tried it, but Brendon is way too clumsy, and besides. He always feels bad later, and a guilty Brendon is the most annoying thing ever ("Do you guys think I should give it back? No, really, I mean. I could, like. Go to hell, or something.")
"We've got to do something, though." Spencer is firm. "Because, seriously. That can't be. It's not good."
"I know that," Ryan hisses because, come on. He's the one with a hideous rash all over his body -- and it is hideous, there's no doubt about that. He looks like some sort of freak. "But we dont -- have -- any money."
"I know what to do!" Brendon says suddenly and yeah, Spencer's sceptical, because since when is Brendon any help? "No, seriously, I know this guy, Walker, something Walker."
Spencer's still sceptical, and says as much.
"No, I've got it, his name's Jon. Jon Walker, because J. Walker, jay walker, how cool is that? Yeah, it's like the drink, Johnnie Walker, and he's magical, Jon Walker. Really, he is."
"We still won't be able to pay him, Bren," Ryan says tiredly, but Brendon's excited now.
"Yeah, no, he'll help us out. I was, I. Before you guys found me, I got sick, like. Like, really sick and Jon Walker, he found me, he took me in. Seriously, guys, let's go see him. Can we? Please?"
"I don't know," Ryan says slowly and Spencer decide for him, because what have they got to lose? And Ryan really needs to be looked at.
"We'll go," he says, and Brendon squeals.
"Awesome!"
Later, Spencer catches him kissing Ryan's weird red bumps and telling them it'll all be okay "because Jon fucking Walker, guys. He's like fucking Gandalf or something."
Ryan just smiles.
---
"So we're just going to turn up at his house?" Spencer had been expecting some sort of doctors' surgery, or maybe even a hospital, but Brendon is adamant that they need to go to the house.
"Well, yeah. I mean, even if we go to the doctor-y place he'll just tell us to go back to his house anyway," Brendon explains. "It's not like we can hang out with doctors without paying them." He glances at Ryan. "Are you okay?"
Ryan nods. "Yeah, it's not. It's not like it hurts, or anything, it's just really fucking itchy." He tugs his sleeves down over his hands but there's no use; they've all already seen the red lumps covering most of his arms. "And I look like a freak," he mutters.
"At least you don't act like one," Spencer offers, resisting the urge to add, like Brendon, but Ryan knows he was going to add that anyway. Spencer can tell by the warning look. They've been walking for a while now, which isn't easy when you have holes in your shoes, but Brendon's got a ton of energy and really, Spencer would walk a lot further than this if it meant that Ryan would be okay.
"Here we are!" Brendon sings out cheerfully and, looking up at the big white house, Spencer's suddenly aware of his dirty clothes and the fact that he hasn't had a shower since he can remember (standing out in the rain all night surely doesn't count). Ryan seems to be having the same thoughts, and he glances at Brendon.
"Are you sure he'll be okay with this?"
"Oh, yeah." Brendon nods earnestly. "You'll understand. I mean, it's Jon Walker."
"Yeah, we've established that," Spencer mumbles, but rings the doorbell anyway. If this was for anyone else he'd be walking away right now, but it's Ryan, so. Well, he just can't. A sullen looking doctor answers the door and Spencer's thinking, wow, if this is Jon then he's just going to leave right about now.
"I'm just going," the doctor snaps. "If you're who Walker keeps company with then I don't regret it, either." He rudely pushes past them, stomping off down the street, and Spencer exchanges a glance with Ryan. Brendon's seemingly unaware of this, and happily enters the house.
Another guy comes down the main stairs, smiling at them. "Don't mind Dr Wilson, he's just mad because I replaced him in the surgery," he informs the room absently, then catches sight of the three of them properly. "Brendon, hey! How are you holding up? You look much better."
"I am!" Brendon says cheerfully, tugging on the guy's sleeve. "Guys, this is Jon Walker, he's awesome. Jon, Jon, these are my friends, I live with them now. The skinny one's Ryan, and that one," he says, pointing at Spencer, "that's Spencer."
Jon looks at Spencer for longer than is considered polite, he's sure, and Spencer totally wants to say something but. Well. Those eyes combined with that beard should be sort of illegal. "Okay, well. Is this just a friendly visit, or?"
"Ryan is lumpy," Brendon says seriously, still not letting go of Jon, and Spencer is sort of annoyed. Brendon's already got Ryan, he surely doesn't need this guy as well.
Jon laughs, ignoring Ryan's outraged hiss of "Brendon!" and opens another door. "Come into this room and I'll take a look."
Ryan heads straight for the door, and Brendon doesn't even hesitate, leaving Spencer stood where he is. He doesn't really need to be there, right? He can probably find his way back to their house on his own. Jon's still looking at him, and Spencer catches his eye. "What?"
It's meant to be a kind of intimidating growl but comes out sounding hopeful, and Jon smiles (another thing that should be made illegal, but then perhaps not, because he wouldn't want to stop the world from seeing that smile). "Spencer, right?"
"Yeah," Spencer says and then, because he can't abide being rude, "Spencer Smith. Nice to meet you."
"Jon Walker." Even though Brendon's already introduced him. "Are you like, the leader?"
"The leader?" Spencer's never really considered this, to be honest, although he likes the idea of it. "I don't know if we have a leader. I'm the one that gets stuff done? If you know what I mean."
"I know what you mean," Jon says and Spencer feels like he's melting, and it's weird. Nevertheless, he follows Jon into the room, where Brendon is already sprawled out on a couch and Ryan's sat stiffly on a chair. "Now, Ryan. What does Brendon mean by, uh. 'Lumpy'?"
"Well, I have this," Ryan says seriously, pulling up a sleeve to show Jon, who doesn't seem too surprised. "It's all over my arms and my legs as well. It's been there for a few days. And, um. It itches."
"Oh, that's no problem," Jon says right away. "It's just urticaria. Could be caused by an allergy, are you allergic to anything?"
Ryan shakes his head. "Not that I know of."
"Well, it's most likely chronic. It'll probably clear up in about a year, but I'm guessing you don't want to just deal with it for that long."
"No duh," Spencer mutters, but Jon laughs and then Spencer has to try and ignore the way his eyes crinkle up at the sides.
"I'll just put you on a course of antihistamines. If they don't stop the attacks completely, they'll almost certainly lessen them."
"We, uh. Can't pay you," Ryan says and Jon shrugs.
"That's fine, really. Here." He digs in a desk drawer and comes out with a small box. "There's thirty in there. Come back when you need some more. And, um. You might want a shower? Because dirt could heighten it."
"Could I?" Ryan says, and Jon smiles.
"I wouldn't have offered otherwise. It's just down there, third on the left." Ryan smiles, and leaves, and Spencer has to say something. He really does, because he's eternally grateful for this and, as much as he hates to admit it, Jon Walker is a Very Nice Guy.
"Are you. Are you sure there's nothing we can do?"
"Well," says Jon, and he's slightly pink. "This is going sound really, um. Weird or cheesy, but. Well. You could kiss me?"
Spencer says, "Sorry, I'm straight," and refuses to look at Brendon. Jon seems completely unfazed by the rejection or the following awkward silence that they sit in for up to fifteen minutes. Nothing's going to happen, Spencer tells himself, even though he really sort of wishes that he wasn't straight right now.
After a while, he stands up. Brendon's sat on the couch, watching both of them with eager eyes, and Spencer wants to yell at him to get out. When did his life become such a soap opera? Because it totally shouldn't be this interesting to them. Ryan comes wandering in, taking in the situation at a glance -- Jon stood casually, smiling and Spencer looking way more defensive than he has in years.
"What's going on?" Brendon takes Ryan's skinny wrist and pulls him down next to him, without taking his eyes away from the scene.
"Jon totally wants Spencer to kiss him, but he won't."
Ryan sighs. "C'mon, Spence. Just kiss him already."
Spencer shakes his head stubbornly. "No. I'm straight."
"But how do you know that if you've never, like. Kissed a guy?" Brendon asks, and it's surprisingly logical considering it's, well. Brendon.
"Because I just do." Ryan rolls his eyes and Spencer glares, knowing full well that Jon is watching all this with a sort of detached amusement. "I just don't want to kiss him. Okay?"
"No, it's not okay," and is Ryan arguing? "Jon is like, the nicest person we've met and you know we all totally owe him. I can't see why you can't just kiss him, it's no big deal, Spence. I've done it tons of times--"
"Yes," and Spencer's breathing faster, because why are they all trying to pressure him into this, "but we're not all sluts like you."
"I am!" Brendon chips in cheerfully, trying to lighten the situation, but Ryan's on his feet now.
"Shut. Up." His eyes are dark and Brendon knows it's a cliche, but shit, Ryan looks so fucking beautiful when he gets angry. "I had to do that. How else were we going to get money? What I did, what I had to do was keeping me alive, it was keeping all of us alive!"
Spencer knows it was a low shot, knows he needed Ryan to do that, knows he couldn't have done it himself, but his mouth is still moving and he just can't stop the words from spilling out. "Yeah, but not with Pete."
"I had to get us out of that... that hovel," Ryan snaps. "That was the only way of doing it. We got a house, we weren't homeless, isn't that enough for you?"
"Not while you're still dressing like you are," Spencer mutters and Ryan wasn't meant to hear it, he really wasn't, but his eyes go wide and then narrow and Spencer just can't stop.
"So this is about my dress sense now!?"
"No, it's about the fact that you gave Pete Wentz a blow job when you knew his reputation, knew he took advantage of boys!"
Ryan's mouth makes a thin line and his entire body stiffens. "I. Yeah, no, that--"
"That what?" Brendon's interested now, looking from one to the other, and Spencer realises with a growing horror that Brendon didn't know, didn't know how they got their house.
"Oh shit. Ryan, I'm. I."
"Just shut up, Spencer Smith," and Ryan's angry in a cold, hard way, like his eyes are right now. "You've done enough damage." He pushes past Spencer, with much more force than he needs, and storms off to go sit in one of the many other rooms he's sure Jon has.
Spencer can't help thinking that things were an awful lot easier when Jon Walker wasn't around. Brendon follows Ryan after throwing Spencer a reproachful look and Spencer doesn't even bother telling Brendon that Ryan probably wants to be left alone right now because hey, Brendon can't exactly make it any worse.
Which leaves Spencer alone with the one person who started this whole thing. Who gets under his skin like no one else, and Spencer shoots him a glare. How does he manage to keep on smiling like nothing's happened?
"Because you're all drama queens," Jon says easily, and Spencer realises he was speaking out loud, but whatever. "Brendon'll go get fucked by Ryan or whatever it is they do and we'll be okay."
"Hey, I resent that!" and Brendon's sticking his head back into the room. "I'm totally the one doing the fucking." So it turns out Brendon knew that Ryan needed his space and had instead opted to listen at the door, figuring that would be more fun and he'd learn stuff that way. It would be a Learning Experience. "Look, Spencer. I know you're straight. But shoes."
"Brendon, are you being serious?" Spencer questions, and he means it in the literal way, because he doesn't think he's ever heard Brendon being serious in his life, but yeah. Brendon's nodding. Wow.
"You just listen to me, Spencer Smith. Jon Walker is magical and the minute that beard rubs against you it will totally make you gay." Spencer blinks, but apparently Brendon is still being serious. "Seriously, like. Jonsexual." Spencer shakes his head and goes over to the couch but Brendon is clinging to Jon and wailing, "MAKE ME JONSEXUAAAL."
"Brendon." Spencer's kind of angry now, because. Come on. Even though Spencer's straight and all -- and he is, he is straight -- Jon still looks like a very cuddly person and Spencer should, by rights, be the only person allowed to cling to him. Cling to him like that. You know. It's just one of those things, only Brendon seems to be uninformed of this. "Brendon Boyd--"
"Okay, okay," and Brendon scrambles off Jon, pouting. "No need to use the full name." And then he mutters something that sounds suspiciously like 'bitch' only Spencer lets it go because, really. Even Brendon's not that stupid. "I'm Ryansexual anyway. He just doesn't know it yet."
Spencer blinks. This is all getting out of hand. "Okay. How about we just stick to the normal sexualities?"
"Jon Walker is not normal," Brendon insists. "He is magical sunshine and kittens."
"Magical-?" Jon laughs. "Right."
"Oh, like you don't know it." Brendon looks from one to the other, then grins. "I'm going to let you two have some 'alone time'." He leaves the room and Spencer is so glad he's finally gone that he decides not to even comment on the air-quotes. Jon's smiling and Spencer wonders how he never noticed that, you know. Jon Walker smiles with his eyes. His very nice smiley eyes.
"Fuck it." Jon raises an eyebrow and Spencer pulls a face. "Still want that kiss?"
Jon's eyes are even smilier and fuck, if Spencer isn't going crazy because that's totally the kind of thing Brendon would think and then Jon kisses him -- or he kisses Jon? -- and hey, maybe Spencer isn't as straight as he thought he is. Jon ends the kiss and Spencer scrunches up his face.
"So how does that beard thing work, again?"