Bryce loved Los Angeles; the sandy hot beaches, the tasty fast food, the biting bar drinks, and the even hotter people grinding their bodies against each other in the club. He'd come to LA for two reasons: one was to catch up with some high school friends turned Californians, the other to party. Two of his best friends from high school had moved out to California for college, USC, then decided to stay there because they loved it so much. Bryce had come out once during his sophomore year, and never wanted to leave.
So here he was now, sitting on a leather barstool in front of the dark wood bar, light by strips of LED lighting at the base and by a large LED display behind the busy bartender. The alcohol bottles shone bright yellows, oranges, reds, and crystal clear from the display, mimicking the jewel-like glitter of the beds of sweat on the skin of every person in the club. It was a magical experience, although with the amount of alcohol coursing through Bryce now, everything looked magical.
He heard the voice of the guy before he knew he was there.
"I'll get a refill for this man and one of whatever he was drinking for me, thanks."
Bryce twisted his neck up and behind him slightly, just now realizing there was someone standing next to him, someone he didn't know. It was a man, tall with brown messy and slightly damp hair in an equally messy button down loosely done up and tight black jeans. He had the shadow of a beard stumbling his chin and jaw line, with striking — blue? Bryce wasn't entirely sure — eyes, the kind that pierced you, leaving you wanting more.
"I'm not paying for that."
The stranger laughed, reclining on to the bar stool beside Bryce's and treating him to a wink as he answered his question. "No. This is on me."
Bryce grinned, looking to the bar tender who had been watching the conversation with a raised eyebrow, questioning Bryce if he wanted the drink. Bryce nodded, turning back to the stranger with an award winning grin.
"Thanks stranger."
The man laughed, it was a warm laugh, a mixture between a giggle and a hearty roar. The kind of laugh that was contagious and made you smile. It wasn't the same kind of laugh Delirious had, but it was something close, somehow familiar too.
"Ryan, names Ryan," the stranger grinned, winking at Bryce as he slid the glass etched tumbler over to Bryce.
"Bryce," Bryce replied, raising the glass and clinking it with Ryan's before knocking it back. Bryce didn't notice the flicker of faint recognition dance across Ryan's face as he knocked back his drink, and it was gone once Bryce put his drink back on the bar and motioned for the bar tender to refill them.
"This is on you, right?" Bryce teased.
Ryan smirked, rolling his eyes as letting out an exasperated sigh. "Fuck you're expensive," he joked, nodding at the bartender for a refill on both.
"You came over here first."
"Yes," Ryan countered, turning his piercing eyes on Bryce, those eyes so full of confidence and intrigue Bryce couldn't help himself but gulp a little. "But you didn't warn me that you were gonna drain my wallet."
Bryce giggled. He was feeling warm and fuzzy all over, and he wasn't entirely sure if it was from the alcohol or the man in front of him. Normally, he was the one picking people up at the bar, and by people, women. This was new, almost a little weird, but it was a good weird, the kinda weird Bryce couldn't resist right now. So he took the drink with a wink and grin he reserved for his YouTube videos, downing the drink again with an easy toss backwards before slamming back onto the counter and grinning triumphantly. Ryan was also grinning, but his was a little darker, more wrapped up in his own thoughts than the present. The look in his eye made Bryce's stomach flip, and he shifted in his seat.
Ryan caught the look, and adjusted his look accordingly, casting a glance towards the dance floor. Bryce knew exactly what was coming next.
"You wanna dance?"
Bryce met his eyes again and grinned. "Yeah, sure, why not?"
Bryce slid off his stool, following Ryan towards the dance floor. He wondered if he should text his friends, letting them know he was no longer at the bar, but a pair of hands took his and dragged him giggling into the mass of bodies.
Dancing in a club is a weird, and strangely intimate experience; Bryce was surrounded by people, but the only person he could see and feel was Ryan and his hands running gently over his hands and onto his hips. Music pulsed throughout the crowd and throughout Bryce's body and Ryan's hands as the two were pressed against each other by the bouncing crowd. Ryan's eyes never left Bryce as they bounced with the crowd, grinning and giggling stupidly as they were pushed together repeatedly, there hands interlinking so as not to lose one another.
Bryce glanced around the seething mess of bodies for his friends. He couldn't see them, couldn't really see anyone except for Ryan in front of him. Ryan caught his glance though, and leant forward to shout in his ear.
"Do you have to go?"
Bryce blinked a second, not understanding the question. "No! No, that wasn't it, no. I came here with a few friends high school. I was just seeing if I could see them."
"You're not from LA?"
"No!" Bryce shouted back, laughing as he did. He felt warmth and tingling sensations spreading from where Ryan's hand was resting on his stomach. "I'm from South Carolina. I'm always in LA for something these days though, so this time I thought I'd catch up with some friends."
"Same story with me, actually," Ryan laughed. "Most all of my friends live in LA too, so I thought I'd come out here. I love LA anyway." Ryan's breath as warm against Bryce's ear, and when he pulled back again Bryce felt a slight shiver snake it's way across the side of his head. This stranger was absolutely electrifying.
Ryan was pushed into Bryce suddenly, the two stumbling slightly before catching their balance and realizing how close their faces were.
"Sorry," Ryan apologized, pulling away only to be caught by Bryce's hand on the back of his neck. Bryce could feel his hairs standing up on the back of the man's neck, and it just made the growing pool of heat in his stomach even warmer.
"Stop talking," Bryce purred, pressing his lips against Ryan's. He only heisted for a second, before pulling Ryan close and tight against him, his kiss becoming rough and demanding. It promised a good night, and Bryce's stomach flipped at the thought of it. He wanted it, badly now as Ryan's tongue slid inside his mouth, his grip around Bryce's shoulders becoming tighter. Finally, Bryce pulled back, a string of saliva flashing int he strolling lights connecting their open mouths as they gasped for air. Bryce met Ryan's gaze, feeling a similar, lustful gleam sparking in his own eye.
"You wanna get out of here?" Ryan asked, his voice barely above a whisper but Bryce could feel it trembling through his entire body. He nodded quickly, and again Ryan was leading Bryce by his hand, weaving through the crowd until the popped out of the crowd.
Outside, the Los Angeles air was warm and heavy with the smell of car fumes, cigarette and week smoke, and perfume as clubbers walked by. Bright lights glittered against the pitch black sky, devoid of almost any stars except for one or two. Car lights streaked past illuminating the side of Ryan's face as he kept a tight hold on Bryce's hand, waiting to dash across the street at any second. They made it, a mad run where they got honked at least three times, stopping to breath and laugh before walking down the street, heading towards a Marriott hotel.
A silence had fallen upon them as they got closer to the hotel, and Bryce felt himself mulling over something that had been bothering him slightly. He couldn't tell if it was the excessive amount of alcohol now starting to take effect, or something legitimate, but he couldn't himself as he slipped back to a previous conversation he'd had with his friends after a particularly good last game of Rainbow Six Siege. Bryce had mentioned he'd be in LA next week, and asked if any of the others in the call were gonna be in town too. Delirious, of course, said no, Cartoonz said he would because he was going out to meet his sister, and Ohm had said he wasn't sure. Ohm clarified by saying he was trying to get tickets to LA before July ended, but it was all too pricey for him.
"Bryce?"
Bryce snapped back as the ding of an elevator door caught his attention. He glanced around, confused for a second. Had he seriously not been paying attention the whole way up to Ryan's floor?
"You good?" Ryan's eyebrow was raised as he gave Bryce a once over.
"I'm fine," Bryce smiled, stepping out the elevator. "Which is yours?"
In answer to his question, Ryan spun Bryce around, pressing their lips together again in a fast, rough kiss. Ryan walked him backwards, practically slamming Bryce against the wall in front of the elevator as Ryan fumbled for his key. Bryce couldn't hold back, he hand slipped up Ryan's shirts, stroking lines down the man's back as he pulled him closer. Ryan broke their kiss to sink his teeth into Bryce's neck, goading small cries and yelps from Bryce. Ryan's keycard found the slot somehow, and the two tumbled into Ryan's room, almost falling. Bryce steadied them and waited until Ryan had pushed the door closed behind them with a disinterested hand swipe before jumping up and wrapping his legs around Ryan's waist. Ryan caught him, his hands gripping Bryce's butt tightly through the rough fabric of his jeans and walking them both to the double bed in the center of the room.
They fell onto it, Ryan already pulling Bryce's shirts over his head before attacking his neck again, leaving long, painful kisses that promised hickies in the morning. Bryce threw his head back against the fabric of the bed, his eyes squeezed shut as he felt the pleasantly painful sensations from Ryan's lips shiver through his body. It was blinding how good it felt.
"Ryan—" Bryce's voice hitched in his throat as Ryan left another mark on his skin. Byrce's nails dug into the fabric next to him, every inch of him straining hard against both Ryan's skin touching his and his clothes. He could feel the bulge from the other man's jeans rubbing against his own, Ryan's thrusting becoming more noticeable to with every second. Bryce caught Ryan's lips with his again, biting the latter's lip as his hand slid down the front of Ryan's jeans.
Ryan groaned, his dick twitching against Bryce's hand. Bryce grinned into Ryan's lip, his grip tightening and working him slowly with a steady, tight grip. Ryan's lips hung motionless against Bryce's as he controlled his breath against Bryce's efforts to make him moan. With a waited groan, Ryan flipped Bryce over, pushed Bryce into the mattress with his hand as Ryan ranked his jeans down. Ryan leaned down, planting large, suction cup like kisses on Bryce's ass as he snapped open a small bottle of lube and poured the contents over his hands and Bryce's butt. Bryce scooted backwards, pressing his ass against Ryan's crotch, rubbing up against him with a whine.
"Ryan…" Bryce breathed, pushing himself up and off the bed and onto his knees, his whole body pressed against Ryan's body, feeling the heat from Ryan's body emanating off every inch of him. "…please…"
Ryan grinned, pressing his dick hard against Bryce's ass. "You want me to fuck you?"
Before Bryce could answer, his phone buzzed still snuggled tightly in his pushed down jeans. From the pace of the buzzing, Bryce knew exactly who it was.
"Fuck," Bryce grumbled, pulling his phone out and frowning at the messages on screen. It was all from Skype, one of the group chats he was part of with Cartoonz, Delirious, and Ohm it looked like. Delirious had messaged the group asking if anyone was interested in playing Dead by Daylight again.
"Your friends from the bar?" Ryan asked, leaning over Bryce's shoulder, pulling his waist backwards and harder against Ryan's crotch and dick. Bryce hummed, feeling Ryan's hot breath tickle his neck and ear as the latter leaned over his shoulder invasively, seeing his phone and messages.
"Just my friends wanting to p—" Bryce frowned at the sudden shuddery coldness against his back, and he turned to see Ryan standing up and a few feet away from him, eyes wide, like he'd seen a ghost. Bryce frowned, scooting around and sitting on his heels looking at him questioningly. "What's wrong?"
"Bryce…" Ryan breathed, starring. He slapped his palm to his forehead and groaned. "Fuck, why didn't I recognize you!"
"What?" Bryce laughed, confused, scrunching his eyebrows together.
"It's me," Ryan hit his bare chest, starring intently at Bryce, stepping forward slightly as he did. "It's Ohmwrecker."
Bryce blinked a second, not following, then he pieced it together. The name, the laugh, the way he spoke, the way he moved, all how Bryce had imagined Ohm would be in person if they ever met. Well guess what, they had met, and they were literally about to have sex.
"OH SHIT!" Bryce practically shouted, clambering backwards on the bed a little before almost falling off. Ryan stepped forward as if he was gonna try and catch him, but stopped when Bryce caught himself. They stayed silent for a long time, starring at one another, at a complete loss for words. Bryce could taste the drinks he had that night coming back up his throat. Ryan gently pulled his jeans back up.
"So…" Bryce breathed slowly after a long silence. "You did come out to LA…"
Ryan laughed awkwardly, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck. "Um, yeah, I did. S-sorry I didn't tell you…"
"No no it's fine," Bryce stuttered, folding his legs underneath him. He couldn't look Ryan in the face anymore, his cheeks were on fire already.
Silence resumed between the two, neither moving or looking at each other despite still being naked and standing on opposite sides of the room from each other. Finally though, Ryan cleared his throat and took several steps forward, sitting on the edge of the bed and rubbing his hands together. He still couldn't look up at Bryce.
"So…maybe we forget this whole…sex…thing…" Ryan started, his eyes focused hard on the floor. Bryce didn't move, just watched as his naked best friend sat a few feet away. He had to admit, Ryan did look good. The curve of his back, his soft skin, his messy hair curtesy of Bryce.
"…Maybe do you wanna go…get, like, In N Out…or something?" Ryan continued, his face looking up but his eyes still unable to focus on Bryce.
Bryce blinked again, his lips parting as he watched Ryan squirm. Maybe this was just an accident, and they could easily get past this. But at the same time, as Ryan's eyes finally met Bryce's and both sets of pale eyes locked, Bryce couldn't help but feel his stomach twist into nots again. Ryan was gorgeous, and finally seeing him for the first time was breath taking in itself, but at the same time, Bryce didn't think he could get past thinking of Ryan like this right now, maybe never.
"Sure," Bryce smiled, a genuine smile that made Ryan grin too. Ryan lent over the side of the bed, plucking Bryce's jeans from the bedroom floor and tossing them to him. Bryce giggled, pulling his pants on and watching out of the corner of his eye as Ryan also got dressed, eyeing Bryce still on the bed.
