Chapter Twelve
The following night's Spongebob was probably the most awkward episode ever. Brendon and Spencer were on either side of the couch as far apart from each other as they could possibly be while still being on the same couch with Jon snuggled tightly in the middle. There were no jokes cracked, nor any comparing of the toenails. Just silence. The only time the silence was broken was when Jon would laugh at the television then would quickly realize he was the only one chuckling like an idiot and would pipe down and shrink back into the couch.
Dying from the unbearable silence, Jon leapt up from the couch and announced he was going for a walk. Definitely not comfortable with being alone with Brendon yet, Spencer agreed to go with him.
Left alone once more, Brendon felt helpless. Spongebob has lost it's thrill with him feeling this cruddy. He glanced towards the sliding door. Behind it was Ryan. The person he wanted to see both the most and the least all wrapped into one. He wanted to apologize just so things could get back to normal. Or as normal as two guys getting down and dirty could get. Brendon grabbed fistfuls of his brown hair and groaned outwardly. He threw himself onto his side landing on the couch causing it to make a whistling deflating sound. He mashed the power button on the remote, ceasing the honking laughter of the greenish-blue squid on the television. He lay there with his hands still gripping his hair and listened to the stuffy silence of the room and the occasional small hum of traffic.
Just then, he heard soft strums from the back of the bus. He let go of his head and sat up to allow his ears to receive the delicate sounds. He stood up and started toward the back of the bus, not caring if he was still in trouble or not. He cracked the sliding door a bit to see Ryan on the floor with his acoustic in his lap and papers strewn across the thinly carpeted floor. Ryan, who's back was to the door, retrieved the pen he had been holding in his mouth to scribble some notes onto the closest paper. Waiting to slide the door into the paneling until Ryan started strumming again, Brendon stepped into the room, then closed the door behind him. He knelt down behind Ryan and wrapped his arms around his neck, allowing his hands dangle in front of his guitar. Startled at the new company, Ryan jumped, causing him to jerk his hand across the strings of his guitar, making a not so sweet of a sound.
"Relax, it's just me," Brendon whispered huskily into Ryan's ear. He brushed his lips against the prickling skin on the back of Ryan's neck before pressing his lips to his nape, sending a shiver down Ryan's spine.
"Get off, Brendon!" Ryan exclaimed, snapping back from his trance and jumping up from Brendon's embrace.
"I'm sorry, Ry," Brendon said, still kneeling on the ground. "About everything. I'm just so sorry."
Almost caving into Brendon's pitiful face then jolting back to anger, Ryan yelled, "You don't even know what you're apologizing for!" Determined to stay strong, Ryan continued, "I'm not just some toy you can play with when you get bored!" he huffed out, finding it harder to yell at Brendon when he looked so vulnerable.
"No! It's not like that. I'm not like that," Brendon said from the floor, his begging eyes peering into Ryan's. "You know that, Ry."
Standing his ground, Ryan crossed his arms, suddenly enjoying his superior position. "Just get out," Ryan said, lowering his arms and glancing at his papers on the floor. "Please!" he exclaimed and threw down his arms after a few seconds when he saw Brendon was in the same position, refusing to move.
"I'm not leaving," Brendon said, rising to his feet. "Not until you quit being mad at me."
"Fine," Ryan said, snatching up his guitar. "I'll leave."
"Ryan, wait!" Brendon said frantically, purposely obscuring his path. "You can't leave."
"Not with you standing in my way, I can't!" Ryan proclaimed. The two looked like they were dancing the way Brendon kept jumping in front of Ryan. Frustrated, and accepting defeat, Ryan turned away from the door and threw his guitar on Jon's bunk before scrambling into his, making sure his back was to Brendon.
"Ryan, how many times to I have to say it?" Brendon asked, on his knees again to become level with Ryan. "I am sorry!" he said, pausing after each word and dragging out the last one rather loudly into Ryan's ear.
"My God, Bren! Can't you just go away?" Ryan hissed before turning to face Brendon. The two locked eyes for the fist time since the pervious night. Brendon clambered from his knees and into Ryan's bed. Uncomfortable with the closeness, Ryan scooted as far away from Brendon as he could with his back pressed flat against the cold wall, but didn't break their stare.
"I'm sorry," Brendon said before reaching over and tracing Ryan's brow bone then dragging the back side of his hand along Ryan's cheek to his jawline. Ryan kept silent. His eyes fluttered closed at Brendon's touch. He hated how all Brendon had to do was touch him or even look at him, and it had him melting into a puddle of Ry-goo. Ryan could feel the bed shifting and could feel Brendon's soft breath on his face. Brendon's hand hooked around Ryan's neck and he pulled their foreheads together.
"I'm sorry," Brendon whispered once more before he crashed their lips together. Ryan allowed Brendon's warm, pillowy lips to work against his. He could feel his head clearing, his anger fading, his blood rushing.
"No," Ryan interrupted, pushing Brendon from him when he finally came to. "That won't work this time."
"Okay, I get it," Brendon said, detaching his hand from Ryan. "I'll leave now," he said, sitting up to leave.
"But don't leave," Ryan held Brendon's hand and pulled him back onto the bed. "Please?"
Unable to hide his grin, Brendon laid back down. "All right," he squeezed Ryan's hand. "I'll stay." Now uncomfortable with how far he was from Brendon, Ryan scooted closer until he was in Brendon's arms with his head resting on his chest. Brendon wrapped his arms around Ryan in response, placing a kiss on the crown of his head.
"This doesn't mean I'm not still mad at you," Ryan said with a smile while burying his face into the crook of Brendon neck taking in his scent. "Of course not," Brendon chuckled. "That would be silly of me to think that," he said before placing more kisses upon Ryan's head.
I just could't have those two mad at each other for long! Just in time for Valentine's Day, too! Thank you oh so much for reading! Just so you know, I'm giving you all super awkward hugs through my computer! 33 ~Ember
