A/N: I love weekends, whoever invented those, genius! Finally some peace and quiet to read and write.

I won't pretend, I am so nervous about posting this one-shot, because I just suspect some people might hate it, or think it highly implausible. It is these moments, when a plot-bunny like this hits me that I love our writing group most, for you, my wonderfully open-minded, lovely fellow writers, help me be brave enough to put this out here. I dearly hope there will be some love for this little story idea. And thank you so so much for the wonderful prompt that inspired it.

Prompt (46): "It isn't what it looks like, I swear!"

Character: Ryder

Words: 614

The first time Ryder did it he was simply curious, wanted to know what it feels like, what it could possibly make someone feel ... doing this. He still is not sure.

It is so confusing, to him. And maybe, just maybe '...maybe I'm so angry at him, her, because, because ...,' because it confuses Ryder so very much – because, he thinks now, without Unique intending to, it makes him question parts of himself, she makes him, has him ... thinking.

Ryder hates it when people make him do anything.

That time his dad made him take harder classes at school because "You are just not challenged enough, Son."

And that time his mom made him try out for the junior team in her tennis club, when his hand-eye coordination just does not work for him ... in that way. Finn understands that, '... why can't my parents?'

Ryder is different in his own ways, and it is not like his surroundings let him, allow him to forget that all that often. Glee club is better than nice, but it feels also like a constant reminder.

And then there had been not just glee club but Wade, and then Unique and Katie and ... his confession, about his past, to his friends and then, too, his parents.

He is really glad it is summer break right now, and he is staying with his older sister in Montreal, because somehow he needed to get away from all that.

Part of those changes to his life though have stayed with him, are seemingly always there.

Ryder cannot stop thinking about Unique, about how hard he had fallen for the person on the other side of that screen.

'Katie, no, ... Unique,' cares about him, she 'knows me, understands me ...' And Ryder is scared to death of what that might mean. He just cannot figure out what it says about him, what it should tell him about him, the way he feels about her when he allows himself to.

So Ryder, one day, alone in his sister's apartment having stared at the wardrobe's content for already twenty-nine minutes had tried ... tried to start at the other end of it all, not him, but her.

It is about two weeks later and maybe the dozenth time he is standing there in front of the mirror in his sister's bedroom when he, sunken in thought completely misses the sound of the front door being opened and then ... closing.

"Ryder?" his sister says, standing there still in the doorframe, the door itself still only half opened, but Ryder knows he himself is already fully on display.

"It isn't what it looks like, I swear!" Ryder stutters out, unable to even so much as meet his sister's eyes again.

The remark is soft, and Ryder can hear the well-meaning smile in his sister's voice without looking up, the kindness of familiarity, "So you are not wearing one of my favourite summer dresses?"

When Ryder eventually does look up he is met with a soft, questioning look, "I'm not ..., it's not ... It doesn't mean ... Urgh!"

"Hey, hey! Shh," his sister says, stepping forward and embracing her baby brother. Holding him tight she whispers to him, "Whatever this is, Ry," he looks back up at her at the loving nickname only she uses for him, and that has always meant safety, "it's okay," and then she wrinkles up her nose a little, playfully adding with a wide smile, "except for the fact that that sundress is about three sizes too small for your frame."

"Shut up," he squeaks and swats at her shoulder before hugging back tightly.