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Ryan slams the door to his car without meeting to when walking into the guitar shop. He swings the door open quickly to the shop, earning a confused look from his boss, Earl.

“I don't need attitude today,” Earl says while screwing in something on the guitar. “New shipment of pedals came in that need to be taken inventory and stored. It's on you.”

“Okay,”

“Something got you down?” Earl puts down the small screwdriver and leans over the counter, pointed in Ryan's general direction. Ryan rocks back on his heels. “For the last few weeks you've been so happy. Today not so much.” No answer. “Where's that Brendon kid? He's one of the only friends you have that I like.”

When Earl met Brendon a few days ago, it was like a father met his son for the first time. They both have that passion for music Ryan wishes he had. Earl even offered him a job. Brendon said he'd consider it.

“It's about time,” Greta storms in, interrupting with a guitar in each hand, walking over to hang them up. “Dude, seriously, you wouldn't believe what-”

“Greta,” Earl says, quieting her. “Relax.”

Greta smiles and listens. “Tell me,”

“I'm just, not feeling too well.”

“I recall you feeling sick from being concussed, but still having that stupid smile.”

“Brendon is like a closed book, when he knows everything about me. It isn't fair,” He wines, sounding childish.

“Brendon Urie? Oh my gosh I love that guy! We've been hanging out since we were, like, seven. What really happened?” Greta's blonde hair falls in front of her face as she picks up a few chords the last costumer left around. She turns up to him attentively.

Ryan just grins, “Well I can't tell you anything!”

“I'll get it out of you eventually.”

Earl clears his throat. “Now guys, work. Keep that smile you have on now, Ross.”

“Psh,” He sounds. Ryan gets to the pedals, organizing them and counting them all.

“I think you and I are the reason why we get customers,” She comments, leaning on the door frame. “My rack is more popular than the White Falcon.”

Ryan shakes his head, laughing. “A girl was staring at my ass while I was grabbing something from the top shelf.”

“You don't have an ass,” Greta teases, kneeling next to Ryan. “God forbid, we barely even sell compressors.”

Ryan grunts, “Right.”

“We all need to catch up. You should call Spencer, and I'll get Brendon, yeah?”

“I don't,” Ryan stares down at the chorus pedal in his hand, “okay, sure. When?”

“Saturday night?”

Ryan looks shocked, “Finals start on Monday.”

“So?”

“Fine.”

“Admit it, Ry, I'm your weakness.” Greta gets up, walking away.

“Brendon and you both.” Ryan hopes she didn't hear that.

-

After a shift of sorting and dealing with soon-to-be freshman, Ryan gets in his car and just lays on his wheel. He makes a displeased noise when once he turns on his phone. He has messages from his dad.

“The shop is out of control, get over here, now.” He snaps.

Ryan freezes. It was sent three hours ago when his phone was off. He puts on the next one.

“You better not be ignoring me,” The man stops then continues, “You can't even do your job. Can you do anything? Goddammit George, I swear,” His voice gets louder and louder as he goes, “You have fifteen minutes, hurry up.”

Sent an hour ago.

This has happened before. Ryan isn't allowed to touch his phone while working at the music store. Last time this happened he hit his back against the counter, and then pinned on the ground. He quickly calls Spencer.

“Hello?”

“I can't go home tonight,” Ryan breathes, “Can I stay over?”

Spencer's expression goes from relatively calm to panicked, “What happened?”

“I can't deal with my dad being drunk tonight. Not with testing- my head will explode.”

Spencer asks his mom, Mrs. Smith saying of course. Ryan smiles as he says “be there soon”.
-

Ryan is seated on Spencer's bed, hating all the information he has to take in.

“Who the fuck cares about precalc anyway?” Spencer mumbles, scribbling down answers. He's smart, but he doesn't like to work. "It's Saturday night and I'm doing precalc."

Ryan just groans and lies face down onto Spencer's comfortable matress. “It's almost over for me.”

“Shut up,” Spencer says. Ryan's phone goes off once again, it being his father.

He stares at it, before bringing it to his ear, “H-hello?”

“You ignored my calls.”

“I was working in the shop.” Spencer's staring at him.

“You ignored me. You think you can just not come home for the night?” His wording is sharp, full of anger and almost sounding sober.

Ryan hand starts shaking, so he moves it over to his other hand hoping his left is less affected. It isn't. “I am studying with a friend,”

“Who?”

“A friend, I'll see you soon, alright?”

“You have so much to learn to behave like a fucking adult. I shouldn't have to teach you this-”

“Then DON'T,” Ryan practically screams, voice cracking, making Spencer jump out of his seat.

“Talking back to me? Again? I thought I was being very effective.”

“Bye,” Ryan breathing quickens once he hangs up, thoughts stirring.

Spencer swears to himself, sitting next to Ryan on the bed. “Ryan, hey, remember where you are? My house? It's eleven at night, breathe.” Spencer has dealt with this before, knowing Ryan's limits. He ghosts his fingertips over his hand and Ryan grabs it, sitting in silence. “We're in my room. Everything is fine.”

Ryan is just quiet, eyes in a completely different place. No flashbacks this time, but he's can't find the strength to move.

Spencer lets him come back slowly, once he snaps back into it he just looks at Spencer with wide eyes. “I'm sorry.”

“Want to go to bed?” Spencer asks, voice still hushed.

Spencer's mom knocks on the door and opens it, looking worried. “Everything alright?”

Spencer gives her a sorrowful look and Ryan nods once, crawling under Spencer's covers. Sleep didn't come easily.

-

Waking up and feeling drowsy, Ryan is thankful that it is only Sunday. Spencer must be somewhere around the house because he woke up alone.

He makes his way downstairs, the twins playing some mario game and Spencer on the desktop.

“Hey, I have to go home,” Ryan says, “gotta get some folders and go to work.”

Spencer looks concerned. “Should I come?”

Ryan shakes his head, “I'll be fine. Thanks for everything,” He says in monotone.

-

Ryan didn't think his father would actually be home. But the minute he walks in the door the man is there, blocking him from the steps. He grabs Ryan's arm as he tries to get up the stairs and Ryan grunts.

“Don't touch me.”

The man scoffs, with pure hatred in his eyes. He's shaking, “I can lay a finger on you from time to time.” He laughs, “Where've you been?” His grip tightens.

“A friends house.”

“Really? What's wrong with my house? I paid a lot of money for this place.”

Ryan fights the grip, but it just gets tighter. He bites the hollows of his cheeks and his eyebrows raise, unsure of what's going to happen if he doesn't get out of here. Ryan's usually hard eyes get even more harsh, staring right at the man.

“Fuck off.”

But before Ryan could sprint out of the door like he usually could, the man yanks his arm so hard and hits it that he hears a pop, causing Ryan to stumble but stay on his feet. “Ow,” Ryan repeats, clenching his jaw. His shoulder- it's dislocated. “Oh my God, ow,” Ryan says to himself, turning his back to the man and running out the door, slamming it hard. His father leaves too, going in the opposite direction of Ryan.

“Fucking fuck,” Ryan swears, not feeling like he needs to censor himself as he drives off. He dials his phone and once the other end of the line answers, he's frantic. “Spencer. How you you fix a dislocated shoulder?”

“What?” Spencer sounds confused. Ryan has no time for this.

“Do you know?”

“Well when I was younger my dad put it back into place. He's not here.”

Ryan just hangs up. He's angry, at Brendon, Alex, and now his shoulder. So he calls Kyle. “Ky, meet me at the music store and fix my shoulder. Please.”

“What?” Kyle sounds confused, even though that's his usual tone of voice. He never processes things.

“Earl's. Meet me there as soon as you can. Okay?”

With some hesitation, Kyle agrees.

-

“That's disgusting.” Earl comments. “How does it happen?”

Ryan just sits and tries to stay still. “I'm clumsy. Thanks.”

And of course Brendon just walks right in, just about as unexpected as an STD, Ryan thinks. Earl gave him pain killers. He doesn't know what he's thinking. “What are you doing here?” Ryan asks, trying to bite back his grumpiness.

“Earl hired me, also, why are you shir- oh. Gross. What happened?” Brendon sounds so innocent when he's caring. It's hard to believe that he's ever done anything bad.

Ryan stares at Earl and the older man smiles. It's then that Kyle walks in, wearing sweat pants and a green t-shirt with a stain on it. “Oh, man.”

“What's on your shirt?” Ryan can't help but ask as Kyle's about to slam his shoulder back into place. Earl begged him to go to the doctor, but Kyle laughed and said it's more fun for everyone this way.

“My baby sister's vomit.” Kyle runs his hands through his messy, long hair and cracks his knuckles. “Want me to count down... or do you want something to bite on...”

Ryan is starting to lose motivation towards working today.

Earl gets him a rag, and Brendon is sitting next to him. Brendon's presence makes him feel a bit calmer, despite what he knows. What if Brendon left him like Alex? They're not even together. He needs to relax.

Once that thought goes away he feels Kyle grab him and push his shoulder in place. He bites the towel and grabs Brendon's wrist. It's almost a funny scene, Ryan biting a towel and Brendon watching carefully.

"Where's Greta? She'd love this," Earl asks, Ryan's eyebrows furrow. "Maybe I should record it."

“Fff-” Ryan holds it back and takes a deep breath. At least it's in place. Brendon puts his hand over Ryan's.

-

“So you skateboarded here? That's cool,” Earl asks Brendon as he sits behind the counter.

Brendon just shrugs, “Luckily it's not that far if I take a few short cuts. Happy I'm here Ryan?”

“Ecstatic, really.” Ryan mumbles. “I can give you a ride home.” He says louder.

“Cool, thanks.”

“I kinda want to talk to you though.” He said it. Brendon's expression falters and he nods. It's like he already knows what Ryan's going to say.

“Sure,”

Earl just grins. Freaking Earl.

-

Once they're in the car, Ryan pulls into the park unexpectedly. “I have to talk.”

“Okay?”

“I ran into Alex last night,”

Brendon freezes. “So? You used to be friends right?”

Ryan looks into Brendon's eyes, the eyes that drive him insane and makes him forget what he's going to say. “No, he told me about you and him.”

Brendon breaks eye contact. “I know... it was shitty. What did he tell you?”

Ryan takes a breath before speaking, rubbing his shoulder. “You left him in the hallway because you were sick of people not knowing about you two.”

“I was sick of it.”

“He really liked you and... you just left him like that?”

“If he really liked me he wouldn't want to keep it a secret.” Brendon defends.

Ryan pauses, thinking about what to say or what to do.

“He wasn't worth it,” Brendon adds.

Ryan needs to say it. His biggest fear is to be alone, just like he has before he met Brendon and Spencer.

“Would you ever leave me?” Ryan knows the fear is showing in his eyes. Brendon is awestruck.

“What we have is not... Why would I leave?” Brendon asks, voice shaking. “No, Ryan. What's going on?”

“You just left the guy without warning. He didn't do anything wrong, just because he's scared how people would react to him being out doesn't mean he wouldn't commit to you.” Ryan fumes.

“I made a mistake, don't act like you haven't fucked around with girls, everyone knows you have. You've broken more hearts than me, and everyone says you don't care about anyone but yourself.” Brendon breathes. “I tried looking past that. If you are really upset with what I did to Alex, you should check yourself because you did the same thing. And guess fucking what, I still ended up liking you regardless of what people said, and I knew you changed... at least once we started hanging out, you changed.” Brendon voice died out in the end.

He's right. “You like me?”

“Can you stop freaking out? I'm not going to abandon you.” Brendon rubs his hands on his jeans and then starts biting his nails.

They sit in silence for a moment. “I'm scared to admit that I like you more than a friend,” Ryan mutters.

“Same with you, heart breaker.”

They laugh. They laugh because this is so stupid. They laugh because they know what they've been doing is something no one else would want to understand.

“Hey,” Ryan reaches out, touching Brendon's chin. Brendon leans into the motion, taking a deep breath as their lips hover each other. He laughs again at the recent events, and Ryan does too until they connect their lips. Brendon's lips are soft against Ryan's chapped ones, and it takes barely any consideration until Ryan kisses him again, like he's been desperate for it for ages. It's everything he's ever wanted and he refuses to let it go so easily. Brendon smiles against him and then lightly pulls away, “This isn't exactly comfortable,” referring to being in a car.

“Oh, well,” Ryan sighs, “we can do this properly at my house.”

Brendon fights back a stupid grin.

-

A/N I am VERY sorry. I had no motivation to work on this chapter because I thought I didn't start it (but I did, like, a month ago). SO here it is. Maybe r+r so I have some drive to work on this thing. Don't worry. I WILL finish it some day... xD

Finally some action. Woowee.