FicWad

After his bath had gone cold Ryan had quickly thrown on some boxers and a t-shirt before climbing into bed and passing out to the sounds of his bandmates partying in the next room. He knew he should have probably gone in there with them but he was too mentally and physically exhausted to contemplate it for more then a few seconds before he was asleep.
The next morning Ryan woke up and glanced at the clock which told him it was just about 11a.m. Today was a planned lazy day where no one really had to do anything other then relax and recover from the following evening. Looking over to the other bed Ryan wasn't surprised to see Brendon and Britney still completely passed out from their escapades the previous evening. Shuffleing into the bathroom, and kicking random clothing items out of the way on his trip there, Ryan closed the door and proceeded to go about his typical ritual--pee, wash up, brush teeth---before shuffeling back out and grabbing the clothes his sleep fogged mind had forgotten. Once back in the bathroom he quickly pulled on a pair of jeans, t-shirt, and chucks. Staring at his face in the mirror he ran a comb through his hair in a half assed attempt at making it not look like 'post-sex' hair.
'considering there was no sex to be had I really shouldn't look like there was. I guess this is what I get for not drying my hair before bed' Ryan thought to himself sarcastically while walking out of the bathroom. Grabbing a key card, his wallet, sidekick, and a hoodie in case it was cold out Ryan marched purposefully out of the room and headed towards the elevator banks. Turning the corner he was surprised to see of all people Jon standing and waiting for the elevator. Wearing a pair of sunglasses, with a hood pulled over his head, and looking utterly miserable.
"Long night" Ryan stated LOUDLY after sneaking up on him.
"JESUS!" Jon jumped and spun around glaring at Ryan "Don't be a dick."
"ha...hungover much? what time did you go to sleep anyway?"
"To be perfectly honest, I don't remember" Jon muttered sheepishly while Ryan proceeded to crack up as they stepped into the elevator and headed down to the lobby.
"thats what you get then. Drinking freaking whisky all night." Ryan said between laughs.
"your such a good friend dude. Thanks. To make things worse there isn't one asprin in our entire room, yours either." Jon stated, the strain of his headache showing in the tone of his voice.
"well, that sucks. I thought we had a whole bunch of that kind of crap?" Ryan asked confusedly.
"yea, so did I. but apparently not." Jon answered as they stepped off the elevator cautiously. Glancing around the boys were relieved to see that apparently the fans had not discovered what hotel they were staying at as the lobby wasn't any busier then it would normally be on a weekday morning. Quickly heading over to the resturant they stopped short at the enterance and read the sign that stated clearly complementary breakfast was over at ten.
"well thats shitty," Jon started "I wanted grease."
"umm...I think there is this coffee shop diner thingy around the corner." Ryan added with a very unsure tone to his voice.
"you think?" Jon asked for clarification.
"No, I know there is. I just don't know if we should leave the hotel without Zach." Ryan said glancing out the doors of the hotel to the busy Manhattan street. Jon looked at it with him for a few seconds before proclaiming,
"fuck it. I'm hungry."
With those words the two boys headed out of the hotel and onto the sidewalk, turning left they both walked quickly with the crowd, and kept turning corners until their third left where they found an "Andrews Coffee Shop" (only some of the best breakfast food in NYC) and headed in to wait for a table.
The waitress, who appeared to be about their age, glanced at them with surprise but didn't say anything as she led them to a small table in the back. Once they were seated and had ordered Jon proceeded to make Ryan choke on his coffee.
"So whats up with you and Pete?"
"WH..at?!" Ryan started to yell but caught himself just in time "are you talking about?"
"dude, I might not have been around as long as Spencer and Brendon but I'm also not an idiot, and maybe that's why I've noticed. Spencer has been friends with you for too long, and as much as I love Brendon...he's a little self absorbed to put it bluntly. But anyway my point is...what's up with you and Pete?"
"nothing. is 'up' with us. We're friends. Same as you and Pete." Ryan stated firmly.
"yea, no. Pete and I are sure as hell not the same kind of friends you two are." Jon shot back before added "But, man, seriously. It doesn't bother me. And lately you've been looking sicker then usual so if you want to talk about it I can listen. I'm more removed from the situation then Spencer, and like we already said--Brendon, kind of self absorbed."
Ryan sighed, and was about to answer when the waitress came over with their orders and coffee refills. As she placed their plates down she started blushing and stammering asked them if they needed anything else. Taking a deep breath Ryan grabbed her pen and a napkin and quickly signed his name before passing it to Jon who chuckling did the same thing.
"umm...thanks. I wasn't gonna ask 'cause we're not allowed to but thank you so much!" The waitress exclaimed in one breath as she left them to eat. Both boys looked at each other for a second before cracking up, very glad that something had broken the tension of the past few minutes.
Ryan took another deep breath, glanced down at his omlet and poked at it surprised at seeing the thing was stuffed full of veggies.
"are you going to eat, answer my question, or just ponder the meaning of life in your eggs?" Jon asked after taking a bite of his own huge stack of pancakes.
"answer." Ryan said quietly.
Jon glanced up in surprise as he had expected to be told to fuck off or something. Remaining quiet he paitently waited for Ryan to gather his thoughts.
"I think I'm in love with him." Ryan whispered quietly to Jon while shooting looks around the resturant in paranoia.
"whoa..." Jon trailed off before finishing in disbelief, "I was expecting you to say you wanted to screw him and be done with it or something. Your talking like real feelings?"
"yea.." Ryan said staring Jon in the face his eyes begging Jon not to mock shun him for this.
"umm..well, I mean I'm ok with it and all. Thats your own personal business...but why Pete?" Jon asked incredulously over the guy in question.
"What's wrong with Pete?" Ryan hissed back.
"well..do you want a list? I mean, I'm friends with the guy but do you really want to get into that kind of day in and day out drama. The dude gets off on his issues, its like he wants to be unstable. Hell, I wouldn't put it past him to make them up purely to write an album. Personally I think you deserve better." Jon said matter of factly.
Ryan just stared at Jon in shock. He couldn't believe he was getting this reaction. One one hand the lack of disgust was great, on the other hand he had just told Jon he was in love with someone only to have that person dismissed as being not good enough for him.
"But...I mean...." Ryan trailed off realizing he had no defense for the situation, because Jon was completely right. Pete Wentz was a total drama queen, it just didn't do anything to change Ryan's feelings for him.
"But you mean what?" Jon prodded Ryan cautiously after realizing exactly how quickly he had dismissed the younger boy's feelings.
"Its just that I know all that. Your not lying, but it doesn't change how I feel. Not that it really matters anyway. Pete doesn't feel the same way, and even if...and thats a very big if...he did, I couldn't risk what it would do to the band. The fan reaction wouldn't be exactly what you could call positive." Ryan rambled out and puncuated his statement with a bite of omlet.
"fuck the fans. I know that maybe that isn't the best way to think, but this is your personal life. Who cares what they think about who you date?" Jon said almost surprised at his developing anger of how quickly Ryan would put aside his own feelings for a group of teenagers he didn't even know personally.
"Date? Don't be ridiculous Jon. Pete doesn't date. He screws random girls, shows up with them places. Lets the press eat it up and then denies it til he's blue in the face." Ryan said harshly before added in a softer tone, "Besides, do you really think Pete would be interested in someone like me?"
"If he's not then he's a bigger fucking moron then I ever gave him credit for." Jon said with a tone that implied no one was good enough for the kid he had sort of adopted as a younger brother a few months ago before reaching over and smacking him lightly on the back of the head while adding "we really need to work on your self-esteem kid. But honestly, if this is something you want, then you need to go after it. If only so you stop moping around 'cause honestly your depressing the fuck out of everyone lately."
"yea...well...your...umm, lame," Ryan retored with a magazine cover worthy pout as Jon covered his face and cracked up, "and don't laugh at me!"
"You keep making that face dude and the chicks won't care who your sleeping with." Jon said as he popped a final potato in his mouth and signaled for the check.