When the Moon Fell in Love With the Sun {ryden kik}

25

Brendon stood across the street of Ryan's house, staring at the police cars and ambulances in the driveway and the police standing around the house interrogating Ryan, Sarah, and Spencer. Ryan was helpless standing there, vulnerable, with his best friend who could never know about his life staring right at him, at his worst moment. Brendon didn't hesitate to run across the street and immediately wrap his arms around Ryan's tiny frame. Ryan hugged him back, his arms wrapping around Brendon's neck.

"What happened to your beautiful face?" Brendon whispered into the crook of Ryan's neck, "who hurt you?"

Instead of replying, Ryan choked out a broken sob into the top of Brendon's head. He didn't know what to say; everything happening was so surreal. He knew after it all set in, he'd feel nothing but guilt and regret. No matter how much his dad had hurt him, he didn't want him to be put in to jail, much less hit him with one of his beer bottles. That made Ryan the worse person, didn't it? He should've just stayed in his high place, taking all the toxic words and hits that threatened blood to seep out of his skin. Ryan expected Brendon to interrogate him further, much like the police had been prodding him for more information for the past twenty minutes, but Brendon stayed silent, rubbing circles on the small of Ryan's back. Ryan could've sworn Brendon was crying, too.

Sarah and Spencer emerged from the crowd at the same time and saw Brendon with a death grip around Ryan. "Brendon?" Spencer said.

Brendon didn't move or look up; Spencer's voice was too familiar, he heard it everyday. "What happened," Brendon asked to no one in particular. It could've been a question to Ryan, Spencer, Sarah, or himself, even, but Spencer took it as his and answered.

"Ryan...his dad is, well, abusive," Spencer paused as he noticed Brendon freeze a little, "it started in freshmen year; Ryan's mom passed away and I guess his dad turned to alcohol, and that alcohol turned him into a monster. I would know... Anyways, something happened one day - and it's up to Ryan to tell you what really happened, because he hasn't really told me, either - but, his dad stopped sending him to school and they 'moved', but I guess that wasn't true."

Brendon and Ryan just hugged each other tighter and sobbed onto each other louder and they stayed like that until all of the policemen stupidly went into the house at the same time and Ryan's dad bustled out of the car like a rocket. What more could you expect from a Nevada police officer, leaving the victim and the abuser outside alone with an unlocked car door? Brendon was the first to notice the large man charging towards them; he immediately unhooked himself from Ryan and grabbed his arms, moving him behind him. Ryan was taller than Brendon, but with his scared, hunched figure and Brendon's protective one, Brendon towered in front of Ryan, blocking him from his dad's view. "Get the police!" Brendon shouted at Spencer and Sarah who immediately obeyed.

Ryan's dad didn't hesitate to throw his fist at Brendon. Although it knocked Brendon backwards a bit, and god, did it hurt, he still remained in front of Ryan. "Stay away from Ryan, you bastard," Brendon said intimidatingly. His father only tilted his head back in a roar of laughter, which Brendon gladly took the chance to punch him right in the jaw. After regaining his balance, his swung another fist directly at Brendon's temple, knocking him out cold. The police ran out and tazed his father, dragging him back into the car. Brendon didn't know what happened. His vision was blurry, there were shouts of anger, and he could feel a hand wrap around his.

"Why did you do that?" he heard a voice croak out. It was familiar, but it sounded clearer, prettier. It was Ryan, without a doubt. Brendon only gave a weak smile and tightened his grip on Ryan's hand before the darkness consumed his vision.

~

Brendon woke up in a white room, and bright light on the ceiling; a hospital room. He was laying across a sofa while Ryan was across the room on a bed. He looked over at the nurses prodding and poking Ryan's body while Ryan grimaced in pain every so often. Brendon hated the sight and stood up from the sofa, the ice pack that he hadn't even noticed before falling off of his head. The nurse turned around and smiled brightly at Brendon. "Oh, Mr. Urine, you're awake! That's good," she said and shuffled over to him, picking the ice pack up. "Do you feel fine? We gave you medicine earlier, so you should be fine. No internal damage, anyways."

Brendon nodded sleepily, completely disregarding the fact that she had called him 'Mr. Urine'. "That policeman got fired, I hope?" he asked.

The nurse chuckled halfheartedly, "I wasn't personally told anything, but I heard him getting a long lecture. Let's just say, don't be surprised if you see him working at a McDonald's anytime soon."

Brendon laughed with her, not because it was funny, because that bastard deserved it. How could someone who went through so much training be so insensitive? It was so ignorant that it appalled Brendon.  Brendon followed the nurse over to Ryan's side where Ryan tilted his head up to stare a Brendon, a weak smile on his face. "So, what's happening here?" Brendon asked worriedly, grabbing Ryan's hand and smiling back at him.

"Just checking for any major injuries," the nurse responded, sneaking a glance at their hands, "are you two together, by any chance?"

Brendon only chuckled, retracting his hand. "No, just best friends," Brendon replied, his face flushing, "why?"

"Sorry," the nurse giggled, prodding with Ryan's kneecap, "he'll just need somewhere to stay, and apparently there's no relatives that can provide for that."

Ryan's face flushed even more than it was from the 'together' comment from earlier. How pathetic was it that he had no family to help him? Spencer and Sarah tried to convince their parents to let Ryan stay, but I guess they'd heard enough about Ryan from them to tell them no. The sympathetic look Brendon was giving him only made the hole in his heart ache more. So, he really would have to live in one of those foster homes, wouldn't he? A failed, abused seventeen year old in a foster home. How sad.

"I don't see why I won't be able to let him stay with me for a while," Brendon smiled, putting his hand back in the position it was with Ryan's a few moments ago, "maybe Pete and I could switch or something? Spencer told me you knew him, and Pete does literally anything, I'm sure you know that."

Ryan could've burst into tears right there. How could one human be so ridiculously kind? "That's n-not necessary..."

"Are you kidding me? I'm not gonna let you live on the streets or something, Ry!"  Brendon protested, but the only thing Ryan could do in response was smile sweetly at the nickname.

"I guess it can't be that bad," Ryan finally shrugged with a small giggle.

"Oh, screw off," Brendon laughed, lightly shoving Ryan in the shoulder.

"Both you and your friend's parents will have to sign some legal paperwork," the nurse said to Brendon before turning to Ryan and saying, "you seem completely fine other than the cuts and bruises. We'll get some bandages and medicine for you real quick. Oh, and for your mental health, you'll obviously suffer some trauma, but you have nothing serious wrong with you. You're very lucky, Mr. Ross."

"Thank you," Ryan smiled as the nurse walked out. Ryan turned to Brendon. "Heyo,"

"Hiya," Brendon replied with a wink, "nice to meet you, Mr. Ross. Ryan Ross. Rolls off the tongue. Hey, Ryro makes sense now!"

Ryan poked his tongue out at Brendon, only for him to giggle afterward. "Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Urine!"

Brendon rolled his eyes dramatically. "I was hoping you wouldn't have picked up on that. You know it's Urie, not Urine!"

"I do," Ryan smiled, "but that doesn't mean I'm not going to tease you about it for the rest of your life."

"Do you think Pete will want full custody of you?"

"Hey, jerk!"

"Speaking of that, I should call my mom about that," Brendon said, and with the spin of his heel, he was out into the hallway chatting with his mom, leaving Ryan alone with his thoughts.