The Only Difference Between Love and Envy is Press Coverage

He's A Pretty Man

There were a lot of things on Brendon's bucket list. Visiting Asia. Trying sushi. Meeting a celebrity. Winning the lottery. Even petting a lion. Something that wasn't on his bucket list was getting a two hundred dollar manicure and pedicure. He didn't even know guys did that.

It was obviously something Ryan did often because the people in the salon greeted him happily as soon as he entered. Ryan knew exactly what he wanted. He'd even gotten color added to his nails. A very light pink. Almost pale. Brendon refused color.

"It'll bring out your hands." Ryan told him.

"I don't even know what that means."

Ryan laughed as if he were joking. So Brendon laughed too.

"Do you like your hair?"

Brendon nodded. That was the first thing he'd got done. They washed his hair and put something in it. He didn't even bother to ask what it was. And then they cut it and blew it out. It just looked a little fluffier and shorter. Not a big difference. Ryan didn't get his hair done. He said he'd gotten it clipped just a few days ago.

"Do you do this a lot?"

"What? Get my nails done?"

"Go to the salon and-"

"Yes. It's relaxing. I usually take my best friend, Pete with me."

"Pete seems like a good-"

"He fucked your friend Patrick Stump." The women paused doing their nails and stared up at them. Ryan tapped his finger impatiently against the glass table. "Get back to work!" They began working on the nails again.

"I-I know." Brendon began to fidget nervously.

"Keep hands still." The woman slapped his knuckles with the nail filer.

"What do you want to get to eat after this?" Ryan asked.

"I've never had sushi."

"And you never need to." Ryan made a disgusted sound. "But we could still go Asian."

"I uh, I'll just eat wherever you want to."

"Good. I want a burger. Like a huge, gigantic burger. Too big to even bite. With bacon and cheese and lettuce tomatoes. Pickles. Pizza. Can you put a pizza in a burger?" He asked longingly. Pretending to drool.

Brendon laughed genuinely this time.

"That sounds. . . scary."

"It sounds like a heart attack." He smiled. Brendon laughed again. "You have a beautiful laugh."

He put his hand over his mouth to cover his smile and mute the complimented sound. "Thank you."

"Hands still!" The woman popped his knuckles again.

"Ouch!"

Ryan reached over to snatch the filer from the woman's hand. "Hit him again and I'm going to make this thing a permanent part of your body." He dropped it back on the table. "Do you want to go shopping?"

"I didn't bring money."

"What did I tell you?" He grinned. "I am paying for everything today."
**********

"That's hideous." Ryan laughed as Brendon walked out of the dressing room. He was wearing a pair of yellow pants and what Ryan assumed was the matching shirt.

"I'm just trying to stand out." He laughed.

"Trust me, you can do that without even trying." He muttered.