Reforming Society •• OneRepublic {2}

Clock Ticking

Brent's P.O.V.

Brent, about to fall asleep on his guitar on the couch, looked up as soon as Zach and Ryan walked in, Ryan looking just as (alarmingly) happy as he did the other day. Zach handed the other three their coffees, mentioning something about them looking as if they needed it.

"Especially you." He told Brent. Brent merely nodded, putting his guitar down beside him and then focusing on downing his coffee. Ryan next sat at the other side of the guitar, taking a sip of his own drink before turning to Brent, "Also, you need to be quieter in the mornings."

Brent raised his eyebrows, mildly bewildered.

"Jesus, Ryan, you could replace Addie." Eddie chuckled.

Ryan shook his head with a glare at Eddie before replying, "Actually, it was Addie who complained about Brent being too loud."

Brent clicked his tongue, "I doubt she complained."

"Okay, sure," Ryan put his hands up, "It wasn't complaining, but she did mention it in an annoyed tone, so there."

The guys looked at him for a second, clearly having different thoughts on the matter. Brent shrugged, more so because it was coming from Ryan rather than Addie herself. He also wondered how Ryan had been talking to Addie so early in the morning, but decided to put the curiosity to rest. If anything, he could ask Addie later. If she was still awake when he got home, anyways.

"But complaining and mentioning it in an annoyed tone aren't the same thing, to be fair." Drew suggested. Ryan only had time to glance at him before Eddie smacked Drew on the arm.

"Hey, that's not the thing we should be worried about, though. Why so happy again, Ryan?"

Ryan was about to reply when Zach cut in for him, "More progress with Ramona."

The other guys nodded as they took note of this.

"That's good." Brent said.

"Yeah," Eddie added, "What was going on this time?"

"Oh, same thing. She was having a hard time letting me in and I helped her. So she's getting better...slowly."

Ryan had little time to beam about anything else, however, for none other than Scotty walked in with another piece of paper, declaring, "New song, everyone!"

The five men cheered mockingly, making Scotty grow anxious and irritated at the same time as he stood before them.

"Do you want me to read them or---?"

"Oh, let me see." Ryan leaned forward and roughly snatched the paper from Scotty's hands. The other guys watched as his eyes scanned the paper, and as he progressed to the bottom, he looked more and more disgusted. Even more so than with the last song.

"Bensen," He looked up with a nasty scowl, "I hope you know we can be trendy without the sex and drugs."

"Sex and drugs just so happen to be the trend." Scotty narrowed his eyes back. Brent heard a small growl from the back of Ryan's throat.

"I'm getting a hint you're just saying that for your benefit." He snarled. Scotty pushed up his glasses and gave a smirk, a confident one that was unusual even from him.

"Well, luckily I don't have to listen to any of you."

He gave all five of them one long, last look, one that made even Brent want to break his abnormally large nose. Then Scotty pretentiously walked out with a quick, "Study those lyrics, Ryan."

They only turned around for a moment before another voice rang out around the room.

"Besides, Tedder, nowhere in your job description does it tell you to criticize and boss around the songwriter."