Take Me | Rydon

xii.

"I'll show you my room." Brendon takes Ryan's hand, subconsciously lacing their fingers together and Ryan smiles because of it.

They head into Brendon's bedroom and Ryan takes a good look around.

The paint is peeling, there's an actual hole in the wall, showing insulation and support beams. The ceiling looks like it's caving in and the carpet is filthy.

"You're not staying here anymore." Ryan says instantly, as if he as a say in where Brendon can and cannot live. "I'm not gonna let this piece of shit kill you."

Brendon can't help but laugh as he takes his work clothes from yesterday off and changes into something else.

He knows Ryan is watching him, and so he takes his time to do it.

Ryan's got his hand up to his mouth, biting on his finger to try and prevent himself from tackling Brendon to the bed and having his way with him like he did this afternoon.

Brendon strips completely, from head to toe, and Ryan's eyes are glued to Brendon's beautiful, round ass. His dick was just inside of it just a few hours ago. Ryan wonders if he's still got come spilling from it, despite their shared shower before they left the hotel. He could go and spread Brendon's cheeks and find out.

But Brendon pulls a clean pair of boxer briefs on before Ryan has enough courage to do it.

"And where else would I go?" Brendon asks, pulling a pair of dark gray sweatpants on. He doesn't bother with a shirt as he goes and sits on his perfectly made bed. "This is the cheapest place I could find."

"It's a waste, that's what it is." Ryan joins Brendon on the bed, making Brendon lie next to him.

Brendon obliges and curls into Ryan's side. 

"Well it's all I can afford right now." Brendon doesn't feel like talking about his shitty apartment. He'd much rather lie here with Ryan and do nothing but familiarize himself with Ryan's form again.

"You know," Ryan starts, speaking in a low voice, kissing Brendon's forehead a couple times. "you could come back to Connecticut with me."

Brendon's heart skips a beat and he doesn't know what he should say to that.

He can't just leave his job and he definitely can't leave Emily.

Although Brendon could transfer and Emily could go back to living in a nice house with her parents. She only moved out because she wanted to feel independent. And because Brendon needed a roommate and Emily was just so kind to offer.

But most of all, Brendon swore to himself that he'd never go back to that state again. He doesn't want to be reminded of his stupid decisions and mistakes. He doesn't want to go back into the house. He can't, because all he'll see if images of the morning he left. He'll walk in the front door, see an exhausted, sleeping Ryan lying in the hallway, waiting for Brendon to throw his fit and come out to talk to him. He'll see a white sheet of paper on the counter, folded once with Ryan's name written in red, and then he'll see all those words he regrets writing inside of that paper.

"I don't know Ryan." Brendon says, even quieter. "You have to give me time to process this."

He shifts himself like he's trying to press his body closer to Ryan.

Ryan doesn't push it any further. He'll wait for Brendon to make up his mind.

And if Brendon doesn't want to go back to Connecticut, maybe Ryan can get used to Maryland.

"So what'd you do after you left? Where'd you go?" Ryan brings himself to ask, because he needs to know these things.

Brendon hesitates before speaking.