It takes Sunday - which Brendon spent at home, being fussed over by his horrified mother - for Brendon to realise he's well and truly doomed.
Though he should be preoccupied with the fact that his mother is crying and telling him that she doesn't know what to do if he carries on getting beaten up so badly, and sobbing in a bored-looking Rodney's arms, he isn't. His mind isn't on the two of them, at all.
He genuinely can't tear his thoughts away from one Ryan Ross.
Whenever he remembers the day before, spent curled up on Ryan's bed with it's owner, kissing and murmuring to one another, a smile comes across his lips and he let's out a light sigh. He doesn't know how it's possible to miss somebody after one night without them, but he does. He misses Ryan more than he's ever missed anything in his entire life.
He just wants to feel Ryan's lips against his again, or even just to lie next to him, playing with the boy's dark hair. It's almost as though there's a magnetic pull within him, drawing him to the thought of Ryan, and it keeps making him blush and smile at the most inappropriate of moments. He's beginning to feel quite like a girl, and that depresses him just a little.
Well, it depresses him until he remembers Ryan, and he begins to smile again.
*
It's Monday morning break, and Brendon sits on a bench with Jon and Spencer. Timothy hasn't been in any of his lessons so far - Brendon guesses he's playing truant or something, for which he's grateful - but neither has Ryan, which worries him slightly more.
Jon and Spencer are so unbelievably wrapped up with each other, that Brendon can't quite understand why nobody seems to have noticed. Spencer told him that they were keeping their relationship a secret to all but their closest friends, but to Brendon, well. It's just so damn obvious, and he only feels the slightest sting of annoyance that he's been the only one targeted for being gay.
This annoyance fades fast, though, because he realises that he'd rather be beaten up than any of his friends. He wouldn't wish it upon anybody. Well, maybe Timothy or Rodney, when he thinks about it, but that's another matter entirely.
"I still can't believe Timothy and that lot did that to you," Jon says, quietly, bringing Brendon's thoughts back to the conversation. He looks down at his feet at the words, a little ashamed. His bruises are still dark and obvious, even if he's wearing long sleeves and baggy clothes. "I'll have a word with them. It's disgusting."
"Don't," Brendon pleads, looking up and meeting Jon's concerned expression. "It'll just make things worse. When you stood up for me in the changing room, he said that he'd hit you too. I don't want anybody else to get hurt over this. It's over now, and he's probably got it out of his system, so there's no point trying to get revenge or anything."
"But he can't get away with it," Spencer protests, shaking his head. "It's just wrong."
"I know it is, but there's no point in --"
Brendon stops mid-sentence, as his phone begins to ring in his pocket. He fishes it out, and answers, curious as to who would be ringing him at this time. "Hello?"
"Hey," come Ryan's voice, and Brendon smiles. "Where are you? I've just got into school and I want to see you."
"I'm in the courtyard," Brendon explains, feeling stupidly excited at the prospect of seeing him again. "I'm with Spencer and Jon."
"See you in a minute," Ryan promises, and hangs up. Brendon puts his phone away and then looks up, to see Jon and Spencer gazing at him questioningly. Obviously, they've got no idea who else Brendon could be friends with at school. He'd be surprised if he were them, too.
"That was Ryan," he explains, attempting to sound casual. It kind of accidentally slipped his mind to tell the two of them about his and Ryan's relationship. "He's coming to meet us."
"Ryan?" Spencer asks, sharply, sharing a look with Jon. "As in Ryan Ross?"
"Um, yeah, actually." Brendon shifts his weight from one foot to the other as Jon and Spencer share another, startled look, but before either of them can say anything, Brendon feels somebody's fingers brush lightly against his, and he looks to his side to see Ryan there, smiling. There's something strange about his smile, however.
Brendon's insides burst to life as he examines the boy next to him, nonetheless. He's tempted to pounce on him, but he's not sure the five or so people in the courtyard with them will really take that well to him doing so. Ryan raises his eyebrows, gazing straight into Brendon's eyes, and asks, "Is anybody watching us?"
Brendon glances around, quickly, to see that everybody else is preoccupied with their own conversations, and nobody is looking their way. He shakes his head, wondering what on earth Ryan could want to know that for. Ryan smiles at his response, leans forward, and brushes his lips against Brendon's, before pulling back with an even bigger smile.
"Hi," Brendon laughs, warmly, somehow managing to resist pulling the boy closer for a longer, deeper kiss. "How come you've just got to school?"
Ryan looks at the floor, kicking at it with his trainer. "Uh. My mom isn't very well."
"Oh, what's wrong with her?" Brendon asks, hoping he sounds as sympathetic as he is.
Ryan colours, and shrugs, and Brendon knows he's not about to get an answer. He can imagine what's happened, and it involves a certain Mr. Ross, but he's not about to make the accusation after what happened last time he did.
Brendon glances at Spencer and Jon, to see them staring at the two of them, mouths open. He realises, suddenly, that they probably weren't expecting Ryan to come up and kiss him, and he feels a bit awkward, knowing that some sort of explanation is due.
"Er. Ryan and I, um, happen to be. Well." Brendon realises, suddenly, that he actually has no idea. Are they in a relationship? Or is this just kind of an experiment for Ryan, what with Brendon being the first person for him to kiss? He glances at Ryan, for help, and Ryan runs a finger down his arm, moving closer to him as he faces the bewildered looking pair.
"We happen to be in a relationship," Ryan explains, with a sunny smile. Spencer's eyebrows raise instantly, and Jon looks stunned. "I know that you both probably don't want Brendon to be anywhere near me. I know the sort of rumours that go round."
Spencer looks suddenly guilty, and Jon looks a bit sympathetic. He glances at Spencer, gives his knee a reassuring squeeze, and then turns back to Ryan. "Well, I'm not going to deny that I've heard some things," Jon shrugs, but he holds a hand out to Ryan. "If Brendon obviously doesn't believe them, then I don't see why I should. I'm sorry if I ever came across as rude or judgemental."
"It's okay," Ryan says, sounding surprised and grateful as he shakes Jon's hand.
Spencer looks a bit more reluctant to apologise, but he gives Brendon a long, hard look, and then sighs, heavily. "I guess I don't believe the rumours, either," he says, though he doesn't sound sure. He doesn't offer Ryan his hand, either, but Ryan doesn't look too perturbed.
"Should we get to Music?" he asks Brendon, after glancing at his watch.
Brendon nods, and gets off the bench, walking towards the school, Spencer and Jon close behind them both. He can hear Jon murmuring something calming and persuasive to Spencer, but doesn't bother to eavesdrop, this time. He remembers what Spencer had said about Ryan, something about having seen him in a rage and how he's not to be trusted, and he can understand why Spencer is so hesitant to form a friendship.
He just hopes that Ryan can prove to him - to them all - that he isn't what everybody thinks he is.
As they get into the corridor and make their way to lesson, Ryan's fingers brush against his again, and they share a small, secret smile. Thoughts of Ryan's temper leave Brendon instantly, replaced by thoughts of simply Ryan, and he's very tempted to skip Music altogether and just drag Ryan into a bathroom or something.
Just as he considers doing this, somebody bangs - hard - into his shoulder, causing him to stumble sideways slightly, into his boyfriend. (Boyfriend, his mind thinks. Ryan is his boyfriend, and he can't get over the fact.) He straightens, blinking in surprise, and looks at the culprit to find a grinning Timothy.
"Well, if it isn't the little fairy-boy, daring to show his face," Timothy laughs, surveying the bruises that are showing, even with Brendon's baggy clothes. "Somebody got you out of that locker, then?"
He arrogantly tosses a piece of candy up into the air and catches it in his mouth, effortlessly. Brendon can feel himself going red, looking at the floor. It's embarrassing enough to be reminded of it, but it's even worse when he's with three of his friends.
As Timothy rummages around his bag of sweets for another, somebody knocks into him, sending the bag straight to the floor. His face darkens, as his eyes fall onto Ryan - who is standing there, gazing at him expressionlessly - and he reaches down to pick it up. However, Ryan bends to pick it up, too, and before Brendon knows what's happening, he sees a quick flash of silver, and then it's gone, again.
"Fuck!" Timothy shouts, standing up and clutching his hand to his chest. He stares at Ryan - who is straightening, with a small and innocent smile - with wide, angry eyes, and then down at his hand, which is bleeding profusely. "Did you just fucking stab me?"
"No," Ryan replies, looking surprised, glancing at the bloody mess of Timothy's index finger. "Wow. That bag must be surprisingly sharp."
"You just - fuck - what the fuck is wrong with you?" Timothy asks, a small inflection of fear in his voice as he stares at the boy.
"Nothing at all," Ryan shrugs, still smiling. "You should go to the school nurse and get that looked at, though. It looks quite serious."
Timothy glances at it, and seems to realise that Ryan is right. He gives him one, last, menacing look, before turning on his heel and attempting to walk off. Ryan, however, darts in front of him, causing him to draw up short. "Oh, and I've got a little piece of information that you'd do well to remember."
"What's that, then?" Timothy asks, staring down at Ryan, suspiciously.
"I know that fairies are real vulnerable and all, and it's easy to tear off their wings," Ryan says, lightly, and then glances meaningfully at Brendon, "but this fairy has protection, okay? I wouldn't do anything to him, unless you want your heart cutting out."
Timothy stares between Ryan and Brendon, and then slowly shakes his head. "You're fucked up," he mutters, in a growl, and then pushes past him, soon disappearing into crowds of students wandering to their classes.
"Well, Music, then," Ryan replies, brightly, leading the way. Spencer and Jon slowly follow - looking shocked, and fairly concerned, but Brendon stands still for a moment, breath strangely heavy.
Ryan just stabbed somebody. He played it off as nothing, but he just stabbed somebody. In defence of him, yes, but still. There was a knife and a wound and blood, and all because of Ryan. His boyfriend - his quiet, vulnerable, misunderstood, beautiful boyfriend - just stabbed somebody.
"Brendon? Are you coming?" Ryan calls, having come to a stop a few steps ahead, looking back at the frozen boy, curiously. "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing," Brendon lies, forcing a smile on his face, and he hurries to catch up, causing Ryan to smile and carry on walking, Brendon by his side.
All the time he's wondering what the hell he's got himself into.