**
“Dude, this is insane.”
“No, what’s insane is you wearing flip-flops in the middle of winter. I know it’s Vegas, but it does get cold here too, you know.” Brendon looked over at Jon from where they were crouched behind a cluster of barrel cactus on the edge of the lunch area. Jon was clothed in a thin tee-shirt, jeans, and black flip-flops from Old Navy.
“Brendon, you do know this is crazy, right?”
Brendon just glared at him. “He stole him from me!”
“Good, just so we’re clear.” Jon turned back to watch the two boys they’d been… ahem… selectively following for the past few days straight.
Brendon turned back also, his eyes narrowed as he glared over the cactus at the boys sitting at one of the outside lunch tables. They weren’t eating lunch, just sitting and talking, and laughing.
Jon could literally hear Brendon’s teeth grinding and the growl in his throat as he glared at the boys. Sighing, he stood up.
“Jon!” Brendon exclaimed. “What are you doing?!”
Jon looked down at him, rolling his eyes. “Helping you with your problem.”
“No, stop it!” Brendon said, grabbing Jon’s arm and pulling him back down.
“Ow!” Jon exclaimed when he fell on a few cactus needles. “Shit, Brendon!”
“Relax, your flip-flops are fine,” Brendon mumbled dismissively, not even paying attention. His eyes were back on the boys and he scoffed as they stood up and walked away. “I hate him!” he said, sitting back, looking put-out.
Jon plucked out the last needle and flicked it away. He clapped a hand on Brendon’s back and gave him a sympathetic smile. “Dude, you’re just gonna have to let him go.”
Brendon stared at him. “Are you stupid?”
Jon thought hard for a moment, then shook his head. “Nope. But you have to face the facts.”
“No, I refuse!” Brendon insisted, standing up finally, a determined look on his face. “Spencer Smith is my best friend! I refuse to let Ryan Ross steal him away.”
And without another word, Brendon went storming off across the lunch area, Jon following leisurely behind, humming to himself.
Brendon was mad. Spencer was his friend, not Ryan’s. Who ever gave Ryan the right to come in and steal his best friend away? No one, that’s who. Brendon was determined to get Spencer away from Ryan’s slimy clutches and back into sanity. Away from the world of rock bands and eyeliner. He needed to be with sane people again. Ryan Ross was weird. That was all it was. He was weird, and he was dragging Spencer down with him!
Brendon stopped at the entrance to the indoor cafeteria, peering inside. Ryan and Spencer were sitting at another table inside, talking quietly together. The sight made Brendon’s stomach turn, and his eyes narrowed. He was about to march right in there and pull Spencer away when Jon appeared suddenly at his side, as though he’d popped out of nowhere.
He grabbed Brendon’s arm, which made Brendon squeak. “Where’d you come from?”
“I can fly.”
Brendon just stared, then shook his head and looked back inside. He sighed angrily. “Jon,” he whined, pouting and leaning into his friend. “Get Spencer back. Ryan’s too weird for him.”
Jon patted Brendon’s head comfortingly, then pushed him away and walked inside, much to Brendon’s shock. His eyes widened significantly and he pressed himself against the wall to watch.
Jon strode across the room confidently, coming up behind Spencer unnoticed and tapping him on the shoulder. Spencer turned around and smiled when he saw Jon.
“Jon, have you met Ryan?” he said, indicating the dark-haired boy sitting next to him. His eyes were smudged with coal and he simply looked up at Jon.
Jon smiled. “No, I’m Jon. Hey, Spencer?” he added
“Yeah?” Spencer asked, looking up at him.
“There’s a spider in your hair.”
“What?!” Spencer shrieked, jumping up and brushing off his hair quickly. “Where is it? Did you get it?”
Jon’s hand hovered over Spencer’s hair, but he didn’t touch it. After a second, he brushed off Spencer’s shoulder. “Yeah, but you might want to check.” Spencer gave him a frightened look and scurried off to the bathroom.
Now that he was gone, Jon dropped into his vacated seat and smiled warmly at Ryan. Ryan just stared back.
“So, Ryan,” Jon said thoughtfully. “How do you like Vegas so far?”
Ryan shrugged, poking at the sandwich that lay in front of him. “It’s alright, I guess.”
“You and Spencer seem to be getting pretty close,” Jon said with a wink and a nudge.
Ryan frowned. “How is that any of your business? We’re just friends.”
“I’m psychic.”
Ryan frowned again. “Right…”
Jon smiled. “Well, if you need to talk to anyone.” He got up and left Ryan sitting all alone. When he got back to where Brendon had been, Brendon was gone. Smiling and whistling to himself, he strolled away.
**
Brendon crept around the corner, pushing the door that read Men open. He took a breath and strode in normally.
“Spencer!” he cried, acting surprised, but his voice echoed horribly around them and Spencer jumped about a mile in the air.
”Brendon!” Spencer yelped, holding his heart like he was going to have a heart attack. “What are you doing?”
“Giving you a heart attack, of course,” Brendon replied cheerfully, bouncing up to Spencer’s side and hugging him. “I miss you.”
“Miss me?” Spencer repeated, confused, inspecting his hair in the mirror. “What do you mean? I haven’t gone anywhere.”
“You’re always with Ryan now,” Brendon whined, resting his head on Spencer’s shoulder and staring at him in the mirror. “What’s so special about him?”
Spencer looked confused in the mirror. “He’s just a new friend. He’s new, he doesn’t know anybody else.”
“There are other people in the school,” Brendon pouted, ruffling Spencer’s hair, which he’d just gotten into place.
“Are you jealous?” Spencer asked, his lips tugging into a smile.
“No!” Brendon exclaimed indignantly, backing away from Spencer, who turned around. “I just miss you! You need to hang out with me again. What about tomorrow?”
Spencer paused, thinking. “Can Ryan come?”
Brendon sighed, frustrated. “I guess,” he said finally.
Spencer just smiled. “Don’t worry, he’s cool.”
“Yeah,” Brendon muttered.
He wasn’t happy. Ryan had shown up at school just a few weeks ago and in that time, he’d managed to steal Brendon’s best friend since kindergarten away from him. He didn’t see how it was possible, but it had happened. One day he’d had a best friend and the next, he was nowhere to be seen!
Instead, he had enlisted Jon in helping him get his friend back and Ryan out of their lives. So far, it hadn’t really worked too well. Jon regarded the whole thing as increasingly hilarious and was almost no help, except to freak Spencer out or make him uncomfortable, which he seemed to be quite good at. Brendon didn’t question where that came from.
Spencer patted Brendon’s head, much like Jon had, and left the bathroom. Brendon sighed, feeling left out once more.
**
“Jon, you’ve got to distract Spencer so I can talk to Ryan.”
They were sitting on a bench in front of the school, waiting for Spencer and Ryan to meet them so they could go hang out at Brendon’s house.
“Distract him?” Jon asked interestedly. “Like with an ice cube down his pants?”
Brendon rolled his eyes. He would have thought Jon was smarter than that. “I mean take him somewhere for a while, keep him busy. Can you do that?”
Jon was smirking. “I think I can do that.”
Brendon sighed and looked back at the front door. School had ended ten minutes ago and the flood of students had diminished to a trickle. Brendon was chewing on his lip, a nervous habit, when Spencer and Ryan finally came out of the school. Ryan looked uneasy when approaching the group.
Brendon jumped up and hugged Spencer tightly. “Ready?” He looked at Ryan, his smile falling a little. “Hey, Ryan.”
“Hi,” Ryan said quietly.
Jon was just humming to himself, his eyes sparkling, as he led the way to his old beat-up pickup truck. “Somebody’s gonna have to squish,” he said, “or sit on a lap.”
Brendon, Ryan, and Spencer looked at each other.
“I call middle!” Spencer and Brendon shouted at the same time. Whoever got the middle didn’t have to be sat on.
They glared at each other for a moment and turned to Jon to be the tie-breaker. He smiled for a second. “Spencer.”
“Aww,” Brendon whined, pulling open the door and waiting for Spencer to climb in and settle himself snugly next to Jon. Brendon climbed in next and buckled the seatbelt, waiting for Ryan. Ryan was hesitating at the door and when Brendon looked at him, frowned.
“Come on,” Brendon urged.
Ryan took a breath and finally climbed inside, setting himself delicately on top of Brendon. He was actually heavier than he looked and Brendon was surprised. He looked as though he’d weigh as much a small dog, but he was actually much heavier. His weight was warm and comfortable on Brendon’s lap, but Brendon just pulled an annoyed face and looked out the window.
The desert landscape slipped past the windows as the truck grumbled and rumbled to Brendon’s subdivision. All the houses in the development looked the same, but Brendon’s was the one with a Christmas lights cleverly disguised on the cactus in the front yard. Their Home-Owner’s Association was strict about decorations.
With a push, Brendon and Ryan nearly fell out the door and onto the sidewalk.
Brendon dusted him off as he got his footing and stood up straight. Spencer and Jon slid out of the car more smoothly. Brendon fished his keys out of his backpack and unlocked the front door, pushing it open to the sound of jingling bells on the inside door handle.
Tossing his bag in a corner, Brendon led the way to the living room where he flopped down on one of the white couches. Spencer joined him and Ryan sat conservatively in an armchair across the way. Jon perched on the couch’s arm by Spencer.
Brendon took a breath and looked at Ryan, who was quietly inspecting the place. It was decently sized, decorated all in beige, of course. In the desert you’d be hard pressed to find any other color of decorating.
“So, Ryan,” Brendon said suddenly, breaking the silence that had fallen in the group. “How do you like Vegas?”
“It’s okay.” Ryan shrugged.
Brendon nodded, glancing at Spencer, who was staring straight ahead, not blinking. Brendon frowned, but ignored it.
“Do you have a lot of friends?” Brendon asked, his tone a little colder.
Ryan shrugged again. “A few.”
Brendon nodded, glancing again at Spencer, who still wasn’t moving. His face was getting redder. Brendon tilted his head to the side and glanced at Jon above Spencer. Jon was humming softly, gazing at the carpet.
Brendon just shook his head and looked back at Ryan, who seemed to be inspecting a piece of art that hung over the mantle. He looked back at Brendon when he realized he was being stared at.
“What?” he asked finally.
Brendon just shrugged obviously, his expression barely hiding his dislike. He looked at Jon, wishing he would hurry up and distract Spencer so he could talk to Ryan alone.
Brendon sat in the unbearable silence that had descended again until he thought he heard a small squeak from Spencer. Looking over, Spencer’s face was very red.
“Are you okay, Spence?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Spencer said, sounding breathless. “I—I’ll be right back.”
He got up carefully and turned from them all, walking stiffly for the stairs. Jon watched him go and hopped off the couch. “I’ll make sure he’s okay,” he said brightly and took off after him.
Jon followed Spencer up the stairs and waited until he was around the corner to grab his arm and swing him around against the wall. Holding Spencer there, he smirked.
“Well, Mr. Smith, sneaking away so soon?”
“Jon,” Spencer whined, his eyes pleading and Jon's other hand wandering down Spencer's torso to his very hard cock. “Don’t, not he—”
“I’ll be quick. You forget,” Jon whispered against Spencer’s ear, only bringing a whimper from his lips. “I can fly.” His lips brushed against the shell of Spencer’s ear, and it wasn’t long before Spencer was a whimpering mess.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Brendon was giving Ryan the evil eye, or as evil as he could manage being a good Mormon boy. Ryan looked a little uneasy under Brendon’s stare and kept glancing hopefully at the stairs as if Spencer might come back soon.
“Why do you like Spencer so much?” Brendon blurted out without any kind of preamble.
Ryan looked surprised. “I don’t want to date him if that’s what you mean.”
“What? No!” Brendon exclaimed. “Where would you get that idea?”
Ryan shrugged. “You touch him a lot.”
“We’re friends,” Brendon said. “Best friends… until you came along.”
“Huh?”
Brendon glared at Ryan again. “Why’d you steal Spencer away?”
“I didn’t steal him!” Ryan exclaimed, his hazel eyes angry underneath all his eyeliner.
“Yes, you did!” Brendon said. “You took him away and got him into all that… stuff!”
“Stuff?” Ryan repeated. "What kind of stuff?”
“Rock bands! And makeup! And-and other stuff!” Brendon didn’t really know what he was saying, but he knew he was mad and he knew it was Ryan’s fault.
Ryan was looking at Brendon like he was crazy. “Has anyone ever told you you’re insane?”
“Yes!” Brendon said defiantly. “…Wait.”
Ryan just rolled his eyes. “This is stupid. I’m not stealingyour friend. He can make his own choices.”
“Well, he shouldn’t choose you!” Brendon exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest childishly. Ryan got up from his arm chair, looking angry.
“And who should he choose? You’re not his mother.”
Brendon stood up also. “Yeah, well, I’m his best friend.”
Ryan scoffed. “That makes no difference. He’s a big boy. I’m sure he can manage.”
Brendon frowned. “Well, why do you hang out with him so much, then?” he demanded, feeling like he was losing the battle.
Ryan just stared at him. “Spencer said you were thick, but I didn’t think he meant this badly.”
“Hey!” Brendon exclaimed. “I am not stupid.”
“Yeah, you are,” Ryan said matter-of-factly.
“Not!” Brendon yelled, getting angry. This Ryan kid was really getting on his bad side.
He was too busy being angry to notice Ryan coming closer. He was not stupid. Ryan was for thinking he was. Yeah, that was right, right? Brendon wasn’t sure anymore. He was getting confused, which made him angry. It was Ryan’s fault. Right, all Ryan’s fault.
He turned around sharply to find Ryan only a few inches from him. "Wha—" he started to say but was startled and stumbled backwards as Ryan moved forward, pressing his lips to Brendon’s.
Brendon made a startled noise in his throat and tried to push Ryan away, but his body was pressed warm and tight against his, Ryan’s arms around his neck, holding him in place.
He tried to resist but Ryan’s urgent lips on his own were too much to take and he found himself opening his mouth for Ryan’s searching tongue. It was warm and wet and slid perfectly against Brendon’s. Ryan’s lips were soft and warm, his teeth pulling Brendon’s lower lip into his mouth, swallowing Brendon’s moan.
Finally, Brendon seemed to snap to his senses and shoved Ryan away. He didn’t even pause to take in Ryan’s disheveled appearance, his reddened lips and pink-tinged cheeks, flyaway hair. Well, maybe a little.
“What was that?” he demanded, trying hard to regain with breath.
“Why I’ve been hanging out with Spencer,” Ryan said simply, running a hand through his messy hair and trying to push it back into place.
Brendon stared at him. “You’re insane.”
“So are you.”
Brendon thought about it for a second, then scowled. “You’re using Spencer!”
Ryan sighed. “No, he’s helping me.”
“Helping you what?”
Ryan gave Brendon an obvious look, and Brendon’s eyes widened. “Ohhh.”
Ryan nodded. “Yeah.”
Brendon smiled shyly. He’d never had a guy do that for him before. He didn’t protest, then, when Ryan wrapped his arms around his neck again and pressed his lean body against his. Ryan looked up and smirked at him, his dark eyes gleaming through the dark eyeliner. Brendon decided he liked eyeliner.
Slowly, Ryan pressed his lips to Brendon’s again, this time it was easier and Brendon kissed him back harder. Ryan’s hand slipped down Brendon’s back and he nipped at Brendon’s lower lip. Soon, they were falling into the couch in tangle of limbs, Ryan sitting on top of Brendon, his hands underneath his shirt.
“I can fly!” came a cry from the stairs and Brendon sat up quickly, hair a mess and lips red, to see Jon jumping down the stairs from about halfway up, arms out, and landing with a thud on the carpet below. Spencer appeared at the head of the stairs and walked safely down them all.
He smirked when he saw Ryan and Brendon on the couch in such a compromising position. Jon didn’t seem to care. Spencer just walked over to him. “You’re not Peter Pan.”
“But I have my Tinkerbell,” Jon said sweetly, stroking Spencer’s cheek which made him turn bright red. Jon laughed at the color of his face and turned to Brendon and Ryan still on the couch. “Are my flip-flops safe from barrel cactus?” he asked simply. Brendon nodded and Jon nodded. “Good.”
Then Jon grabbed Spencer’s hand and dragged him to the front door. “See you tomorrow,” he called as the door slammed shut behind them.
Brendon looked up at Ryan and grinned. “My parents won’t be home for a couple hours.”
Ryan paused, then leaned into Brendon’s ear. “Want to show me your room?”
Brendon’s eyes lit up and he smiled. “I’ll give you the grand tour.” Pulling Ryan up from the couch, he kept hold of his hand as he looked around the room. “Shall we start with the kitchen?”
“A clean counter?” Ryan asked. “Sounds perfect.”
Brendon just laughed and led the way to the kitchen, the doors swinging behind them.
**
FIN