The Naked Truth [Ryden]

Sixteen: The Awkward Moment When Your Stepdad Knows Who Ryan Ross Is

It was cold, and it was dark, and he shivered, licking his lips. He hugged himself, his heartbeat spiking. He refused to be scared. He refused to be weak.

He didn't recognise anyone, and for the most part, that was good. It meant that nobody would see him and ask him just what the fuck he was doing there. He didn't have an answer for anyone who did.

Standing on the street corner of the shadiest, scum-ridden part of town just seemed like a good idea at the time.

He could see girls who knew what they were doing, who were confident and sexy and beautiful and everything he wasn't. They were gorgeous and classy and he was just in a pair of leather booty shorts and a tank top he'd stolen from Brendon, and some sneakers. He wasn't prepared for this at all. He hadn't thought it through in the slightest.

One by one, the girls left with other men, until he was stood on his own. People passed by, barely sparing him a glance as they went to the next club for the next drink, the next fuck in the toilets, the next dance. They were getting on with their lives. He wasn't.

"You okay there, sweetheart?"

He looked up, seeing a man shrouded by darkness. The first to approach him. He swallowed heavily, and feigned confidence that he really didn't have, confidence that had been shattered. Spencer had made sure of that.

"Depends if you're willing to make me feel better." He bit his lower lip, batting his eyelashes.

"Maybe I can." The man slipped his arm around his waist. "What's your name? Y'know, so I know what I'm supposed to be screaming later."

"I'm Dallon. What should I call you?"

He grinned, beginning to pull Dallon away, towards his car. "Call me Bert."

~

"Mom, this is my babydoll. I'm what's known as his Sugar Daddy."

It was safe to say that Brendon's mom was close to throwing up. At her son's words, she looked Ryan up and down and turned and walked back into the house, leaving the front door open for them. Brendon, with his hand on Ryan's lower back, led the elder into the house, and into the front room, where Brendon's stepfather sat, reading the newspaper.

He looked up when they walked in. "Hey, Brendon."

"Sean." Brendon briefly acknowledged, with a nod and a step closer to his 'babydoll'.

Sean peered at Ryan, who licked his lips, glancing at Brendon. "You're Ryan Ross."

The pornstar's eyes widened, while the model's face flushed. "Uh. Yes, I am." He squeaked, in the most unattractive manner. "I - uh -"

"How the fuck do you know who he is?" Brendon cried, and his mom scolded him from the kitchen.

"He's...pretty famous." He shrugged, going back to his newspaper. "Why don't you show him your old room?"

Brendon rolled his eyes and took Ryan's hand, taking him upstairs. He stopped outside a door that had a typical emo teenage boy sign scrawled on it - Brendon's Room!!! KEEP OUT!!!! - and a smile rose to Ryan's face. "You're about to see sixteen-year-old me, okay? I haven't been in here for like seven years, 'cause I've been sucking dick since I was seventeen. I'd be surprised if they haven't sold all my shit."

He opened the door and stepped in, Ryan following him, and his eyebrows rose. It was the same as the day he'd left it, albeit a bit dusty. He could see a stack of porno magazines under his bed, the corners poking out, with the posters old and fading and the duvet so outdated it was deemed amusing. There were photos on the nightstand of his teenage self, with the friends from school that he never saw anymore, and there were books, accompanied by a few soft toys, on a bookcase in the corner of the room. The closet was open and looked like it had been ransacked, with hangers spilling onto the floor and clothes that he hadn't wanted barely hanging on.