Suck It & See (ryden)

7. The Magic Position

Honestly, I've gained a lot of social experience over the years. I could be a psychologist if I really wanted to. I know how people work.

But Ryan is this one exception just can't figure out.

I realize this as Ryan is tucked to my side, a hand on my stomach, but his eyes are locked on Eden and Alex very drunkenly making out. I continually try to redirect his attention by running my fingers through his hair or kneading his shoulder.

But he's not having it.

"Ry, let it be." I finally say, pulling my hand away from him. "I know you like Alex, but he's with Eden." Ryan's head snaps towards me and he glares at me.

"I don't like him." He hisses.

"You do and that's why I'm here to rescue you." I extent a red solo cup to him and grin. "Drink up kiddo." Ryan rolls his eyes and takes the drink from me. "With a few of those you be happy in no time."

"Are you promoting underage drinking, Brendon?" Ryan asks as he takes the first sip.

"You bet your ass I am. How do you think I got through the first three years of high school? And I intend to continue the trend." I give Ryan one of my smiles that I know could win awards. I'm charming as hell when you let me be, but most people don't get to that point.

"Gotcha cap'n." Well at least I got his attention off Alex. Ryan is now looking at the cup as if it were toxic. "Okay but what the hell is this?"

"Dunno, just grabbed it off the 'refreshments' table."

Ryan rolls his eyes, but there's a ghost of a smile on his face. "That's reassuring." He says and that's the last words that are spoken for a while other than comments on a song or a quiet 'move' as Ryan shifts into a comfortable position against my side.

Continually taking drinks from various tables and people, Ryan nurses from several cups that night and like anyone else in this world, he loosens up more and more with every sip. After so many drinks, the boy looks at me with those honey eyes. "Why aren't you drinking?" He asks.

"Gotta make sure you get home safe, Kitten." I reply and a different kind of smile breaks out on his face then. He doesn't expand further on the subject but a content calm washes over us. The pleased smile stays on his face through that time though and he just happily lets his hand rest on my chest.

***

"Ryan." I whisper, nudging the boy's shoulder gently. "You gotta get up, it's two in the morning." Ryan's eyes flutter up and his eyebrows pull together as he tries to realize where he's at.

"I fell asleep?" He asks quietly and I nod. He lifts his head from my shoulder and frowns. "Oh..." He rubs his eyes a bit and I smile at him. That's one cute boy.

"We gotta head home." He nods and I help him up, eventually practically carrying him to the car. Letting the boy crawl into my back seat tiredly, I kiss his forehead and begin our trek home.

I turn on the radio and The Magic Position by Patrick Wolf begins playing softly. I smile to myself happily at where I've gotten us in this night. The upbeat song sings in my ears and my heart bumps giddily in my chest.

The drive home feels like the shortest trip I've ever made with Ryan lightly snoring in the back seat. I manage to drag the sleeping boy out of my back seat and carry him bridal style into my house. My mom greets me with a confused smile when I meet her in the entrance. "My friend drank too much and I don't want him to get in trouble." I explain honestly.

They say it's the best policy.

"Okay honey." My mom says before leaving me to go to my room freely, Ryan in tow. We not so gracefully make our way up the stairs and into my room, where I toss the passed out teen onto my bed.

Shaking my head I peel his jeans off of him and then mine next. "You're really lucky I care about you." I groan to Ryan before pushing him to one end of my bed and crawling in next to him. "You've got a lot to learn kiddo."

***

"What the fuck..?" A tired whine from next to me wakes me from my practically nonexistent slumber. "Oh shit, I'm gonna puke." I roll my eyes, face half shoved into a pillow.

"Bathrooms right across the hall." I provide, letting Ryan find his way there himself. After a few moments of stumbling I'm sure, I hear the familiar sounds of gagging and heaving.

Been there, done that. No thanks, I'll pass.

I drag my hand over my face and throw the blankets off my body in order to roll out of bed. Shuffling to the bathroom, I find Ryan with his head hanging low in the toilet. "Feel better?" I ask as he tries to steady his breathing.

"A little bit... Why didn't you stop my from drinking so much?" He groans, rubbing his temples groggily.

"You looked like you were having fun, so I let you go. You smiled a lot more." I answer honestly, remembering the way he grinned at me when I made a joke or the soft smirk adorning his lips when I flirted.

Ryan shakes his head, but smiles. "This is really embarrassing." I shrug and sit next to him on the floor, placing a carful hand on his shoulder.

"I've seen a lot worse Kitten. Besides, your morning hair looks super cute so I'm not even thinking about the fact that you just hurled in my toilet." I chuckle, kissing his cheek.

"Oh fuck you Bren." Ryan hisses with absolutely no venom.

"You'd like that huh?" I joke and the kid immediately rolls his eyes and hops to his feet.

"You're ridiculous."

"Eh, but you wouldn't have me any other way."