Boys Will Be Boys *Ryden*

Curiosity, Chemistry, and Complications

Ryan woke sometime around 2 in the morning, thirsty. Everything was quiet except for the white noise of the bus's engine as it made its way toward their next location. They had interviews later that morning, then rehearsal in the afternoon.

Not wanting to wake anyone, he crawled out of his bunk as quietly as possible and made his way towards the refrigerator. As he approached, he was surprised to hear voices speaking softly from the lounge area. He slowed, then stopped just out of sight, close enough to eavesdrop.

He heard Spencer first. "It's just funny, you know?" he was saying quietly. He gave a low laugh and continued, "It's like we're the Grateful Dead or Phish or something. I didn't think people still followed bands from city to city like that anymore."

"Well, it's not like she's following us for the whole tour," came Brendon's muted response. "Tonight was the first show she's come to and she's only coming to the next two cities. She said it was her friend's idea."

"Sure it was her friend's idea," Spencer said in an amused tone. "She didn't exactly waste any time texting you."

"Yeah, I gotta admit that surprised me a little bit. I figured she'd at least wait until closer to the show tomorrow."

"So what are you thinking? You gonna meet up with her?"

There was a pause while Brendon mulled it over, and Ryan found himself waiting with bated breath, his stomach twisting with that anxious feeling that was becoming all too familiar to him lately. Brendon's answer, when it finally came, did nothing to put him more at ease.

"Well, yeah, I guess. I can't exactly blow her off, not when she's going to all this effort to see me."

Spencer laughed again. "Jeez, don't sound so excited, man. She's friggin' gorgeous. It's not like spending time with her is gonna be painful," Slyly, he added, "Unless, of course, she's into that sort of thing..."

Brendon snickered at that. "Shut up, asshole. She doesn't strike me as the kinky type. She's got those damn sexy eyes, though. That's the first thing I noticed when I met her at that party."

There was a rustling sound as Spencer stood up and stretched, and Ryan could hear the grin on his voice as he said, "Well, I'm going to bed. Just promise me that if anything happens, you'll share the dirty details. I haven't gotten laid in weeks, so I'll just live vicariously through you for now."

Ryan didn't have time to sneak back to his bunk without being seen, so on a split-second decision he tried to play it casual by entering the room just as Spencer exited, deliberately bumping into the drummer as if he hadn't know anyone else was awake. Rubbing his eyes as though he was still half asleep rather than wide awake and reeling with an unwelcome combination of nerves and jealousy, he said, "Oh, sorry, man. I thought everyone was asleep. I was coming to get a drink of water."

He kept his eyes straight ahead as walked past the table, but he could feel Brendon giving him a sidelong glance, trying to ascertain exactly how much, if anything, Ryan had overheard. Ryan bent down and grabbed a bottle of water from the mini fridge, then straightened up, turned around and jumped a little, pretending to be startled by the other boy's presence. Brendon wasn't the only one who could put on a show. "Shit, I didn't see you there. You scared the crap out of me."

Brendon sized him up for a minute, then seemed to buy his act. Or maybe he just decided it was easier to pretend right along with him. "Sorry," he said, and yawned. "Spencer and I couldn't sleep, so we were just shootin' the shit." He rose from the booth and walked over to Ryan, who twisted the lid off the water bottle and took a long swallow from it, keeping his eyes locked on Brendon's the entire time. Brendon reached out his hand. "Can I have a sip?"