Sibling Rivalry

Hey, It's Your Ex

"Nathaniel." Ryder gaped, looking at his ex boyfriend in shock. He never really expected to see him again, and yet, here he was, cuddling up to Ashley. 

"Uh, hey Ryder." Nathaniel spoke, his voice heavier and deeper than Ryder last remembered.

"Wait, you guys know each other?" Ryder looked over to Ashley, who was looking between the two of them suspiciously. She had a worried look on her face, as if a bomb was about to go off. Which it may very well if they didn't sort something out. 

"What happened to Thalia?" I ask, ignoring her question. He grips onto Ashley, that same protectiveness soaking out of his stance as it had done when Ryder and he were dating. 

"We broke up. And I see you have recovered moving." He pointed to Conan, who was sitting back and watching the drama unfold with a fun glint in his eye, a smirk on his face. When he noticed he had been gestured, he looked up at Nathaniel with a worried face. 

"What?" He asked simply, making Ryder want to smack him over the back of the head. He could be very absent sometimes. 

"Nathaniel, he's not - " Ryder began but stopped, unable to finish the sentence. "Well, anyway, how... how did you two meet?" Be happy for them, damnit. 

"Uh, we met at the pizza place in town." Ashley squinted her eyes, still looking confused. Ryder turned slightly to look at her twin, he was still sitting, cross-legged on the lounge, looking rather sleepy. It was kind of cute, actually. "How do you two know each other?"  She asked, looking up at Ryder, who was still glued to her side. He let her go, looking down at her. His tall figure was about six inches taller than her. It was cute to see them together. They'd make a good couple. 

Nathaniel was a good, committed guy, who was never even able to cheat. Plus, he was a huge teddy bear. These were the reasons he missed having him. But they mutually decided to not have a long distance relationship, as it would mess them up. So they broke up. He did miss having him, but he didn't want him back. It was only fair to let the poor guy move on. 

"Ashley, me and Nathaniel dated for a few months." She didn't make any noise, just gaped and eventually made an 'o' shape with her mouth. 

"Drama!" Conan piped up from his seemingly permanent seat on the lounge, hardly moving. Ashley turned and glared at him, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. 

"Shut up." She spat, then looked between the two exes. "Did you guys need to talk or anything?" She asked sympathetically, her eyes going soft as if she understood. 

"Uh, I don't really think we have anything to talk about. We cleared everything up before I moved." Ryder cleared his throat, looking up at Nathaniel. "I should go anyway." He pushed past the new couple. 

"Ryder." Nathaniel held onto his wrist, holding him back. He escaped, looking into his brown eyes. 

"Nate, I literally have nothing to say. Be happy." He smiled sincerely, before walking out the door, holding onto the wrist of which Nathaniel touched. He sighed and started to walk home. 

CONAN'S POV

After Ryder left, Conan was sitting on the lounge, looking at the retreating figure that was the guy he liked. "Did you know?" He asked Nathaniel's still standing form. He looked over to him and sighed at his sister holding his hand. He shrugged and began to speak, his voice rough. 

"I didn't know where he was moving to. I'm here because I had to move to my Uncle's house. Which happens to be in this town." He sighed and Conan rolled his eyes. 

"Fuck this. I'm going for a walk." He smiled. "Nice to meet you." He walked out the door, into the street, the darkness overlapping his already dark clothes. He wanted to find Ryder, and he was sure he was being obvious about it. So he walked to Ryder's house. Ten minutes later, he was already at his door, wondering how he was. Was he upset, annoyed, angry? He knocked on the door of Ryder's house, not particularly expecting Ryder to answer it. 

He wasn't surprised when he saw Ryder's mother at the door, holding a frying pan. "Oh hey, Codar, is it?" She asked, smiling rather sweetly at him. She was very pretty, blue, vibrant eyes piercing into him. Her blonde  hair was pulled back into a messy bun and even her clothes were colorful. 

"Conan." He corrected, not being able to hold back a smile in return. 

"Oh, sorry, honey." She smiled. 'An even better name." She laughed, looking him in the eye. "Did you want to see Ryder?" She asked and he smiled as she welcomed him into the house. 

"Oh, he's been talking 'bout you kids, honey. If I didn't know any better, I'd think the pair of you were dating." He smiled, hoping he would end up with Ryder. And not just because of his looks. 

"Oh, really?" He raised an eyebrow at her, wondering if he really did talk about them. 

"Oh, yeah, honey. Trust me, you two together would be amazing." She scoffed and rolled her eyes warmly. They walked into the lounge room, where Ryder was sitting, watching a cricket match. Well, he wasn't really watching it. He was laying down and probably using the boring, mediocre sounds to fall asleep. 

Conan walked over and sat on the lounge, shaking the half asleep boy, who grumbled. 

"The tables have tabled, my friend. Now get the fuck up." Conan smiled down at the boy. 

"I'm good here." He smiled a little into his pillow, before his mouth turned into a frown, his arm covering his face.  Conan returned the smile, looking down at the boy. 

"Come on, get up. I'm taking you out." He shook his arm, smirking when Ryder poked his head ut of his elbow. 

"Can we get chocolate?" 

"Geez, you are such a girl. And yes." 

He followed him out of the house and they walked down to a fun fair where they spent the night, having fun and eating chocolate and fairy floss. At one point, they won a large bear from throwing balls at a can. 

"You have it!" Conan screeched, laughing, looking Ryder in his eyes as he threatened to pour his smoothie on top of the other boy's head. 

"No! I don't want a giant bear. You have it!" Ryder yelled back, before shoving the stuffed animal into Conan's chest. Conan simply scoffed, shoving it back. 

"No way!" He laughed, looking him in his blue eyes. His eyes were sparkling and he looked so happy, not reserved and isolated because of one stupid ex boyfriend. Ryder eventually sighed, and they decided to leave it in Ashley's bed overnight. 

All of a sudden, Ryder stopped walking and turned to face Conan, a sincere smile scarring his face. "Thank you for tonight." He smiled and stepped closer. "I don't even wanna think about Nathaniel right now." He sighed and Conan cleared his throat. 

"Then don't. Duh." He smiled and Ryder punched his arm softly, laughing when he pouted. 

"It's not that easy though." His eyes glazed over and Conan peered at him. His eyes and face held so many emotions. If he could, he would find a way to make him feel better. 

"Just think about people you like, people you can see in your future. That's not going to be Nathaniel. He's in your past, and he may not be a mistake, but you need to let him go. Think if he died." He smiles cheekily, laughing when Ryder gave him a weird look.

"You're right." He smiled and stepped even closer, biting his lip. Conan smiled and let him bring into a warm embrace, hugging him. And, though it was true Conan wanted much more, it seemed this would have to do. He smiled to himself, the feeling of the hug not exactly manly but gentle. 

"I know I'm right." He smirked when Ryder pulled back, their mouths now suspiciously close.

"Shut up." Ryder smiled, making Conan smirk softly. 

"What if I don't wanna?" He teased, the words coming out strangled as Ryder pressed his lips to his, effectively shushing him. Not that he would ever shut up. But he was a good silencer right t the moment. 

Ryder led the kiss, pressing Conan into a tight hug, effectively making out with him. Eventually, and somewhat rudely, Ryder pulled away, looking at Conan, smirking. Conan played with the ends of Ryder's brown hair, before pulling him into another hug, kissing him once more. 

They kissed softly for another few minutes, leaving the fun fair afterwards, happy and content. 

It was a good night.