Don't Touch Me [ryden]

(13) Escape

"I promise" Brendon tells Ryan, holding so much more meaning to his words that what he initially meant. Maybe it was how beautiful Ryan looked in this light, or how the boy was practically sitting right next to him on his now dirty hoodie, or maybe just because that Ryan for once made Brendon feel like he trusted him. Which was a huge progress in Brendon's book, let alone being drunk at 2 am, it made his heart flutter.

"Why can't it be like this everyday?" Tyler slurs out of the blue as he stares at the view and everyone gives him a questioning look, although Brendon did sort of agree on his statement already loving the fact that he was sitting on the hood of his car with Ryan Ross, as cheesy as that already sounds. "What do you mean?" Brendon shifts to face Tyler. "What's wrong Ty?" He notices Tyler beginning to play with the rim of the bottle, still not making eye contact and his voice shaky. Pete gives him a friendly pat in the back and throws his arms around the smaller boy with a smile. "It's alright Tyler, you don't have to if you don't want to. We can tell Brendon some other time."

"Yeah" Tyler manages to choke out but smiles as he passes the bottle to Brendon once again and Brendon takes a swig. "I'm really glad I met you guys, and Brendon, and you too Ryan I guess." Ryan glares but gives him a slight nod afterwards.

They stay silent after a while just looking at the city ahead and how quiet, loud, and shitty it was in the best way, but it was theirs and Brendon wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now, not in his parent's house, not with Dallon, not with the rest of the world looking at him and judging him. He had enough growing up, and it was times like this that he lived for, being in this world but isolated in a way he was only with a few people he barely knew but it felt genuine and that's what mattered to him.

"So, Brendon" Ryan starts and Brendon's heart does somersaults right there but he coughs it out and chokes out a "What's up?" Ryan folds his legs in a crisscross manner before taking the tequila bottle in between Brendon's hands and wiping its rim with his shirt then takes a swig which makes Brendon's eyes widen in shock. "What?" Ryan asks and Brendon blinks a couple of times before grinning so widely. "Look at you Ross, sharing a bottle with the rest of us." Brendon laughs and so does Ryan, he even looks more beautiful like that, Brendon mentally says as he stares at the boy, watching Ryan like that made him want to pounce on him, he looked different with his now messed up hair, the red glow in Ryan's cheek just below the baggy moons under his eyes and his nose, his damp and pink lips that looked so soft and the slightly tired vibe he was giving. He looked laid back, and relaxed and his smile was genuine. He wasn't the secluded uptight Ryan he knew who hated Brendon.

"Are you finally going to tell me why you were crying today?" Ryan says as he hands Brendon the bottle.

Brendon raises the bottle to his lips then let's the liquid run down his throat leaving a burning sensation before lowering it down and wiping his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket. "Yeah, that." He breathes leaning on the windshield again. "I just, it was dumb you know. I was trying to um--I was at the library, and I was looking for books" he starts and Ryan listens closely, actually interested in what happened. "Well I figured I'd try and take control of my ADHD you know, so I tried to borrow a book and maybe read. I promised myself I would try and finish it without losing interest in it you know, because I wanted to prove to myself that I can do it without my dumb condition getting in the way and I--" he trails of and starts sniffling and Ryan's heart starts to ache for Brendon. He didn't know it would be that hard for him, he hated Brendon all this time for something he obviously couldn't control. "I didn't get to finish it, and I just got so upset and mad at myself and I wanted to talk, but Dallon wasn't there, and now he's hanging out with Josh. I don't know, it's just stupid."

"It's not stupid Brendon. I get it and it's not so bad so don't beat yourself up too much about it." Ryan says awkwardly not really knowing what else he could say. Brendon's stomach starts to stir and he looks at Ryan with his face slightly disoriented and Ryan looks at him confused. "What is that? What are you doing?" Brendon feels it again, only worse this time "I don't know it's--" before he could even finish his sentence Brendon hurled up what was in his stomach right in front of Ryan and the gooey chunky substance was everywhere, even on Ryan's shirt and Spencer, Pete and Tyler somehow found it funny and gross but started panicking once Ryan's eyes fluttered shut as he passed out right in front of a shocked Brendon.