Back Again//// Ryden **Completed**

Welcome back- Not

Brendon's POV

"Great job everyone! I'll see you in a few weeks. Tour stops for a little bit, but we do have some interviews and acoustic sessions." I announce backstage, after our last concert for the first leg of the tour.

"Ah, I'll miss you!" Zack cries. He overdramatically falls to his knees. Nicole and Mike laugh and leave the room. 

~~~

Spencer: Hey! How was the concert! 
Brendon: I mean, would've been better if you were there, but it was alright. I always feel like something's missing though.
Spencer: That sucks. Ya know Jon called today. He said all was well and hoped you had a great tour. 
Brendon: I saw him yesterday, he seemed brighter. 
Spencer: Duh.
Brendon: Anyway, I gtg but I'll talk later. I gotta do some prep for Sarah. She's been upset that I'm gone and when I'm here, I'm recording or writing. Bye.

Spencer: K, have fun ;)

I put the phone down, sighing. He's such a dork. I start to clean the counter to prepare a surprise dinner for Sarah.

"How the fuck do you- Wait, what?!" I scream at the chicken. I can cook, but not well. Apparently, I can't cook chicken very well. I don't know what happened. I wave my arm to get the smoke away from my face. "I give up, okay, fuck this chicken." 

I throw the burnt chicken into the trash. Then I hear the doorbell ring. Must be Sarah, she's back early. "Coming!" I wash my hands and Sarah keeps ringing the doorbell. Don't you have a key? "Coming! Geez!" I open the door. "Sar-" I slam the door. No fuck no. Nope nope. Not today. "Brendon, open the goddamn door." He shouts. 

"Oh HELL NO!" I shout before opening the door again. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here." I glare at him. 

"Uh... Well, ya see..." He starts. 
"You gonna tell me or do I have to slam the goddamn door in your face again?"
"Brendon, I know you hate me, I hate me too. But please, hear me out." He pleads. How dare he walk out then after 9 long years just show up. 

"RYAN, I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" I slam the door again. 

I don't hear anything after that. Maybe he left? I walk back into the kitchen. 

Sarah: Sorry I'll be a bit late today.

Damn it. 

~~~

After about 30 minutes, I open the door again, I don't know why I just do. He's still there. Sitting on the steps. 

"Why are you still here, don't you have a life?"

"Not anymore." He grunts. I see him grab his arm and turn to me. 

"What happened?" I sigh. I finally actually look at him. He's bruised and has a huge cut on his shoulder. "Holy motherfucking- What the hell happened?" 
"Let's just say something I didn't want to happen." He lets out a low sigh. 

"Well get in, get cleaned up!" I open the door and move out of the way to let him in.

"Thanks..." He mumbles. 

"Do you need some clean clothes?" 

"Uh, nah I'm alright." He washes his cuts. "Thanks... Brendon, I'm sorry about what-"

"Shhhh, just tell me what happened."

"So, well, I was with my- uh boyfriend..." My heart sinks. I know I have a wife but I never really thought of him having someone else, selfish, I know. 

"Basically, we went to a bar downtown, and he got really drunk. And I mean worse than you drunk." I let out a small laugh. "He was getting really touchy and weird. And you know how gay people still aren't treated equally, well I tried to get him into the car but he ran off. So naturally, I followed him. I find him on the ground being beaten to death. So I attempted to get the man off him. Turns out there were five people. I think you know the rest."
"Oh my, Ryan! Why didn't you call someone? Like the police?" 

"I wasn't thinking- I thought I could handle it but..."

"Where is he?"
"I drove him home, but then he grabbed my key and ran into the house and locked the door. I couldn't get in and he just left me. So I walked here... I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking and I-"

"Stop okay, just stop apologizing. It's not like I wouldn't do anything different. But why my place?"

"It's the closest to anyone else that I know." 
"Wow, really?" He nods. 

He looks so weak and afraid. Different then the last time I saw him. He looks like he'll break down if you say the wrong word. "Come here." I give him a light hug. 
"T-Thanks." He whimpers. "I'll leave if you want..."

"Nah, if your drunk boyfriend is worse than me, you'll wanna go back tomorrow... Trust me, I have a guest room. And don't worry, if you need anything, just tell me." I don't know what the hell I'm saying. I'm still mad, or I should be. He left me. 

He gives me a watery smile and nods. "Thanks." 

I show him to the room. He looks down and sits on the bed. "Thank you." He murmurs. I close the door and walk downstairs. 

"Bren!" I see Sarah putting her bag down. "Finally, I can finally kiss you." She sighs. 

"I prepared a half dinner!" I smile.
"What happened to the other half?"

"Let's just say chickens hate me." I grin.