Finding Yourself Again

Chapter 14

  Ryan let himself sleep without an alarm, content to wake up whenever his body was ready. He had a little trouble going to sleep but that was simply from the joy that was currently consuming him. Seeing Brendon again last night had gone better than he'd ever imagined.

  Ryan looked at his phone and saw that it was 11 am. Excellent - he'd been able to sleep in, and waste some of the time that he had to be apart from Brendon again. Plus, tonight was going to be a later night, so he was glad to have plenty of rest to be able to not get tired early.

  Ryan got up and had his toast and coffee, and got dressed. Jon was coming over with his bass around 12 or so. They were gonna sit and just jam and have a good time, partly to pass time until they went to the venue, and partly to keep the practice up on their skills. Both enjoyed playing their instruments greatly, and playing together was one of the great parts of their friendship.

  Ryan heard the intercom a little after noon, and answered it. "Hey Ry, it's me," Jon said.

  "Come on up," Ryan responded, and buzzed Jon in.

  Jon came in with his bass in a gig bag, and gave Ryan a giant smile. "So," he smirked, "get any sleep last night."

  Ryan rolled his eyes and laughed. "Actually, it was the best sleep I've had in forever. Guess it was because I'm just feeling so content."

  Jon waggled his eyebrows. "Wow, didn't think you guys were alone in his room for that long!" Jon cackled at his own wittiness.

  Ryan faked a glare. "Shut up, loser! It's not like that. It's just...I could tell he was so happy to see me. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but...it feels like he's in love with me."

  Jon smiled at Ryan supportively. "I'm the last guy to want you to falsely get your hopes up, and even so, I have to agree with you. That boy is gone for you."

  "God, that would be everything, Jon. But still just trying to figure out how we'd make it work."

  "I hear you Ry, but I think he wants you to be together too. Maybe trust him to help you figure it out? You guys just...belong."

  Ryan smiled and nodded. "I know you're right. So after all this time, I'm going to try to listen to some advice you're been giving me since forever, and not overthink this. I'm going to try to not get in the way of my own happiness."

  Jon's eyebrows raised and his mouth dropped open. "Holy shit, Ryan...that's...growth!

  Ryan burst out laughing. "Well, it's time I tried to learn something from you, Spence and Bren, huh?"

  Jon nodded. "Guess so! Hey, so since we're not gonna dwell on that right now, wanna jam?"

  Ryan grinned. "You bet."

—-

  Brendon himself slept in that morning, not finding his way out of bed until noon. He called down for some room service before getting dressed and stumbling out to the couch in the hotel suite's lounge. The other three Panic boys had been up for a while, and eyed him amusedly.

  "Well, good morning, sort of, Sleeping Beauty!" Dallon teased.

  "Yeah, Bren! You're usually like the Energizer Bunny in the mornings. Ryan wear you out last night?", Mike ribbed.

  Brendon picked up the throw pillow nearby and whacked Mike across the head with it. "No!", he laughed, "and don't be gross. Ask Spence. They left at a perfectly respectable hour and we kept it clean."

  "Yep," Spencer agreed, "they did. I was here to chaperone, it was kittens and puppies and fluffy bunnies. You would have puked." Spencer tried to be serious but ended up cracking himself up.