My Heart Speaks. {Ryden Shortstory.}

Off My Mind.

     The wind of November was blowing through the streets of WillowGlenn. Build-A-Bear-Workshop was in the ThanksGiving theme. It's been a week since Ryan has seen 'Brendon'. That name hasn't left Ryan's mind in awhile,  he wonders when the next time he will come in, but at the same time he wants him off his mind.

         Ryan was stocking the cotton in the stuffing machine when the lights flickered on and off. Fuck, the winds are messing with the electricity lines again. All the lights turn off. Not again.

"Ryan!" Spencer called from the back. Ryan knew that was a call of saying 'go-fix-it-or-your-fired'. Ryan put his bag full of stuffing on the blue chair next to him and put on his crimson coat.

         He made it out of the store and then into the back of it to restore the powerbox. The smell of rotten foods and spoiled people's wasted money filled the back alleyway. Ryan tried to ignore the smell and fix the problem that made him come back here in the first place.

         He twisted and turned some knobs,  flicking the switch as a finish, and making his way back inside before he froze of pneumonia.

      Once he opened the door and the little bell rang through the bear shop, there was a frantic sound of movement.  Ryan ignored it, it was probably just Jon hauling boxes to the storage room.

      He went to the stuffing machine to finish what he started. After cotton by cotton, he finally got to take a break and go sit behind his beloved desk to read that one book.

       He read for awhile then saw the movement of feet in front of him. It was Brendon wondering around the shop aimlessly, not really searching for any purpose.

       Ryan cocked his head to the side at the boy. How does his hair grow so fast in only a week? His dark chocolate hair was ears long, curling under, kind of like a bowl cut but cuter. He was wearing a back T-shirt that fit him nicely,  black skinny jeans, and his regular converse that Ryan has always seen him wear. It's the third time he's seen him in this very shop.

       Ryan wants to have some balls and go ask him of he needs some help maybe, maybe not. Isn't it a customer's job to ask for help? I mean isn't it annoying when you have a worker trailing your ass wherever you go? So Ryan just stays put.

       Brendon kind if just stands in the middle of the clothes shelf, tapping his foot repeatedly. It disturbs Ryan's reading. He sets his book down and sees what Brendon needs.

"Hello." Ryan says casually with a little wave. He feels like it's okay to give a friendly greeting now, right? He isn't just a worker? Brendon bites his lip and eyes full of shock.

"Hey." He says through his teeth. Ryan lifts an eyebrow.

"Need a need costume or something?" Ryan chuckles and.leans against the wall. Brendon nervously laughs.

"No, well not now, I don't have any money." Brendon looked like he just mentally hit himself when those words left his ridiculously large mouth.

     "Oh, " Ryan breathes and wonders why the hell Brendon is here then.

   "Yeah, I was just browsing.  I gotta go. Bye." He said quickly,  like he was in rush. Brendon walked fast out of the store, not buying a single thing.

     Ryan just shakes his head and smiles while going back to his safe desk, thinking about how strange that boy is.

**************

       

          Another week passes of constant working and school for Ryan. Rumors say Ryan is getting to good at his class, that the big people are making offers. Offers that Ryan doesn't even know about, or even what they are.

        He spends his days like a schedule, getting boring by the day. He needs a change, or a muse. Building bears and dressing them up will not get him anywhere. Hell, none of this stuff will get him anywhere.

       He was at the liquor store at the corner, buying the same kind of Caprisuns Brendon drank when he saw him two times ago, Brendon forgot his Caprisun too. Pacific Cooler.

      Ryan finished buying his beverages for the week and walked back to the shop for his afternoon shift, like always. The times never change.

      He's back at his little Bear hell right now, lugging his Caprisuns inside. A little girl was getting her blue bear stuffed by Jon, a little boy choosing a Batman outfit for his dog, and then Brendon at the desk waiting?

     I think Ryan just realized his breath caught in his throat. Brendon looked angelic as always with his hair swept, tight grey shirt, pants, and his converse, but this time he was wearing glasses? Red glasses?

    He strides up to the counter and put his things on top while going around to the back, which made Brendon jump.

"Jeez you scared me." He says quietly with a hand on his heart. Ryan chuckled.

"Hey, I'm not the one lurking around my desk." Ryan shot back which made Brendon slightly blush. "Well there has to be a reason why you have been waiting." He grins.

    "Well I need some shoes for knots- is that Pacific cooler Caprisun?" Brendon suddenly got excited. Ryan totally forgot he got Brendon's flavor and nervously laughed.

   He asked him, "Yeah, you want one?" Bren nods with a small smile. Ryan opens the box and hands one to him, "You have to drink that after though. No drinks aloud."

      Brendon rolls his eyes and puts it in his back pocket, "Alright Alright." He says jokingly. Ryan really wants to ask about the glasses, it looks good on him.

   "So whats up with the glasses?" Ryan asks, trying to sound cool while pointing to them. Brendon seems embarrassed, "I always had them, I just used to wear contacts." He looks around at anywhere but Ryan.

Ryan hummed. "Well I like these." He immediately felt weird after saying that. Too far Ryan. "So anyway, shoes? You could of asked the other worker, Jon."

   "Yeah well I think your opinions are more my style." Brendon smiles. Ryan chuckles and walks over to the shoes with Brendon following him.

     Ryan looks at all the shoes, wondering what would suit knots best. "How about these pink tennis shoes?" He picks them up and hands them to Brendon. He hums in agreement.

"Okay."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Brendon sighs. Ryan smiles and goes to scan them for him.

        After he finishes his pay, Brendon awkwardly stands there with the bag in his hands, fumbling with the handle.

    "Okay, uh,  bye." Brendon walks at the door with his shoulders tense.

  "Bye Brendon." Ryan calls back with a smile and sips his Caprisun.

      Maybe Brendon was getting to his head a little bit more. Brendon seemed a little off in his mind, and Ryan wanted to know why for some reason.