Take Me | Rydon

Sneak Peak

Brendon sighs, setting the white paper on the counter and he puts his hand on his forehead, clearly frustrated.

"I don't know what else to do with him," Brendon says in an annoyed tone. "I've told him over and over that he can't keep fighting with everyone and he just doesn't listen to me."

"Maybe we aren't being hard enough on him," Ryan suggests, moving to stand behind his husband. Ryan places his hands on Brendon's tensed shoulders and gently massages them. Brendon sighs contentedly. "I mean, we could take away his computer for starters. And if he continues to act out, his phone will be next, and then the car. We can take everything that's considered a luxury until he respects our rules."

"You sound like my dad," Brendon groans. "But you're right. He needs to be disciplined. I just don't know how to do that considering I've never done it before."

Ryan kisses the top of Brendon's head before spinning him around, saying, "We can do this babe. We're the parents, we decide what happens and when."

"Okay," Brendon sighs. "Go tell him then."

Ryan's eyebrows furrow and he steps back. "What? Why me? You be the bad guy," he says.

"We'll both do it," Brendon tells him.

They make their way down the hall to the last bedroom on the right and knock on the door. It opens a second later, an annoyed teenage boy looking back at them. "Yeah?" He asks, not at all interested in what they've got to say.

Brendon nudges Ryan in the side with his elbow.

Ryan sighs.

"Come on, we're going to the living room," Ryan walks back to the living room and Brendon waits for their son to follow Ryan before he heads that way.

Ryan stands in front of the couch, arms folded, and the rebellious teenager sits down in front of him, sighing in frustration. Brendon stands next to Ryan and the couple keep their eyes on the boy.

"We got a letter from the school today," Ryan says in a not so threatening tone like Brendon had hoped for. "You've had detention everyday for the last two weeks, you're not listening to your teachers, and you're bullying people."

He shrugs his shoulders and pulls his phone out of his pocket.

Ryan glares at the boy and says, "Silas," in a stern tone. When he gets no response, Ryan grits his teeth, snatches the phone, and yells, "Goddammit, listen to us!"

Both Brendon and Silas are taken aback by Ryan, although Brendon knows it needs to be done.

"What -"

"Don't speak," Ryan says, his voice becoming intimidating. "I let you into my home so you could have a better life than the one you had in foster care. I chose you because I saw how troubled you were and I thought maybe I could help fix that. You don't realize this now, but school is so important and you need to do better otherwise you can go back to the foster home."

Brendon stares at his husband, half in disbelief that he'd even suggest sending Silas back to the awful place, and half shocked that he's being a parent.

Ryan closes his eyes and sighs. "I don't know what you went through with other families, or in foster care homes, but if you need to talk about anything, you can always come to me or Brendon. We'll listen to everything you want to say and we won't judge you," Silas is looking down at his lap, his black hair covering part of his face. "I'm taking your computer until I notice improvement in your school work and behavior. If I get one more letter saying that you've continued down this path, I'm taking everything and you'll only have your clothes and a bed."

Ryan tosses the phone on the couch next to Silas and walks away while Brendon stands in front of the boy with his lips pursed.

Silas gets up and walks to his room and Brendon jumps at the sound of the door slamming.

He groans and says, "Fuck me."

---

ARE YOU READY FOR A SEQUEL?