Sunflowers (Not Edited)

Chapter Ten

"Are you okay?"

Brendon shrugged. The sun was gone, the people were gone, the bats were gone, his flowers were almost gone, and his blankets were half eaten.

None of that was okay.

Despite that, he was unwilling to admit it to Ryan. Saying he wasn't okay in itself wasn't okay. Everyone was okay. It just wouldn't make sense if he wasn't.

"This mentions something about time, but really it's all just...Stories." Dallon muttered, causing both Brendon and Ryan to give him odd looks. "What?" He snapped. "Nothing. Just, keep doing what you're doing." Ryan said with a wave of his hand. "Brendon and I have to-" "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I'll be here."

Ryan sent sent Dallon an almost pitying expression. One which told Brendon he was a tiny bit sorry for always leaving the man out of things.

He followed Ryan out of the room, scowling at the door which threatened to slam shut for reasons unknown. Brendon put his foot between the frame and door, sighing in relief when it didn't slam as he expected it to.

"Where are we going?"

"Only downstairs."

"I haven't mopped my floors in a while. And I don't think I can with the bats gone."

Ryan didn't respond though Brendon could clearly see him clench his jaw, as if he were trying to keep in whatever he wanted to say. Brendon doubted it was anything bad, but it was a known fact that Ryan wouldn't speak if he didn't want to. Known to Brendon, that is.

"Why are we only going downstairs?"

"To talk."

"About what?"

Ryan sighed, choosing not to respond and instead finish leading Brendon to the kitchen. His flowers seemed duller than usual and the roses nearby refused to speak. He assumed it was because his forgetting to water them-that, or the lack of sun. He promised to bring them the sun back while Ryan made fresh coffee.

"Think Dallon will want some?"

"Uh huh." It was a lying 'uh huh.' One that Brendon said when he really wasn't paying attention. He couldn't tell whether Ryan noticed it or not because he too, was somewhere else entirely.

"We need to talk."

"We are doing so."

"Dallon is a little mean, right?"

"That he is." Brendon reached for a mug of coffee, scowling when Ryan moved it out of reach. "Do you know why he's mean?" "I'm not stupid. That's my coffee. Give it."

"Nah-ah-ah. Wait. Tell me why he's-"

"He thinks I am a tank head." Brendon blurted, snatching the drink before Ryan had another chance to pull away. "And a clown. And a mime. And a magician. And a person. He thinks I am all normal." He paused to take a sip before adding: "And he also thinks I'm no help."

"He's wrong."

"I know. I am a lot of help. I read books."

"And Dallon's just a jackass."

"Yes." Agreed Brendon. "He is."

"But unfortunately he's our jackass and we're going to have to deal with him until the world ends or we save it."

"And we will save it, right?"

Ryan turned away, refusing to meet Brendon's gaze whilst saying: "Yep." Even without the clock, Brendon was positive a chime wouldn't have followed. The uncertainty in Ryan's voice was enough to tell anyone, even the butterflies that occasionally fluttered between them, that he was unsure of his words.