The night when they had first met, Brendon certainly hadn’t been around with the intention of [i]joining Ryan’s band-[/i] in fact, in the situation, where he was hot and bothered and his brain was working overdrive and the ridiculous crush he harboured for him was ruling his head, for fleeting moments he had wanted to kiss him right outside that tour bus. This notion fronted his goals at first, but moments into actually talking to him, he lost his nerve, but not his slight reverence for Ryan, still intent on befriending him. The crush never went away, in fact just kind of camoflagued itself as extremely close subtextual friendship and developed into something even more. Now, eight months later, he was glad he hadn’t let himself be ruled by anything other than his brain. This was much better. In hindsight, he wondered if that would have made him no better than the fans he now so disliked- the ones who just wanted the attention of someone even mildly successful, the publicity and just the story to tell. That certainly had never been his motive, but whenever he put himself back in his own shoes from eight months ago, he cringed at his own behaviour. He really didn’t try and keep things subtle.

His patience had, in the end, paid off, because now he was receiving flattery to preen his already impressive self-assuredness, Ryan all too happy to provide him with regular inflations of his ego. It wasn’t like Brendon was self absorbed, or anything, he was just- healthily aware of his own assets. He wasn’t afraid to steal the spotlight, or admit that he liked the attention. He thrived on it. Then, just when he thought this couldn’t get any better, Brendon had acted on impulse and kissed him- and the risk paid off, because Ryan kissed him back. Everything, suddenly, became vague and unimportant, like the chill, the rain, the fact that Spencer and Jon were neither dumb nor blind nor nonexistent, and pretty much the entire world around him. All of it suddenly centred on his dumb, stupidly pretty bandmate. Brendon didn’t care to remember how many times he’d imagined this, and intended to make the most of it, even rather suddenly professing the love he had only just identified. Go big or go home, he supposed. 

This was definitely his lucky day. Ryan was in love with him too. He suddenly wondered if it were possible to get any closer to him, because he wanted to. Brendon held him at his waist and the collar of his shirt, fully intending to impress, nothing to prove but everything to show off. The tiny gasp he caused Ryan made him suppress a smirk against the corner of his mouth, before moving off down his jawline. [i]Alright, so maybe you do know.[/i] Brendon laughed gently. [b]“No kidding, when I first met you, that was all that was on my mind. Amongst other things.”[/b] No use hiding that now. His shoulders relaxed and he shivered as Ryan’s fingers carded through his hair, and he let his eyes fall closed, feeling the droplets of waited against the back of his neck and his arms. Brendon only opened them when Ryan hooked his glasses back into his shirt, and he lifted his head just in time for Ryan to catch him in a kiss again. 

They were both equally kind of breathless, and Brendon was slightly embarrassed at how easy this was making him seem. To be fair, it was an honest portrayal, really, but he had to maintain some kind of self control. Or did he? [i]I know the rain is getting a little serious, but.[/i] Who cared? Brendon certainly didn’t, and from the sound of that ‘but’, Ryan didn’t either. Opting to ignore it, he kissed him again, praying silently that Ryan didn’t mind the rain. Distantly, a lyric formed in his head. [i]I kind of don’t want to move. Ever.[/i] Brendon grinned, tilting his head sideways and this time barely brushing his lips, hanging onto his collar and keeping him close. Hook, line, sinker- Brendon had him, and he loved it.

[b]”On the contrary,”[/b] He said into his neck, the hand at his hip squeezing just a little. [b]“There are better places to do this.”[/b] Of course, he didn’t want to move right now. This was perfect. This was something he was never going to forget. Brendon moved both of his hands to Ryan’s shoulders, and then draped his arms around his neck, tilting his head back to kiss him yet again. [b]“I love you.”[/b]