Brendon lifted his shirt off with (un)surprising speed, and Ryan had half a second to trace his thumb over his bottom lip caught between his teeth just before moving out of the way for the fabric. His touch kept naturally gravitating towards Brendon's face, tracing his features and curling fondly around his silhouette, and in turn Brendon's hands moved down his body now that his chest was bared. Ryan remembered to be a little self-conscious about it - but at this point he'd earned so much endless praise and flattery from Brendon about how he looked that it was hard to muster up much self-hatred. For the longest time he didn't think that was really a [i]thing,[/i] that you couldn't be cured of your own insecurities by someone else, but he at least valued Brendon's opinion so much that he held it close to his own heart regardless of whether he agreed/believed him or not.

Either way he still shivered at every touch, even more when Brendon's lips came close to his ear. [i]More than you know.[/i] There it was - the praise. Ryan turned his head to him while he was still close, meeting his gaze carefully before smiling slightly and kissing his cheek gratefully. As self-assured as Brendon was, there was no way he knew exactly how moved Ryan was by how he talked, how much of an effect he had on him. No one could know, really. [i]I intend to.[/i] Ryan laughed softly at his counter, raising his eyebrows right back at Brendon because he wasn't as lilting and seductive as he was, more just [i]dorky,[/i] and accepted his weight with a quiet gasp. One of Ryan's hands escaped down to hang on to Brendon's hip, thumb wisping over the bone newly visible and dipping just barely beneath his waistband. 

[i]I’m so glad I met you, and I’m so glad we decided to do this.[/i] Ryan was nodding rapidly, his mouth slightly agape as it was wont to be around Brendon and no one else, but the heat was momentarily put on pause a beat later. Ryan didn't catch on right away, hands still coaxing over his skin, still entirely involved with him. [i]I- I’m sorry I treat you like shit sometimes. Don’t argue, I know I do.[/i] He did stop, then, and was still tempted to argue, smoothing Brendon's hair aside repeatedly because he was adamant on telling him that he [i]didn't[/i] treat him that way. If he did, vaguely, it was because Ryan was kind of an asshole half the time, too, and when he was, there was rarely any real reason for it apart from his own feelings getting to him. So Brendon didn't really treat him like shit, but evidently he thought he did strongly enough to put them on hold momentarily, so Ryan tentatively heard him out.

[i]Nobody’s ever been as nice to me, as genuine with me as you have. Even Gabe is flaky. You’re... dependable.[/i] He was paid to be, in all fairness, but Ryan supposed that apart from them literally [i]sleeping together[/i] he also went above and beyond in the friendship department. Most employees didn't give a fuck how their employers thought about them, much less how their employers thought about everything else in the world. He nodded a little, dazed. [i]I do care about you, even if I don’t show it very well. And you’re very handsome.[/i] Ryan's chest was unbelievably warm, and he was so focused on the TV static sensation that he barely registered the movement of Brendon's hands again or the kiss he was granted. [b]"And that helps,"[/b] he tried to joke with that last comment, half-smiling, but he was clearly taken aback by the rest of Brendon's sort-of speech. He was too sweet, sometimes.

Ryan was torn on how to respond. He wanted to laugh about it over the phone with Spencer or something, 'cause that's what he used to do with silly crushes, but this was becoming a lot less silly feeling by the day. And then he wanted to tell Brendon everything about how he felt, but that'd freak him the fuck out and ruin all of this, probably. And if he tried to limit everything he said so that he was at least reciprocating what Brendon'd just kind of confessed to him, then there was the chance that maybe he'd... come out with everything [i]else[/i] too, and that was an unsavory thought. Ryan had been silent for a few moments, still looking dumbfounded as ever, and blinked at Brendon repetitively like he was an angel in fuzzy light before trying to talk. [b]"Thank you,"[/b] he whispered, painfully quiet, and bit his lip for a fraction of a second. [b]"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say all that."[/b] 

[b]"In case it wasn't obvious,"[/b] he added, swiping a thumb across Brendon's jaw affectionately, [b]"I care about you, too. Like you'd say- 'more than you know.' And I guess you're pretty cute."[/b] The way he looked at Brendon, you might've thought he was in love, so the joke was fairly clear there. He really thought Brendon was about the most gorgeous person alive, commented on it whenever he got the chance - even in public, since the beginning. Apparently he had no reservations on that part, ever. [i]Before we go to the point of no return- would you rather stay here, or go somewhere else..?[/i] Ryan regarded him more seriously. [b]"Bold of you to assume I have the patience to move to a bed or wherever, right now. Look what you've done to me. I look like I ran a mile. Stay."[/b] The 'point of no return' part was doubtful, though, considering that now all Ryan wanted to do was hear Brendon talk like that more and more and endlessly, but. Wishful thinking. To act like it was his first priority anyway, Ryan made away with the button on Brendon's jeans, slipping a hand beneath the fabric and exploring the smooth skin on the side of his hip while he tried to push for more charm. Ryan tilted his chin up to try and speak closer, lower. [b]"What made you say all of that? I like you talking that way."[/b]