Something Ryan had come to appreciate was the very slight shifts in Brendon's demeanor, generally for the better. Granted, he didn't know Brendon before he'd shown up on his back porch, but he was fairly observant anyway. What he'd noticed when Brendon first arrived - and originally assume was just the way he was naturally - was, in some moments where he must've thought no one was paying attention, there was something like dissatisfaction in his expression, or when he came close to talking about himself he seemed to shut it down. He looked happy and all a majority of the time, of course, probably because he didn't want to show any other side to Ryan, but it was more difficult to believe then; now when he saw Brendon smile he picked up on a certain genuine quality that hadn't fully been there before, and he almost never caught him looking lost in bad thoughts anymore. It was, of course, none of his business, but Ryan was glad the fresh air and new environment was helping him. 

Less pleasant - Ryan noticed that he easily affected Brendon sometimes. Not necessarily in a [i]bad[/i] way, but he knew Brendon had pretty thick skin from whatever life he'd led before, so the ease with which he got to him was slightly concerning. He was fairly obvious with his amusement even when Brendon wasn't trying to entertain, and judging by how Brendon took his reaction to the wonderful outfit he'd chosen, that got to him, too. And then his hair; Brendon must've caught on, and Ryan wished he could explain that this was an endearing quality, not something he was making fun of, but. Easier to let it drop. Anyway, it was all just strange, and maybe Ryan had misjudged him. He'd considered Brendon to be too comfortable with himself to care what anyone thought, much less Ryan who had thus far proven to not be bothered by anything he did; apparently he'd jumped to that conclusion too quickly. Or this was a special case... but only a week in, Brendon couldn't value his opinion that much. Next note to self on the list of improvements he was trying to make: be more careful not to lead Brendon to any mode of insecurity.

He wasn't the only one who got self-conscious, though, and Ryan's uncertainty about his own work seemed to bother Brendon. [i]Shut up.[/i] Ryan raised an eyebrow at him, wondering whether he should accept Brendon's defense of his writing or remind him that he was basically his boss. He stayed quiet instead, looking on interestedly. [i]You’re the hardest worker I’ve ever met.[/i] Ryan paused, clutching his mug and considering this. He'd received plenty of praise in his life, though from people who saw a bird's-eye view of his anonymous persona. This, however, was important to him, validated all the time he'd put into his work. He was ambitious above all else; Brendon must've had no idea how those words made him feel. It was hard to express, so he just smiled fondly, hiding behind his mug as he took another drink. [i]Then there’s me, ranting about Dr. Pepper.[/i] [b]"Shut up,"[/b] Ryan replied without hesitation, mirroring Brendon's response to his own self-deprecation. [b]"You're the most talented person I've ever met."[/b] Brendon hadn't even shown him the full scale of his musical prowess, and yet he was sure of it already. He tilted his head almost challengingly - guess they were equal, now.

[i]You’re so easy to make fun of.[/i] Oh, good. Ryan had been looking for an escape from being sappy any further. He actually fully grinned at that, almost laughing, because Brendon was [i]bold[/i] - and his claim was also very true. [b]"And yet, you didn't actually make fun of me. Thank you for having mercy."[/b] He deliberately avoided looking when Brendon started to toy with his hair in what seemed a vain attempt to sort it out, but he could tell anyway that the stubborn cowlick from lying down all day had chosen its spot and intended on staying. Whatever, he rocked it. [i]By the way, I’ve been here a week and you haven’t once offered me a single smoke. Bad hospitality.[/i] Ryan had gone this long without knowing he smoked. And, yeah, he would've learned if he offered in the first place, but that mistake was now etched into history. He figured, after hearing what seemed like only a fraction of how well Brendon could sing, that he took measures to save his voice and all. [b]"Maybe I shouldn't."[/b] He shrugged, looking thoughtful while he was most definitely trying to get Brendon to show him more of his musical ability. [b]"I mean, you're a musician. I shouldn't corrupt your voice before I get to hear it properly. Whenever that is."[/b] Hint hint. Not so subtle.

He was on a roll calling out Brendon, here, and maybe he'd feel bad about it if he didn't know how to calm down Brendon's anxiety that he could potentially disappoint with his answers. Ryan saw it physically, wide eyes and tense body language until he eventually let his shoulders relax. He was about to say something like 'don't worry about it,' whatever, but Brendon answered. [i]Uh, like, three-fifths through the first one. I’m not very good at concentrating for a long time, alright?[/i] Ryan smiled again for half a second before he realized maybe Brendon wasn't totally at terms with said concentration issues, didn't want it to be turned into a joke. And if that meant something more than just 'trouble concentrating,' well. Ryan supposed it'd make sense, based on his behavior. His features softened considerably to a secure smile and a focused gaze, and his voice changed quickly, lowering to a more reassuring level. [b]"Hey, don't stress about it. I'm not worried at all,"[/b] he said carefully, trying not to say too much, dwell too long on it. He eased up, letting his expression return almost to normalcy and allowing more inflection in his voice while he tried to divert. [b]"You know, most people take a long time to finish it. It's not really... 'read in one sitting' material. Heavy subjects, and all."[/b] He shrugged, nonchalant.