It was so strange, to see Ryan mostly curled up in the corner of his hotel room couch, or as much as he could be with his ridiculously lengthy legs. A few hours ago Brendon had been laughing to himself at all the pictures and videos all over various social medias, and now here was the man of the hour himself, Ryan, clearly still not having a very good night. Brendon could tell he wasn’t enjoying it just from his expressions, when he dropped his guard for a second and the obviously fake smiles became frowns or looks of plain horror. Still, he hadn’t imagined it was [i]this[/i] bad- bad enough that he left his own birthday party that his girlfriend of a year had thrown him, caught a flight from NYC to Seattle, all just to see [i]Brendon[/i]- presumably. It wasn’t like Ryan didn’t have anybody else who wasn’t at the party. Jon didn’t go, and Brendon was sure Ryan had a other few friends who couldn’t make it who lived in Seattle. The point was, he’d picked Brendon. His supposed arch-nemesis. In fairness, Ryan was more than a little tipsy- maybe the tense flipside of their relationship surfaced as he became more intoxicated, and it just lead him from one impulsive decision for the next that ended up with him at Brendon’s hotel room door.

If Ryan hadn’t ducked through immediately, Brendon liked to think he’d have just turned him away and locked the door in his face, but really, he wasn’t completely heartless, he’d probably grudgingly let the mess of a man crash on the couch. That was probably what was going to happen anyway, unless he was sober enough to leave and find somewhere to stay and actually get there safely. Brendon was almost willing to just tell him curtly he could stay til the morning and turn in to bed, sadly abandoning the skittles he’d left on the table, but not before grilling him about everything, because this series of unlikely events was the most amusing and baffling thing that had happened to him all week. Plus, it would probably lead to future material to use against him. He already had the sturdy skeleton of a possibly frequent mockery in his arsenal; Ryan had left his birthday party and flown across the country to get to [i]him.[/i] That was mortifying in itself, especially for Ryan, who claimed to detest Brendon just that much. Honestly, that’s why he was so confused. Though the party was shit, he was there with his friends and his girlfriend- surely even that would be miles better than being alone with the one person he hated more than anyone else.

None of it made sense, and Brendon didn’t care enough yet to do anything more than mock him at every opportunity he was given. Ryan wasn’t exactly making it very difficult, handing Brendon content on a silver platter just by sitting there rather sadly in the couch corner, a line of little alcohol bottles growing in length along the table. He [i]better[/i] reimburse, those shitty things were expensive for what they were. [i]Hilarious. Dickhead.[/i] Brendon clicked his tongue, ran his hand habitually through his hair just as Ryan shoved both of his hands into his own and leaned back to regard the ceiling with some kind of drowsy absent-mindedness. That, or he was deep in morose thought. With Ryan, it was hard to tell which was which. [b]”Well.”[/b] He said, smoothly, though his voice was a little rough from sleeping in late and then napping and not talking at all for the entire day. Brendon hadn’t even seen another human for the past couple of days, and this human wasn’t exactly his first choice to bring him back into the world of people. Brendon rubbed his eyes and then spoke up again. [b]”I wasn’t joking.”[/b]

He didn’t show any more mercy, because apparently he had to flex just how more controlled and put together he was right now in comparison to the drunk birthday boy in his hotel room. [i]Yeah. Maybe.[/i] Brendon paused, admittedly a little surprised, and he shifted on his feet just a little, not sure what to say. It was no fun if it didn’t affect Ryan, or he had nothing to say back, and clearly Ryan just didn’t have it in him right now to be malicious. That... Basically never happened. So something really was up. He thought for a moment about being gentle- well, as gentle as he could be with this annoying tightass- but couldn’t quite figure out how, it had been so long since he’d been even vaguely nice and supportive to his bandmate. They really were fucked up, and Brendon looked remorseful for a split second before he steeped himself and set his expression to stony, and his tone to matter-of-fact as he cut right to the point. Dancing around the truth wouldn’t get Ryan out of his slightly pathetic all time low. He met Ryan’s eyes even as they flashed with suspicion, then watched as he looked down, shrugged a shoulder, chewed on his lip. Maybe they were on the same page. [i]I know.[/i]

Huh. Brendon had figured he wouldn’t convince him so easily, and here was saying he didn’t even need convincing. Brendon thought that over as he went and sat on the opposite end of the couch, scratching absently at the back of his neck and then loosely crossing his arms again. [i]I have known, I just-[/i] Brendon watched carefully as Ryan drew his legs in, and noted how he looked increasingly vulnerable- and he tried not to betray any reaction. [i]It makes you feel important, you know.[/i] Something connected in his head, then, as he wondered why Ryan needed that kind of attention to feel important. Maybe Brendon taking his place was still a root for insecurity. Ryan was a naturally insecure person, sure, but- when Brendon stepped into his shoes and fit them even better than he did, it was a huge blow to his already fragile ego, and knocked him down the ladder more than just a couple of rungs. Brendon tried to imagine how he felt, tried to emphasise- yeah, it would make him feel unvalued too. But he couldn’t feel sympathy for him- not yet. He could have taken it gracefully. Instead, he’d been a dick, way too arrogant for someone supposedly so insecure.

[i]Less damaged, being idealized like that.[/i] Damaged. Brendon supposed that was a reference to his shaky childhood and then the dealings with his dad a year back. He clicked his tongue, not sure how to respond- what did Ryan expect? A hug? Some reassurance? Brendon didn’t have it in him to offer Ryan any friendship, because they weren’t friends. [b]”What’s the big deal, just break up with her,”[/b] He said, finally, his voice still harsh and careless as he picked up Ryan’s last stolen mini bottle and finished it for himself. He’d need it if Ryan started crying, or something. After he placed it down, assembling it into Ryan’s little line, he cleared his throat and sat back, but inclined his body only slightly towards Ryan’s to finally ask him what the fuck he was really doing here. He could’ve complained about his girlfriend to anyone. Suddenly, Brendon narrowed his eyes- Ryan was predictable, he used Keltie as cannon fodder to get under Brendon’s skin. Was this all some kind of elaborate plan to humiliate him? He ground his teeth, suddenly much more distrustful, which was saying something.

[i]I don't know. Actually, fuck, I should just - I can go. I don't know what I'm doing here.[/i] Brendon exhaled, thankful, but he was also unsure that Ryan would even be able to leave. He watched, concealing his amusement by biting the inside of his cheek as Ryan tried to stand and almost instantly collapsed back into the couch. [i]On second thought, I might not be able to go.[/i] [b]”You think?”[/b] Brendon sounded thoroughly unimpressed. [i]I shouldn't've come. I'm... I'm sorry, whatever. I didn't think it through. I just couldn't be there anymore.[/i] A pause, and he looked up, letting a moment of silence settle over them that wasn’t awkward, per day, but it was far from comfortable. Ryan apologised. To him. He wasn’t even doing it sarcastically. Brendon felt a little triumphant. [b]”You’re what? Can’t hear you,”[/b] He drawled, resting his elbow on the armrest and his chin in his hand, smirking a little. But- it felt a little wrong. If he continued with this, Ryan would never shut up, so he swallowed his smiles and bit his lip hesitantly, thoughtful. [b]”Look, You’re obviously upset, I just don’t get why. You and Keltie were never meant to be together forever or some shit like that. Just be thankful it’s earlier on. It’ll hurt less.”[/b] A pause, and he sighed. [b]”Anyway, you’re here now. There’s no point apologising.”[/b]