Hold The Pose (Ryden, Joncer) [by zarah5]

Part 2

“We honestly never took you to Angels & Kings?” It’s not the first time William has asked. Brendon is convinced it won’t be the last.

“Knock it off, Bill,” Gabe says easily. He enters ahead of them, using his considerable height to look for free seats, one of his hands loosely clasping William’s wrist. Brendon follows behind both of them, somewhat meekly. Being out with them tends to make him feel like a dwarf. It’s a good thing Jon’s due to join them soon; having someone around who’s shorter than he is, and just as dateless, always makes Brendon feel slightly more confident.

He maybe spends too much time worrying about appearances.

Angels & Kings welcomes them with a mixture of red and black that is surprisingly not tacky, but stylish. Since they’re fairly early and it’s a weeknight anyway, it’s not too crowded, but still buzzing with people and conversations. Most of the present people fit the scene type, dark hair and tight jeans, eyeliner framing both the eyes of men and women. Brendon feels instantly underdressed.

He grabs the back of Gabe’s shirt, glaring. “You didn’t tell me I need to dress up.”

Gabe gives him a startled look. “Dude, you’re fine. Chill.”

Fine. Right. Brendon is wearing a simple red sweatshirt over a t-shirt that declares I’m not as think as you drunk I am. At least his jeans are about as tight as those of the people around him.

With a sigh covered up by the newest Elbow album, he trails Gabe and William to a table with a dark rattan bench and black armchairs. The wall sports the painting of a haughty king Brendon thinks he should recognize from history lessons, back in high school.

“Who’s that?” he asks William, pointing, before he sprawls in an armchair. It’s comfy. Very comfy. Wow, he never ever wants to get up again.

“King Henry the Eighth,” William replies after only a short glance. He pushes his hair out of his face and reaches for the menu.

“The guy with the six wives?” Brendon asks.

“Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived,” a voice says from behind Brendon. He tips his head back to look at a grinning Spencer from upside down. A pretty, brown-haired girl is standing behind him, their fingers entwined.

“Hey!” Brendon says. “You should have told me this was a fancy place that required dressing up, since my friends are assholes who don’t bother with such details.”

Spencer laughs. “Do I look like I care?”

Considering he’s not wearing eyeliner or anything involving lace or deep black cloth, he doesn’t. Brendon grins up at him, then turns to the girl. “Hi, I’m Brendon. And those guys over there are William, with the girly hair and figure, and Gabe, with the polished gold chain. He’s not nearly as badass as he thinks he is.”

“I’m totally badass,” Gabe protests. William merely raises a lazy hand to give Brendon the finger.

The girl smiles, and she really is pretty cute. Shame for Jon. “I’m Haley. You’re the guy they hired to take care of Ryan’s mess, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” Brendon isn’t sure he wants the girlfriend of a potential friend to recognize him as a cleaner. It’s not like he has much of a choice.

“Mind if we sit down?” Spencer asks.

Gabe makes a sweeping gesture. “Knock yourself out. Just leave one seat free for Jon.”

“Sure thing.” Spencer plops down in the armchair next to Brendon’s, Haley choosing the one next to him. They battle over the menu for a moment before Spencer holds it so they both can read the selection. When Spencer catches Brendon looking, he grins. “Haley always gets the same drink, and she still thinks she needs to pretend otherwise every time.”