Comatose (Peterick)

Eleven

Shane was pissed.

Ryan hasn't been home in two days and he had no idea as to where he was; but Shane's anger didn't worry Ryan one bit. He was too busy planning with his new friend.

Once the forty-eight hour mark hit Shane's anger slowly disintegrated.

"You think he's upset?" Brendon asked as he downed his third beer and placed it on top of his table. Ryan sat twiddling his thumbs with his legs crossed on the opposite side of the table from Brendon.

"Get me another beer and maybe I'll answer," Ryan laughed to himself, sipped his beer and began twiddling with his thumbs again.

Brendon laughed along with him and hopped to his feet walking to his mini fridge and grabbing another alcoholic beverage for his friend.

Ryan was more of a light weight then he thought and Brendon saw it, clearly.

Brendon had to admit, he was attracted to Ryan but he knew he had to hold back because of his boyfriend and if he was ever to find out what he had done..he was doomed.

"You gonna answer now?" Brendon questioned and handed him his beverage; he moved back to his seat and looked Ryan in the eyes, waiting for yet another answer.

Ryan kept eye contacting with him while he took another sip of his beer. "No," he said. "No, I don't think he'll be mad."

"Why not?"

"Because he doesn't love me. He doesn't care about me."

"You don't know that-"

"You don't beat someone you love," Ryan spit out causing Brendon to close his mouth. "You don't hit someone you pour your heart and soul into. You don't yell at someone who had stayed by your side through everything." Ryan's eyes began to water as he kept speaking. "You don't- you don't hurt someone in general, whe- whether you love them or not. No one deserves that."

Ryan sobbed and moved his palms to his eyes.

Brendon didn't know what to do so he just responded with:

"I'm sorry.." Ryan looked back up with blood shot eyes and a runny nose. "I don't know what it's like to be hurt by someone you love but I'm sorry Ryan, I really am."

Brendon slowly got up from his seat and walked over to sit next to him. Ryan looked away and continued to sob lightly.

"Look at me," Ryan only sobbed louder. "Please Ryan look at me." Ryan put his hand on the sides of his hair and began to start pulling. Brendon continued to say his name to get his attention but Ryan only cried louder and louder.

"Ryan just look at me, god damn it!" Brendon yelled over the sobs making Ryan turn his head and stare him dead in the eyes. His sobs stopped but for only second as they slowly began to return again but not as loud. "You're safe here," Brendon comforted him. It was in that moment that both boys realized how close they were too each other and how close their faces were.

"I'm not safe anywhere."

*******

Ryan slept on a park bench that night.

After Ryan told him about his abusive relationship and practically cried in his arms, he ran out. Brendon knew he needed time to himself but he couldn't bear to leave Ryan all alone, out in the cold with his thoughts.

So he went after him.

Ryan woke up abruptly to the sound of a car pulling up behind him and the sound of a car door opening and closing.

Shane .

Something took over Ryan's body in that moment, almost like a 'fight or flight' type of reaction, as he took off into a wood-sy type area (which wasn't the best idea considered that it was almost one in the morning).

He could hear his name being shouted from behind him but he couldn't bring himself to turn around and meet the eyes of his abuser.

"Ryan!" He shouted. "Stop running!"

The voice got closer and closer and all of a sudden he felt pressure on his back as he fell forward with someone on top of him.

He quickly rolled over and began throwing weak fists at his attacker.

"Get off! Let me go!" He yelled as he started crying yet again. "Leave me alone!"

Eventually his punches got weaker and weaker as he gave up and finally looked at the person above him's face.

"Brendon?" He breathed out. Brendon's face held worry, sadness, and a hint of disappointment from what Ryan could see, the only light source being the moon.

Brendon got off of him and pulled Ryan off the ground by his hand, leading him over to a log where they bother sat down extremely close to each other.

They sat there for a few minutes, the only sound being silence and a few crickets around them.

"Why?" Ryan broke the tension and turned his head to look at him.

"Why what?"

"Why do you care?" Ryan questioned. When Brendon didn't respond he continued, "no ones ever cared about me and when they did it turned out to all be a lie."

"You're different, Ryan. You're different then anyone else I've ever met." Brendon swung his arm around him making their foreheads now touch. "I want you to know that you're worth so much more then what Shane gives you. He gives you nothing except bruises and self esteem issues. You deserve so much more."

Brendon moved his hand to move a piece of hair that moved in front of Ryan's face. Ryan moved his head down slightly and looked at the ground.

"I'm a joke," Ryan wiped his nose with the back of his hand and began to come down. "I'm just a joke."

"You're not a joke," Brendon put his finger under Ryan's chin and looked into his watery eyes. "You're not a joke."

Brendon moved his head lightly and slowly pushed his lips against Ryan's. It was just a peck that lasted a few seconds and pulled away but quickly reconnected their lips.

After a few moments Ryan finally kissed back and their mouths worked in perfect sync with each other. Ryan moved his hand up Brendon's jaw and placed it their as Brendon moved his hands to Ryan's hips and moved him closer (if that was even possible).

They stayed like that for what felt like ages.

But they weren't complaining.