Land Down Under // Rydon AU

Shannon Knoll is the worst way to decorate your kitchen

~ Ryan ~

"I believe, This may call for a proper introduction." Z grins at each one of us. "Say your name, and something cool about you. You start, Pete."

"Gladly." Pete smirks around the circle. If I had been watching more intently, I would've said that his gaze lingered on Mikey a second longer than normal. But I was more focussed on what I had to say.

"Well, Lads, Lady. I'm Pete Wentz, and I have my very own chaperone in Chapel." 

"I swear to god, Pete, don't start stories you will literally not finish." Z nudged him, although a small giggle removed any aggression that may have been otherwise evident in her voice.

"Hang on," Mikey was grinning at Pete. "You know Frank Iero?"

"He was my roommate two years ago, when I came halfway through year ten." Spencer dropped his uninterested expression, his distaste at Pete's attention seeking fading away.

"Yeah," Mikey continued. "He's my brother's boyfriend. He was talking about some, quote unquote flaming homosexual that needed to be supervised in all religious engagements."

At this point, Pete may have practically peeled his skin off and replaced the lighthouse down the road, he was beaming with so much pride. 

"Well that flaming homosexual is sitting right next to you Mikey," Pete added with a wink.

"Moving on, you two flaming homosexuals," Z's comment made Mikey blush, but only made Pete's triumphant grin Wider. "I'm Z, as you know, and I have a red kelpie named Peach Melba. Your turn Mikey!" 

"Well, I'm Mikey fucking Way, and, well, everyone's a little bit gay for Mikey Way." Instead of grinning at everyone, his eyes settled on Pete. 

I couldn't help but laugh at how forward Mikey was. It wasn't out of character, not at all. His confidence just always made me smile. And Pete, well. He's an attention whore anyway, so it made him smile too.

"Well, I'm Brendon, and I used to live in Las Vegas." Brendon shrugs, looking to me for reassurance.

"And, Spencer here, and once I was left home alone, so I covered the kitchen in pictures of Shannon Knoll." Everyone laughed, except for Brendon. 

"Um, who's Shannon Knoll?" He glanced around at us, as if he was waiting for us to laugh at him.

"An Icon." Pete answered, provoking more laughing and snorting from the rest of us.

"Anyway, It's Ryan's turn!" and then, everyone looked at me.

"Well, I'm Ryan, and, well, I guess something interesting is my parents own a caravan park, that we live on... or at..." 

Everyone just seems to nod, not exactly enthralled by my response. Not that I expected them to be.

"Let's burn something." We all turn to look at Mikey, who was followed closely by Pete, their arms full of driftwood. "Or more specifically, this wood." 

Brendon and Spencer rush over, seemingly eager to help build their bonfire, leaving me with Z.

"So, Brendon, hey?" She looks at me, raising an eyebrow.

I look down at the sand, hoping my sorry excuse for a laugh hides my embarrassment. "What about us? I, uh, Brendon." 

"Come on, don't play dumb. You like him." She rests her hand on my forearm. I can feel my mouth slowly dry up, beginning to taste metallic. 

"I don't, I don't think I do, at least." I mumble the last part quietly, but she hears it all the same.

"Come on, Ry, Why not?"