Ryden Oneshots

Twisted Peppermint

“Ross! Smile, for the love of god.” 

Ryan Ross raised his gaze to meet the eyes of his boss, Justine, baring his teeth unattractively in an attempted smile. 
She sighed heavily, massaging her temples. “You are the most impossible person I have ever met.” 

Ryan grimaced as she walked away, leaning against one of the trees and pulling his coat tighter around him. He thought, if she was so damn worried about her customers being greeted with a smile, she should just put him on hauling duty and put someone else up here. Like Haley. That girl was always smiling, why couldn’t she greet the customers as they came into the yard and help them find trees? 

Working here, at the tree yard, was Ryan’s only source of income, unfortunately. He had been laid off weeks ago by his normal job and was lucky enough to nab this temporary one. Spencer had said it was the perfect job because, hello, all he has to do was help people pick out trees. 
Like the idiot he was, Ryan listened and applied, soon learning that he wasn’t required to just pick out trees. He was responsible for getting here early, making sure all the trees were presented in perfect form, greeting people and helping them, taking the trees from their spots and carrying them to his customers cars. And he had to do that all in the cold. It was hard labor and Ryan was a small boy, he couldn’t just go around lifting those things like they were nothing. 

The worst part was Ryan worked on commission. And apparently no one wanted some scowling, brooding young adult helping them. They would rather have someone bubbly and personable, like Haley. 

That was another thing. Ryan couldn’t stand his fellow workers. They were all so cheery every single goddamn second of the day and Ryan just didn’t understand how they could stand being outside in the freezing cold all day and still find the strength to smile. He doesn’t remember ever once smiling during his time here, a permanent frown stuck to his face the minute that first gust of wind picked up and blew snow into his eyes. 

Justine didn’t like his attitude, and neither did anyone else. They started calling him The Grinch. Ryan wished he was the Grinch so he could retreat to his fucking home in the mountain already. 

Ryan sighed, exhaled air coming out white, and looked around. Most of the trees were gone, leaving only the scrawny or brown ones. It was the day before Christmas Eve, after all, so this wasn’t unexpected. It was also Ryan’s second-to-last day of working here, and he wished the 25th would just hurry the fuck up already. 

“Excuse me?” 

Ryan rolled his eyes dramatically and turned in the direction of the voice, intent on scaring whoever it was away so that he could finish his shift in peace. 

“Wha-“ Ryan stopped mid-sentence, all traces of bitterness flying out of his voice and back snapping to stand up straight when he caught sight of the person in front of him. “What can I help you with?” 

The guy smiled and Ryan’s stomach flopped. “I’m looking for a tree.” 

“Right, uh,” Ryan looked around jerkily, not knowing where to start seeing as his mind just fucking melted in his head. “Um.” 

The guy smiled and Ryan wanted to faint. He was absolutely gorgeous, all tucked up into a big coat with a scarf drawn up to his chin, matched with a smile that lit up his eyes. 

“I’m Brendon.” 

He stuck out his hand and Ryan shook it firmly, swallowing and calming down a bit. 

"So, let me show you around," Ryan gestured lamely with his hand at the yard behind him and Brendon hummed low in his throat. 

Ryan clamped his mouth shut in fear of saying something stupid and moseyed to the arrangement of trees. A flash o f red hair caught his eye as he saw Haley give Brendon a very obvious once over from her position untying a tree. He scowled at her and swerved his path in the other direction. No way was he brining Brendon anywhere near her, she would have her claws in him within seconds.