Jigoku Gakuen Chapter 20
Title Jigoku Gakuen
Author: deadoralive0013
Pairing: Ryden, a bit of Joncer, a bit of Gabilliam (yes… it’s official now)
Rating: PG13
POV: 3rd
Summary: (High school AU) Ryan just wanted to finish high school and make it to college so he worked (sometimes even odd jobs) to save up. When he transferred to Vegas for his final year, he found out that sometimes, money is the least of one’s worries. Like in his case, it was his face.
Excerpt for this chapter:
“If you’re going to stare out the window the entire trip, I might end up breaking it in jealousy,” Brendon said after the first hour of their trip.
Ryan turned to him briefly before going back to the window. “Go sleep or something.”
Warnings: Beware. Overused plot. Beware. Straight guy turning gay. Beware! UNBETA-ED!
Beta: roboticeyes
Disclaimer: I own the plot but nothing else...
Notes: At the end of each chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20
“I’m all set!” William announced to them.
Ryan, Spencer, and Patrick watched him as he carefully placed his bulging backpack on the floor and opened it with as much excitement as a child opening a birthday present. They leaned into the bag’s opening expectantly. Inside were gaming consoles, a PSP and a Wii DS. They stared at William.
“Jeez William,” Patrick said staring inside the bag. “I hope you didn’t forget to pack the chargers. Three days in a mountain will definitely eat up their batteries.”
“Our adviser said not to bring anything electronic except for a cell phone, a flashlight, and maybe a camera to document the trip,” Spencer said sternly. “These will get confiscated.”
“ If he finds out. Which he won’t,” William assured them as he closed the bag again. “I’ve thought of this all night and I think I’ve figured out a very genius way to hide these.”
“Would it kill you to not play any games for three days? We’ll be hiking most of the time anyway so you won’t have the opportunity to play,” Spencer said while Ryan just watched.
“Yes, it will,” William said.
“How did you survive the other school trips?” Ryan asked interestedly.
“He didn’t,” Patrick said. “Like you, it’s his first time to join Palo Verde’s school trip.”
“First time and it just had to be a mountain, a fucking mountain that will take me miles away from my gaming station and sever my ties with electricity!” William complained while slinging back the bag onto his back and almost losing his balance in the process. “There’s a reason why we are living in the era of technology and I see no point in going up a mountain to play Dora the explorer.”
It was very early with the sun still somewhere that is not Las Vegas sky. Patrick and William drove to the Smiths’ house to get Ryan and Spencer so they could go to school together. Ryan and Spencer already had their bags with them while waiting in the living room and immediately went out to meet Patrick and Spencer as soon as they heard Patrick’s car despite Lisa’s protests. She insisted that they eat two extra servings of breakfast to prepare for the long trip.
“If you bring your consoles with you and they get confiscated, you’ll forever sever ties with them,” Spencer told William who just rolled his eyes and muttered things like ‘party pooper’ and ‘uptight freak’ under his breath.
“Did you pack enough bathroom tissues and hand sanitizers? I left them on the table,” Lisa said stepping out from the front door to join them.
“Yes mom. We got them,” Spencer answered a little embarrassed while Patrick and William giggled under their breaths.
“Looks like you’re all ready to go camping,” she said as she walked over to them.
“Good morning Mrs. Smith,” Patrick said and William copied him.
She smiled at them looking like she too was excited and gave the car parked down their driveway a scrutinizing look. The look that Patrick received made him cringe in the inside though Lisa’s face didn’t show any anger albeit her smile faltered a bit. “Did you drive?”
“No ma’am. The family driver drove us here and he’ll be driving the four of us to school,” Patrick answered quickly.
“I’m sure Patrick won’t be driving his car before he gets a license,” Benny said as he too stepped out of the door. He was carrying a brown paper bag.
“Good morning Mr. Smith,” William greeted and Patrick politely nodded.
“The sandwiches!” Lisa said eyeing the bag in her husband’s hand. Benny shrugged as she quickly grabbed it and gave it to Spencer. “I made these for you and Ryan. You can share them with Patrick and William too. There’s enough for all.”
Spencer winced before hesitantly taking the bag. He had hidden it behind the microwave oven. Why did his father have to find it?
“Thanks mom,” he said anyway silently cursing William and Patrick who were muttering ‘aawww...’ not so softly.
“Now don’t forget, give us a call as soon as your bus leaves and when you get to Mt. Charleston,” Lisa reminded them.
“The signal is probably bad up there, mom,” Spencer said.
“Even so. Your dad and I have to know that you and Ryan are okay,” she said.
Spencer nodded while Ryan smiled at Benny and Lisa reassuringly.
“We’ll surely call,” he told them and Lisa looked relieved.
“Time’s running,” Benny announced and they all turned to him. “I think we should let the boys go or their bus will leave without them.”
Spencer was thankful for his father’s intervention because Lisa looked like she was beginning to second-guess her decision of letting her boys join a trip to the mountain. Patrick nodded at the couple before leading the group to the car.
“Oh, right,” she said hesitantly and watched the boys walk towards Patrick’s car and climb in with all their stuff.
“Have fun boys!” Benny called out waving from the front door and they waved back.
“Don’t go wandering by yourselves!” Lisa added worriedly but the white vehicle had already started moving and was quickly disappearing from view.
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Palo Verde looked peculiarly alive without the sun because of the presence of the students, most of whom were looking groggy and sleepy for waking up before the sun even rose. These kids were clearly not early risers.
In front of the main building were four tourist buses waiting at the parking lot where cars were arriving one by one to drop another groggy-looking student to join the bunch.
Spencer, Ryan, William, and Patrick stepped out of the vehicle carrying their bags and joined their classmates who were already assembled in lines. Ryan felt a little excited when he saw the buses but he found himself smiling more at seeing that other people looked dead. He took it as a sign of peaceful travel.
“Attention,” said a magnified voice of a man they recognized as their social science teacher. He was standing in front with a megaphone in one hand and a thin collection of paper on the other.
“In five minutes, you will all be boarding the buses. The seat assignments are posted by the door of each bus so you will all follow that. The bus where you will be assigned will be your permanent group and each bus will get a faculty member to look after the group. Your seatmate will also be your buddy and roommate for the duration of the trip.”
There were a few groans of protests here and there and Ryan heard the girl behind her mutter ‘fuck seat assignments’. He chuckled before he realized that he too will be facing the problem of not knowing who his buddy going to be.
The students started walking towards the buses to see what bus they’ll be getting on and who their buddies will be when Ryan caught sight of Brendon walking over to him carrying a backpack with a big smile. Ryan felt himself become suddenly nervous and sweating a little despite the cold morning air as flashes of last night’s events came to him.
“No,” Ryan said softly after he had pushed Brendon to break the kiss. Their lips met but only for a moment.
Brendon was snapped out of his daze at Ryan’s words. “Right. Sorry,” he muttered without thinking while he retreated out of Ryan’s personal space.
Both of them were silent and breathing a little heavily while still seated in front of Brendon’s study table. He chanced a look at Ryan who was blushing madly and had his eyes glued to the periodic table of elements they had been using earlier like it was going to talk to him any moment. On his lap were his hands fidgeting nonstop and Brendon had to force himself to look away because what he was finding Ryan’s embarrassment too cute and maybe a little exciting. The silence that was full of tension dragged on for a couple of minutes and they became too aware of the sound of their breathing and the heat radiating from each other.
“Fuck it,” Brendon suddenly muttered before grabbing the back of Ryan’s head and leaning in again to capture his lips hungrily. He closed his eyes as their lips touch for the second time, half-expecting a slap or a punch to come. Nothing.
Ryan’s hands were grasping the front of Brendon’s shirt while the other deepened the kiss. He used the hand at the back of Ryan’s neck to pull the other boy closer while the other hand grasped one of Ryan’s wrists. Brendon sucked at his lower lip slowly before trailing a wet tongue on it, feeling elated that he hadn’t received any sign of rejection from Ryan yet.
Ryan knew Brendon wanted access and everything was happening too quickly and too out-of-instinct for him to think through. Somewhere far, he knew this shouldn’t be happening but right now Ryan’s instinct was telling him to part his lips. Before he knew it, Brendon’s tongue was in his mouth and sliding against his own.
Brendon’s heart leapt when he felt Ryan’s tongue move hesitantly. He smiled into the kiss before moving closer to Ryan and for a moment, he thought it would never end.
That is, until he felt hands pushing gently on his chest. Brendon needed every fiber of self-control in his body to pull away and break the kiss. He groaned a little as he did, making sure he dragged the kiss a little longer before completely pulling away but he was rewarded with a very dazed-looking Ryan with messy hair and wrinkled shirt, breathing heavily. He was looking down at his lap again with such obvious shyness and innocence and Brendon bit his lip hard. Damn.
Ryan took a moment to catch his breath before speaking. “I, uh... This isn’t...”
He was startled by a finger suddenly pressed against his lips. Ryan tried to look at it and then turned his gaze to Brendon’s eyes, the finger being the only thing that was between them.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Brendon said quietly before removing his index finger but not breaking eye contact. He knew Ryan was too embarrassed about what had just happen and he wanted to save him from the awkwardness. He didn’t want Ryan to regret this once again.
Ryan nodded before looking away, silently grateful that he didn’t have to say anything. He hastily gathered his notes and pens and stuffed them carelessly in his bag almost as if just to do something. Brendon took this as a cue that tonight’s study session had ended. He had to admit this turned out better than the last time.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said casually as he stood up like nothing happened while straightening his shirt. It was a little hard to restrain a smile.
“Sure,” Ryan muttered in a pitch a little higher than he intended and he quickly cleared his throat. He fumbled with the zipper of his messenger bag before rising as well, hastily running his finger through his locks to fix it, specially the area at the back of his head where Brendon’s hand had held him.
Brendon breathed deeply as he struggled to keep the casual aura to make Ryan feel a little comfortable. He watched the other busy himself with his stuff and he had to restrain a very big smile that was threatening to show once more. Ryan was too cute, he felt really happy and hopeful. Maybe they’re getting there.
“Are you ready to go?”
Ryan nodded quickly but refused to meet his eyes. “Yeah, let’s go.”
The drive towards the Smiths’ house was silent except for the occasional small talk about the Law of Conservation of Mass which they both eagerly discussed. None of them said anything about the kiss but they both knew, all those time they’ve spent inside the car in that long drive, it’s the only thing they were thinking about.
“Good morning,” Brendon greeted.
“Hey,” Ryan said giving him a small smile. He shook his head a little to shake off his nerves.
Spencer, William, and Patrick all smiled at Brendon as he joined them. They let the rest of the school go the lists first.
“This should be fun,” Brendon said and his eyes flickered ever so quickly at Ryan’s wrist. He smiled widely at seeing the bracelet. “This will be the first time I’m joining the school trip.”
“Where’s Jon and Gabe?” Patrick asked looking around.
Brendon shrugged lightly. “They are... fixing some things.”
Ryan eyed him suspiciously. “What things?”
“Just things. Don’t worry too much about it, my slave,” he said flicking Ryan’s hair playfully. “They’ll be joining us soon.”
Ryan waved Brendon’s hand away with an air of annoyance. “Employee.”
“I think we should take a look at the lists so that we could all get good seats at the bus,” William said as he watched the rest of the student body crowd around the lists and board the buses. “I hope I get a decent buddy, or at least not that Richmond guy. His breath smells”
“That won’t be necessary, William,” Brendon said.
“What do you mean?” Spencer asked.
“I’ve already thought about this last night and I’ve fixed everything,” he answered confidently.
Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Is that what Jon and Gabe are fixing?”
“Uhuh,” Brendon answered with a big smile. The mental image of Ryan’s blushing face was clearly imprinted in his memory and he was remembering it right then.
“We’re getting behind schedule people! Move it, move it! Get on the buses!” one of the teachers spat on one of the megaphones as she furiously ushered people on the buses.
Ryan pointedly looked at Brendon upon hearing it. “Maybe we should find out what buses we’re on at least.”
At that moment, Jon and Gabe came walking towards them looking smug. Brendon gave them a questioning look as they joined them, to which they answered a triumphant grin.
“We’re all good,” Jon announced.
“Cool,” Brendon said before turning to the rest of the group. “We’re on bus one. Come on.”
Jon and Gabe immediately followed Brendon as he walked towards the said bus. Patrick, Spencer, William, and Ryan just watched confused.
“What? Come on,” Brendon called when he realized Ryan and the others were not following.
“Are you sure about this?” Ryan asked, voicing out the rest of the group’s sentiment.
“Of course I’m sure. Now come on,” Brendon said.
“We’ve fixed everything. Just trust us,” Jon assured them and they followed.
“Oh, and Ryan,” Brendon called, suddenly facing back and walking towards him. He handed him his backpack. “Carry this for me. I have really important things in there so be careful.”
Ryan glared at him but managed to stop himself from throwing out a ‘fuck you’. “Sure,” he said instead and heaved the backpack to his back. It weighed a ton.
“Good boy,” Brendon sneered at him before walking towards the bus. Had he known school trips were this fun, Brendon would have joined every single one. This trip hadn’t even started yet but he was already enjoying it.
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The sun was just rising when the buses pulled out the school’s parking lot and headed for Mt. Charleston.
As it turned out, what Jon and Gabe were fixing was their bus seats and therefore their buddy assignments. Ryan resolutely kept his attention to the window beside him as Brendon, who was incidentally his buddy, kept taking pictures of him. He had protested earlier saying that he wanted his cousin to be his buddy but Brendon countered him with a wave of a very familiar-looking piece of paper.
“You’ll have to be readily available in case I need you,” Brendon told him with a smile that screamed ‘I win’.
Surprisingly, Spencer did not object at all, just shrugging as his cousin was dragged to the seat beside Brendon while Jon quickly stepped in to take his place. Ryan and Brendon’s seats were directly in front of them so Ryan didn’t miss it when Jon smiled at Spencer as he settled down the seat beside him and his cousin returned it. There was clearly something that Spencer forgot to tell him.
“Will you stop that,” Ryan said annoyed as Brendon’s camera blinded him with a flash. “The contract does not give you any right to take pictures, being it a form of privacy invasion.”
Brendon smirked before putting his camera back in his bag. “I have decided that I will document this entire trip since it is my first school trip. The pictures are necessary, slave. You’ll have to bear with it.”
Ryan just rolled his eyes before turning back to the window.
“You’re just mad because your cousin wants to sit with Jon instead of you,” Brendon said. Ryan ignored him.
“It looks to me like your cousin is happy when he is with Jon,” he added offhandedly and Ryan turned to him.
“I know.”
Behind Spencer and Jon’s seat were William and Patrick. William had his giant big on his occupying the entire space between him and the seat in front of him. He was leaning inside the bag, hands inside it. Patrick knew what the other was doing inside it. He just shrugged and closed his eyes to sleep.
Gabe was inevitably paired up with Ryland. Their seat was behind William and Patrick’s and Gabe couldn’t help but get curious as to why William Beckett had almost the whole of his upper body inside a bag.
The traffic was smooth and their bus breezed through the highway. Ryan watched his window as the view outside gradually change from suburban, to city-like, and then to country highway. The buildings and lights were replaced by occasional trees and vast desert-like spaces and Ryan continued watching like it was a movie.
“If you’re going to stare out the window the entire trip, I might end up breaking it in jealousy,” Brendon said after the first hour of their trip.
Ryan turned to him briefly before going back to the window. “Go sleep or something.”
It was then that he felt a sudden weight on his right shoulder. He turned to it and found Brendon’s head resting on the crook of his neck. Ryan quickly moved his shoulder and Brendon was forced to sit up.
“That was rude,” he told Ryan with a pout.
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Okay, I’m facing you now. Happy?”
“A little,” Brendon said rubbing his chin. “Do you really find the scenery more interesting than me?”
“This is the first time I’ll get to see more of this place since I moved here,” Ryan explained in his monotonous voice while facing the window.
“But there’s nothing out there but sand, and trees, and leaves, other buses, and tons of other boring things,” Brendon complained. “There’s nothing out there that is worth your attention.”
“I know, it’s just that this is kind of a new chapter in my life,” Ryan began before turning back to him. “I’m making memories and want to remember everything.”
A warm hand wrapped itself around his and Ryan looked down to see Brendon’s.
“Here,” Brendon said before placing the camera in Ryan’s hand. “So you can capture memories.”
“But-”
“Just take it for now,” he cut in. “I’ll just borrow it from you sometimes. We can both put our memories in there.”
Ryan hesitantly took the camera, holding it with both hands afraid that he’ll break or damage it. He had seen cameras like this on the internet and in school being used by his schoolmates but Brendon’s was somehow different though he might be wrong. It looked fairly the same as those he had seen except that this one was red and Brendon’s name was printed or hand-painted at the side. He held the thing a little more tightly. The last thing he needed was his debt to increase if he accidentally dropped it.
“Just press the tiny button thing at the top to take pictures,” Brendon said as he grabbed Ryan’s hand and leaned a little closer to teach him how to operate it. “Press the one beside it to switch to video recording. You can zoom in or out with this knob thing. See?” he asked as he moved the said knob for demonstration. He inwardly smile because Ryan was stiff and careful not to turn his head to him. They were really close.
“Okay. I think I can do it,” Ryan said and Brendon released his hands.
He turned to window again and directed Brendon’s camera outside before pressing the small button. Ryan then turned the camera to see the shot at LCD screen and smiled at the clarity of it.
“Thanks,” he muttered to Brendon.
“No problem,” he answered smiling. Ryan looked really shy. “You can have it if you want though I have to replace my name at the side with yours first.”
“What? No,” Ryan said quickly. “I can’t, I mean, I don’t want it.”
“Are you sure?” Brendon asked. “I don’t mind at all.”
“I’m sure,” Ryan answered nodding his head as if to emphasize. He quickly turned back to the window to signal the end of the discussion before Brendon can force to give him anything more.
Brendon decided that to let Ryan win this time and made a mental note to give Ryan lots of gifts as soon he becomes comfortable enough to take them. Brendon was an awesome and not to mention generous boyfriend after all.
He kept silent and turned to movie being shown on the bus’ TV but kept glancing in Ryan’s direction. He watched as the other took pictures and videos from the window and checked his shots on the LCD at the back with a slight frown. It was more interesting than whatever movie they were showing. After the next hour, Brendon felt a weight on his left shoulder. He was surprised to see Ryan’s face so close, eyes shut face relaxed in sleep, the camera resting safely in his limp but securely closed hands. Brendon smiled before slowly adjusting the head on his shoulder to a more comfortable position, making sure not to wake up the other. He hesitated for a moment then shrugged before placing hand on Ryan’s forehead to brush off the hair and planting a soft a kiss on the skin beneath.
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“Well that’s cute.”
Ryan forced one of his eyes open, a little annoyed at the voice that woke him. He was in one of those really good and dreamless sleeps when familiar voices tore him out of his slumber. His body felt nicely warm.
Spencer, William, Patrick, Jon, and Gabe’s faces greeted him. They were all standing at the side and leaning in front of him with smug and amused faces.
“Slept well Ry?” William asked with a smirk.
“Yeah,” Ryan muttered wondering why they’re all looking at him like that. He yawned, ignoring the giggles that erupted from them before flexing his neck. He couldn’t.
Ryan just then realized that something was resting on the side of his head and he had a very good idea of what it was. Turning slowly, an ear and locks of familiar dark hair came in to view.
Without thinking, he quickly retreated back to his side of the seat causing Brendon’s head to slide down and hit his lap. The falling sensation woke Brendon up. Laugh erupted around them as Brendon brushed off the sleep from his eyes confused.
“Good morning Bren,” Gabe greeted him.
“Morning,” Brendon returned with a smile down from Ryan’s lap.
“Get off!” Ryan muttered hastily before pushing Brendon off his lap.
“Ow!” Brendon muttered when his head hit the back of the seats in front of theirs. “I’m your boss you know!”
“No need to be shy, Ry. You two looked very cute,” Patrick assured him and Ryan glared.
“We were just... I fell asleep, and uh,” Ryan tried to explain with a dignified voice. When did he fall asleep?
“Save it. It’s not like we don’t know,” Gabe joined in and the rest blurted out their laughs. The bastards.
Brendon on the other hand was just quietly sitting beside him with a smile. “I... we... It’s not-”
“We’re going to go buy some snacks,” Spencer cut in and managed to kept his face straight. “I’ll get you something too if you don’t want to go down.”
“Or if they prefer to sleep in,” Gabe added innocently.
Ryan ignored him. “Go out? Where?”
“We’ve stopped for a fifteen-minute travel break,” Jon explained. Ryan gazed out his window and indeed, the bus had stopped. Outside were groups of students eating and walking around to stretch their legs.
“We’ll be at the snack shop if you change your mind,” Spencer said before turning to the aisle and walking towards the front of the bus, the others trailing behind him.
The bus silent and Ryan guessed there wasn’t anyone on anymore except for him and Brendon. He awkwardly glanced at the other. “You want to get something?”
Brendon had his head leaning back in a relaxed position. He turned to Ryan. “Nah, I don’t feel hungry.”
“Okay, then. Can you move over so that I can pass?” Ryan asked.
Brendon stared at the bus’ roof thoughtfully before looking back at him. “Nope. I feel lazy,” he said simply.
Ryan sighed. “Move over. I’m going out.”
Brendon raised an eyebrow before crossing his legs, effectively blocking Ryan’s path. “Is that how you talk to your employer Ross?”
Ryan bit his tongue. “Do you have anything you want me to do?”
“Not at the moment,” he answered.
“Then why can’t you just fucking move over and let me pass?” Ryan asked through gritted teeth.
“I never said I won’t let you pass. I’m merely saying that I won’t move,” Brendon explained with an air of patience as if he was talking to child.
Ryan stared at him. “And you expect me to step over your lap?”
“If you are so desperately in need of fresh air, then it’s totally up to you,” Brendon said.
“I’m serious, Brendon. This stopover might be ending soon. I have to get out now,” Ryan told him. Why can’t Brendon just grow up and stop acting like fucking kid?
“So am I,” Brendon replied unfazed. He was enjoying being in the position where Ryan had to beg him and this situation can get so much more interesting.
This was stupid. Ryan didn’t really have any specific thing he wanted to buy outside nor was he in dire need of a walk for fresh air but he had the right to get out of a fucking bus if he wanted! His patience was running out fast and he didn’t think Brendon looked like he was even considering moving out of his way. He was enjoying this.
“You know what,” Ryan started as he settled in a comfortable position in his seat and crossed his arms in front of his chest, “fine. Be the dick that you are. See if I care.”
“Awww... but that’s no fun,” Brendon complained. “I’ve let you use my shoulder as a pillow for almost an hour. The least you could do is to provide me entertainment.”
“Why am I not surprised that you find entertainment in seeing me angry?” Ryan asked with a voice laced with sarcasm. “Oh that’s right. Because you’re sick.”
Brendon flinched, feeling regret suddenly creep his insides. “Hey,” he said putting a hand behind Ryan’s neck and soothing his nape. “Don’t get mad. I’m sorry okay?”
Ryan ignored him.
“Hey. Come on. I think we still have time,” Brendon said. “We can go get something and walk a little. I’ll buy you anything you want.”
Ryan just rose from his seat and Brendon immediately scrambled out of his seat to let him through. He wordlessly stepped onto the bus isle and walked towards the direction of the door without even sparing Brendon a glance. Brendon trailed behind him feeling stupid when suddenly, Ryan turned to him with a smirk. A really sexy one in Brendon’s opinion.
“Got you,” he said and gave Brendon a wink before stepping out of the bus.
“The fuck...” Brendon muttered as he stood alone but found himself smiling. That boy who looked incredibly like Ryan had just manipulated him! Who was that and what did he do to the shy and naïve boy he was kissing last night?
“You’re going to pay, Ross. Big time,” Brendon muttered smirking as he followed Ryan out the bus.
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They endured what felt like a couple more hours of the bus ride before it finally went to a stop. The rest of the trip had gone on uneventfully except for some moments that involved William and his relationship with his really big bag, Patrick telling him off because it ‘bothers him’, Gabe spying on William and his bag (where his head was located), Brendon passing out snacks to everyone and taking pictures, Ryan and his peculiar relationship with his window, Brendon competing with the said window, and Jon and Spencer spending the whole trip in comfortable silence.
It was pleasantly sunny and upon stepping out, the greens and the mountain air gave the impression of being transported into the other side of the world. Trees, shrubs, bushes, dirt, stones, trees, skies, insects, trees, and trees. Yup, they’re definitely not in the strip anymore.
“I can smell nature,” Patrick said as he stepped down the bus’ steps and walked around to take in the surroundings.
“I smell dirt,” William said blandly.
“Oh cool,” Gabe interjected from somewhere near a bunch of bushes before stooping down. “Look-y here,” he said, his hands caved on each other as he walked to them. He removed the hand covering the other and on his palm was the hairiest, biggest spider Ryan had ever seen. Apparently, so was William.
“AAAaaahhhhh!!!” he exclaimed tumbling back and almost tripping on his own feet as he scampered away from the spider.
Jon, Spencer, Patrick, Brendon, and Ryan laughed at William’s reaction. Gabe just smirked. “What’s the matter? Afraid of a little spider?”
William shot him a murderous look. “Get that thing away from me, Sapporta or I swear you’ll never get back to Vegas alive.”
“What?” Gabe asked innocently. “But I just want to introduce you to my friend here,” he said as walked slowly towards William.
“I’m serious!” William warned taking a few steps back.
“I think I’ll call him Dawg,” Gabe mutterd to his palm and ignoring William’s words. “Dawg, that skinny guy over there who’s too sissy to come over is Beckett. He’s a sissy,” he added pointing a finger at him.
“Fuck you asshole!” William spat before running off.
Ryan felt a little sorry for him but he couldn’t help but laugh along. “So this is one of the reasons he didn’t want to join the school trip huh?”
Patrick and Spencer nodded.
“Yes. William is mortally afraid of anything that crawls and has more than four legs,” Patrick told him as the laughter died down.
“Spiders pretty much have the whole package. They got eight,” Spencer added.
“You don’t say,” Gabe said smirking while he rubbed his chin.
“I know that look,” Brendon told Gabe.
Their chat was cut off when the sound of the megaphone being turned on was heard followed by the voice of their teacher.
“Ehem,” he cleared his throat on the device and the students went quiet. He was standing on a big boulder.
“As you all know, we’ll be staying in the mountain lodge for tonight. You are all free to roam the place as long as it is inside the lodge and with your buddies. The faculty members will be preparing the supplies and we’ll leave early tomorrow on foot to a camp sight higher up on the mountain where we will spend the entire day and night,” he explained.
“What?!” William muttered beside Ryan making him jump. When did he get there?
“So tonight, get a good night rest, pack only the necessary belongings and put on your hiking boots. I don’t want anybody borrowing other people’s tooth brush. Room assignments for tonight will be posted after lunch.”
The students immediately went back to what they were doing before the megaphone was heard and their social science teacher stepped off the boulder to join the other faculty members who were heading for the lodge.
“I can’t stay on a mountain for an entire night!” William complained.
“You’ll live,” Gabe told him and turned to the lodge uphill. “That looks promising.”
It was one of those big brown houses that looked like it was entirely made of wood. Ryan wondered how fast it would light up if someone twisted suddenly threw a lighted matchstick on the roof while everyone was asleep. Not very long, Ryan thought.
“And they’re posting the room assignments after lunch. What is the sense in that?” William whined.
“Everybody else is depositing their things in the bus,” Ryan said. “I guess we could do the same and then explore the place a little before lunch.”
Brendon’s ears perked up. “Good idea! Come on Ryan. I want to see what’s at the back of the lodge.”
Ryan shifted his gaze from Brendon’s expectant expression to their friends as if asking if they too would like to come.
“I think I’m going have some coffee or something. I’m sure they serve some up there,” Spencer said motioning to the house where they will be staying.
“Me too,” Jon said expectedly.
“I’m coming with them,” William announced still looking pissed at everything organic.
Patrick and Gabe just shrugged to say that they were too tired to walk.
“Looks like it will be just you and me,” Brendon told Ryan with a wide smirk.
“On second thought, I-thin”
“As my slave-”
“Employee,” Ryan cut in.
“-and more importantly my buddy on this trip, you have to come with me,” Brendon told him.
“But I-”
“Let’s go,” Brendon said before grabbing Ryan’s wrist and pulling him towards the mass of vegetation.
Ryan stared at his cousin with big eyes and mouthed ‘save me’ but Spencer just waved at him. He really wanted to have that coffee.
“Have fun!” Jon called before the two vanished from view.
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It was already an hour after lunch when Brendon decided that he had enough sight-seeing for now and given in to Ryan’s request of going back to the lodge. He had dragged the other to the uneven, earthy hike paths seeing nothing but trees, dirt, insects, skies and dried leaves, succeeding in soiling their clothes and stressing their muscles but Brendon couldn’t think of anything else he’d rather do. His stamina was obviously greater than Ryan and he had enjoyed seeing the other boy struggle to keep up with his steps. But more than putting Ryan in difficult situations which always gave Brendon a sick sense of satisfaction was the hours worth of memories he was able to create with Ryan.
“I’m starving,” Brendon told Ryan as they entered the lodge’s dining area. It was spacious and almost empty, and like almost everything else in the lodge, everything was made of wood.
“I wonder why,” Ryan muttered rolling his eyes. He wasn’t an employee but a babysitter.
Brendon settled down on one of the tables tiredly. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“I’m grateful.”
“Go get us some food,” he ordered Ryan.
“Yes, sir,” Ryan replied sarcastically and stalked to the food counter.
The others were probably resting in their rooms already. Ryan sighed imagining a comfortable bed and how he and Brendon spent all morning straining their legs. He was really tired but as much as he wanted to make himself believe that he just had the worst morning of his life, he’d be lying because he actually enjoyed being with his jerk of a boss.
“What will you have, dear?” asked the woman behind the counter.
They had gone a long way. Ryan still got annoyed and would always get pissed at Brendon but he was already beginning to understand and somehow get used to his actions. Their small quarrels were now gestures of the oddest sense of friendship and he treated them as something more comforting and familiar now than intruding and repulsive like before. He never thought that this day would come, when he would actually feel comfortable around Brendon, the same person who not so long ago caused him so much suffering.
“Two of any of your lunch please,” Ryan told her, catching Brendon staring at the corner of his eye.
And then there were those moments when he saw Brendon in a whole new light. He could be so kind and caring at times, Ryan felt like he could just melt with all the attention Brendon was giving him. He had never felt so important, wanted in all his life. He was constantly being reminded of what the other felt for him and how everything were all set and ready. He just needed to say he was ready.
“Thank you,” Ryan muttered as she handed her a tray with two plates of food.
Then again, was he ready? Ryan knew what the implications were going to be if he decided to say yes. He wasn’t quite sure yet that he was ready to explore that side of his sexuality and it wouldn’t be fair to Brendon if Ryan would use him to experiment. He would never do that to him. He was afraid and torn between a whirlwind of dilemmas yet he also somehow felt as if everything had never made so much sense than they did now.
Ryan was becoming more absorbed by his thoughts that he didn’t see the person standing at his side. He didn’t her walk by him as he was leaving the cue by the counter and how her eyes widened at the sight of him.
“Shit!” Ryan muttered as he bumped his tray and almost lost balance.
“Sorry!” she said.
It was like a cross between being suddenly struck by a jolt of electricity and being dumped in a frozen pool. That voice... he never had the intention of memorizing the sound of it and he thought he had already forgotten. Hearing it again however, made him realize that Ryan did recognize the voice.
“Ryan”
She had cut her hair shorter but other than that, her golden locks and her face remained the same. Even the way she said his name was the same.
“Helen,” Ryan muttered automatically.
She seemed nervous all of a sudden, looking down at her pink shoes and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear shyly. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
Ryan found himself frowning and feeling a little dizzy. “What are you doing here?”
Helen was taken aback. She was apparently expecting a warmer response. “Our-my school is having the school trip here,” she answered smiling. She glanced at Ryan’s face and then at the tray on his hands. She stared at the two sets of lunch on it. “And you?”
“School trip,” Ryan replied. She still looked nice.
“What a coincidence,” she said. “Are you having lunch?”
Ryan followed her gaze to the tray he was holding. “Yes, actually.”
“With someone?” she asked casually though Ryan knew her enough to hear the anxiety in her voice.
“A friend,” Ryan said. “A really good one.”
Helen smiled looking relieved. “Do you mind if I join you? My friends all went down to the souvenir shops and I’m kind of alone.”
Oh boy. Ryan glanced at the table where Brendon was seated and even from this distance; he could tell the other went a couple of shades paler. He was watching him and Helen with narrowed eyes while his hands were curled into fists. He turned to Helen who was all smiles and Ryan swore the heavens hated him.
“Okay.”
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NOTES:
Now who didn’t see that coming? I think things will be more interesting.
I haven’t been to Vegas much less Mt. Charleston. After I’ve decided to use that as my setting, I tried to do some research... but it didn’t go well. So I said, “Fuck it. I’m going to make that mountain my own” so yeah... As all other things in this story, the Mt. Charleston in this is my version.
I do know that this is a cliffie but I have to end it here. I’m going to take some sleep now and immediately start on the 21st when I wake up. Sound good?
This is unbeta-ed, un- reread, unedited... un-everything. I’m too sleepy right now so I might fix this after some hours...
Author: deadoralive0013
Pairing: Ryden, a bit of Joncer, a bit of Gabilliam (yes… it’s official now)
Rating: PG13
POV: 3rd
Summary: (High school AU) Ryan just wanted to finish high school and make it to college so he worked (sometimes even odd jobs) to save up. When he transferred to Vegas for his final year, he found out that sometimes, money is the least of one’s worries. Like in his case, it was his face.
Excerpt for this chapter:
“If you’re going to stare out the window the entire trip, I might end up breaking it in jealousy,” Brendon said after the first hour of their trip.
Ryan turned to him briefly before going back to the window. “Go sleep or something.”
Warnings: Beware. Overused plot. Beware. Straight guy turning gay. Beware! UNBETA-ED!
Beta: roboticeyes
Disclaimer: I own the plot but nothing else...
Notes: At the end of each chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20
“I’m all set!” William announced to them.
Ryan, Spencer, and Patrick watched him as he carefully placed his bulging backpack on the floor and opened it with as much excitement as a child opening a birthday present. They leaned into the bag’s opening expectantly. Inside were gaming consoles, a PSP and a Wii DS. They stared at William.
“Jeez William,” Patrick said staring inside the bag. “I hope you didn’t forget to pack the chargers. Three days in a mountain will definitely eat up their batteries.”
“Our adviser said not to bring anything electronic except for a cell phone, a flashlight, and maybe a camera to document the trip,” Spencer said sternly. “These will get confiscated.”
“ If he finds out. Which he won’t,” William assured them as he closed the bag again. “I’ve thought of this all night and I think I’ve figured out a very genius way to hide these.”
“Would it kill you to not play any games for three days? We’ll be hiking most of the time anyway so you won’t have the opportunity to play,” Spencer said while Ryan just watched.
“Yes, it will,” William said.
“How did you survive the other school trips?” Ryan asked interestedly.
“He didn’t,” Patrick said. “Like you, it’s his first time to join Palo Verde’s school trip.”
“First time and it just had to be a mountain, a fucking mountain that will take me miles away from my gaming station and sever my ties with electricity!” William complained while slinging back the bag onto his back and almost losing his balance in the process. “There’s a reason why we are living in the era of technology and I see no point in going up a mountain to play Dora the explorer.”
It was very early with the sun still somewhere that is not Las Vegas sky. Patrick and William drove to the Smiths’ house to get Ryan and Spencer so they could go to school together. Ryan and Spencer already had their bags with them while waiting in the living room and immediately went out to meet Patrick and Spencer as soon as they heard Patrick’s car despite Lisa’s protests. She insisted that they eat two extra servings of breakfast to prepare for the long trip.
“If you bring your consoles with you and they get confiscated, you’ll forever sever ties with them,” Spencer told William who just rolled his eyes and muttered things like ‘party pooper’ and ‘uptight freak’ under his breath.
“Did you pack enough bathroom tissues and hand sanitizers? I left them on the table,” Lisa said stepping out from the front door to join them.
“Yes mom. We got them,” Spencer answered a little embarrassed while Patrick and William giggled under their breaths.
“Looks like you’re all ready to go camping,” she said as she walked over to them.
“Good morning Mrs. Smith,” Patrick said and William copied him.
She smiled at them looking like she too was excited and gave the car parked down their driveway a scrutinizing look. The look that Patrick received made him cringe in the inside though Lisa’s face didn’t show any anger albeit her smile faltered a bit. “Did you drive?”
“No ma’am. The family driver drove us here and he’ll be driving the four of us to school,” Patrick answered quickly.
“I’m sure Patrick won’t be driving his car before he gets a license,” Benny said as he too stepped out of the door. He was carrying a brown paper bag.
“Good morning Mr. Smith,” William greeted and Patrick politely nodded.
“The sandwiches!” Lisa said eyeing the bag in her husband’s hand. Benny shrugged as she quickly grabbed it and gave it to Spencer. “I made these for you and Ryan. You can share them with Patrick and William too. There’s enough for all.”
Spencer winced before hesitantly taking the bag. He had hidden it behind the microwave oven. Why did his father have to find it?
“Thanks mom,” he said anyway silently cursing William and Patrick who were muttering ‘aawww...’ not so softly.
“Now don’t forget, give us a call as soon as your bus leaves and when you get to Mt. Charleston,” Lisa reminded them.
“The signal is probably bad up there, mom,” Spencer said.
“Even so. Your dad and I have to know that you and Ryan are okay,” she said.
Spencer nodded while Ryan smiled at Benny and Lisa reassuringly.
“We’ll surely call,” he told them and Lisa looked relieved.
“Time’s running,” Benny announced and they all turned to him. “I think we should let the boys go or their bus will leave without them.”
Spencer was thankful for his father’s intervention because Lisa looked like she was beginning to second-guess her decision of letting her boys join a trip to the mountain. Patrick nodded at the couple before leading the group to the car.
“Oh, right,” she said hesitantly and watched the boys walk towards Patrick’s car and climb in with all their stuff.
“Have fun boys!” Benny called out waving from the front door and they waved back.
“Don’t go wandering by yourselves!” Lisa added worriedly but the white vehicle had already started moving and was quickly disappearing from view.
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Palo Verde looked peculiarly alive without the sun because of the presence of the students, most of whom were looking groggy and sleepy for waking up before the sun even rose. These kids were clearly not early risers.
In front of the main building were four tourist buses waiting at the parking lot where cars were arriving one by one to drop another groggy-looking student to join the bunch.
Spencer, Ryan, William, and Patrick stepped out of the vehicle carrying their bags and joined their classmates who were already assembled in lines. Ryan felt a little excited when he saw the buses but he found himself smiling more at seeing that other people looked dead. He took it as a sign of peaceful travel.
“Attention,” said a magnified voice of a man they recognized as their social science teacher. He was standing in front with a megaphone in one hand and a thin collection of paper on the other.
“In five minutes, you will all be boarding the buses. The seat assignments are posted by the door of each bus so you will all follow that. The bus where you will be assigned will be your permanent group and each bus will get a faculty member to look after the group. Your seatmate will also be your buddy and roommate for the duration of the trip.”
There were a few groans of protests here and there and Ryan heard the girl behind her mutter ‘fuck seat assignments’. He chuckled before he realized that he too will be facing the problem of not knowing who his buddy going to be.
The students started walking towards the buses to see what bus they’ll be getting on and who their buddies will be when Ryan caught sight of Brendon walking over to him carrying a backpack with a big smile. Ryan felt himself become suddenly nervous and sweating a little despite the cold morning air as flashes of last night’s events came to him.
“No,” Ryan said softly after he had pushed Brendon to break the kiss. Their lips met but only for a moment.
Brendon was snapped out of his daze at Ryan’s words. “Right. Sorry,” he muttered without thinking while he retreated out of Ryan’s personal space.
Both of them were silent and breathing a little heavily while still seated in front of Brendon’s study table. He chanced a look at Ryan who was blushing madly and had his eyes glued to the periodic table of elements they had been using earlier like it was going to talk to him any moment. On his lap were his hands fidgeting nonstop and Brendon had to force himself to look away because what he was finding Ryan’s embarrassment too cute and maybe a little exciting. The silence that was full of tension dragged on for a couple of minutes and they became too aware of the sound of their breathing and the heat radiating from each other.
“Fuck it,” Brendon suddenly muttered before grabbing the back of Ryan’s head and leaning in again to capture his lips hungrily. He closed his eyes as their lips touch for the second time, half-expecting a slap or a punch to come. Nothing.
Ryan’s hands were grasping the front of Brendon’s shirt while the other deepened the kiss. He used the hand at the back of Ryan’s neck to pull the other boy closer while the other hand grasped one of Ryan’s wrists. Brendon sucked at his lower lip slowly before trailing a wet tongue on it, feeling elated that he hadn’t received any sign of rejection from Ryan yet.
Ryan knew Brendon wanted access and everything was happening too quickly and too out-of-instinct for him to think through. Somewhere far, he knew this shouldn’t be happening but right now Ryan’s instinct was telling him to part his lips. Before he knew it, Brendon’s tongue was in his mouth and sliding against his own.
Brendon’s heart leapt when he felt Ryan’s tongue move hesitantly. He smiled into the kiss before moving closer to Ryan and for a moment, he thought it would never end.
That is, until he felt hands pushing gently on his chest. Brendon needed every fiber of self-control in his body to pull away and break the kiss. He groaned a little as he did, making sure he dragged the kiss a little longer before completely pulling away but he was rewarded with a very dazed-looking Ryan with messy hair and wrinkled shirt, breathing heavily. He was looking down at his lap again with such obvious shyness and innocence and Brendon bit his lip hard. Damn.
Ryan took a moment to catch his breath before speaking. “I, uh... This isn’t...”
He was startled by a finger suddenly pressed against his lips. Ryan tried to look at it and then turned his gaze to Brendon’s eyes, the finger being the only thing that was between them.
“You don’t have to say anything,” Brendon said quietly before removing his index finger but not breaking eye contact. He knew Ryan was too embarrassed about what had just happen and he wanted to save him from the awkwardness. He didn’t want Ryan to regret this once again.
Ryan nodded before looking away, silently grateful that he didn’t have to say anything. He hastily gathered his notes and pens and stuffed them carelessly in his bag almost as if just to do something. Brendon took this as a cue that tonight’s study session had ended. He had to admit this turned out better than the last time.
“I’ll drive you home,” he said casually as he stood up like nothing happened while straightening his shirt. It was a little hard to restrain a smile.
“Sure,” Ryan muttered in a pitch a little higher than he intended and he quickly cleared his throat. He fumbled with the zipper of his messenger bag before rising as well, hastily running his finger through his locks to fix it, specially the area at the back of his head where Brendon’s hand had held him.
Brendon breathed deeply as he struggled to keep the casual aura to make Ryan feel a little comfortable. He watched the other busy himself with his stuff and he had to restrain a very big smile that was threatening to show once more. Ryan was too cute, he felt really happy and hopeful. Maybe they’re getting there.
“Are you ready to go?”
Ryan nodded quickly but refused to meet his eyes. “Yeah, let’s go.”
The drive towards the Smiths’ house was silent except for the occasional small talk about the Law of Conservation of Mass which they both eagerly discussed. None of them said anything about the kiss but they both knew, all those time they’ve spent inside the car in that long drive, it’s the only thing they were thinking about.
“Good morning,” Brendon greeted.
“Hey,” Ryan said giving him a small smile. He shook his head a little to shake off his nerves.
Spencer, William, and Patrick all smiled at Brendon as he joined them. They let the rest of the school go the lists first.
“This should be fun,” Brendon said and his eyes flickered ever so quickly at Ryan’s wrist. He smiled widely at seeing the bracelet. “This will be the first time I’m joining the school trip.”
“Where’s Jon and Gabe?” Patrick asked looking around.
Brendon shrugged lightly. “They are... fixing some things.”
Ryan eyed him suspiciously. “What things?”
“Just things. Don’t worry too much about it, my slave,” he said flicking Ryan’s hair playfully. “They’ll be joining us soon.”
Ryan waved Brendon’s hand away with an air of annoyance. “Employee.”
“I think we should take a look at the lists so that we could all get good seats at the bus,” William said as he watched the rest of the student body crowd around the lists and board the buses. “I hope I get a decent buddy, or at least not that Richmond guy. His breath smells”
“That won’t be necessary, William,” Brendon said.
“What do you mean?” Spencer asked.
“I’ve already thought about this last night and I’ve fixed everything,” he answered confidently.
Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Is that what Jon and Gabe are fixing?”
“Uhuh,” Brendon answered with a big smile. The mental image of Ryan’s blushing face was clearly imprinted in his memory and he was remembering it right then.
“We’re getting behind schedule people! Move it, move it! Get on the buses!” one of the teachers spat on one of the megaphones as she furiously ushered people on the buses.
Ryan pointedly looked at Brendon upon hearing it. “Maybe we should find out what buses we’re on at least.”
At that moment, Jon and Gabe came walking towards them looking smug. Brendon gave them a questioning look as they joined them, to which they answered a triumphant grin.
“We’re all good,” Jon announced.
“Cool,” Brendon said before turning to the rest of the group. “We’re on bus one. Come on.”
Jon and Gabe immediately followed Brendon as he walked towards the said bus. Patrick, Spencer, William, and Ryan just watched confused.
“What? Come on,” Brendon called when he realized Ryan and the others were not following.
“Are you sure about this?” Ryan asked, voicing out the rest of the group’s sentiment.
“Of course I’m sure. Now come on,” Brendon said.
“We’ve fixed everything. Just trust us,” Jon assured them and they followed.
“Oh, and Ryan,” Brendon called, suddenly facing back and walking towards him. He handed him his backpack. “Carry this for me. I have really important things in there so be careful.”
Ryan glared at him but managed to stop himself from throwing out a ‘fuck you’. “Sure,” he said instead and heaved the backpack to his back. It weighed a ton.
“Good boy,” Brendon sneered at him before walking towards the bus. Had he known school trips were this fun, Brendon would have joined every single one. This trip hadn’t even started yet but he was already enjoying it.
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The sun was just rising when the buses pulled out the school’s parking lot and headed for Mt. Charleston.
As it turned out, what Jon and Gabe were fixing was their bus seats and therefore their buddy assignments. Ryan resolutely kept his attention to the window beside him as Brendon, who was incidentally his buddy, kept taking pictures of him. He had protested earlier saying that he wanted his cousin to be his buddy but Brendon countered him with a wave of a very familiar-looking piece of paper.
“You’ll have to be readily available in case I need you,” Brendon told him with a smile that screamed ‘I win’.
Surprisingly, Spencer did not object at all, just shrugging as his cousin was dragged to the seat beside Brendon while Jon quickly stepped in to take his place. Ryan and Brendon’s seats were directly in front of them so Ryan didn’t miss it when Jon smiled at Spencer as he settled down the seat beside him and his cousin returned it. There was clearly something that Spencer forgot to tell him.
“Will you stop that,” Ryan said annoyed as Brendon’s camera blinded him with a flash. “The contract does not give you any right to take pictures, being it a form of privacy invasion.”
Brendon smirked before putting his camera back in his bag. “I have decided that I will document this entire trip since it is my first school trip. The pictures are necessary, slave. You’ll have to bear with it.”
Ryan just rolled his eyes before turning back to the window.
“You’re just mad because your cousin wants to sit with Jon instead of you,” Brendon said. Ryan ignored him.
“It looks to me like your cousin is happy when he is with Jon,” he added offhandedly and Ryan turned to him.
“I know.”
Behind Spencer and Jon’s seat were William and Patrick. William had his giant big on his occupying the entire space between him and the seat in front of him. He was leaning inside the bag, hands inside it. Patrick knew what the other was doing inside it. He just shrugged and closed his eyes to sleep.
Gabe was inevitably paired up with Ryland. Their seat was behind William and Patrick’s and Gabe couldn’t help but get curious as to why William Beckett had almost the whole of his upper body inside a bag.
The traffic was smooth and their bus breezed through the highway. Ryan watched his window as the view outside gradually change from suburban, to city-like, and then to country highway. The buildings and lights were replaced by occasional trees and vast desert-like spaces and Ryan continued watching like it was a movie.
“If you’re going to stare out the window the entire trip, I might end up breaking it in jealousy,” Brendon said after the first hour of their trip.
Ryan turned to him briefly before going back to the window. “Go sleep or something.”
It was then that he felt a sudden weight on his right shoulder. He turned to it and found Brendon’s head resting on the crook of his neck. Ryan quickly moved his shoulder and Brendon was forced to sit up.
“That was rude,” he told Ryan with a pout.
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Okay, I’m facing you now. Happy?”
“A little,” Brendon said rubbing his chin. “Do you really find the scenery more interesting than me?”
“This is the first time I’ll get to see more of this place since I moved here,” Ryan explained in his monotonous voice while facing the window.
“But there’s nothing out there but sand, and trees, and leaves, other buses, and tons of other boring things,” Brendon complained. “There’s nothing out there that is worth your attention.”
“I know, it’s just that this is kind of a new chapter in my life,” Ryan began before turning back to him. “I’m making memories and want to remember everything.”
A warm hand wrapped itself around his and Ryan looked down to see Brendon’s.
“Here,” Brendon said before placing the camera in Ryan’s hand. “So you can capture memories.”
“But-”
“Just take it for now,” he cut in. “I’ll just borrow it from you sometimes. We can both put our memories in there.”
Ryan hesitantly took the camera, holding it with both hands afraid that he’ll break or damage it. He had seen cameras like this on the internet and in school being used by his schoolmates but Brendon’s was somehow different though he might be wrong. It looked fairly the same as those he had seen except that this one was red and Brendon’s name was printed or hand-painted at the side. He held the thing a little more tightly. The last thing he needed was his debt to increase if he accidentally dropped it.
“Just press the tiny button thing at the top to take pictures,” Brendon said as he grabbed Ryan’s hand and leaned a little closer to teach him how to operate it. “Press the one beside it to switch to video recording. You can zoom in or out with this knob thing. See?” he asked as he moved the said knob for demonstration. He inwardly smile because Ryan was stiff and careful not to turn his head to him. They were really close.
“Okay. I think I can do it,” Ryan said and Brendon released his hands.
He turned to window again and directed Brendon’s camera outside before pressing the small button. Ryan then turned the camera to see the shot at LCD screen and smiled at the clarity of it.
“Thanks,” he muttered to Brendon.
“No problem,” he answered smiling. Ryan looked really shy. “You can have it if you want though I have to replace my name at the side with yours first.”
“What? No,” Ryan said quickly. “I can’t, I mean, I don’t want it.”
“Are you sure?” Brendon asked. “I don’t mind at all.”
“I’m sure,” Ryan answered nodding his head as if to emphasize. He quickly turned back to the window to signal the end of the discussion before Brendon can force to give him anything more.
Brendon decided that to let Ryan win this time and made a mental note to give Ryan lots of gifts as soon he becomes comfortable enough to take them. Brendon was an awesome and not to mention generous boyfriend after all.
He kept silent and turned to movie being shown on the bus’ TV but kept glancing in Ryan’s direction. He watched as the other took pictures and videos from the window and checked his shots on the LCD at the back with a slight frown. It was more interesting than whatever movie they were showing. After the next hour, Brendon felt a weight on his left shoulder. He was surprised to see Ryan’s face so close, eyes shut face relaxed in sleep, the camera resting safely in his limp but securely closed hands. Brendon smiled before slowly adjusting the head on his shoulder to a more comfortable position, making sure not to wake up the other. He hesitated for a moment then shrugged before placing hand on Ryan’s forehead to brush off the hair and planting a soft a kiss on the skin beneath.
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“Well that’s cute.”
Ryan forced one of his eyes open, a little annoyed at the voice that woke him. He was in one of those really good and dreamless sleeps when familiar voices tore him out of his slumber. His body felt nicely warm.
Spencer, William, Patrick, Jon, and Gabe’s faces greeted him. They were all standing at the side and leaning in front of him with smug and amused faces.
“Slept well Ry?” William asked with a smirk.
“Yeah,” Ryan muttered wondering why they’re all looking at him like that. He yawned, ignoring the giggles that erupted from them before flexing his neck. He couldn’t.
Ryan just then realized that something was resting on the side of his head and he had a very good idea of what it was. Turning slowly, an ear and locks of familiar dark hair came in to view.
Without thinking, he quickly retreated back to his side of the seat causing Brendon’s head to slide down and hit his lap. The falling sensation woke Brendon up. Laugh erupted around them as Brendon brushed off the sleep from his eyes confused.
“Good morning Bren,” Gabe greeted him.
“Morning,” Brendon returned with a smile down from Ryan’s lap.
“Get off!” Ryan muttered hastily before pushing Brendon off his lap.
“Ow!” Brendon muttered when his head hit the back of the seats in front of theirs. “I’m your boss you know!”
“No need to be shy, Ry. You two looked very cute,” Patrick assured him and Ryan glared.
“We were just... I fell asleep, and uh,” Ryan tried to explain with a dignified voice. When did he fall asleep?
“Save it. It’s not like we don’t know,” Gabe joined in and the rest blurted out their laughs. The bastards.
Brendon on the other hand was just quietly sitting beside him with a smile. “I... we... It’s not-”
“We’re going to go buy some snacks,” Spencer cut in and managed to kept his face straight. “I’ll get you something too if you don’t want to go down.”
“Or if they prefer to sleep in,” Gabe added innocently.
Ryan ignored him. “Go out? Where?”
“We’ve stopped for a fifteen-minute travel break,” Jon explained. Ryan gazed out his window and indeed, the bus had stopped. Outside were groups of students eating and walking around to stretch their legs.
“We’ll be at the snack shop if you change your mind,” Spencer said before turning to the aisle and walking towards the front of the bus, the others trailing behind him.
The bus silent and Ryan guessed there wasn’t anyone on anymore except for him and Brendon. He awkwardly glanced at the other. “You want to get something?”
Brendon had his head leaning back in a relaxed position. He turned to Ryan. “Nah, I don’t feel hungry.”
“Okay, then. Can you move over so that I can pass?” Ryan asked.
Brendon stared at the bus’ roof thoughtfully before looking back at him. “Nope. I feel lazy,” he said simply.
Ryan sighed. “Move over. I’m going out.”
Brendon raised an eyebrow before crossing his legs, effectively blocking Ryan’s path. “Is that how you talk to your employer Ross?”
Ryan bit his tongue. “Do you have anything you want me to do?”
“Not at the moment,” he answered.
“Then why can’t you just fucking move over and let me pass?” Ryan asked through gritted teeth.
“I never said I won’t let you pass. I’m merely saying that I won’t move,” Brendon explained with an air of patience as if he was talking to child.
Ryan stared at him. “And you expect me to step over your lap?”
“If you are so desperately in need of fresh air, then it’s totally up to you,” Brendon said.
“I’m serious, Brendon. This stopover might be ending soon. I have to get out now,” Ryan told him. Why can’t Brendon just grow up and stop acting like fucking kid?
“So am I,” Brendon replied unfazed. He was enjoying being in the position where Ryan had to beg him and this situation can get so much more interesting.
This was stupid. Ryan didn’t really have any specific thing he wanted to buy outside nor was he in dire need of a walk for fresh air but he had the right to get out of a fucking bus if he wanted! His patience was running out fast and he didn’t think Brendon looked like he was even considering moving out of his way. He was enjoying this.
“You know what,” Ryan started as he settled in a comfortable position in his seat and crossed his arms in front of his chest, “fine. Be the dick that you are. See if I care.”
“Awww... but that’s no fun,” Brendon complained. “I’ve let you use my shoulder as a pillow for almost an hour. The least you could do is to provide me entertainment.”
“Why am I not surprised that you find entertainment in seeing me angry?” Ryan asked with a voice laced with sarcasm. “Oh that’s right. Because you’re sick.”
Brendon flinched, feeling regret suddenly creep his insides. “Hey,” he said putting a hand behind Ryan’s neck and soothing his nape. “Don’t get mad. I’m sorry okay?”
Ryan ignored him.
“Hey. Come on. I think we still have time,” Brendon said. “We can go get something and walk a little. I’ll buy you anything you want.”
Ryan just rose from his seat and Brendon immediately scrambled out of his seat to let him through. He wordlessly stepped onto the bus isle and walked towards the direction of the door without even sparing Brendon a glance. Brendon trailed behind him feeling stupid when suddenly, Ryan turned to him with a smirk. A really sexy one in Brendon’s opinion.
“Got you,” he said and gave Brendon a wink before stepping out of the bus.
“The fuck...” Brendon muttered as he stood alone but found himself smiling. That boy who looked incredibly like Ryan had just manipulated him! Who was that and what did he do to the shy and naïve boy he was kissing last night?
“You’re going to pay, Ross. Big time,” Brendon muttered smirking as he followed Ryan out the bus.
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They endured what felt like a couple more hours of the bus ride before it finally went to a stop. The rest of the trip had gone on uneventfully except for some moments that involved William and his relationship with his really big bag, Patrick telling him off because it ‘bothers him’, Gabe spying on William and his bag (where his head was located), Brendon passing out snacks to everyone and taking pictures, Ryan and his peculiar relationship with his window, Brendon competing with the said window, and Jon and Spencer spending the whole trip in comfortable silence.
It was pleasantly sunny and upon stepping out, the greens and the mountain air gave the impression of being transported into the other side of the world. Trees, shrubs, bushes, dirt, stones, trees, skies, insects, trees, and trees. Yup, they’re definitely not in the strip anymore.
“I can smell nature,” Patrick said as he stepped down the bus’ steps and walked around to take in the surroundings.
“I smell dirt,” William said blandly.
“Oh cool,” Gabe interjected from somewhere near a bunch of bushes before stooping down. “Look-y here,” he said, his hands caved on each other as he walked to them. He removed the hand covering the other and on his palm was the hairiest, biggest spider Ryan had ever seen. Apparently, so was William.
“AAAaaahhhhh!!!” he exclaimed tumbling back and almost tripping on his own feet as he scampered away from the spider.
Jon, Spencer, Patrick, Brendon, and Ryan laughed at William’s reaction. Gabe just smirked. “What’s the matter? Afraid of a little spider?”
William shot him a murderous look. “Get that thing away from me, Sapporta or I swear you’ll never get back to Vegas alive.”
“What?” Gabe asked innocently. “But I just want to introduce you to my friend here,” he said as walked slowly towards William.
“I’m serious!” William warned taking a few steps back.
“I think I’ll call him Dawg,” Gabe mutterd to his palm and ignoring William’s words. “Dawg, that skinny guy over there who’s too sissy to come over is Beckett. He’s a sissy,” he added pointing a finger at him.
“Fuck you asshole!” William spat before running off.
Ryan felt a little sorry for him but he couldn’t help but laugh along. “So this is one of the reasons he didn’t want to join the school trip huh?”
Patrick and Spencer nodded.
“Yes. William is mortally afraid of anything that crawls and has more than four legs,” Patrick told him as the laughter died down.
“Spiders pretty much have the whole package. They got eight,” Spencer added.
“You don’t say,” Gabe said smirking while he rubbed his chin.
“I know that look,” Brendon told Gabe.
Their chat was cut off when the sound of the megaphone being turned on was heard followed by the voice of their teacher.
“Ehem,” he cleared his throat on the device and the students went quiet. He was standing on a big boulder.
“As you all know, we’ll be staying in the mountain lodge for tonight. You are all free to roam the place as long as it is inside the lodge and with your buddies. The faculty members will be preparing the supplies and we’ll leave early tomorrow on foot to a camp sight higher up on the mountain where we will spend the entire day and night,” he explained.
“What?!” William muttered beside Ryan making him jump. When did he get there?
“So tonight, get a good night rest, pack only the necessary belongings and put on your hiking boots. I don’t want anybody borrowing other people’s tooth brush. Room assignments for tonight will be posted after lunch.”
The students immediately went back to what they were doing before the megaphone was heard and their social science teacher stepped off the boulder to join the other faculty members who were heading for the lodge.
“I can’t stay on a mountain for an entire night!” William complained.
“You’ll live,” Gabe told him and turned to the lodge uphill. “That looks promising.”
It was one of those big brown houses that looked like it was entirely made of wood. Ryan wondered how fast it would light up if someone twisted suddenly threw a lighted matchstick on the roof while everyone was asleep. Not very long, Ryan thought.
“And they’re posting the room assignments after lunch. What is the sense in that?” William whined.
“Everybody else is depositing their things in the bus,” Ryan said. “I guess we could do the same and then explore the place a little before lunch.”
Brendon’s ears perked up. “Good idea! Come on Ryan. I want to see what’s at the back of the lodge.”
Ryan shifted his gaze from Brendon’s expectant expression to their friends as if asking if they too would like to come.
“I think I’m going have some coffee or something. I’m sure they serve some up there,” Spencer said motioning to the house where they will be staying.
“Me too,” Jon said expectedly.
“I’m coming with them,” William announced still looking pissed at everything organic.
Patrick and Gabe just shrugged to say that they were too tired to walk.
“Looks like it will be just you and me,” Brendon told Ryan with a wide smirk.
“On second thought, I-thin”
“As my slave-”
“Employee,” Ryan cut in.
“-and more importantly my buddy on this trip, you have to come with me,” Brendon told him.
“But I-”
“Let’s go,” Brendon said before grabbing Ryan’s wrist and pulling him towards the mass of vegetation.
Ryan stared at his cousin with big eyes and mouthed ‘save me’ but Spencer just waved at him. He really wanted to have that coffee.
“Have fun!” Jon called before the two vanished from view.
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It was already an hour after lunch when Brendon decided that he had enough sight-seeing for now and given in to Ryan’s request of going back to the lodge. He had dragged the other to the uneven, earthy hike paths seeing nothing but trees, dirt, insects, skies and dried leaves, succeeding in soiling their clothes and stressing their muscles but Brendon couldn’t think of anything else he’d rather do. His stamina was obviously greater than Ryan and he had enjoyed seeing the other boy struggle to keep up with his steps. But more than putting Ryan in difficult situations which always gave Brendon a sick sense of satisfaction was the hours worth of memories he was able to create with Ryan.
“I’m starving,” Brendon told Ryan as they entered the lodge’s dining area. It was spacious and almost empty, and like almost everything else in the lodge, everything was made of wood.
“I wonder why,” Ryan muttered rolling his eyes. He wasn’t an employee but a babysitter.
Brendon settled down on one of the tables tiredly. “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”
“I’m grateful.”
“Go get us some food,” he ordered Ryan.
“Yes, sir,” Ryan replied sarcastically and stalked to the food counter.
The others were probably resting in their rooms already. Ryan sighed imagining a comfortable bed and how he and Brendon spent all morning straining their legs. He was really tired but as much as he wanted to make himself believe that he just had the worst morning of his life, he’d be lying because he actually enjoyed being with his jerk of a boss.
“What will you have, dear?” asked the woman behind the counter.
They had gone a long way. Ryan still got annoyed and would always get pissed at Brendon but he was already beginning to understand and somehow get used to his actions. Their small quarrels were now gestures of the oddest sense of friendship and he treated them as something more comforting and familiar now than intruding and repulsive like before. He never thought that this day would come, when he would actually feel comfortable around Brendon, the same person who not so long ago caused him so much suffering.
“Two of any of your lunch please,” Ryan told her, catching Brendon staring at the corner of his eye.
And then there were those moments when he saw Brendon in a whole new light. He could be so kind and caring at times, Ryan felt like he could just melt with all the attention Brendon was giving him. He had never felt so important, wanted in all his life. He was constantly being reminded of what the other felt for him and how everything were all set and ready. He just needed to say he was ready.
“Thank you,” Ryan muttered as she handed her a tray with two plates of food.
Then again, was he ready? Ryan knew what the implications were going to be if he decided to say yes. He wasn’t quite sure yet that he was ready to explore that side of his sexuality and it wouldn’t be fair to Brendon if Ryan would use him to experiment. He would never do that to him. He was afraid and torn between a whirlwind of dilemmas yet he also somehow felt as if everything had never made so much sense than they did now.
Ryan was becoming more absorbed by his thoughts that he didn’t see the person standing at his side. He didn’t her walk by him as he was leaving the cue by the counter and how her eyes widened at the sight of him.
“Shit!” Ryan muttered as he bumped his tray and almost lost balance.
“Sorry!” she said.
It was like a cross between being suddenly struck by a jolt of electricity and being dumped in a frozen pool. That voice... he never had the intention of memorizing the sound of it and he thought he had already forgotten. Hearing it again however, made him realize that Ryan did recognize the voice.
“Ryan”
She had cut her hair shorter but other than that, her golden locks and her face remained the same. Even the way she said his name was the same.
“Helen,” Ryan muttered automatically.
She seemed nervous all of a sudden, looking down at her pink shoes and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear shyly. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
Ryan found himself frowning and feeling a little dizzy. “What are you doing here?”
Helen was taken aback. She was apparently expecting a warmer response. “Our-my school is having the school trip here,” she answered smiling. She glanced at Ryan’s face and then at the tray on his hands. She stared at the two sets of lunch on it. “And you?”
“School trip,” Ryan replied. She still looked nice.
“What a coincidence,” she said. “Are you having lunch?”
Ryan followed her gaze to the tray he was holding. “Yes, actually.”
“With someone?” she asked casually though Ryan knew her enough to hear the anxiety in her voice.
“A friend,” Ryan said. “A really good one.”
Helen smiled looking relieved. “Do you mind if I join you? My friends all went down to the souvenir shops and I’m kind of alone.”
Oh boy. Ryan glanced at the table where Brendon was seated and even from this distance; he could tell the other went a couple of shades paler. He was watching him and Helen with narrowed eyes while his hands were curled into fists. He turned to Helen who was all smiles and Ryan swore the heavens hated him.
“Okay.”
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NOTES:
Now who didn’t see that coming? I think things will be more interesting.
I haven’t been to Vegas much less Mt. Charleston. After I’ve decided to use that as my setting, I tried to do some research... but it didn’t go well. So I said, “Fuck it. I’m going to make that mountain my own” so yeah... As all other things in this story, the Mt. Charleston in this is my version.
I do know that this is a cliffie but I have to end it here. I’m going to take some sleep now and immediately start on the 21st when I wake up. Sound good?
This is unbeta-ed, un- reread, unedited... un-everything. I’m too sleepy right now so I might fix this after some hours...