Part 2
Part 1
Spencer knew something was wrong all along but it still caught him off guard when he actually figured everything out. He was out throwing a basketball at the net on the garage half-heartedly, completely bored, when a car pulled to a stop outside his house. He turned around, only to frown when a woman got out of the car and started up the driveway. “Um, can I help you?” he asked and the woman looked up. Spencer frowned when he recognized the dark hair, full lips, and dark eyes.
“Um, are you Spencer?” She asked and Spencer nodded. “My name’s Kara,” she said, then tugged at her shirt. “I- You know Brendon, right?” she asked and he suddenly realized she must be his sister.
“Yeah, he’s not here,” he said and she made a face.
“I didn’t think he would be really, but I remember him mentioning you so I thought this was the best place to check,” she said.
Spencer frowned. “How did you find my house? Did Brendon tell you how to get here?”
She shook her head. “He mentioned your mom was named Ginger and that your name’s Spencer Smith, and I put two and two together and grabbed the phonebook,” she explained. “Have- have you heard anything from him recently?” she asked.
Spencer nodded. “Yeah, I saw him yesterday. We had practice,” he explained.
She snatched her eyes up, staring at him hard. “You- you saw him?!” she asked in shock. “He’s okay then?”
Spencer frowned. “What are you talking about? Surely you could’ve just like… I don’t know, called home?” he suggested.
She frowned. “You don’t- you don’t know?” she asked and Spencer raised an eyebrow. “Brendon ran away,” she said and he froze. “Like, a few months ago.” She cringed. “He was calling me and I gave him some money and stuff but the last three weeks I haven’t heard from him and I was so worried I just- I had to come make sure he’s fine,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself. “My husband doesn’t like me giving him money but he’s my baby brother, you know?” she said, shrugging.
Spencer just stared. “You mean Brendon ran away from home and- and led his friends to believe he was still living at home, all hunky dory?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I didn’t think so. I figured you guys knew.” She cringed. “So he’s been all alone this whole time?” she asked, looking upset. “He- nobody was even going to- to make sure he was getting home safely?” she whispered.
Spencer suddenly blinked. “Telfair Street,” he said suddenly and she nodded. “I saw him! A few weeks back we had gone out as a family for dinner and I thought I saw him walking down Telfair Street but I was like ‘that so can’t be him, his curfew is eight-thirty’ and I just dismissed it.” He froze. “He’s living THERE?!” he cried, looking horrified.
She nodded. “I gave him enough money to pay the deposit on a little space not far from the bus stop, so at least he won’t have to walk too far in that area,” she said. “But then he didn’t call me for three weeks and I’ve been so sure something happened.”
Spencer frowned. “Three weeks would be around the time he started talking about giving up on the band,” he admitted. “He mentioned moving to Arizona and going to cosmetology school but we all kinda convinced him it was a bad idea.” He froze. “Was it the band?” he asked softly.
“Was what the band?” she asked and he waved a hand.
“The whole ‘oh I gotta leave this place’ thing. I mean, surely something bad had to go down to make him run away,” he emphasized.
She blinked. “No, he got caught,” she said and Spencer raised an eyebrow, clearly needing more detail. “You know,” she blushed and looked shy. “The- the liking boys,” she said and Spencer blinked, eyes widening. She looked horrified. “Oh my God you didn’t know?!” she cried, then covered her mouth. “Oh don’t tell him! I’m so sorry, oh my goodness don’t tell I told,” she begged. “I just- I assumed-“
“No, um, it’s okay,” Spencer said. “I won’t tell him you said anything.”
“And don’t freak out about it,” she kept going. “It’s not- he won’t hit on you or anything, I’m sure! He isn’t like that, he wouldn’t ever mess up his friendships, he’s a good boy and it’s just how he was born, it’s not like a big deal even, I just-“
Spencer cut off her rambling by putting a hand on her arm. “Hey, it’s okay, I’m not homophobic,” he said quickly. “And I wouldn’t ever judge him or anything,” he added. He shrugged. “And I’m more surprised you are the one saying he was just born that way and stuff,” he pointed out.
She flushed, anger in her features. “My parents and our religion are horrible towards gay people. It makes me so angry. I am as good of a Mormon girl as you’ll meet, but it kills me that they were so horrible to my baby brother,” she spat. “He isn’t sick, he’s not wrong! He’s just- he’s just a kid,” she said, tearing up. “He’s just a little boy, you know? And he was so scared. I was over for dinner, had my husband and my kids with us and we walk into the house and they- Dad was screaming at Brendon and Mom was crying and Brendon was just- he was crying and apologizing and he was so scared and I tried to stick up for him-“ she sniffled. “I knew, I always knew,” she said, shaking her head. “Even when he was a little kid he was different, you know?” She smiled wetly. “He’s so special, you know?” she said.
Spencer felt his heart breaking at the picture she painted. “Yeah, I kinda get that,” he said hoarsely. “Shit,” he cursed and she flinched. He cringed. “Sorry.” She waved a hand. “But I mean… how- why did- what did he do to tip them off?” he asked.
She sighed. “They didn’t actually catch him doing anything incriminating, they found makeup in his room and started asking questions and he just- according to mom from what I heard later, he panicked and started getting defensive and they just got it out of him.”
Spencer just blinked. “He hasn’t been grounded because of bad grades, he’s been working late and that’s why his grades are bad, isn’t it?” he asked and she nodded.
“I try to keep giving him some money every week but my husband just doesn’t like us giving money to my kid brother and Brendon doesn’t like taking it anyways, so it’s usually not much. Like, twenty or forty at the most,” she said softly. She bit her lip. “Will… will you tell him to call me? That I don’t care what happens, he’s my baby brother?” she asked.
Spencer nodded. “Of course,” he said. “If I’d have known- well I’ve knew something was off but I didn’t think it would be like that,” he admitted. “I’d have totally been looking out for him better.”
She smiled. “You’re his best friend, you know?” she said. “He would talk about you all the time when he’d call me. You boys in the band, he really looks up to you guys and playing music for you guys makes him so happy,” she whispered wetly. “I always knew he was special and talented. He’s always been so much better at most everything than the rest of us in our family. And I don’t care what everybody says, I can’t imagine God cares half as much about the gender of the person my brother’s attracted to as he does how good a heart he has and how much happiness he brings to the people around him. That’s what God cares about, I just know it.”
Spencer smiled. “Of course it is,” he comforted and she smiled.
“Thank you, Spencer,” she said, giving him a hug that reminded him so much of Spencer. “I’m so glad my brother has you around.”
Spencer watched as she left and just stood staring at the road as he took in all the information that had just been piled on him at once.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After practice, Spencer stuck around and waited a few minutes after Brendon left. He watched Brendon get on the bus then hopped in his mom’s car, trying not to be obvious as he followed the bus. He knew he had to look suspicious, stopping a block back every time the bus stopped, but when it got to Telfair Street and Spencer saw Brendon get off, he parked the car, locked it up, praying it was still there when he came back, and tugged the hood of his jacket up as he walked after Brendon.
He stood across the street at the payphone, trying to look inconspicuous as Brendon unlocked the door to a building. He looked both ways and then sprinted across the street, barely making it to stick his toe between the door and the jamb before it locked. He walked in, shaking with nerves as he looked around the dilapidated hallway. He started up the stairs and tried to figure out which door was Brendon’s. However, when he got to the third floor, he spotted a door swinging shut and heard the lock click. He took a chance and started down the hall.
He stopped in front of apartment 309 and raised his hand to knock. He bit his lip and closed his eyes as he let his fist fall. After a second he heard a thump and the door was opened to reveal Brendon stumbling as he hopped around to get off his shoes. “Yeah?” he asked, then looked up, only to freeze. “S-Spencer?” he asked.
Spencer felt his heart throb painfully as he realized how real the situation was suddenly. “Hi Brendon,” he said softly, feeling a lump rising in his throat. “Um… so you kinda got to tell me something?” he asked and Brendon’s eyes widened before he looked down.
“Um, this is- this is my place,” he said softly.
Spencer clenched his eyes shut. “Yeah, I got that much.”
Brendon scuffed his foot on the door. “How did you find me?” he asked weakly.
“Your sister came to my house looking for you. And I saw you walking down Telfair Street one night a little while back.”
Brendon blinked. “Kara found your house?” he asked with a frown.
“Phonebook,” Spencer muttered and Brendon nodded. “Brendon… why have you been lying?” he asked.
Brendon sighed, letting Spencer in. “As opposed to what, telling you all I ran away from home and getting all your pity?” he asked bitterly as he locked up. When he turned around, Spencer was frozen in the middle of the room as his eyes raked over the apartment.
Spencer saw a shitty looking mattress lying on the floor in the corner with a stained blanket and a flattened, lumpy pillow, no matter how neatly the bed was made. He looked around and spotted a tiny television in the corner, one of the old ones with a built in VCR, a stack of text books, and a clear tote full of what looked like Brendon’s clothes. He glanced over to his left and saw what looked like a kitchenette rather than an actual kitchen. There wasn’t even a separate room, just a patch of tile rather than the ratty carpet in front of a sink a cabinet and a refrigerator that looked about a billion years old. The only appliances were a microwave and a stove that looked about as old as the refrigerator. He turned back and looked at Brendon, who was eyeing his toes with extreme interest.
Spencer simply walked over and hugged Brendon, who deflated, wrapping his arms around Spencer in one of his full bodied hugs that made it feel like Brendon needed someone to hold him together. “You could’ve told me, Brendon,” Spencer gushed, breath ruffling Brendon’s hair. “You can always tell me anything,” he pointed out.
Brendon drew back slowly, looking up at him. “You- you promise?” he asked and Spencer frowned when Brendon pulled away and walked over to stand in the middle of the room, tugging his hoodie sleeves down over his hands. “Anything?” he whispered.
Spencer nodded, already knowing where this was going. “Anything,” he promised, looking at Brendon’s fearful brown eyes.
Brendon sighed and walked to the mattress in the corner, flopping down on it heavily. He tugged his knees up to his chest and Spencer went over, sitting on the floor in front of him with his legs crossed under himself, watching patiently. “Spencer,” he said softly. He closed his eyes, turning his head sideways on top of his knees. “I left home because- because my parents found out that-“ he took a breath and whimpered. “I like boys,” he whispered.
Spencer smiled at him. “Brendon, it’s okay,” he said and Brendon looked up, shocked. “Dude, do you think we would judge you?” he asked.
Brendon shrugged. “Ryan is all ‘homophobia is bad’ but then you and Brent and even Ryan make cracks about stuff and call each other fags and stuff,” he said. “So I didn’t… know,” he said, shrugging.
Spencer sighed. “I’m only telling you this because you told me, but,” he looked up, blushing. “You’re kinda not the only one, okay?” he said and Brendon gaped.
“I- What?!” he hissed.
Spencer nodded, biting his lip. “Two years ago this jock in gym class started stripping during basketball and the only reason I didn’t get a totally inappropriate boner is because I got smacked in the head with a basketball,” he admitted, cringing. “So no, you’re not alone.”
Brendon cringed. “But I think I only like boys,” he admitted.
Spencer shrugged. “I like girls mostly but I do like boys too, so it’s still similar. You’re not alone, Brendon,” he said, reaching out to take his hand. “And even if you were, you’re our friend, okay? We all love you the same no matter what.” He smiled. “Promise.”
Brendon sighed. “Yeah well, that’s you guys, not my family,” he said weakly. “They were- my mom and dad were talking about- about treatment and stuff,” he mumbled. “And when I dropped the bomb about leaving the church too they started talking about treatment facilities and I just… I had to leave,” he whispered. “Kara took me in for a few days and then gave me some money and helped me find a place, but she can’t do much cause my parents still have a lot to do with her family.”
Spencer just squeezed his fingers. “You’re pretty brave, dude,” he said and Brendon gave him a sad smile. “I could’ve never done it.”
Brendon ducked his head. “If your parents were gonna lock you up in an institution, I think you would,” he said and Spencer bit his lip. “Hey, I’m doing okay, Spence,” he said and Spencer suddenly stood up.
He walked through the only other door into the tiny closet with a shower, toilet, and sink all shoved into it, shutting the door behind him before he slid down to the floor, tears tumbling down his face despite his best attempts to stop them.
It was all just too much. He didn’t know how to actually handle so much information at once, nonetheless seeing exactly how bad it was for Brendon. He couldn’t imagine his parents would react the way Brendon’s did. He couldn’t imagine anybody doing that to their kid. He thought about how hard Brendon was working and how long he had gotten away without them even noticing. He couldn’t shake the look in Brendon’s eyes. It was so different from when Spencer had met him not long ago. He had the look of exactly what he was…
A scared kid who was being forced to be an adult.
Spencer cried because two days ago, to him, Brendon was the same silly, hyper kid Spencer had met six months ago. The one who loved Beauty and the Beast like it was the greatest achievement in the history of the world, the one who thought saying the word ‘ass’ was the funnest thing in the world simply because it was a word his parents didn’t like, and the one that had a smile that charmed Spencer’s mom into giving him extra cookies.
Now he always looked tired, his eyes didn’t sparkle, and to be totally honest, when he’d hugged Spencer, Spencer had felt bones digging into him that he was pretty sure didn’t used to. It scared him to think about that skinny little seventeen year old sitting on the other side of the door trying to take care of himself all alone in a bad part of town living on minimum wage while still trying to work through school.
It was just a lot to take in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Spencer got home, he was two hours late and his parents were livid. “Spencer James Smith, how the hell do you wanna explain this?!” Ginger snapped, glaring at him.
He simply looked at his parents both with wide eyes then walked over and wormed his way into his mom’s arms, hugging her. Ginger froze, eyes widening before slowly hugging Spencer, looking confused. “Spencer?” she asked softly, suddenly worried.
“I love you mom,” he said, hugging her tight. “You too, dad,” he said, looking over at his father.
“Spencer… is everything okay?” she asked, turning to look at him.
Spencer sighed, backing out of her arms. He looked between his parents. “I need to tell you guys something,” he said decisively. “And then I’ll explain why I’m late,” he said, leading them into the kitchen to sit down.
They both looked confused when he sat down across from them. “I finally told somebody and it’s only fair I tell my parents,” he said, then looked down, cringing. “I’m bisexual,” he said simply, biting the inside of his cheek as he waited for a reaction.
After a few moments he heard a huff of laughter from his father and looked up quickly, eyes wide. Ginger just snickered. “Um, that’s supposed to be news?” she asked and Spencer glared. “Honey, you steal your sister’s shirts,” she pointed out.
His dad chuckled. “I’m pretty sure I remember you coming home when you were five and telling me all about the pretty boy that shared his crayons with you,” he said and Spencer gaped.
“I did not!” he cried and they both nodded. He flushed. “I do not remember any pretty boy sharing crayons,” he muttered bashfully.
“Honey, your dad’s just trying to say we kinda had a talk about you a long time ago and figured we’d just wait until you felt like telling us,” she said.
Spencer gaped. “I only figured it out two years ago!” he cried and Ginger raised an eyebrow.
“You didn’t have a massive crush on that guy that worked in the garden center at Home Depot when you were like… thirteen?” she asked and he gaped.
“NO!” he cried, then groaned. “Holy crap, I come out to my parents and they knew before I did?!” He let his head drop to the table, only to cringe and rub his forehead as he looked up again.
“Now, where were you?” Ginger asked and Spencer sighed.
“I don’t even know how to say this but I kinda think I have to or else you’ll ground me-“
“Somehow I doubt that’s not gonna happen,” James said and Spencer bit his lip.
“Brendon has been living in a one-room apartment on Telfair Street for a few months now and yesterday his older sister came here looking for him cause he stopped calling her and she was the one who was helping him out and I followed him after practice today,” he said in a rush.
Ginger’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “What?” she asked, looking horrified. “Oh my God, why is that boy living alone?”
Spencer cringed. “Well, the only reason I told him about me being bi is to make him feel better about coming out himself,” he said. “Only he’s actually gay, he thinks,” he said, shrugging. “Either way, the point is, Brendon’s parents figured out he’s gay and there was a big fight and his sister said it started because they found out he had makeup, Ryan gave him some, and they fought until he panicked and admitted he’s gay. Then he told me they were talking about treatment and treatment facilities and stuff and he just had to go,” he said. “His sister helped him get an apartment and he’s been alone for months.” He looked up. “He stopped coming over not because he was grounded for bad grades, but because he has to work all the time and that’s why he’s making bad grades.”
Ginger shook her head. “He’s only seventeen! How is he doing anything on his own?” she asked.
Spencer shrugged. “He said nobody asked questions as long as he pays his rent on time,” he said softly. “I’m late because I didn’t want to just leave him alone there. I am not kidding, I ran all the way from his door to the car cause of how rough the neighborhood is.”
Ginger just sighed. “Go to bed, Spencer,” she said, standing up to walk out herself. Spencer watched her stop in the hall and just look around and he sighed. He knew the feeling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The problem, Spencer discovered, with knowing Brendon liked boys was that it brought back all those thoughts he’d had in the beginning about Brendon’s lips. Spencer hated to admit it to himself, but he maybe sorta totally had a crush on Brendon. Or at least his big, soft looking lips. He often found himself daydreaming about kissing them. They just looked so damn kissable.
And then Brendon developed some type of addiction to Blow Pops that totally didn’t help Spencer at all.
“No, Ryan, look, I don’t wanna do that one here,” Brent pointed out, exhibiting his preferred bass line for a certain part of the song they were working on. Brendon rolled his eyes, looking bored. Spencer looked down at his drums, trying to think about the beat for the same part when he heard crinkling paper. He looked up and groaned internally when he saw Brendon taking out a cherry sucker. He watched helplessly as Brendon licked it once then stuck it in his mouth, reaching out for his sheets of staff paper.
He slurped it dramatically as he took the sucker out of his mouth. “What if we do this,” he piped up, scribbling something down before holding it out to Ryan, who looked. “Like, this is this-“ he demonstrated on his guitar as he pointed to a line. “And Brent’s part is like this-“ he pointed to another line and then reached out to borrow Brent’s bass to play the part he meant.
Ryan eyed him. “In all the time we’ve been playing together, you’ve not thought about telling me you play bass too?” he asked incredulously.
Brendon’s eyes widened. “I just… it’s not my job so I thought I was better not saying anything,” he said innocently before popping the sucker back into his mouth. His cheeks hollowed around it as he pulled it out of his mouth again with an audible ‘pop’. “Besides, I play drums and you don’t see my trying to take over Spencer’s job,” he said, shrugging. “Right Spence?” he asked, turning back, only to raise an eyebrow. “You feeling okay?” he asked.
Spencer suddenly reached up and felt his red-hot cheeks and ducked his head. He’d missed that he was flushed. He bit his bottom lip trying not to think about Brendon, Brendon’s lips, or the sucker in his mouth. “Uh- I-“ his voice cracked and he winced, clearing his throat. “I’m fine,” he said, looking up.
Brendon just raised an eyebrow, popping the candy back into his mouth with a shrug. He slurped on it happily and Spencer let out a small whimper that he covered by smacking himself in the knee with his stick and pretending it was an accident. Just in time too, for Ryan spun around and snapped at him. “What the hell is your problem, dude? You keep making noises-“
“Hit my knee,” he said quickly, rubbing at the sore spot.
“Oh,” Ryan said, then made a face. “That sucks.”
Brendon made a face around his sucker. “Ow,” he said, not bothering to take the candy out of his mouth.
A few minutes later, Spencer finally snapped when Brendon pulled the sucker from his lips with a filthy ‘pop’-slurp combination and then moaned softly. “I love these,” he said, licking his cherry-stained lips before sticking his tongue out to lick the sucker.
“Brendon can you stop blowing the damn Blow Pop?!” Spencer snapped, cheeks on fire. Brendon looked up with wide eyes, only to blush when he looked at the sucker and then at Spencer. He quickly ducked his head and turned away, biting the sucker so it broke up and he could throw away the stick and chew on the rest of the candy, since it was mostly down to the bubble gum in the center anyways.
Ryan frowned. “The fuck?” he asked, looking between them.
“I just- it’s hard to focus on you guys talking when he’s like- giving the sucker the time of its life over there,” he said, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth awkwardly.
Brent snickered. “I wasn’t gonna say anything, but if all else fails, you can probably be a great porn star if the lollipops are anything to go by, dude,” he said and Brendon gaped.
“GUYS!” he said shrilly. “I am innocently eating candy!” he defended, looking mortified. “Oh my God,” he said, shaking his head.
Ryan snickered. “Remember Brent, Brendon doesn’t watch porn, he probably doesn’t recognize how, if he’d throw on a schoolgirl outfit, he’d be a great porn star,” he pointed out.
Brendon blushed. “I totally watch porn!” he said and they all gave him flat looks, especially Spencer, who new he was lying. “I do!” he said and then sighed. “Fine, I don’t,” he said, pouting.
Spencer grinned. “It’s okay, dude. I really don’t know where you would watch porn. Unless you’re watching it on my computer when I’m asleep,” he pointed out.
Brendon rolled his eyes. “Can we stop talking about porn?!” he pleaded.
“Sure thing, Virgin Ears,” Brent said, snickering as he and Ryan went back to looking down at Ryan’s lyrics.
Brendon pouted, looking embarrassed and Spencer glared at Brent before looking over at Brendon. “Bren, don’t listen to them, they’re just messing with you,” he soothed and Brendon huffed.
“Well it’s true, I am a virgin,” he said, grumbling. “I mean, if Brent can get laid, why the hell shouldn’t I?!” he asked and Spencer snorted.
“Brent only got laid because his girlfriend was hammered. No way anybody sober would sleep with him,” he said and Brendon smiled. “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with it!” he said pointedly. “Not everybody has to be a big slut like Ryan,” he said. “I mean… I’m a virgin too,” he said and Brendon looked up in disbelief.
“Bullshit,” he said and Spencer smiled at Brendon’s use of a curse word. It was still so new and amusing. “No way.”
Spencer nodded. “I totally am. I’ve never had a girlfriend really. I mean, there was Susie Miller in ninth grade but I’m pretty sure the only reason she made out with me is because someone dared her too,” he said.
Brendon rolled his eyes. “Susie Miller’s stupid then,” he said, waving a hand. “You’re like… hot,” he said, then froze, turning bright red. “I swear I wasn’t just coming onto you, Spence, it’s not like-“
Spencer sighed, waving a hand. “I know, dude, it’s okay,” he said. Internally he was thinking ‘no shit it’s not like that’ because really… BRENDON interested in him?! Ha. “Besides, I’m pretty much the opposite of hot,” he pointed out.
“Who’s hot?” Ryan asked, flopping down on the couch beside Brendon, putting his feet in Brendon’s lap.
Spencer raised a hand. “Not me,” he said and Ryan eyed him studiously.
“Eh, I wouldn’t go with hot, but cute, totally,” he said, grinning.
Brent snickered. “Fag,” he said and Ryan flipped him off.
“You wish I was,” he countered. “Then I’d blow you,” he said and Brent grinned.
“Nah, if one of you queers is gonna blow me, I pick Brendon,” he said, smirking. “He was giving that sucker a good time,” he pointed out.
Brendon bit his lip, looking down. Spencer saw the hurt look on his face and sat up straighter. “Hey, stop calling people fags and queers,” he said and Brendon shot him a confused look. He smiled at Brendon slyly before looking at Brent. “It really offends me,” he said earnestly and Brendon’s eyes widened.
Ryan rolled his eyes. “It offends me to but I don’t declare it-“
“As a bisexual person it offends me,” Spencer added and Ryan looked up with wide eyes. Brendon’s jaw dropped and Brent raised a confused eyebrow.
“You- huh?!” Ryan asked, sitting up. “Why have you never told me you like dick?!” he asked, looking hurt. “I’m your best friend-“
“I only ever told my parents,” Spencer said quickly. “And even then, that wasn’t long ago.” He shrugged. “Besides, I don’t know for sure if I like dick or not really, I’ve barely got anywhere with a girl, I’ve definitely never had dick,” he stressed. “I just… boys are kinda um… hot,” he said, making a face. “And in tenth grade I had a massive crush on Jason Brown,” he said and Ryan burst out laughing.
“Jason Brown?! The big jocky dude?” he asked and Spencer nodded, glaring. “What, you like muscles?!” he teased and Spencer threw a stick at him.
“Fuck off, Ryan, I saw him topless in gym every day for a whole semester, and it was hot!” he argued. “Besides, you want to bone Gerard Way-“
“Oh I so do not-“
“Fine, his brother,” he said, waving a hand. “And you’re straight!” he pointed out.
Ryan huffed. “Well, rock stars don’t count, they’re famous,” he said, flapping a hand dismissively.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Brendon had the afternoon off and Spencer offered to help him with his homework. Brendon’s trig was pretty damn hard, but Spencer liked math so he was able to show him how to do it.
Brendon whined dramatically and threw himself down on Spencer’s bed with a sigh. “Math is evil,” he whined, pouting. “Why did they put letters in math? Hell, if they only put one letter or the same letters, I’d be fine, but by what stretch of the imagination does it make sense to have three different letters in one math problem?” he asked, blinking up at Spencer with wide ‘help me, Spencer’ eyes.
Spencer smiled. “It’s not that bad, okay? Cause most of them cancel out, see-“ he tugged the book around, flopping on his stomach beside Brendon, whose glasses were tilted to the side from his position on his belly with his face resting on the notebook. He pointed at a problem and Brendon raised his head, pencil at the ready. “These two are the same so you combine them and cancel out the X,” he said and Brendon sucked his lip between his teeth as he did what Spencer said, writing, erasing, and writing again.
Finally he looked up, jaw dropped. “I did it!” he cried, jumping up to his knees quickly. “Spencer Smith, you are the best!” he cried, throwing himself at Spencer, squeezing him around the neck. “You’re the best, I love you, best friend ever, oh my God,” he babbled, squeezing tighter until Spencer made a panicked sound and slapped at his arms. He looked down then gasped, letting go.
Spencer gasped for air, knowing he was slightly purple. “Air, I need air, Urie. Good God, don’t choke me out again,” he choked, coughing.
Brendon sat back, looking apologetic. “Oh my God, Spencer, I’m so sorry,” he gushed, eyes wide. “I broke our drummer, Ryan’s gonna kill me,” he moaned, looking guilty.
Spencer just shot him a crooked grin that Brendon returned with a sheepish smile. “Dude, I’m not broken, you’re not that strong,” he said, then cleared his throat. “Next time you get a problem right, hug me somewhere not around my neck,” he said and Brendon nodded earnestly.
“Duly noted,” he promised, then flopped back on his belly. “Alright, teach on, Spencer Smith!”
After a while, Brendon, along with help from Spencer, was able to finish all his homework. He looked at the completed assignment and then glanced up at Spencer with a smile. “You’re the best, Spence,” he said, giggling somewhat as he looked at him. Spencer ducked his head sheepishly and shrugged.
“It’s not a big deal, Bren, really,” he said, then glanced up, only to freeze when he noticed how close he and Brendon’s faces were. Brendon’s smile slipped and he looked nervous suddenly. Spencer swallowed quickly and looked into Brendon’s eyes, breath catching in his throat.
Brendon bit his bottom lip, eyes slipping down to Spencer’s lips before flickering back up sheepishly. Spencer felt heat flooding his cheeks as he watched Brendon’s tongue sliding across his lips as he released the bottom one from his teeth’s grip. He saw the teeth marks on his plush bottom lip and felt a strange urge to soothe them away. He glanced up at Brendon and saw Brendon’s eyes wide with anticipation. Spencer ducked his eyes and, before he could chicken out, he quickly darted over, pressing his lips to Brendon’s quickly. It was barely more than a peck but Spencer felt his heart leap into his throat as he finally felt exactly how soft Brendon’s lips were.
When he opened his eyes, Brendon’s were still shut and his breath was shaky. “S-Spencer,” he whispered, and Spencer ducked his head.
“Sorry, I’m so sorry,” he said, sitting up quickly. “Oh my God, I’m sorry Brendo-“
He was cut off as Brendon surged up, pressing his lips to Spencer’s quickly. It was off center and their teeth kinda knocked, but Spencer quickly stopped moving and let Brendon correct himself. Spencer whined softly as Brendon’s velvety soft lips moved against his.
It was pretty much the best thing ever.
“Oh my God,” Spencer gasped when Brendon pulled away.
Brendon blushed, looking down at his lap nervously. “I suck right? Sorry, um-“
“Dude,” Spencer stared at him. “Dude,” he stressed and Brendon looked up curiously. Spencer reached out and grabbed Brendon’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “Your lips are even softer than I’d ever imagined,” he said and Brendon smiled sheepishly.
“You’ve- You think about my lips?” he asked and Spencer groaned, rolling his eyes.
“Brendon, that was the first thing I even noticed about you. You have the best lips. Ever. Of all times,” he stressed and Brendon smiled shyly.
“Really?”
Spencer nodded, then smiled bashfully. “I’ve- I’ve thought about kissing you since the first time you walked into practice,” he admitted.
Brendon blushed. “That was… um,” he made a face. “That was my first kiss.”
Spencer just stared. “The hottest boy in the world and nobody ever kissed you before?!” he cried in shock.
Brendon’s cheeks turned pink as his smile brightened. “You think I’m hot?”
Spencer rolled his eyes and leaned in, kissing Brendon again. He cupped Brendon’s face with the fingers not laced with Brendon’s in his lap. He turned his head and pressed closer, licking at the seam of Brendon’s lips. Brendon gasped and Spencer used the opportunity to lap into his mouth.
Brendon made the hottest whimper and Spencer felt his cheeks flush as he slid his fingers into Brendon’s hair at the back of his head, directing the kiss. It stayed slow and innocent since they were both shy and nervous, but when they broke apart after Ginger called for them to come down to dinner, both of them had bright pink faces and ridiculously giant smiles. “Wow,” Brendon sighed and Spencer ducked his head bashfully.
“Yeah, wow,” he said, glancing up at Brendon, who’s smile was so wide Spencer’s cheeks hurt out of sympathy.
Or maybe that was just the ridiculously huge smile Spencer was sporting himself.