Bandslash: Brendon/Spencer
Title: Hopeless
Fandom: Bandslash
Pairing: Brendon/Spencer
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,040
Summary: Written for bandom_100 prompt 33: Magic.
Notes: Thanks to vampyreranger for the wonderful beta. My bandom_100 table is here
Spencer Smith is the worst Slytherin in the history of his house.
No, really. Not only is he best friends with a Ravenclaw, but he has managed to fall head over heels, stupidly in love with a fucking Hufflepuff. His grandmother is totally going to disown him.
Though it isn’t really his fault. Brendon is this presence - of happiness and sunshine and everything that a burgeoning Slytherin should avoid at all costs - that has kind of forced itself into Spencer’s life. He hadn’t asked to be partnered with Brendon during Potions. Merlin knows he doesn’t need to be in a constant state of fear, rushing around the classroom and trying to steady Brendon’s hands or show him the proper way to slice ingredients.
--
“You’re hopeless,” Spencer says, not at all nice about it.
“I’m trying my hardest,” Brendon says, sighing as their cauldron turns bright blue instead of pale yellow. “Do you think I didn’t chop the slugs right?”
“You just tossed in a handful of unevenly cut chunks instead of thin slices. I’m going to go out on a limb and say you didn’t do it right,” Spencer growls as he looks over the edge of their cauldron. He really doesn’t want to fail potions.
“Just follow my lead, ok?” he asks as he empties the mess and they start over again. This time he watches Brendon, slapping his hand even he tries to get spastic with the knife or stir in the wrong direction. Brendon never calls him on it, just sighs softly and adjusts his technique.
Their second attempt turns a brilliant shade of blue and Spencer can’t help reaching out to pat Brendon on the back. Only Brendon misjudges it and they end up half hugging, the scent of Brendon overpowering all of the potions fumes.
Spencer spends days trying to forget the sweetness of it all.
--
The thrice weekly study sessions are Ryan’s idea. Spencer’s sure it has something to do with Jon Walker - the most loved Gryffindor to grace the halls of Hogwarts since Harry Potter - and his awful Transfiguration skills. Ryan is completely transparent, fawning over Jon and telling him that sure, Defense Against the Dark Arts is totally more important than turning a toad into a teacup. And if Spencer has to hear one more time how manly and graceful Jon was on a broom, he just might kill someone. Namely Ryan Ross.
But then one night Jon doesn’t show.
Ryan looks so fucking forlorn that Spencer can’t even focus on his potions homework. Finally Brendon leans across the table and whispers something to Ryan who gets this huge grin on his face and quickly gathers his books, randomly shoving papers into his book bag before he runs out of the library.
“What the hell did you say to him?” Spencer asks, trying to ignore the way his ink is pooling in a black spot on his parchment.
“Jon likes him,” Brendon says with a shrug. “If he thinks Jon told me, then all the better, right?”
“You lied to him?” Spencer spits out, his eyes narrowing as he glares at Brendon. Brendon has the decency to look slightly put off before grinning back at Spencer.
“I told him something I knew. Knowledge is power, Spencer Smith. Any good Ravenclaw can tell you that. Now go over how to brew this again?”
And if Spencer smiles quickly before re-reading their potion for the next day, he doesn’t’ dwell on it. Maybe Ryan just needed a push, anyway.
--
Two weeks later, Spencer is about to strangle his best friend. Apparently Ryan Ross in love is a thousand times more annoying than brooding, soulful Ryan. “I get it. Happiness and rainbows and true love. Can you just try and concentrate here?” Spencer barks out, though it has no effect on Ryan.
“Maybe if you figured out your own love life you’d be able to enjoy mine a little more,” Ryan tells him with a sigh.
“I have no love life,” Spencer says simply.
“Not according to you,” Ryan says, frowning a bit. “What are the plans for Hogsmeade this weekend again?” he asks randomly.
“We’re meeting Brendon before the four of us head out, and then we’re going for ice cream because he’s been craving sweets all week. Oh, and I think he wants-” Spencer cuts himself off when he realizes that his entire day has been planned around Brendon.
“Told you,” Ryan says, smirking into his notes. Spencer can feel his cheeks heating, and does his best to concentrate on his essay.
--
“You forgot me!” Brendon shouts out, and Spencer doesn’t even have to turn around to see him. He can picture it in his head, Brendon’s running towards them at full speed, his feet stomping on the gravel of the road. Spencer’s pretty sure he has his scarf on, yellow and black trailing behind him as he races to catch up.
It’s kind of scary that Spencer sees Brendon when his eyes are closed.
Ryan and Jon scurry ahead, already anticipating the fallout. Ryan’s pretty good at predicting heartache.
“You ditched me,” Brendon says, his voice small and quiet and so un-Brendon like that Spencer feels his chest tightening.
“I had to prove I could,” Spencer tells him, cringing at how stupid it sounds.
“Prove that you could be an arse?” Brendon asks. The words sting more than a slap ever could, and Spencer has to avoid Brendon’s gaze for a minute. His shoes look bright against the gray stones beneath them.
“I rely on you too much,” Spencer says, and he swears he can hear Ryan chuckling from behind him.
“You could rely on me more,” Brendon says. Spencer looks up and sees the stupid grin on Brendon’s face. Something inside of him just cracks; all the hatred and bitterness rushing out of him all at once.
“Ok, sure,” he says before taking Brendon’s hand and walking towards Ryan and Jon.
And maybe he shouldn’t worry about taking Brendon to meet his grandmother or about how much Ryan is going to gloat over being right. In fact, he’s pretty content just to focus on the way Brendon’s palm is hot against his own.
It’s enough for now.
Fandom: Bandslash
Pairing: Brendon/Spencer
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1,040
Summary: Written for bandom_100 prompt 33: Magic.
Notes: Thanks to vampyreranger for the wonderful beta. My bandom_100 table is here
Spencer Smith is the worst Slytherin in the history of his house.
No, really. Not only is he best friends with a Ravenclaw, but he has managed to fall head over heels, stupidly in love with a fucking Hufflepuff. His grandmother is totally going to disown him.
Though it isn’t really his fault. Brendon is this presence - of happiness and sunshine and everything that a burgeoning Slytherin should avoid at all costs - that has kind of forced itself into Spencer’s life. He hadn’t asked to be partnered with Brendon during Potions. Merlin knows he doesn’t need to be in a constant state of fear, rushing around the classroom and trying to steady Brendon’s hands or show him the proper way to slice ingredients.
--
“You’re hopeless,” Spencer says, not at all nice about it.
“I’m trying my hardest,” Brendon says, sighing as their cauldron turns bright blue instead of pale yellow. “Do you think I didn’t chop the slugs right?”
“You just tossed in a handful of unevenly cut chunks instead of thin slices. I’m going to go out on a limb and say you didn’t do it right,” Spencer growls as he looks over the edge of their cauldron. He really doesn’t want to fail potions.
“Just follow my lead, ok?” he asks as he empties the mess and they start over again. This time he watches Brendon, slapping his hand even he tries to get spastic with the knife or stir in the wrong direction. Brendon never calls him on it, just sighs softly and adjusts his technique.
Their second attempt turns a brilliant shade of blue and Spencer can’t help reaching out to pat Brendon on the back. Only Brendon misjudges it and they end up half hugging, the scent of Brendon overpowering all of the potions fumes.
Spencer spends days trying to forget the sweetness of it all.
--
The thrice weekly study sessions are Ryan’s idea. Spencer’s sure it has something to do with Jon Walker - the most loved Gryffindor to grace the halls of Hogwarts since Harry Potter - and his awful Transfiguration skills. Ryan is completely transparent, fawning over Jon and telling him that sure, Defense Against the Dark Arts is totally more important than turning a toad into a teacup. And if Spencer has to hear one more time how manly and graceful Jon was on a broom, he just might kill someone. Namely Ryan Ross.
But then one night Jon doesn’t show.
Ryan looks so fucking forlorn that Spencer can’t even focus on his potions homework. Finally Brendon leans across the table and whispers something to Ryan who gets this huge grin on his face and quickly gathers his books, randomly shoving papers into his book bag before he runs out of the library.
“What the hell did you say to him?” Spencer asks, trying to ignore the way his ink is pooling in a black spot on his parchment.
“Jon likes him,” Brendon says with a shrug. “If he thinks Jon told me, then all the better, right?”
“You lied to him?” Spencer spits out, his eyes narrowing as he glares at Brendon. Brendon has the decency to look slightly put off before grinning back at Spencer.
“I told him something I knew. Knowledge is power, Spencer Smith. Any good Ravenclaw can tell you that. Now go over how to brew this again?”
And if Spencer smiles quickly before re-reading their potion for the next day, he doesn’t’ dwell on it. Maybe Ryan just needed a push, anyway.
--
Two weeks later, Spencer is about to strangle his best friend. Apparently Ryan Ross in love is a thousand times more annoying than brooding, soulful Ryan. “I get it. Happiness and rainbows and true love. Can you just try and concentrate here?” Spencer barks out, though it has no effect on Ryan.
“Maybe if you figured out your own love life you’d be able to enjoy mine a little more,” Ryan tells him with a sigh.
“I have no love life,” Spencer says simply.
“Not according to you,” Ryan says, frowning a bit. “What are the plans for Hogsmeade this weekend again?” he asks randomly.
“We’re meeting Brendon before the four of us head out, and then we’re going for ice cream because he’s been craving sweets all week. Oh, and I think he wants-” Spencer cuts himself off when he realizes that his entire day has been planned around Brendon.
“Told you,” Ryan says, smirking into his notes. Spencer can feel his cheeks heating, and does his best to concentrate on his essay.
--
“You forgot me!” Brendon shouts out, and Spencer doesn’t even have to turn around to see him. He can picture it in his head, Brendon’s running towards them at full speed, his feet stomping on the gravel of the road. Spencer’s pretty sure he has his scarf on, yellow and black trailing behind him as he races to catch up.
It’s kind of scary that Spencer sees Brendon when his eyes are closed.
Ryan and Jon scurry ahead, already anticipating the fallout. Ryan’s pretty good at predicting heartache.
“You ditched me,” Brendon says, his voice small and quiet and so un-Brendon like that Spencer feels his chest tightening.
“I had to prove I could,” Spencer tells him, cringing at how stupid it sounds.
“Prove that you could be an arse?” Brendon asks. The words sting more than a slap ever could, and Spencer has to avoid Brendon’s gaze for a minute. His shoes look bright against the gray stones beneath them.
“I rely on you too much,” Spencer says, and he swears he can hear Ryan chuckling from behind him.
“You could rely on me more,” Brendon says. Spencer looks up and sees the stupid grin on Brendon’s face. Something inside of him just cracks; all the hatred and bitterness rushing out of him all at once.
“Ok, sure,” he says before taking Brendon’s hand and walking towards Ryan and Jon.
And maybe he shouldn’t worry about taking Brendon to meet his grandmother or about how much Ryan is going to gloat over being right. In fact, he’s pretty content just to focus on the way Brendon’s palm is hot against his own.
It’s enough for now.