objects in mirror (are closer than they appear) [girl!spencer/ryan]
objects in mirror (are closer than they appear)
2129 // pg // girl!spencer/ryan
[A/N: continuation of hesitate, then move forward, also late (as per usual)]
[Prompt: 2lineschallenge 2008 ]
[Beta: cloudlessclimes, sobota, -stele3]
well the problem's getting big
and it's a compact car
Old 97's, won't be home
Ryan hasn't said a word to Spencer in two days.
It's odd because the two of them don't fight silently. Normally, it's loud, sarcastic and highly entertaining for anyone in the immediate vicinity (who's not Ryan or Spencer, of course). But since that morning when Spencer had made her way back up onto the bus - hair mussed up, body lax with a slight blush and an air of vulnerability surrounding her - Ryan hasn't said a word. Nothing. And now, two days later, it's kind of freaking Jon out a little; he knows Brendon's not quite sure what to do either.
Spencer's eye started twitching this morning, so Jon thinks the inevitable explosion will happen soon. He hopes that he'll be able to stop Spencer from stabbing Ryan in the throat with one of her drumsticks. He's not real confident on that front, but then Zack may lock the two of them in the bus' bathroom before that happens and wait for the bloodbath. He's used to cleaning up their messes.
*
Jon is fiddling with his camera, seated at the table in the front lounge with Ryan leaning up against his side. There's a pen in his hand but it's at rest, loose in Ryan's long fingers. Although he's staring out the window, Jon would bet that Ryan doesn't see any of the passing scenery.
Spencer stumbles into the front lounge, a pair of Jon's sweatpants riding low on her hips topped by a ragged black My Chemical Romance t-shirt. Her hair is doing this really awesome job of trying to stand straight up on one side while the other is plastered flat to her skull. Jon grins and snaps a picture. Her gaze narrows and Jon's grin just widens; he loves Spencer when she's just woken up. The likelihood of bloodshed is higher, but the entertainment value outweighs the danger. She grabs a cup of coffee and leans back against the counter, appreciation for the caffeine evident in the way she almost sticks her nose into the steaming cup, eyes closed and breathing deep.
The exact moment that Ryan actually looks at Spencer, Jon can feel it. Each point of contact between his body and Ryan's radiates tension, and from the corner of his eye, Jon watches as fingers go from loose to white-knuckled around the pen. Almost on cue, Spencer opens her eyes and looks directly at Ryan, a challenge.
Brendon, yawning widely, barely manages to step out of the way as Ryan makes his way back to the bunk area. He half turns to watch the retreating figure before looking back at Spencer, shaking his head.
"Spencer. Oh, Spencer, Spencer, Spencer-" and before he can say anything else, she growls and snatches up the the coffee pot, emptying the remaining portion into her own cup. The empty container thunks loudly against the counter, and there's a glimmer of satisfaction on her face as she seats herself across the table from Jon. They both watch as Brendon stares pathetically at the empty carafe. There's a huge forlorn sigh before he spins around and says, "Now that was just plain mean, Spencersmith. Whatever have I done to deserve this?"
In a totally unsmooth move, he slides in next to Spencer and plasters himself to her side. She's already shifting the cup into her other hand, away from Brendon as he lays his head on her shoulder and looks up at her. Jon snaps another picture. Spencer glares at Jon again and Brendon uses the distraction to slide his hand down her arm towards the cup. She makes another low, growly noise again and Brendon whines, "Spencerrrrrrr."
At this point Spencer makes her inherent fatal flaw of actually looking at Brendon. It'll take a bit, but Jon knows she'll fork over her cup. Sure enough, five seconds later (Jon counts), Spencer rolls her eyes at Brendon's grabby fingers and pleading eyes and pushes the cup into Brendon's grasp. He wraps both hands around it and inhales, a sigh of happiness pushing steam across the table toward Jon.
He snaps a picture of that too.
"Sooooo..." Jon watches on his display as Brendon glances up at him before his eyes flicker over to Spencer, "You and Ryan, um," back to Jon, nervous "You guys ever gonna make up?"
Jon catches a glimpse of something before Spencer looks down at the table. She shrugs, "When he gets his head out of his ass, maybe," and transfers her gaze out the window.
It's a striking shot and Spencer doesn't react to the click of the shutter. Jon wonders if she's seeing the same things Ryan did.
Brendon's about to say something else when the bus slows down abruptly and coffee slops over the side of the cup. Brendon's too busy with owowowow, hotttttttt to continue the conversation. Zack appears then, with that special Brendon sense he has and drags him over to the sink to run cool water over the irritated skin. Spencer looks back at Jon, and they stare at each other.
Zack interrupts a few minutes later and their day begins.
*
As cliche as it sounds, Jon's pretty sure that he could cut the tension in their dressing room with a knife. Brendon's moved into the hallway, trying to warm up his voice and Jon suddenly wishes that Tom hadn't run out so fast. Of course, since he's pretty much the reason all of this is going on, Jon can't really blame him.
Jon watches the two of them, silent and cold, with barely two feet between them as they get ready. It may as well be a million miles, for all the attention they're paying each other. Tom should have kept it in his pants, Jon thinks unfairly. If it hadn't been him though, it would eventually have been someone else. It's a bit selfish, but Jon still wishes it wasn't his best friend. This whole caught in the middle thing sucks.
Ryan told him once that he paints the birds for freedom, to signify where they've been and where they're going. But tonight Jon can barely see him through the paint, and it's the first time Jon knows he's using it as a shield.
*
Ryan doesn't turn away when Brendon moves in during Lying and Jon's the only one to see the surprise in the line of Brendon's back. Well, not the only one - there's a half stutter in the drums before they go back to absolute precision. Jon glances over and watches as a blankness settles over Spencer's face.
It's not until the next song when Ryan straddles a prone Brendon that Jon realizes that Ryan is trying to get a reaction out of Spencer, pushing into Brendon's space on purpose. He watches Brendon's hand spasm on Ryan's thigh before he pushes away. Jon can see the slight blush on Brendon's cheeks as he glances at Jon, a question in his eyes. Jon just grins, hopefully in a reassuring way and Brendon steps back into his front man role.
Jon's breath catches when he looks over at one point - playing angry only makes Spencer hotter, more on beat. They do the drum line and it's madness; he can hear Spencer's name, screamed over and over. Brendon is hard-pressed to keep up, uncertain but trying not to let it show. They finish with a flourish and Spencer throws her sticks over the top of the crowd, long and hard.
Coming off the stage, Tom's there with his camera in hand. He barely gets out, "That was an insane show, you-" before Spencer grabs his arm and drags him away. She doesn't look back. Ryan watches, his jaw tightening.
"Ryan-"
"Not now, Brendon." He walks off in the opposite direction towards the dressing room. Brendon just stands there, confused. Jon can see the thinly disguised fear behind it, so he wraps an arm around Brendon's neck and drags him off after Ryan's disappearing figure. "Don't worry, Bden, they'll get it sorted out."
"Not before somebody dies in a really horrible, horrible way, Jon Walker," Brendon mumbles, "and we're left with only half a band. I'm good, but not good enough to play drums, lead and rhythm guitar. And sing, don't forget, I have to sing, too."
"It'll be fine, Brendon, trust me." Jon puts as much confidence in his voice as he can, but something has to give pretty soon. From the look on Brendon's face, he knows it too.
*
Spencer comes onto the bus an hour later, alone and not looking any happier. Her eyes are a little red. Jon's about to ask what Tom's done this time when his Sidekick buzzes.
ridin w techs 2nite
Eyebrows raising, he looks up at Spencer. She's looking at his phone like it's the cause of all her problems.
"Spence-?"
Brendon wanders into the front lounge, interrupting Jon, "Yo, Spence, where's Tom?"
Spencer transfers her glare from Jon's phone to Brendon, "He says he's not doing anything until I make Ryan stop hating him. Which is bullshit, by the way. I should not be denied sex just because Ross has his head up his ass!" The last part is halfway yelled at the bunks. There's no response and Spencer slumps down on the couch next to Jon. He puts his arm around her shoulder and squeezes, kisses her temple. "Stupid boys," Spencer mutters.
"Oh my god, I know. They suck, right?" Brendon flops his head into Spencer's lap, grinning up at her. "You should just go lesbian, Spencersmith," he hums appreciatively, "that'd be hot."
Spencer dumps Brendon onto the floor and tickles him until he nearly pees his pants. Jon sits there, ignoring Brendon's pleas for help until something catches at the corner of his eye. Looking over, he sees a flash of blue vanishing back behind the divider.
*
Jon's not sure what exactly wakes him up, but after a few seconds of staring blankly up at the bottom of Brendon's bunk he hears the murmur of voices from the back lounge. It's not a happy sound. Shit, it's too early for death and dismemberment, Jon thinks before rolling silently out of his bunk.
They've been at it for a while, he can tell. Spencer's shoulders are practically up to her ears and Ryan's jaw is so tight Jon can almost hear the teeth grinding together. They're speaking in near-whispers, heads close together, but Jon can read the tension in the space between.
"I told you before, it's none of your business who I sleep with. You're my best friend, but I am not going to run every guy I'd like to fuck through you."
"It was your virginity, Spencer! And you lost it in the back of bus with half a dozen other people around, Jesus!"
Spencer rolls her eyes, "Given our current lifestyle, Ryan, that's pretty much the way it was going to happen."
"Fine, I'll give you that, but Christ, why Tom?" And that's the real question, Jon knows, that Ryan wants answered. He admits to a bit of curiosity himself.
"That is not your business! Jesus, how many times to I have to say that?"
"Fuck that! Just tell me why-"
"He was there, dammit!" Spencer lowers her voice again, and hisses out "He knew what he was doing and it was good!" Ryan opens his mouth to retort, but Spencer continues, "What did you expect, Ryan?"
Her arms are wrapped tight around her stomach, almost like it's hurting her, and Jon's never seen Spencer look like this before. "Did you think I was going to be a virgin forever? That I was just going to wait for y-"
Her jaw clenches tight over those words, cutting them off. Jon watches Ryan's eyes soften.
"Spence-" She pulls away from the hand on her arm, but Ryan crowds in closer until his forehead rests against hers.
"Don't- " She brings her chin down, her hair swinging until all that's visible is Ryan's profile. This time Jon sees more than hears it when Ryan whispers her name again. Spencer's a little bit taller than Ryan, but looks smaller as she tucks her face into Ryan's neck. A second later Ryan's head dips and Jon turns away.
Brendon's standing behind him.
Their eyes meet for a few seconds before Brendon turns around and climbs back into his bunk just as quietly as he must have left it. Jon doesn't want to think about the look in Brendon's eyes, not right now anyway, so he slides into his own bunk. It's really fucking quiet, just the low rumble of the bus' wheels on the highway. Jon rubs his eyes and stares at the bottom of Brendon's bunk.
Spencer and Ryan don't come back.
[posted in main journal here on 01/13/09]
[x-posted here on 01/13/09, here on 01/14/09, here and here on 01/15/09]
2129 // pg // girl!spencer/ryan
[A/N: continuation of hesitate, then move forward, also late (as per usual)]
[Prompt: 2lineschallenge 2008 ]
[Beta: cloudlessclimes, sobota, -stele3]
well the problem's getting big
and it's a compact car
Old 97's, won't be home
Ryan hasn't said a word to Spencer in two days.
It's odd because the two of them don't fight silently. Normally, it's loud, sarcastic and highly entertaining for anyone in the immediate vicinity (who's not Ryan or Spencer, of course). But since that morning when Spencer had made her way back up onto the bus - hair mussed up, body lax with a slight blush and an air of vulnerability surrounding her - Ryan hasn't said a word. Nothing. And now, two days later, it's kind of freaking Jon out a little; he knows Brendon's not quite sure what to do either.
Spencer's eye started twitching this morning, so Jon thinks the inevitable explosion will happen soon. He hopes that he'll be able to stop Spencer from stabbing Ryan in the throat with one of her drumsticks. He's not real confident on that front, but then Zack may lock the two of them in the bus' bathroom before that happens and wait for the bloodbath. He's used to cleaning up their messes.
*
Jon is fiddling with his camera, seated at the table in the front lounge with Ryan leaning up against his side. There's a pen in his hand but it's at rest, loose in Ryan's long fingers. Although he's staring out the window, Jon would bet that Ryan doesn't see any of the passing scenery.
Spencer stumbles into the front lounge, a pair of Jon's sweatpants riding low on her hips topped by a ragged black My Chemical Romance t-shirt. Her hair is doing this really awesome job of trying to stand straight up on one side while the other is plastered flat to her skull. Jon grins and snaps a picture. Her gaze narrows and Jon's grin just widens; he loves Spencer when she's just woken up. The likelihood of bloodshed is higher, but the entertainment value outweighs the danger. She grabs a cup of coffee and leans back against the counter, appreciation for the caffeine evident in the way she almost sticks her nose into the steaming cup, eyes closed and breathing deep.
The exact moment that Ryan actually looks at Spencer, Jon can feel it. Each point of contact between his body and Ryan's radiates tension, and from the corner of his eye, Jon watches as fingers go from loose to white-knuckled around the pen. Almost on cue, Spencer opens her eyes and looks directly at Ryan, a challenge.
Brendon, yawning widely, barely manages to step out of the way as Ryan makes his way back to the bunk area. He half turns to watch the retreating figure before looking back at Spencer, shaking his head.
"Spencer. Oh, Spencer, Spencer, Spencer-" and before he can say anything else, she growls and snatches up the the coffee pot, emptying the remaining portion into her own cup. The empty container thunks loudly against the counter, and there's a glimmer of satisfaction on her face as she seats herself across the table from Jon. They both watch as Brendon stares pathetically at the empty carafe. There's a huge forlorn sigh before he spins around and says, "Now that was just plain mean, Spencersmith. Whatever have I done to deserve this?"
In a totally unsmooth move, he slides in next to Spencer and plasters himself to her side. She's already shifting the cup into her other hand, away from Brendon as he lays his head on her shoulder and looks up at her. Jon snaps another picture. Spencer glares at Jon again and Brendon uses the distraction to slide his hand down her arm towards the cup. She makes another low, growly noise again and Brendon whines, "Spencerrrrrrr."
At this point Spencer makes her inherent fatal flaw of actually looking at Brendon. It'll take a bit, but Jon knows she'll fork over her cup. Sure enough, five seconds later (Jon counts), Spencer rolls her eyes at Brendon's grabby fingers and pleading eyes and pushes the cup into Brendon's grasp. He wraps both hands around it and inhales, a sigh of happiness pushing steam across the table toward Jon.
He snaps a picture of that too.
"Sooooo..." Jon watches on his display as Brendon glances up at him before his eyes flicker over to Spencer, "You and Ryan, um," back to Jon, nervous "You guys ever gonna make up?"
Jon catches a glimpse of something before Spencer looks down at the table. She shrugs, "When he gets his head out of his ass, maybe," and transfers her gaze out the window.
It's a striking shot and Spencer doesn't react to the click of the shutter. Jon wonders if she's seeing the same things Ryan did.
Brendon's about to say something else when the bus slows down abruptly and coffee slops over the side of the cup. Brendon's too busy with owowowow, hotttttttt to continue the conversation. Zack appears then, with that special Brendon sense he has and drags him over to the sink to run cool water over the irritated skin. Spencer looks back at Jon, and they stare at each other.
Zack interrupts a few minutes later and their day begins.
*
As cliche as it sounds, Jon's pretty sure that he could cut the tension in their dressing room with a knife. Brendon's moved into the hallway, trying to warm up his voice and Jon suddenly wishes that Tom hadn't run out so fast. Of course, since he's pretty much the reason all of this is going on, Jon can't really blame him.
Jon watches the two of them, silent and cold, with barely two feet between them as they get ready. It may as well be a million miles, for all the attention they're paying each other. Tom should have kept it in his pants, Jon thinks unfairly. If it hadn't been him though, it would eventually have been someone else. It's a bit selfish, but Jon still wishes it wasn't his best friend. This whole caught in the middle thing sucks.
Ryan told him once that he paints the birds for freedom, to signify where they've been and where they're going. But tonight Jon can barely see him through the paint, and it's the first time Jon knows he's using it as a shield.
*
Ryan doesn't turn away when Brendon moves in during Lying and Jon's the only one to see the surprise in the line of Brendon's back. Well, not the only one - there's a half stutter in the drums before they go back to absolute precision. Jon glances over and watches as a blankness settles over Spencer's face.
It's not until the next song when Ryan straddles a prone Brendon that Jon realizes that Ryan is trying to get a reaction out of Spencer, pushing into Brendon's space on purpose. He watches Brendon's hand spasm on Ryan's thigh before he pushes away. Jon can see the slight blush on Brendon's cheeks as he glances at Jon, a question in his eyes. Jon just grins, hopefully in a reassuring way and Brendon steps back into his front man role.
Jon's breath catches when he looks over at one point - playing angry only makes Spencer hotter, more on beat. They do the drum line and it's madness; he can hear Spencer's name, screamed over and over. Brendon is hard-pressed to keep up, uncertain but trying not to let it show. They finish with a flourish and Spencer throws her sticks over the top of the crowd, long and hard.
Coming off the stage, Tom's there with his camera in hand. He barely gets out, "That was an insane show, you-" before Spencer grabs his arm and drags him away. She doesn't look back. Ryan watches, his jaw tightening.
"Ryan-"
"Not now, Brendon." He walks off in the opposite direction towards the dressing room. Brendon just stands there, confused. Jon can see the thinly disguised fear behind it, so he wraps an arm around Brendon's neck and drags him off after Ryan's disappearing figure. "Don't worry, Bden, they'll get it sorted out."
"Not before somebody dies in a really horrible, horrible way, Jon Walker," Brendon mumbles, "and we're left with only half a band. I'm good, but not good enough to play drums, lead and rhythm guitar. And sing, don't forget, I have to sing, too."
"It'll be fine, Brendon, trust me." Jon puts as much confidence in his voice as he can, but something has to give pretty soon. From the look on Brendon's face, he knows it too.
*
Spencer comes onto the bus an hour later, alone and not looking any happier. Her eyes are a little red. Jon's about to ask what Tom's done this time when his Sidekick buzzes.
ridin w techs 2nite
Eyebrows raising, he looks up at Spencer. She's looking at his phone like it's the cause of all her problems.
"Spence-?"
Brendon wanders into the front lounge, interrupting Jon, "Yo, Spence, where's Tom?"
Spencer transfers her glare from Jon's phone to Brendon, "He says he's not doing anything until I make Ryan stop hating him. Which is bullshit, by the way. I should not be denied sex just because Ross has his head up his ass!" The last part is halfway yelled at the bunks. There's no response and Spencer slumps down on the couch next to Jon. He puts his arm around her shoulder and squeezes, kisses her temple. "Stupid boys," Spencer mutters.
"Oh my god, I know. They suck, right?" Brendon flops his head into Spencer's lap, grinning up at her. "You should just go lesbian, Spencersmith," he hums appreciatively, "that'd be hot."
Spencer dumps Brendon onto the floor and tickles him until he nearly pees his pants. Jon sits there, ignoring Brendon's pleas for help until something catches at the corner of his eye. Looking over, he sees a flash of blue vanishing back behind the divider.
*
Jon's not sure what exactly wakes him up, but after a few seconds of staring blankly up at the bottom of Brendon's bunk he hears the murmur of voices from the back lounge. It's not a happy sound. Shit, it's too early for death and dismemberment, Jon thinks before rolling silently out of his bunk.
They've been at it for a while, he can tell. Spencer's shoulders are practically up to her ears and Ryan's jaw is so tight Jon can almost hear the teeth grinding together. They're speaking in near-whispers, heads close together, but Jon can read the tension in the space between.
"I told you before, it's none of your business who I sleep with. You're my best friend, but I am not going to run every guy I'd like to fuck through you."
"It was your virginity, Spencer! And you lost it in the back of bus with half a dozen other people around, Jesus!"
Spencer rolls her eyes, "Given our current lifestyle, Ryan, that's pretty much the way it was going to happen."
"Fine, I'll give you that, but Christ, why Tom?" And that's the real question, Jon knows, that Ryan wants answered. He admits to a bit of curiosity himself.
"That is not your business! Jesus, how many times to I have to say that?"
"Fuck that! Just tell me why-"
"He was there, dammit!" Spencer lowers her voice again, and hisses out "He knew what he was doing and it was good!" Ryan opens his mouth to retort, but Spencer continues, "What did you expect, Ryan?"
Her arms are wrapped tight around her stomach, almost like it's hurting her, and Jon's never seen Spencer look like this before. "Did you think I was going to be a virgin forever? That I was just going to wait for y-"
Her jaw clenches tight over those words, cutting them off. Jon watches Ryan's eyes soften.
"Spence-" She pulls away from the hand on her arm, but Ryan crowds in closer until his forehead rests against hers.
"Don't- " She brings her chin down, her hair swinging until all that's visible is Ryan's profile. This time Jon sees more than hears it when Ryan whispers her name again. Spencer's a little bit taller than Ryan, but looks smaller as she tucks her face into Ryan's neck. A second later Ryan's head dips and Jon turns away.
Brendon's standing behind him.
Their eyes meet for a few seconds before Brendon turns around and climbs back into his bunk just as quietly as he must have left it. Jon doesn't want to think about the look in Brendon's eyes, not right now anyway, so he slides into his own bunk. It's really fucking quiet, just the low rumble of the bus' wheels on the highway. Jon rubs his eyes and stares at the bottom of Brendon's bunk.
Spencer and Ryan don't come back.
[posted in main journal here on 01/13/09]
[x-posted here on 01/13/09, here on 01/14/09, here and here on 01/15/09]