This May Call for a Proper Introduction

Ryan started getting worried when Brendon listened to the Beach Boys for four days straight after that. He was less worried about the tacky dancing accompanying the music, but there was even something off about that.

Ryan was pretty sure he knew the reason, which is what worried him even more. The weirder part was that Brendon hadn’t once mentioned Jon since the day he’d pulled Ryan from the bottom of the swimming pool.

When Wednesday came around Ryan was messing on his computer around 4 o’clock when Brendon came into their small kitchen in his swim trunks and a t-shirt. He took one look at Ryan before asking, “Are we leaving soon?”

Ryan stared confused for a moment. They normally would leave for the pool around noon and get back about now. Needless to say, he’d assumed they weren’t going to the pool today. Brendon hadn’t said one word about going. Despite the fact, Ryan nodded, quickly got changed, and exited the apartment with Brendon.

Desperate to break the silence Ryan spoke, “So, what do you want to do for dinner tonight?”

Brendon looked over at him raising an eyebrow, “I don’t know.” He spoke slowly, “We usually just figure it out when we get hungry.”

“Right,” Ryan nodded pulling into the near empty parking lot. They grabbed their stuff and headed up to the pool. Ryan was even more confused when Brendon headed to the opposite side of the pool and put their stuff down in two chairs there. With a glance towards the lifeguard’s chair he noticed Jon wasn’t even working at the moment. Ryan settled back into the chair and grabbed their bag reaching in it for his book. He dug around for a moment before retrieving the small paperback and flipping it open to the last page he dog-eared.

The pool was near silent this time of day, and Ryan was easily able to focus on his book.

“Are you going to swim today?” Brendon mumbled applying sunscreen, and what the heck? Since when did Brendon ever bother with sunscreen unless Ryan reminded him?

“Maybe later.” Ryan excused, glancing at him again before turning his attention back to his book.

Brendon ran towards the pool throwing all his limbs out as he jumped as usual, and Ryan had already moved his book behind himself to protect the pages from Brendon’s splashing.

It wasn’t long –at least, it didn’t seem like very long- before Ryan was reading the last few words from his book and sighing before sticking it back down in their bag. Ryan glanced towards Brendon to see he probably wouldn’t be done flopping around in the pool for a while, and he begrudgingly kicked off his shoes and considered entering the pool.

The thing is, Ryan really wasn’t a fan of public swimming pools. Or swimming, for that matter. He would rather not lounge by the pool with nothing to do though.

Ryan ended up getting in the pool, and after wrestling around with Brendon trying to shove each other’s heads under water, he ended up sitting on the edge of pool with his feet hanging in. Brendon floated on his back in front of him, as Ryan glanced around at the near empty pool. Ryan had almost dried off a bit when Brendon went back underwater splashing Ryan in the process. Ryan kicked his foot out as Brendon came back to the surface hitting him hard in the shoulder.

“Ryan,” Brendon gasped offended rubbing his shoulder. Ryan rolled his eyes and got up to check the time.

“It’s five thirty, Bren. Do you want to head out and grab-”

Brendon made a weird noise, and Ryan turned quickly to face the pool. Brendon had moved to the edge and was ducked down peering over the side. Ryan followed his line of vision to see Jon sitting a couple chairs down from them pulling on a plain grey t-shirt and getting some shoes out of his bag. Ryan continued on indifferently about to repeat his question over again when Brendon slowly pulled himself out of the pool quietly. Ryan was squinting at him as if he didn’t know whether to be confused or completely weirded out by his roommate.

Brendon walked silently past Jon, who didn’t even glanced up, and walked for ten or so feet before turning and smirking abruptly at Ryan. Ryan’s eyebrows furrowed further, and before he could register it, Brendon was sprinting towards the pool and when he hit the water he effectively soaked most of Jon. Ryan’s eyes grew about ten sizes before he glanced at Jon and dropped his head onto his palm with a small smack.

“Oh, dude,” Ryan heard Brendon speak, and he could hear the grin in his voice. “I’m so fucking sorry, man.” He really didn’t want to look up.

“Oh,” Another voice –Jon- spoke, sounding a bit taken back, “No, it’s fine.”

“Here,” Brendon said, and Ryan could hear the sound of splashing water, Brendon getting out of the pool, and Brendon’s feet on the –now wet- cement, “Let me help you.”

Ryan lifted his head slightly, enough to see Brendon now sitting next to Jon and holding his own towel as he placed it around Jon’s shoulders. Ryan looked down again, and he was seriously considering getting up and walking away -he had the keys to the car; he could totally leave. -, but he wouldn’t be able to do that to Brendon. Instead he settled for putting his hands over his eyes and cringing as he listened to Brendon and Jon’s awkward exchange.

“It’s Jon, right?” Brendon spoke quietly, as if he were embarrassed –yeah-fucking-right.

“Yeah,” Jon confirmed, “And you’re,” He paused, “Brandon?”

“Brendon.” Brendon drawled, and Ryan looked up again to find Brendon leaning towards Jon with a smile.

Jon returned it hesitantly, and Ryan knew the look in Brendon’s eyes as Jon spoke again, “Right.”

“I’m so sorry,” Brendon repeated again, and Ryan swears he’s seen this scene in a porno, Brendon casually leaning closer to Jon, and he swears Brendon’s seen the same fucking porno. What the hell is he doing?

Jon seems unaffected as he rings the water out of the end of his shirt before smoothing it back down.

“Sincerely,” Brendon spoke again, and really? Ryan’s about to go over and tell Brendon they have to go when Brendon glances up at Ryan and says, “Hey! You should let us buy you dinner. It’s the least we could do.” Wait, what? We? There’s no fucking we involved with Brendon’s fail-tastic splash Jon and fall in love attempt. Ryan’s about to voice this, but Jon glanced between Brendon and Ryan, and Ryan shuts his mouth.

“No,” Jon starts, and Brendon shrinks down a bit, excited expression dropping in an instant.

“Oh,” He mutters before standing up and starting to walk away from the chair, and Ryan suddenly feels really fucking bad, and he’s about to beat the piss out of this guy until-

“But I’ll take a rain check? I already have plans for dinner tonight,” Jon continued, “But I’m not doing anything tomorrow night.”

“Alright,” Brendon nodded, “Do you want to go somewhere, or you could come over to my house. Ryan makes this really good Italian food we could have or,” Ryan stared incredulously at Brendon as he rambled on.

“I can just come over and we can order in or something,” Jon cut in, and Brendon nodded instantly face brightening.

“Yeah, yeah, that’d be great. What time were you thinking?” Before Brendon could start into another one of his endless list of options, Jon spoke again.

“Six works for me,” Jon shrugged, “What’s your address?”

Brendon looked at Ryan flashing him a bright smile with wide eyes before rolling off their address, and Ryan really regretted not butting in and stopping Brendon when he had the chance.