Work Text:
“Is that— Ryan?"
Ryan closes his eyes. Why do some fans just have the worst timing? He hasn't showered today, his hair is a mess and his ball cap and glasses are not helping his overall appearance. He looks up from where he’s currently picking out a freezer meal for his dinner tonight. He plasters a smile on his face to greet whoever just talked, but falters as he’s confronted with a very familiar face. “Jess?” The woman -Jessica- squeals delightedly and flings herself at him, hugging him tightly and Ryan drops the Pizza to catch her in his arms.
She’s some inches shorter than him. “Oh my God!” She exclaims and lets go of him at last with a wide grin. “You still live here then?”
Ryan smiles, gestures at the world around him. "Nowhere better to be than LA baby!”
"It’s so good to meet you!" She says and Ryan has to admit he’s very positively surprised. Jessica had broken his heart years ago, when she’d moved to New York to follow a job opportunity. She still looks beautiful and elegant, even more so than in his memory.
“What brings you to this town again? Is the Big Apple not doing it for you anymore?” She laughs with delight and Ryan remembers; the fun, the easiness, the smiles. The heartbreak.
"Actually, I'm moving back over here in a few weeks!"
"Oh really? That’s amazing! Do you have a new job?"
She smiles kindly. "Same job, different company. What about you? Are you still pursuing the film business?"
Ryan laughs awkwardly, stroking the back of his neck with a nervous hand. “Maybe not as much in the film business as I imagined to be, but I kinda have a show on YouTube now, which is getting some attention.”
Jessica looks surprised. “Oh my God, that’s amazing! I’m so happy for you! What’s it about?” She looks genuinely curious and Ryan tries not to feel stupid that she doesn’t know who the Ghoulboys are.
“Uh well, me and my best friend Shane, we uh, we hunt ghosts together.” He says sheepishly. “But there’s also True Crime Stories and I promise you it’s better than I make it out to be right now,” he adds quickly, when he sees the stunned gaze on Jessica’s face. He never actually had to explain his job to someone and he decides he doesn’t like it.
She leans her head back and laughs, tingling like a bell. “That sounds brilliant! I love it. You have to tell me all about it, but I really have to go now. I have an appointment with my wedding planner and just wanted to buy some water.” She waves with the two small water bottles in her hand and Ryan’s brain just short circuits. Wedding planner?
“Wedding Planner,” he says, not really a question at all, but Jessica grins broadly, having received her desired reaction.
“Yes! I’m getting married in three weeks can you believe it? We’re gonna have a Christmas Summer Wedding,” she laughs again joyfully and Ryan forces a smile.
“Congrats,” he says weakly, as Jess brandishes her ring and the little stone catches the light.
“We really should get a drink sometime! Oh, wait—” She reaches for the small handbag dangling from her shoulder and opens the clasp to fish out a business card with a flourish. She holds it out to him with another smile. “My cell phone number is on here too, call me sometime, yeah? It was so great to see you!” She says and kisses his cheek.
“Likewise,” Ryan says numbly, he feels winded, as if a heavy weight was sitting on his chest. She leaves with a little wave, trailing perfume and perfection.
Ryan forgets to buy dinner.
.
“Dude,” he says as soon as Shane picks up his phone and before he can even greet him. “You won’t believe who I just met.”
Shane sighs at the other end of the phone. “Do you want me to guess or—”
“Jessica,” Ryan interrupts him urgently. “You know? Jessica, who moved to New York four years ago?”
“Ah,” Shane says, and then doesn’t say anything else and Ryan can feel himself getting angry for the lack of response.
“What do you mean ‘ah’?”
“I don’t know, what you want me to say?” Shane yawns. That fucker.
“She’s getting married!” Ryan tries again a little louder.
Shane sounds confused when he says, “Okay?”
“‘Okay’? What, don’t you think I should do something? Maybe if she knew that I'd be open for another try, she wouldn't marry this guy at all. I mean, she gave me her number that’s something right?”
“Ryan. Are you listening to yourself?” Shane says urgently and Ryan actually stops mid stride to his car. “You know I hate to be the voice of reason, but this is madness and you should do no such thing as trying to intervene this marriage.” He sounds angry, hurt.
“I'm coming over,” Ryan decides after a brief silence and hangs up before Shane can protest.
.
Some twenty minutes later Ryan knocks impatiently on Shane's front door and it opens to reveal a wary looking, messy haired Shane in sweat pants and an old Buzzfeed T-shirt.
“Are you okay?” Ryan finds himself asking as he steps over the threshold. Shane gives a brief nod and let's him pass by into the apartment and Ryan gets right to it. “I invited her for a drink and she gave me her number,” he waves the little ivory colored card in front of Shane's face.
“Ryan, Ry, that’s a business card—”
“It has her personal phone number on it!”
“—she gave this card to clients, it’s not—” he stops, stares at Ryan. “What exactly are you planning to do?”
“I don't know yet.” Ryan says sitting down on Shane's couch where Obi is currently sleeping in a little circle, though his head jerks up at the movement with an indignant murp. Ryan soothes him with a gentle rub against his fuzzy forehead. Above him, Shane doesn't offer anything else except an air of quiet judgement. “Will you help me?” Ryan looks up to find Shane already watching him.
“Help with what?”
“I don't know? Come up with a plan first? Maybe I'll just talk to her and get a feeling for her… Feelings.” Shane keeps watching him silently and Ryan is starting to feel uneasy. Was he really so out of line here?
Obi goes back to playing at being a donut and Shane sighs as he sits down on Obi’s other side. “I’ll think about it,” he says, though he doesn't look convinced.
Ryan’s nose starts to itch.
.
Ryan calls Jessica two days later. It rings three times, before he panics and hangs up and then almost has a heart attack when his phone vibrates in his hand. “Hi Jess, it’s uh, Ryan” he says awkwardly, feeling caught out.
“Oh Ryan, hi,” she sounds surprised, though there’s a smile in her voice too. “I missed your call. How are you?”
They agree to meet for coffee the next day, and Ryan has a little meltdown after they hang up. He doesn’t even think before he’s calling Shane. It’s mid December now and Ryan is already on leave for the rest of the year, though Shane is still working. He doesn’t pick up. Ryan shoots him a text, that might sound panic-y in his own opinion, but Shane only replies with a string of emojis an hour later that tell him absolutely nothing.
.
It’s 6:30 pm when there’s a knock on Shane’s door. He looks over at Obi on the windowsill, but he has nothing to offer on the matter. He’s looking outside at the passing cars and moving lights. It’s anyone’s guess what he finds so fascinating each day.
“Shane?”
Shane sighs. He gets up and opens the door to find a wild looking Ryan on his doorstep. His hair is all over the place and he looks up with wide eyes.
“Come on,” Shane says and leads the way into the dimly lit living room, where he was just scrolling through Netflix.
Ryan falls onto the couch and only then pulls off his denim jacket. Shane waits for a moment, but nothings seems to be coming forward, so he walks over to the kitchen and gets them both a beer. He hands one to Ryan, sits down next to him and waits.
“I met Jessica today,” he offers after a moment and yeah, Shane has thought as much.
“And?”
“She watched Unsolved and said to tell you to be nicer to me and the ghosts.”
Shane is startled into laughter, “I don’t believe you.”
Ryan grins, takes a sip of his beer. “She did watch it though, but she likes the True Crime better.” Shane nods, he does too. “And… she invited me to the wedding.”
“What?”
“Yup, it surprised me too. She said Eric’s uncle- Eric’s the husband- can’t come due to a heart condition and now they have space. I, uh, I said I’d come.”
“Ryan—”
“She said I didn’t have to get them a present, though of course I’ll at least give them some money, and she said I could bring someone.”
“I hope you’re not still thinking about getting between them. I mean she loves this guy, she's moving back to LA to be with him,” Shane goes quieter when he adds, “She didn't stay to be with you.”
Ryan pauses mid step where he's started pacing Shane's apartment, he looks back at him. “You really think so?”
Shane sighs. “Ryan, you are great and my best friend but I'm telling you, you are out of line here. You haven't seen her in years, people change, she could be an entirely different person by now.”
Ryan stays quiet for a moment longer, then he walks over to the couch where Shane's sat down and falls into the cushions next to him with a sigh. “I know you’re right,” he allows after a while, “and I feel like if I just could meet this Eric and see how happy they are together, I can accept it, you know? She’s invited me to the rehearsal dinner tomorrow too, so,” he makes a vague hand gesture and Shane can’t get mad about that. He reaches for Obi currently weaving around their legs and pets his back.
“And, uh, there’s more.” Shane makes a questioning noise. “I kinda said I’d bring my- uh, a plus one too.”
Shane’s stomach swoops, he has a feeling he knows what’ll come next. “Plus one, huh?” Which doesn’t mean he’ll make it easy for him.
Ryan hems and haws a bit before he says, “I don't have anyone else to ask so I was wondering if maybe youwouldcomewithme,” the last part comes out in a jumbled rush and Shane has to fight a smile.
“Oh well, if you don't have anyone else to ask…” He’s expecting the light punch against his arm. He doesn't expect the way Ryan suddenly goes a little pink at his action.
“You know I don't mean it that way,” he mumbles.
Shane finds himself smiling fondly at Ryan. “For my best friend Ryan Bergara I can arrange to go to a wedding, even if it’s just a pity invite.”
“Shut up, Shane,” Ryan says but his voice sounds oddly affectionate, “and thank you,” he adds and smiles too. And now they’re just sitting on Shane's couch smiling stupidly at each other.
Shane turns away. “You staying?” He asks and tries to not care about the answer as much as he apparently does.
“Uh, yeah? If it’s okay with you?”
Shane shrugs and says, “Sure,” as if it didn't matter to him either way. “My casa es your casa.” Ryan groans and Shane smiles as he walks into the kitchen to get them more beer.
When he gets back, Ryan has taken over the reigns of the movie selection, sitting deeply sunk into his couch cushions with Obi curled up a bit to his side. Shane pauses briefly, considers the space available and settles on moving Obi a bit to sit down between them. He has honestly no idea if this will help with Ryan's allergy but he can try.
“What are we watching?” Shane asks, handing the second beer over.
“Home alone,” Ryan offers, taking a sip. Shane hums and settles in. It's nice, sitting here with his cat and his best friend, with nowhere to be and no need to perform. Cozy.
Ryan sneezes.
.
In the end they watch the first Home Alone and after a short debate of watching another movie, they watch The People vs. O.J. Simpson for a second time. They both fall asleep before the car chase is over.
Shane wakes up first when Obi jumps on the cushion next to him. He rubs his hands over his face and looks over at where Ryan is still sleeping with his arms crossed and his mouth hanging open a bit to help him breathe.
Obi knocks his head against Shane's arm, demanding attention and probably his dinner. “Hey little man.” Shane coos, he's talking to Obi but on his other side Ryan hums and stirs. He blinks his eyes open and looks at Shane groggily then at the darkened room around them where apparently Netflix wanted to know if they were still watching.
Ryan sits up, yawns and stretches. “What time is it?” He asks, though he’s already reaching for his phone to check himself. It’s not that late, but Ryan decides to leave anyway. At the door he pauses briefly, then he says, “Thank you for tonight and for agreeing to come with me.”
Shane nods jovially, “Sure thing.”
They wave goodbye and Shane closes the door, leaning back against with a deep breath. What did he get himself into?
.
“Remind me, why did I agree to do this?” asks Shane a week later on the day of the rehearsal dinner. Ryan tucks his shirt back into his dress pants. He’s wearing the dark blue one he’d worn for a different event and a white shirt.
“Because you are defenseless to my charms,” Ryan says with a grin and Shane is afraid that he might be right. “Now get dressed, I don’t wanna be late.”
“Bossy,” Shane grumbles, but he turns for his bedroom anyway. Then he stops again, looks around at where Ryan is currently fiddling with his tie in the mirror next to the front door.
“Hey Ryan,” Ryan hums, “are we like, dating in this Plus One scenario of yours?”
Ryan stops the fiddling. He might have stopped breathing too, Shane can’t tell. “Uh, maybe?”
“Maybe?”
“I don’t know? I was talking about Unsolved and about you and somehow she assumed that we were together together and she asked me ‘since when’ and I said ‘a few years’, because I thought as like together doing the show, but she meant as a couple and I felt stupid correcting her and now I guess she thinks you’re my boyfriend,” he frowns at his mirror image, doesn’t look at Shane, which is good because Shane has to pick up his jaw from the floor.
“You do understand that if you really wanted to get her back, bringing a boyfriend won't help your case here.”
Ryan’s eyes find his through the mirror. “Huh. I actually haven’t thought of it that way. But I could be bi, she doesn't know that. You're bi!” Shane sighs again, he's been doing that a lot lately. “Does it make you uncomfortable to pretend to date me?”
“Yes,” Shane says and Ryan raises his eyebrows. “No,” Shane amends and looks down at the floor. “The lying is what makes me uncomfortable.”
Ryan turns around to face him and Shane looks up again. He does look a bit pale.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to like, fall all over me. Bring me a drink, laugh about my jokes and it will be alright. Now, how do I look?” Ryan does a full 360 and gives him a hopeful grin. He’s missing his jacket and his tie is lopsided, but he looks bright and giddy and very handsome.
Shane shakes his head fondly, “Come ‘ere and let me fix your tie.”
.
An hour later their Uber drops them off in front of the reception hall where in a week the wedding will take place as well. There even is valet parking and Ryan feels immediately inadequate. “Holy shit,” he says and Shane snorts beside him. Of course tonight there are other guests as well, since it’s only the rehearsal dinner but it doesn’t make Ryan feel any better about himself. He tucks at his suit jacket self-consciously and stares at the women in their robes and the men at their sides guiding them in.
“Come on,” Shane says at his side, offering him his arm like a real gentleman, “let’s do this.”
Ryan is suddenly overcome with gratitude for Shane and the way he doesn’t get intimidated by anything. Together they make their way in.
.
In the end, meeting the family is not as awkward as Ryan had feared after the first rocky start into the evening. He introduces Shane as his partner and everyone gives them a warm welcome. Jessica’s parents both remember him and ask him how he’s been doing in the past years and Ryan is happy to make conversation with them, while Shane gets him a drink.
Eric is as tall and intimidatingly handsome as Ryan had feared, but he also seems to be a kind person with an easy laugh who helps the older ladies find their seats at the long table when it’s finally time to eat. Ryan and Shane try to steer away a bit from the middle of the table but Jessica has apparently made seating arrangements. They find their seats opposite and to the left of where Jessica and Eric have already sat down.
The dinner is delicious and well balanced and the wine they’re offered is smooth and compliments the food perfectly. One and a half hour in and Ryan feels pretty good about himself, which of course is when Ryan hears his name across the table. He looks around to look for the voice and finds Jessica’s mother looking at him.
“Sorry?” Ryan says politely, almost wishing he’d pretended not to hear.
“Jess tells me you’re getting married too, do you already have a date?”
“Uh, we haven’t really talked about it yet,” Ryan says slowly and feels his cheeks grow warm where Shane’s gaze is burning into the side of his face. Ryan hasn’t told Shane this particular fact and he’s sure he won’t let him life it down ever.
“Oh that’s quite all right! You’re still so young! Today's couples sometimes stay engaged for years before actually marrying,” she smiles kindly at them and Ryan is quietly thankful. “But you must tell us how you met!”
“Oh,” Ryan says intelligently, before he decides to stick to the truth as much as possible. “We met at work a few years back—” he stops as a hand settles on his thigh, a large hand that squeezes briefly.
“Oh pooh bear,” says Shane next to him, “please let me tell the story!” Ryan recognizes the mischievous glint in Shane's eyes as their gaze meet and knows immediately that this will be the greatest spun story since the hot daga. And, yeah. Ryan kinda deserves this. Which doesn't mean he'll just accept it.
He places his own hand over the one Shane has resting on his thigh and squashes it down hard. He’s satisfied when Shane's eye twitches in pain. “Well, bubble head, if you insist on telling the whole story you should go ahead. But—” he combs his brain for a little punishment, “—you should sing the song as well.”
“A song?” Someone says excitedly. He smiles sweetly as he looks up at the little beauty mark in the corner of Shane's eye, before Shane tilts his head a bit and catches Ryan’s gaze and, oh no, he will regret this. Belatedly he remembers that Shane simply does not experience shame like other people do.
“Oh, gladly,” Shane says with a wide smile, “gather round, and let me tell you the story of how Ryan and I met and fell helplessly in love.”
The story, as it turns out, is not as complex as Ryan had feared, it does however still entail a lot of tears. Of course.
“So, we are at this work party at the karaoke bar. And I’m talking to my new co workers and suddenly I look up and I can see Ryan over the faces of all these people and I feel how my heart suddenly starts beating violently in my chest and I say to TJ- he's now one of our camera men— I say, ‘Teej, who is this sad little man, sitting in the back all on his own crying into his water glass?’” Ryan scoffs at his side and squeezes Shane's hand in warning, he doesn't even flinch this time, and instead smiles down at Ryan besotted.
“And TJ says, ‘That's Ryan Bergara and he always cries when he’s drunk too much.’ And I said to myself, ‘I will not stand to see these tear streaks on this pretty face’ so I step onto the stage and the mindless chatter of the other people dies down and I’m able to hear the little sniffling noises that Ryan couldn't suppress—" Shane gets another squeeze for this, but it’s useless.
He snatches Ryan's hand from his thigh, presses a kiss on the back of it and places their now joined hands on the tabletop between them. “You see, he looks really buff but he's actually just a fragile little guy with a soft heart, which I love so much about him.” Ryan feels like he’s burning, his face is probably as red as a tomato, but he doesn’t interrupt anymore. “So I grabbed the microphone and everyone falls quiet until Ryan's sobs are the only noises to be heard and my hands are shaking because I’m so nervous but I had to do it, right? I had to save this delicate man before he broke apart entirely.”
Someone sniffles beside Ryan and he turns around to see Jessica's cousin Amanda dab at her wet eyes with a tissue. Ryan wants to laugh desperately, but he swallows it down and looks back at Shane who had followed Ryan's gaze and now found his. There’s that mischievous glint again ‘You better stop me’ it says, but it’s too late now anyway. Ryan squeezes his hand again, hard. And then Shane starts to sing .
Come stop your crying
It will be alright
Fucking Tarzan .
Just take my hand
And hold it tight
Ryan will kill him for this.
I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry
Shane sings directly into his ear now while other people around him have either started to sing along, are currently unable to breathe due to laughing fits or are somehow crying (Amanda). Ryan can’t believe it. He looks bewildered into the faces of the others while Shane continues on. He comes up to the refrain and more people join in as they now all seem to remember the text from twenty years ago.
'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
Ryan looks at Jessica as Shane let’s go of their clasped hands to wrap his arm around Ryan’s shoulders instead, pulling him close. She’s laughing delightedly, clapping along and he knows he has lost her.
From this day on
Now and forever more
And as Shane kisses his cheek and lays his forehead against Ryan’s temple with a no doubt highly satisfied grin on his lips, Ryan realises that he doesn’t really care anyway. The singing, thankfully, stops after this first refrain as all the people around them start clapping and Shane gets squinty eyed as he laughs and laughs and laughs. Ryan can’t look away.
.
“Oh my God,” Ryan says as they finally step out of the venue hours later. “I can't believe you did that.”
Shane grins gleefully. “You wanted a song, I gave you a song.”
Ryan starts laughing, he feels pleasantly lightheaded. It might be the alcohol or just the sheer whimsyness of being alive at this time and place. “And they loved it! I mean— You sir, are incredible.”
Shane, the bastard, just places a hand over his heart and does a little bow. “Why, thank you! Couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You know they didn’t buy your story at all right?”
“How dare you,” Shane gasps and they start to laugh and somehow they’re unable to stop until they're only hold up by the other’s shoulder.
”I can't believe you agreed to marry me, I didn't even have a ring!" Shane muses and they're off again clutching at each other.
"How could I say no, you sang to me at our first meeting!"
.
The wedding takes place at the 26th of December on the LA beach with only the closest friends and family present. Ryan watches Jessica and Eric say their vows and kiss and cry a little and feels all in all kinda relieved to be honest that it is all over. Shane sways at his side and Ryan looks up when a hand settles at his waist and Shane whispers in his ear. “I’m glad you didn’t do the whole ‘Stop this wedding’ speech, it would have ruined the moment.”
Ryan snorts, “Maybe at the party.” Shane nods and the hand moves away. Ryan kinda misses it.
.
Ryan is just coming out of the bathroom when he almost runs into Jess, coming out of the other bathroom with her friend in tow.
“Ryan!” She greets and gives him a one-armed hug. “You having fun? I hope you’re not leaving already!”
Ryan smiles, shakes his head. “Not quite yet. What about you, are you okay?” He glances briefly at the woman- Jenna, Gemma?- who stays a bit awkwardly to the side.
“Oh, yes,” Jessica says joyfully, “When you wear an expensive, protruding wedding dress you don’t get to pee alone, instead you get people who help hold your dress up!” Jessica laughs and Ryan can’t help but join in. “Hey we should dance later!” She says, and Ryan nods when he sees the perfect opporturnity.
“Um Jess, do you have a minute?”
“Uh sure, Gemma? I’ll meet you inside,” she says and Gemma nods with a smile and walks away. They wait in awkward silence until the door closes and they’re finally alone in the entrance hall.
“You know, when we met at the store and you told me you were getting married, I felt… lost.” Jessica looks surprised at the admission, “When you left for New York, Shane and his girlfriend at the time, kinda adopted me for a while after our break-up until I felt more like myself again. And now meeting you again and hearing you’re getting married and would move back for him— I was just so jealous of this person I didn't even know.”
Jessica says his name softly, but Ryan doesn’t stop. “Anyway, I called Shane afterwards and told him about you and I asked him if he thought I should try to get you back but he said I should let the idea of us go because you clearly chose Eric to be with you,” he stops, meets Jessica’s gaze.
She’s looking confused now. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Ryan sighs, pushing a hand into his hair. “I thought maybe you and I could try again, give us another try.”
If anything Jess looks even more confused and Ryan can’t really blame her. “I don’t really know what to say, Ryan. I love Eric with all my heart and I thought you knew that. I didn’t know you were so affected by my move to New York. Why didn't you say something then?” She goes quiet. “And I mean— what about Shane? Were you willing to just drop him like a hot potato if I decided I wanted you?”
Ryan feels horrible, his stomach is in knots as he looks down at his feet. “Shane and I— we’re not together, we were just pretending to be, because I wanted to bring him along as my plus one.”
Jessica’s face does something complicated, and Ryan can’t place the look in her eyes, until he suddenly can. Pity. “Why didn’t you say something earlier? You know, you don’t have to necessarily bring someone you’re dating to be your plus one. You could have just as well invited him as your friend, but you chose to invite him as your fiancé.” She pauses and smiles at him. “I think you have a great amount of feelings for Shane and I'm so happy for you that you found him.”
Ryan stares at her as images of Shane flood his mind, of movie nights, their bickering and popcorn fights. The way Shane’s eyelashes rest against his cheeks when he’s fallen asleep again. The way he feels when Shane is close to him, when he pulls him back into reality whenever Ryan gets lost in his own head. The way his mouth felt against Ryan’s cheek, a burst of hotness under his skin. He blushes and looks down at his feet again. Jessica laughs softly but not unkindly and reaches for his hand. “Maybe you should talk to him about that.”
.
They return to the party just in time for Jessica to be swept off to dance with her father in law and they part with a little wave and a smile. When Ryan finds Shane in the crowd, he’s leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, already watching him. His mouth is suddenly very dry. He weaves his way through the people between them until he finally comes to a halt next to Shane.
“Hey. Can I talk to you?”
Shane doesn’t look up, but he hums a confirmation at least. Ryan tucks at Shane’s elbow until he gets what he’s trying to do and together they walk out of the main room into the entrance hall he’d just left. Behind them the door to the main room opens once more and music floods into the hall so Ryan tries the small door labeled ‘Maintenance’ and shoves Shane in there when it opens under his touch. He follows him in and closes the door quickly, plunging them in temporary darkness.
“Ryan, what the fuck?” Shane hisses and Ryan shushes him. “Don’t you fucking shush me!”
Ryan sighs. “Sorry, okay? Calm down.” He moves a bit, looking for the lightswitch and steps on Shane’s toes. There’s not a lot of space in here, this was a miscalculation.
“Okay, you wanted to talk? Talk.”
Ryan can’t find the lightswitch but the door has a blurred glass window which lets at least some light in. The small room is stuffed with brooms, toilet paper and cleaning agent and now also two grown men. One of whom seems to be rather angry with the other, which seems unfair to Ryan. He can see more of Shane’s frown now that his eyes have adjusted to the darkness. Shane doesn’t look very amused. This is not how this was supposed to go.
“You know what? This is a stupid idea.” Ryan decides and turns to grab for the handle, but Shane’s hand wraps around his wrist stopping him.
“What is it, Ryan?” Shane asks, he sounds... wary. Tired. Like whatever Ryan will say next might as well be the worst news he’s received in years. And Ryan realises that he’s not the only idiot here.
“I talked to Jessica,” Ryan says sheepishly and Shane says ‘Oh,’ and pulls his hand away. “I told her everything. That we're not together and that I thought maybe we could hit it off again,” he pauses, but Shane doesn’t say anything at all. “And… she says that she’s in love with Eric and that I seem to have a lot of feelings for someone else,” he says and looks up at Shane.
There’s a sharp intake of breath that Ryan can feel more than he can hear it. “Do you?” Shane asks, his voice not giving away anything and Ryan kinda wants to shake him for it.
“Maybe if I knew I’d have a chance I would... say something to this person,” he confesses without confessing.
Shane stays infuriatingly quiet for a minute or only a few seconds or maybe an hour for all that Ryan can’t hear anything except his own heartbeat in his ears. “Tell me if this is okay,” Shane says and then he leans in and kisses Ryan.
“Huh,” Ryan says as they part.
“Is that a good reaction or a bad reaction?
“I don't know,” Ryan says honestly, “You should try again, maybe.” He sees Shane's smile before he steps closer and is now looming over him even more.
“Let me just—” Shane doesn't finish and instead places one hand against Ryan's jaw and the other at his waist and somehow he's so much closer than before. His eyes focus on Ryan’s lips for a moment, then he leans back in with a little tilt to his head and now their mouths slot perfectly together and Ryan hums against Shane's lips and Shane pulls him ever closer until there’s no space between them.
The kiss ends far too soon when Shane pulls back and seeks Ryan's gaze. “Better,” he says against Ryan’s lips not a question at all and already grinning all squinty eyed and that's Ryan's favorite so he fists a hand into the lapel of Shane's jacket and pulls him back into the next kiss.
Some indistinct amount of time later someone knocks against the door and Ryan might have jumped in the air from the surprise. “No sex in the broom closet, you hear me!” Someone yells through the door but they laugh and if the retreating footsteps are any indication this person doesn’t really care at all. Ryan does though, very much. “Let’s get out of here.”
“In a ‘we’re leaving this party’ kinda way or in a ‘out of the closet’ kind of way? Because I think you’ve already did that,” Shane says, grinning stupidly, giddily.
Ryan snorts and takes Shane’s hand in his, “Come on you idiot, let’s go home.”
.
They go back to the party so Ryan can get his suit jacket he’d taken off before he went to the toilet. He lets his gaze scan over the crowd and catches Jessica’s eye. He gestures at himself and at the door where Shane’s waiting for him, to let her know they were leaving. Jessica waves excitedly and let’s go of her current dance partner, her brother in law this time, says something in his ear and then weaves her way through the crowd to get to him.
“Did you talk to Shane?” She asks breathlessly. Ryan nods and blushes and Jessica laughs, “Tell me everything!” Ryan joins her laughter helplessly, his face still feeling very hot.
“I- I’ll text you, okay? I really gotta go now.”
“Uh-huh, sure I get it,” Jessica wiggles her eyebrows at him. “You’ll tell me next time over coffee, yeah?” Ryan nods vehemently. He feels elated, ecstatic; like bursting with happiness. “Oh wait!” Jessica looks around quickly. “Can you hold on just a sec?”
She doesn’t wait for a reply, just walks away and Ryan stands there, bewildered looking through the crowd at Shane who catches his eye and winks. It feels a bit like a deja vu. In his memory he hears Shane say his name several times, before Ryan looks up at him with the camera and Shane winks at him. He felt so giddy back then. They had been so drunk. It had been a real fun night.
The music fades out and everyone looks over at where Jessica is just clinking a knife against her glass, calling everyone’s attention.
“If I could just- Hi again everyone! Since it's almost midnight and before more of my dear friends leave tonight, I would like to invite you all to witness how alcohol interferes with my ability to throw a flower bouquet over my shoulder!” Laughter erupts around the room and someone shouts something that Ryan doesn’t understand.
Jessica takes a mock bow and then she’s walking with her bouquet up the steps where the band is seated. Flowers in hand, she directs a few people over to the middle and others to the side, then she sweeps a last glance over the crowd and Ryan’s got only a split second to recognize the little smile on Jessica's face before she turns around. “Three!” She calls and the others join in as she counts down to ‘ONE!’ and throws the bouquet over her shoulder... and unerringly in Ryan’s direction. He snatches it out of the air in reflex and astonishment and Jessica laughs delightedly, while a few other people in the crowd look crestfallen.
“Umm.” Ryan says intelligently while a chorus of clapping arises around him. And in between the ruckus and the noise, there's Shane laughing and Ryan? Ryan drops the flowers to kiss the mirth right off of Shane’s face.