Ryan sipped on his milkshake, peaking at Brendon out of the corner of his eye. They sat in the cab of Brendon's truck as rain began to drizzle outside.

They had spent the day driving around. Laughing. Kissing. Just enjoying each other's company. Now, they had parked by the broken bridge as the rain started. Brendon had bought milkshakes for the two of them just before the stop.

"You really decided to shake it up, didn't you?" Ryan asked, unable to hold back a smile as he spoke.

Brendon grinned at him. "I try." He winked.

Ryan laughed. He slid across the bench seat and leaned in for a kiss that Brendon easily turned for. He could taste the chocolate milkshake on his cold lips.

"Thank you..." Ryan whispered between breaks in their connection.

Brendon pulled back, leaning his forehead against Ryan's. "Why?" He looked genuinely curious.

A laugh escaped Ryan's lips again. "You really pulled me into a whole new world." He replied, "You've shown me so much..." He sat up, looking down at the floorboard of the cab. "My mom's sick... So much of my life was just revolving around helping care for her... I-I don't know why I'm telling you this, I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." Brendon paused. He didn't speak for a few minutes. The only sound was the rain on the roof and windshield. "I have a rough home life too." He finally said.

Ryan turned to look at him. Brendon was looking out the window, towards the graffiti they had done days before.

"Thanks for being my temporary escape." He said, turning to Ryan.

"Thanks for being mine." Ryan replied, smiling at Brendon. Brendon was his favorite escape. Before, he only had things like movies, music or Patrick...

His smile fell. He still hadn't apologized to Patrick. He had been such a dick to his best friend.

"What's wrong?" Brendon asked.

Ryan sighed. He had been neglecting Patrick since hanging out with Brendon more. He needed to make things right. He perked up as an idea formed in his head. He turned to Brendon. "Could you drive me somewhere real quick? I'll explain on the way."

---

Brendon stopped one house before Patrick's. It was still early in the afternoon, so Mrs. Stump would still be at Ryan's house caring for his mother.

"Want me to wait or go?" Brendon asked, shutting off the truck's engine.

"You don't have to wait for me." Ryan pressed a kiss against Brendon's cheek. "You didn't have to drive me here either... Thank you."

Brendon just shot him a grin. "I've got to take care of something, but I'll be back, alright?" He turned his head and kissed Ryan's lips.

Ryan nodded, feeling butterflies from the way Brendon had said it. He slid back across the seat, through he wanted nothing more than to sit with Brendon and watch the rain, and climbed out of the truck's cab. He quickly shut the door and hurried to get to Patrick's door.

He shook rain water from his hair once he was under the house's porch. He pushed his hand through his damp hair before crouching down next to one of the flowerpots also sheltered from the rain. A little bit of digging into the loose soil produced a key that Ryan was all too familiar with.

He wiped it on his pants as he rose to his feet. "Knock knock, Patrick." He muttered, sticking the key in the knob and twisting.

It hadn't been that long since Ryan's last visit and not much had changed. The entrance hall just beyond the door split off into the living room and stairwell. It was dark, due to the overcast sky, but Ryan knew where he wanted to go.

He took the stairs two at a time, making it to the top in no time before turning to the room on the left. The door stood ajar, leading into a dark room.

Patrick was asleep on the bed, snoring under a puffy comforter that he had practically cacooned himself in. Ryan held back a laugh, Mrs. Stump had really made sure of how Patrick was going to spend his day.

Ryan stepped quietly into the room. "Patrick." He called out, "Hey, Patrick." He shook Patrick's shoulder.

His friend sucked in a breath, burrowing deeper into his blankets. Ryan rolled his eyes. He tugged at the blanket, causing Patrick to shake.

"What the hell?" Patrick groaned, opening his eyes. He blinked tiredly at Ryan. "Ryan?.."

"Hey!" Ryan gave a timid wave. Suddenly, his plan didn't seem so smart. "So, I broke into your house. I mean, technically not because I know where the key is, but kind of."

Patrick just blinked at him.

"Look," Ryan sighed, "I know you're probably dosed with some heavy stuff, knowing your mom, and this is going to seem like some weird fever dream, but I needed to come say sorry. You did something crazy for me and I totally didn't appreciate it. You deserve a better friend than me. I just got lost in the exciting new opportunities that Brendon brought. I should have been a better friend."

Patrick blinded at Ryan again. "So... So this isn't a fever dream?" He croaked with his fresh from sleep voice.

Ryan just stared at him for a moment before he started laughing. He couldn't help it. After everything he had come to say, that was the medicine induced response he had gotten.

"Wait, Ryan?" Patrick reached out and grabbed his arm. "Ryan! Isn't school st-still in? D-did yo-ou ditch!?"

"There's my best friend." Ryan wiped a tear from his eye, "Should I repeat my heart filled apology?"

"No..." Patrick pushed himself upright on his bed. He let his blanket fall, revealing a loose fitting pastel purple tee-shirt and the wildest bed head Ryan had seen on him. "Wait, You're apologizing?"

"Well... Yea?"

Patrick shook his head. "I shouldn't have snapped at you! I've felt horrible about it."

"Patrick, no!" Ryan argued, "You had every right! I was being a moron; did you even hear the apology?"

Patrick cast his gaze down. "Yea, I did..." He paused for a moment. "I just felt... I shouldn't have snapped. It's stupid, but I felt like you were spending so much time with him you were gunna leave me behind like everyone else. I mean, I'm sorry." Tears were building in his eyes, "After dad leaving and then Joe getting some close with Andy that we practically never talked anymore..."

"Shit, Patrick." Ryan pushed a hand through his hair. Patrick never talked about his dad. The man had left after Patrick's eighth birthday party, and he hadn't left quiet. As for Joe, he had been Patrick's other best friend coming into highschool. He had met Andy freshman year & he had hardly talked to the group since.

"It's stupid," Patrick wiped his eye with his hand, "but I couldn't help it. It freaked me out. I've been keeping it quiet but seeing that note in the mail brought those thoughts up in full force and then worrying about you getting expelled..."

Ryan placed a hand on Patrick's shoulder. "Patrick, I'm not going to do that to you. I might be a bit love drunk, but you're still my best friend. I'm sorry I made you feel like that. It's a shitty way to feel and I shouldn't have even brought you close to thinking that."

Patrick lifted his head, smiling weakly at him. "I'm really lucky you're my friend."

"I'm really lucky you're my friend." He judged Patrick, taking a seat on the bed beside him. "No more freaking out over that kind of thing, yea?"

"Yea." Patrick nodded, "Thanks."

Ryan pulled Patrick into a hug. "Good."

"Just so we're clear, you're sure this isn't a fever dream?" Patrick asked, causing both boys to burst into laughter.