Age 14

Brendon and Ryan were in front of the TV occassionally shoving each other as a distraction. Their fingers moved rapidly over the control buttons and their video game avatars obeyed their commands.

Ryan's tongue was sticking slightly out in concentration. Brendon had on an easy smile, almost putting no effort into the game. Ryan gave Brendon a shoulder shove and prepared his character for an attack.

Before his character could move, Brendon moved quickly and striked Ryan's player, killing him. He dropped the controller and threw his arms up in victory. Ryan stared at the screen with a dropped jaw and wide eyes.

"Wh- How did y- But... What the hell?" Ryan's voice was high from shock as he looked over at a grinning Brendon.

"Like I didn't know you were gonna do a triple roundhouse kick with the reverse turning kick," he said with a laugh. Ryan crossed his arms and pouted.

"How could you know that?" Brendon shoved him lightly.

"Please. I know everything about you." Ryan watched Brendon stand up and move over to his game shelf. He still had on his perfect smile. His fingers combed through his perfect raven hair.

"Do you wanna play Call of Duty next?" Brendon asked over his shoulder in his perfect voice. Ryan sighed and let his eyes rest on his best friend.

Oh Brendon, you don't know everything.

---

Age 15

Brendon and Ryan were lounging at Brendon's place watching some random movie. Brendon was laying across the couch with his head on Ryan's lap. The older boy's fingers were slowly brushing through Brendon's hair.

It was a common position for the two, but it still gave Ryan butterflies. Every so often, he'd look down and just watch Brendon's soft features react to the movie. At some point, Brendon pulled away, to Ryan's disappointment, and sat up.

"You're hungry," Brendon stated. Ryan tilted his head in confusion.

"No I'm not." Brendon got up from the couch.

"Yeah you are. Let's go eat." Ryan went to object again until his stomach gave an evident growl. Brendon beamed proudly at him while Ryan blushed.

"Told ya." Brendon grabbed Ryan's hand, pulling him off the couch. "You want pizza." Ryan let himself get pulled by his best friend, grumbling that Brendon knew him to well for his own good.

With Brendon's newly earned license and traditional crappy first car, they drove to a local pizza place. Brendon ordered for the two as Ryan found them a table. When Brendon come with the pizza, he dug right in.

"Why didn't you get wings?" Ryan pouted as he grabbed a slice.

"You wouldn't finish them and I wasn't in the mood for them," Brendon said with a shrug. Ryan frowned.

"I could finish them!" Brendon chuckled as he took a bite out of his slice. "You don't believe me?" Brendon sighed and put his pizza down.

"Here's how it'd go down: you'll have your normal two slices of pizza, eat one wing before, between, then after those pieces and because your stomach is smaller than a mouse, you'll get a stomach ache and potentially throw up," Brendon finished as he picked up his pizza and took another bite.

Ryan opened his mouth to argue, but Brendon just tilted his head and lifted an eyebrow silently saying 'are you really gonna tell me I'm wrong?'

Ryan slouched and pouted. They ate the pizza with the only talking being Brendon's random comments about something going on around the restaurant.

Ryan eyed the last slice, wanting to eat it to prove that he didn't have a small stomach. Before he even had a chance to reach for it, Brendon chuckled.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Ryan looked up at Brendon who was smirking. "I don't want to hear you bitching that your stomach hurts if you do."

When they got back to Brendon's house, Ryan laid on the couch gripping his stomach.

"I tried to tell ya."

"Fuck off." Brendon sighed and when to another room, coming back with a blanket in his arms. Ryan had his eyes closed, partly so he wouldn't have to see Brandon's smug face.

He only opened his eyes when he felt a body move next to him on the couch. He saw Brendon pulling the blanket he had over their bodies before pulling Ryan close.

"What are you doing?" Ryan asked. Brendon didn't answer as he flipped Ryan on his side facing away from him. He wrapped his arm around the older's stomach, putting slight pressure on his lower abdomen. His other arm went under Ryan's head.

Ryan felt himself blush as the closeness. He could feel Brendon's breath on the back of his neck and didn't deny the warm feeling he got from the contact.

"What are you doing?" Ryan asked again in a quieter voice.

"Helping your stomach ache. Just because you're too stubborn to listen doesn't mean I'm just gonna sit back and watch you suffer." Brendon's voice sounded slurred as if the position was making him fall asleep.

Ryan hummed in response, not trusting his voice. He felt warm and safe in Brendon's arms. He couldn't stop his heart from fluttering. He didn't know how Brendon managed to ease his stomach ache. With the relief and comfort, he began drifting off with his best friend on his mind.

---

Age 16

There comes a time in every relationship, romantic and not, that tests the bond between two people. Are two people strong enough to overcome what is thrown them? For Brendon and Ryan, that test was named Sarah Orzechowski.

Ryan hated her, despised her, loathed her with every fiber of his being. She had perfect wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes. She had a figure that any girl would kill for and a smile that could grab anyone's attention. She was the sweetest and most polite person Ryan's ever met. She had every straight man ready to fall at her feet. Unfortunately for Ryan, that included Brendon.

"Ryan, you don't get it. She's so perfect. She may look fragile but she's tough. You should've seen her in gym today." Ryan wanted to roll his eyes as Brendon rambled on about his dream girl. Ever since Brendon laid eyes on Sarah, he hadn't shut up about her. Ryan had to swallow down the jealous as he listened to his crush be love struck with someone else.

"I think I'm gonna ask her out." That sentence snapped Ryan back to the conversation.

"You what?" Ryan felt the color drain from his face as he looked at Brendon. The boy had a blush on his cheeks and brushed his hand through his hair. He had on a dopey smile.

"I'm gonna ask her on a date," Brendon stated more quietly. Ryan felt like the air had been kicked out of him. This wasn't happening. Not to him. How could he compete with someone like Sarah? He couldn't, that's how.

"Are you alright man?" Brendon took notice at Ryan's pale face. Ryan nodded his head quickly and looked down. He let his hair fall forward to cover his face.

"How do you know if she even likes you?" Ryan hoped the question would distract Brendon. It did.

"I don't," he chuckled. "I'm hoping she does. Do you think I have a chance with her?" Ryan looked up at his best friend. Brendon looked worried and Ryan knew what he was thinking.

He frowned at the boy in front of him. How could he even consider the idea that he wasn't good enough for anyone, even the perfect Sarah Orzechowski?

"Brendon Boyd Urie," Ryan started. He knew Brendon's full name would let him know how serious he was. "You are the most amazing person I ever met. You're funny and talented and damn you're sexy as fuck. Hell if we weren't friends, I'd've kissed you already." Brendon looked down and chuckled at the comment. Ryan felt a small pain in his chest knowing Brendon thought he was joking. He continued.

"We've been friends for forever, so I know how awesome you are. And if Sarah can't see that, then she's not the one for you." Brendon looked at him with a smile. He lunged forward and pulled Ryan into a tight hug.

"I knew you could make me feel better." Ryan wrapped his arms around Brendon, resting his head on the other's shoulder. "Thank you."

Ryan squeezed his eyes shut when he felt them watering. He knew what he was doing, what his words meant. He was giving Brendon up so he could be happy with someone else. His grip on his friend tightened as a loose tear slide down his cheek.

"Anytime," he murmered into Brendon's shoulder.

---

Age 18

The passed couple years had been hell for Ryan. The day after his talk with Brendon, the boy asked out Sarah. She said 'yes' obviously. As they became a couple, Brendon didn't spend much time with Ryan.

It wasn't Brendon's fault. Ryan would deny most of his attempts to hang out, then all of them, and then the offers stopped. Ryan's heart broke as he lost his friend but he couldn't handle seeing the love of his life with someone else.

Brendon and Sarah soon became the power couple of the school. With Ryan forcefully forgotten, Brendon's popularity rose and Ryan watched alone from the shadows.

Brendon was crown prom king with Sarah as his queen. They got voted cutest couple and most likely to get married. He had a new group of friends.

Ryan hated high school. He hated Sarah. He hated being alone. He was ready to get out of there and he got his wish.

Ryan was standing in his cap and gown, waiting for his name to be called. Everything was muffled because he barely paid any attention to his classmates' names being called.

"Ryan Ross." Ryan looked up and slowly stepped on stage.

"Whoo! Ryan!" He looked back to see Brendon clapping his hands, getting some people to laugh at his excitement. Ryan couldn't help his smile as he grabbed his diploma and walked off the other side of the stage.

When he got back to his seat, he waited for Brendon's name to be called. When it did, more people where cheering and whistling. He clapped along and laughed when Brendon gave a dramatic bow.

"Graduates, you may now move your tassels from the right to your left." There was excitement buzzing throughout the graduates as they did so. "I present you Pablo Verde's 2004 graduating class. Congratulations."

Cheers erupted from the crowd. Caps where tossed into the air. The place was filled with laughter and people taking pictures. Ryan smiled at the sight.

He began moving through the crowd which was more difficult than he thought. Eventually, he managed to make it to the parking lot. He could clearly hear the happiness behind him and it made it upset.

He knew no one was going to celebrate for him that night. His family didn't come to the ceremony. He didn't have friends. Ryan made it to his car, threw his cap, robe, and diploma into the passenger seat and started the car.

He drove off to the park, which he was happy was empty. He shoved his hands into his pokects as he walked with his head down. When he got to the swing set, he dropped down on one.

He watched his shoe make small circles into the sand. His eyes began to tearing up and he didn't bother stopping them. He watched as they dripped onto his pants, leaving small wet spots.

He didn't notice the sound of a door closing in the distance or the footsteps coming closer. He didn't register the body taking the empty swing beside him.

"Ryan," the voice was soft. Ryan quickly wiped his tears and glanced up at the boy next to him. His face was etched with worry. Ryan looked away.

"What are you doing here?" He didn't want to show that he was a little happy that he wasn't alone. "Shouldn't you be with Sarah?"

"I was trying to find you back at the school," Brendon ignored the questions. "When I didn't find you, I figured you'd come here. You used to come here when you were upset and didn't want to come to my house."

Ryan squeezed his eyes shut. Even after the years of little to no communication, Brendon still knew everything about him. Almost.

"You should be off celebrating with your friends and family or spending time with your girlfriend," Ryan mumbled, trying to ignore the ache he still got from knowing he'd been replaced.

"You are my friend," Brendon asked softly. "And Sarah and I aren't together anymore." Ryan looked up in surprise.

"Why?" He quickly asked. "You guys looked so happy together." Brendon chuckled and shrugged.

"She called it off. Wanted to be free to explore in college which I don't blame her."

"Sorry." Ryan felt bad. Brendon looked so in love with Sarah. How dare she hurt him. Ryan peered over at Brendon. He didn't look so heart broken.

"It's okay," Brendon shrugged again. "I knew it'd end. It didn't feel like we were both into the whole relationship after a while, so it was mutual."

"Then why did you stay together?" Ryan was quick to ask.

"Appearance, I guess. Everyone was so in love with the idea of us together, so we just stayed that way. We loved each other don't get me wrong." Ryan tried not to wince. "But it didn't feel right. I wasn't the one for her and she wasn't the one for me."

Ryan nodded and looked back down. It was silent for only a moment.

"I missed you," Brendon practically whispered. Ryan felt his mouth go dry.

"I missed you too." Ryan saw Brendon get up and squat down in front of him. Their eyes locked and Ryan swore his heart stopped. All those feelings he tried to repress where now consuming him.

"Why'd you do it?" Ryan saw the hurt flash through Brendon's eyes. "Why'd you push me away?" Ryan felt his own eyes watering. He could lie. He could lie his ass off, but now, looking in Brendon's eyes, he knew they both knew the truth.

"I couldn't do it," Ryan whispered as tears began falling. "I couldn't stand hearing how you talked about her and how much you liked her," Ryan's began to shake. "I couldn't w-watch you fall in love with her right in f-front of me." Brendon hurried forward and cupped Ryan's cheeks.

"Hey, hey hey. It's okay." Ryan let out a sob and shut his eyes. His hands tightened up on Brandon's wrists."It's okay. You're okay." Brendon pressed their foreheads together as his voice soothed Ryan.

"I'm s-so s-sorry. I've mi-issed you s-so m-much." Brendon's thumb swiped over Ryan's cheek, only smearing the tears as new ones came down.

"It's okay, baby. I'm here now. It's gonna be okay." Ryan eyes fluttered open at the nickname. Brendon was staring right into his eyes. Ryan sniffed, his body shaking slightly.

Brendon's eyes glanced down at Ryan's lips before looking back up. Ryan did them same when Brendon's tongue came out to wet his lips. Brendon leaned in a little. Ryan closed his eyes again as he did the same.

A burst of warmth came from Ryan's stomach as his lips connected with Brandon's. They were soft and comforting and everything he could've ever hoped for. They fit perfectly against each other and Brendon didn't seem to mind that Ryan was a sobbing mess.

When they pulled away, Ryan didn't open his eyes just yet. He wanted to hold onto the moment a little longer. He finally opened them when Brendon's thumb grazed over his bottom lip.

Brendon had on that smile that made Ryan's heart constrict. Their foreheads were still pressed together and Ryan grip on Brendon was impossibly tight.

"I love you." Everything stopped. Ryan stopped breathing. There was nothing else. Nothing but him and Brendon. He felt new tears from, but they weren't bad and Brendon knew that.

Ryan let out a mix of a laugh and cry. A smile spread across his face a he cried. Brendon smile with him, keeping close to him.

"I love you too." They connected their lips again. It was full of longing and want; want for the other, for more than what they've had, for a future together.

They pulled away, their smiles not faltering at all. Ryan inhaled the closeness that he craved for years.

"I know," Brendon smirked. "I know everything about you." Ryan connected their lips again. He did. For the first time in years, Brendon knew everything about Ryan.