"You know what tomorrow is, don't you?" Colin smiled,
running his hands over Ryan's
slick shoulders as they relaxed in the hot tub.
Ryan leaned heavily on Colin's supportive frame, thanking the
powers that be that it was
almost 70 degrees in California. "Wednesday?"
Colin smirked, "No, you silly! It's Valentines Day."
"Oh." Ryan let his eyes slide closed. He knew that
Valentines Day was close, and had
already arranged Colin's gift...but it was still nice to mess
with him a little. "I guess I forgot."
"Oh." Colin tried to act cool, he figured Ryan was
probably bluffing...but it was hard to
tell sometimes. "Well, I still got you something."
"That's sweet of you." Ryan smiled, leaning his head
back and accepting a small kiss.
"But you're always such a sweetheart."
"Hey, you know I can be just as dirty as you." Colin
nipped at Ryan's ear as his hands
found their way around his stomach.
"That's why I love you." Ryan opened his eyes slightly,
giving Colin that heart melting smile.
*
* *
* *
"Happy Valentines Day." Colin smiled, handing Ryan a
small box wrapped in red paper
with silver hearts.
"You didn't have to." Ryan accepted the gifts and sat
gracefully on the plush couch.
"I wanted to. We always get each other something small...but
I wanted today to be a
special Valentines Day." Colin leaned on the back of the
couch behind his lover, "It's
our twentieth, you know."
"I know." Ryan smiled, tearing the paper gingerly.
"Your gift is in the kitchen."
"I thought you forgot!" Colin pushed Ryan playfully,
then made his way to the kitchen.
Ryan blushed as he opened the small velvet box and removed a
thick silver band.
Inscribed on the inside was something he never said often enough,
'I love you'.
*
* *
* *
Colin closed his eyes as he entered the large kitchen, not
completely sure of what to
expect. The, hesitantly, he saw a small envelope on the table.
Ryan stood silently in the doorway and watched his lover pick up
the heavy white
envelope, then pause, clutching it tightly.
Colin looked at his name in Ryan's scrawl, then gently opened the
envelope and slid
out a pair of plane tickets and a small card with a sucker
attached.
"Candy Gram." Ryan laughed, coming up behind Colin and
letting his hands linger on
the soft waist of his lover.
Colin laughed and read the children's Mickey Mouse card, then
detached the sucker
and unwrapped it. "I can't believe you got me these
tickets."
"That's only the beginning." Ryan ran his hands up to
Colin's shoulders. "Once you
arrive at your destination, I've arranged for only the best
treatment...anything you
desire."
"I don't speak Italian." Colin giggled, reading over
the tickets to Rome. "But damn it,
I'm going to learn."
"I love you." Ryan kissed the top of Colin's head.
"I love you too." Colin turned and let Ryan pull him
into a hug.
"Colin..." Ryan gently slid one hand into his pocket,
still holding Colin close. "Promise?"
He slid the ring onto Colin's finger.
Colin pulled away, smiling and looked at the simple gold band.
Holding in his happy
tears, he pressed his face to Ryan's chest.
Ryan felt Colin's reply resonate in his own chest and repeated it
to the empty house,
"Always."
*****
END
*****