by Heather
Ryan Stiles squeezed his eyes shut and clenched the armrests once again, gritting his teeth and taking deep breaths in an effort to calm down. He had been practicing his relaxing breathing techniques for the past hour, and it had accomplished exactly nothing. He was still scared out of his mind, and the plane still felt like it was going to fall out of the sky at any second.
//Shit! I hate
flying! Why do I have to do this
anyway? Stupid thing, I shouldn’t have
gone, I knew I should’ve just stayed home...are we shaking? Is that normal? No one else looks worried. Fucking planes... It’ll be great Ryan, just a little reunion
show Ryan, everyone wants you to be there, it’s no big deal...yeah, right! Next time my agent wants me to fly across the
damn ocean to go to that godforsaken rainy shitty little place he can just kiss
my ass. I can’t believe Tony didn’t show
up, he lives there for fuck’s sake! And
all the problems trying to get Greg to cooperate with Clive...I knew the
reunion thing was a bad idea. We never
could get along when we did the show back then, what makes them think things
would change? Damn, that stewardess is
giving me that concerned look again—I must look like hell. I feel like hell, God I can’t wait to get on
the ground again. This is so fucking
stupid, going all the way over there just to have the damn thing fall through,
so I went through all this shit, flying for no reason. God, my back hurts. Being scared to death and sitting in these
damn uncomfortable seats always gets me.
At least we’re almost there. Just
a little longer and I’ll be able to see Colin again. He said he’d pick me up at the airport, so at
least I won’t have to think about traffic on the way home. I’m so strung out; I’d probably get into an
accident. Oh shit, we’re turning, I hate
when the plane tilts like that...please, let’s just land so I can get out of
here.//
Ryan lifted a trembling hand to scrub across his face, still keeping his eyes tightly shut. He occasionally stole peeks between his fingers like a child watching a scary movie. Embarrassed by his fear but unable to help it, Ryan did his best to act normal. The concerned stewardess stopped by his seat again, and gently tapped him on the shoulder.
“We’re beginning the descent now, Mr. Stiles, we’ll be landing in about thirty minutes.”
Ryan nodded at her, doing his best to put a grateful expression on his face, and she smiled at him before moving on to the other passengers. It was only after she left that it occurred to Ryan he’d never told her his name. He bit his lip in embarrassment, realizing she must have recognized him from the show. Sometimes he wished he could be anonymous like he used to be.
Ryan concentrated on breathing again, trying not to think about where he was or how much his back hurt. Instead, he thought about Colin, who was probably already at the gate, waiting for him. They’d been best friends for so long a little time apart was no big deal, but Ryan still missed him. What with Colin’s busy schedule and Ryan’s own work they hadn’t seen each other for nearly four months. Now they both had some down time, and Ryan had every intention of having some fun with his old friend. Sucking in a quick breath as the plane began to descend more steeply, Ryan clutched at the armrests and wished once again that he had never agreed to the stupid reunion thing in the first place.
* * * * *
Colin Mochrie was looking impatiently at his watch for the fifth time in as many minutes. Ryan’s plane wasn’t actually late yet, but it was getting close. He had expected to see the big jet pulling up to the gate some time before the posted landing time, but there was no sign of it yet. Colin’s expressive eyes were filled with worried sympathy for his best friend—he knew how much Ryan hated flying. He was impatient because he knew every minute in the air was hell for his friend, but also because he wanted to see Ryan again. After the months apart, Colin missed him more than seemed normal. He often found himself daydreaming about Ryan’s laughing green eyes and tall, slender frame. The almost sexual nature of these daydreams left Colin both excited and confused.
**What the hell is my obsession with Ryan lately? I can’t seem to get him out of my head, and
he’s not even here! I know we’re close,
but I really shouldn’t be thinking of him this way. He’s my best friend, not my boyfriend. What am I saying? I don’t have boyfriends! Okay, I need to think about something
else.
Um...this airport is really crowded. It’s going to take forever to get the bags
with all the other people trying to get theirs at the same time. I should probably get one of those cart
things, so Ryan won’t have to carry anything, since flying is always so hard on
his back—damn. I’m thinking about Ryan
again. I might have gone a whole thirty
seconds there without his name popping up in my mind...yeah, that’s about
normal lately. Well, fuck it then, I
might as well quit fighting it and think about Ryan, since I don’t seem to have
a choice.
When he gets off that plane, he’s going to be a mess, all
tired and shaky. I feel sorry for him
when he has to fly, but I love to pick him up afterwards. I always get to take care of him—it’s the
only time he’ll let me. I get to rub his
sore back, and put him to bed, and...damn, what the hell is wrong with me? I shouldn’t be getting all excited at the
thought of putting my best friend to bed.
Now maybe if I was getting into bed with him...whoa! Where did that one come from? I don’t want Ryan like that...do I? Shit, now I really want to see him, just so I
can figure this out. I’m probably just
blowing things out of proportion because I miss him so much. Yeah, that’s gotta be it. Right.
Maybe if I say that enough times, I’ll start to believe it.**
The ripple of talk that ran through the waiting area interrupted Colin’s confused thoughts. He looked up to see everyone staring out the windows at the big airplane pulling up to the gate. Grinning, Colin stood and made his way to the front of the crowd. He knew Ryan flew first class, and would be one of the first ones getting off. An excited tingle ran through Colin’s body, and he tried not to think about what it might mean.
* * * * *
Ryan sighed wearily as the plane made yet another slow turn. He felt better now that they were on the ground, but the slightly bumpy landing had destroyed the last of his already frayed nerves. All he wanted was to get off the uncomfortably confining airplane and see Colin again. They had a routine, almost a ritual, after Ryan had to fly. Colin would always take care of him, and although Ryan would never admit it, he loved the attention. It was the only time he allowed the coddling—Colin would baby him all the time if Ryan let him.
As the plane came to a full stop at the gate, Ryan was one of the first passengers on his feet. The captain was going through his usual speech and the flight attendants stood by the door, ready to bid everyone their cheery goodbyes. Pulling his carry-on bag from the overhead compartment, Ryan moved down the aisle toward the door and waited impatiently while the mobile walkway was connected to the side of the plane. When the door finally opened, he quickly stepped over the threshold with a sigh of relief, happy to leave the hated airplane behind him.
Ryan walked down the narrow hallway with the other passengers, keeping his eyes trained forward for the first glimpse of Colin. He knew his friend would be right there at the front, waiting for him, and he wasn’t disappointed. Colin was wearing his baseball cap and glasses to keep from creating a scene, but Ryan recognized him easily. When their eyes met, Ryan felt his body relax noticeably. Seeing his best friend at the end of a long difficult trip always felt like coming home.
Colin moved his eyes in an ‘over there’ gesture, and stepped back from the main stream of people. Ryan followed, and they ended up slightly away from the crowd still exiting the airplane. Colin turned to him and raised his arms, a huge grin on his face. Ryan felt an answering smile come to his lips as he walked into the welcome embrace.
Ryan closed his eyes and buried his face against Colin’s shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent. He could feel the strong arms squeezing his ribs, the skilled hands already rubbing at his lower back. Ryan felt warmth spread through his body as the last of the tension from the flight bled away, leaving him sleepy and slightly giddy.
Colin was all too aware of how good Ryan felt against him. The large hands were slowly stroking his back, sending strange pulling sensations through his chest with every movement. Ryan’s breath whispered softly against his neck, and Colin was unable to resist bringing a hand up to run through the dark blonde curls. He felt a kind of tight excitement building in his belly...and certain other regions. It was the realization that he was actually getting aroused that made Colin pull back suddenly, his ears burning in embarrassment. Ryan gave him a slightly confused look, and Colin smiled nervously, trying to cover his reaction.
“Um...we should get out of here, huh? I bet you’re ready to get some sleep, you look like hell.”
“Gee, thanks,” Ryan replied sarcastically, then returned Colin’s smirk with one of his own. Slinging an arm around the shorter man’s shoulders, Ryan walked with him out of the gate and towards the baggage claim. He could already feel exhaustion stealing over his body, making him sluggish and compliant. Content to let Colin lead the way, Ryan simply followed along, frequently rubbing at his eyes and yawning.
By the time they made it out to the car, he was actually swaying on his feet, and Colin had to help him put on his seatbelt. Normally Ryan would feel embarrassed at being taken care of like a child, but now he was too strung out and tired to care. When he felt like this, it was nice to have Colin take care of him—it reminded him of falling asleep in the back of the car as a child, and knowing his parents would take care of everything. There was a sweet kind of freedom in letting someone else handle all the responsibilities.
* * * * *
Colin kept stealing glances at Ryan as he drove. The taller man had fallen into a light doze, and was slowly sliding further and further down in his seat. Colin couldn’t help but smile at the way Ryan looked while he slept—tousled and amazingly childlike, despite the crinkles around his eyes. Making an effort to pay attention to the road and not his ridiculously cute friend, Colin drove a little faster. He was really looking forward to putting Ryan to bed...if you know what I mean.
**Oh man...what am I doing now, playing games in my
head? Did I really just think that thing
about putting Ryan to bed? God, he looks
so damn attractive right now, with his eyes closed and that soft little smile
on his face. When we get back to my
place, he’s going to expect me to rub his back, like I always do after a
flight. And usually I love it, but this
time I think I might love it just a little too much. When he’s all sleepy and agreeable like this,
it would be so easy to talk him into something he’s not ready for...okay, I
need to stop it right now. This is not
the way to be thinking about my best friend.
There’s nothing to talk him into, because we’re *just* friends, and
that’s all there is to it. Period. End of story.
Shit, I can’t even convince myself.
This is going to be really damn interesting, that’s all I can say.**
Waking Ryan when they arrived was surprisingly easy, and Colin figured his friend hadn’t really been deeply asleep because his back was still so painful. Indeed, as they walked up the driveway, Ryan moved with a stiff, careful gait that prompted Colin to help him along with an arm around his waist. Ryan leaned into him gratefully, shooting him one of those impossibly alluring looks that he didn’t seem to know he had. Colin had to look away briefly and catch his breath. Shaking his head at how silly he was being, Colin thought to himself that he was worse than a teenage girl with a crush.
Ryan sighed in relief as he stepped through the door of Colin’s place, and he quickly headed towards the guest room where he usually stayed, kicking off his black and leopard print shoes as he went. Colin followed, trying to keep his eyes above Ryan’s waist—and failing completely. He wasn’t sure where this sudden attraction had come from, and frankly, he didn’t care. He was much too busy trying to control his body’s reactions to worry about some deep self-analysis.
As Ryan entered the familiar bedroom, he didn’t bother to flick on the light switch. Colin, close behind him, was much too distracted to worry about the light, and so the room remained dimly lit by the fading sunlight slanting through the windows. Ryan eased himself down on the bed, lying on his stomach with his arms under the pillow. He turned and looked at Colin with an undisguised expectant look. Colin swallowed hard at the invitation he seemed to read in those green eyes, and reminded himself that Ryan was only asking for a backrub, nothing more.
Sighing happily as he felt the familiar hands begin their work, Ryan turned his face back into the pillow and relaxed into Colin’s ministrations. He couldn’t suppress a shiver of pleasure at the way those strong hands kneaded at his muscles and skimmed over the smooth material of his shirt. The sheets beneath him were growing warm from his body heat, and Ryan found himself wishing that he could feel Colin’s hands directly on his skin. The thought caught him by surprise, and his brow furrowed slightly as he tried to figure out just what it meant.
//Huh? Just what
am I thinking here? I know Col is my
best buddy, the only guy I would ever let take care of me like this,
but...wishing he would touch my skin?
What the hell is that all about?
Damn, he’s good at that. I can
feel all the pain just melting away. He
oughta be good at it, after all the times he’s done it. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy
it. Not just the pain relief or the
massage, but being close to him. I
always like to be close to him...and now I want to be closer. I want to get rid of this shirt so there’s
nothing between us. What does that
mean? Oh hell, I don’t care what it
means right now, I only care that it’ll feel good.//
“Col? D’you think I could...um...” Ryan trailed off uncertainly, wondering if he was crossing some kind of line here.
“What?” Colin asked gently, pausing in his massage. Ryan twisted his body slightly to look at Colin, who was suddenly glad of the dim lighting in the room. Running his hands over his best friend’s back was leaving him with considerably less room in his pants, and he didn’t want Ryan to see that.
“I want to take my shirt off. Okay with you?”
Colin’s jaw dropped and he licked his lips nervously in reaction to Ryan’s soft, casual question. Knowing his voice would come out strained and squeaky if he tried to speak, Colin simply nodded, smiling weakly. He moved back slightly to give Ryan enough room, and the taller man made quick work of his shirt, unbuttoning and removing it in several rapid movements. Colin just watched, aware of the expression of fascination on his face but unable to change it.
Ryan caught his friend’s dark gaze and found himself lost in it for several moments. The desire was all too clear and Ryan felt a smile come to his lips. Apparently Colin agreed with him that taking off the shirt was a good idea. Not sure exactly what was happening, but enjoying it nonetheless, Ryan lay back down, nestling into the warm sheets with his now bare chest. Colin moved close again, and then paused for a moment, wondering if he dared to straddle Ryan on the bed. With a shrug and a quick thought of *What the hell?* he decided to go for it.
If Ryan was surprised to feel Colin’s knees on either side of his hips, he gave no sign. He just sighed in a way that sounded suspiciously like a moan of pleasure when those hands came down to rub along his bare back. The muscles were pretty much relaxed now, and the pain was gone, but Ryan certainly wasn’t going to tell Colin to stop now. In fact, Colin wasn’t even kneading deeply anymore; instead, he was dancing his fingertips along the smooth, warm skin and tracing intricate patterns that made Ryan shiver at the sensations. His breathing began to get heavier and he was tempted to rub his hips against the warm, slippery sheets to ease the growing pressure in his groin. Ryan wasn’t sure what was happening here, but he was much too far gone to care.
Colin was actually shaking with desire, and suddenly only touching Ryan with his hands wasn’t enough anymore. The bare skin looked deliciously inviting, almost golden in the slanting sunlight, and Colin couldn’t help himself anymore. Leaning forward, he gently brushed his lips against the nape of Ryan’s neck, lingering for a moment to enjoy the feeling. Ryan stiffened beneath him, and Colin pulled back quickly, afraid he had taken things too far.
Ryan sucked in a quick breath, still feeling the rush of excitement that had flooded through him at the touch of Colin’s lips. Something was definitely stirring below his belt, and as he shifted slightly, he could feel the desire increasing. Twisting his body to look at Colin more directly, Ryan could see arousal and apprehension on his friend’s familiar face.
“Hey Col?” Ryan started, giving the older man a reassuring smile.
“Yeah?” Colin’s voice was low and throaty, and Ryan’s eyes seemed to flash darker for a moment in reaction.
“How about I turn over, and you do that again?”