Remedy
by HorseMadDreamer
"Colin?" Greg asked
cautiously. He'd seen that look before -
it wasn't one
that most would recognize - and it told of one thing: extreme anger.
"Hmm?" His friend asked, voice betraying as
little as his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Wrong?" Colin looked at him with a perfect expression of genuine
curiosity.
"Nothing.
Why?"
"Don't give me that." Greg answered, shaking his head. He considered his
options quickly, and then changed his tone slightly. "What happened?"
Colin seemed on the verge of answering, and then shook his head.
"So something did."
"I didn't say that."
"Then tell me it didn't."
No answer.
"That's what I thought. Have you
talked to Ryan about this, at least?"
"No!"
Greg considered the alarmed expression that crossed his friend's face. "Is
it about him?"
"Of course not." Colin seemed genuinely
confused by the question.
"Then this is something that's going to piss him off, too."
Again, no answer.
It was to his advantage, Greg decided, that Colin would not lie to him. Even
if he could not get an outright answer, he could put one together through
what wasn't said. So, in that
vein…. "Was it one of us?"
"Not exactly." Colin hedged.
"Which means someone we don't work with. Dan."
Colin looked away.
"What is it, this time?"
"What has it always been?!" Colin snapped, then
winced. "I'm sorry. It's
not your fault."
Greg was already seething - he knew what it was, and he couldn't blame his
friend for his sudden short temper. Dan
and Colin had gotten off to a
difficult start, and even once the producer had come to appreciate the
Canadian's sharp wit, there was one thing that he couldn't get around - the
man's appearance. Simply put, he felt
that Colin looked "too old".
What the
hell that had to do with how funny he was, Greg didn't know. Didn't care.
And he understood now that Colin wasn't just angry, he was hurt, too. But
only those who knew him best, would even suspect it….
~*~
"Colin!" Ryan exclaimed, seeing him walk onto the stage.
"Hello." Colin answered, dropping into his chair.
"C'mere."
"What?"
"Just come here."
Colin sighed, heaving himself back to his feet.
He walked over to Ryan, and
raised only slightly curious eyes to him - it was
apparent to them all that
he was tired, and discouraged.
"Yes?"
Ryan closed the rest of the distance between them, and wrapped his arms
around Colin - then kissed him. The
Canadian's eyes opened wide, then shut
again, as clasped his hands behind Ryan's neck.
Watching them, Greg grinned. Clive, he
noticed, looked amused - where Tony
looked rather jealous. No telling where
his lover was. And Dan Patterson…
just looked really pissed.
"You're not too old." Ryan said - not raising his voice, but neither
lowering
it so that he could not be overheard.
"Not the way you look, not the way you
act… nothing about you. All right?"
Colin smiled, ducking his head.
"He's going to kill you for this."
"Why? There's no audience in here,
yet. And even if there was, he could
just edit it out."
"You wouldn't dare, Stiles." Dan threatened.
"What's it worth to you, to keep your mouth shut?" Ryan shot
back. "Leave
him alone. You couldn't funny your way
out of a paper sack."
Greg shot Colin a bemused look, but the comedian just shrugged. Dan muttered
something, and stalked off to his usual place.
"You risked a lot." Colin murmured, as they took their seats.
"You're worth a lot." Ryan said, with a smile.
End