Colin and Ryan smiled, strolling down the street in downtown
Vancouver B.C.,
window shopping. Ryan gently slid his arm around Colin's
shoulders.
"Not here." Colin pulled out of the embrace.
"Why not?" Ryan replied casually, slightly hurt.
"Because we're in public..." Colin replied. "We're
celebrities here."
"You let me hold your hand in Seattle," Ryan pouted,
pulling out a cigarette and
lighting it.
"Because we were on Capitol Hill...they expect it there.
*And*, there was
nobody that would recognize us," Colin replied. "Or, if
they did, they were polite
enough to keep it to themselves."
"Whatever." Ryan took a long drag as he looked into the
various stores. "Oh,
I want to go in here." He smiled as they walked past a
retro-looking shoe store.
"You and your damn shoes." Colin rolled his eyes,
stopping.
"I'll be right out, you don't even have to come in."
Ryan put out his cig on the
brick wall, then walked into the store.
"Ah, good afternoon Sir, how may I help you?" The clerk
smiled as Ryan entered.
"Actually, I was looking for something in a cow print? Size
16?" Ryan grinned.
"I think we can find something..." the clerk laughed,
leading Ryan to a back room.
* * *
* *
Colin tapped his foot and crossed his arms as he checked his
watch, then looked
back to the store from where he sat on a well-located bench. Ryan
had been the
store for almost half and hour. Which meant that he had bought at
least one pair
of shoes that probably cost way too much.
Then, the Canadian sighed as he saw Ryan come out carrying two
boxes.
"Ready?" Ryan came up to his long time companion and
raised an eyebrow.
"We should get back to the wives."
"Sure." Colin stood up, surprised when Ryan handed him
a box.
"Here." Ryan grinned, "I bought us matching
shoes."
Colin opened the box and looked at the hideous cow print oxfords.
Trying to
look enthusiastic, he nodded his head. "Uh, wow...I hope
they didn't cost too
much..."
"You hate them, don't you?" Ryan sighed.
"No, I don't hate them." Colin smiled slightly, "I
just wasn't expecting you to
get me a pair..."
"I know that look Colin..." Ryan sighed, "I can't
take them back though, they
have a no return policy."
"I said I didn't hate them!" Colin started walking,
tucking the box back under his
arm.
"If you don't want them, I'll take them. I can put them with
the other gifts I got
that I knew you wouldn't like." Ryan tried to take the box.
"No, I'll keep them." Colin switched the box to the
other side, "I just don't know
why you keep buying things for me that *you* like...we're not
exactly alike you
know..."
Ryan sighed, "This isn't even about that." He gestured
with his free hand as they
made their way back to Ryan's car. "You don't like that I
collect shoes."
"I never said that." Colin sighed, letting Ryan open
the trunk, then putting their
few bags in.
"You don't have to." Ryan closed the lid hard, "I
can tell just by the way you
act whenever I want to go into a shoe store."
"You want to know the truth?" Colin smirked, "I
don't mind that you collect
shoes. In fact, it's a great idea. I just wish you wouldn't pick
the most hideous
shoes on the planet!"
"My shoes aren't hideous!" Ryan retorted. "They're
unique! It's part of how I
express myself!"
"Fine, fine." Colin shrugged in resignation. "I'm
wrong, you're right. They're
great shoes, let's go home."
"No, I'm not going to get in that car when we're still
fighting," Ryan sighed.
"We're not fighting." Colin slid into the passenger
seat.
"You're still mad at me." Ryan turned away from the car
door.
"I'm not mad at you, I never was." Colin rolled his
eyes, letting his head drop
against the headrest.
"Then what's wrong?" Ryan slid behind the wheel.
"You haven't been as...happy...
as usual."
"I'm just tired," Colin sighed.
"I see..." Ryan started up the car, "Tired of
me?"
"No, not tired of you!" Colin was getting really
frustrated, "Let's just go home,
okay?"
"Fine." Ryan began to head toward the Mochrie
residence.
"No it isn't." Colin looked out the window,
"What's wrong with you? Why are
you getting so bent out of shape over a pair of shoes?"
"I just...I don't know what to do with you anymore!"
Ryan pulled over on the
side of the highway. "I just try so hard to make you happy
the only way I know
how, by bringing you into what makes me happy! I...I don't know
what to do
anymore!"
"Just don't do anything!" Colin threw up his arms as
Ryan began to go into his
upset mode. "I was perfectly fine until you started trying
to please me! Just do
what you've always done!"
"But...I want you to still find me pleasing and
attractive..." Ryan sighed.
"I do!" Colin grasped Ryan's wrists as they turned to
each other. "I love you, I
just don't want to wear your shoes!"
"Oh." Ryan shrugged. "Why didn't you tell me that
in the first place?"
Colin rolled his eyes as Ryan started the car back up and headed
toward home.
*****
END
*****