Well, the sentences lined up so nicely. . .here's a quickfic. See if you can catch the titles. *** "Come on, Col," Ryan sighed. He was so tired of the fighting, the arguing, these moods that Colin would swing into for no reason at all. "You're not useless. You're more than useless." "What?" "I mean, look that didn't. . .I mean you're more than that. You're not useless." Colin just folded his arms. "I don't have the energy to argue about this, Ryan." "Look." Ryan took two steps over to the smaller man, taking hold of his shoulders. Brown eyes stared up at him defiantly. "You can't go. I'm lost without you." "Sailing along on your dreams again, Ryan. Give it a rest." Col bristled and pushed Ryan's hands away. Ryan wasn't a man to be pushed away, especially when he wanted something so badly. "I did this all for you! Don't you get that?" "I *get* that you need to get over this obsession!" "It isn't an obsession, Col, it's you. Everything about you. God, don't you see?" Ryan was talking faster, blocking Col's way to the door. "Your eyes, your smile, the fact that you don't realize just how good you really are. It's the whole package." "You're as irritating as a kid picking open wounds." "And you," Ryan smiled slightly, "provide nothing but temptation, especially when you're like this." "Oh god, fine. Let it out. Let it all out. Tell me how you feel, love me, then go on back to LA. I can handle it. What the hell kind of relationship is that?" "An employeed one?" He caught Colin's arm as he tried to force his way past. "Wait, you've got some gifts." Colin stopped. "What?" "You didn't think I'd forget, just like that, did you?" "Gifts can't buy my happiness." "How cliche. You haven't even opened them." "And don't use a gifts as a impromptu intermission to this discussion. I have the same job as you Ryan, I can tell when you're trying to get off track." "Fine. That's fine." Ryan flung his hands into the air. "I show I care, and you act like this! Go play solitaire or something, if you're dead set on being alone." Ryan picked up his jacket, and a paper fell out of his pocket. They both looked at it, and slowly, Colin bent down to retrieve it. The paper had fallen half open, and the words within were plain. Colin paled when he realized what it said. "You're quitting?" "LA's too far away." Ryan let his jacket slide to the floor, and cupped Colin's cheek in his hand. "I want to be here, with you." He smiled slightly. "Surprise." "That was your gift?" "Yeah, that was it, for both of us. A little peace, and you. That's all I want." "So. . .I guess that's what the rose was for." Colin's eyes drifted to the red bud sitting in a vase on the table. "Well, I was hoping for a little more romance this evening, but. . ." Ryan shrugged, but his eyes sparkled. "Uh-huh." Colin allowed himself to be drawn in by the impish gaze. "Remember back in the day when you would just kiss me?" His lips settled just before Ryan's. "Pretending it was okay." Ryan settled in. "I hope things have changed." Colin turned himself over to Ryan, answering his every need. bk