Title: Chase Pairing: Ry/Col Summary: Challenge response...What happened after Ryan licked Colin's head. Notes: Felt like I owed Col something for what I did to him in "Smoke," so here's my repentance...absolute fluff. Plus I've been meaning to try a Ryan POV for a while now; this seemed like an opportunity. And I hadn't given myself a birthday present yet...so this functions as both. ~~ I'm exhausted; today's taping sucked the life right out of me. I was on an adrenaline high all throughout, but it's worn off now and I just want to go to sleep. The light on my machine is blinking; I slap it and listen to my agent and my wife in quick succession, slumping over the table. I hate this trailer. Not that there's anything actively wrong with it, but it always feels cramped, even when it's empty. The chairs are alright. Relatively. I mean, I'm practically in a fetal position trying to get comfortable, but what do you expect when you're six and a half feet tall? "Not many calories, huh?" I turn to find Colin leaning casually against the back wall - funny, I didn't hear him come in. There's a warm note to his voice, and I think (hope) I know where this is going. "Not really. Least, as far as I know," I mutter, refusing to turn off my voicemail or give him the satisfaction of my full attention. That would take all the fun out of the conversation. "Oh. Because I was under the impression there was quite a bit of protein involved, if you know what I mean." That one throws me for a bit of a loop. Colin...Colin *sucks* at 'If You Know What I Mean.' No, really. "Involved in what? Licking your head?" "I was thinking more along the lines of fluffing my garfield." See what I mean? Terrible. "If it's not orange and furry...sorry, not interested." I'm trying with all my might to keep my cool, not laugh hysterically. Col trying to be seductive is just...amusing. Something must show on my face, though, as he grins suddenly. "The cat more to your taste?" I keep it together, barely. This is like earlier, during the taping, chasing after him, knowing how much the audience - and if I'm honest, how much I - wanted me to lick him. Only now he's the one chasing after me, a manic gleam in those warm eyes. "Animal porn, perhaps?" This one's harder, and my lip twitches before I get it under control. I won't let him win. He's getting desperate. "Tapioca?" And dammit, I can't defend against that one, no matter what context he says it in. Colin 1, Ryan 0. Thank God that with Colin, like on the show, the points just don't matter. I'm still laughing when he steps forward, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "See? I'm good for you, too." I turn my head, burying my face in his chest. Colin's warm, safe, and I want to kiss him more than anything. I missed my last message, I realize as I give in to temptation, pulling his head down. Screw it. There's something about kissing him...it's like....I don't even know what it's like; I'm not sure there's a word for the euphoria he inspires in me. I just know that if the world were to end, right now, I'd want to be here, kissing Colin. That used to scare me, but it stopped a long time ago. I learned to accept that I feel for him things I can't comprehend, and that he alone of everyone I've ever known or loved can make me feel like a kid. "Col," I murmur into his neck, and he laughs. "Your place?" "Sure," I whisper before I think. "Whatever." His grin is infectious, inviting me to join him in his delight. "Come on," he says, jerking me to my feet. "I'll drive." A quick calculation in my head says it'll take us at least half an hour to get to my house, more if he takes the main road, with the six synchronized stop lights that hate me. Decision made. "Let's just stay here," I say as I kiss him again. The door isn't locked; someone could walk in; we're fifty thousand times more likely to be interrupted... Screw that, too. After all...we're improvisors. We'll figure something out. We always do. ~ Fin.