Title: The Reason Why Author: knowyourlips Rating: PG (?) Pairing: Ryan/Colin Summary: He loves the way Ryan groans when a game involves accents; he loves the way his friend cracks himself up with his terrible impressions, and he loves that Ryan isn't perfect. Author's Notes: Yeah, you can only really blame yourselves. You encouraged me *shakes fist weakly* He loves the way Ryan squints when he's trying not to laugh; he loves the way his friend ducks his head when he simply can't hold it in any longer. He loves the way Ryan's Adam's Apple bobs when he laughs; he loves the way Ryan doubles over when he's lost it completely. He loves the way Ryan smiles when Colin's about to do his dinosaur impression; he loves the way he almost leans back a little, to give him a wider berth. He loves the way that he and Ryan are terrible at that game where someone has to be lying, standing and sitting because their movements are simply too in synch. He loves that Ryan still wears ugly shoes; he loves the way his friend's pants are always just a fraction too short to cover his socks. He loves the way Ryan banters with Drew - he's not sure why, but he loves the way his friend perches on the edge of his seat, the way his friend dips his chin mock-coyly at the host. He loves the way Ryan's often the last person to rise when they begin a game, and he loves that Ryan allows himself to be tugged down to the stage by Colin. He loves the way Ryan taps his arm when there's three of them on stage together; he loves the way he almost sulkily demands Colin's attention. He loves the way Ryan teases him; he loves that there's no real malice there. He loves the way his friend licks his fingers in 'Helping Hands'; he loves the way Ryan's arms awkwardly hug him close to his back. He loves that Ryan hates Hoedowns as much as he does; he loves that they can share a mutually dark look as they make their way down to the stage. He loves that Ryan makes him feel tiny; he loves the way Ryan dips his head to rest his cheek against Colin's on the rare occasion that they happen to dance together. He loves the way his friend smirks at him as he names him in 'Superheroes'; he loves the way Ryan's eyebrows quirk a little, challengingly, and he loves that he can't help but smirk back. He loved the way Ryan watched him when he used to make the sound effects for Colin; he loved the way his friend crouched, the way his friend wasn't allowed to take his eyes off him. He loves the look Ryan gives him when Drew either calls Ryan 'Colin' or Colin 'Ryan' - he loves the tiredly amused lines around his friend's eyes. He loves the way Ryan shepherds him off stage in 'Scenes From a Hat', even if it means he's crashing and burning. He loves the weight of his friend's arms across his shoulders. He loves the way Ryan has the nerve to kiss him on stage, and he loves that Ryan isn't offended by his reluctance to initiate things like that. He loves the way Ryan's hands cover so much of his head; he loves the way his old friend can grab his face firmly without actually hurting him, and he loves the speed at which Ryan leans in. He loves that Ryan will lick his head without hesitation. He loves that Ryan's known him long enough to grab him through his trousers; he loves that he can reach out and grab his friend, without hesitation, in return. He loves that Ryan doesn't mind being hugged - at least, not by him. He loves that - after all these years - Ryan still fills his water for him. He loves the way Ryan calls him "Col"; he loves that no-one else uses it as frequently as Ry does. He loves that Ryan still smiles a little when he sees Colin blush. He loves that he can make Ryan laugh. He loves the slightly awkward way his friend runs on stage, the way his too-long legs kick out almost to the side, and he loves the exaggerated way in which Ryan flails his arms. He loves the way Ryan groans when a game involves accents; he loves the way his friend cracks himself up with his terrible impressions, and he loves that Ryan isn't perfect. He loves that Ryan fears flying, because it makes him more human, even if it means spending less time with him than Colin finds ideal. He loves that his best work is with Ryan. He loves the way Ryan throatily confesses, on stage, "I love you," and he loves that he knows him well enough to know that the taller man truly does mean it, even if he can't actually say it as himself.