Just a very short story spurred on by a conversation between Clay and AG that I joined in on the end, and thoughts I've had. It's not what I believe, but transferrence is a good thing! A bit of angst, a bit of sadness, and endings. Title: World Moves Author: Makingamochrie Pairing: None, R/C ? Rating: PG Disclaimer: Fiction (and if there's no other story I write that I want to be fiction, it's this one) Summary: see above. It was a chilly night, and Ryan wrapped himself more tightly in his coat as he watched the tendrils of smoke from his cigarette meld with the dark and disappear. He was sitting in an old, splintered wooden chair that someone from the props department had obviously dragged out just for such a purpose. He eyed the rather unattractive cinderblock wall that surrounded the small backstage enclosure and blocked whatever view there might have been. He didn’t mind so much, since the wall also shielded him from prying eyes—not that there were any, of course. The massive crowd was inside the building, keeping warm and watching two grown men make fools of themselves for pay, and, by the laughter, enjoying the hell out of it. Shaking his head, he took another drag and sighed out the smoke. He remembered that laughter and the feelings it brought out in him to hear it. Hell, he’d been the one up there causing it. Still was, sometimes, though never with this particular pair. Ever. The why of that surprised and dismayed him, especially since one half of that duo was the man he’d once called his best friend. They’d performed together for years, decades really, and what they had done was magic. He knew that now. Maybe he’d even known that then. But things were complicated back then. Now they seemed so much clearer. Hindsight had perfect vision, after all. The world moves on, honey, he remembered his wife saying to their eldest whose best friend had just moved to another state. And we just have to move along with it, no matter how much it hurts.. At the time, he’d thought the words unnecessarily cruel. Now he understood them perfectly. It did move on, sometimes much faster than you wanted it to. And sometimes, things, important things, got lost in the shuffle. It’s just the way things were. The door slowly opened from the inside, protesting all the way, but Ryan didn’t turn. If it was security, he wasn’t worried since they’d been the ones who’d allowed him to come out here in the first place. Being a known face had its perks, he supposed, and being able to smoke in private was one of them. He caught a whiff of something familiar in the air, and he stiffened, and just as quickly relaxed, still not turning though now he’d identified his visitor. His heart picked up its pace, but he remained still as a statue in the middle of a park, his eyes equally blank. There was a soft pad of a footstep, and then nothing. Then a tiny gasp, barely hidden. “Ryan!” His own name in that soft tenor he so adored. “I didn’t know you were here.” Ryan shrugged, finally turning. Colin looked good, slim and trim in his black overshirt and black jeans. His feet, slightly reddened and swollen from the mousetrap game they’d just played, were bare and seemed quite happy to be standing on the cold cement of the erstwhile patio. His smile, though shy, was sweet and welcoming as it always was. Ryan smiled back, slightly. “Col,” he replied, nodding. He swallowed hard. “I’ve…been meaning to catch your show. Since you were in the area….” He shrugged again. “You guys are good.” “Thanks,” Colin replied, his eyes smiling as he reached into the pocket of his shirt and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Shaking one free, he lit it and took in that first wonderful drag, holding the smoke in his lungs before easing it out. “Ah. I’ve been needing that all night.” “Thought you quit,” Ryan commented offhand, turning back to his own cigarette, which was nearly done. “So did I,” Colin replied, taking another drag. “Started up, oh, about a year and a half ago now, I think.” “Has it been that long?” Colin eyed him steadily, knowing that Ryan was talking about much more than just his smoking habits. “And an odd number of days, yeah.” “Mm.” A silence fell between them then; uncomfortable, awkward, pregnant with words that wanted to be said but wouldn’t be. Most likely ever again. The world moves on…. “So,” Colin finally asked, leaning back against the chill brick of the theater’s rear, seemingly unaffected by the cold; welcoming it, even, “how’s the family? Still doing well?” Ryan nodded, smiling. “Yeah. Kids are growing like weeds and Pat’s just fine.” “Give them all my love when you see them.” “I will. How about yours? Deb and Luke doing okay?” Colin smiled broadly. “Wonderful, the both of them. I’m blessed to have them in my life.” Taking another drag, he looked out over the cinderblock wall. “Saw you in the Sheen gig,” he said casually. “You looked good.” “Wasn’t bad, I guess,” Ryan responded. “Think I’ve fallen into the dreaded typecasting trap, though.” Colin snorted. “Welcome to the club.” “Yeah, but I hear you’re really getting to test your wings with all those indie films you’ve been getting. Even winning some awards.” “Eh, it’s a living,” Colin replied, ducking his head slightly. “I still like touring, though. At least for now.” Butting his smoke against the wall, he lit up another one. “It’s still what I love best. I don’t know if that’ll ever change. I don’t think I want it to.” “I understand,” Ryan said. He flicked his cigarette away, watching it tumble through the air and land with a sparkling crash against the wall before dropping to the ground, the last of its smoke bleeding out into the cold night air. The silence had fallen again, no less awkward for their brief conversation. It all became too much, suddenly, and he needed to get away. Quickly rising to his feet, he smiled down at the man he’d once called his best friend. “I need to leave. Tell Brad I said hi.” His lips quirked. “It was a good show, Col. I really enjoyed it. I’m glad I came.” “Ry?” Colin called softly as the taller man grasped the door handle. “Yeah?” “I call, you know. Every time we come up this way, or anywhere close. I call. You, or your agent. The invitation’s always open. I hope you know that.” Ryan nodded. “I know. And…I appreciate it.” Colin blinked. “Then….” “Why?” “Yeah.” Turning back, Ryan closed the distance between them. “The world moves on, my friend,” he said sadly. “And we have to move with it.” Reaching out, he placed his large, cold hands on Colin’s smooth, cool cheeks. Urging his head down just slightly, he placed a fond, affectionate kiss on the bald top of Colin’s head, then moved away. “You know my lips,” he said, smiling. The smile was full of tears. Sliding one hand down, he placed it on the warm cotton of Colin’s shirt. “I know your heart.” He released and stepped away. “The world moves on, Col. But for us…well…I think that’s all we’ll ever need to know.” He bowed his head slightly. “I won’t be around for the second half of the show, but I know you’ll be as great as always. And I know I love you, just the same.” With that, he turned, approached the door, opened it, and stepped back inside, leaving Colin to stare after him, half-smoked cigarette still dangling from between two fingers. “I love you too, Ry,” he whispered. “Just the same.” FIN