[FIC] When Darkness Falls 33

[makingamochrie.livejournal.com]

Morning.  Here's more of the story.  Not much at all happening.  Just a talk between Ryan and Drew.  Yes...TALK.  *g*

TITLE:  When Darkness Falls
PART:  33
PAIRING:  Ryan/Colin (?)
RATING:  PG
DISCLAIMER:  FICTION.  That's all this is.  FICTION.  Don't own, don't sue. Please?
SUMMARY:  *points up*

The brief flicker of a lighter was barely seen in the absolute darkness that blanketed this part of the city.  It was as if even the stars didn’t dare shine over so blighted and torn an area as this.  Ryan’s mood matched the atmosphere perfectly.  Taking a long, unsatisfying drag on his cigarette, he stared out into the blackness, his mind playing over Greg and Brad’s conversation as if it were taking place at that very moment, directly in front of him. 

 

So off was he in his own little horror show that he started slightly as Chip came to sit down next to him in that gangling, sudden way he had.  “Hey, man!  What’s up?”

 

Ryan bit back the sarcastic retort on the tip of his tongue, not wanting to prove Brad’s point for him, even if the man wasn’t there to see it.  “Just smoking my cigarette,” he replied instead, meeting Chip’s dancing eyes briefly before flickering away into the darkness once again.

 

Sensing Ryan’s mood, Chip then bit off his own retort about the evils of smoking and settled for something a little more neutral instead.  “Heard you got roped into some impromptu improv.”

 

Ryan shrugged.  “I didn’t really mind.”

 

Chip laughed softly, scratching at his arm.  “I remember when I was like those guys.  Even when I started studying improv, I couldn’t believe you could make a living off of it.  And here I am now….”  He shook his head.  “It’s weird, you know?”

 

“Feels like a dream, sometimes,” Ryan agreed, studying the cherry tip of his almost done cigarette.  “Sure beats standup.” 

 

“That it does, man. That it does.”  After a moment, he pushed up from the curb, still too full of energy to stay in one place for long.  “I’m going to go see what the other guys are up to.  You take it easy, alright?”

 

Ryan simply nodded, and Chip bounded away, taking his good cheer with him.  He had five minutes of quiet before Drew came bumbling over, and this time, Ryan didn’t hold back.  “Didn’t realize this had become Grand fucking Central Station,” he snapped, tossing his third cigarette into the street.

 

“Didn’t realize you had your name spray painted across the curb, man,” Drew replied, sitting down next to Ryan and bumping him with his shoulder.  He smelled faintly of liquor, and more strongly of sex, overlaid by the everpresent scent of the mints to which he was addicted. 

 

“Found yourself a bar with a couple of brass poles, I see.”

 

Drew shrugged, completely unembarrassed.  His penchant for strippers was well known, and he had no reason to hide it, especially from Ryan.  “Shoulda come with me, man,” he said, rubbing his hands together.  “They opened up a juice bar with the prettiest ladies in town.  Woulda been a break from all the dick you’ve been sucking.”

 

Ryan shook his head, making a sound that wasn’t quite a laugh.  “You’ve sucked more cock than I have lately.”

 

Drew shrugged again.  “Yeah, and it wasn’t all that bad.  But I still prefer the ladies.  Just something about a nice set of tits that gets me up and ready to go.”

 

Ryan just snorted.

 

“You doin’ ok, man?  You seem pretty bummed.”  He frowned.  “I saw you and Colin headed out for a walk earlier.  Did something happen?”

 

“Yes and no,” Ryan replied, lighting yet another cigarette.  His lungs would protest in the morning, but the morning was a long time away.  He needed the comfort.

 

“Geez, Stiles, could you get any more cryptic?”

 

“I’m sure I could.”

 

Drew sighed.  “Alright, I can see how this is gonna go.  Did something bad happen between you two?”

 

“Nothing bad, no.”

 

“Then it was good?”

 

“I don’t know,” Ryan replied, using his free hand to rub at the bridge of his nose.  “Yeah,” he finally admitted, “I guess you could say that it was.  I just…don’t want to get my hopes up is all.”

 

“I can understand that, man.  So, what happened?”

 

“That I’ll leave between me and Colin, if you don’t mind.”

 

“Of course I mind, but I’ll leave it alone.  So if it was good, what’s got you looking so down?”  He held up a hand.  “No, wait, let me guess.  Brad figures into this somehow, doesn’t he.”

 

“Yeah, but I understand it, too.  He’s looking out for Colin.  I can’t hate him for that.”

 

“Much as you want to.”

 

Shrugging, Ryan looked away.  “I told Colin he should be with Brad.”

 

Drew actually flinched back from that. “Woah.  Really?”

 

“Yeah, really.”

 

“That must have been hard, man.”

 

Ryan nodded.  “It was, but it’s the truth.  He needs to be with someone who he doesn’t have to be afraid of.”

 

“Ok,” Drew said, now leaning forward, “two things here, Ry.  First off, Colin isn’t afraid of you.  Second, and probably more important, Colin isn’t a kid.  He doesn’t ‘need’ to be with anyone.  You need to watch that shit, buddy, because if you do it to him, it’s like you’re taking his choices away from him, and you’ve already done that too much as it is, you know?”

 

“I know. I’m a controlling bastard.  I know that already, Drew.  You don’t have to fucking remind me.”  Ryan made as if to stand.

 

“Stop, alright?  Just stop for a minute.  I’m not here to rag you out.”  He chuckled and shook his head.  “Fuck, I don’t know what I’m here to do, but I do know that I’ve seen Colin open up these past couple weeks more than he’s done in the last three years.  To everyone, but especially to you.  And I know that you’re trying to do the right thing, but I think that you need to accept or reject the things that he’s giving you on their own merits, not because you think you know what’s best for him.”

 

“What, you’re a relationship counselor now?”

 

“Shit, you know I’m not.  But I do know a thing or two about having your choices taken away from you,” Drew replied softly.

 

Ryan sighed, feeling like a heel.  “I’m sorry, Drew.  I was out of line.”

 

“It’s okay, man,” Drew replied with his customary good humor.  He clapped Ryan on the shoulder.  “I know it’s hard.  But it’s getting better, right?”

 

After a long moment, Ryan nodded.  “I think so.”  He shrugged.  “Or I guess I hope so.”

 

“And the cravings?”

 

“For booze?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I don’t think that will ever go away,” Ryan confessed, hanging his head.  “When I have something to do, it’s easier.  But times like now….” 

 

“That’ll get easier, too,” Drew assured him, squeezing his shoulder.  “It’s better than it was a few months ago, isn’t it?”

 

“Sometimes,” Ryan admitted.  “But sometimes it’s like I just quit yesterday.  I want it so bad, Drew.”  He laid his large hands over his knees.  “I want so many things so bad.  And I can’t have any of them.”

 

“If you’re talking Colin, man, don’t slam the door on that one too quickly.  You never know who’s gonna try walking through it.”

 

Cocking his head, Ryan gave him a sideways look and a reluctant grin.  “I don’t know how you manage to stay so fucking happy all the time, but…thanks.  I owe you big, Drew.”

 

“No way, buddy.  I’m just making up for lost time.”  His expression became serious.  “There was a time when you needed me the most, and I wasn’t there.  I’m not gonna do that again, Ry.  Never again.”

 

Leaning over, Ryan engulfed Drew in a strong, warm hug.  “You were protecting Colin, and I could never ask anything more from you than that.  Ever.  Don’t ever think you failed me, Drew.  You were more of a friend to me then than ever.  You were where you needed to be, and I thank you for that.”

 

Drew nodded against Ryan’s shoulder.  “Friends?”

 

“Fuck, yeah!”

 

Pulling away, Drew grinned.  “Alright, enough of this mushy shit.  You ready to go back inside and try to get some sleep?  I’m sore as fuck from all that heavy lifting.”

 

“The house?  Or the whores?” Ryan asked, grinning.

 

Drew slapped him.  “They’re strippers, moron.  Classy strippers, at that.”

 

“Mm. Hm.”

 

“They are!”

 

Both men climbed to their feet, laughing.  Ryan felt good.  Genuinely good.  It had been so long since he’d felt that way, and now here it was.  And twice in one night, at that.

 

Maybe his life was finally turning a corner. 

 

He just hoped there wasn’t a semi waiting to run over him once he rounded it.

 

******

to be continued....