Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Chap 9/18

[pdglyph.livejournal.com]

Chapter 9

The next morning, Ryan was first to wake. He was used to rising early to do his job at Uck and it seemed that his internal clock had not been informed of the fact that he was miles away from the drudgery of his normal day to day existence.

Usually, he would get up as soon as he opened his eyes, not having the patience to lie in bed and do nothing. There was no point in staying in bed anyway, he never fell asleep again once he’d awoken. But here, with the gentle swaying motion of the boat and Colin in the bunk across from him, he decided to enjoy his bed a bit longer…that and the fact his morning wood resembled a sequoia and he didn’t want to risk getting up and poke Colin’s eye out.

He looked over at Colin who was still fast asleep, snoring slightly every now and then. His arm hung loosely over the side in an angle that could not be comfortable and his blankets had moved to the bottom of the bunk. It seemed Colin had been right when he said he kicked and twitched. Colin looked so defenseless in his sleep, that it struck Ryan how intimate this was. Having sex was one thing, but to actually be relaxed enough to sleep in another person’s presence, now that was something else…

He raked his eyes over Colin’s sleeping form again, lingering on the obvious bulge in his boxers. The urge to get up, tug those boxers down and take Colin in his mouth and pleasure him until … Maybe best not to think about that…. He couldn’t work him out. Was Colin just lonely and did he really just want to be friends, or was he maybe interested in a little more? He had tried to find out last night how Colin’s tastes ran but Colin wouldn’t give anything away. He had never heard any rumours about him, not a whiff of scandal, nothing… Then again, it wasn’t as if he himself was open about his preferences. He didn’t think any of his friends knew, although Wayne seemed to shoot him those weird inscrutable looks every now and then when the topic of women came up.

He usually made a big show of trying to chat waitresses up but that’s all it was, a big show. Ever since he had made the mistake of falling in love and having his heart broken in high school, he had gone for the easy option. A quick fuck, no emotions, and better than jerking off in the shower. But this thing with Colin, that was different…

He closed his eyes and thought about the previous night. It had been homely and fun. It really had been fun…

When he woke up again, Colin’s bunk was empty and the smell of breakfast permeated the cabin. He gingerly got up and wondered if there was enough time for him to grab a shower. “Col?” he shouted in the direction of the kitchen.

“Yeah?”

“Whatever you’re doing smells great…do I have time for a shower?”

“What makes you think I’m making this for you? You put ketchup on your food… my culinary genius is clearly wasted on you, you cave dweller…” Colin called back, but there was a clear teasing tone in his voice and Ryan grinned at the mock indignation.

“You might want to be nicer to the guy who’s gonna be responsible for your oxygen tanks you know,” He shouted back.

There was a brief silence, and then Colin replied “What I meant was, can I peel you a grape?”

It was said so dryly that Ryan couldn’t help himself. He threw his head back and laughed as he made his way to the shower.

He was still toweling his hair dry when he walked into the living quarters. Colin was sat at the table, maps in front of him and his reading glasses firmly on his nose.

“What are you doing?” he said as he leant over Colin’s shoulder to have a look at the maps.

“According to my calculations, we’re just over where the ships were sunk. It’s been 5 years, so we should see some development of marine life.”

“You mean algae right? Too soon for coral…”

Colin shot a surprised look at him “Yeah, you’re right. How did you know?”

Ryan shrugged his shoulders, pleased anyway, “Been reading some books…”

“Well, if you’re interested, I can lend you some good ones.”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Good….now how about some breakfast? French toast ok?”

“You made French Toast?” Ryan was salivating at the thought.

“Yeah, didn’t want the eggs to go bad,”

“Marry me?” Ryan shot Colin a look of exaggerated adoration and had to smile at Colin’s blush. The man was just too easy…

“Eh…”

He took pity on the furiously blushing man and said, “Just messing with you Col, how about that French Toast…”

Colin seemed relieved at the change of topic and started bustling around in the kitchen once again. When Colin made a move to clean up after breakfast, Ryan shoo-ed him out of the kitchen, declaring that this was his job.

“I can do it you know,” Colin protested.

“I’m sure you can but you did dinner and breakfast. Now let me do my bit, you go and play with your equipment…” realizing what he said, it was his turn to blush furiously “I meant-” but before Ryan could explain himself, Colin had held his hands up.

“You know what, I think I get what you meant. I’ll go and shower…”

Colin left the living quarters more confused than he looked. He didn’t know what to make of Ryan. Was he teasing him? Had he found out he was attracted to him? But he didn’t think Ryan would be that cruel…The previous night had been wonderful. He had loved having somebody to cook for and Ryan’s obvious appreciation for the food had been adorable. It had been years since he had laughed that loud and enjoyed himself that much and he wondered how it would be once they returned to their day jobs. But he pushed those thoughts away. For now, it was just the two of them, and he was damn well going to enjoy the hell out of it.

Forty five minutes later, when he was struggling to get into his wetsuit in preparation for his dive, he wondered if he should re-evaluate his idea of enjoyment. He had managed to half get into it but no matter how he tried, he couldn’t stretch it enough to get his arms in. “Oh you fucking piece of crap! That is it!” he shouted when one of the rubber arms sprung back and hit him in the face for the fourth time.

“Need any help?” Ryan asked from behind him, amusement lacing his voice.

Colin snarled at the suit, feeling faintly ridiculous half in and half out looking like he was a rubber fetishist without the know-how of what the hell to do about it. “That would be most welcome,” he glanced over, noticing Ryan was in his usual garb of shorts and nothing and breathed deep as he neared with the baby oil. Damnation to everything, god that feels good… why the hell did you ask him for help and thank god you did! Colin schooled his face to remain blank and his breathing down as Ryan greased him up, wonderfully big hands working over his arms and up the side of his hip like a clinical massage.

With many grunts, some curses when the sleeve snapped Ryan in the face, and a little elbow grease, they managed to get Colin’s leg in. Ryan had pondered seriously what god was smiling down on him today, then felt a flush of pleasure that they’d probably be doing this every day.

And Colin’s skin had felt extra good under his hands with baby oil bringing out the faint pink flush that it had naturally. “Do I have to oil your chest?” he asked hopefully, hands at the ready with the oil, eyeing the surprisingly muscled chest lightly covered in dark hair.

Colin flushed, pulling the sleeve on and zipping it up. “That’s okay,” had he heard hope in his voice? Seen disappointment in his eyes when Colin had zipped up? Who knows.

Colin had him wipe off his hands, which he did so on his chest… damn… Uh what? Oh! This was starting to sound like a bad porno! He showed Ryan how to work the oxygen tanks, drilling him through it until they were both confident in Ryan’s abilities, then they hooked Colin up, another up close and personal task. Thank god they were small tanks for today, because those big ones were going to need a harness around his package, and he really didn’t want anything more constricting than the suit there when Ryan was teasing him so.

With everything on, his little sample case at the ready, goggles, flippers, oxygen tank with the right mixture at the ready, he flashed Ryan a grin and fell off the boat backwards into the cool blue water, his second home.

Ryan had felt fine, hell, he’d felt more than fine, when Colin was still on deck, but now that he had disappeared over the side of the boat, he started to get worried. He knew divers were supposed to dive with buddies but Colin had gone in alone. Sure, he had his line, so they could communicate (one tug - everything ok, two tugs – about to start re-surface, three tugs – get me the fuck out of here… Colin hadn’t actually said that but Ryan had translated it as such) but a piece of shitty little string wasn’t going to be much use against a monster squid… There is no such thing as a monster squid you moron… He scolded himself. He needed to stay calm and focused and keep an eye on the line… Had it moved? Was Colin trying to tell him something? Maybe he’d made a mistake with his oxygen tank, like the last guy… Shit… he hadn’t counted on how nervous he would feel, and how helpless…

He looked over the side of the boat again. He couldn’t see Colin anymore. What he did see was a shadow, moving underneath the boat. A large shadow…the shadow swam away from the boat and for a second, Ryan thought he had imagined things. Then he glanced out over the water on the other side. A fin… Oh God no! A shark! There was a shark in the water and Colin was down there and he wouldn’t know! He had to do something! He grabbed the first thing he could that came to hand, thankfully a harpoon, and without thinking, he jumped into the water and started a fast crawl towards where he’d spotted the fin. Come on you fucking fish! Think you’re so tough?

Adrenaline was pumping through his body as he was nearing the fin. This shark was going to end up as shark fin soup as far as he was concerned.

The fin turned and started making its way towards him and just as it had reached him, with a mighty splash, he was leapfrogged… by a dolphin…

He couldn’t believe his eyes… relief and embarrassment coursed through him. That was no shark, it was fucking flipper… He stretched out in the water and floated on his back in an attempt to calm his racing heartbeat down.

“You quite done playing with your new friend?”

He looked up. Colin had resurfaced and was standing on the deck of the boat, hands in his sides. He looked angry and Ryan had never seen him angry, not really angry anyway. Crap… There was no way he could explain himself out of this one without giving himself away… The way he saw it, he had two choices; Pretend to Colin that he’d seen the dolphin and had wanted to swim with it, which would make him look irresponsible, or, and this was an even less appealing choice; tell Colin he had jumped in because he thought there’d been a shark and he had wanted to save him from becoming fish food which would make him look insane.

He slowly made his way back to the boat, mulling over the options.

Meanwhile, on deck, Colin was enraged. He had never thought Ryan would be so irresponsible. He had explained to him in detail how vitally important it was for him to keep checking the line. It would be his only connection to the surface and any mistakes underwater could potentially be fatal. Ryan had nodded and said he’d understood, and yet, 15 minutes into the dive, there had been no answering tug in the line and Colin had had to come back up. Whilst resurfacing, he noticed Ryan’s outline, swimming briskly towards one of the dolphins he’d seen earlier. He was torn between pure anger and supreme disappointment. Look at him; even now he’s taken his sweet time to get back.

“Get your ass on board, we are going back! I am not putting my life in the hands of some idiot who thinks he can go and play with fucking dolphins!” Colin’s anger was fuelled even more by the fact that Ryan wasn’t answering him back. “What, no smart comeback? Or are you thinking how you’re going to explain to your friends how you got sent home early?! Didn’t turn out to be quite the holiday you imagined, I’m sure!” Colin knew he was being spiteful and personal but he couldn’t help himself. It hurt to think that Ryan didn’t even care enough about him, not even as a friend, to do what he was supposed to do and look after the line.

Ryan listened to Colin rage. It didn’t come as a surprise to him that they were going to go back. He had fucked up. He should have been able to tell the difference between a shark fin and a dolphin fin. No matter that his intentions had been good, he’d panicked and it had endangered Colin’s life… He climbed on board, avoiding Colin’s eyes. He was struggling a bit because he was still carrying the harpoon, but he managed.

Colin didn’t help him out of the water, just kept ranting. Until he saw the harpoon in Ryan’s hand.

“Why are you carrying a harpoon when you go swimming with dolphins?”

Ryan shrugged his shoulders but didn’t look at Colin as he dropped the harpoon on deck. “I’m sorry…I’ll go and get changed. I…eh…”

Colin looked at him as he started to make his way to the cabin. “Ry?” Colin’s tone had changed. All the anger had drained out of it and it was soft and questioning. “Ry? Why did you take a harpoon to swim with dolphins?”

Ryan didn’t turn around but shrugged his shoulders again. He wouldn’t know how to answer it anyway.

“You didn’t know it was a dolphin, did you?”

“I shouldn’t have left the line…I’m sorry,”

But it appeared Colin hadn’t heard him. “You thought it was a shark, didn’t you?! And you jumped in! What the hell were you thinking?!”

Thinking Colin was calling him stupid, Ryan turned around, eyes blazing “I wasn’t thinking, alright! I don’t know how to tell the difference between Jaws and Flipper! I just saw a fucking big shadow and then a fucking big fin and I couldn’t reach you! I was fucking helpless! I-”

But before he could finish his tirade, he’d been enfolded in a bear hug by a very wet, very apologetic marine biologist in a wetsuit who was whispering in his ear and rubbing his back. “I’m so sorry Ryan, so sorry… I didn’t think- I- thank you. Thank you… but don’t do anything stupid like that again ok? Well…it wasn’t stupid, it was very brave but please? No more, ok? I’m sorry… I’m not good with people… I fucked up… I shouldn’t have said the things I said to you- I’m new to this…”

Ryan was only half listening to Colin babbling. Their bodies were pressed close together and Colin’s hands were doing delicious things to his back, even if it was only meant as a comforting gesture. It felt so good to have Colin in his arms, just as he knew it would…

He brought his own arms around to enfold Colin, burying his nose in the fine hair behind his ear. It was damp and smelled of saltwater, and Ryan was convinced that Colin could wear it like a cologne. “I’m sorry I left the boat, Col…”

“I know, and I’m sorry I was such a right bastard…” Colin swallowed hard, trying not to shudder as Ryan’s breath ghosted over the cold, wet hair at one of his most sensitive areas. He coughed loudly, pulling away reluctantly and patted Ryan’s arm. “Come on, let’s get this thing off of me and I’ll make us some dinner,”

Ryan gave him a shy smile, flushing quietly, and together they removed the wet suit and hung it up after sluicing it and Colin off.

Comments

Oh yeah, More....

[blindlyluv.livejournal.com]

OMFG!!! How much more UN-foreplay do we have to endure??? I do love this fic, truly.... but please, before the last bit of sanity oozes bloodily from my ears, please.

Even the dolphin was wise to it and wanted to 'play' of course dolphins are intelligent, sexual creatures...

Umm, what I meant to say was this is a well crafted and delightful fic with comedic appeal, suspense and breathtaking verbal scenery. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Re: Oh yeah, More....

[pdglyph.livejournal.com]

We are firm believers that blue balls make for better sex, metaphorically speaking of course. Blue balls hurt in real life. But there will be more tasty-ness in just a few, promise :D

You're so damned cute XD! thanks for the comments

[improvfan88.livejournal.com]

Oh come on guys! Face it! Make dinner and then make sweet hot love allllll night! Stop torturing us!
Awww, sweet of Ryan to go in and try to 'save' Colin :P
Most awesome :D Cnat wait til the next bit. I'm truly hooked now. I actually SQUEE when I see you've updated and then it continues on til I've finished. Usually with a 'WTF are you doing? KISS HIM IDIOT!' :D

[pdglyph.livejournal.com]

Hehehe, it's good to see you so passionate about them snogging :D luv luv!

[saiya-tina.livejournal.com]

Just snog already you idiots! God! How can you possily be so oblivious!

Aw, I felt so bad for poor brave Ry when Colin yelled at him but all is well now!

[pdglyph.livejournal.com]

Thus endeth the lesson...eth

Srry, thanks for enjoying our humble offerings :D

[draconica-nova.livejournal.com]

Whooooaa! I had no idea you were uploading it here too!! 8D

I just caught up on the chappies I haven't read yeat and my God, women! What magician gave you two the graceful talent of insane sexual tension-buidling? And we're only half-way through the story!

I shall certainly be eagerly looking forward for more. *sits and waits for smutty goodness* ;D

[pdglyph.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm posting over on Bytheway because Cappy and I both agree this fits their bill, unfortunately I have a nasty habit of not putting the next chapter up until I get love.

Lulz, we thank you :D

Mmmm... next chapter and it's smut, coming up!

[captanonymus.livejournal.com]

I agree unreservedly and unashamedly. I *need* some sort of criticism to tell me if I'm doing okay or if it's a big pile of rubbish...I can understand if people think it is utterly hideous and that's why they're not leaving a comment though....which is why I automatically equate no comments to 'we hate it, don't bother posting this crap".....

[sungreen70.livejournal.com]

OK, enough toying with us. Sex. Now. Please. Thank you.

[pdglyph.livejournal.com]

Yes ma'am

[clayangel.livejournal.com]

I love the character interaction in this story, not just in this chapter and the last, and not just between these two, but every bit of dialogue in every chapter is natural and witty and really, really enjoyable.

I also really, really like all the details. It looks like a lot of thought and/or research went into Colin's job to make it seem realistic, and it's working quite well. ^_^