Fic: Overcome, DayTwo

[emilyfairy.livejournal.com]

Oh, man. *dies* Hopefully you all don't think we're too insane... *g* It... seemed like a good idea at the time? *tugs on collar* :)

Anyway, here's Day Two! I will be posting the first part of Day Three later, since it's my turn next. :)

We totally BS-ed our way through the immunity challenge. Hopefully it's not too obvious. LOL. :)





Overcome

By emilyfairy and kalimyre

Rating: R

Pairing: Possibly Ryan/Colin, but so far it's gen with a hint of preslash flirting :D

Summary: Ryan and Colin on Survivor. No, really.

Day One




...

Colin wakes early in the morning, when the light is still gray and delicate, barely beginning to warm into pink and gold with the sunrise. The world is perfectly silent around him, and if it wasn't for the steady sound of Ryan's breathing, he'd wonder if he'd gone deaf.

Colin is reluctant to leave the warm nest Ryan and he have made together, but sometime during the night he's made his decision; he doesn't want to give up. Losing he could live with, but losing without even trying is something else entirely.

So Colin carefully slips from Ryan's arms, leaving his friend frowning and curling around the warm place he left on the sleeping mat. The morning is damp and cool, the air leaving a feeling of clammy chill on his exposed skin, and Colin hitches his collar higher on his neck. He knows it will be hot later, suffocatingly hot, and he wishes this place would get a thermostat.

The fire is weak, mostly embers and ashes, and Colin stokes it carefully, coaxing a flick of bright orange flame, and then another. Soon it is crackling and he warms his hands for a few seconds, then sets about putting together breakfast. They're all expected to contribute, after all, and Colin feels sure he can at least come up with something better than tasteless fish and gluey, overcooked rice.

The others begin to gather around the fire as the scent of fried oatmeal and sausage wafts into their sleeping area, and Colin hands out the food with his best winning smile. Matt looks vaguely resentful, but he eats quickly enough, glaring at the others when they sit close to Colin. Colin blinks innocently and makes conversation.

He looks up when a warm hand slips down his back, and Ryan is behind him, smiling knowingly. "Morning," Ryan says, plopping beside him on the makeshift seat, an old fallen tree.

"Morning," Colin replies sunnily, handing over half his food to Ryan.

"We have sausage?" Ryan asks, wolfing it eagerly. "Why didn't we have this last night?"

"We need to conserve our supplies," Matt says, but that doesn't stop him from taking seconds.

Ryan looks like he wants to say something distinctly unfriendly, but Colin rests a hand in the crook of his elbow and smiles blandly at Matt until he feels Ryan relax beside him. He knows without looking that Ryan is following his lead, becoming smooth and unflappable.

"Anyway," Matt says when it becomes clear Colin and Ryan are not going to give him an argument. "We have the immunity challenge today. I know we're all going to do our best to win the tribe immunity."

The others make assenting sounds, although Colin notices a few rolling their eyes at Matt's officious tone, and he smiles behind his hand.

Several people thank Colin for breakfast before heading off to wash in the river, and Colin nods, putting on his best smile. Ryan elbows him in the side and leans down to whisper in his ear, warm breath tingling on Colin's neck. "Told you you were lovable."

Colin nods. "We'll see."

Ryan helps him clean up the dishes, and they both take a quick dip in the river. The water is breathtakingly cold, but it's a relief to not feel sweaty and grimy anymore, and Ryan is happy enough to huddle with him by the fire until they are dry and warm again.

Then it's time to begin the hike to the challenge area; Matt takes the lead, of course. Colin and Ryan trail along at the end of the line, side by side on the cramped jungle trail. Ryan's hand brushes against Colin's as they walk, their fingers tangling together occasionally. "You ready for this?" Ryan asks softly.

"I hope so," Colin says, shrugging. "I don't know what it'll be, and let's face it, we're not in the best shape."

"We'll be fine," Ryan says, and their fingers brush again with studied nonchalance. "I guess you decided you want to win?"

Colin smiles up at him. "I decided I want to try."

...

Colin sighs with relief when they finally reach the clearing where today's immunity challenge will be held. His feet feel like they're about to fall off from all the walking. He wishes he would have done more exercise before he came on the show, to try and prepare for all these physical challenges. He certainly feels his age right now.

Beside him, Ryan is puffing and wheezing and suddenly Colin doesn't feel so bad. He pats Ryan on the shoulder to let him know they're almost there, and Ryan gives him a strained smile. Colin hopes that his back isn't bothering him too much.

He can see the other team moving in from the opposite direction. One or two of them gawk at him and Ryan, and he wonders if they watch the show. It figures that the fans are on the other team.

Jeff Probst stands with his arms folded, smiling cockily at them as they approach. Behind him are two covered blocks, which Colin guesses have something to with today's challenge.

"Survivors!" says Jeff as they file in front of him. "Welcome to today's immunity challenge. As you know, if you win this challenge, your team is safe from Tribal Council tomorrow night. And you will receive this immunity necklace." Jeff gestures to a primitive looking bone-and-teeth creation.

Ryan smirks at Colin. "Are we supposed to ooh and ahh?" he whispers.

Colin snorts and glances around at the bored faces of the other castaways. "No one else looks terribly impressed, so I'm guessing no."

"Do you think we have to wear it?"

"I think Matt should wear it. Wouldn't he look hilarious strutting around trying to catch a fish in that thing?"

Ryan leans towards Colin when he laughs, and their arms brush together. He places a hand on the small of Colin's back, wiping his eyes. Colin just smiles and watches and lets Ryan's warmth flow down his spine.

There's a break in filming while the crew members pull covers off the blocks and get everything set up. Colin squints, trying to figure out what exactly they'll be doing, but it's too far away to tell. Ryan hops from foot to foot beside him, as the cameras roll into place.

Jeff claps his hands. "All right, Survivors, listen up. Today's challenge is a puzzle. First, you need to retrieve all of the puzzle pieces from various hidden locations using the clues we will provide. Then you all have to work together to put the pieces in place. The first team to correctly put together the puzzle, wins immunity from Tribal Council."

Colin and Ryan exchange relieved glances. At least it won't be too much of a physical challenge.

Jeff hands each team an envelope with their first clue. "Okay, Survivors ready," Jeff says. "And... go!"

...

Right away, Matt tries to rally the troops, shouting directions as they all crowd in around the envelope, everyone trying to read it at once. Colin catches Ryan's arm, and they hang back, waiting. Matt reads off a little rhyme that Colin supposes is meant to indicate a location, but everyone is clamoring and shouting suggestions and he can't quite hear it. There's something about falling and rainbows, which doesn't make a lot of sense.

"Go, go, start looking!" Matt yells, waving his arms. People scatter in all directions and Colin and Ryan exchange a glance. Ryan shrugs, and Colin smiles wryly, and they pick a direction and lope off.

"Do you know where we're going?" Ryan asks, pushing tall grass out of the way as they cut across a field.

"No idea," Colin replies. "I think we're not alone in that, though." And it's true, the rest of their tribe is wandering aimlessly, with much shouting and thrashing of the plant life and foot-pounding enthusiasm. The day is beginning to really heat up, and just watching them makes Colin feel like lying down in the sweet smelling grass and taking a nap.

"I heard something about swimming," Ryan says.

"I heard falls and rainbows," Colin answers, and he pauses, cocking his head to the side. "So, swimming means water, and falls..."

"Didn't we pass a waterfall on the way here?" Ryan asks, jerking a thumb over his shoulder.

"Yeah, and the mist at the bottom, when the sun hits it..."

"Rainbows." Ryan grins and catches Colin by the hand, pulling him into a run. Suddenly they are whooping and hollering like the others, out of breath and covered in grass seed and laughing like kids.

The river is just a little up the trail, and it's more of a stretch of rapids than an actual fall, but there is a section where the riverbed drops a good six feet, and there's a pool there, the water crashing and churning up spray. Sure enough, the morning sun is high enough now to catch in the layer of mist and make reflecting prisms of color, sparkling and untouchable.

By the time they get there, Colin has a stitch in his side from running and he hunches over, panting, one hand pressed into his side. Ryan's hand rests on his back, steadying him, and they peer into the water. There's a rustling in the bushes on the other side of the river, and a camera pokes out, the operator grinning from behind it and giving them a thumbs up.

"Think we're on the right track?" Ryan asks dryly.

"Could be," Colin says, and that's when he spots it, something gold and shiny just beneath the surface on the far side of the pool. The water is calmer there, swirling in little eddies away from the force of the waterfall, and the shape is wavering with the current, tucked neatly between two rocks.

Ryan elbows him a little closer to the water. "You feel like another swim?"

Colin laughs and quickly pulls his shirt over his head, eager to dip into the cool water and wash off the sweat and bits of dried grass clinging to his skin. He toes his shoes off and slides in, giving the churning water at the base of the fall a wide berth. He has to swim in the middle, where it gets deep, but a few strokes and he can feel mud beneath his feet again, oozing unpleasantly between his toes. The gold box is at chest height, a few inches below the surface, and he carefully wriggles it out from between the rocks.

"Here," Ryan says, standing at the bank and holding his hands out.

Colin nods and throws, Ryan catching it neatly. He's back across the pool and climbing onto land again by the time Ryan's figured out the little clasp. The camera stretches out over the water on an extendable arm to get a close up as they huddle over the box, Colin dripping on the ground and Ryan automatically moving a little closer to him, sharing his warmth.

"This should be the next clue, right?" Colin asks.

Ryan nods and pulls out an odd shaped piece of metal, vaguely Aztec in appearance with some inscription on the front. It is obviously a small piece of a larger whole. There is also a small roll of paper, and Ryan opens it, holding it carefully away from Colin so it won't be dripped on.

He is about to begin reading it when Matt appears on the trail behind them and scowls when he sees they've gotten here first. He comes forward, holding his hand out. "Let me see it," he says.

"We found it," Ryan points out, and Colin is suddenly glad of the camera.

"We're all on the same tribe," Matt counters, gritting his teeth into a forced smile.

"We can all read it," Colin offers, and Matt nods, moving in close. Ryan angles the paper so they can see it, and they read it together.

...

They all worked together from then on, and managed to uncover all eight clues in quick succession. Colin clutches onto his puzzle piece as they run back where Jeff stands waiting for them. Each member of their group is carrying one piece of the puzzle, making it easier for them to keep track.

The other tribe is nowhere in sight, and Colin grins. His chest is heaving and his hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat but dammit, he feels good.

"Orteza," Jeff says. Orteza is the name of their tribe. "Please bring me your puzzle pieces so I can verify that you have them all."

They each hand over their puzzle pieces, except for Eric, who blanches and tries to hide. Eric is Matt's friend, and Colin dislikes him even more than he dislikes Matt. This morning during breakfast, Colin overheard Eric telling Matt that he wouldn't eat any food cooked by a fag. As if being gay was a disease that you could catch.

"Shit," Eric swears, and Matt's head instantly swivels towards him.

"What the hell, man? Where's your piece?"

"I don't fucking know!" Eric yells.

The whole group groans, and Matt smacks Eric. "You're so stupid, man! What's wrong with you? When was the last time you had it?"

"I can't remember!"

Colin shuts his eyes, trying to block out the sounds of the screaming match that's threatening to dissolve the unity of their tribe. Ryan lays a comforting hand on his arm, strengthening him.

"Quiet! Everybody be quiet." And oh god, Colin realizes that he is the one who's speaking.

Everyone pauses and gapes at him, because he has been mostly shy and quiet with the rest of the group. But Ryan is grinning at him, nodding his head appreciatively. "Listen," Colin says calmly. "We don't have time to stand around arguing like this. Let's just go back and retrace our steps. If we hurry, we might still have a chance."

Eric looks like he wants to say something, probably spew some more venom about fags or queers, but Ryan's menacing glare is enough for him to think twice. The rest of the tribe nods, even Matt, and they race back the way they came.

Colin squeezes Ryan's hand for a quick thank you and then they follow after their tribe.

...

They backtrack frantically, forming a rough line stretched across their path, everyone scanning the ground. Colin is aware of Eric muttering something, and he tries very hard not to hear, because he suspects the muttering involves implications that one of "those two" might have stolen the piece. Which would be patently stupid, since they'd only be hurting themselves in the end by losing immunity for the tribe, but Colin has the feeling that Eric and stupid were on good speaking terms.

He notices Ryan's pause before the others, and he follows his friend's gaze to the glint of slivery metal nestled in to a tuft of grass. Ryan raises an eyebrow at him, and Colin sighs. He would rather they weren't the ones to find it, but they don't have the time to waste letting someone else from the tribe notice.

Colin nods, and Ryan bends down, plucking the piece from the ground. "Here," he says, holding it up. "Is this it?"

"Give me that," Eric snaps, snatching it from him. "What'd you do, plant it there?"

Ryan stares at him for a long moment, his lips pressed into a firm line. Then he shakes his head and turns away, refusing to engage. That's a go-nowhere argument and he knows it.

"Forget it," Matt urges, already heading back toward Jeff and possible immunity. "Let's just go, man, while there's time."

Colin feels a little spitefully pleased that Matt refuses to let Eric carry the piece this time, instead holding on to it himself. He and Ryan take up the rear again, trotting along side by side as the rest of their tribe draws ahead.

They've already handed over their pieces, so there's no need to hurry, and Colin is suddenly very tired, the exertion of the day catching up with him. The top of his head feels sunburned and his shirt is unpleasantly damp with sweat. The air is hot and muggy and thick with bugs, buzzing in lazy clouds around all of them.

"I'm not looking forward to the hike back," Ryan mutters beside him, and Colin nods, closing his eyes for a long moment. He stumbles a little and Ryan's arm loops easily around his waist, guiding him. "Okay?" Ryan asks.

"Sure." Colin offers a smile, tired but genuine. "I could go for a swim and a nap, though."

"Same here," Ryan replies. "And I think we may be in luck." He waves ahead at the others, clustered around Jeff and scrabbling over their puzzle pieces. Putting them together is more of a formality than anything else; there aren't that many, and they fit together in an obvious way when the inscription is taken into account.

Colin and Ryan catch up just as they're completing the puzzle, which forms a ring shape. It's thick and heavy with metal links and actually rather pretty, in a vaguely art deco kind of way.

The other tribe is running across the field now, but they slow as they see Orteza already gathered, and a collective groan goes up. Colin surprises himself by grinning, pleased at their victory despite the stress of the day. Jeff holds up the completed ring in one hand and the immunity necklace in the other. "Congratulations, Orteza," he says. "You have won immunity for your tribe."

Everyone cheers, and several people even clap Colin and Ryan on the back, smiling at them. Ryan slips an arm around Colin's shoulders and squeezes him tightly for a moment, and Colin laughs. "I knew you'd get competitive about this," he says, poking Ryan in the side teasingly.

"Like you're not," Ryan replies, and Colin can only shrug and smile. Eric is still casting baleful looks in their direction and they still have a long walk back to camp with another meager meal to follow it, but for now they're winners, and that's something.

...

Colin faints when they finally reach their camp, falling into the sand. "Oh, my. Is he all right?" he hears Gina, who is kind of the "mother" of their tribe, ask Ryan.

Ryan laughs and toes Colin. "He's just acting. He always does this. C'mon, Col. Stop scaring Gina here."

Colin opens his eyes, pouting. He pretends to shoo Ryan away. "You're blowing my cover."

"See? He'll do anything for sympathy," Ryan says, and Gina smiles. Ryan leans down, offering a hand. "Up you go now."

Colin grasps Ryan's hand with practiced ease and allows himself to be hoisted up. Ryan doesn't drop his hand, so Colin doesn't either. Ryan pulls Colin a little closer, so their shoulders touch as they walk. And Colin laughs a little, thinking that here they are, sweaty and exhausted and starving, walking hand in hand down the beach like a couple of lovers without a care in the world. It just seems so... normal, and for a moment he misses Canada so much that an ache spreads through his shoulders.

"Are you two... um, together?" Gina asks as they walk towards the fire, where the rest of the tribe is whooping it up.

Gina doesn't sound rude or disgusted, and Colin feels a bit relieved. All the same, he shakes his head at Ryan, biting back a smile. "No," he says.

"We're friends," says Ryan, squeezing Colin's hand in a way that undermines his words.

"Oh," Gina replies. "I'm sorry, I... I thought for sure that you were, you know, a couple. Please forgive me for assuming."

"It's all right," Colin says, giving her a reassuring smile. "It happens all the time."

"One of my brothers is gay," Gina says, shooting them a thoughtful look. "He's been with the same man for almost fifteen years now. He's got a better track record with relationships than I do!"

Ryan runs his thumb across Colin's palm, making Colin shiver. "We've known each other for over twenty years," he says, jerking his head towards Colin. "I tell him all the time I want a divorce, but he thinks it'll be too messy."

Colin laughs and covers Ryan's thumb with his own. "Yeah, me and Ryan, we're big with the tabloids."

"In Canada," Ryan finishes, and Colin nods.

Gina lets out a surprised laugh. "You two are a riot," she says.

Colin beams. "Thank you," he says, scratching one ear. He always gets all flustered when someone gives him a compliment.

And then they are in front of the fire, and Ryan is dancing beside him in celebration, and someone presses a plate of hot food into his hands... And for a while anyway, Colin feels like he belongs.

...

Colin doesn't even taste what he's eating, too hungry and tired and caught up in the euphoria of winning to even care. He gobbles it beside the fire and feels a little primal, but he figures that's just the heat and exhaustion making his head a bit swimmy. Ryan is a constant presence at his side, as always, and Colin lets his eyes slip shut. Ryan will catch him if he starts to slide sideways.

The happy, excited babble around them dies down as people drift off, for a swim, for a nap, to catch some dinner. Matt has been talking about laying traps, hoping to catch whatever small furry animals are around here, and Colin thinks that sounds like a good way to get someone a broken leg when they walk into it unaware, but he is too tired to argue. He makes a mental note to step very carefully next time he's in the woods.

Then Ryan nudges his side and takes the plate from his drooping fingers. "You still with me?" he asks, a low, amused murmur in Colin's ear.

Colin jerks slightly and nods. "Sure," he mumbles. "Do we have to go fishing or something?"

"Nah." Ryan's arm slips around his waist and pulls, and Colin gets reluctantly to his feet, groaning as his legs and back protest. "I think we've done enough for one day."

"Good," Colin says, shuffling at Ryan's side. He knows Ryan must be tired too, and he really shouldn't lean on his friend so hard, but it's so very easy to ignore that and relax and let Ryan steer, just for a little while. It's not that far to the tent, and it's still a slipshod chunk of canvas thrown crookedly over some branches above a thin sleeping mat in the dirt, but it's come to mean home and safety and privacy somehow. He's glad to crawl inside, and even more so to lie down beside Ryan and rest.

Ryan makes a few soft, pained sounds as he shifts, his breath catching in his throat as he searches for a comfortable position, and Colin wraps his arms around him, his hands automatically searching out the small of Ryan's back and pressing there, rubbing gently. "Mmm," Ryan says, the low rumble of his voice warming Colin where their chests press together.

"Sore?" Colin asks, rubbing a little harder. Ryan squirms into the touch, sighing against Colin's neck.

"Yeah. I'm too old for this shit."

Colin chuffs softly. "I'm older than you are."

"I'm taller," Ryan says, as if that's a comeback.

Colin shakes his head, smiling. "Yes, you are," he says, indulgently. "Good for you."

Ryan just grunts and relaxes against him, his breathing growing deep and slow. Colin knows he should be following Ryan into sleep; there's more to do in the day, and if they miss dinner, they'll have to fend for themselves. But he can't quite resist lying there in the quiet, hazy afternoon and watching Ryan sleep.

He watches the tiny expressions that flicker across his friend's face, one corner of his mouth crooking into a smile when Colin runs a firm hand down his back, the brow furrowing slightly if Colin leans away, the eyelids flickering when Colin leans close and breathes on his skin. Colin tilts his head to the side, curiously, and trails two fingertips feather light down the side of Ryan's throat, where the skin is thin and delicate and he can feel a pulse. Ryan shivers, mumbling something low and guttural, and Colin grins.

There is a muffled thud of footsteps outside the tent, and Colin quickly closes his eyes, feigning sleep. More rustling, and then a hushed voice, one he thinks belongs to someone on the filming crew. "You want to get a shot in this one?"

"Dunno, man," another voice replies, with an edge of scorn. "Who knows what they're doing in there."

"Yeah," the first voice says, laughing, and the footsteps move on. Colin sighs, shaking his head. He'd hoped that Eric was alone in his views, but apparently not. Still, it gains them privacy, and he can live with a few rumors. He's been living with them for years, after all.

Ryan frowns in his sleep, and Colin indulges himself, pressing a small, chaste kiss to his forehead. Ryan tastes of salt and summer grass, of dirt and river water. Colin smiles against his skin, rests his head on Ryan's arm, and lets out a long, slow breath. Ryan's breathing rocks him slightly, and the wind is low and steady, a calming sway of sound, and Colin drifts off as easily as if he were in his own bed at home.

...

Colin opens his eyes against Ryan's smooth chest. He keeps his head down for a few minutes, giving himself time to wake up, and secretly enjoying the little sighs escaping from Ryan's lips.

When he raises his head, he is honestly surprised to see Ryan's open green eyes, gazing down at him adoringly. "Hey, Col," Ryan whispers, hugging him.

"Hey, Ry," Colin answers, pretending like he knew all along that Ryan was awake.

"Sleep all right?" Ryan asks, and Colin knows that he isn't fooled.

"Mmm..." Colin stretches, cracking his back. "Well, considering the circumstances..."

"You mean the cold, hard, unforgiving ground, the mat so thin it might as well be nothing? Col, I'm surprised at you. This is luxury living right here."

"Oh?" Colin's mouth twitches. "Where's the mints on the pillow? Where's the pillow, for that matter?"

Ryan grins. "I'm the pillow," he grumbles good-naturedly, nudging Colin with his shoulder. "And we've got grass and bark to chew."

"Hmm..." Colin says thoughtfully. "But the river is way too cold to be a jacuzzi."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But every luxury resort has a pool," Ryan says.

Colin laughs. "As long as no one pees in it," he says.

"Eww!" Ryan shudders. "There will be no peeing in our pool, as long as I'm on duty."

Colin smiles to himself, picturing Ryan wearing a pair of orange shorts, with a whistle hanging around his neck and a triangle of sunblock spread over his nose. He imagines Ryan patrolling the river, walking back and forth on shore, inspecting the tribe closely to make sure there is no hanky panky or god forbid, peeing, going on.

"I suppose," Colin says, "that this makes our tent a penthouse suite."

"Absolutely. With a balcony."

"A balcony?" Colin asks, propping himself up to get a better look at Ryan, whose chest is shaking with held in laughter.

"We'll have to build it first," Ryan manages to say.

Colin's eyes gleam with excitement at the idea of a new challenge. "I'm game," he says.

...

They spend a pleasant fifteen minutes conspiring about their balcony, which soon becomes a small part of the larger tree fortress they're planning. Colin finds a twig under the sleeping mat, and they smooth a section of dirt and use it as a drawing board.

They lie side by side on their bellies, propped up on their elbows, hips leaned together. It's just the right time of day, early enough for mellow daylight to fill the tent and warm it, but late enough for the heavy heat and humidity of the day to be gone. Colin knows they will have to leave their shelter soon, face the tribe and whatever godawful thing they've come up with for dinner, but he lingers just a little longer, drawing in a water slide.

"How are we going to get water up to it?" Ryan asks, grinning.

"With the indoor plumbing. We'll need a bigger spot of dirt to draw that in proper detail," Colin replies primly.

Ryan snorts. "Ah. Of course."

Colin looks at him, at the crinkles in the corners of his eyes and his slim, mobile mouth, always eager to smile, and is suddenly very tempted to roll him over and pin him down and tickle him till he cries with laughter. Until he's gasping and hiccuping and lying helpless, wrecked and happy.

Maybe Ryan reads some of this in his face, because he leans back slightly, his eyebrows raising. "Colin? You've got that evil face." Colin blinks innocently. Ryan snorts and rolls his eyes. "Don't even," he says. "You can't pull off the innocent act anymore. Not since the Jello and Brie Incident."

Colin flops onto his back and laughs, one arm slung across his eyes. Ryan rolls to his side, head propped in one hand, and lays an arm over his waist, squeezing him.

That's when Gina pokes her head into their tent, smiling when she sees them sprawled out and giggling. "Evening, boys," she says. "Sleep well?"

"Slept great, thanks," Colin says mildly. "What's for dinner?"

"Anything but fish," Gina says with a theatrical shudder.

They nod agreement and crawl out of the tent, Colin offering Ryan a hand up. Gina walks with them toward the campfire, chattering amiably all the while, and Colin exchanges a smile with Ryan over her head. Lovable, Ryan mouths at him, waggling his eyebrows. Colin shoots him a quelling look, but he can't help but be glad they've made at least one friend. This way, if Ryan is sent home, he won't be completely alone.

...

Dinner is a celebration. Matt has somehow managed to hunt down some sort of bird that vaguely resembles a chicken. True, it's served with rice again, but this time there's beans mixed in, and whoever cooked the rice didn't burn it.

It's the little things, Colin reflects.

By the fire, Matt regales them with the tale of how he tracked two of the birds through the brush, armed only with a couple of stones and a sharp stick. "So, there I was," he begins. "Just me, alone. When suddenly, I heard a rustling noise far off, and I ran towards the sound, keeping my stick pointed outward..."

Ryan, Colin, and Gina sit slightly apart from the tribe, rolling their eyes at Matt's pompous gestures and overblown voice. "Do you believe a word of this?" Ryan whispers out of the side of his mouth.

"It reminds me of the story my Grandpa used to tell all of us grandchildren, about the big fish he caught once. Said it was like twenty feet long or something ridiculous like that. And my Grandma would stand behind him, shaking her head at us and holding her fingers apart a few inches," says Gina with a snicker.

"I bet he found them dead on a path somewhere," Colin says from behind his hand.

And they all collapse into giggles. Colin almost falls backwards off the log, until Ryan's hand steadies him. He smiles his thanks at Ryan, who ducks his head.

Gina watches them with a knowing look on her face. She looks like she is about to speak, but she is interrupted by a fourth person perching on the edge of their log.

...

"What the hell is so funny?" Eric asks, leaning into Colin's space. Colin edges back automatically, his side pressed against Ryan, and he feels Ryan's hand on his shoulder.

"We're just talking," Colin says, blinking placidly. He's always been good at keeping a straight face, no matter what he'd rather say.

"Talking," Eric echoes, curling his lip into a sneer. "That's all you two do, isn't it? Talk and whatever the hell you're doing in that tent."

"Sleeping?" Ryan asks, a bright, snide edge to his tone.

Eric snorts. "I doubt it. That's not why you wanted your own tent. What, too good to sleep with the rest of us?"

And Colin knows he shouldn't, he really, really shouldn't, but he can't quite help it. "Why Eric, if you wanted to sleep with us, you only had to ask."

Gina laughs, the sound startling in the suddenly quiet campsite, and Eric's eyes bulge, just a little. Colin is aware of the cameras swarming in, getting angles on his face, Ryan's face, Eric's rapidly purpling expression. There is a hushed expectancy to the air, and Colin closes his eyes briefly when he realizes the director is not going to put a stop to this; that in fact the director is probably thrilled and doesn't want to miss a minute.

"You... you fucking... I'm not..." Eric sputters some garbled denial and Colin already regrets his smart remark. Too used to thinking fast and making the quip for a laugh, too accustomed to the safety of the stage and he has to break that habit before it gets him into trouble. More trouble, that is.

"I know," Colin says, quietly. "Neither are we. Please just drop it."

Ryan's hand is squeezing his shoulder now, and he can feel Ryan's tense posture, ready to jump into the fray if this turns violent. Colin offers a sincere smile, and waits.

For a moment, it seems like it will happen, Eric lurching to his feet, one hand drawn back, tightly curled. Colin raises his hands defensively and Ryan shifts, trying to get in front of him as much as he can.

"Eric!" Matt says sharply, banging his tin plate down on a rock, the flat smacking sound drawing everyone's attention for a moment.

"But," Eric protests, waving at Colin and Ryan, who track his movements with watchful eyes.

"We're sticking together, remember?" Matt says, as if they have some prior agreement. "And how will we do that if you get kicked out for fighting?"

Colin flicks his gaze to the director, who is frowning now, perhaps sensing his moment of drama going down the tubes. It's true that physical fighting is not allowed, and is grounds for immediate removal from the island, but Colin suspects the director would have waited until he had the whole fight on tape before taking disciplinary action.

Eric wavers, glaring at them, and Colin elbows Ryan in the side until the expression he can see out of the corner of his eye eases to something vaguely conciliatory. "Sorry," he says, which is a lie, but he prefers to think of it as acting.

"Don't fucking talk to me," Eric growls, brushing roughly past them and stalking off into the trees as noisily as possible.

The tension goes out of Ryan in a rush, and Colin feels him sag against his side, taking a deep breath. "Hey," Colin says softly, catching his eye. "That was fun."

Ryan gives a thin, startled laugh. "Oh yeah. Hysterical. This is gonna be a fun vacation, isn't it?"

"Hey," Matt says from across the fire. "You two owe me for that."

Ryan raises his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"I just saved your asses. Next time the smartass," he points at Colin, "wants to mouth off, you're on your own."

Colin puts a hand on Ryan's arm, silencing his reply before he can make it. "I'll be more careful," he says. "Thanks."

Matt seems mollified by this and goes back to his dinner, halfheartedly picking up the threads of his hunting story, which seems to have changed considerably since before he was interrupted. Ryan gives Colin a disbelieving look and mouths thanks?

Colin shrugs. "More flies with honey," he murmurs.

"That wasn't your method when he first sat down," Ryan points out, and Colin nods sheepishly.

"Yeah," he says. "Sorry, it slipped out."

"Don't worry," Ryan tells him. "I would've said the same thing if you hadn't beat me to it."

"I thought it was funny," Gina adds, smiling brightly at both of them. "Did you see how purple he got? I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel."

Ryan snickers, and Colin finally relaxes, his stomach muscles untying themselves from the knot they've been in. Ryan loops an arm around his waist for a moment and Colin finds his appetite, even listening to the rest of Matt's story with relative interest. He figures the guy gets points for creatively making up complete bull, at least.

Eric comes back when they've finished eating and started hanging out, chatting idly in the firelight. He gets his plate of cold food and picks at it sullenly, not looking at anyone. Colin and Ryan draw a little closer together.

"I think we should go to bed early tonight," Ryan says, speaking out of the corner of his mouth.

Colin nods. "Good plan. I'm still tired anyway."

So they stay and talk for a little while, but sneak off to their tent when the camera crew begins hunting again, plucking off the unwary for interviews. Colin decides that it's his personal goal to not do one more interview while he's here. He's never liked them anyway.

The tent is familiar and cozy and Colin immediately feels safer. Even more so when Ryan scoots close, slips an arm beneath Colin's neck to cushion him, and sighs sleepily. "So," Ryan yawns. "Tell me more about our tree fort."

...

To be continued... Dun dada dun! :)






No, I don't know what the Jello and Brie incident is. Ask Kalimyre, 'cause she won't tell me either... *g*

Look for Day Three, coming soon to a computer screen near you. *nods and skips away*

Emily :)