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Time passes too fast for his liking.
He thinks maybe this is what people in a romcom feel like. Time slips through his fingers, but not in a bad way, no. This was more like being in a cloud.
After their first kiss, they went out on a lot more dates than he's ever had with anyone else. He didn't even realize when they had finished the movie until he was already signing a new contract.
As it resulted, this movie was going to be directed by Jody Moreno. That itself was strange, but he was happy for her, except for a little detail. She wanted Ryland at the set.
The thing was, summer was already here, and that meant going out with Ryland during his free time. That was not going to happen if his brother found out about them dating. Hell, Colt would probably beat him to a pulp.
But Tom wasn't about to prohibit his boyfriend from going to the set. He didn't want to sleep on the couch, so at last, he had shut up his mouth. It had a better use kissing Ryland anyway.
"What did you say?" Said Ryland from his position on the couch, his back on a pillow for support. They were practicing physical touch, as he still didn't like intimacy that much. Tom didn't mind, he wanted everything his grace would give him. He paused his touching to answer him.
"That we shouldn't interact that much when we are on the set" He whispered directly at his ear, being rewarded with a shiver. "We don't want you jumping on me and unleashing your beast of a twin" He chuckled.
"As if! You are the one who can't keep his hands to himself" His darling huffed, pretending to be irritated. Tom knew that was not the case, Ryland liked him, ego and everything, he was sweet like that. "Besides, Colt will only hit you if you don't treat me right" He affirmed, but Tom wasn't so sure.
"Baby, I'm gonna to treat you so nice you're never gonna wanna let me go" He quipped, expecting the reaction. There was no recognition behind his eyes, just a blush and a smile. He probably didn't know this one, so they'll need to have another movie night. It was fine, he could spend every night with Ryland if he was allowed.
For now they kept kissing.
The dim light of the TV rested peacefully on the crystal of his lover's glasses, almost as if he was looking at the moon on the clear sky. Their hands touching softly and lips melting in a hot tandem.
He wished he could freeze time on this single frame.
—
He wasn't looking at the whole frame – "It's picture" Jody had corrected –. There was something going on with his brother, and Colt felt something bad was about to happen deep in his guts.
Call it twin telepathy or just pure paranoia, but Colt knew when something was happening to Ryland, and this, this was something big. Because his brother never kept a secret from him, never.
He decided to let it go for now. Only since Jody was having the greatest opportunity of her career, directing a whole movie all on her own. They were so happy they had spent the whole weekend celebrating.
And the best part. He was going to have each of his loved ones in a single place since what felt like forever, because Jody specifically requested being able to bring Ryland to set.
What was not such a good part was that Gail demanded the star of the movie to be Tom Ryder, but even that wasn't souring his good mood. There was also the fact that Ryder hadn't acted so much like an asshole lately, so he figured everything was going to be fine.
In the meantime, Colt was going to live the moment. And maybe try to figure out what was going on with Ryland. But overall, he was making the most out of this situation.
"So, did you miss watching your favorite brother do the coolest work?!" He asked from the other side of his radio, driving a car through some synthetic sand desert. He couldn't see Ryland from there, but he was sure he rolled his eyes where he was sitting.
"No. But I missed seeing Jody recording and Dan exploding things" Ryland replied, giggling along with Jody, who was beside him. "And I missed the weather, even though it's colder than I thought it would be on summer".
"He's right. Maybe we'll have to turn on the heater to make Ryder sweat a little more. You're all looking too dry" Jody mused. He heard rustling so he assumed that she was checking her clipboard. The click of her pen confirmed it. "I'm going to check on some things. You wait for me here, Ry" And Colt took that chance to talk to his twin.
"Hey... is everything alright?" He asked, getting off the car and making his way to Ry. "You've been off lately" He sat next to him, pushing his equipment aside.
"What do you mean 'off'? And what does 'on' entail?" He inquired, avoiding his glaze. It was obvious something was going on, so Colt just kept staring. That always made Ry nervous. "I-i mean... nothing has been happening!... Have you heard something?" He struggled.
Colt huffed, he knew it would work. "Well I know you're dating someone" He stated, hearing a squeak beside him. He continued whatsoever. "And I know it's someone you met last time you visited. Because not only you've been weird since then, but you also knew about the moving to San Francisco before I even told you" He finished and waited for Ryland to explain.
"It's just..." He bit his lip, hesitating. "He doesn't want people to know that we're dating. T-He values our privacy" He justified. Colt could only hope this was not another Linda/Mark situation. His brother really deserved someone who loved him genuinely.
He sighed, knowing that was the most he would get, Ryland was loyal to a fault. "It's ok, I trust you can take care of yourself" He extended his little finger and Ryland connected his too with a chuckle. "That doesn't mean I don't want to protect you, but I promise I support you no matter what" He reminded him, using his other hand to mess Ryland hair.
They both laughed like when they were kids, and for a moment, life looked so perfect that if time were to stop he wouldn't mind.
—
If you asked Ryland, he would say time was the only thing that humans would never control.
It could, however, be measured. But today their clock was not clocking because it was pretty freaking late already and Tom was still asleep.
"Tom! We're gonna be late!" He screamed, trying to get out of the tight embrace he was in and shaking the other man at the same time. "Why didn't the clock sound?!" He whined.
"Relax. Gail calls me at six o'clock like a clock" Tom mumbled, snuggling a little more.
"Gail calls you, really?! That's your alarm?!" He reprimanded, hitting his boyfriend with the closest pillow. Only then his eyes opened lazily, he grabbed Ryland's arm and turned him around to face him. "She must've fallen sleep then, because it's currently ten" He stated, watching Tom's eyes open wider.
"Well shit, that sucks" He rubbed his face, but made no effort to get up, only hugging Ryland to his chest. "There's nothing to be done now, it's a shame" Tom said laughing. Ryland only rolled his eyes.
"We could still go..." He was interrupted by a kiss. It was not new, but it never stopped messing with his judgement. He finally got some air but the words had been erased from his brain. Sometimes Tom made him feel incredibly dumb.
"Ooor, I could make you breakfast" He purred, making him take a sharp breath. "And maybe you could let me have dessert after" Tom suggested, insisting but not pushing. It was one of the reasons he never denied him. Because Tom was always waiting for him, patiently requesting, not once forcing.
He would give in, of course, but not without putting on a little fight.
"Only if you take me to the beach" He breathed. That was another thing about Tom. He did everything Ryland wanted with no hesitation. "Would you like to have a beach day with me?" He asked with a sweet smile, completely sure that would disarm his lover.
Tom put on a devious grin. "Oh sweetheart..." He exclaimed, kissing him deeper this time. "...I wish I had done everything on earth with you" He murmured and Ryland giggled. He knew that one.
"That's from 'The great Gatsby', I'm not illiterate" He laughed. Lately Tom had been playing this little game with him. He would include a movie quote in his conversations and if Ryland didn't know the line they watched the movie. It was fun, really.
"Oh, you are Hollywood illiterate" He joked, sitting up in bed and fixing his hair with his hand. Wow, he was handsome. How did he pull such a handsome boyfriend? "I don't mind though, I'll take you to the beach anyway... If only for the sake of seeing you in a thong" He winked.
Ryland gasped, feigning offense. "I have a swimsuit! You pervert!" He laughed, hitting him a pillow once again, and then getting out of bed. "Come on, let's eat breakfast. Lack of food it's making you delirious".
Tom made pancakes, putting lots of fancy toppings on the kitchenette. Afterwards he took Ryland to a private beach where they spent the whole day. It had been perfect, an image worth putting on a frame.
—
It was night when it happened.
The day had finished too fast, and the moon raising indicated that it was time to go home.
Home
That word had a different meaning now that he had Ryland.
Before him, Tom held the meaning of home in the same category as house. A place to sleep at, where you keep your belongings, somewhere you throw parties, the roof you buy to live at.
Now it meant warmth. The kind of warmth you only get after bathing in the sun first thing in the morning. Home was an excited voice rambling about science, the smell of burnt french toast on early saturday, a soft fox cardigan in a tiny apartment in San Francisco.
Home was wherever Ryland was. Like in this moment, after a long day at the beach. They were listening to an old collection of vinyls in this big flat in LA that he used to call house, but now it was home. And he loved it.
"...vibrations are converted into electrical signals that are amplified into the music you hear through the receptors of your ears!" His boyfriend smiled. Tom stopped understanding at 'kinetic energy' but he tried to make sense of what Ry was saying.
"So, like... braille, but for sounds?" He questioned, putting another vinyl in the turntable. 'Dream a little dream of me' he liked that song, perfect for dancing.
"Um, not exactly, but you get the gist" He said, looking proud. Maybe of the fact that he could teach science even to a high-school dropout like Tom.
"You know, for a molecular biologist, you talk about biology so very little" He mused, putting the needle down. The song started to play, so he grabbed Ry's waist and intertwined their hands.
'Stars shinin' bright above you'
A slow movement, making a square on the floor.
'Night breezes seem to whisper, I love you'
"You wouldn't like me babbling about the mitochondria" His lover sighed dreamily, taking their dance towards the living room.
"Mmm, I can't see anything I don't like about you" He laughed. Tom had always loved romance movies.
'Just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me'
A smooth spin to his lover. He wished this moment would last for eternity.
"I love you too, Tom" Ry hummed, breathing close to his neck. Those words had more value than anything he's ever owned.
"Oh sunshine, you can't even grasp how much I love you" He whispered to his lips, a secret promise he planned to keep until the end of the world.
'Stars fadin' but I linger on, dear'
Their kiss followed the rhythm of their dance.
'Still cravin' your kiss'
"Then maybe it's time to tell the other people we love about us, what do you say?" He proposed, and well that was the thing. Ryland was the only person in this world that cared about him without benefit involved.
"Anything for you, baby" He said, and a little spark of yearn lit up on his heart. Maybe they all could be a family when the initial shock of their relationship had appeased.
'Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you'
The force of Ryland's hug almost made him trip on his feet but he managed to keep balance and swirl them both around.
'But in your dreams, whatever they be'
He grabbed Ryland's leg, holding his waist with more strength to support his back while made him hang mildly in the air.
'Dream a little dream of me'
They were so enticed with each other that they didn't notice the door opening until Colt was already standing in front of them.
The frame froze.