Work Text:
Colt’s been having a relatively good day.
The sky was clear, the stunts he’s done went very smoothly, leaving him with the slight buzz of adrenaline that he so loved. Nobody (meaning Ryder) bothered him so far and on top of that, he scheduled a date with Jody for when they’re done for the day.
A very good day, in Colt’s book.
That is, until he opened twitter (well, it’s called X now, but Colt always forgets that fact).
Kim ⠂@Bkdkiscanon ⠂17h ago
Hi, i had no idea my first post would be about Tom Ryder but it’s currently 22:21 and i was just walking by the beach in LA and suddenly i saw (i think ????) Tom Ryder on one knee proposing to a guy ??? Like hello ???? i didn’t know he was dating anyone ? And now he’s proposing ? #TomRyder #relationships
3k comments ⠂200k retweets ⠂500k likes
See replies…
@Bkdkiscanon → Juju ⠂@Billy_biboy ⠂17h ago
Are you sure it was Tom Ryder ? Cause I’ve been a fan for years and I’ve never heard of any (serious) relationship he might have
@Billy_biboy → Kim ⠂@Bkdkiscanon ⠂17h ago
i mean it was dark, sure but it was definitely him and some other guy. i’ve been a fan for years too so i totally would recognize Tom Ryder
@Bkdkiscanon → Elioooooo ⠂@Eliot-4 ⠂16h ago
Tom Ryder wiht another man ??????? Oh hell no, and here I thought this guy was beter than the other actors…
@Eliot-4 → Anima ⠂@Anima20 ⠂16h ago
I mean, (I don’t agree cuz that’s homophobic), Tom Ryder’s known for being a ladies man and for having hundreds of flings, so yeah, how the fuck would someone like him be in a serious relationship ????
@Anima20 → Juju ⠂@Billy_biboy ⠂16h ago
Sybau dude, yeah that’s true but that doesn’t mean he can’t be in love with someone (also @Eliot-4 you are a horrible individual for hating on a guy just because he likes another man)
@Bkdkiscanon → Thung Sahur lover ⠂@TripleT ⠂16h ago
ayoooo this is amazing if it’s true !!! #wealldeservesunshine
@Bkdkiscanon → Ivan ⠂@Tilliloveyou ⠂16h ago
I NEED to know this guy’s name omfggggg the fanfictions are gonna go crazyyyyy #AO3 #Newship?
@Bkdkiscanon → AbsoluteGispelle ⠂@Makingboysinmyclasskiss ⠂16h ago
I think I saw it too ? I was walking home after spending a day with a friend and I saw two guys kissing at the beach and I thought ‘oh that’s cute, a date at the beach’. But then I recognized Tom Ryder and I freaked out… (it was definitely around 22:20)
@Makingboysinmyclasskiss → Kim ⠂@Bkdkiscanon ⠂16h ago
OMGG REALLY ?? That’s the best thing ever, Tom Ryder engaged ?? What an amazing time to be alive.
@Makingboysinmyclasskiss → leon.s.k ⠂@Leonmyhusband ⠂16h ago
Did you take a photo ? That would definitely clear things up lol
@Leonmyhusband → AbsoluteGispelle ⠂@Makingboysinmyclasskiss ⠂16h ago
No ??? If it really is true, then I definitely won’t do anything they might not want. Plus, if it’s real, then that means Tom Ryder hid his relationship from everyone for a long time (probably because his partner didn’t want to end up on the internet, which is understandable) so I definitely won’t mess up their wishes.
@Makingboysinmyclasskiss → Kim ⠂@Bkdkiscanon ⠂16h ago
i totally agree, i didn’t take any photos either and after reading this, i’m really happy i didn’t.
@Makingboysinmyclasskiss → Mel ⠂@Meldoncanon ⠂15h ago
Wtf ??? I’m opening X just to see that not only Tom Ryder’s taken, but he’s engaged ???? There’s no way, this partner of his definitely’s there for fame or money or whatever, I won’t allow anyone get close to my Tom Ryder #jealousy #takingwhat’smine
Colt stopped reading after this. Some of these tweets are terrifying (especially the last one).
Also, what the hell ? Colt knows who they’re talking about since he’s aware of his brother’s relationship with Ryder, but what?
Engaged ? Last night ? If it’s true then how come Ryland didn’t tell him right away ?
According to these tweets, Ryland had 17 hours to tell his brother he got engaged.
So why haven’t he ?
“Hi, Colt,” he was pulled out of his thoughts by his twin coming up to him. Speak of the devil, huh ?
“Look, huh, can we talk ?,” his brother continued, and Colt slowly lifted his phone and showed the screen to Ryland.
“Wanna tell me why the fuck do I lean by the internet that you got engaged ?,” Colt tried to keep his voice calm but the truth is he couldn’t ignore the horrible feeling growing in his chest.
The horrible feeling of knowing his own brother doesn't trust him enough to tell him something so important.
The look on Ryland's face was one of pure shock.
Wasn't expecting that, huh ?
“W-what ?,” Ryland takes Colt's phone from his hands and scrolls through the tweets, “How do people know that ?”
“Someone saw you and Ryder last night. I told you keeping it low profile wouldn't last forever, Ry,” he takes his phone back.
“Colt I-”
“Jesus, Ry, just answer me, why the fuck didn't you tell me the second you got engaged !?,” Colt really thought he could hold off his frustration, but he can't, he really can't.
“I wanted to, really, but you-”
“Don't you dare try to reject the fault on me ! You had 17 hours to tell me, so why the fuck didn't you !?”
Colt was on the verge of yelling and people walking on the set turned to see what was going on.
Everyone on set often see Colt annoyed (mostly because of Tom fucking Ryder), but it's not every day they see him arguing with his brother.
His sweet, kind, honest brother whom everybody loves.
Well, ‘honest’ is a big word.
“I'm not trying to do anything, Colt,” Ryland puts his hands up, palms out in a calming gesture, “I'm trying to explain…”
“Well, I'm listening,” Colt crosses his arms in a defensive manner.
“Okay, yes Tom proposed last night, and I said yes,” Ryland starts, talking slowly like someone would do to a scared animal, “And I wanted to tell you, but you weren't answering. I don't know, maybe your phone was on silent, but I couldn't reach you. So I told myself I would tell you today, that's it, I swear.”
Colt's phone was never on silent.
That was the one rule he set after getting back from his accident.
He spent too many months drowning in his own pity with his phone on silent, he doesn't want to miss any more of his brother’s life.
His or anyone else's, really.
So Ryland's explanation was totally unfounded.
“You're lying,” Colt says.
“What ? No, I'm not.”
“Yes you are ! Come on, Ry, don't you trust me with this kind of thing ?”
“Colt-”
“I mean,” Colt uncrosses his arms and runs his fingers through his hair, does he look crazy ? He feels crazy, “I mean, I know I haven't been the best brother lately, but I've already apologized. Countless times. What more do you want ?”
Colt can feel the tears coming.
He doesn't let them fall.
“Nothing ! Colt, listen to me-”
“No ! No, I don't want to, Jesus, I can't believe you could lie to me like that ! We used to tell each other everything…”
Ryland stays silent, blinking hard to chase away his own tears.
He's never been good at holding them off.
So Colt looks away from the sight of his brother crying.
“I’m not lying…,” he vaguely hears him say, but it’s really too quiet for Colt to be sure.
His guilt tells him he's being selfish.
His stubbornness tells him Ryland deserves to feel just as bad as Colt.
They don't fight. Sure, they wrestle, but they never fight. It's just not their style.
They've always been close. Wherever Colt was, you could be sure Ryland was somewhere close.
They once promised each other to never have any secrets, to always tell the truth to the other, no matter what.
When did that promise get broken ?
“Colt…,” Ryland wipes at his tears.
“Don't,” Colt shakes his head, still not looking at him, “I need to think.”
He then turns around and walks away, ignoring the stares of the people around, especially his brother's.
He walks straight to his trailer, leaning on the side of it and looking at his phone again.
Don't ask him why, it's just the kind of thing everyone does mechanically.
Truth is, he was going to call Jody and tell her everything. Probably cry a bit, then get lectured by her for fighting after his brother just got engaged.
But then he saw the little logo at the top of his screen.
The silent mode logo.
Colt feels his heart stop. Or skip a beat, at the very least.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph, was Ryland telling the truth ?
But how ? How is his phone on silent when he promised himself to always have the notifications on ?
That doesn't make any sense at all.
Unless…
Unless he was listening to something yesterday, then received a notification, but instead of lowering his volume, he turned off the notifications ?
It happened before, but he always made sure to turn it back on.
Maybe he somehow forgot ?
That's the only plausible explanation.
Great, now he feels even worse. Ryland was only telling the truth and Colt yelled at him and accused him of being a liar.
Colt Seavers really is the worst brother.
He half-ran back to where Ryland and him were arguing, but he wasn't there anymore.
Damn it.
“Hey, Seavers ! We've been looking for you, we need you for the next stunt,” says one of the crew members.
Colt was tempted to tell him to fuck off, but he figured both he and Ryland would appreciate the time away from each other.
Well, he hoped, more than figured.
———————————
Tom had a wonderful couple of days.
Sure, he was a bit stressed out at first, but then came last night, and suddenly everything was great.
He had proposed to the love of his life, and the love of his life said yes.
What more could he ask ?
Gail told him when he arrived on set this morning that people saw what happened and were talking about it all over the internet, but honestly he couldn't care less.
Let them think whatever they want, Tom Ryder's the luckiest man alive.
Still, he didn't open X. He really doesn't want to know what people are thinking of his relationship.
God knows how crazy some fans could be.
Tom knows how crazy they are.
“Alright everyone, we're taking a break,” says the director to everyone else working.
Tom sighs, resting his head on the window of the car he's in.
He’s been bored all evening, really. Ever since Ryland left abruptly, Tom has had no other need but to see him.
They were filming one of the last scenes in which the villain trapped the main character (Tom, of course) in a car to bring them both over a cliff.
Don't ask him why the villain would want to kill both the main character and himself, but Tom has a feeling there’s some toxic homoerotic kind of relationship between the two.
The guy playing the villain gets out of the car, leaving the keys in the ignition and Tom was about to do the same when suddenly someone gets in the driver's seat and locks the doors.
“Ryder, we need to talk,” Seavers says before starting the car.
Holy shit, not again.
Tom had once been trapped in a car by Ryland’s brother, just a few days after they started dating.
Basically, Seavers had told him about Ryland’s aversion to any kind of attention, and also that he would kill Tom if he ever made it public without his brother’s ‘go ahead’. All that while driving at 120mph.
He had told Tom exactly what he would do to him if he ever did that.
In details.
Tom learned that day that Colt Seavers has a very graphic imagination.
“Seavers, what the fuck ?!,” he yells, the deja-vu hitting hard.
The man speeds up, and Tom grips the door handle in fear.
If he keeps doing that, Tom might seriously develop some kind of fear of cars.
“I hear you got engaged to my little brother, huh ?,” Seavers says loudly over the sound of the car racing through the set.
Oh, so Ryland ended up telling him after all.
He remembers seeing Ryland try to get ahold of his twin. With no success, unfortunately.
“Long story short, I heard of it through twitter, and blamed it on Ryland, but turns out I was in the wrong. So now I'm pissed off,” he adds, staring at Tom with an unsettling smile that makes Tom sweat in fear.
“Look at the fucking road, Seavers !,” he shrieks, because not only he's stuck in a car (again) with the most terrifying guy he's ever met, racing 110mph on a road that's designed to be bumpy, but that same guy isn't even looking at the road.
This is it, Tom's gonna die.
He's gonna die before he even has the chance to call Ryland his husband.
“What does this have anything to do with me ?,” he adds, feeling lightheaded.
Suddenly, Seavers hits the brakes, and Tom has to brace his hands against the dashboard to prevent slamming into it.
“I don't like you, Ryder,” says Seavers, still staring at him, “But, as much as I hate to say this, you're good to Ryland.”
Tom blinks, confused at where this is going.
“Is that supposed to be a shovel talk ? Are you shovel talking me ?”
“Yes, I am,” the stuntman answers, glaring at him and digging holes through his head.
Tom groans and slumps in the passenger seat.
Great, more threats.
“Look,” Seavers starts, looking like this conversation physically pains him, “Like I said, I don't like you. You're a selfish asshole who thinks he's better than everyone else. But, for some reason, my brother loves you.”
Tom can't help the giddy smile forming on his lips.
Even Seavers says Ryland loves him.
That thought alone makes him forget about the threats he’s being thrown at.
“Ryland's…uh, well he's emotional. Always have been. And he completely sucks at taking care of himself. I sometimes have to remind him to sleep because he stayed up late, two nights in a row.”
Tom nods, he's aware of that. After a year of dating Ryland, he obviously noticed the guy's lack of self-care.
“I'm not gonna say I'm allowing anything, because it's not my place. But just know that if you ever do something to him…”
Seavers lifts a finger and pushes it against Tom's chest over and over.
It hurts. Kinda.
“If you hurt him, physically or emotionally. If you make him cry or do something he doesn't want to, trust me, Ryder. I will. Fucking. End you. You got that ?”
Tom nods again, this time a bit more nervously.
Truth is, Ryland's just as much of an asshole as Tom is. But he guesses his brother still sees him as the little kid in need of protection.
If there’s one thing Ryland doesn’t need, it’s protection.
The first few months after they first met consisted in Tom texting random stuff to the teacher, in hope of some attention, and Ryland ghosting him (or responding with very dry and/or insulting texts).
At that time, Tom just thought he was playing hard to get, but Ryland later told him he genuinely was annoyed. It’s understandable, receiving hundreds of texts from the guy your brother told so many bad things about isn’t good material for a relationship. Or a friendship, for that matter.
Also, Ryland spends most of his time kicking Tom’s ego to a minimum size. Either by telling him things directly with a deadly glare that looks too much like Seavers’, or by literally kicking him when he said something bad to someone.
Call him a masochist, but Tom finds that he’s kind of into it.
There aren't many people out there ready to put him back in his place.
And even fewer people looking hot while doing it.
By ‘fewer’ he means one. Ryland.
He feels like the precision is needed here.
“Loud and clear,” he eventually says, swallowing dryly.
There should be a name for the fear of Colt Seavers.
The ‘seaversphobia’, maybe ?
“Great. Perfect,” Seavers then starts the car again and brings them back to the set.
Yeah, perfect, totally.
He didn't just get threatened by his lover's brother, no.
Tom can't wait to come back to his apartment and see Ryland.
———————————
Ryland had the worst day ever.
First he woke up with a horrible headache, then got into a fight with his brother about some big misunderstanding.
He’s never felt this bad about something. How could Colt even doubt him ? How could he think Ryland doesn’t trust him ?
Anyway, when he went back to Tom’s apartment (they got engaged before even moving in together, surely that isn’t some kind of bad omen ?), he found out that he received a lot of texts from his coworkers.
Texts asking him about his relationship with Tom.
It only took less than 20h for the entire world to know Ryland’s identity.
In another context, it would be good to see the internet finding such private stuff so fast, but when it’s about a random guy (like Ryland), it just shows how terrifying it is and how little is your private life worth.
Seeing this, Ryland locks himself in the bedroom and slides down the door until he’s sitting on the floor.
Sure, he could've sat on the bed, but he really didn’t have the energy for it.
Against his better judgment, Ryland opens X (Jesus, who came up with the name ‘X’ and thought ‘yep, that’s a better name than twitter’ ?).
He doesn’t even have to search Tom’s name to see how many people are talking about them.
Juju ⠂@Billy_biboy ⠂3h ago
So, turns out someone decided to dox Tom Ryder’s mysterious partner like wtf guys ??? I mean, sure this relationship is pretty mysterious but that doesn’t give you the right to just share someone’s personal information all over the internet
Please tell me I’m not the only one thinking this is bad ??
6k comments ⠂100k retweets ⠂700k likes
See replies…
@Billy_biboy → Elioooooo ⠂@Eliot-4 ⠂3h ago
nobody asked for your opinion, missy
@Billy_biboy → Mercredi ⠂@Adams.00 ⠂3h ago
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING !! I’m not even a real fan of Tom Ryder but some people out there genuinely freaks me out
@Billy_biboy → Mike Wheeler ⠂@Byler_08 ⠂3h ago
I’ve seen pictures of that guy online and I mean he’s pretty hot lmao, he and Tom Ryder look good together
@Byler_08 → Theo ⠂@six_seven ⠂3h ago
ikr ?? but i’ve also seen that this Ryland Grace is some kind of teacher or whatever, how did they even meet ?
@six_seven → Mike Wheeler ⠂@Byler_08 ⠂3h ago
well, you know Tom Ryder’s stuntman, Colt Seavers ? apparently Seavers and this guy are twins so maybe he’s the reason they met ?
@Byler_08 → Theo ⠂@six_seven ⠂3h ago
wait that’s actually kind of cute
@six_seven → Mel ⠂@Meldoncanon ⠂2h ago
No this isn’t ‘cute’ ! This guy probably’s there for Tom Ryder’s money !! I mean, look at those pictures of him, surely if Tom Ryder really is into guys, he won’t be into THAT guy
@Meldoncanon → Juju ⠂@Billy_biboy ⠂2h ago
Not you again…Tom Ryder doesn’t belong to you, girl, drill that into your thick head
@Meldoncanon → Shayla✰ ⠂@myShaylasss_3 ⠂2h ago
I agree !! This guy definitely’s here for money, what other reason could he have for not going public ??? He doesn’t want people to know his face when he’ll run away with Tom Ryder’s money !!!!!!!! #cancelRylandGrace
@myShaylasss_3 → Mel ⠂@Meldoncanon ⠂2h ago
THANK YOUU, he’s totally some kind of golddigger or whatever #cancelRylandGrace
@Meldoncanon → Kim ⠂@Bkdkiscanon ⠂2h ago
How hard is it for you guys to respect people’s privacy ?
@Meldoncanon → Ivan ⠂@Tilliloveyou ⠂2h ago
Did it ever cross your mind that the reason why Tom Ryder and his partner never went public is to avoid getting comments by your kind ?
@Tilliloveyou → Mel ⠂@Meldoncanon ⠂2h ago
[This comment has been deleted for lack of respect of our user policy]
@Meldoncanon → Ivan ⠂@Tilliloveyou ⠂2h ago
I don’t even wanna know what you wrote, honestly
@Tilliloveyou → leon.s.k ⠂@Leonmyhusband ⠂2h ago
I was there before it got deleted, it was the worst racist insults ever made, trust me, you’re better off not knowing
@Leonmyhusband → Ivan ⠂@Tilliloveyou ⠂2h ago
Jesus…okay TT
Ryland hates the internet.
Sure, there’s some people trying to defend him, which he can appreciate, but they’re nothing compared to the ones accusing him of wanting to steal Tom’s money or using him for fame after…
Well.
After losing his job during the UNESCO conference.
When will people let go of that, seriously ? He’s just trying to move on.
Suddenly, he hears the front door opening and a familiar voice coming from the entryway.
“Hey babe, where are you ?”
Ryland, too focused on his own insecurities, didn’t even try to answer him.
“Ryland, you there ?,” distantly, he can hear Tom walking around his apartment before coming up to the bedroom door.
Finding it closed, Tom ends up knocking on it three times.
“Ryland ?,” he repeats, and suddenly Ryland feels enough of a human to answer.
“I’m here,” vaguely, he wonders if Tom even heard him from how low he’s speaking.
“Are you okay ?”
He heard. Of course he heard.
Ryland shakes his head and brings his knees closer to his chest.
“Uhm, is this about Seavers ? Or about the twitter thing ?,” Tom guesses, after a while, because there’s a literal door between them and he definitely can’t see Ryland shake his head.
How dumb are you, Ryland Grace ?
“Both,” he ends up saying.
Ryland can hear movement on the other side and wonders if Tom’s also sitting on the floor.
This is definitely the most cliché thing he’s ever done, but it can’t be helped.
“What’s wrong with the twitter thing ?,” Tom asks, “Cause sure some fans are crazy and others think they know me like my mom does, but that doesn’t discredit any of my love for you.”
Ryland shuts his eyes and presses his palms on them until he sees stars.
“That’s not it…,” Really, it’s not, Ryland's very much aware of how much Tom loves him.
“Then what’s wrong ?”
Ryland sighs, he never thought he’d ever have this conversation with him.
“Tom, do you know how hard I’ve worked to build myself a new career ? Do you know how depressing it is to think about the one I lost just because I’m a stupid asshole ?”
“Ryland, don't say that…”
“Look, I’m not expecting you to understand any of this, because you’ve had your life planned out ever since you were 10 or something, but the last thing I want is to have to start again,” he shakes his head, and feels the headache from this morning coming back, “No, I’m actually terrified of having to start over. Second chances are very rare, so third chances ?” he chuckles, but it doesn’t sound as amused as intended.
“You think this is gonna damage your career ?,” Tom asks, and it’s probably the quietest anyone ever heard him talk.
“I don’t know, I don’t-” Ryland cuts himself off, feeling tears well up in his eyes.
“Ry…,” Tom starts, “You don’t have to worry about that. I mean, you’ve already done it once, so if your career does end up ruined, which I’m sure won’t happen, you’ll just find a way to get that third chance.”
“How can you be so sure ?,” Ryland asks, voice shaky because of how hard he’s trying not to cry.
“Because I have faith in you,” Tom answers in a heartbeat, “Also, I couldn't care less about your career.”
Ryland frowns. That’s not a very nice thing to say.
“Well- not in a mean way, I mean It doesn’t matter what you’re doing with your life, I still love you anyway.”
Oh, okay.
He snorts, only Tom Ryder could say something so corny and make it sound sweet.
“Even if I’m a ‘golddigger’ ?”
People’s imaginations can be wild sometimes. If anything, Ryland’s the one who didn’t want to date Tom, at first.
Colt had said so many bad things about him, it was hard to look past the image his brother depicted.
Also, the fact that Tom quite literally chased after Ryland the first few weeks following the day they met didn’t really help with anything.
“Huh ? What are you talking about ? You always decline my gifts”
“No, I know, I was just…,” Ryland sighs, here goes his attempt at being funny, “Forget it.”
Finally, he stands up and unlocks the door.
Tom really didn’t read any of those tweets, huh ?
He didn’t read anything that could’ve made him re-think his decision of dating Ryland. Or marrying him, at the very least. Nothing.
Tom Ryder’s addicted to social media, so this is surprising.
Normally, he would’ve read anything that mentioned his name by now.
But maybe it’s exactly like he said, he has faith in Ryland. And no stupid tweet could change that.
Holy cow, that’s romantic.
He doesn’t even have the time to fully open the door before he’s suddenly pulled in Tom’s arms.
“Ryland, my sweet Ryland,” he says, pressing a kiss to Ryland’s head, “don’t ever lock the door again, it’s really terrifying, you know ?”
Ryland nods, clutching the back of Tom’s shirt.
The headache’s still there, but it suddenly feels more bearable.
“Sorry”
“It’s fine,” Tom pulls away and presses his palms to Ryland’s cheeks, “I just don’t like seeing you upset.”
“I was just being stupid, forget it, let’s go eat something, I’m starving” Ryland tries to take a step back, but every time he does, Tom just takes a step forward, unwilling to let go of him.
“Tom, come on…”
“No, you come on, gimme a kiss.”
Ryland blinks, taken aback.
“What ? Why ?,” he asks, laughing softly. Tom has the knack to always say random stuff completely out of the blue.
“Because I want to, ‘a kiss is the best medicine’, isn’t that what they say ?”
“Uh, I mean, in a way, sure”
“Great”
Then, Ryland feels the familiar press of Tom’s lips on his, and against his better judgment, he feels himself relax.
Damn you, Tom Ryder. Damn you for being so sweet.
“There,” Tom says, finally stepping back, “now we can eat.”
“You’re very demanding, you know that ?,” Ryland tells him, already walking out of the bedroom.
“Only for you !,” Tom grabs his hand, and Ryland hides his smile behind his other hand.
Tom’s right, screw the internet. They’ll never know them like they know each other or how much they love each other.
This day isn’t so bad after all.
There’s only one thing that’s still bugging him…
———————————
Colt’s been freaking out ever since his fight with his brother.
He was the one in the wrong, and he blamed it on Ryland. Over some stupid missed call.
Truth is, he doesn’t even care if Ryland had told him about his engagement a minute or a week after, he would've still been happy to know that his brother finally found someone who makes him happy.
Even if that someone is Tom fucking Ryder.
Ugh.
Anyway, he had a talk with Jody about what he should do.
She lectured him, of course. For very long minutes.
But then she told him that it’s probably best to let both he and Ryland cool off. That nothing great’s gonna come out if Colt chases after him for answers.
Jody’s always been wiser than Colt, but waiting the entire day had to be some kind of punishment she set for making Ryland cry.
Nobody's as protective about Ryland as Jody.
She may be higher ranked than Colt, to be honest.
The day passed, and when the clock hit 8, Colt jumped on his phone and composed Ryland’s number.
He half expected to be ghosted, but then Ryland answered and all his worries went by the window.
“Hello ?”
“Hey, Ry, it’s me, uh, it's Colt,” he says, suddenly feeling very awkward.
He hadn’t left the set, yet, so the distraction of watching the crew members wrap things up for the day was welcomed.
“I know.”
Right, called ID.
“Yeah, uh, look, Ry, I just wanted to say that I am…so very sorry about what I said earlier. I was being a dick and didn’t even try to listen to you. I’m sorry,” Colt says rapidly. It’s best to get it all out so it’s over sooner, right ?
“No, it’s fine, don’t apologize, it was my fault, too. I should’ve come over to your apartment instead of calling, sorry.”
Ah, Ryland, even the mediator.
“You were right, you know ?,” Colt says after a moment, “My phone was on silent. I don't even know why, it doesn't usually happen,” he ends his explanation with a chuckle, because he physically can’t bear any serious conversation.
“Oh, well, I guess we were both in the wrong, huh ?”
“I was more than you, but yeah, I guess.”
Colt is suddenly reminded of those times back when they were kids and they would argue over stupid stuff and lock themselves in their room. Their parents would make them sit in front of each other and tell them to talk it out, see what they had done wrong, and what could they do to make the other forgive them.
This is exactly what they’re doing now.
“You know, Ry, I’m happy for you. I should've said it sooner, and I didn’t. But I am,” Colt says after another small silence.
“Thanks…I’m happy, too.”
“Yeah…,” Colt chuckles, “Hey, you remember a few years ago, when we made a bet on who would end up married first ?”
“Uhm, vaguely, yeah, why ?”
“You owe me 20 bucks.”
“What ? I do not.”
“Yes, you do,” Colt fiddles with the hem of jacket. He loves how fast they can change subjects when they’re talking, “You bet 20 bucks I would get married first, I said you were gonna be the first.”
“...”
Colt raises an eyebrow at the lack of answer. He can practically hear the gears working his Ryland’s brain.
“I’m not married, yet, you know ? So it doesn’t count.”
“Of course it does. Engaged is like being married, it’s just not official,” he shrugs.
“No ? Colt, it doesn’t work like that.”
“Whatever, you’re gonna owe me 20 bucks in a few months. There, better ?”
“Sure, better,” Ryland answers, and Colt can almost hear the smile in his voice.
“Anyway, gotta go, I’ve got a date with Jody. She's gonna kill me if I’m late,” Colt says, taking a look at the time on his phone.
“Hey, when are you gonna propose to her, anyway ?”
“Shut up !,” Colt flushes red and quickly hangs up, but not before he could hear Ryland laughing wholeheartedly.
That fucker.
He runs a hand through his hair and walks in the direction of his car.
This has been an eventful day, and Colt wants nothing more but to spend the rest of it with his beautiful girlfriend.
Maybe he should start considering buying a ring ?
Fuck.
Ryland, you absolute menace.