The Blue Sweater
Title:The Blue Sweater
Author:colinsgal
Pairing:Ry/Col
I’ve always been a sucker for Valentine’s Day. Not necessarily in the hearts and fluffy teddy bears sense, but I am and always have been a hopeless romantic. At least Valentine’s Day gives me a license to be soppy – it’s the one day of the year I can be utterly saccharine and Ryan isn’t allowed to laugh or be cynical about it – that’s my rule. Of course, Ryan being Ryan had to lay down his own rule. I’m forbidden to buy any sort of ‘soppy, romantic crap’. I can’t help but laugh at that as his words ring in my ears. I can see his face clearly in my mind’s eye. He always weakens though – I’ve infected him with soppiness. The top shelf of my wardrobe is lined with all the little things he’s bought me over the years. Carefully selected so that they don’t fall under the commercial Valentines bracket mind you, but they are soppy nonetheless. Thoughtful though; my favourite is last year’s gift. He got me a custom made action figure – The Tickler – what else?! He didn’t give it any hair though – also typical, but I love it, and I love him for not giving it hair. Ryan loves to play the grumpy cynic to my hopeless romantic. He always has an excuse, but we both know that deep down he enjoys the day as much as I do. Tonight will be no different – but I’m gonna hit him hard this year….and I’m going to enjoy it!
I search through the wardrobe until I’ve found what I’ve been looking for – aha! There it is. As I pull it out, I can’t help smiling. Ryan loves this Blue Sweater – I don’t know what it is about it – we’d been out shopping one day and I’d picked it up along with a few others. I tried it on and came out to ask his opinion. Ryan hates shopping and I’d taken off my undershirt and just thrown on the sweater in haste so that we could get home quicker. I could tell he was bored as anything. But when I came out his face was just a look of utter…well I can’t describe it really. I thought I’d tucked it into my underwear by mistake or something, but he just gawped at me before backing me into the cubicle and kissing me passionately; all the time caressing the sweater and staring fixated at my chest hair poking up through the v-neck.
I couldn’t stop giggling; I’d never seen anyone so overcome by an item of knitwear. A very bemused and disgruntled sales assistant stumbled upon us.
‘I trust Sir is planning to buy that?’ – I erupted into giggles at that whilst profusely trying to apologise.
‘You’re damn right he is!’ Ryan dragged me to the cash desk and had them scan and de-tag the sweater whilst I was still wearing it.
It was weird, but it’s those little impulsive things that I love about him. We narrowly avoided a speeding ticket on the way back to his place; he didn’t even bother to close the front door as he pulled me inside and we had sex right there in the hall.
‘Good God, Ryan, what is it about this Blue Sweater?!’ I panted, lying beside him on the floor.
‘It just looks so incredible on you…the colour, it’s just perfect, and the way your chest hair sticks up through the neck’ he mumbled, eyes filled with dark lust as he fingered my chest hair as it did just that.
I laughed; he could be deliciously random, but this had been a whole new level, even for him.
‘You’re only obsessed with my chest hair because you don’t have any’ I said, stroking the damp curls at the nape of his neck as he laid his head on my chest and draped his arm around my waist. He’d be asleep in a few minutes.
‘Mmm’ he said, clutching and stroking my arm, still clad in the newly bought sweater.
Standing in front of my mirrored wardrobe now I see how my chest hair as greyed. Why the hell didn’t the stuff grow on my head?! My chest is a veritable shag pile compared to the sparse thatch on my scalp.
I shrug on the sweater – minus undershirt as per Ryan’s request. It’s nice, I’ll admit, but I never shared his enthusiasm for it. I probably would have bought something else if he hadn’t burst into such frenzy! I don’t wear it often. I wore it to a few Whose Line tapings, but Dan got pissed with the number of ‘breaks’ Ryan insisted upon whenever I did, so it got pushed to the back of the wardrobe for special occasions. Or for when I want to tease him. Much as I love The Tickler from last year, I’m going to enjoy watching him squirm through dinner!
-o-
I feel nervous waiting here on my own. Like a teenage boy worried he’ll be stood up on a date. I know that won’t happen, but I feel on edge anyway. It’s Valentine’s Day and I’m surrounded by couples whilst I’m propping up the bar like a spare part. I look at my watch – I’m early I know, but I just hope Colin will be too. He’s always bang on time though, so I’ll just have to settle myself for a few more minutes.
The fact I’m already here and waiting for him is bugging me – something’s going on, that much I know. When I suggested dropping by in a cab to pick him up he’d been quick to say something about having a few last minute errands to do and that he’d meet me here. He caught me off guard so I said ‘sure, no problem’, but when I hung up the phone I couldn’t help thinking that that wasn’t a Col thing – he never did anything last minute. Everything is always organised. So…I know he’s up to something…and it’s bugging me that I can’t think what. He’ll probably walk in with one of those hideous helium balloons with a sickening message and make me sit with it at the table all night to embarrass the hell out of me. He’s never gotten over the bald Tickler action figure from last year. Man I was pleased with myself about that one. Sure, I could have given it hair, but then it wouldn’t have been my Col. I know he loved it; anything comic book related and he’s just like a little kid again. I was so excited about thinking about his reaction that I almost caved and gave it to him a week early when it arrived, but I held off. It was worth it too. Not that I’d ever verbally admit it to him, but I love picking out Valentine’s gifts for him.
I glance around the room. Happy couples; it makes me wish he’d hurry up and get here. I know I make a show of protest about Feb 14th, but really it’s one of my favourite days because I know Col loves it and all the fuss he can ‘justify’.
The rectangular box in my pocket reminds me of my nervousness. I take it out and inspect the contents and allow myself a grin before I shut it again. It has a Valentines theme, and God knows I got a few strange looks when I asked for it like this, but I just hope he’ll accept what I have to go along with it.
My whole being relaxes as I see Colin at the desk, checking in his coat. I still feel like a teenager. He’s smiling warmly at me, but he has that look in his eyes that forces me to hold his gaze as he’s taking off his coat – oh fuck…. He’s wearing the Blue Sweater…shit, I’ve spilled my drink on the bar.
‘I’m sorry’ I mumble to the barman as I look up to find Colin leaning against the bar opposite me, his most angelic smile playing on his lips, but it is betrayed by the utterly unabashed brazen mischief in those big, brown eyes. God I want to reach out to touch the hairs snaking up from the v-neck. And he knows it as he watches me.
‘Good evening, kind sir’ he says, grinning like the cat that caught the big canary with the huge feet.
‘You bastard’ I laugh lowly. ‘So this is what you’ve been plotting. What are you trying to do to me by wearing that?!’
‘What, this old thing?’ He asks in all innocence, knowing he’s killing me; my pants are already uncomfortably tight.
‘I just found this at the back of my wardrobe. Shall we eat?’
There’s a smile playing on his lips as he turns and walks towards the table, leaving me staring at him mesmerised. I have to concede- I never expected this. Touché Mr. Tickler, touché.
-o-
Colin found it difficult to keep a straight face through dinner; he knew the Blue Sweater was having the desired effect and more. Ryan played along with the pretence of ignorant conversation well, but they both knew what was going on underneath it all. As he brushed Ryan’s leg with his foot under the table, Ryan fixed him with his serious face.
‘You know you’re killing me here, Col, right? I mean come on – I know I didn’t give your action figure hair, but even artistic licence wouldn’t allow me that! There was no need to bring out the Blue Sweater’.
Colin grinned and licked the last morsel of his chocolate fondant seductively from his spoon, keeping his eyes locked on Ryan’s.
‘You’re glad that I did though, aren’t you?’
‘Oh God yes’ Ryan moaned. ‘Hurry up and eat that, we need to get out of here’.
As he waited for Colin to return from the bathroom, Ryan gave himself a pat on the back award for refraining from following Colin into the men’s room. The restaurant was too up market for a quick romp, and anyway, Ryan felt his nervousness return as he fingered the box in his pocket. He spied Colin coming towards him and held out his coat that he had retrieved whilst waiting.
‘Ready to go?’
‘I wouldn’t have thought you would have wanted me to wear this’ Colin said cheekily, shrugging into the coat and pulling it closer as they hit the February chill.
‘I can’t afford that much of a distraction while I’m driving – I need to get us there in one piece’ Ryan replied, unlocking the car.
‘There? Where’s there?’ Colin’s voice took on the characteristic of an inquisitive child and Ryan couldn’t help but smile.
‘You’ll see’ he said as he began driving on the busy road. ‘It’s just somewhere I hope you’ll like’.
-o-
Ten minutes into the journey Ryan pulled off the main road and they entered a secluded part of the outskirts of the city. It was dark, but tranquil; like a little village – a sanctuary in the middle of the metropolis. Ryan parked the car beside a clearing surrounded by trees.
‘Ok, this is it’ he said, feeling a lump in his throat and hoping Colin wouldn’t notice.
‘What exactly is "it"?’ Colin asked, squinting out of the window and into the darkness. ‘It’s not some dogging location is it?’
Ryan snorted; grateful that any tension he had been feeling was now well and truly dispelled.
‘No, Col, I haven’t brought you dogging for Valentine’s Day…I don’t much like the idea of sharing you’.
Even in the dark Colin could find himself hypnotised by Ryan’s emerald eyes.
‘Thank God for that’ he sighed with relief.
As Colin found his footing in the dark, Ryan ushered him through a gap in the trees that led to the quaintest house Colin had seen. It was like something from days gone by; white washed and bathed in the moonlight he noticed the trellises where roses would grow in the spring. It was an impressive sight in the twilight; clearly a house that someone had gone to a lot of trouble to restore whilst keeping true to its original features. Ryan watched with trepidation as Colin took in his surroundings; trying to gauge his reaction as he gripped and released the box in his pocket.
Colin turned to Ryan, who had been watching him.
‘It’s a beautiful house- do you know someone who lives here?’ Colin asked.
Ryan felt his stomach lurch as he watched Colin wander up the steps. I hope so he prayed inwardly.
‘Sort of’ he mumbled, joining Colin on the porch. ‘Here’ he said, reaching Colin the rectangular velvet box from his pocket.
Colin looked at him quizzically before turning the box over in his hands.
‘Open it’ Ryan urged.
Colin prised open the box for the moonlight to reveal a heart shaped key; taking it out he looked at Ryan.
Ryan felt his heart beat increase as Colin traced the key with his fingers.
‘You bought this?’ I don’t understand’ Colin said confused.
Ryan smiled, and even in the moonlight Colin could tell he was blushing. ‘Yeah – I bought it a few months back and I’ve been renovating it. I finished last week, and I was kind of hoping that maybe you’d like to move into it with me’ he said, his voice quiet and shy.
Colin watched as Ryan’s eyes fell to the key he was holding and digested what he was saying.
‘Ryan, this is….incredible, I don’t know what to say’.
‘Say yes’ Ryan said, his voice a whisper as his arms found their way around Colin’s waist and pulled him close.
‘I gave you the key to my heart a long time ago, Col, but now I want you to have the key to somewhere for us. I did this for us, and I’d love it if you’d say yes’.
Colin felt overwhelmed by the situation; emotion welled within him as he felt Ryan embrace him. He looked at the heart shaped key and smiled.
‘I thought you said no soppy gifts?’ He asked, holding the key in between them.
Ryan smirked. ‘You have no idea the look I got at the locksmith for that, but I thought that as it’s Valentine’s Day you’d expect a heart somewhere’.
‘Admit it, you’re just a hopeless romantic’ Colin said, pulling Ryan down to kiss him; leaving a lingering desperation on his lips.
‘So, is that a yes?’ Ryan ventured, stroking Colin’s back as he held his gaze.
‘Yes, it’s a yes – I’d love to live with you, Ry.’
Ryan’s face expanded in a grin as he took Colin’s face and kissed him before enfolding him in his arms.
‘There is one rule though’ he murmured into Colin’s neck.
‘Mm?’
‘You have to promise to bring the Blue Sweater’.