Myself and Colin

[awpoorcolin]

They're about ready to wrap up the first series. His very first proper job as well...an almost legit actor. Bradley had abused his rights to a camcorder and ran around, making really silly videos, if anything to entertain himself, his co-workers, and possibly whoever was dim enough to actually watch them and make weird faces at their attempts at

Comments

[awpoorcolin]

Bradley's teeth chattered. He didn't think it would be possible to be colder but damn! He pulled his jacket tighter around himself. No one ever told him past Dublin, it was freezing! Still. He wanted to do this. His mates sort of hated him for it and teased the hell out of him as to who or what was waiting in some tiny shack town called Armagh. 'How the hell do you even pronounce that?!' After a few pints, it became the game of the night but not why Bradley was shivering at the metro station.

His fingers dug out his mobile and dialed the familiar number.

C'mon, Col. Pick up...

[pretendmagic]

Colin dug his phone out from wherever it was, lost in his sheets ringing at him. It was getting kind of late. Who would be - He smiled a little at Bradley's name lit up bold across the screen. "Can't sleep?"

He'd been curled up in bed reading, wrapped up in his blankets, but talking to Bradley was obviously better then that. It had been weeks since he'd seen him last, and Colin would admit he missed the other. "I've missed you."

[awpoorcolin]

"It's December 31st, C-C-C-Col." Bradley chattered. "Guess where I am. I think m'fngers are turning blue. It's got to be a few below zero here!" And the metro station was completely fully of holiday travellers moving back and forth, trying to get to New Years Eve parties on time.

[pretendmagic]

"So go inside before you get sick." He scolded. Colin sat up in bed, a little confused as to why Bradley was obviously out in the freezing cold, until in finally set it. "You're not - "

He stood and peered out his window, then went out to the front door. Nothing. That was silly. Why would Bradley leave home and his friends to come all the way to Ireland for new years? "What's all that noise in the background? Where are you?"

[awpoorcolin]

"I'm at a metro station. Freezin' my balls off. In bloody how do you even pronounce that?!" Bradley squinted at the sign hanging nearby. The best interpretation that came out of his mouth was, "Aargh. ...I don't think that's how one pronounces that..." There's got to be at least 10 inches of snow around him.

[pretendmagic]

He might have dropped the phone. There was a definite clatter and thump, a distant 'what!?', a scrambling as Colin pulled on boots and a long coat, and finally he snatch up the phone again. "Idiot. Don't freeze to death until I get there." He said before hanging up and stuffing the phone in his coat pocket.

Colin drove as fast as he could safely on the iced roads until he got to the metro station. It only took a minute or so to spot the poorly dressed blond freezing at the station. He pulled up as close as he could, running out just long enough to grab Bradley's wrist and pull him to the warm car. Once they were inside, he pulled Bradley in for a kiss, smiling brightly. "What are you doing here?" Another kiss. "You're lucky you didn't freeze." He laughed and held both of the blond's hands in his to warm them up.

[awpoorcolin]

"Hello?" Bradley pulled his mobile away from his ear. Still connected. "Hellooo? Col? Gah!" He pulled his mobile away form his ear again when he heard Colin shouting. The blonde grinned and pocketed it while trying to do his best at not freezing to death.

Nearly 10 minutes later, he spotted a car pull into the car park with a lanky driver tumbling out. He waved as best he could through chattering teeth and bluish lips. Before he could get a syllable out, he found himself yanked into a very warm car and kissing Colin. "What'm I doin' here? Um...it's December 31st, Colin." He brandished a roughly wrapped package and held it out to him. "Happy birthday, you tosser."

[pretendmagic]

Colin faltered and stared at the present. Bradley came for his birthday? He hadn't even realized Bradley even knew when his birthday was. His fingers curled around the gift and he gave a tiny smile. It meant a lot, you could tell that much from his expression, and how he was even careful taking apart the wrapping paper like everything about the gift was precious.

[awpoorcolin]

Inside was a dark blue beanie. "Y'know because you might get cold. I didn't reckon how cold til I got here." Bradley gave a shiver as colour began to return to his face. "Spent Christmas and Boxing Day with my mum and sister. So I hope you didn't mind I turned up here for your birthday. I'm a bit early..."

[pretendmagic]

Colin picked up the beanie and pulled it on, leaning over again to give Bradley another kiss, and pulling off his jacket to throw over him like a blanket. He was only in his pajama pants and a t-shirt, but Bradley had been in the snow for way too long. It was the least he could do until they got back to the house where he could warm him up properly, wrapped up in bed.

"Of course I don't mind. It sweet. I didn't know you even knew m'birthday." He said, pulling the car away from the station, and driving back towards the house. A little slower now that he had the blond. Also thinking about what to say to his family when they got home...

[awpoorcolin]

The kiss was nice and had Bradley grinning. He relaxed under Colin's jacket and eyed his clothes. "Are you in your sleep clothes, Colin? You should've actually dressed! And of course I knew your birthday." The blonde shivered. "Sentimental, remember?"

Bradley looked around as the car started moving, confused. "Where're we goin'?" Honestly, he had meant to come by, drop the present off, and maybe catch up with Katie or some of his other mates down in Dublin. "Col?" He reached up with a hand and began to paw at the window. "Mate, station's that way."

[pretendmagic]

"And leave you standing out there even longer? I'm fine." He said, not bothered about his clothes, he was used to the cold.

"Home. It takes hours to get anywhere from here, especially with nearly a foot of snow. It's already gettin' late. An' you are freezing. Come warm up at my house, and you can go in the mornin'" Colin wasn't sending Bradley back out in the cold to go anywhere, at least not until he got him a decent jacket. It would take at least two hours to get to Dublin anyways. It could wait 'till morning, right?

[awpoorcolin]

He blinked at the dark haired man. "Wait, what about your parents and such? I mean, they're not gonna take to your mate just showin' up, are they? No, drop me off at a hotel or somethin'." He eyed the landscape. White, possibly colder than Devonian weather. "There's got to be like a hostel or somethin' right? I thought we were keepin' this on the quiet." Bradley reached over and squeezed his hand. "It's all right. Just drop me off at the hostel or something."

[pretendmagic]

"They'll be fine. They're at a new years party. You're not going to a hostel." He squeezed Bradley's hand and smiled, eventually slowing to a stop in front of his house. It wasn't the biggest place in the world, but Colin dragged him inside. It was warm inside the neat little house, paintings and photos littered the walls, and smelled of herbs and spices.

"We have vegetable stew if you want some. It's still hot. I think da' has some hot chocolate mix too, or tea if you'd prefer." He offered, closing the door behind them, and glancing into the kitchen.

[awpoorcolin]

"They're at a new years party? Why aren't you at one? Come to think of it, why aren't you with your mates, celebratin' another year gone by?" Bradley felt his teeth chatter again and he nodded at the offer of soup and hot chocolate. "I'll take the hot chocolate, if you don't mind."

He smiled at the inside of the Morgan home. "Cozy." Similar to his mum's place. Then again, he reckoned most mums have pictures of their kids everywhere. He looked over and stared at a photo on the wall. "What is this?" A photo of Colin in costume but far too small and cuddly to be any real role he'd done recently.

[pretendmagic]

"I'm goin' out tomorrow night. Neil gets home tomorrow, and he and some friends are taking me out." He said, wandering into the kitchen to fix some hot chocolate. When he finished, Colin handed over the warm mug, and looked up at the picture. "That was in secondary school."

He was thankful that he'd had the house to himself tonight. He hadn't cared much for new years parties, and he was going to have a party of his own tomorrow night so it didn't make much difference. Having Bradley with him for new years was better anyway.