Calling Bradley had been the absolute right thing to do.
Author’s note: This is something I wanted to write for a long time. Ever since the Colin & Bradley quests, that showed us, that Bradley doesn't need to look at Colin to know what he is trying to say. Well. Almost.
I aslo swore to never write RP-fics, but I just wont regret it.
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Colin hunched his shoulders the way he always did when he was cold. And cold he was, since Germany was icy. Granted, not colder than Ireland or Wales or London, but definitely colder than Australia. Well, maybe he was also shivering due to his lack of sleep, leaving him really tired. Truth was, right now he was not tired, he was bloody exhausted and still he kept walking down some empty street in Heidelberg. For some reason his mind was working overtime and he couldn't manage to shut it down. Therefore walking around had seemed a good enough idea. Without thinking -because, really, he just didn’t have the energy for it right now- he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. After dialling and waiting far too many rings, Colin had to admit that clearly no one was picking up.
“Come on….” he muttered under his breath, not sure where the urge to talk came from after just hours of awesome but energy-sapping interviews. He sighed and then it clicked and he finally heard that voice.
“Cols! What the hack, do you think you are doing?” greeted Bradleys loud voice over the speaker. Colin always found it amusing how Bradley chose to always stress the most unlikely word of a sentence.
“Uhm…”
“If you intend to tell me that you are in die Deutscheland Colin, you should know that I am well aware of that!”
Colin rolled his eyes. Bradley’s accent was awful.
“What I wanted to know.", added Bradley teasingly. "-to put it in words even a sleep deprived Irish Mr. Morgan will have to understand- was: What are you doing, ringing me, while probably strolling about picking your brain for Merlin knows what reasons, when you should, in fact, be using your rare and precious spare time to get some highly required sleep?”
Colin heard how pleased Bradley was about his Merlin-reference and also he wondered how Bradley knew what he was doing anyway. Colin chuckled. This conversation was going nowhere. Why did he even call Bradley in the first place?
He murmured something indistinct in response.
“That’s just noises, Colin. Again!”
Colin snorted.
“Seriously now, Colin, I won’t have it.” ordered Bradley over the phone and Colin knew, just knew, that he was waving his hands around for emphasis, while saying that. “Get some quality time with your pillow, now. Pronto!”
“Mh-mh.” answered Colin and shortly after added, not so sure exactly why or what for, but did it anyway: „Thanks, Bradley.”
It came out more Irish than he had intended.
Bradley laughed. His stupid, head- back-throwing-laugh, that showed all his ridiculous teeth.
“Yeah, yeah whatever.” was the bemused response he received, “Sure, Cols. Forever and always and that stuff. Now get that sleep you so obviously lack.”
He hung up.
Colin stowed his phone away, pulled hid hoodie over and hurried to get to his hotel room. Suddenly he wanted nothing more than get some sleep. Calling Bradley had been the absolute right thing to do. He wasn’t sure why though.
When his head hit the pillow and his eyes were already sleepily closed it finally dawned on him. He had said only two words during the whole conversation and still it had been exactly that - a conversation. Calling Bradley had been the absolute right thing to do, because, apparently, Bradley didn’t need to hear or see him to know exactly what was going through his mind. Bradley, apparently, was that person. That one person, that got him.