Fic: The Red Room
Title: The Red Room
Fandom: Merlin/Disney RPF
Pairing: Zac Efron/Colin Morgan, Bradley James is there too.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Backstage moments.
Beta: Thanks to lisson17for her help!
Disclaimer: These people belong to themselves and the one shameless HSM quote belongs to Disney.
Notes: Written for thisissiriusand her Merlin & Disney Comment Fest Party. Hope you like it!
It was commonplace at the BBC to find an awkward silence in any situation where multiple famous people were crammed into a small space for any extended period of time. The Jonathon Ross show had a plush, red room for celebrities to wait in as part of the set and a two way camera conference allowed the presenter to talk to his guests throughout the show. At the moment, the guests were waiting for the show to start and refreshments had been laid out in the tiny room for them to enjoy in the meantime. The warmth of the studio lights made the room stuffy and almost claustrophobic to the people within and Colin found himself loosening his tie within minutes of entering, his suit feeling too tight for his body.
Next to him, Bradley shifted in his seat and Colin glanced at him, meeting his eyes to share a look of mutual discomfort. On his other side, someone coughed and Colin tried to surreptitiously eye them in his peripheral to see if he recognised them. The man was young, maybe a few years his junior, and attractive with artfully tousled, brown hair and striking blue eyes. His complexion sold him out as American, the slightly orange tint that was only ever justifiable across the pond, but he seemed able to pull the look off without looking like a complete tool. Colin assessed his outfit, taking in the tight jeans and just-a-little-too-small shirt with rolled up sleeves; the clothing was obviously designer but there were no labels that Colin could name.
Looking down to consider his own slightly outdated black suit and white shirt, Colin felt his uneasiness increase and another glance over at Bradley’s tailored grey suit and blue shirt that showed off all that was magnificent about the other man’s Adonis-like body did not make him feel any better. He sighed, ignoring Bradley’s concerned look and reached forward to the coffee table to steal a grape from the bowl, popping it into his mouth quickly.
He frowned when he saw Bradley’s gleeful smirk. At his questioning frown the blonde man simply grinned wider and whispered conspiratorially, which with Bradley meant incredibly loudly, “You do realise those aren’t real.”
Colin gasped and immediately began to choke, the plastic fruit, as he could now tell it was, lodging in his throat to block his windpipe. His eyes teared up and he tried to suck in some much needed oxygen and he tried to glare at Bradley, who was laughing hysterically, at the same time. After a few seconds, Colin began to panic, his frantic coughs increasing in volume and power as his body convulsed, trying to free the trapped ornament from his oesophagus. There was a rushing in his ears and he began to feel light headed as he clutched at his throat with his hands, wheezing and spluttering.
He could see Bradley stop laughing as he realised that something was seriously wrong and begin to talk to him. Colin could see his lips moving but he couldn’t make out the words over the pounding of his head and his own choking.
He felt someone pull him out of his seat and move behind him. Hands came around his abdomen as it was pulled roughly in and he gasped at the first rush of air. Three more short jabs of movement to his stomach and the grape was dislodged, dropping to the floor with a wet splat.
Colin sagged into the firm chest behind him, his eyes closing in relief as he sucked in air, panting from exertion. He felt someone pat his face gently and opened his still glassy eyes mournfully, Bradley’s face swimming in front of him.
“Colin! Colin, are you alright?” Bradley garbled out in a rush, cupping his cheek in one hand as he frowned at him worriedly.
Colin nodded weakly. “Yeah,” he rasped and winced at the soreness of his throat. “Sore though.”
“Of course! You just choked on a plastic fruit you idiot. I’ll go fetch you some water.” Bradley rushed off, clearly still anxious if his uncharacteristic show of helpfulness was anything to go by. Colin watched him go with an amused smile, wondering if he had to be almost dying to bring out Bradley’s more charitable side.
It was then that he became aware of the arms still wrapped tightly around his waist and the breath upon the back of his neck. He jumped and turned around; coming face to face with the attractive American he had been sitting next to earlier. Those intense blue eyes were focused on his own and for no apparent reason Colin found himself blushing, cursing his pasty Irish skin for making it completely obvious.
The blue-eyed man smiled, showing off dazzling teeth to match said blue eyes and Colin found himself returning it instantly. “Thank you so much; you saved my life,” he gushed and then promptly turned a deeper shade of red.
“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far,” the man said slightly sheepishly. “Just right place right time, that’s all. I’m Zac. Zac Efron,” he added, reaching out a tanned palm for Colin to take. He did, placing his distinctly paler hand in Zac’s and shaking it heartily, feeling the warmth of it in his own before releasing it.
“Well, I’m grateful all the same. I’m Colin.”
“I know,” Zac said loftily and Colin frowned, confused.
“You do? How?”
The American smirked. “Dude, your friend was shouting it pretty loudly just then. I kinda assumed that was your name.”
Colin ducked his head in embarrassment. “Oh right.”
Zac shook his head and sat back down, leaving Colin standing self-consciously in the middle of the room until he joined him, sitting slightly closer than necessary. Zac smiled softly but didn’t look at him.
“So do you often going around putting strange things in your mouth?” Zac asked with a wink.
Colin spluttered, flustered. “Um...no...I don’t...I just...It was...I thought it was real,” he finished lamely and shrugged when Zac laughed at his fumbling.
“So, do you want to...I mean you don’t have to...but would you maybe like to have dinner with me? Tonight, I mean, my treat. I’ll even make sure it’s real food,” Zac asked with a slight red tint to his cheeks and an adorable smile.
Colin smiled back. “I’d love to,” he said brightly before scrunching up his face in confusion when Zac stood up. He accepted the outstretched hand, allowing himself to be pulled up but the furrow to his brow did not leave.
“Awesome.” Zac turned and headed toward the studio door, glancing back over his shoulder at a dumbfounded Colin. “Come on then.”
“What now? But the show...”
“No time like the present,” Zac called as he strolled purposefully out of the studio.
Colin looked around at the various crew members who were bustling around; no one was paying them any attention. He shook his head at his own daring and followed the American out. After all, anything can happen when you take a chance.
Fandom: Merlin/Disney RPF
Pairing: Zac Efron/Colin Morgan, Bradley James is there too.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Backstage moments.
Beta: Thanks to lisson17for her help!
Disclaimer: These people belong to themselves and the one shameless HSM quote belongs to Disney.
Notes: Written for thisissiriusand her Merlin & Disney Comment Fest Party. Hope you like it!
It was commonplace at the BBC to find an awkward silence in any situation where multiple famous people were crammed into a small space for any extended period of time. The Jonathon Ross show had a plush, red room for celebrities to wait in as part of the set and a two way camera conference allowed the presenter to talk to his guests throughout the show. At the moment, the guests were waiting for the show to start and refreshments had been laid out in the tiny room for them to enjoy in the meantime. The warmth of the studio lights made the room stuffy and almost claustrophobic to the people within and Colin found himself loosening his tie within minutes of entering, his suit feeling too tight for his body.
Next to him, Bradley shifted in his seat and Colin glanced at him, meeting his eyes to share a look of mutual discomfort. On his other side, someone coughed and Colin tried to surreptitiously eye them in his peripheral to see if he recognised them. The man was young, maybe a few years his junior, and attractive with artfully tousled, brown hair and striking blue eyes. His complexion sold him out as American, the slightly orange tint that was only ever justifiable across the pond, but he seemed able to pull the look off without looking like a complete tool. Colin assessed his outfit, taking in the tight jeans and just-a-little-too-small shirt with rolled up sleeves; the clothing was obviously designer but there were no labels that Colin could name.
Looking down to consider his own slightly outdated black suit and white shirt, Colin felt his uneasiness increase and another glance over at Bradley’s tailored grey suit and blue shirt that showed off all that was magnificent about the other man’s Adonis-like body did not make him feel any better. He sighed, ignoring Bradley’s concerned look and reached forward to the coffee table to steal a grape from the bowl, popping it into his mouth quickly.
He frowned when he saw Bradley’s gleeful smirk. At his questioning frown the blonde man simply grinned wider and whispered conspiratorially, which with Bradley meant incredibly loudly, “You do realise those aren’t real.”
Colin gasped and immediately began to choke, the plastic fruit, as he could now tell it was, lodging in his throat to block his windpipe. His eyes teared up and he tried to suck in some much needed oxygen and he tried to glare at Bradley, who was laughing hysterically, at the same time. After a few seconds, Colin began to panic, his frantic coughs increasing in volume and power as his body convulsed, trying to free the trapped ornament from his oesophagus. There was a rushing in his ears and he began to feel light headed as he clutched at his throat with his hands, wheezing and spluttering.
He could see Bradley stop laughing as he realised that something was seriously wrong and begin to talk to him. Colin could see his lips moving but he couldn’t make out the words over the pounding of his head and his own choking.
He felt someone pull him out of his seat and move behind him. Hands came around his abdomen as it was pulled roughly in and he gasped at the first rush of air. Three more short jabs of movement to his stomach and the grape was dislodged, dropping to the floor with a wet splat.
Colin sagged into the firm chest behind him, his eyes closing in relief as he sucked in air, panting from exertion. He felt someone pat his face gently and opened his still glassy eyes mournfully, Bradley’s face swimming in front of him.
“Colin! Colin, are you alright?” Bradley garbled out in a rush, cupping his cheek in one hand as he frowned at him worriedly.
Colin nodded weakly. “Yeah,” he rasped and winced at the soreness of his throat. “Sore though.”
“Of course! You just choked on a plastic fruit you idiot. I’ll go fetch you some water.” Bradley rushed off, clearly still anxious if his uncharacteristic show of helpfulness was anything to go by. Colin watched him go with an amused smile, wondering if he had to be almost dying to bring out Bradley’s more charitable side.
It was then that he became aware of the arms still wrapped tightly around his waist and the breath upon the back of his neck. He jumped and turned around; coming face to face with the attractive American he had been sitting next to earlier. Those intense blue eyes were focused on his own and for no apparent reason Colin found himself blushing, cursing his pasty Irish skin for making it completely obvious.
The blue-eyed man smiled, showing off dazzling teeth to match said blue eyes and Colin found himself returning it instantly. “Thank you so much; you saved my life,” he gushed and then promptly turned a deeper shade of red.
“Oh, I wouldn’t go that far,” the man said slightly sheepishly. “Just right place right time, that’s all. I’m Zac. Zac Efron,” he added, reaching out a tanned palm for Colin to take. He did, placing his distinctly paler hand in Zac’s and shaking it heartily, feeling the warmth of it in his own before releasing it.
“Well, I’m grateful all the same. I’m Colin.”
“I know,” Zac said loftily and Colin frowned, confused.
“You do? How?”
The American smirked. “Dude, your friend was shouting it pretty loudly just then. I kinda assumed that was your name.”
Colin ducked his head in embarrassment. “Oh right.”
Zac shook his head and sat back down, leaving Colin standing self-consciously in the middle of the room until he joined him, sitting slightly closer than necessary. Zac smiled softly but didn’t look at him.
“So do you often going around putting strange things in your mouth?” Zac asked with a wink.
Colin spluttered, flustered. “Um...no...I don’t...I just...It was...I thought it was real,” he finished lamely and shrugged when Zac laughed at his fumbling.
“So, do you want to...I mean you don’t have to...but would you maybe like to have dinner with me? Tonight, I mean, my treat. I’ll even make sure it’s real food,” Zac asked with a slight red tint to his cheeks and an adorable smile.
Colin smiled back. “I’d love to,” he said brightly before scrunching up his face in confusion when Zac stood up. He accepted the outstretched hand, allowing himself to be pulled up but the furrow to his brow did not leave.
“Awesome.” Zac turned and headed toward the studio door, glancing back over his shoulder at a dumbfounded Colin. “Come on then.”
“What now? But the show...”
“No time like the present,” Zac called as he strolled purposefully out of the studio.
Colin looked around at the various crew members who were bustling around; no one was paying them any attention. He shook his head at his own daring and followed the American out. After all, anything can happen when you take a chance.