Prompt #13 "Letting Go", Bradley/Santiago, Unrequited!Bradley/Colin, PG-13
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This fic is in response to this prompt on KMM1: RPF, Bradley/Santiago, jealous Colin
501 words.
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Seeing them together is... it doesn't sit right with Colin.
He's not homophobic, so he doesn't understand what the problem is. Why does it make his skin crawl? They have an easy relationship, but even when Colin thought it was just friendship... there's just something about the way that Santiago put his arm around Bradley, almost possessive, that Colin hates.
Over the course of the season, Colin's epic friendship with Bradley starts to deteriorate. It's not fun anymore.
The times they used to spend happily sequestered in Bradley's trailer, or Colin's hotel room, pulling pranks on cast members - well, it's nothing short of awkward, now, and Colin doesn't get it.
When he sees Bradley kiss Santiago goodnight, softly, rage rips through him, and the next day he ruins take after take because he just can't seem to turn Colin off, can't find Merlin again.
He's given the afternoon off with Bradley, and told to sort it out.
It doesn't go well.
It takes perhaps a month before Colin finally understands it. It's not that he's homophobic - he knew he couldn't be. That time in school should have made that really obvious - it's that he's Bradley-and-Santiago-phobic. He doesn't want them together.
He wants Bradley all to himself.
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Over the next couple of months, filming gets both easier and more difficult. Colin's aware of his feelings now, and he can't do anything to control them, no matter how much he tries.
Instead, he starts a steady string of one-night stands, short relationships, anything he can think of to get over Bradley. He thinks it's starting to work.
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Santiago is back for another episode, and usually Bradley avoids Colin when Santiago's around.
Usually, Colin is downright rude to Santiago, and nothing short of nasty to Bradley. It's pleasant, to look at them, and come to the startling realisation that he's happy for them. He makes his way over to them, and starts by offering peace.
That episode is much easier to film, and they find themselves with time off. Colin spends it with the pair of them, extremely happy that he doesn't feel even the slightest twinge of jealousy when Bradley has an arm around Santiago.
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They're drunk, and talking about bollocks, when Colin finally tells them the truth.
They laugh about it, but Colin feels a little awkward. Sure, his crush on Bradley is gone now, but they all know that it was more than that, that feelings like that are damned hard to kill.
But Colin's managed, and he tells them so. Tells them that he is only glad that his friend is happy, now, and wants to put all the past rubbish behind them.
He almost believes it completely.
*
Sometimes, Colin looks at Bradley and hopes that they can have something more than friendship.
Now, though? Now he's content to leave things as they are. He can be happy, and Shaun is proof of that.
Maybe all he really needed was a way to find his own happiness.
*
This fic is in response to this prompt on KMM1: RPF, Bradley/Santiago, jealous Colin
501 words.
***
Seeing them together is... it doesn't sit right with Colin.
He's not homophobic, so he doesn't understand what the problem is. Why does it make his skin crawl? They have an easy relationship, but even when Colin thought it was just friendship... there's just something about the way that Santiago put his arm around Bradley, almost possessive, that Colin hates.
Over the course of the season, Colin's epic friendship with Bradley starts to deteriorate. It's not fun anymore.
The times they used to spend happily sequestered in Bradley's trailer, or Colin's hotel room, pulling pranks on cast members - well, it's nothing short of awkward, now, and Colin doesn't get it.
When he sees Bradley kiss Santiago goodnight, softly, rage rips through him, and the next day he ruins take after take because he just can't seem to turn Colin off, can't find Merlin again.
He's given the afternoon off with Bradley, and told to sort it out.
It doesn't go well.
It takes perhaps a month before Colin finally understands it. It's not that he's homophobic - he knew he couldn't be. That time in school should have made that really obvious - it's that he's Bradley-and-Santiago-phobic. He doesn't want them together.
He wants Bradley all to himself.
*
Over the next couple of months, filming gets both easier and more difficult. Colin's aware of his feelings now, and he can't do anything to control them, no matter how much he tries.
Instead, he starts a steady string of one-night stands, short relationships, anything he can think of to get over Bradley. He thinks it's starting to work.
*
Santiago is back for another episode, and usually Bradley avoids Colin when Santiago's around.
Usually, Colin is downright rude to Santiago, and nothing short of nasty to Bradley. It's pleasant, to look at them, and come to the startling realisation that he's happy for them. He makes his way over to them, and starts by offering peace.
That episode is much easier to film, and they find themselves with time off. Colin spends it with the pair of them, extremely happy that he doesn't feel even the slightest twinge of jealousy when Bradley has an arm around Santiago.
*
They're drunk, and talking about bollocks, when Colin finally tells them the truth.
They laugh about it, but Colin feels a little awkward. Sure, his crush on Bradley is gone now, but they all know that it was more than that, that feelings like that are damned hard to kill.
But Colin's managed, and he tells them so. Tells them that he is only glad that his friend is happy, now, and wants to put all the past rubbish behind them.
He almost believes it completely.
*
Sometimes, Colin looks at Bradley and hopes that they can have something more than friendship.
Now, though? Now he's content to leave things as they are. He can be happy, and Shaun is proof of that.
Maybe all he really needed was a way to find his own happiness.