Error: System Crashed
"Fuck damn it!" Ryan cursed aloud, despite the lack of people in the room.
Just as the video he had been rendering had almost completed and been ready to be moved into the 'upload' folder, his computer had emitted a loud 'DING DONG', informing him that an unknown error had occurred, making the past two hours a total waste of time. Ryan sighed, kneading his eyes with the heel of his palm. Well, no point complaining about it. There was nothing for it but to start the process again.
Dragging and dropping the relevant footage to the relevant places, he glanced at his watch. 7:30pm. The others had gone home hours before hand and he was the only one left in this blasted office. Great.
His cell phone was already in his hand and he had tapped in his home phone number before he remembered. He sighed heavily, replacing the device into his pocket. There was no point phoning home to explain why he was going to be late. There was no one there to miss him.
A month or so previously, his wife had sat him down, told him that it wasn't working anymore, and had left, taking their son and daughter with her.
Ryan sat back on the chair, tilting his head towards the ceiling. As there was no one around to witness him, he let the tears flow freely in twin rivers down his face. Even thought it had been very much an amicable separation -and he still saw his kids every weekend- fifteen years is a long time to be with a person, only to have the relationship fall apart so suddenly. Well, Ryan sniffed, wiping his face with the cuff of his sweatshirt. Maybe 'sudden' wasn't entirely accurate; they had been arguing a hell of a lot in the past two years. Even the birth of their daughter hadn't brought them closer together, as he had secretly hoped it would.
Okay so yeah, maybe it hadn't been exactly sudden, but it still hurt a hell of a lot all the same.
He composed himself, looking around the room for a way to occupy his time. Well, if he had to wait on this blasted video, he might as well be comfortable.
Spinning his chair around, he got up, making his way towards the white couch that had once served as his office space in the old building. He stretched, clicking his stiff neck and elbows, before plumping up the Tower of Pimps cushions and settling down to wait for the 'BING!' that would signify that he could finally think about going home. Home to a delicious microwave meal for one, and a double bed that recently seemed to stretch on and on endlessly. Fantastic.
It was about 8:45pm when Gavin ran into the abandoned Achievement Hunter office. He had been recording some of his lines for the new animated series that he and Ray were staring in, and the session had run on for longer than anticipated. Lindsay had offered to give him a lift back to Geoff's -he had moved back into his old annex since Meg had left- but she was in a rush, and he needed to collect his belongings from the office, so he'd politely declined.
He grabbed his scarf and hoodie; rooting around in the pockets to locate his phone, pulling it out triumphantly.
As he scrolled down his contact list to find Geoff's number, a sound made him turn about sharply, heart hammering. He looked around the room, attempting to pin-point the source, eventually glancing towards the sofa.
"Bloody hell, Ry!" he exclaimed, laughing with relief and clutching his chest dramatically. "You almost gave me a flipping heart attack, you smeghead! I thought everyone had-" his voice died off as Ryan scrunched his face up in discontent and let out a soft snore. Ah. That had been the sound he heard.
He smiled fondly at the sleeping man, shaking his head sadly.
Since splitting with his wife, Ryan had always been the last to leave the office, and usually the first to arrive the next morning. Gavin suspected that this was not the first time the old sofa had doubled as a bed for him.
A soft BING sounded from Ryan's whirring computer, and Gavin saw that the video Ry had been working on had just completed. He transferred the files into the 'upload' folder, and shut down the machine.
Turning back to Ryan, he shook his shoulder gently.
"Ry. Ry-Bread, your video is done. I finished the process, so you can just go home now mate." Ryan stirred, but did not wake.
Gavin tried again, raising his voice slightly.
"C'mon Ryan, home time." He shook the sleeping man several more times, but to no avail.
Eventually he gave up, stepping away. He stared at his slumbering co-worker, absentmindedly brushing a lock of hair off of Ryan's cheek.
'Gavin, I know you think he's dreamy and all, but you're being really creepy right now...' a voice in his head said, sounding annoyingly like Michael.
Oh smeg off. He thought back at it I'm just making sure he's alright.
He tuned out the scoffing reply and knelt beside Ryan, studying the man's features. Even in sleep, his face showed signs of worry and fatigue.
Gav placed a hand lightly upon one of Ryan's, frowning at how cold the other man's skin felt to touch. Tugging off his hoodie, he gently laid it over his friend, wishing that he had something more substantial to cover him with.
He patted his hand again, still trying (and failing) to ignore the Michael-ish voice in his head that was now reminding him of Ryan's heterosexuality, recent divorce and a million other reasons why they couldn't be together.
He sighed, realising he was still squatted next to the sofa. He gave the hand one last squeeze as he made to get up, and was suddenly pulled back down again. He landed with a patented 'Gavin Squawk' on the floor. Although the pull had been gentle, it had not at all been expected. He looked back up at Ryan, ready with an excuse as to why he had been staring at him, but was astonished to see that Ryan –although clutching his hand tightly- was still sleeping soundly. In fact, there was actually a small smile on his face that hadn't been there previously.
Gavin was grinning, glad that the worry lines had disappeared from his friends sleeping face, when –with surprising force for an unconscious man- Ryan tugged him towards himself again. Gav had little choice but to join Ryan in lying on the couch, lest his wrist be broken. At least, that was what he gleefully told the voice.
After a minute or two, Ryan released Gavin's wrist, and instead slung an arm over his chest, tucking a leg between Gavin's own. Gav lay motionless, heart pounding. How would he explain this if Ryan were to wake up now?
He tilted his head slightly, angling his neck so that he could partially see Ryan's face. The man was smiling in his sleep as he snuggled up to his apparent new found cuddle buddy, and Gav could feel his warm breath pleasantly tickling his neck and chin. When it became plain that Ryan was not about to wake up any time soon, Gavin relaxed. To hell with it! He thought, as he snuggled into the embrace. He sighed contently; attempting to commit every sense of this moment to memory, as the rhythmic rise and fall of Ryan's breathing lulled him to sleep.
The next thing Gavin knew, he was once again landing on the floor –although this time with more of an 'ooft' than a squawk.
He sat up, his ear registering the laughter before his eyes registered the fact that he was surrounded by his other co-workers, each clutching a cell phone or camera.
Eyes widening as he remembered the previous evening –and realising what must have happened- he whipped his head round to face Ryan, who was now shrinking back into the couch, very much awake, and looking horrified- and confused. His eyes fluctuated between the gaggle of Achievement Hunters –who were still snickering at their phones- and Gavin, who hadn't moved from where Ryan had obviously pushed him.
Gavin opened his mouth to speak, but his brain supplied him no words, so he promptly shut it again with a sheepish shrug.
Not that it mattered; Ryan had jumped up and actually ran out of the room before he had even registered his mouth opening.
He turned back to the others, not bothering to get up off of the floor. Geoff was still chuckling to himself, Jack looked like he was contemplating going after Ryan, a vague look of guilt in his eyes, and Lindsay, Ray and Kdin appeared to be deciding which image was their favourite.
"Show me." Gavin hoarsely barked at Michael, the only one still looking at him.
With a sigh, Michael obliged, selecting an image on his phone with one hand, whilst supplying leverage to help Gavin up with the other.
Gav snatched the device from his friend, gazing down at the image with a mixture of embarrassment and affection.
It showed him and Ryan; limbs tangled and intertwined on the sofa, Ryan's arm protectively scooped around Gavin's back -instinctively preventing him from falling from the narrow couch. Gavin had one hand under his own head, and the other gripping Ryan's shoulder. Their faces looked serene -peaceful- and Ryan was still smiling, Gav realised with a jolt. He must have been wearing that content smile all night.
Graceful as a gazebo, Gavin sprinted out of the room after Ryan, only once stopping to grab a random employee –Joel- to ask which way Ryan had gone. He did, however stop thirteen or so time to catch his breath, but he would omit that when telling the story later.
Ryan –as it turned out- flees to the kitchen when in distress.
He was not overly surprised when a wheezing Gavin burst through the door, but this did not make him any less annoyed about it.
"What the actual fuck Gavin!?" he hissed.
The only response Gavin could muster was to hold up a finger for Ryan to pause his onslaught -doubled over- trying to catch his breath.
Surprisingly, Ryan did wait until the Brit was no longer panting before continuing.
"Gavin, what the fuck did you think you were even doing, invading my privacy like that!?"
"Invading your privacy Gav spluttered, indignation colouring his voice "It's not as if I broke into your house and snuck into your bedroom; we were at the office! It's not my bloody fault you fell asleep here!"
"That is obviously not the part I'm objecting to!" Ryan retorted, attempting to keep his voice down "What I'm objecting to is you taking advantage of me in a fucking vulnerable moment! Who the fuck see's a sleeping co-worker, and thinks 'oh, shall I wake him up? Nah, tell ya what, I'm gonna swaddle him with my body and make the mentally exhausted, recently divorced man the laughing stock of the entire fucking faculty!' Oh yeah Gav, what a fucking fantastic joke!"
Ryan turned away during this outburst, wiping angry tears from his eyes. When he turned back to face Gavin, he looked more tired and drained than Gav had ever seen him.
"That's...that's not how it was at all." Gavin began with trepidation
"Oh? Then tell me Gavin, tell me exactly how it fucking was."
"I did try to wake you, Ry. I finished the work you had been doing, and I tried to wake you, but you must have been exhausted. You looked cold, so I put my hoodie over you, and was gonna go home and let you sleep, but you pulled my hand back." Gav conveniently 'forgot' to explain how Ryan came to be holding his hand in the first place. Ryan noticed this omission, but said nothing, allowing the Brit to continue.
"You pulled me back to I had to get on the sofa. Then you cuddled into me, and you looked so calm, Ry –so worry free. So I didn't pull away. I didn't exactly mean for me to sleep there with you all night but...yeah." he finished lamely, shrugging in an attempt to draw attention away from the blush he knew had painted his cheeks.
Looking up, he could swear he saw a faint pink tinge in Ryan's face too.
"I...I pulled you there?" Ryan asked, a strange amalgamation of confusion and clarity clouding his features.
Gavin nodded.
"I...well that's okay then. I guess. I thought it was another prank, and I'm not really up to being the butt of jokes currently..." he trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
They stood facing each other, not saying anything. Gavin tried to cough to fill the silence, but it somehow got stuck in his throat, causing him to gag and cough violently for real.
Alarmed, Ryan strode across the room and thumped him on the back. This caused more coughing, and Gavin motioned wildly for him to stop.
When he had ceased dying, the two grinned at each other, Gav's face still slightly purple.
"Mates?"
Gavin frowned "Yeah, as long as you never say 'mates' in that terrible fake English accent ever again! Stop butchering the words of my people." He winked, taking the responding chuckle as an agreement.
Both men were aware that Ryan had yet to remove his hand from where it was resting on Gavin's back, but neither really minded. In fact, Gav was pretty sure Ryan was actually using the hand to very gently guide him towards himself.
Looking up at Ryan's face, frowning ever so slightly, Gavin took a bold –albeit small- step away from the hand, towards Ryan.
He instantly knew he had guessed correctly, as Ryan closed the gap between them, tentatively touching his lips to Gavin's own.
That was it. Neither one deepened the kiss, no wondering tongue seeking entrance into the others mouth. Just Ryan's dry, slightly chapped lips pressed gently against Gavin's slightly wetter, but equally chapped ones.
It lasted barely two seconds, but it was enough. Ryan drew back, and nodded at Gavin, answering all of his unasked questions in that single motion.
"Notice anything different, Ry-Bread?" Gavin asked, hanging excitedly off of his boyfriend's arm.
Ryan rolled his eyes "Of course I notice something different, Gav. We've just redecorated. The entire room is different."
Gavin slapped his arm playfully.
"Oh sod off! You know what I mean; notice anything extra different?"
"Oh you're right, that is soooo much clearer now!" the sarcasm dripped from his voice as smoothly and naturally as a river from a waterfall.
"Ryyyyyyyyyan!" Gavin whined.
Ryan laughed his deep throaty chuckle at his partners' child like frustration. He was so easy to wind up, how could he be expected to resist?
"Yes, of course I noticed. I didn't even know that still existed." He smiled, stroking Gavin's hair fondly.
"Ahh!" Gavin's eyes sparkled "Yes, I had to travel across vast lands, scour endless oceans, battle-"
"You found it on Ray's old twitter didn't you?"
"RYAN! I hadn't finished my tale of grand adventure, Spoil Sport."
"I do apologise" he rolled his eyes again "please, do go on."
"Nah. You ruined it. Gonna have to live the rest of your life never knowing my epic quest."
"A tragedy I shall never recover from, I'm sure."
The exchange would undoubtedly have continued in the manner for some time, had Ray not entered the room.
"Hey, what kind of hosts are you dickwads; leaving us all to fend for ourselves out there? Geoff has told us about a million times how his BBQs are soo much more organised and- oh hey, I remember that!" he turned to Gavin "did you take that from 'BrownMan's' twitter? Reckon I could sue him for that if you wanted Ry." He winked at Ryan, defending himself from Gavin's indignant squawk. "For fucks sake Gav, you're 40 years old dude! How can your voice even still go that high?"
Ryan laughed at the pair, returning his gaze back to the picture in question.
On the wall, surrounded by other framed photos of the two of them –plus the other ex-Achievement Hunters and their families- was a hastily snapped, slightly blurry picture. Gavin's face resting on his own hand, a small patch of drool dripping down onto Ryan's shoulder, limbs from both of them intertwined; happy peaceful smiles on both of their lips.