Merlin Fanfiction: A Lot Like Love (Part 1)
‘Quiet please everyone. Quiet!’
Colin and Bradley looked around in surprise to see Johnny standing on one of the tables and clinking a fork against the side of a champagne glass. The hubbub in the room gradually died down.
‘As everyone knows we have just finished filming season one...’ Johnny was temporarily drowned out by a loud cheer and everyone took a celebratory drink. Johnny grinned and made the traditional quieten down gesture with his hands. ‘Yes well done everyone. And also as you know the first few episodes have aired to amazing ratings, better than we could have hoped for. And...’ dramatic pause ‘we have been commissioned for another season!’
If the cheer before had been loud, this once was huge. Colin was immediately engulfed in a bear hug by Bradley but for once he didn’t mind his exuberance. They pushed their way through the crowd, kissing the girls on the cheek, shaking hands with Richard, high fiving Tony, throwing congratulations at everyone they recognised. Johnny soon gave up trying to regain silence and simply called for more champagne. It was all a blur. A big, happy, noisy blur.
*
‘Bradley I think I’m having a panic attack’ Colin whimpered pathetically. Bradley looked at him witheringly, not in the least bit sympathetic.
‘Man up Col. No one even watches Something For The Weekend’ he said bracingly and slapped Colin on the shoulder.
‘Hey!’ The producer guy that had just been talking them through what was gonna happen when they got out there looked a bit annoyed at Bradley’s assessment.
‘Oh I mean loads of people watch it of course.’ Bradley said placatingly.
‘Eep’ That was Colin freaking out some more.
‘But of course when I say loads I mean a few. A couple. I mean I’m sure it’s very popular with a certain set of people but erm not enough to worry about. I mean well more people will be watching Merlin than will be watching this show Col. I’m sure. Not that this show isn’t as good as Merlin. They are both good in different ways. They appeal to different sorts I would imagine. And when I say a couple I mean a lot. And when I say a lot I mean not very many. Erm that is to say...’
Colin watched in interest as Bradley talked himself into knots trying to keep both him and the producer guy happy. But seeing Bradley so stressed out wasn’t exactly making him feel a whole lot better. ‘Bradley shut up!’ Colin said and Bradley thankfully ground to a halt. ‘Just cease your babble mind fucking a moment please; you’re freaking me out even more.’ Bradley took a deep breath.
‘Look Colin just think of this is an unimportant dry run for the more important interviews down the line.’ Luckily at this point Colin was taken into makeup and left Bradley behind with the producer saying ‘Not unimportant exactly. And when I said more important I of course just meant different...’
‘I don’t think we’ll be asked back’ Colin said.
*
‘And then he said ‘where’s Merlin now!’’ Bradley whined, shrugging off his jacket. He had just been playing football with a bunch of mates against another team of lads he didn’t know. Someone on the opposite team had tackled him quite roughly to the ground and Bradley was now moaning to Colin about it over the phone.
‘That proves it see. Arthur just can’t do anything without Merlin.’
‘Colin you’re not being very sympathetic’ Bradley moaned flopping back on his bed. He let out a hiss of pain as his sore back made contact with the covers.
‘Are you okay?’ Colin said suddenly concerned.
‘No’ Bradley whimpered though in truth he wasn’t badly hurt.
Colin laughed. He knew Bradley too well to be taken in.’ Do you want me to come over?’ he asked anyway.
‘Yes and bring ice cream’ Bradley said and hung up.
*
‘Umm what’s the offside rule again?’ Colin asked, panicking slightly. Bradley simply grinned at him.
‘Stop putting it off Col and let’s play.’ Bradley pushed Colin forward toward the gaggle of people standing in the field. He knew them all of course. They were members of the crew and Santiago and Rupert were there but they all suddenly looked a lot bigger than he remembered. Well except Rupert. Colin always knew he was huge.
‘You know when I asked you about the rules of football this isn’t exactly what I had in mind.’
‘Oh relax. There is an almost less than ten percent chance of you getting hurt. Much.’
‘How reassuring.’
*
‘Look what I have’ Colin said grinning triumphantly and whipping two tickets out of his pocket before handing them to Bradley. ‘Happy Birthday!’
‘Chelsea vs Arsenal! No way. I thought these sold out days ago.’ Bradley said excitedly. Then he remembered something through his haze of excitement. ‘But you hate football’. He pointed out remembering the disastrous first and last game he and Colin had played together in which Colin amazingly had been hit in the face with the ball and been knocked out. For days afterwards all he would say to Bradley was ‘less than 10 percent my arse!’ Bradley grinned at the memory and came back to the present to see Colin glaring at him.
‘I know what you’re thinking and it wasn’t funny’ Colin scowled.
‘Oh come on Col it was kinda funny. Anyway what was I saying? Oh yeah, you hate football’
‘But you don’t’ Colin said simply and Bradley felt warmth spread through him at the words. ‘Anyway there may be two tickets but you don’t have to take me’ Colin pointed out.
‘Who else would I take?’ Bradley asked outraged.
‘I was afraid you were gonna say that.’
*
‘You're the voice try and understand it, Make a noise and make it clear, Whoa oh oh Woah oh oh’
Colin watched in Bradley in interest as he sang along at top volume to the song on his ipod.
‘We’re not gonna sit in silence, we’re not gonna live with fear WOAH OH OH WOAH OH OH!’
‘Bradley what are you doing?’ Colin asked. He didn’t reply so Colin pulled one of the earphones out of his ear and repeated the question.
‘Oh hey Col’ Bradley shouted, the music so loud Colin could hear it clearly from where he was standing. ‘Wanna listen? It’s You’re the Voice by John Farnham.’
‘So I can hear’ Colin muttered but he sat next to Bradley and took the proffered earphone. Colin had the camera in his lap and as Bradley launched into the chorus again Colin flipped it on and joined in with gusto, both of them miming along to the words. The chorus ended and the instrumental started.
‘Take me to Glasgow’ Colin muttered, and Bradley paused for a moment before bursting out laughing. Then he looked at Colin with that insane twinkle in his eye that meant trouble for someone, most usually Colin.
‘Colin I have a brilliant idea. I’m thinking... MONTAGE!’
*
‘We’re lost’ Colin said matter-of-factly as Bradley flipped the map over again, frowning slightly.
‘Don’t be ridiculous Colin. We’re not lost’ Bradley said assertively.
‘Where are we then?’ Colin asked. Bradley made an extremely vague stab at the map.
‘We’re in this general area. Or at least within a three mile radius of this general area.’ He dissolved into muttering as he frowned down at the map again. Colin sighed and leaned against the car, cursing the Welsh roads. This is what they got for taking the scenic route. It was also what they got when Bradley said he didn’t need a navigator, tried to wing it, inadvertently ditched the whole camera crew and ended up in the middle of nowhere with no clue where he was.
‘We’re never going to get to Mould in time now’ Colin wailed, actually quite disappointed that he wouldn’t get to see the library.
‘Ah-ha!’ Bradley yelled exultantly. ‘This’ he said, pointing at a brown smudge on the map, ‘is not in fact a church as I was lead to believe. It is in fact Barbeque Sauce.’ He wiped his finger along it and it came off the map.
‘Brilliant. Then where are we?’ Colin said happily. Bradley’s smile faded and he frowned.
‘I still have no idea’ he said and went back to the map.
*
‘Colin Colin look what I’ve got!’ Bradley said excitedly practically jumping up and down. Colin’s face lit up when he saw what was in Bradley’s hands.
‘Oh. My. God.’
Two minutes later they were in the field next to the hotel, blowing bubbles in to the air with the bubble mix Bradley had got hold of. They chased the bubbles and had competitions to see who could blow the biggest, laughed hysterically and basically acted like little kids on a sugar high. Eventually they flopped down on the grass.
‘Admit it. I’m a genius.’ Bradley said.
‘You have your moments.’
*
‘Hi it’s Colin’ Colin said as Bradley picked up the phone. Bradley suppressed a growl. He had an irrational hatred of people saying who they were when they called your mobile because duh what was call ID for?
‘I know’ he said managing to sound pleasant. ‘What’s up?’
‘Wanna run lines?’ Colin asked. Such was their laziness that they chose to have this conversation on the phone rather than walk the few steps up the corridor to each other’s rooms.
‘Sure’
‘Cool come over’ Colin said and quickly hung up before they could have the usual argument over who would have to move. Bradley sighed, grabbed his script and a six pack before heaving himself upright and walking the five steps that separated Colin’s room from his.
‘What took you so long?’ Colin grinned as he opened the door.
*
‘I think your parents hate me.’ Bradley said, actually looking a bit concerned.
‘Well...you did back into my mum’s car and break the headlights.’
‘That was one time!’
Colin laughed at the typical Bradley response. ‘And when you offered to do the washing up you smashed four plates. Four!’
‘Hey I paid for them!’
‘What about that time you cooked dinner and set off both mine and my dad’s allergies and we had to go to hospital?’ Colin pointed out, frowning at the memory.
‘I drove you there didn’t I?’
‘And what about that time...’
‘Alright I get it. I make terrible first impressions.’
‘And second and third...’ Katie had joined the conversation. ‘How long were you there anyway?’
‘Only a few days’ Bradley said miserably.
‘Wow meeting the boyfriends parents didn’t go well then’ Katie teased. Colin and Bradley both turned away, not dignifying her with an answer. ‘They probably do hate you’ Katie said to their turned backs.
‘They don’t hate you’ Colin assured Bradley.
‘Why not?’ Katie and Bradley asked together.
‘Well you’re actually quite charming when you’re not being an utter twat’
*
‘That’s mine’ Bradley said suddenly.
‘That’s a little possessive don’t you think?’ Katie asked, following Bradley’s eye line who was staring at Colin across the courtyard.
‘Huh?’
‘Referring to Colin as yours.’
‘What? No I meant that black hoodie he is wearing. It’ mine.’ He repeated. ‘And it’s my favourite one’ he whined.
‘Go get it then.’
‘Oh...well I don’t want him to get cold or anything.’ Bradley said slowly.
‘Whipped.’ Angel said, smirking.
‘I am not!’ Bradley said. ‘Anyway it looks better on him.’
‘Whipped’ Angel said again dancing out of his reach.
‘Am not! What is it with you and Katie? We’re not a couple you know?’ Bradley moaned.
‘Could have fooled me.’ Angel said. Bradley stomped over to where Colin was and the girls could see his pout from across the courtyard and Colin’s gentling hand on his shoulder.
‘Those two are such a couple’ Katie said to Angel and they both laughed.
*
Colin came flying around the corner and almost knocked Tony flying. He yelled an apology over his shoulder as he ran.
‘Colin what are you...’ Tony yelled but Colin was already gone. Seconds later Bradley followed in hot pursuit.
‘Bradley what’s going...’ Tony yelled at Bradley’s retreating back. Finally the two girls walked around the corner at a lot more sedate pace.
‘Maybe you two can tell me what’s going on?’ Tony asked. ‘Or do I not want to know?’
‘Well they’re playing hide and seek’ Angel said.
‘But in their version you have to tag someone for them to be ‘found’’ Katie said.
‘And that’s why Bradley is chasing Colin’ Angel added.
‘I think Bradley will always be chasing Colin’ Tony muttered.
*
They were lying on the grass. Bradley, Colin and most unusually Rupert who appeared to be asleep. Bradley had his head pillowed on Colin’s chest and was staring up at the stars. For once he was quiet, just taking in the beautiful night. Being around Colin calmed some of his crazy energy and the steady flow of Colin’s breath was soothing him somewhat.
‘What would you wish?’ Colin said quietly, instinctively not raising his voice and disturbing the peace.
‘Huh?’ Bradley said with his usual articulation.
‘If you could wish on a star, what would you wish?’
‘Hmm...’ Bradley said but he already knew what he would wish. They were nearing the end of season four now after all with the fifth already safely in the pipeline. ‘I would wish for things not to change. I like things the way they are and I’m gonna miss you guys next year.’
‘Yeah?’
‘Yeah.’ There was silence for a moment and then Bradley decided to ask Colin the thing he had been wanting to ask for a long time. ‘You need a place in London right?’ Bradley asked carefully.
‘Yeah why?’
‘Well my roommate’s just moved out to move in with his girlfriend so I was wondering...if you like you can er... live with me?’ There was a long pause and Bradley squeezed his eyes shut, thinking he had made a horrible mistake.
‘That would be brilliant, thanks Bradley!’
‘Really?’
‘Uh huh I was dreading flat hunting you’ve just saved me a lot of time and energy.’
‘Well good.’ Another pause. ‘So what would you wish?’ Bradley asked.
‘Umm...I would wish...’ but whatever Colin would have wished for was drowned out by Rupert who said,
‘I would wish that Star Wars was real. I love Star Wars’ he said happily.
‘We know Rupert.’ Bradley and Colin sighed together.
*
‘Bradley what are you doing?’ Colin asked in surprise as the waitress disappeared.
‘Umm... ordering dinner?
‘But you ordered mushroom risotto!’ Colin pointed out. ‘No meat!’ he added when Bradley still looked uncomprehending.
‘Oh’ Bradley’s expression cleared. ‘Well I figured that as you are moving in with me I would have to at least learn to tolerate all this vegetarian crap’ Bradley said, grinning. ‘I even bought a vegetarian cookbook’ he said brightly. ‘Though it’s not going that well’ he added, frowning. ’Colin? Is that okay? Colin?’
Colin had failed to say anything in the midst of Bradley’s babbling. He smiled almost shyly. ‘It’s more than okay. I can tell you’re going to be a great roommate.’
*
‘Bradley you’re going to hurt someone’ Colin said in some concern, watching Bradley ‘dance’. The inverted comments were needed because Bradley’s dancing actually looked more like he was being electrocuted or having some kind of fit or something. At any rate it mainly consisted of Bradley flailing his limbs around in a dangerous way. The rest of the cast and crew had made themselves scarce to avoid association with him even if this was the season five wrap party.
‘Don’t be silly Col’ Bradley said, spinning to look at him and narrowly avoiding smacking a passing guy in the face with one of his arms. ‘Oops sorry’ he added as the guy scowled at him.
‘You were saying?’ Colin said.
‘I have it under control’ Bradley said calmly now backing up and getting dangerously close to a group of dancing girls. Colin quickly stepped forward and grabbed one of Bradley’s hands and pulled him away from danger. Bradley glanced behind him and grinned sheepishly. ‘Oops’ he said again. Colin sighed and released Bradley, allowing him freedom to ‘dance’ again. He examined him for a moment and then joined in, adopting Bradley’s crazy style and causing people to flee for cover as the pair of them offered an unbeatable force.
‘Thanks Colin’ Bradley said abruptly.
‘What for?’ Colin asked in surprise.
‘Usually no one will dance with me.’
Colin rolled his eyes. ‘I wonder why that is.’
*
‘So... what are you good at?’
When people ask Bradley what he is good at, which admittedly doesn’t happen very often (his personality does not exactly lend itself to the question) he has to stop and think for a moment. In this particular instance, as it was an extremely nerve-wracking situation and as is the norm with nerve-wracking situations the first thing that pops into his head is inappropriate i.e. sex. The second thing that comes into his head is making a general tit out of himself but he wasn’t convinced that was what they were looking for either. Of course the normal and socially acceptable things that he could have said such as acting and football did not even raise their heads and he was left to blurt out the first word that came to mind that wasn’t dirty and/or offence which happened to be...
‘Pie’
‘Pie?’ he casting guy said slowly.
‘Yep I make a mean apple pie.’ The guy looked at Bradley like he was slightly unhinged and who could blame him? He was at an audition and in answer to a perfectly reasonable question he had said he made a good pie. The upshot of it was that he didn’t even know how to make pie. He hoped there wouldn’t be a test or something. He tried to redeem the situation slightly by saying ‘...and acting of course’ with his most winning smile. He probably shouldn’t have bothered as the answer was,
‘We’ll be the judge of that. Alright take it away...’ the guy consulted his paperwork. ‘Mr James.’
*
If this was a movie Bradley would have aced the audition, got the part, fallen in love with his hot co-star and walked off into the sunset with her. But this wasn’t a movie and with the bad start adding to his already crazy high nerves, he did absolutely dreadfully.
‘We’ll be in touch’ the guy said with an expression that quite clearly said that the only way he would be in touch was with a rejection and if Bradley ever darkened his doorway again he would get escorted very firmly off the premises by two burly security guards. It’s amazing what you can get from a look. Bradley sighed and walked out the back door of the studio. It was raining of course. No sunset for him. And the person that stepped out of the shadows and fell into step beside him wasn’t the hot co-star of his dreams. It was Colin.
‘How did it go?’ he asked.
‘Terribly’ Bradley said, sighing dramatically. ‘I know Merlin’s only just over but I haven’t had to audition in ages and I’ve never had one that’s gone that badly before.
‘No need to worry yet you’ve got plenty of time.’ Colin said.
‘Easy for you to say Mr Movie Star’ Bradley said not unkindly and ruffled Colin’s hair to show he was joking. Colin just smiled sweetly and said the word Bradley was longing to hear.
‘Pub?’
*
‘Is that you Colin?’ Bradley yelled a split second before the key sounded in the lock.
‘Well it’s not a burglar’ Colin yelled back and Bradley laughed. ‘I bought take out’ Colin continued. ‘I even got you chicken chow mein.’ Bradley came scampering into the hall.
‘Oh it’s been so long since I’ve had meat’ Bradley said moaning at the smell wafting from the bags. Colin looked a little concerned.
‘Whatever floats your boat’ he said raising his eyebrows suggestively. Bradley just shot him a look, too busy pulling plates out of the cupboard and grabbing knives and forks to answer.
Bradley closed his eyes at the first bite of Chicken. ‘Colin.’ He said seriously. ‘I love you.’
*
‘Hi it’s Colin’
‘Colin I know! I called you!’ Bradley said, frustrated. Colin laughed.
‘Yeah but I know how much it annoys you when I do that’ he said. ‘Anyway did you want something?’
‘Yep I’m coming home earlier than planned. Next Thursday.’
‘Oh brilliant I’ve missed our Friday night moviethons.’ Colin said. ‘I feel stupid doing them on my own’
‘Well it’s good to know I’m good for something’ Bradley laughed.
*
‘We’re lost’ Colin said with a severe sense of déjà vu,
‘We’re not lost we’re on an adventure’ Bradley said, doing his usual turning the map trick.
‘I don’t know why you don’t let me navigate’ Colin said, mentally listing map-reading as something Bradley couldn’t be trusted with.
‘I have this under control Colin’ Bradley said, peering up at the street signs. ‘Hmm well I know why we don’t know where we are.’ Bradley said.
‘Amaze me’
‘We are off the map. Therein lies the problem.’
‘Right give me your phone’ Colin said with authority.
‘Why?’ Bradley asked even as he was handing it over.
‘I’m going to call someone and get them to google map us so we will no longer be lost. Only you can get lost in Rome Bradley’ Colin tutted. ‘Who shall I call?’
‘Anyone but Katie’ Bradley said and Colin had to concede that was probably a fair point. However the fates were not on their side as once they had been through all the people that might help in both their phone books, no one had picked up. It seemed Katie was the last option.
‘God hates us’ Bradley said with certainty.
‘Maybe it’s because you swore in the Vatican yesterday’ Colin said.
‘Maybe. Anyway just get it over with.’
‘Hello?’ Katie picked up on the first ring. Obviously.
‘Hi it’s Colin. I was wondering if you could do me a favour?’
‘Depends what it is’ Katie said suspiciously.
‘Could you type Via La Rotonda, Rome into Google Maps please.’ Colin heard the tap of keys as Katie said,
‘Who are you in Rome with?’
‘Ummm no one’ Colin said shiftily.
‘You’re with Bradley aren’t you?’ Katie said gleefully. ‘You are!’ Katie said taking Colin’s silence as assent. ‘Jesus only you and Bradley would go to one of the most romantic cities in the world with your ‘best mate’’
‘We are just having a holiday Katie! Mates do that!’
‘Uh huh’ Katie said, unconvinced. And he was sure he heard her mutter ‘you two are such a couple’ under her breath.
*
‘Is that you Colin?’ Bradley yelled a split second before the key sounded in the lock.
‘Well it’s not a burglar’ Colin called back. Bradley quickly walked into the hallway and grinned his greeting.
‘So how did it go?’
‘I passed!’ Colin yelled happily and Bradley engulfed him in a bear hug which Colin quickly extricated himself from. He didn’t mind normal hugs but Bradley was sufficiently big enough that his bear hugs absolutely crushed Colin who was a lot slighter than him.
‘You know why? It’s because you had such a good teacher’ Bradley said, puffing his chest out.
‘Yeah that AA guy you set me up with was really good!’ Colin said grinning at Bradley’s crestfallen expression. ‘I’m kidding. Thanks for putting your life on the line and going driving with me so often. Now let’s crack open the champagne and burn my provisional licence!’
*
‘Hi it’s Colin’ Colin said as Bradley picked up the phone. Bradley grinned at the sound of Colin’s voice and didn’t even feel a fraction of the irritation he usually felt when he did the ‘hi it’s Colin’ thing. Colin had been gone awhile filming up North and Bradley missed him.
‘I know!’ he said happily. ‘How the hell are you?’
‘I’m great. I’m just calling because the actor who is the other main character that plays across from me just pulled out and they asked me to suggest a replacement so of course I thought of you!’
‘Oh my God it would be great to work together again wouldn’t?’ Bradley said happily. ‘What do I have to do to get the part?’
‘Bradley trust me. If you want it it’s yours. They’re freaking out up here’
‘Col have I ever told you you’re brilliant?’
‘Nope but I like it’ Colin laughed. ‘Anyway how soon can you drive up?’
‘This evening?’
‘Great I’ll see you then! And I expect a Bradley bear hug’ Colin said and Bradley could hear the smile in his voice.
‘You used to hate those bear hugs’ he pointed out.
‘I know but now I kinda miss them and I kinda miss you’ Colin admitted.
‘Aw is little Colin missing me’ Bradley couldn’t help but mock him even though he desperately wanted to say he missed Colin too.
‘Idiot. I know you miss me’ Colin said and hung up leaving Bradley saying ‘You bastard how do you always know what I’m thinking’ to the dialling tone.
*
‘Colin this is all going horribly wrong, help me!’ Bradley yelled frantically from the kitchen.
‘I seem to recall you saying you didn’t need any help when I offered earlier’ Colin said smugly as he watched Bradley.
‘Yes but things have taken a distinct downward turn since then. How do you get me into these situations?’
‘Me!’ Colin yelled outraged. ‘You’re the one who said ‘oh we haven’t seen the Merlin lot for a while why don’t you invite them over for Christmas dinner?’’ Colin did an eerie imitation of Bradley’s voice.
‘Well I didn’t expect them all to say yes. They have families don’t they? Why did you invite them all?’
‘Bradley you...’ Colin started heatedly but Bradley interrupted him.
‘Look Colin we can spend all day playing the blame game or you can help me.’ Bradley said. Colin looked around the kitchen properly for the first time. Bradley was up to his elbows in red cabbage. There were pots and pans overflowing on every available surface and there was a distinct smell of burning which Colin didn’t want to examine too closely. There also seemed to be no sign of the turkey. Colin signed in resignation and mentally catalogued cooking as another thing he should never let Bradley do unsupervised. He pulled on an apron and then clapped his hands in a business-like manner.
‘Right. Where’s the turkey?’ he asked.
‘The turkey?’ Bradley said.
‘Yeah. I mean I can see that you got nut roast for me and Tony which is very nice but of course that won’t be enough for everyone so I assume you got a turkey for Angel, Katie, Richard, Rupert, Santiago and yourself.’
The meaning of the look on Bradley’s face was obvious to anyone and Colin had had years of practise at reading his roommates expressions. Colin mentally berated himself for assuming anything when Bradley was around. ‘You haven’t got a Turkey have you.’ Colin said. It wasn’t a question.
‘Umm no’ Bradley said slowly. ‘I assumed the nut roast would be enough for everyone. I’m sorry Colin!’
‘It’s okay Bradley’ Colin said calmly. After all Bradley had done stupider things. ‘I think I have a plan.’ He walked over to the freezer. On one of Bradley’s recent jobs he had done an advert for Bernard Matthews Chicken and been given a large chicken as a freebie. Of course Colin wouldn’t eat it and Bradley couldn’t manage it himself so it had been in the freezer ever since. ‘Right’ Colin said. ‘Here’s what we need to do.’
*
‘Wow that was delicious’ Angel said contentedly, mopping up the last of her gravy with a piece of bread. ‘Great job Bradley.’
‘Er well Colin helped a bit’ Bradley said, flushing. Colin just rolled his eyes. Bradley had caused one disaster after another. It turned out the burning had been the roast potatoes as Bradley had for some reason put those in first. Colin had managed to rescue them by mashing them and adding peas and onions to disguise the burnt lumps. He had also forgotten to get cranberry sauce so Colin spent the day bashing on the doors of irate neighbours to see if they had any. He finally managed to get one grumpy neighbour to part with a pot of redcurrant jelly which, seeing as they had chicken, turned out to be a good thing. Bradley forgot to stuff the chicken before he cooked it so Colin cooked the stuffing separately and then putting it creatively on the plates so it looked like it had been inside the chicken all along. It also turned out that Bradley had totally forgotten any form of vegetable apart from red cabbage so Colin had dug out some peppers and aubergines and a tin of tomatoes and made ratatouille. Basically without Colin there would be no food at all. Except Yorkshire pudding.
‘You don’t do Yorkshire pudding with Christmas dinner!’ Colin yelled.
‘At least it’s something’ Bradley pointed out.
‘Yes very tasty and it was nice to have a non traditional Christmas dinner. No doubt I’ll be eating Turkey sandwiches for the next few days at home so it was good to have chicken.’ Rupert said. Bradley laughed nervously.
‘I agree. And ratatouille. That was inspired. I do love a bit of ratatouille. Whose idea was that?’ Katie asked.
‘It was Bradley’s when he forgot to buy any vegetables.’ Colin muttered.
‘What was that?’ Katie asked.
‘It was mine’ Colin said grinning. ‘Glad you liked it.’
*
After the meal they exchanged presents. They had decided to do a Secret Santa seeing as there was eight of them. Colin bought Angel a lovely necklace which was a chunk of amber on a leather strip which brought out her eyes beautifully. Katie got Colin a series of books from one of his favourite authors. Tony got Katie some fancy chocolates and some perfume. Bradley got Tony an expensive red wine and some new wine glasses as he had broken two of them last time he was at Tony’s. Angel gave Bradley a cook book (‘so you can do even more delicious meals’) which Bradley had flushed at and Colin couldn’t stop laughing about. Rupert got Richard some of his favourite cigars. Richard got Santiago premier tickets to one of the new films showing in London. And Santiago got Rupert some Star Wars action figures as Rupert was a bit of a Star Wars nut.
‘I like Star Wars’ Rupert said.
‘We know Rupert!’ everyone chorused.
With everyone happy with their gifts, they played a few silly games of Pictionary and Charades until it became clear that Bradley and Colin were an unbeatable force.
‘Are you sure you’re not cheating’ Katie asked suspiciously as Colin guessed Bradley’s within the first thirty seconds for the fifth time in a row.
‘We just know each other too well’ Colin laughed and slung an arm around Bradley’s shoulders. Katie raised her eyebrows but didn’t say anything. Colin wasn’t usually a touchy feely bloke but she supposed he had always been quite comfortable around Bradley.
After that they played poker with matches instead of money but Richards experience quickly became apparent when he took everyone’s matches within about five games.
‘I don’t believe it!’ Bradley exclaimed and they all laughed including Richard who was not nearly as serious as he seemed.
They settled down to watch a movie sprawled over the furniture, the floor and each other as they all struggled to fit in Bradley and Colin’s small lounge. They had some alcohol and broke open Katie’s chocolates on her insistence. Bradley couldn’t help but feel content as he looked around as his ‘Merlin Family’. It had been too long since they had seen each other he thought and he curled up closer to Colin, feeling unbearably fond of them all in that one moment. Colin swatted him away impatiently and the feeling quickly passed.
*
‘We’ll have to do this next year’ Santiago said they all got ready to leave.
‘Someone else can host next year’ Colin and Bradley said together quickly and everyone laughed. And then they were all gone in a flurry of ‘good byes’ and ‘Merry Christmas’. When the last guest had finally left Colin and Bradley both slumped against the door in time to hear Katie exclaim,
‘Those two are such a couple!’
They turned to each other and laughed. Nothing changed.
Next part