Fic time!
Title: All You Need Is.... (fic 7 in the Candids 'verse)
Pairing: Simon/Ryan
Fandom: A.I.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Season 7: The Beatles
Warnings/notes: I know, I know. The last few fics haven't exactly been the most cheerful. But. Those of you who asked for fluff? You ask, I deliver. A little bit of domestic preciousness.
Ryan had been trying desperately for about two weeks to hide his growing excitement over what was coming up on AI. He was also pretty sure he’d been failing, from the funny looks Simon had been giving him.
Finally, over breakfast the Saturday morning before the Top Sixteen week, Simon laid his butter knife down on the table beside his toast and sighed.
“All right. I can’t take it any more. What on earth has been up with you these past few weeks?” His tone was one of fond exasperation, and Ryan couldn’t help but grin.
“Sorry, sorry,” he said, not actually sorry at all. “I’m just really excited about next week.” Simon looked confused for a second, and Ryan shook his head. “No, the - the first finals show.”
“Because you’re going to be wearing those natty suits again?”
“What? No! And who even says ‘natty’ any more?” Ran scooped up a forkful of omelette and chewed it carefully. “I’m excited because we have the Lennon and McCartney song book!” He bounced up and down in his chair, stopping when the cold wood of the chair rubbed unpleasantly against his bare legs. He wished for a moment that he’d slipped on some sweatpants over his boxers, but it hadn’t seemed necessary at the time.
Simon blinked. “You’re excited because what?”
Ryan felt his face heat. “I just. My mom and dad used to listen to the Beatles and John Lennon when I was a little kid. When John Lennon died they played his music for like a week solid. I knew the lyrics to every song on Rubber Soul before I even went to school.” He shrugged, draining the last of the coffee from his mug before getting up for a refill. He heard Simon get up behind him, then Simon’s arms were wrapping around his waist.
“Did you used to sing it?” Ryan could hear the smile in Simon’s voice, and his own lips twitched.
“Sometimes. My parents didn’t encourage that quite so much.”
“Aww, you poor thing,” Simon murmured, and Ryan laughed, turning around to give Simon a quick peck on the lips before grabbing his coffee and sitting back down at the table.
“I survived,” he retorted wryly, picking up his mug and blowing on the hot liquid.
Simon gestured towards Ryan’s mug as he sat back down. “Do you ever think that maybe you drink too much of that stuff?” he asked abruptly, and Ryan rolled his eyes.
“I really don’t. Why, do you think I should drink more tea?”
“But you like tea!”
Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, but I like coffee more.”
Simon shook his head. “You’ll have a heart attack before you’re forty the way you’re going, darling.”
“Unlikely,” he snorted, taking a sip.
“Hmm. So, you were saying about Lennon and McCartney, and your unfortunate early attempts at singing.”
“You are such a dick sometimes,” Ryan said fondly. “Yeah, so, I love The Beatles. And there are some of the contestants I’d like to hear sing the songs.” He sighed thoughtfully. “Mostly, though, it’s just…the songs make me happy when I hear them, y’know?”
Simon smiled, idly scratching at his chest through his t-shirt. “Mmm. I never realised you were such a big Beatles fan.”
“Well, I don’t really have time to listen to their music that much any more.”
“You and your need to work every hour of the day.”
“Hey, not every hour!” Ryan pouted, pretending to be indignant. “I like to have at least an hour of sex.”
“You do, do you?” Simon asked, eyebrow raised. “And who, exactly, do you like to have this hour of sex with?”
“Oh, y’know,” Ryan shrugged archly, rubbing his foot up Simon’s calf. “Rock stars, Starbucks baristas, random fans and groupies. The usual.”
The laughter that burst out of Simon was sudden, loud, and completely unselfconscious. “Of course! It’s so obvious!”
Ryan couldn’t help but laugh along. “So, anyway, I love the music because I think it’s amazing, but it also has a huge nostalgia factor for me too.”
Simon smiled indulgently at him. “You are utterly ridiculous sometimes, did you know?”
Ryan waved a hand dismissively. “Eh, you love it.”
Simon fixed him with a level gaze. “I love you.”
Ryan blinked, feeling as though his whole body was flashing hot and cold at once. All he could hear was the blood pounding in his ears. He swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry, as he stared back at Simon. Simon’s gaze was unwavering, but Ryan could see a flicker of emotion in his eyes, and realised with blinding clarity that Simon was nervous. Which made sense, given who Simon was, and all they’d been through together.
Standing up, Ryan walked around the table to Simon, cupping his cheek before straddling him and kissing him deeply.
“I love you too,” he murmured against Simon’s lips, and pretended not to hear Simon’s sigh of relief.
“More than The Beatles?” Simon asked playfully, quirking an eyebrow.
“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Ryan replied, and Simon laughed, pulling Ryan in for another kiss. Ryan wasn’t sure what had prompted this declaration from Simon, but he knew that I was unlikely to happen again any time soon, and he fully intended to savor every moment.
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