Title: Games
Words: 1,112
Pairings (if any): Simon Cowell & Paula Abdul.
Summary: RPF. Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell go on Ryan's show and they play a game. Set in 2006-2007. Paula/Simon.
Note: Written back in 2008. I just recently found this in the bottom of a box of my old writing. I decided to fix it up a bit and put it back on here.
"My next two guests are known worldwide and they happen to be good friends of mine. One is known for being brutally honest, the other is known as being America's sweetheart. For the past five, six years, they have baffled us with their love - hate relationship; they've entertained us with their making us, their infamous kiss skit, and everything else in between. They're America's dream couple…"
"Hear that love?" Simon asked Paula.
"What?" responded Paula.
"America's dream couple," he smirked.
"Of course I heard it. I'm not deaf," Paula snapped back at Simon.
He raised his hands in mock defeat. "I'm not accusing you of being deaf. Just wanted to know if you heard me."
"I'm sorry." He rubbed circles on her back.
"Nervous for the interview?"
"No, not really. It's just Ryan after all. Guess I'm just a bit tired."
Simon nodded. "Just Ryan, eh? I see," he chuckled before continuing. "You know, we're not exactly America's dream couple. We are a couple."
"I know. But is it really time to let the cat out of the bag?" she asked.
"Depends on what you want, love. If announcing our relationship publically on television is what you want, then that's what we'll do."
"You're sweet, now, aren't you?" Paula cooed.
"Oh bloody hell. Not this again." Simon rolled his eyes playfully, earning him a light smack in the chest from Paula.
"Way to ruin the mood, Cowell," Paula said.
Just then, a PA rushed in. "Mr. Cowell? Ms. Abdul? It's time for both of you to go onstage." They hurried and stood up, walking quickly together to the stage. Together, they stood quietly for a moment, waiting for Ryan to announce their names.
"Simon?"
"Yes love?" he replied.
"How come they always say your name first?"
"Because I'm more special than you are," he said teasingly. Paula pouted and he couldn't help but laugh.
"Come here, Pawler. Give me a kiss." As Paula leaned in and upward to kiss Simon, Ryan called them in.
"Please welcome… Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul!" announced Ryan. The crowd went wild as the two walked onto the stage. Paula kissed Ryan lightly on the cheek as he pulled her in for a hug.
"Hands off, Seaweed," Simon said, laughing. The two shook hands as the crowd continued to cheer louder.
"Have a seat, you two. Anything you need? A beer perhaps? Maybe that will open you guys up more," Ryan smirked.
"No, we're goof. Just get on with the bloody interview, Seacrest."
Ryan nodded. "So… we're going to do something different today."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Paula asked, cutting him off.
"Yeah, Ryan. It better not be anything embarrassing, or you'll get your ass kicked on Idol tomorrow," Simon added.
"No, no." Ryan laughed nervously. "It's nothing embarrassing, we're just gonna play a couple of games. Nothing out of the ordinary."
"Well the last time we played a game…" Simon began.
"Erm… is it really necessary to announce that on public television, now is it?" Ryan smiled nervously.
The crowd went wild. "Simon! Simon! Simon!" they cheered loudly.
"I told you before, I'll tell you again, Ryan. America loved me!" Ryan roared with laughter. "And I love America too," Simon continued, evoking another deafening roar from the audience. "I guess I will have to tell them what happened the last time we played a "game"."
Paula laughed and Ryan whimpered timidly.
"I feel bad for you, Seaturd. So I'll keep this short and simple. Let me just say it involved a lot of alcohol and losing a few articles of clothing." Ryan looked half-relieved, half-terrified, and for the umpteenth time, the crowd cheered loudly, stomping their feet.
"Ryan, honey, are you gonna get on with the "games"?" Paula asked, bring everyone back down to earth.
"Yes, yes, of course," Ryan said, smoothing down his ruffled shirt.
"Bring it on, Seacrest!" Paula yelled. The crowd laughed yet again.
"Alright. The first game we're gonna play is a little game called word association. I'll give you a word, sentence, or line of lyrics; and you guys will tell me the first thing that comes to mind. A phrase, word, sentence, whatever. Ready?"
"Anytime, Seacrap, anytime," said Simon.
"First association: dogs."
"Cute, adorable, tinker bell," Paula replied quickly.
"Paula," Simon responded, smiling.
"Simon," Paula said, giving him the look.
"Oh alright. Cute, cuddly, poodle." The crowd quickly laughed. Paula also laughed, hitting him jokingly on the shoulder.
"Nest word: justice."
"Equal rights," responded Simon.
"Deep thought, eh, Cowell?" Ryan laughed. "And you, Paula?"
"Hm… well, justice means much more than just equal rights. It means being given the chance to discuss your side of the story. It's listening to all aspects of a case before judging. It's…"
"Paula, love, I hate to break it to you, but Ryan said a phrase, word, or sentence… not a declaration," Simon interrupted. Everyone watched tensely as Paula squinted at Simon.
"That he did, Si. But he also said 'whatever'." The crowd "ooh-ed" as Paula smirked.
"Whatever means a bunch of bullshit," Simon said playfully. He looked down at his shoes, pretending to be bored. With a flick of his wrist, he monotonously said "Next!"
"Money," Ryan said.
"Good," Simon replied.
"Useful to have," stated Paula.
"Cellphone."
"Annoying," replied Simon.
"Defiantly necessary," Paula replied, causing everyone to laugh yet again.
"Relationship."
Simon and Paula shared a glance that was not overlooked by either Ryan or the audience.
"Is there something you guys would like to tell us?" he asked.
"No," they replied simultaneously.
"Oh, okay then…" Ryan said, obviously disappointed. "I guess we'll just have to move on to the next one." He flipped the page around and read the next topic. As his eyes met the page, they lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Well, I guess there's no avoiding the topic of… love."
Simon and Paula looked at each other.
"Simon," Paula said.
"Paula," he replied in return. The audience cheered loudly as Ryan sat back and smiled. "I KNEW IT ALL ALONG, AMERICA! I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT!"
When all the excitement finally gone down a bit, Ryan said "We will discuss this later, but shall we continue the game?"
Simon shrugged and Paula nodded.
"Marriage."
"Possibly," they replied in unison. They burst into another fit of laughter. The show cut into a commercial break. As the audience roared and Ryan congratulated them, the couple smiled at each other. They shared a brief kiss on the lips, feeling more comfortable with their relationship than ever before, knowing this far, that the public had accepted them as a couple… as one.