Chapter Text
Ryland’s phone is ringing. He doesn’t normally get phone calls, so the moment strikes him as odd. He stares at it from the perch on the couch, a twizzler dangling from his mouth. It’s an unknown number, so he ignores it. If it’s important they’ll leave a voice mail.
His phone blinks a new notification up at him. Huh. They actually left a voice mail. Who does that? He sighs, opening the phone to listen to it, jabbing the speaker button.
“Hi, this is Juan López the owner of El Cacatúa del Capital calling on behalf of Colt Seavers?” Ryland turned sharply towards his phone, that’s Colt’s job, “He quit last night but he left some things in his personal locker. Would you be able to pick up his things? Thanks.” His phone clicks, the mechanical voice taking over, but Ryland hangs up.
He grabs his phone as he stands, calling the number back. “Hola! Thanks for calling El Cacatúa del Capital, this is Maria. How can I help you?” A cheerful voice calls once the phone connects.
“Hi! This is Ryland Grace, I just got a call about my brother? Colt Seavers?” Ryland paces his small living room.
“Oh. Yeah we were surprised when he quit so suddenly yesterday, but I can’t really blame him. That guy had it coming.” Maria laughs a little.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, this guy kept bothering him about his accident, I guess. Total douche bag.” he could hear the scowl in her voice. “When the man left, Colt brought his sports car around, doing doughnuts. Ha! It was great! He totally deserved it, but the guy had a total meltdown. Colt quit on the spot.” The woman sounds almost sad, like she doesn’t want to see Colt go. Ryland sits down hard on his couch.
“Oh.” Ryland breaths out, bringing his hand up to drag down his face, his glasses slipping to land below his chin.
It isn’t similar, he tries to tell himself. Colt was just nuking his life in a spectacular way, but it doesn’t mean what Ryland thinks it does. He tries to shove down his own memories bubbling up. A disastrous conference, his own shouts echoing off tall ceilings. A career so thoroughly ruined he could never be tempted back into it. Distancing himself from Colt, telling himself it would minimize the hurt. Colt would be fine, he had a life, he didn’t need his little brother dragging him down anymore.
He remembered hitting the ground, weight on top of him as he screamed and cried. The stars glittering far away above him, seeming to press assurances and apologies into his skin. He remembers looking into those stars, and realizing what a mistake he had almost made, he realized just how much he wanted to live.
Colt, Colt wouldn’t do that. He isn’t like Ryland, he’s strong, always has been. But the similarities made something uncomfortable wake up beneath his skin.
“So, when do you think you could pick up his things?” Maria asks after Ryland was quiet for too long. Right, he could do this.
“Did he say where he was going?” Ryland hopes his voice doesn’t sound as shaky to the women. Get a hold of yourself Ryland, you’re overreacting. He has to be.
“He hasn’t been answering his phone, that's why we called you.” She says in a duh, idiot way.
“Right, um. I should be able to pick his things up later today, thank you for calling me.”
“Of course. Colt didn’t talk much, but he was a friend, y’know?” Maria said, her voice softening. Ryland rushed through a goodbye, hanging up. He gives himself a moment to force air into his lungs, in through his nose for 4, hold it for 7, and breath it out for 8. He had walked countless middle schoolers through it, he could do this.
He ran his hand through his hair, tugging lightly, before fixing his glasses and pulling up Colt’s contact. Colt has been avoiding his calls for a few weeks now, and Grace thought that maybe he just needed space. He regrets that now, he will never forgive himself if anything happens- no, breathe Ryland, he can’t freak out right now.
He hears the dial tone, Colt didn’t answer. Ok. That’s ok. Breathe, Ryland. With shaking hands he brought up there shared tracking app. Colt wasn’t happy when Ryland asked him to add each other, in case of emergencies he had told him. Colt had rolled his eyes, but had eventually given in. And if Ryland sometimes watched Colts blue pin move around as he worked, well, that was no one's business but his own.
Why was Colt in Australia? Ryland blinks at it, like if he stares long enough it would change back to his house in San Francisco. It doesn’t.
He pulls out his laptop, clicking through flight options. Ryland allowed himself a moment of despair, he would need to dip into his already depressing savings. He really can’t afford to go to Sydney, Australia.
But he really can’t lose his twin. Ryland clicks to book the ticket. Then he collects his phone, wallet, and his bike helmet. He has to collect Colt’s things from the restaurant.
***
Ryland hates plane rides. He was going to give Colt such a talking to for making him take a plane, not even to mention a 15 hour flight! Oh, Colt owed him big time.
He glanced down at his phone, open to the tracking app, watching his own blue pin get closer to Colts. He wasn’t totally sure how he got this far, he had practically been able to waltz right on to the set, he’s pretty sure these trailers were for, like, important people. Ryland should not have been able to get this far in. Perks of being an identical twin, he guessed.
He stopped in front of a trailer, it belonged to some woman named Gail. The name sounded familiar, but Ryland was too tired to care at the moment. He had come directly from the airport, after a 15 hour nonstop flight, may be add. He was so tired.
Deciding to just wait for Colt to come out, Ryland sat down hard against the trailer, rubbing his cold hands against his too warm eyes.
The door slammed open, making Ryland jump, blinking up at whoever was standing at the door. It was Colt.
“Ryland?” Colt’s disbelieving voice had never sounded so sweet to Rylands ears.
He stumbled to his feet stepping closer to his twin. “Colt,” Ryland breathed with a smile, crashing himself into his brother, clutching on to Colt’s shirt like he was going to disappear. Colt raised his arms to hug Ryland back.
“What are you doing here Ryland?” Colt asks, raising his arms to push Ryland away, his hands staying on Ryland’s shoulders. Ryland finally raises his head enough to look at him, smiling at his twin's confused face.
“On the set? I’m not really sure, but no one stopped me, so I-”
“No, in Australia.” Colt interrupts, shaking Ryland’s shoulders. He pauses, “Wait, no one stopped you? You just walked on set?”
“I thought it was weird too! Maybe they thought I was you, or something?” he cocks his head, his smile dimming a little, “And I’m here to check on you? The restaurant called me, they said you just suddenly quit, and I was worried.” he blinks, “Ok, saying that out loud it does sound kind of crazy,”.
“Yeah, a little.” Colt laughs, a strained little noise. “I’m okay, Ry. I’m just going back to stunt work. Jody- they asked me- well I thought they asked me specifically for this project.”
“You thought? And wait, I thought you weren’t going to go back to doing stunts?”
“I changed my mind,” he shrugs, “Look, I’m fine Ry, you can go home. You didn’t need to come all the way out here. You could have called or something.”
“I did call. I’ve been calling! You don’t answer. You never answer me anymore! And, when the restaurant called, I was, I was scared, Colt.” he wipes stubbornly at his eyes, he wouldn’t start crying.
“Ok, but coming to Australia? Really, Ryland?”.
“Don’t you ‘really, Ryland’ me! What was I supposed to do?”
“Anything but come here! Once again, I’m working!” Colt’s voice is getting louder, he’s shouting at Ryland. He takes a deep breath “Go home Ryland. I’m fine.” dismissing him as he turned away.
“Do you have any idea what I had to do to get here? It was a 15 hour flight! I hate planes! 15 hours, Colt! And don’t even get me started on how much those tickets cost! You can’t just send me away.” Ryland couldn’t help his own shouting.
Colt spun on his foot to turn back to Ryland, “I didn’t ask you to come! I never asked you to come!” he shouts. Ryland took a step back, his eyes wide. Colt sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Ryland, I didn’t mean… Can we talk about this somewhere else?” Colt finally sighs, looking at Ryland with tired eyes. Ryland just nods, not trusting his voice not to crack.
Ryland tried really hard to be there for Colt. He really did, when the accident first happened he had practically lived in Colt’s hospital room. But the accident had changed Colt, like something fundamental had shifted in his brother, and Ryland wasn’t sure where that left him.
Suddenly Colt had been angry, he’d gotten mean with Ryland, and he wasn’t sure how to fix it. How to fix his brother. Ryland had always been the angry brother, he didn’t know what to do with that anger reflected back. When Colt had demanded space, said that Ryland was suffocating him, what could he do but give him that? Even if it felt like Ryland was ripping off one of his arms, leaving a trail of blood that lead back to his twin, he gave him space.
Colt led them to a parking lot, speaking quietly with a man standing off to the side, before being given the keys to a truck. The man shouted some warning to Colt, but Ryland couldn’t pay attention right now.
Ryland silently followed Colt into a truck, sitting in the passenger seat as Colt slid into the driver's side. Ryland eyed him for a moment, Colt opened his mouth like he was going to say something, before closing it with a sigh. He turned to the wheel, and started the car, a Taylor Swift song quietly droning from the speakers. Colt wordlessly turned it up, and Ryland turned to look out the window.
Ryland had never been a big Taylor Swift guy, he heard the music a lot, he was a middle school teacher after all. He remembered hearing this song in particular after one of his students had broken up with her boyfriend. He remembered talking with the girl, Tori, trying to get her to pay attention to class again. He remembers the victory of getting the girl to answer a question again. Colt was obviously having a moment, Ryland settled into his seat.
There was a knock on the window. Ryland blinked out of his daze, startling towards the noise. He realized that Colt had been crying, and that it was Jody knocking at the window. Colt turned down the radio, wiped his face on the inside of his coat, and rolled down the window, staring straight ahead.
“What are you doing?” Jody asked, she glanced towards Ryland, her eyes going wide. “Who's this?”
Colt clears his throat, “Ah, we’re just, y’know, chilling down. And um, this is-”
Ryland interrupts him, “I’m Ryland. Colt’s twin,” he shoves his hand out, ignoring Colt’s wide eyed look
“I didn’t know Colt had a twin,” Jody says, giving Colt a look, then blinks, her face scrunching up in confusion, “Is that Taylor Swift?”
“Yep, we were uh, chilling down to it.” Ryland nods, then grins, “What does that even mean?” He laughs.
“It’s short for chilling down under. It’s, just something the Australians say,” Colt says.
“Really? I’ve been here 6 months and I’ve never heard of it.” Jody frowns, “Have you been crying?”
Colt shook his head, “Not at all.”
“You look like you’ve been crying.” Jody whispered.
“Jet lag.” Oh. This was a private conversation. Ryland should leave, right? Or did Colt want him to stay? Colt sent him a desperate look. Ah, right then.
“Oh, uh, I just remembered I have to make a call. I’ll be right outside.” Ryland awkwardly points outside, his smile just as awkward. He slips out of the car, gently closing the door behind him.
He turns from the car, turning to another truck parked nearby. He sighs as he sinks to the ground, collapsing against its rear tire. After a few more soft words Jody climbs into Ryland’s abandoned seat.
He remembers hearing about Jody, it was during one of their infrequent calls before Colt’s accident. Colt had excitedly told him about her, how he was sure that she was the one. Yet Colt had never even mentioned his twin? He knew that he and Colt weren’t as close as they had been as kids, but still, ouch.
Ryland looks up at the stars. He’s always felt the night sky was comforting. The soft twinkling lights are the same no matter where he is. Like they were watching him grow, cheering him on, even from so far away. Gentle like the mother he couldn’t remember, cradling him like he was something precious. And like always, the stars did make him feel better, It’s ok, they seemed to say, I love you, they whisper into his hair.
His head snaps down when the truck starts to drive away, was Colt really leaving him? But he stopped just a couple feet away, Jody getting out of the truck to climb into her own car. She pauses, looking at Ryland.
“It was nice to meet you, Ryland.” She says, before closing her door.
“Come on Ry, get in the car.” Colt calls, he must have rolled down the window. Ryland scrubs his face, staggering to his feet.
He wordlessly climbs into the car, peeking at Colt out of the corner of his eye. He looks better, his tear tracks drying, and a small hopeful smile on his face. Ryland can’t help but grin at him. Colt scowls in return, turning back to the road.
“Soo, how’d it go?” Ryland said, dragging out the ‘oh’ with a teasing smile.
“Shut up Ryland.” Colt said with a scowl, his face heating in a flush.
Ryland grins, turning to look out the window, the silence no longer as uncomfortable. He doesn’t know what to say. Should he apologize for coming? He doesn’t want to, he won’t apologize for caring for his twin, even if he isn’t wanted.
“So where are we going? The hotel?” Ryland asked.
“I have a quick stop to make, then we can go to the hotel.” Colt said, turning his eyes back to the road.
***
“Breaking in? We’re going to be trespassing?” Ryland shouts, wide eyes on Colt, who winces.
“It’s not really breaking and entering. I was invited, in a way. And I have the door code!” Colt says, turning into the driveway. “Besides, we’re not doing anything, I’m just going to talk to Ryder for a moment. You are going to wait in the car.” Colt puts the car in park, turning to Ryland.
“What? I’m not staying in the car.” Ryland said, reaching for his seatbelt.
“You are. It’ll just be a moment. Take a nap or something, you said it was a long flight, right?” Colt says, unbuckling himself and opening the door.
“Don’t you use my words against me.” Ryland said, settling back into the seat.
“Just a moment, I promise.” Colt laughed, swinging himself onto the bed of the truck.
Ryland grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. He watched Colt climb up the balcony to a sliding door, knocking for a moment, before walking in.
He really is so tired. Just a quick nap and he’ll feel better. He’ll be ready to get back up. Just a moment to rest his eyes- wait.
What was that loud thud?
He twists, wiggling in the seat until he could look up the windshield up to the house Colt had disappeared into. That wasn’t a normal talking noise. He should probably go see what that was right?
Climbing onto the bed of the truck he eyes the balcony. He’s going to have to jump. Ryland wasn’t exactly unathletic, he biked too much for that, but this? He’d have to jump and then pull himself the rest of the way up. He heard another loud thud. He closed his eyes for a moment, then jumped.
Somehow he grabbed the balcony in time, and his grip was holding. Now he just needs to pull himself up. It would be so embarrassing if Colt found him splattered on the pavement after telling him not to come. That thought gave him the motivation to pull himself up.
He gives himself a moment to pant on the balcony, before hauling himself to his feet. He entered the sliding door.
“Oh gosh.” The house, every available surface, the walls, the fridge, even the windows were covered in post-it notes. It was excessive, insane even. Who needs this many reminders? He grabbed the nearest one ‘BUY BREASTMILK’ it read. “Ew.” he whispered, face crinkling in disgust.
Glass smashed upstairs, his head snapping up towards the sound, finally looking at the rest of the house. It was a mess. Coffee was splashed around, things were smashed. It looked like a tornado had hit the living room.
He rushed up the stairs, turning into the bedroom and- oh. Colt was standing to the side, his finger against a sword still vibrating from where it was stuck in the wall, and a woman lounging on the bed.
“What.” Ryland couldn’t help but ask, looking wildly between Colt and the women.
“Who's that?” The woman asked, sitting up a little. Colt groaned.
“My brother. Who I told to stay in the car.” He glared pointedly at Ryland.
“I heard weird noises! You can’t expect me to stay in the car against that!” Ryland said, gesturing wildly to the room.
“Woah. It’s like seeing double.” the woman said, her eyes flicking between them.
“Ok. I’m just trying to find Ryder.” Colt said, stepping away from the wall.
“He’s, like, really drugged up right now, and paranoid. He thinks someone is trying to kill him, and I’m like, if you don’t finish Metalstorm I’m gonna kill you myself.” Ryland turned as the sound of tinkling glass hit the floor. Colt was turning the hood of his Miami Vice jacket out, forcing glass out of the fabric.
Ryland looked behind them to the broken glass, then back to his brother.
“Did you guys go through the bathroom?” Ryland couldn’t help but interrupt.
“Yeah. Pretty cool, right?” The woman said with a nonchalant shrug. Ryland turned wide alarmed eyes to Colt.
“Any idea where I can find him?” Colt sighed, flipping his hood back. Right, just, moving on then. Cool.
“You can try this club he goes to. But you’re never going to get in looking like a povo.”
“What's a povo?” Colt sounded like he really didn’t want to know the answer.
“A poor person, like you.” The woman said, flicking her eyes down Colt’s outfit.
“Ah. Right. Cool.” Colt sighed, Ryland couldn’t help the barking laugh, the ridiculousness of the situation was just. Were all actors like this? Colt sends him a tired glare. Ryland just laughed louder.
The woman grinned at him, and Ryland had to excuse himself. Colt could deal with that. Ryland looked around the house, glancing at the… trophy wall? He wasn’t sure what else to call it, but it had a bunch of stage props, probably from Ryder’s movies. He ignored it in favor of the kitchen.
He opened the fridge, eyeing the milk, and grabbed a yogurt tube. He inspected the ingredients, decided it’s probably safe, and ripped it open. Has he mentioned the 15 hour flight? Between that and the disastrous trip to the set, he hasn’t eaten anything but pretzels all day.
“Ryland!” Colt called, Ryland groaned, shoving the rest of the yogurt into his mouth, and following dutifully to the call.
“Put this on.” Colt said, shoving a truly hideous neon pink suit at him.
He stared at it for a moment, “You can’t be serious.”.
“You could always go to the hotel.” Colt shrugged, looking smug. Ryland scowled, swiping the offending clothing.
***
Ryland adjusts the cuffs on the suit, just his luck, not only was the suit hideous, it’s itchy. Because of course it is.
“Stop messing with it,” Colt hissed, jabbing Ryland with his elbow. The only upside of all of this, is that Colt was wearing a matching neon yellow suit, glowing under the black light. It’s almost worse than Rylands own suit.
“It itches.” Ryland complains, nonetheless dropping his arms.
“I think it suits you,” Colt grins. Ryland rolls his eyes, opening his mouth to respond, when they get called over.
“My man! Wait, who's the second? Iggy didn’t mention no second.” The man said, the drug dealer they were looking for? Ryland guessed? He isn’t super sure what’s going on anymore.
“She didn’t? She gave us the suits!” Colt groans.
“Oh. She did? Well, sit down, sit down! We can chat.” The man says, grinning at the two. “Do you want something to drink? Come on, sit down.”
“Ah, no we're alright. We just wanna know where Ryder is.” Colt says, glancing at the men surrounding them.
The man looks at them for a moment, “Get them a Shirley temple,” he says to the men standing around them, “Sit down, sit down, stay a while!” He smiles again, waving at the chair.
“No offense Mr. Doone, I just wanna find Ryder.” Colt sighs.
“How come no one ever wants to chat with the drug dealer.” Doone pulls the glasses off, sitting forwards. Ryland drops into the chair, tucking his hands between his knees. Colt scans the club, before sitting next to him with a sigh.
“Sorry. Just a long day. Ryder hasn’t shown up for work,” a man leans down and places two drinks in front of them. “That was fast.”
“So are you guys brothers?” Doone asks, flicking his finger between them.
“Um, yeah. Twins.” Colt says. Ryland leans down and grabs his drink, taking a quick drink. Colt gives him a look, and Ryland shrugs. He was a school teacher, he had long learned not to give up free food. And who doesn’t like Shirley temples?
“Twins? I shoulda guessed, you look exactly alike. It’s kinda trippy.” Doone says, before shrugging and lifting his own glass. “To family, yeah?” He says, motioning towards Colt’s glass with his own cup.
Colt grabbed his cup, raising it to Doones. “Sure.” He says, before taking a drink. Ryland frowns, his head hurts.
“Twins always kinda freaked me out, y’know? Can’t really tell them apart, I mean just look at you two!” Doone was saying. Ryland felt hot. Was it hot in here? It didn’t feel hot a second ago. He raises his hands to his face, pushing his glasses around.
Woah. Did his hands always feel this weird? Like they weren’t really his? He pressed them against his cheeks, and wow, that was so weird! It didn’t feel like his hands at all! He should tell Colt right?
“And I mean, I’ve heard twins have powers, right? Can read each other's thoughts and shit. Can you read his thoughts?” Doone was still talking, looking at Colt.
“Colt, feel my hands,” Ryland laughed, pressing his weird hands to Colts face. Colt scowled at him, smacking his hands away. Could he feel that they felt weird?
Someone was hauling him up, arms under his armpits. No. He was fine here, thanks. Wow the world had gotten glittery. It was pretty, it reminded him of the stars, like they had come down to visit him. That was so sweet of them. The arms pulling him up got him to his feet, making him stand between two of the men. He felt Colt getting pulled up too.
“Why don’t you guys come with us? Get you all set up in the hotel.” Doone said, smiling at the two.
Colt stiffened next to him. Woah, wait, what was Colt upset about? Oh, maybe the arms still holding them up. Why? They were nice, it helped him to see the dancing stars.
Then, Colt was fighting? He wasn’t sure, the stars were making it hard to see anything but the glittering lights. Rude. He was supposed to be helping. The arms around Ryland went away, and he staggered. There was a man coming up behind Colt, who was busy fighting off another 3 guys. Hey! That wasn’t fair.
Ryland lunges for the man, it’s uncoordinated, and kind of embarrassing if he’s being honest, but he manages to take him down at the knees. Somehow he manages to get on top of the man. The man is wrestling against him, twisting the two of them, and Ryland hasn’t been in a fight since he was an angry middle schooler, but he still remembers how to end them.
He twists so that he can get his knee up, and slams it up as hard as he can against the man's crotch. He howls in pain, rolling away from Ryland, right into the pool. Who has a pool in a club this dark? Australians man. Wincing in sympathy, he turns to Colt, who was running through the club, sticking out like a sore thumb, in his neon coat. Didn’t that woman say it was neon night? Why wasn’t anyone else wearing neon?
He ran through the crowd, following the glowing beacon of Colt’s coat, apologizing as he went. Did the drug dealer just jump out of the window? Colt turned down to the stairs, Ryland following at his heels. Colt raced down, pausing for a moment before jumping a fence with some flowers. Yeah, Ryland was not making that jump. He’ll take the long way, thanks.
Running down the walkway he realized he was high. The man had drugged them? Why? That was just a waste of his merchandise, right? But why? What was the point? Gosh, Ryland’s head hurt.
Ryland turned the corner onto the street in just enough time to watch Colt hit the hood of a taxi, rolling over the top of it. He felt his heart lurch into his throat, distantly someone screamed. Maybe it was him, he couldn’t tell. Colt got up, Ryland felt his knees go weak.
Did he mention it was a 15 hour flight here? It’s fine if he just sits down for a moment. He collapses against a sign advertising Tom Ryder. Ha, that’s so ironic.
Colt yanks open the door to the taxi, “Hey, hey relax! You need to relax! I’m a lover not a fighter!” Doone pleads, his hands in front of his face.
“Where’s Ryder?” Colt shouts, swaying into the door.
“Listen, I just drugged you because they paid me to!” Oh! That’s why! He knew there had to be a reason to waste product. It explains the dumb neon suits too, how could the drug dealer miss them, they were literally glowing.
“Who’s they?” Colt’s voice sounded off. Like there was something in his mouth. Ryland is going to kill him himself if he got hurt.
“The guy who runs Ryder’s security! I deliver drugs to them at the Pinnerton Hotel sometimes.”
“What room.”
“I don’t know what room, it changes! Just ask Kevin for the fruit plate.”
“Kevin?”
“Kevin. K-E-V-I-N.”
“I know Kevin!” Colt shouts. What if Ryland took a little nap. This spot on the side of the road seemed like a nice enough spot, he wasn’t feeling very picky.
“You know Kevin?”
“No, I don’t know Kevin!”
“Well, you’re going to get to know Kevin! Ask him for a fruit plate, and he’ll give you keys!” Ryland would kill for a fruit platter right now. Maybe the super market would still be open? Would Colt stop for a fruit plate for him?
In the space of a blink Colt is standing in front of him, “Let’s go Ryland.” His mouth sounds clear now, that’s good. Ryland blinks up at him, doing a double take.
“Where did you get a unicorn?”
Colt ignored him as he dragged Ryland up, coincidentally dragging Ryland closer to the unicorn, who huffed at him. Ryland grinned and reached out a hand to pet it. He frowned when his hand met nothing but air, but his hands had been feeling weird. Colt dragged Ryland’s other hand over his shoulder, letting them support each other as he started walking.
“Where are we going?” Ryland asked, focusing on dragging one foot in front of the other.
“Pinnerton Hotel. Ryder should be there.” Colt sounds tired.
“Oh. Ok.”
They walked in silence back to the car, walking had never been so difficult. He had to put even more focus into walking than normal, and even then, Colt saved him from face planting more times than Ryland would ever admit. Colt shoved Ryland into the passenger seat, before dragging himself to his own side.
Colt starts the car, smoothly joining traffic. Ryland melts into his seat, surely this was a good time for a nap? He closes his eyes.
…He wonders what kind of drug they gave him? Doone looked like he wouldn’t give them anything too strong, a party drug maybe? Look, in college Ryland may have experimented a little. The first time it was just to have said he tried it, but after that it turned into almost a competition with himself. To see if he could figure out what he had taken. It wasn’t about getting high! It was more about being right.
Hmm. If he had to guess, he bets it was ecstasy. It’d explain the glittering lights at the club, as distracting as they’d been, and the unicorn. At the thought of it, he glanced out his window, the unicorn galloping alongside them. Cheese and crackers he was so tired.
He had always found it hard to quiet his thoughts, especially when he was trying to go to bed. Recently he’s been working himself until he collapsed. But well, he isn’t at that point yet. When they were younger, Colt would help him to sleep, his twin's steady presence helping to put his mind at ease.
When had they stopped being so close? College, when Ryland retreated to the east coast and Colt hitch hiked to Hollywood? High school, when Colt made friends outside of Ryland for the first time? When had they grown so far apart that Ryland couldn’t help Colt heal? That he would push Ryland out, and he would let him? How could he not have noticed that Colt hadn’t wanted him that whole time.
A droplet splashed against his hand, shocking him into blinking his eyes open. Fudge. Guess he wasn’t getting that nap.
“Ry? Are you crying?” Colt asked, glancing at him while they had stopped at a red light.
“No,” Ryland sniffled.
“Ryland,” Colt sighed.
“I just,” he sniffed, “Did I do something wrong? I’m sorry if I did. I know we aren’t as close, but I don’t understand why you’re pushing me away.” the tears were falling faster, he couldn’t stop the words, they had built up for too long at this point.
Colt groans softly, dragging his hand across his face, ”Look, Ry…” he trails off.
“And look, I’m sorry if it’s weird that I came here, but I was just, so worried. And you’ve been pushing me out for so long, and I don’t know how to help, or if you even want me to help. But I-”
“Ryland. It wasn’t just you I was pushing out. I didn’t want anyone to see me like that.” The light turns green and Colt starts moving again. “I-” Colt groans. “I’ve thought so many times about what I could say to you, to apologize. But, nothing ever seems like enough, y’know? And then it just seems easier to not, y’know, say anything.”
Ryland knows Colt well enough to know that’s the best apology he’s going to get. He swallows down his own anger, it won’t help the moment. Even if he wants to shout ‘can’t you try?’. He clenches his jaw, turning to look out the window. He wishes he was back at home.
Colt lets them lapse into silence, and eventually they make it to the hotel. Colt parks on the street, reaching for the handle. Ryland doesn’t even look at him as he grabs the handle and steps out.
“I’m guessing you’re not gonna stay in the car here either?” Colt sighs, stepping up next to Ryland, a small smile on his face. It feels like an apology, an olive branch. Ryland narrows his eyes at him.
Then a smile spread across his own face, “You can’t really think I would,” Ryland says. And it feels like meeting Colt in the middle, grabbing that branch with both hands.
“No, I guess I don't,” Colt laughs. Colt owes him a better apology, and he knows that. But for now at least, they can pretend.
The unicorn whinnies next to Rylands head, and they walk into the hotel.
Colt goes straight for the front desk, smiling at the receptionist. Ryland comes up next to him, giving the woman his best winning smile.
“Hi, can we talk with Kevin? We wanna order” Colt lowers his voice to a whisper, “the fruit plate.”
“Kevin’s on his break.” She looks at them, her eye flicking down to their clothes, before frowning at them.
Ryland blinks, looking down at his clothes. Oh, yeah. He did get into a fight didn’t he? His clothes are rumpled and wrinkled, and the bottom is dirty from where he sat on the street. Colt looks worse at least, the dirt turning his yellow coat into more of a pukey green color, and his face is cut and bruised, from where he got hit by a car. Ryland shuffles uncomfortably, dragging his hand down the coat like that will fix it.
Colt seems to know what he’s doing with the receptionist, and to be honest, Ryland isn’t sure what they're asking about. He was just drugged with a Shirley temple, and was still seeing that unicorn, give him a break.
He glances around the fancy hotel, his eyes skipping over the over plush chairs and the plants to land on someone walking towards them. He narrows his eyes, trying to focus. Oh! It’s Jody, and some other woman. He grins and waves at them.
“Colt? Ryland? What are you guys doing here? And what are you wearing? What happened?” Jody asks, reaching for Colt when he turns to her with wide eyes.
“Ah, um our luggage got lost at the airport,” Colt lies, smiling softly at her.
“What happened to your face? You look like you got hit by a car,” Jody worries, tilting Colt’s face around. Ryland can’t help his giggle, because, he did get hit by a car.
“You look great,” Colt sighs, melting into Jody’s hands, “You smell really nice too, is that a new perfume? It’s great.”
“Yeah, I changed my perfume Colt, it’s been over a year. Are you feeling ok?” Jody says, her face flushing.
“I’m great! Even better now that you’re here,” Colt smiles.
“Did you hit your head? You look out of it,” Jody looks at Ryland, who perks up at her looking at him. “Ryland?”
“Hi Jody! Oh! I didn’t get to say it earlier, but congrats on the director thing! You’re gonna do great, I’m sure.” Ryland smiles.
“Oh! Uh, thanks! You know who I am?” Jody asks.
“Of course I do! Colt talked about you all the time,” Ryland laughs, “Every phone call was, ‘Oh, Ry, Jody is sooo pretty, her hair is so nice, and she’s a genius behind the camera, and-” Colt claps a hand over Ryland’s mouth.
“Thank you, Ryland! That’s enough from you,” Colt gives a strained laugh. Ryland glares at him, crossing his arms.
“I didn’t know you talked about me,” Jody says.
Colt frowns, “Of course I talked about you? Why wouldn’t I have?” He turns confused eyes to Jody, whose expression seems to soften.
“I wasn’t sure we meant that much to you. What with you ghosting me for over a year.” Jody shrugs with forced nonchalance.
“It meant everything to me,” Colt says, frowning softly. Ryland glanced between the two, Colt’s hand still plastered over his mouth.
“You- you can’t just- ugh! What are you even doing here?” Jody says, her face heating up with a fiery blush.
“Ah, you know, um. What are you doing here?” Colt counters, swaying into Ryland.
“We’re going to brainstorm for the last act,” Jody says, motioning to the other woman, talking on the phone quietly behind her.
“Oh. If you need any help with that, I could y’know.” Colt says. Ryland narrows his eyes at him, was Colt trying to ditch him again? Weren’t they here to find Ryder? Somehow?
“Ah, no, don’t you have something to do, Colt?” The other woman suddenly cuts in, giving Colt a look.
“I’m sure a day won’t set it back that far, Gail.” Colt shrugs. The woman, Gail, frowns at Colt, her eyebrow twitching up at Ryland.
“I think it will. Come on Jody, we’ve better be going,” Gail says, waving Jody along as she heads to the elevator.
"Oh, ok. See you guys later," Jody calls, before following after Gail, looking distracted.
Colt watches her go, a smitten look on his face. Ryland frowns huffing. Colt doesn't remove his hand. Ryland rolls his eyes, and licks his hand. Colt pulls his hand back with a shriek, wiping it against his pants. Ryland laughs, everything seems so funny today. It's probably the drugs.
"I heard you were looking for the fruit platter?" A man suddenly says, both of them spinning around with a start.
The man gives them a key to room 407, with a nervous look. The elevators are in use, because of course they are, so they use the stairs. Finally they make it up, and with a flourish Colt presses the card to the door and! Nothing happens. Colt frowns and tries again. Still nothing. He sighs, thunking his head again the door. He lifts his head and looks at Ryland with a hopeful look.
"I'm not going back down those stairs." Ryland says, shaking his head. Colt groans, then walks back towards the lobby. Ryland rests against he opposite wall of the door closing his eyes. Has he mentioned he's tired? Because he's so tired. He's at the point that if his head hits a pillow he's pretty sure he will be out.
Colt comes back after a couple minutes, this time with the elevator, and tries the door with the new key. Nothing. He smacks the key down again. Nothing again. Ryland laughs, he can't help it. After everything they've done tonight, it's the door the does them in? Colt eyes the door, sizing it up. Then he steps back, and with a shout, slams into the door with his shoulder. It opens, and Colt falls to the floor.
Ryland bursts out laughing again, offering Colt a hand, which he takes with a scowl. As they step in a phone starts ringing. Ryland digs out his own phone to turn it off, while Colt looks around. His phone isn't ringing.
"Not me," Ryland whispers, following Colt's path into the hotel room.
Colt glances back at him, pursing his lips and pulling out his own phone. Answering quickly, "Hello?" he asks, his voice gruff. Ryland watches him tense.
Colts posture changes, "Jody?" He asks, at the answer he starts celebrating, pumping his fist in the air. Ryland grins, happy things are going well for Colt.
After a moment, he realizes this is going to be a long talk, and decides to scope out the rest of the hotel while Colt is busy. He walks the whole room, with no sign of Ryder. There's an odd curtain in the middle of the room, but he figures its for the windows a little further away. He checks in closets, even under the bed, that's where he would go if someone was breaking in, but no Ryder.
He's not here. Groaning in defeat, Ryland drops into one of the ridiculous plush chairs in the room. Maybe rich people knew what they were doing when they got these super expensive rooms, this chair was heavenly. He could just take a nap right here…
***
Ryland woke to a clatter, jumping to his feet in alarm.
"Colt?" He shouted, looking for his brother.
"Ry… stay where you are, don't come here. Fuck." he says weakly from the floor, sounding sick. Yeah, ok, like that would do anything but make him come closer.
He cautiously walks closer, and sees a tub. Why would the tub be out in the open like this, hidden only by a curtain? Which looks like Colt ripped that out of the wall. Ryland peeks into the tub and, there's a man in the tub? Is that Ryder? No, something's wrong. Oh. Oh.
The man is dead.
There is a dead man on ice in the tub.
Ryland can't help the rush of nausea, of violent sickness that rips through him, barely turning his body away from Colt before he is vomiting.
He feels a gentle hand on his back, rubbing circles into his spine. "We've gotta go, come on Ry." Colt says in a gentle voice. It's the softest Colt has talked to him since the accident, probably even before that. Ryland nods, following where Colt leads him easily.
Colt pulls out his phone as they walk, "Gail! There's a body in the hotel room!" He whisper shouts, herding Ryland out the door. He glances about the hallway, he must see something because he ducks his head to pull up the suit collar, and shoves Ryland's head down, ignoring his complaints.
"A dead body Gail!" he repeats into the phone as he hurries them out of the hotel.
"In the hotel that you sent us too!" They make it to the lobby, Ryland can't pay attention. That was a dead body. He's never seen a dead person before, but now he has. His skin feels too tight, he feels like he might throw up again. A dead body.
They make it to the car, Ryland hurries to the passenger side as Colt slams into his own seat. "I'm going to call the cops." Colt says into the phone.
"No Gail! This is a cop thing!" Why wouldn't Gail want the cops involved? There is a dead man on ice in the hotel!
There's a knock on the window. It's the cops. "Its the cops. I'm going to tell them." And Colt hangs up the phone, rolling down the window.
"Hey mate, you can't park here." The officer says, shining a flashlight in at them, he pauses on Ryland, "Is your friend alright?" He asks. Ryland thinks he's going to vomit again, he closes his eyes and breaths through his nose.
"He's fine, actually there's something you need to see." Colt says, getting out of the car. He keeps talking with the officer, and a second one that joins them, as he leads them into the hotel.
Leaning back into his chair, Ryland tries to focus on his breathing. Breath in for 4, hold for 7, breath out for 8. He couldn't vomit again, there's nothing left it would just be bile. That nap did very little to help, he still feels a bone deep exhaustion.
Oh God, he napped with a dead body in the same room. He had to put his head in his knees to stop the wave of nausea. He missed being high. This all seemed a lot more fun with it.
Eventually Colt sat back in the car. He stared forwards for a moment before he spoke, "The bodies gone."
"What?"
"It's gone, Ry. I brought the cops back to the room, and there was no body." He puts the car in drive and backs out of their spot.
"What do you mean? It can't have just disappeared! That man was dead!" Ryland shouts.
"I know! I don't know how, but it wasn't there." Colt shouts back.
Ryland forces himself to breath. Ok. Ok. The sky is blue, the grass is green, and the body is gone. That's fine. Everything is so fine right now.
"What are we going to do?" Ryland asks, voice vulnerable.
"We are going to go to my hotel, and hopefully sleep off these drugs." Colt says, his eyes on the road, "Then we'll make a plan after that. That sound good?"
"Ok, ok, yeah, that sounds good." Ryland breaths, trusting his big brother to fix things.