Author: Nox
Title: Silence
Pairing: Jack/Zach
Disclaimer: Don't own any of it, woe is me.
Warnings: Slash
A.N. Post Epish for Man With the Bone. Saw the lack of Jack/Zach love and took it as a challenge, not the best thing I've written but oh well.
The car was dead silent; Zach usually filled every inch with innocent exuberance and inane babble, babble that in its absence was more annoying than in its presence. Jack glanced over as his strangely quite passenger; Zach seemed mesmerized by the water drops forming rivers down the window. Jack's eyes flicked across to Zach, taking in the hunched shoulders and the body turned away from him. Dr Brennan may not have put much faith in psychiatry but Jack agreed with Booth, a lot could be understood of a person by their body language. Something was bothering Zach and whatever it was Zach really didn't want Jack to know what was going on.
Jack pulled up at the garage and reached out his hand to shake Zach who was still staring dazed out of the window. The moment his hand touched Zach's shoulder he regretted it, Zach's already tense muscles jerked and his hands clenched. Jack pulled his hand back quickly, shock and pain flashing across his face. Jack scowled.
"What the hell is wrong with you, normally you're babbling a hundred miles an hour and tonight you haven't said a word, is it because I found some treasure and you didn't get a chance? Is that it, are you jealous?" Zach turned towards Jack.
"No! It's historically interesting and an important find, but I don't care who found it, and I can't dive anyway." Jack smirked.
"Then why are you so non verbal tonight, come to think of it that last sentence is the most you've said to me all day, ever since I found the coin." Anger flashed across Zach's face.
"You think that's all I care about, artifacts and bones! What else happened that night? Yeah someone threatened to kill you…to...to cut off your air and leave you to drown. It's bad enough Dr Brennan does fieldwork, but she has Agent Booth and even if they won't give her a gun she's still pretty strong, but you're the bug and slime guy you don't do fieldwork and you could have died." Zach stopped his rant and noticed Jack's to-wide eyes and the dawning understanding on his face and he crumpled back into his seat. Jack shook his head, smirk curling the corner of his mouth.
"You were worried about me." Zach shrunk back further into his chair and Jack smiled.
"What are you getting all fidgety about then, you were worried about a friend, no big deal." And then he saw the look on Zach's face.
"Oh." Zach cringes and starts to babble.
"I know, anthropologically it's an aberration and I know and you're straight and I promise I won't try and…" Jack smiles and leans towards Zach, who flinches. Jack's lips quirk.
"Well you're not exactly as straight as I thought you were Zach." Zach's eyes widened as Jack lent in and kissed him. He was still speechless as Jack lent back, watching him. He must have seen a positive reaction in Zach's face because he leant back in his chair and turned the engine back on.
"Would you like to come up to the house?" Zach nodded. Jack pulled out into the driveway and Zach's brain restarted, he began a steady stream of babble which filled the car.
Jack smiled.