When Nick and Zak first met, both of their worlds were colliding and fitted perfectly. Zak worked as a wedding DJ and Nick, whom was engaged at that time, asked Zak if he would do the honor to entertain the guests at his wedding. The funny thing was that they wasn't even supposed to meet.
The wedding was in a few days and they still hadn't found a DJ. The time was running out and in all haste a friend of Veronique suggested that they could give an old friend of hers a call. Though she hadn't spoke to him for years, she still had his old cell phone number. Luckily for them, a young but deep voice answered.
"Zak Bagans"
Nick was the one doing the call and for a moment he froze up. Like he, before they even met, predicted all the feelings, places and entities they would confront in the upcoming future.
"Hello? Is it anyone there?"
The voice sounded annoyed, having to wait on the other side of the phone line. Nick cleared his throat and said, a little bit awkward.
"Yeah, sorry"
He then cleared his throat again and gave out a small nervous laugh while rubbing his neck and tried to go back to his introduction.
"I heard from a friend of mine that you worked as a wedding DJ?"
A soft hum of agreement was heard and Nick continued.
"Well, simply, I'm getting married in a few days, and I'm sorry for bothering you this close to the due date but would you please entertain the guests for a couple of hours?"
"Yeah, sure... umm... maybe we can meet up tomorrow and discuss everything? There are some things I need to know"
A small laughter ended the phrase and Nick found himself chuckling softly to the dark voice that had caused the adorable (yes, adorable) laugh.
"So... where do you want to meet up?"
And so their worlds changed just like that. They met at the popular local cafe the following morning and everything just clicked. Like someone turning on the lights when a room has been dark for a long time, or a peek of a sunbeam through your bedroom window an early summer morning. First it blinds you and leaves you shocked but when your eyes has adjusted to the brightness, you finds out that you really like the feeling. Because it is, simply, light.
The following years passed like a vortex. Sometimes it slows down, but it's always there, ready to strike at any time. At one very particular time when the whirlwind of feelings decided to strike down was the day after Poveglia island. And the whirlwind didn't just hit the both men. It slapped them right in the face.
"Nick?"
It was 4 o'clock on the afternoon and Nick, who obviously has had a hard time falling asleep the whole morning, answered with a raspy voice.
"Yeah, Gee?"
"Are you awake?"
"Do I look awake?"
"Oh... sorry, I didn't want to bother you"
Nick could hear the hurt tone and hasty sits up in the bed to face his older friend and immediately regrets his harsh tone. He bites his lip and lies down on the bed again before he shout after Zak, who had already left the doorway to his room.
"Zak... dude, come back here"
Zak comes back after a few moments, apparently he didn't get so far, holding a big pillow to cover up his naked chest and Nick gulps when he realize that the black haired man only wears a pair of loosely tied pants. But he puts all his filthy thoughts in the back of his head. His best friend is in his most vulnerable state after a lockdown like this and the last thing he need is a perverted friend who can't control his desires. Additionally he has a family at home. A family that he loves above all, If he doesn't count the muscular leader of his investigation crew, whom at the very moment stands at the foot of his bed, waiting for an acceptance so he can crawl under the covers with him.
"Come here"
Nick pulled up the duvet so Zak could craw under next to him. And then they laid there for a few minutes just admiring each other. Sounds cheesy doesn't it? But that is the only way Nick knows that will make Zak forgets almost everything, for a minute or two at least. They are laying there in complete silence. Finding scars, trying to figure out where they come from. Was I with you when you got that almost invisible silver line on your cheek? or that tiny little crater above your eyebrow? They are counting freckles on each other's noses.
This is what kept them from being insane. Kept them from giving up because of all their nightmares. Their safe heaven. The only place where no demon, angry spirit, poltergeist or even Aaron were allowed.
Zak traced the line of his friends jaw, followed the perfect sculptures proportions and almost gasped to the feeling of smooth skin under his fingertips while Nick places a hand on Zak's neck and slowly presses his forehead against the others. He looks into Zak's beautiful blue eyes and he knows that this will be the end of him. The man in front of him has captured his heart, his soul, his very being. And Zak on the other hand thinks very alike when he's seeing his own reflection in Nicks hazel brown eyes. He knows that he will go to hell for everything he has done. He knows that he won't ever be able to let this man go. Not after every time Nick has saved his life, both before and after investigating with him as a GAC member.
"I love you"
A deep voice is whispering to the other man and Nick knows, he knows that even if he would ever want to go home, home to his family in Nevada, it would be impossible.
"I know... I love you too"
Because his real home was here, in this room, in this bed, in the arms of a man that saved him. With Zak.
Zak then gave him that smile, the special and real smile that he shows so rarely these days, before kissing him softly and so gentle but with so much longing and frustration that it almost seems like the whole world just take its first inhale of breath, and their both worlds collides again because everything finally clicked in place. Like someone turning on the lights when a room has been dark for a long time, or a peek of a sunbeam through your bedroom window an early summer morning. First it blinds you and leaves you shocked but when your eyes has adjusted to the brightness, you finds out that you really like the feeling. Because it is, simply, light.
