Summary: It gets quite boring on the road. The boys gotta keep themselves entertained somehow. It just so happens that Nick and Zak have their own little game.
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue, and, as far as I know, nothing I write ever happened.
Note: Was inspired by Zak being so very, very suggestive on some episodes and the Philadelphia meet'n'greet where Zak had to say what I * down in the story. XD


Months on the road could be quite boring- especially with miles of road with barely anything to do in a car. The boys have tried coming up with many games to do between lockdowns and a few of those games got them in trouble at some locations. Billy swore never to get on top of any town statues ever again after getting reprimanded like a five year old (though he'll find himself going back on that promise in the future).

There were also the very innocent, but stupid games the men would play when they were bored, ones where all of them didn't mind joining in. These games usually end up with someone getting thoroughly embarassed or the whole group of them wrestling on the floor, but they didn't bother anybody. These games were quite funny, but the marks they recieved from punishments ("Spoons again? I think you made me bleed last time!"), the bruises they got from Punch Buggy ("Fuck that! I saw it first!") or from muscle spasms as they went too far in a short brawl because they were sure someone cheated tended to tire the boys out and create aches when they needed the energy to stay up during a lockdown.

Then, there were the games that Aaron and Billy end up chickening out on every time it started. It's a two player game, and these two knew they'd never win. Not with Zak and Nick being as competative as they are. It started when they were all taking a break during a lockdown review. Aaron was at his camera ready to be told whether to rewind or fast forward and Billy by his computer, already done organizing a good portion of EVPs. They weren't working though. They were too busy watching what was enfolding in front of them.

"Are you nervous?" Zak asked, a tiny playful smirk gracing his features. He and Nick were both sitting on the couch next to each other and the stronger man leaned over Nick who was on his right, putting his left hand on the other man's chest.

Nick raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "Uh. No? What the hell, Zak."

The hand went lower, lightly petting over developing muscle on the resting man's stomach, "How about now?"

"I see where this is going," Nick chuckled as he daringly stared into Zak's blue eyes, "No. I'm not."

Billy raised an eyebrow, looking to Aaron and getting a shrug, before looking back at the scene, "Uh. I am."

Zak's head snapped to the side to glare at Billy. He laughed, took his hand off Nick's body and grabbed a pillow to throw at the mohawked man.

"Shut up, Billy. I'm not playing this game with you!"

The game ended anyway that day, but Aaron and Billy had an feeling the game continued that night in the next hotel room.


The game came up every once in a while. From time to time Nick or Zak would try to pull Billy or Aaron into the game as well, but the wins for the touchy two were much too easy. At one point, Zak's or Nick's hand on Billy's shoulder got the man screaming "Nervous!" it bordered on comedy and Aaron really did try to call their bluffs, though, it ended the moment they reach below his belt. Aaron had a feeling that Nick and Zak were competing on who'd get him to say the word first.

So in a few weeks, if they did touch Aaron or Billy it wasn't to play the game anymore. The touches went back to being encouraging or protective, back to being friendly and respectful. Billy and Aaron could practically feel their own sigh of relief when the two other men stopped asking them if they were nervous everytime they got a pat on the back.

Didn't stop Nick and Zak from playing the game with each other. They never braught the game up in their own rooms when it's just the two of them together- they knew where this game would lead if that was the case. No, this was purely for fun, they wanted to see who'd get nervous first when they lay their hands on each other for other eyes to notice.

Did Zak and Nick get in trouble? No. Of course not. Now that the game was braught out in the open the word was spoken a lot more quickly. It was also making the two a lot more obvious as touching each other in public became nearly too normal for them.

"You guys, maybe you shouldn't play that game anymore," Aaron said as they ate lunch in a nice cafe. Billy nodded his head as he bit into his sandwich.

Zak's eyebrows furrowed, "Why? It's a fun game."

"Dude, I'm catching you two on video," Aaron winced, "It's kinda looking sketchy."

Nick sighed, "Fine."

And it was fine. Zak had sulked for a few hours, but he had a new idea. He's still going to play the game with Nick, but he won't lay his hands on him during the day.


Nick laughed when he watched Zak jump from rock to rock as he tried to escape snakes in his path. The Nervous Game never came back, but Nick and Zak found other games to play- at the moment, a quick dare for the stronger man to climb the mountain with him to get a good view of their location was entertainment enough. He tried to stifle his laughter under his breath when Zak picked up a snake then dropped it, his run away from the scaley creature downright feminine.

He chased after Zak, rolling his eyes as he heard Zak say something about Indianna Jones and the ground moving.

"You know, it could just bite us like this! And it'd be over. We're pretty high up here, we'd be dead." Zak rambled on at the camera. Nick bit his lip, smiling as he laughed under his breath. He raised his eyes to meet with Zak's devious blues, "Would you suck the venom out of me?"

Both of Nick's eyebrows rose, his mind going blank at Zak's suggestive words. He felt his heart beat faster, what the hell was Zak trying to do, asking that question?

"I don't want to suck anything out of you."

Zak turned away, but Nick caught the smirk making it's way across Zak's face. Oh. It's a challenge.

For the next few lockdowns Nick tried to catch Zak the same way he did on the mountain, but the stronger man was good with twisting words around. Nick found himself doing the same, but he messed up a lot more often.

Zak either asked questions: "What would you do if I died?"

Nick paused, his face screaming 'what the fuck' as he answered, "I'd keep taping."

Or suggestions with actions: "Nick! It grabbed me on the ass! Like... like this, Nick!"

"Don't show me!"

But either way, Nick knew he was losing. He ended up going on the defensive, trying to listen to Zak carefully so he wouldn't get thrown off or surprised by whatever came out of Zak's mouth. He didn't think he'd get a chance to make Zak nervous until a meet and greet with his fans in Philidelphia.

It was the perfect stage, Zak thought as he sat in front of his fans with Nick and Aaron by his side. He couldn't wait to make Nick tongue tied in front of their fans. He knew when the game was won, it was a silent agreement between Nick and himself that if there was a noticable pause, or if they backed down the game was forfeit and Zak just knew what would get Nick to surrender this game to him. He rubbed his fingers around the base of the free standing microphone and pressed his lips against the tip as a fan asked them a question. He could feel Nick's eyes on him as he answered. He slid the microphone over to Nick.

Zak watched Nick carefully as the other man answered, watching the man relax as the seconds passed. He just finished answering his question when Zak leaned closer to Nick, bringing up lightheartedly, "Nick, don't put your lips on the microphone, because I might accidentally do it, and that would mean that you and I kissed." *

"Wouldn't be the first time."

Zak's mouth opened and closed as he felt heat crawl up his cheeks. Nick went there and he could tell the other man was laughing into his hands as everyone in the hall "Woah"ed in surprise. Zak could hear Aaron trying to choke back his laughter.

"Oh hohoh..." Aaron laughed jokingly under his breath as he elbowed Zak in the ribs.

Zak grabbed the mic, "Now everyone's going to go 'Nick and Zak kissed'!" He glared at the other man as Nick calmed his laughter and he autographed a picture. Zak pouted, Nick just one upped him at his own game.