"Zak. Come on, buddy. I'm gonna need you to help me a little here." Nick said as he hefted Zak up the stairs of the hotel. He was beyond drunk. The night had started with an innocent trip to a local bar and had somehow turned into Nick dragging his drunk-mess-of-a-best friend up a flight of stairs. "Come on, dude. We're almost there. Just a few more stairs." Nick had Zak's arm slung over his shoulders and a hand around his waist holding him upright as he tried to negotiate the stairs.

"Nick, I'm so tired." Zak whined. He always got like this when he was plastered. Whiney and difficult… and Nick found himself wishing for the hundredth time that night that he didn't find it so damn adorable. It wasn't often that Zak completely let down his barriers in front of Nick. They'd been friends for so long, but it always seemed like Zak was guarding himself. Except when he got drunk, then all bets were off. He would say anything and everything that came to mind and Nick loved it.

"I know you're tired. We're gonna get you into bed. We just have to get up these last couple of stairs." Nick said, bending a little to get a bit more leverage around Zak's middle. "Step up on my count, okay? One...two...three."

"Nick? Where's the bed?" Zak asked incoherently.

"It's in the hotel room." Nick said patiently.

"I don't see it." Zak looked around confused. "I wanna go to sleep."

"That's because we're in the stairwell, Zak." Nick said, trying not to laugh. He had no idea when Zak had gotten so drunk. He thought they were drinking at the same pace, but apparently Zak had had a bit more than he'd realized. He hefted Zak up the last step, rounding the corner and following the signs toward his room.

"Nick?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't like those girls at the bar tonight." Zak said grouchily.

"You didn't? You could have fooled me." Nick said. It came out twinged with a bit more jealousy than he had intended. Thankfully Zak was way too intoxicated to pick up on it.

"No. They were...boring. Especially Becca." Zak practically spat.

"Oh yeah? What was wrong with Becca?" Nick asked curiously.

"I asked her if she wanted to come back to my room with me. And you know what she said? She said she was more interested in you." Zak said, appalled.

"Is that right?" Nick said, holding back a laugh. Zak could be so competitive sometimes. Nick could not have cared less about Becca. She was nice enough, but he was already spending his time with the only person he wanted to be with.

"Nick, she wanted to have sex with you!" Zak said, outraged.

"The humanity!" Nick said sarcastically.

"And I don't like that." Zak said, slurring slightly. "I don't like when people want to have sex with you." Nick chuckled softly. So apparently if Zak wasn't getting any, then no one could.

"Well, don't worry. No one's having sex tonight." Nick laughed. "Ok, here we are. Zak, gimme your key." Zak patted his pants and sweater trying to locate the key card.

"I don't know where it is!" He said in a mild panic. "Nick, do we have to go all the way back downstairs? I'm so tired."

"Let me see." Nick said, shoving his hands into Zak's pockets, feeling around for the key.

"Woah! What are you getting fresh with me, Groff?" Zak said with that goofy smile he got when he was drunk. Nick rolled his eyes, chuckling softly.

"Ah ha!" He said, pulling the key card from Zak's pants pocket. He quickly unlocked the door, half-dragging Zak's body into the room. He made his way toward the bed, pulling the covers back with one arm while steadying Zak with the other.

"We found the bed!" Zak exclaimed excitedly, swaying a bit.

"It was in your room the whole time. Imagine that." Nick said sarcastically. "Ok, come on. Let's get you in." Nick wrapped his arms around Zak's middle, trying to ignore how warm and inviting it felt to hold him like this. Slowly, he helped lower Zak onto the bed. But the older man was a bit heavier than Nick had anticipated and he had to reach his arms out to catch himself on the bed as Zak's weight threatened to pull Nick down on top of him.

"Woah." Zak breathed, surprised by Nick's face, suddenly inches from his own. Nick locked eyes with him for a moment, noticing how beautiful the older man's blue eyes looked in the dim light. Zak stared back at him, unblinking. Nick quickly remembered himself, pushing up and off the bed.

"Ok...let's see. I'm gonna get you a glass of water." Nick said, awkwardly. He walked into the bathroom, pinching his eyes closed in embarrassment. He quickly filled a glass with water. As he got back to the bed, he noticed Zak squirming and fumbling with his pants.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I can't sleep with my pants on." He said, frustrated.

"Well, you have to undo the belt first." Nick said, placing the water on the night stand. "Here, let me help you." He made quick work of the belt, unbuttoning the pants and pulling them down the older man's legs. He had imagined this moment on more than one occasion, but under very different circumstances. "Ok, there you go." He said, throwing the pants towards Zak's suitcase. "You got everything you need? Water's on the night stand. You really should drink some right now. I'll see you in the morning, buddy."

"Wait, Nick. Where are you going?" Zak asked, confused.

"I'm going to my room. I'm right down the hall if you need something." Nick said, knowing full well Zak would knock out immediately.

"No. Stay for a little bit. Let's watch some TV." Zak said abruptly.

"Zak… it's late. You should probably get some sleep."

"Please, Nick? I don't wanna be alone." He said shyly. And there was something so sad and vulnerable about him in that moment, Nick couldn't say no.

"Okay. I'll stay for a little while." Nick said, making his way to the other side of the bed and sitting on the edge. Zak made no move to turn on the television. He just exhaled deeply.

"No one wanted to come here with me tonight." Zak said softly.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked.

"Girls usually like to come back with me. But not tonight." Zak said. Nick understood what he meant. This was the first time in a long time that they'd gone out drinking and Zak hadn't left with a woman on his arm.

"Well, you can't win 'em all, G." Nick said, trying his best to be supportive.

"It's weird… I don't even like most of the girls…" he said, baffled. "I just don't want to be alone." Nick didn't know what to say. He understood what Zak meant. He hated sleeping alone. Especially on those nights when he watched Zak leave with someone else. Those nights always hurt the most.

"I know what you mean. I feel like that too sometimes." He said quietly. Zak looked at him with sad, compassionate eyes.

"Nick, you don't ever have to be alone." Zak said seriously. "You could have anyone you wanted. You're beautiful." Nick froze as Zak looked at him sincerely. He felt his face color, once again thankful for the dim lighting in the room. He was glad he had decided to stop drinking when he did or he might not have the self control he was currently relying on to keep him from lunging forward and kissing his best friend. Zak was drunk. That's all. He didn't mean it that way. Nick knew he should say something before Zak got uncomfortable.

"I don't know…" he managed, awkwardly.

"I mean it, Nick. And you always have me. I won't ever let you be alone." Zak said, resting a hand on Nick's knee. Nick couldn't help but smile with the warmth of Zak's touch radiating through his body.

"Thanks, man." He said, searching for a better response. There was so much more that he wanted to say, but he knew it wasn't wise. "You know… I… me too." Zak gave him another goofy, drunken smile, patting his knee before taking his hand away and cuddling into the pillows. He let out a sleepy sigh.

"Nick?" He said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Can you just stay until I fall asleep?" He asked, already starting to drift off.

"Yeah, Zak. I'll stay." Nick said, smiling to himself. He stayed until long after Zak's breathing had steadied, watching the older man's peaceful face as he slept, illuminated by the moonlight.