So, here we are; Chapter Four! I have a special request for you guys – if there is any event you would like to see written for this, I would love to know, because my mind could benefit from some different fictitious scenarios!
FYI, this chapter follows almost straight on from Shaun's return in Chapter 3. I've done something that may or may not work, and if it doesn't I do apologise. I decided to try and write some 'M' rated stuff – just a scene at the moment, but I understand not everyone wants to read it, so this 'T' chapter will have a slightly different chain of events surrounding Shaun's return. Both have their merits (I hope), so I will highlight the text that is the alternative scene, and you can decide to flick over to the other one. The action will them resume exactly the same after that, on this page.
N.B. The 'M' scene has to be saved under a new story, but I will keep the title, and just put 'insert' after it.
That's a little confusing, but let's just see how it goes!
As always, reviews are gratefully appreciated.
Thanks for reading!
All the way back to the apartment Cody keeps chatting on about what they've been doing while Shaun's been away, and he responds enthusiastically. Zach's smile won't leave his face, and he can feel all the tension of the past month begin fading. The drive back has never seemed so long, or enjoyable. They finally pull in and as soon as Zach turns the engine off Cody is wriggling out of his seat and trying to open the door. Shaun laughs and hops out himself, yanking his suitcase from the trunk and grabbing Cody's hand, nodding his head at something he says.
Shaun fumbles with the key in the lock and shoves at it with his shoulder when it sticks on the frame a little. Zach follows in and presses the door back with a click before going to help Cody get ready for his play date with Danny.
*A/N: Other section in 'M' starts right about now and will end further down this page*
Cody has other ideas however, and has already shot off to his bedroom to retrieve the story Shaun wrote for him, the remnants of the M&M's and his new police car. He calls Shaun into the front room and spreads everything out, telling him who each of the presents was from.
Zach sits down on the bed and takes a deep breath in, rolling his shoulders and revelling in the sound of his family being back together. Picking up discarded clothes and toys from the floor he walks over to the wardrobe and toy box and re-distributes them to their rightful places before taking out Cody's coat and gloves.
Shaun sits on the sofa and smiles as Cody rattles off news about how much fun school is, and how nice his teacher is, and how cool it is that he's back now.
"Can we have meatballs for dinner? Can you ask Uncle Zach?" he pleads, batting his eyelashes up at Shaun, who rolls his eyes and shrugs dramatically. Cody giggles, knowing that he'll get his own way, and jumps up, giving Shaun a last squeeze and running off to his room to get his coat on.
Zach helps him into it and zips him up, telling him to behave for Danny's mom and not to wander off or goof about near traffic. Cody nods and walks sedately to the door when the bell goes, opening it and saying hi to Danny's mom, waiting patiently for Zach to come and say hi to her. He gives her ten dollars to buy him some lunch, and waves goodbye to them as they trot off down the stairs.
When he shuts the door and turns round, Shaun is stood there, head slightly on one side and a slightly weary grin playing across his face.
"Jeez I'm tired." he says, and Zach notices for the first time the smudges under his eyes and the sagging of his shoulders. He walks over to him and kisses him on the lips, darting his tongue out to draw in the familiar taste, pulling back and just leaning his head against his shoulder, looping his arms around his waist. Shaun pulls him close tightly and breathes in his smell, releasing him a moment later and pulling him by the hand back to the front room and the sofa. Shaun sits in his usual corner, laying his arm across the back of the chair, and Zach slips into the space left there, bringing his knees up to rest his feet on the edge of the cushion.
"How you been?" Shaun murmurs into the skin above Zach's ear, making him shiver pleasurably. Zach shrugs a little and looks down at his hands, unsure of how to express it.
"I missed you." Shaun continues, and the hope in his voice makes Zach look at him properly.
"I missed you too," he says, and Shaun grins again, leaning in for the first proper 'I'm glad you're home' kiss, to which Zach responded eagerly, sucking gently on Shaun's lower lip and tracing all the muscles in his neck with his fingers.
They sit quietly, just enjoying each other's company, and the long day of travelling for Shaun and the restless night for Zach catch up on them. Shaun moves Zach gently over, stretching his long legs out along the length of the sofa, Zach comfortably snug in the gap between his body and the back of the chair. It's like this that they fall asleep for a couple of hours, holding each other close and relaxed at last.
* 'M' rated section ends – from here on it's all back to normal.*
The Monday after Shaun's return the three of them begrudgingly return to school and work after their weekend cooped up together. Zach makes sure he kisses Shaun goodbye before they part, and Shaun says he'll fix dinner when they get home so Zach won't have to worry about bringing anything back from work.
At school Mark looks at him when he walks in, happier than they've seen him in weeks, and grins, raising an eyebrow at him across the room. Zach blushes and shrugs, getting straight on with his work.
When they take a break he corners Zach, pressing a cup of coffee into his hands.
"You got laid didn't you?"
Zach nearly snorts his coffee everywhere.
"What?"
"Oh come on, you look…hot today. Like you just had some amazing sex. So who was it?"
"Who d'you think it was?"
Mark surveys him critically and puts his head to one side.
"Well, you don't look guilty, and I know you would if you'd cheated, so it must be your sugar daddy." Zach rolls his eyes.
"Will you shut up with the 'sugar daddy' thing; Shaun isn't my keeper, he's my…" he trails off, unable to think of a word.
"Boyfriend? Partner? Significant other? Yeah, I know. I was only joking Zach. Guess I'm just jealous you get a hot older guy who pretty much worships the ground you walk on."
Zach punches him playfully in the arm, and the mood lightens.
On Wednesday Zach takes the truck to be serviced, and decides to wait until it's done. He takes out his phone and idly flicks through the pictures on it until he finds one that makes him smirk, and an evil thought cross his mind.
In his meeting with the publisher, Shaun is earnestly describing one of the more intimate plot devices in his new book when his phone rings. He apologises and takes it out, intending to turn it off, until he sees the picture.
Zach doesn't expect a reply – he knows Shaun is in a meeting, but he knows when he does get one it'll be great.
At midday Zach's phone buzzes as he parks the car back outside the apartment, and he laughs aloud at the message;
You little shit, I'm gonna get you back for that! X
He laughs all the way up the stairs.
Friday rolls around again, and Zach's shift at the diner is as frantic as usual. He tries to work as fast as possible, hoping it will bring around closing up time quicker. But no luck; the orders keep pouring in. Angelo sticks his head in and grins at him,
"Hey, somebody out here wants to see you." Zach frowns and hopes it's not some asshole customer complaining about something. He wipes his hands on his apron and follows him out the door. Sitting on a table near the window are Cody and Shaun, both pretending to be seriously looking at the menu, and both laughing at Zach's face. He rolls his eyes and tries to look annoyed, but can't stop a grin spreading across his face.
"Go on, take your break: you got ten minutes." Angelo says, and waddles back off toward the kitchen, grabbing an apron on the way.
"What are you guys doing here?" Zach murmurs, gently touching the back of Shaun's hand. Shaun shrugs and ruffles Cody's hair.
"We were just passing and Cody really fancied a milkshake, so I thought we'd drop in. You don't think we came here to see you did you?" Zach smiles, chewing the inside of his cheek as he looks at Shaun, eyes sparkling and hair tousled.
"Well, guess I'd better get you guys a drink then huh?"
After they've left Zach returns to the table to clear their plates and finds a twenty dollar tip wedged under a napkin with Shaun's number scribbled on it;
To the hot chef that served me and my kid,
Ring me sometime.
Zach's heart skips a beat at the message written so casually, and that feeling of warmth and belonging runs up and down his spine. He folds the note carefully and tucks it into his wallet.
April brings two things; Easter and Gabe. Shaun is sitting outside on their tiny balcony feeling pretty smug with himself for writing a whole half a chapter this morning when his phone goes. Without looking at it he flicks it open and brings it to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey princess." Shaun snorts and leans back, stretching his legs out along the railing, tucking his arm behind his head.
"Gabe, where the fuck have you been?"
"Aw you know, just doing a bit of school work, seeing some hot chicks, getting wasted. Usual."
"Great. You just ringing to talk or is there something specific you want?"
There is a pause, and Shaun hears the sound of Gabe shifting about, and the sound of a door shutting softly.
"How's Zach?"
"He's great, why do you ask?"
"Just wondered is all."
"Bullshit. Have you two argued or something?"
Another silence, and Gabe clears his throat. "No, we haven't argued. Hey, can I come and see you guys for a couple of days?"
Zach wrestles with the awkward bag of shopping as he climbs the stairs, trying to avoid bruising the fruit and himself as it swings to and fro. Shaun hasn't been answering his phone, so he'd taken a guess on what they needed. Finally he reaches the door, pulls the keys out, dislodging half his pocket in the process, and is about to stick it in the lock when the door is thrown open and a cheery voice rings out;
"Hey man!" Completely confused but smiling nonetheless, Zach puts the shopping down and gives Gabe the secret handshake they've been doing since they were ten. They step back inside the apartment and Zach frantically searches his mind for some evidence that he'd invited him and just forgot. When nothing comes up he looks about for Shaun, and raises both eyebrows at him when he wanders out of the bedroom on the phone. Shaun pulls a face and shrugs apologetically.
After the shopping has been put away and Cody has been picked up from school, Shaun suggests that Gabe and Zach go and grab a few beers somewhere.
"You not coming bro?"
"Nah, somebody's gotta keep an eye on our favourite little man, right?"
The walk down to the bar is quiet, and Zach racks his brain for topics to discuss that won't end up back at he and Shaun's relationship. After the usual small talk Gabe stops in the middle of the street and turns to Zach with a frustrated expression on his face.
"Why are you making this weird?" Immediately on the defensive Zach turns his face away before replying.
"I'm not." Gabe puts a hand on his shoulder and shakes him gently.
"Dude, I don't know if you're being weird with me because I haven't been around, or if you think I don't like you and Shaun, but help me out here!"
Zach swallows and turns to look at him, fear apparent in his eyes.
"You really don't mind?"
"Fuck Zach, I told you over a year and a half ago that I didn't mind, so why would it suddenly be a big problem?" Zach shrugs and Gabe gives him a friendly dig in the ribs before walking on, turning his head slightly to call flirtatiously back to him; "Come on sweetie, I wanna see what gorgeous men you have in this big bad city…"
Zach snorts and follows, shaking his head in amusement.
Shaun places the glass of water and aspirin by the side of the bed and gently kisses Zach's hairline. Zach groans and buries his head further into the pillow, squirming away from the heat of Shaun's touch.
"Morning babe, how you doing?" He gets a grunt from the tousled head buried in the pillow, which moves slightly, so a mouth can be seen.
"Water." It croaks, and Shaun holds the glass up so a bleary eye can see it. Zach painfully props himself up and reaches unsteadily for the glass, Shaun still holding the base of it. As the water hits his dry throat Zach winces, and swallows quickly, handing back the glass and laying against the headboard.
"Good night huh? You and Gabe back on track?" A painful nod. "Want some breakfast?" A shake of the head.
"I'll leave you to get some more sleep." Shaun drops another kiss on his cheek and creeps out quietly, grinning to himself.
When Gabe leaves four days later, Zach feels a little tug of loss. They bro-hug at the bus station and swear to talk soon, and definitely no more weirdness. As the bus pulls off noisily Shaun throws his arm around Zach's shoulder and holds him for a while.
"You alright?"
"Yeah, I just forgot how good it was to see people from home, that's all."
"C'mon, let's go and grab a bite before you have to go to work."
At the cafe Shaun listens to Zach as he talks out his fears about what people must think of him at home.
"I didn't even tell anyone I was leaving, or that I was with you. Does that make me a coward?"
Shaun covers his hand with his own and tells him that it doesn't, it just means he wasn't ready to be open. Somehow that makes Zach feel worse.
One afternoon in the middle of May Shaun brings Cody home and slumps glumly on the sofa, turning on the TV to some random shit and zoning out.
When Zach comes home after his shift he finds Cody playing quietly in his room and Shaun in the same position. He sits next to him and puts a hand on his knee.
"You okay?" Shaun shrugs and rubs his fingers across the stubble of his chin.
"My Mom called."
"Oh." As far as Zach knows Shaun speaks to her about four times a year, at Christmas, New Year, his birthday, and her birthday. To call unexpectedly is unlike her, and isn't a good sign.
"She wants us to go visit them."
Oh.
"Well, that might be cool. I guess you haven't seen your mom in a while, right?"
Shaun looks at him, an eyebrow raised, and Zach falls quiet.
"I told her that we'd all be going, if you agreed."
"All of us? Like Cody and me too?"
"Yeah Zach, that's what I meant by all of us. She's holding some summer party in June for all of her friends. I think she wants to prove to everyone how cool and modern she is by showing off her gay, writer son and his boyfriend."
"I think we should go." Zach says, his voice coming out surprisingly firm. Shaun turns to him and grabs both of his hands.
"We only have to go if you want to. If you're uncomfortable staying there we can always get a hotel or something." But Zach knows this is something they, and especially he, have to do.
The last weekend in June, the night after Zach finishes his second year at Cal Arts, they pack up their weekend bags, strap Cody into the back and set off to drive the familiar route to their hometown. Zach tries to keep spirits high while they travel, and drills Cody about being polite and picking up after himself. He only has vague memories of Shaun's mom and…Larry, and tries to remember what she was like. Shaun grips the steering wheel hard and taps his thumbs anxiously against the plastic.
They stop off once an hour in to let Cody use the bathroom at a service station, and Zach walks up behind Shaun and rubs the knots out of his shoulders.
"Don't worry; it's only for a weekend. We can always leave early on Sunday morning if it's awful." Shaun nods and turns, pressing a soft kiss against Zach's lips.
They pull up to the big house at 21.30 and see the place lit up like a Christmas tree, classical music drifting out of the open patio door at the back. Shaun grips Zach and Cody's hands, forces a warm smile and strides up to the gate at the side, nudging it open with his foot. They walk round to see Shaun's mom sitting with a book and a large glass of red wine in her other hand.
"Hey Mom," calls Shaun, and she jumps, putting her glass down as she turns to face them. With her big smile and bright eyes Zach can't believe how much Shaun and Gabe look like her. She holds out her arms theatrically and trots over, before wrapping them round him and kissing him full on both cheeks.
"Great to see you honey! How was your trip? Do you want a drink?" she says, seemingly in one breath. Shaun sighs, "Yeah, a beer or something would be great. Oh, and Mom,"
He releases Zach's hand and gently pushes him forward, one hand on the small of his back, "you remember Zach?"
Zach holds her gaze as she critically assesses him, her eyes sweeping over him quickly, before she smiles and grabs one of his hands with both of hers.
"Of course I do, though I must say it's been a few years, and you're definitely more grown up than the little boy that used to run around with Gabriel."
Zach smiles and lets some of the tension in his muscles release. "And this is Cody."
Cody has been stuck firmly to Shaun's side for the previous exchange, and looks up at Angela with big eyes. She looks down at him and winks, a grin on her face.
"So, you're the big guy Shaun talks about, huh?" Cody smiles, and Angela holds out her hand for him to take. He looks up at Shaun for approval, and he nods, so the funny pair walks toward the open door, already chattering away.
Zach drops his head onto Shaun's chest with a huff and holds loosely onto his waist.
"Well, that wasn't so bad," Shaun says begrudgingly, and runs his fingers across Zach's neck, shaking him gently. "Come on Babe, we'd better go say hi to Larry."
Feeling stronger together, they follow in Cody and Angela's footsteps; walking over the rest of the patio and into the house.
Thanks for reading, please let me know what you thought :)