Chapter 4 Snowboarding

The next morning Ven and Zack get up to find fresh snow had fallen overnight. A hasty breakfast and a quick cup of coffee later Zack is pulling Ven out the door, eager to return to the slope they had found the other day to try his skill at snowboarding.

Brushing off the snow from the trunk of his car, Zack opens it and takes out the snowboard Cloud had lent him as well as the goggles and helmet that go with it. "You really think you can stay on that thing?" Ven says eyeing the narrow board apprehensively.

"Of course," Zack says slamming the trunk closed. He puts the snowboarding gear under his arm and starts to head for the path into the woods. "It'll be fun," he says over his shoulder as Ven follows a little reluctantly.

They keep to the path from the day before and quickly reach the snow covered hill. Placing the board on the ground, Zack dons the goggles and helmet. "How do I look?" He says turning to Ven.

Ven adjusts Zack's helmet slightly to make it sit straighter on his head. "Like you're going to have some bad helmet hair when we get back to the cabin," Ven replies. Zack sticks out his tongue at him before picking the snowboard back up and heading up the slope. Ven follows and at the top looks down to see the hill is higher than it had looked from the bottom.

Zack plops down in the snow and lines up his feet with the straps on the board. Tightening them over his boots, he wiggles his feet to make sure they are secure. He reaches up to Ven who hauls him awkwardly upright. The board under his feet starts to slide on the snow and Zack grabs Ven's arm to keep himself upright.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," Ven says, trying to help Zack balance. He looks worriedly at Zack. "People get hurt snowboarding."

"I'll be fine Ven," Zack says giving him a gentle peck on the lips. "You worry too much."

Leaving Ven frowning at the top of the hill, Zack inches his way towards the slope down until his board starts to slide on its own. He picks up speed faster than he expected as he races towards the bottom. He crouches low with his arms out for balance and after a couple seconds finds it easy to stay upright on the board. Reaching the bottom, Zack isn't really sure how to stop and just waits for the friction to slow his board.

At the top of the hill, Ven watches as Zack comes to a stop and windmills his arms to keep balanced. Turning to look up at Ven, Zack raises his hands in two thumbs up. Ven shakes his head with a sigh of acceptance as Zack sits in the snow to free his feet from the snowboard. Once that is done, Zack picks up the board and runs up the hill, back to where Ven is waiting for him.

"That was awesome," Zack says with a grin. "You wanted to give it a try?" He holds out the snowboard to Ven, but Ven shakes his head.

"No, I'm okay with keeping my feet firmly planted on the ground."

"Suit yourself," Zack says with a shrug, working to put the snowboard back on his feet. Ven helps him up again and moments later he is headed back down the hill.

…

Zack continues like this for nearly half an hour. He eventually gives up on offering Ven a turn as each time Ven refuses, claiming snowboard to be a dangerous sport. On his 23rd or 24th ride down, the nose of the board catches on a rock hidden just beneath the surface of the snow. Zack's momentum sends him tumbling head over heels and he lands in a heap in the snow.

"Zack!" Ven shouts running down the hill side to where Zack is rolling onto his back. "Zack," Ven says frantically as he falls to the ground beside him. "Zack are you alright?"

"Yeah," Zack forces out, taking in big gulps of air. He pulls the goggles down around his neck. "I think...I knocked the wind out of me."

Ven helps Zack sit up and lets him lean on him while he catches his breath. As Zack's breathing returns to normal, Ven can't help but let out a snort of laughter.

"What?" Zack says, looking at him curiously.

"That was quite the face plant," Ven says trying and failing to hold back his laughter. Zack shoves him and feigns a hurt expression for a moment before starting the laugh along with him. Regaining his composure, Ven turns to Zack and asks, "Can we find something less dangerous to do now?"

"Sure," Zack says unclipping his helmet and tossing it aside. He does the same with his goggles and unhooks his boots from the snowboard. "What do you have in mind?"

"Hmmm," Ven says laying back in the snow with his hands behind his head. "How about snow angels? Nobody has ever gotten hurt making snow angels before."

Zack grins. "Snow angels it is."

He lays back as well and the two of them drag their arms and legs through the snow a couple times. Getting to their feet, they look down at the imprints they had made in the soft snow. Zack points to Ven's angel. "Look. It even has your cute butt."

"Does not!" Ven exclaims, staring critically for at the snow angel before twisting around to try and look at his own butt.

Zack laughs and pulls Ven close to him. "It's a compliment Ven," he says kissing him on the forehead.

"I'm not cute," Ven says, muffled into Zack's chest. "I happen to be very manly." He lifts his head up to frown at Zack.

"I'm sorry. You're right," Zack says smiling at him. "That pout of yours is very manly."

"Damn right it is," Ven says and kisses Zack hard.

Hey look, I finished this before midnight! I seriously wrote this in the last hour without stopping so if the ending seems kind of random thats because I'm falling asleep right now.

LightzChristmas22: I'm sorry your weekend has been terrible, but hopefully some Zactus fluff makes it a little bit better.

Three more chapters left. I'm over halfway there!