If anyone is interested, I have a more explicit fic on my Ao3 under the same name. It's a JetFaith fic. There's also one in progress that hasn't gotten explicit yet that is a prequel to this.

Chapter 6 - and i was catchin' my breath

Zane's cool hand laced together with Kai's. It steadied the tremor building there.

"How are you so calm?" Kai asked quietly.

"I am panicking," Zane said, giving him a cheeky smile. "I'm just better at hiding it."

Kai rolled his eyes and huffed. He was half tempted to lean on Zane's shoulder and try to nap, but he didn't want to miss their stop. Plus, while Kai was sure Zane could handle three of the seven teenagers eyeing the bag of liquor at their feet, it was better to have two eyes on that situation.

Instead, he settled on bringing the back of Zane's hand up to his lips to place a soft kiss there. Zane smiled and rested his head against Kai's. Even when they were sitting, Zane was taller. Not that Kai minded. It was actually nice.

It was just… different. A kind of different that he could get used to.

They stayed like that until they neared the bus stop they needed to get off at. The pair gathered their things and waited until the bus stopped before moving to get out.

Thankfully, the teenagers didn't follow them. They did make faces through the window, though. Kai flipped them off for good measure.

"Don't rile them up," Zane said, taking Kai's hand again. "The driver and other passengers are going to have to deal with them."

"Yeah, well," Kai sighed. Whatever he was going to say deserted him when Zane kissed the back of his hand.

Zane gave a little laugh through his nose, smiling down at Kai. It was a devastatingly beautiful sight.

Blood rushed to Kai's ears and the back of his neck.

"Come on," Kai said, tugging at Zane's hand. "If we don't hurry, Jay will eat all the mini tacos."

They hurried along to the familiar building and hustled inside. A large chorus of voices greeted them before Nya ducked around the corner, nearly tripping over the pile of shoes by the door.

"You're here!" Nya said, her cheeks already pink.

Kai pulled her into a tight hug.

"Good to be here," he said. She gave him a tight squeeze before turning to Zane. "This is Zane Julien. My boyfriend."

"Hi!"

There was short debate whether to shake hands or hug. Hug won. And then Nya was introducing Zane to everyone at the kitchen table.

Zane looked impossibly comfortable around everyone. So at ease. It was a little chilling, to say the least. He didn't… He never expected anyone other than Cole to just fit so seamlessly in to his family. It was a little jarring.

Kai watched as Zane made a dry joke that took a moment to register in everyone's minds, a smile sliding over his face.

Someone poked him in the side, making him jump.

"I like him," Skylor said, nodding to Zane. She reached across to dip a tortilla chip into some salsa. "So does everyone else."

She crunched the chip noisily, eyes focused on Zane the others.

"Good," he said, snagging one of the last mini tacos. "I do too."

She hummed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm happy that you have someone that makes you happy. It's been shit since…"

He draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her in for a hug.

"Yeah." He kissed the top of her head. "Thanks."

She grabbed another chip and some salsa, eyes trained on the food in front of her.

"By the way," he said, "how'd that date go?"

Skylor groaned, pulling away from him.

"Horrible. The bus was late, and she was late because of traffic. So, we missed our reservation. We did find this cute little tea shop, though. The old man running it was a little weird, but he was nice and his nephew was helping out. So we had this little sixteen or seventeen year old waiter taking care of us. He was adorable but clumsy. A whole pot of tea. Right on me. Thankfully we got a white tea, but…"

"Ouch."

"Yeah."

"And both of us live so far away from where we were, so I had to walk around looking like a drowned rat for a while."

"A cute drowned rat."

She laughed through her nose and bumped him with her shoulder.

"She said that she would call or text me, but she still hasn't."

"I'm sorry."

"Eh, not your fault. She was too sophisticated and smart for me. And she doesn't like brown sugar boba tea. Who doesn't like brown sugar boba tea?"

"Sociopaths."

She cracked a smile at that, She rested her head back on his shoulder.

"You're a great ex-boyfriend a girl could ask for," she said, "you know that, right?"

"Only the best for you."

"Are you two going to flirt all evening?" Nya said from her seat at the table. "Or are you going to bring me a brownie like you promised?"

"That was a lot of fun," Zane said as he unlocked his apartment. The outside light was off, so they had to use their phones to see. "I see why you try to go every week."

"Do you, uh," Kai said. "Do you want to join us next week? Again?"

Zane's face was hidden in shadows, but Kai's heart still fluttered in his chest when Zane turned to look at him.

"Would you like for me to join you again?"

"Yes."

Zane leant down and captured Kai's lips with his own. Even though the kiss was soft, sweet, and oh so short, it left Kai a little breathless and wanting more. Zane was more than happy to oblige.

Kai wasn't sure how, but they made it to Zane's bed.

Lying, flushed and spent, they curled into one another. Kai was glad that Zane always seemed to run cooler than he did. It made moments like these last longer. He could actually bask in the relief and pleasant hum that pulsed through his veins.

Zane rested his head on Kai's chest, placing kisses where he could reach.

"Kai," he said after a few minutes, "can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

Zane got up, resting on his forearm to hover over Kai. He looked over to where his jeans laid. After a moment to consider his words, he spoke again.

"I know your lease will be up soon, and I was wondering," Zane said, his eyes looking away from Kai for a moment before snapping right back to his face. "I was wondering if you'd like to move in with me."

"I," Kai said, his throat suddenly dry. He opened his mouth to speak again, but words refused to form. "No. No. I… I can't. I'm sorry."

Inspired by: "evermore" by Taylor Swift