[story] this seat next to you
author: gyoku
artist: yue ix (yue_ix)
email: yue.ykx [at] gmail.com
Day 1: Departure
Mrs. Taylor stands a distance from the gaggle of teenagers in the airport departure hall, watching her youngest son anxiously. Zack is at the edge of the crowd next to a classmate of his. They make a contrasting picture - Zack is taller by about two inches, his dark brown hair cropped in that severe GI cut he favours whilst the other boy is blessed with a mop of wavy red hair that keeps flopping into his eyes.
She has no idea what the conversation is about but it must surely be exciting; Zack's classmate's face is animated and he gestures frequently with his hands. Her son however, is a lot less enthusiastic, one hand tugging the strap of his rucksack in what she recognises as nervous gesture. Zack's lack of a response does not seem to be a deterrent however, as he continues his discussion, even throwing his head back to laugh at some joke he makes.
"Do you think he'll be OK?" she asks her older son for the umpteenth time and Jason laughs.
"Don't worry, Mum. It's just a school trip," he says, putting an arm bracingly around her shoulders. "Zack's a good kid. What can go wrong?"
Day 2: Berlin
Their hotel is located in Alexanderplatz. Much to their classmates' jealousy, Zack and Bryan get a room with a view overseeing the Fernsehturm. Bryan quickly lays claim to the bed nearest the windows, tossing his bag carelessly on the floor and diving onto the mattress, shoes and all. Zack unpacks his things in a more methodical manner, sitting down on the bed and texting his family to inform them of his safe arrival.
Surprisingly, Jason's the first to reply though he doubts that their mother would have approved of his response: Have fun! Don't worry, I'll pay for the porn channels!
He's started on the promised emails to his family when Bryan steps outside the shower. He leans over Zack's shoulder, peering at the screen, whistling in admiration.
"Writing to your family already?" he asks.
Zack turns to look at Bryan then, though he realises belatedly that it was a bad move on his part. Because Bryan's face is really close to his now, so much so that he can feel Bryan's breath on his face and smell the mint shampoo he used. He can also see the colour of Bryan's big eyes - they're bright hazel and somehow very compelling.
Bryan leans back and clears his throat. "Umm, you want to do the homework together after you shower?" he asks in an uncertain voice, his face a curious shade of red.
They're sitting on Zack's bed, handbooks open in their laps. Bryan's taken it upon himself to be the quizmaster, reading the questions out loud, with Zack replying in monosyllables.
He's answered four on the trot when Bryan suddenly stops talking and taps Zack on the knee with his pencil. "You know, it's not nice of you to avoid looking people in the eye," he says.
Zack looks up, instantly defensive but much to his surprise, Bryan's grinning.
"Didn't your parents tell you it's rude to avoid eye contact?" he asks.
"But it's just homework."
"It doesn't matter. It's still a question," Bryan replies, his smile growing wider, as if he's laughing at some internal joke. "So when you answer, you need to look at me."
"I was looking," Zack protests but it sounds lame even to his ears and Bryan rolls his eyes, telling Zack what he thinks of that reply.
"Never mind. Next question. When did the Berlin Airlift begin?"
"June nineteen-"
"Ah, ah, you need to look at me," Bryan admonishes, wagging his pencil at Zack. "Let's try this again. When did the Berlin Airlift begin?"
Zack sucks in his breath - it's clear that Bryan will not continue with the homework till he gets his way - so he lifts his chin to focus his gaze on a point on the wall past Bryan's shoulder. Bryan chuckles and uses his hand to tip Zack's chin a little to the side.
"Nice try. I'm here, Zack. Look here," he states firmly, using his pencil to point to himself.
"And the Berlin Airlift began in..." he prompts again, eyes crinkling with amusement.
"June nineteen-forty-eight," Zack mutters, feeling a curious mixture of both rebellion and defeat.
"Bingo! There, it wasn't so hard, wasn't it?" Bryan asks. He tucks his hand under his chin and gives Zack a cheeky grin, clearly feeling victorious.
Zack doesn't say anything in reply, distracted by the sight of Bryan being illuminated by the light of the evening sun.
Day 4: Dresden
Zack's tapping his finger in time to the music, careful not to make too much noise. Bryan is asleep next to him, a result of the cold medications he had been forced to take. Despite that, Zack can still feel the heat radiating from Bryan's body due to the fever and his eyes are dark-rimmed.
Bryans slumps further and further, his head finally coming down to rest against Zack's shoulder. Zack takes a quick look around; the rest of his schoolmates are sleeping too, with nobody noticing the two of them. He shifts and rearranges Bryan's head such that he can rest more comfortably against him and resumes fiddling with his playlist.
Day 6: Prague
It is a school trip after all and the teachers are obliged to drum some semblance of an education into their students. Which was why there are fifteen of them crammed inside Mr Johnson's room. As usual, Zack comes early so he can reserve his favourite spot right in the corner, far from the teacher. The project for tonight is a debate on the atomic bomb. Despite his recent cold, Bryan's amongst the first to volunteer to be on one of the teams.
Zack doesn't really bother to pay attention to the debate - he's pretty much decided which side he was on - and spends time doodling in his handbook instead. But Bryan's turn comes up next and Zack stops what he's doing to watch. Bryan's enjoying himself - his face is flushed with excitement and his eyes sparkle with the challenge of having to prove his point.
When the discussion session is over, and they're back in the comfort of their room, sitting next to each other as they watch some cheesy European soap opera, Bryan asks Zack why he was quiet for the whole night.
"I didn't have anything to say."
"Impossible," Bryan argues. "You always have something to say when we're doing homework together."
"That's different."
"How so?"
"I don't like talking in public. It comes out wrong most of the time," Zack says, frustration creeping into his voice. "It pisses people off. So I just keep quiet."
Bryan shakes his head. "It doesn't sound wrong."
"Huh?"
"The things you say," Bryan says and he quirks an eyebrow. "In fact, sometimes, you hit the nail on the head."
"What do you mean?" Zack asks, thoroughly confused.
Much to his frustration, Bryan evades his question. "You can't remember?"
"Remember what?"
Bryan's lips curve up in a smile. "That's for me to know and for you to find out."
"And if I can't find out?"
He leans in so close that Zack can feel his breath coming on his cheek. "Then I'll tell you," he says playfully, eyes dark with an emotion Zack can't quite identify. "But you'll need to ask more nicely next time."
Zack stares blankly back at Bryan, unable to formulate an appropriate response. Bryan watches him, as if waiting for Zack to say something but draws back when he realises that no reply is forthcoming.
"You know, it's really hard to get a reaction out of you sometimes," he complains.
For the life of him, Zack cannot understand what he did that could have made Bryan so upset. So he watches mutely as Bryan turns off the television and goes to bed, drawing the comforter up so high that only the top of his red hair can be seen peeking through.
Day 7: Prague
The teachers spring a surprise on the students the next day, giving them an entire afternoon off to see the city. Zack hides his disappointment, bracing himself for the inevitable result of becoming one of the stragglers with no group to speak of.
However, Bryan surprises him yet again when he snags Zack by the elbow, all smiles, yesterday's bad mood seemingly forgotten. "Let's go."
"The two of us?" Zack can't help but question Bryan's decision.
"Yep. Just the two of us," Bryan says firmly, and there's something about the way he says it that makes Zack tingle inside.
Day 9: Krakow
Much to their dismay, the air-conditioner in their room breaks down. There are no other rooms available and the air still feels stuffy despite the portable fan installed as compensation. Zack takes the setback with equanimity, comforted by the fact that they have only one more night in the city.
He tries his best to concentrate on the homework assignment for the night but is distracted by Bryan's constant movement. Unlike him, Bryan is not coping as well with the heat. His T-shirt is in a rumpled pile next to him, lips pursed in annoyance as he fans himself with a magazine and he's even pinned his bangs back. Despite those efforts, his temper does not improve and he continues to fidget and mutter darkly under his breath.
Zack tries to focus on the questions before him but he can't help sneaking a peak at Bryan. Now that his hair is pulled away from his face, he can easily trace the line of Bryan's jaw, down his neck, and finally to the curve of his shoulder. He's also quite sure he's being surreptitious about it, until he feels a hand on his knee.
"You were staring at me," Bryan states without preamble, words shorn of their usual jest and mischief.
Zack cringes on the inside, embarrassment rising in a swift tide within him at having been caught. He's tempted to deny his actions but resigns himself to the fact that Bryan knows that he's a terrible liar. So he settles for an apology instead, hoping that his friend will notch it up as one of his usual social faux pas.
"Sorry," he mutters, shame-faced. "Didn't mean to do it."
"It's OK," Bryan answers, voice calm and he takes a deep breath. "I don't mind if it's you."
There's a small, self-deprecating laugh and he continues, "In fact, you probably have no idea how I waited for you to do something like that."
Zack knows there's something he's missing here, that Bryan's trying to tell him something but he's not getting it; the answer slipping out of his grasp. So as usual, he keeps quiet, not wanting to say anything wrong. Only this time, Zack doesn't avoid eye contact, and he looks at Bryan, wondering at the thoughtful expression on his face.
"You really don't get it, do you?" Bryan sighs, his shoulders sagging.
Zack shakes his head, not trusting himself to not say something stupid that will ruin whatever's building up between them currently.
As expected, it's Bryan who makes the first move, inching little by little closer to Zack, a guarded expression on his face. Zack stays as still as a stone, unperturbed by the decreasing distance between the two of them. Encouraged by this, Bryan closes the space between them and carefully climbs into Zack's lap, sending books and pencils tumbling to the floor. Zack's hands slide up to hold him steady, feeling warm skin beneath his hands.
Something like relief passes over Bryan's face.
"You don't mind?" he asks Zack, his voice sounding tremulous for some reason.
Zack shakes his head, unable to find the right words to say but it's all right because he knows he's given the right answer for once. Bryan is smiling at him, but this is different from his usual cheeky grins. This smile is slow, intimate and Zack knows instinctively that Bryan will never look at anybody else this way, that this is something Bryan's reserved only for him and he finds himself feeling immeasurably pleased by the idea.
"Good. Because I was afraid you'd punch me or something if you found out."
"Find out what?" Zack asks.
Bryan doesn't say anything; instead, he leans down to brush his lips across Zack's, hands coming up to clutch his shoulders and Zack finally understands what Bryan's been trying to tell him all along.
Day 10: Budapest
Bryan's taken his usual seat next to the window, staring at the view on the highway. Zack slouches next to him, trying to find space to stretch his legs.
Then Bryan turns towards him, and smirks, a knowing look on his face.
"We had a good time last night, didn't we?" he murmurs into Zack's ear, making him turn a bright shade of red as he recalls the kind of filthy things Bryan and that pretty, pretty mouth of his is capable of.
"You're a pervert," he says in a gruff tone before taking out his PSP, eager to change the subject.
Bryan laughs, and he leans in again, "I can do more tonight if you like," he whispers. Zack blushes even more.
Day 11: Vienna
"Fuck me," Bryan says in between kisses as Zack helps him out of his T-shirt; reaching into the bedside table for the condoms and lubricant that he bought earlier that day. "I want you to fuck me."
Zack's eyes widen, and he pulls away, scandalised by the idea, and he starts to protest, "Don't you think it's too soon?"
Bryan thrusts once, slowly, deliberately reminding him of their mutual need and he smiles as Zack tries to smother a groan. "I don't think so."
"But I don't know how to-"
Bryan cuts him off with another wet kiss, a hand slipping down to wrap his fingers around Zack, stroking him with a deft touch. "Doesn't matter. We'll figure it out together."
It's tricky but somehow, they manage. Their elbows and legs get in the way, half the condoms are wasted before Zack finally figures out how to put them on properly (so much for sex education) and it turns out to be a painful experience for the both of them - Bryan apologises profusely the next morning for not getting his nails trimmed.
But there is also the feel of skin on skin, the slip and slide of muscles slick with sweat, the sound of Bryan moaning his name and the heat of Bryan's body as Zack moves inside him. In the face of all that, everything else just fades away.
Day 13: Munich
"What do we do when we get back home?" Zack asks out of the blue. They're squeezed on Zack's bed, yet another cheesy European soap opera on the television.
"Huh?"
"When we get back home. What happens?" Zack asks again. He wants to use the word 'relationship' but that reminds him of Jason and his girlfriend and he's not sure if he and Bryan belong in that category yet.
Bryan traces circles on the coverlet, voice small. "Oh. It's up to you. We could be just friends. Like before."
He conveniently forgets to mention the part where Zack doesn't really bother to talk to anybody in his class at all.
Zack trashes the idea with an emphatic shake of his head, "No," he says, spreading his hands wide, trying to express the right idea. "I want this. What we have now."
Bryan crushes a quick kiss against his lips, hands gripping the front of Zack's T-shirt. "Good. Because I prefer this too."
Day 15: Arrival
Zack sits on Bryan's bed, handing him one item at a time, only to see him to throw it haphazardly into his suitcase, with no thought given as to how they are to be arranged. Zack's own suitcase stands zipped and locked near the door, a silent reminder to Bryan of the sins of procrastination.
"You've still not told me that thing," Zack says, as he passes Bryan a beer stein.
"What thing?" Bryan scowls at the offending item. "Where the hell am I supposed to fit this?"
"You know, the part about..." Zack chews on his bottom lip, "About the things I say."
"Huh? Oh, that. You were supposed to ask me nicely," Bryan reminds him, viciously pinning his bangs out of the way. "Fuck, it's hot. Hand me the shirt, will you?"
"Please?" Zack holds out the requested piece of clothing.
Bryan tips his head to one side, an exasperated but fond look on his face. "That's cheating."
"I don't think so."
"OK, OK, fine," Bryan caves and replies, intent on squeezing more into an already full suitcase. "Remember when I transferred to the school?"
Zack frowns as he tries to recall the details. "Sort of."
"And Damien was picking on me for being a charity kid on scholarship?"
Zack turns bright red as he recalls yet another social misstep, one of the many in his collection. "I can't remember."
Bryan pokes him in the chest. "Don't be stupid, I know you have a good memory."
Zack scowls, jaw set in a stubborn line. "I don't know what I told Damien."
"You're a poor liar," Bryan presses down on his suitcase. "You told Damien in front of the entire class that he had no right to go around lording it over people because his dad was under investigation for tax fraud."
"You remembered that?"
Bryan snorts. "It's hard not to. The look on his face was priceless!"
"It was nasty of him to pick on you."
"Still. You didn't have to help me," Bryan reminds him, throwing his arms up in delight as he manages to zip his suitcase shut. "It's not like you knew me or anything."
"He had it coming," Zack shrugs, unrepentant.
"Exactly. I know you don't say much. But when you do, you sure make an impact," Bryan stops any further conversation with a kiss that makes them both hungry for more but it's a bad idea of course, not when they're due to meet the rest of their schoolmates in the hotel lobby in ten minutes.
They're in the arrival hall, waiting for their bags to come out of the carousel and have only a few more minutes together before they go home. Jason's already texted him: Waiting outside. Make it quick. I'm hungry.
"Umm. I was thinking. Do you want to come over to my place and play Halo or something next week?" Zack asks. Bryan looks pleased but does not reply, forcing Zack to switch to his back-up plan; grateful that he spent time on the plane ride thinking of alternatives.
"There's also Comic Con, if you're not into Halo. We can go together," he offers before realising belatedly that he doesn't know if Bryan's into video games and comics the way he is.
"Is this a date then?"
Zack looks a little pained at the thought. He defines dates as events that usually involve either Jason preening in front of his mirror, asking him if his tie matches his shirt, or his father taking his mother out for a fancy dinner. He is therefore unsure as to how Halo and Comic Con fit into the grander scheme of things.
"That was a joke," Bryan assures him, amused that Zack's actually taking his words seriously.
"Oh. It was? And I don't have your number," Zack pats his pockets for pen and paper. "Can you give it to me?"
"You know you're doing this all backwards right?" Bryan points out as he scribbles his mobile number and email address, "See, in a normal world, you ask me for my number first before we go on a date. But you've skipped right to the sex part of things already," he continues in an offhand fashion and Zack whips his head around, making sure that there's nobody eavesdropping on their conversation.
"But we're not going out for dinner. It's just Halo. Or Comic Con."
Bryan raises an eyebrow. "Well, you're still going to come get me, aren't you? Don't forget the car and flowers. I like tulips."
"But I can't drive. Not yet. And it's not the season for tulips," Zack starts to sound a little panicked and worried and Bryan can't help but laugh. The answer is so typically Zack - naive, honest and unintentionally funny all at the same time. It's like he can't get by in the world without somebody by his side to help navigate human interaction for him.
"That was another joke, Zack," he says, suppressing a grin. Zack looks so relieved it's almost pitiful and Bryan masks his laughter with a cough. "You really need somebody to teach you these things."
"But I have you," Zack says earnestly and Bryan feels a wave of pleasure rise within him.
"Damn right you do," he looks up and grins at Zack.
Zack doesn't say anything (but Bryan isn't expecting him to), and flashes a smile at the floor.
the end
artist: yue ix (yue_ix)
email: yue.ykx [at] gmail.com
Day 1: Departure
Mrs. Taylor stands a distance from the gaggle of teenagers in the airport departure hall, watching her youngest son anxiously. Zack is at the edge of the crowd next to a classmate of his. They make a contrasting picture - Zack is taller by about two inches, his dark brown hair cropped in that severe GI cut he favours whilst the other boy is blessed with a mop of wavy red hair that keeps flopping into his eyes.
She has no idea what the conversation is about but it must surely be exciting; Zack's classmate's face is animated and he gestures frequently with his hands. Her son however, is a lot less enthusiastic, one hand tugging the strap of his rucksack in what she recognises as nervous gesture. Zack's lack of a response does not seem to be a deterrent however, as he continues his discussion, even throwing his head back to laugh at some joke he makes.
"Do you think he'll be OK?" she asks her older son for the umpteenth time and Jason laughs.
"Don't worry, Mum. It's just a school trip," he says, putting an arm bracingly around her shoulders. "Zack's a good kid. What can go wrong?"
Day 2: Berlin
Their hotel is located in Alexanderplatz. Much to their classmates' jealousy, Zack and Bryan get a room with a view overseeing the Fernsehturm. Bryan quickly lays claim to the bed nearest the windows, tossing his bag carelessly on the floor and diving onto the mattress, shoes and all. Zack unpacks his things in a more methodical manner, sitting down on the bed and texting his family to inform them of his safe arrival.
Surprisingly, Jason's the first to reply though he doubts that their mother would have approved of his response: Have fun! Don't worry, I'll pay for the porn channels!
He's started on the promised emails to his family when Bryan steps outside the shower. He leans over Zack's shoulder, peering at the screen, whistling in admiration.
"Writing to your family already?" he asks.
Zack turns to look at Bryan then, though he realises belatedly that it was a bad move on his part. Because Bryan's face is really close to his now, so much so that he can feel Bryan's breath on his face and smell the mint shampoo he used. He can also see the colour of Bryan's big eyes - they're bright hazel and somehow very compelling.
Bryan leans back and clears his throat. "Umm, you want to do the homework together after you shower?" he asks in an uncertain voice, his face a curious shade of red.
They're sitting on Zack's bed, handbooks open in their laps. Bryan's taken it upon himself to be the quizmaster, reading the questions out loud, with Zack replying in monosyllables.
He's answered four on the trot when Bryan suddenly stops talking and taps Zack on the knee with his pencil. "You know, it's not nice of you to avoid looking people in the eye," he says.
Zack looks up, instantly defensive but much to his surprise, Bryan's grinning.
"Didn't your parents tell you it's rude to avoid eye contact?" he asks.
"But it's just homework."
"It doesn't matter. It's still a question," Bryan replies, his smile growing wider, as if he's laughing at some internal joke. "So when you answer, you need to look at me."
"I was looking," Zack protests but it sounds lame even to his ears and Bryan rolls his eyes, telling Zack what he thinks of that reply.
"Never mind. Next question. When did the Berlin Airlift begin?"
"June nineteen-"
"Ah, ah, you need to look at me," Bryan admonishes, wagging his pencil at Zack. "Let's try this again. When did the Berlin Airlift begin?"
Zack sucks in his breath - it's clear that Bryan will not continue with the homework till he gets his way - so he lifts his chin to focus his gaze on a point on the wall past Bryan's shoulder. Bryan chuckles and uses his hand to tip Zack's chin a little to the side.
"Nice try. I'm here, Zack. Look here," he states firmly, using his pencil to point to himself.
"And the Berlin Airlift began in..." he prompts again, eyes crinkling with amusement.
"June nineteen-forty-eight," Zack mutters, feeling a curious mixture of both rebellion and defeat.
"Bingo! There, it wasn't so hard, wasn't it?" Bryan asks. He tucks his hand under his chin and gives Zack a cheeky grin, clearly feeling victorious.
Zack doesn't say anything in reply, distracted by the sight of Bryan being illuminated by the light of the evening sun.
Day 4: Dresden
Zack's tapping his finger in time to the music, careful not to make too much noise. Bryan is asleep next to him, a result of the cold medications he had been forced to take. Despite that, Zack can still feel the heat radiating from Bryan's body due to the fever and his eyes are dark-rimmed.
Bryans slumps further and further, his head finally coming down to rest against Zack's shoulder. Zack takes a quick look around; the rest of his schoolmates are sleeping too, with nobody noticing the two of them. He shifts and rearranges Bryan's head such that he can rest more comfortably against him and resumes fiddling with his playlist.
Day 6: Prague
It is a school trip after all and the teachers are obliged to drum some semblance of an education into their students. Which was why there are fifteen of them crammed inside Mr Johnson's room. As usual, Zack comes early so he can reserve his favourite spot right in the corner, far from the teacher. The project for tonight is a debate on the atomic bomb. Despite his recent cold, Bryan's amongst the first to volunteer to be on one of the teams.
Zack doesn't really bother to pay attention to the debate - he's pretty much decided which side he was on - and spends time doodling in his handbook instead. But Bryan's turn comes up next and Zack stops what he's doing to watch. Bryan's enjoying himself - his face is flushed with excitement and his eyes sparkle with the challenge of having to prove his point.
When the discussion session is over, and they're back in the comfort of their room, sitting next to each other as they watch some cheesy European soap opera, Bryan asks Zack why he was quiet for the whole night.
"I didn't have anything to say."
"Impossible," Bryan argues. "You always have something to say when we're doing homework together."
"That's different."
"How so?"
"I don't like talking in public. It comes out wrong most of the time," Zack says, frustration creeping into his voice. "It pisses people off. So I just keep quiet."
Bryan shakes his head. "It doesn't sound wrong."
"Huh?"
"The things you say," Bryan says and he quirks an eyebrow. "In fact, sometimes, you hit the nail on the head."
"What do you mean?" Zack asks, thoroughly confused.
Much to his frustration, Bryan evades his question. "You can't remember?"
"Remember what?"
Bryan's lips curve up in a smile. "That's for me to know and for you to find out."
"And if I can't find out?"
He leans in so close that Zack can feel his breath coming on his cheek. "Then I'll tell you," he says playfully, eyes dark with an emotion Zack can't quite identify. "But you'll need to ask more nicely next time."
Zack stares blankly back at Bryan, unable to formulate an appropriate response. Bryan watches him, as if waiting for Zack to say something but draws back when he realises that no reply is forthcoming.
"You know, it's really hard to get a reaction out of you sometimes," he complains.
For the life of him, Zack cannot understand what he did that could have made Bryan so upset. So he watches mutely as Bryan turns off the television and goes to bed, drawing the comforter up so high that only the top of his red hair can be seen peeking through.
Day 7: Prague
The teachers spring a surprise on the students the next day, giving them an entire afternoon off to see the city. Zack hides his disappointment, bracing himself for the inevitable result of becoming one of the stragglers with no group to speak of.
However, Bryan surprises him yet again when he snags Zack by the elbow, all smiles, yesterday's bad mood seemingly forgotten. "Let's go."
"The two of us?" Zack can't help but question Bryan's decision.
"Yep. Just the two of us," Bryan says firmly, and there's something about the way he says it that makes Zack tingle inside.
Day 9: Krakow
Much to their dismay, the air-conditioner in their room breaks down. There are no other rooms available and the air still feels stuffy despite the portable fan installed as compensation. Zack takes the setback with equanimity, comforted by the fact that they have only one more night in the city.
He tries his best to concentrate on the homework assignment for the night but is distracted by Bryan's constant movement. Unlike him, Bryan is not coping as well with the heat. His T-shirt is in a rumpled pile next to him, lips pursed in annoyance as he fans himself with a magazine and he's even pinned his bangs back. Despite those efforts, his temper does not improve and he continues to fidget and mutter darkly under his breath.
Zack tries to focus on the questions before him but he can't help sneaking a peak at Bryan. Now that his hair is pulled away from his face, he can easily trace the line of Bryan's jaw, down his neck, and finally to the curve of his shoulder. He's also quite sure he's being surreptitious about it, until he feels a hand on his knee.
"You were staring at me," Bryan states without preamble, words shorn of their usual jest and mischief.
Zack cringes on the inside, embarrassment rising in a swift tide within him at having been caught. He's tempted to deny his actions but resigns himself to the fact that Bryan knows that he's a terrible liar. So he settles for an apology instead, hoping that his friend will notch it up as one of his usual social faux pas.
"Sorry," he mutters, shame-faced. "Didn't mean to do it."
"It's OK," Bryan answers, voice calm and he takes a deep breath. "I don't mind if it's you."
There's a small, self-deprecating laugh and he continues, "In fact, you probably have no idea how I waited for you to do something like that."
Zack knows there's something he's missing here, that Bryan's trying to tell him something but he's not getting it; the answer slipping out of his grasp. So as usual, he keeps quiet, not wanting to say anything wrong. Only this time, Zack doesn't avoid eye contact, and he looks at Bryan, wondering at the thoughtful expression on his face.
"You really don't get it, do you?" Bryan sighs, his shoulders sagging.
Zack shakes his head, not trusting himself to not say something stupid that will ruin whatever's building up between them currently.
As expected, it's Bryan who makes the first move, inching little by little closer to Zack, a guarded expression on his face. Zack stays as still as a stone, unperturbed by the decreasing distance between the two of them. Encouraged by this, Bryan closes the space between them and carefully climbs into Zack's lap, sending books and pencils tumbling to the floor. Zack's hands slide up to hold him steady, feeling warm skin beneath his hands.
Something like relief passes over Bryan's face.
"You don't mind?" he asks Zack, his voice sounding tremulous for some reason.
Zack shakes his head, unable to find the right words to say but it's all right because he knows he's given the right answer for once. Bryan is smiling at him, but this is different from his usual cheeky grins. This smile is slow, intimate and Zack knows instinctively that Bryan will never look at anybody else this way, that this is something Bryan's reserved only for him and he finds himself feeling immeasurably pleased by the idea.
"Good. Because I was afraid you'd punch me or something if you found out."
"Find out what?" Zack asks.
Bryan doesn't say anything; instead, he leans down to brush his lips across Zack's, hands coming up to clutch his shoulders and Zack finally understands what Bryan's been trying to tell him all along.
Day 10: Budapest
Bryan's taken his usual seat next to the window, staring at the view on the highway. Zack slouches next to him, trying to find space to stretch his legs.
Then Bryan turns towards him, and smirks, a knowing look on his face.
"We had a good time last night, didn't we?" he murmurs into Zack's ear, making him turn a bright shade of red as he recalls the kind of filthy things Bryan and that pretty, pretty mouth of his is capable of.
"You're a pervert," he says in a gruff tone before taking out his PSP, eager to change the subject.
Bryan laughs, and he leans in again, "I can do more tonight if you like," he whispers. Zack blushes even more.
Day 11: Vienna
"Fuck me," Bryan says in between kisses as Zack helps him out of his T-shirt; reaching into the bedside table for the condoms and lubricant that he bought earlier that day. "I want you to fuck me."
Zack's eyes widen, and he pulls away, scandalised by the idea, and he starts to protest, "Don't you think it's too soon?"
Bryan thrusts once, slowly, deliberately reminding him of their mutual need and he smiles as Zack tries to smother a groan. "I don't think so."
"But I don't know how to-"
Bryan cuts him off with another wet kiss, a hand slipping down to wrap his fingers around Zack, stroking him with a deft touch. "Doesn't matter. We'll figure it out together."
It's tricky but somehow, they manage. Their elbows and legs get in the way, half the condoms are wasted before Zack finally figures out how to put them on properly (so much for sex education) and it turns out to be a painful experience for the both of them - Bryan apologises profusely the next morning for not getting his nails trimmed.
But there is also the feel of skin on skin, the slip and slide of muscles slick with sweat, the sound of Bryan moaning his name and the heat of Bryan's body as Zack moves inside him. In the face of all that, everything else just fades away.
Day 13: Munich
"What do we do when we get back home?" Zack asks out of the blue. They're squeezed on Zack's bed, yet another cheesy European soap opera on the television.
"Huh?"
"When we get back home. What happens?" Zack asks again. He wants to use the word 'relationship' but that reminds him of Jason and his girlfriend and he's not sure if he and Bryan belong in that category yet.
Bryan traces circles on the coverlet, voice small. "Oh. It's up to you. We could be just friends. Like before."
He conveniently forgets to mention the part where Zack doesn't really bother to talk to anybody in his class at all.
Zack trashes the idea with an emphatic shake of his head, "No," he says, spreading his hands wide, trying to express the right idea. "I want this. What we have now."
Bryan crushes a quick kiss against his lips, hands gripping the front of Zack's T-shirt. "Good. Because I prefer this too."
Day 15: Arrival
Zack sits on Bryan's bed, handing him one item at a time, only to see him to throw it haphazardly into his suitcase, with no thought given as to how they are to be arranged. Zack's own suitcase stands zipped and locked near the door, a silent reminder to Bryan of the sins of procrastination.
"You've still not told me that thing," Zack says, as he passes Bryan a beer stein.
"What thing?" Bryan scowls at the offending item. "Where the hell am I supposed to fit this?"
"You know, the part about..." Zack chews on his bottom lip, "About the things I say."
"Huh? Oh, that. You were supposed to ask me nicely," Bryan reminds him, viciously pinning his bangs out of the way. "Fuck, it's hot. Hand me the shirt, will you?"
"Please?" Zack holds out the requested piece of clothing.
Bryan tips his head to one side, an exasperated but fond look on his face. "That's cheating."
"I don't think so."
"OK, OK, fine," Bryan caves and replies, intent on squeezing more into an already full suitcase. "Remember when I transferred to the school?"
Zack frowns as he tries to recall the details. "Sort of."
"And Damien was picking on me for being a charity kid on scholarship?"
Zack turns bright red as he recalls yet another social misstep, one of the many in his collection. "I can't remember."
Bryan pokes him in the chest. "Don't be stupid, I know you have a good memory."
Zack scowls, jaw set in a stubborn line. "I don't know what I told Damien."
"You're a poor liar," Bryan presses down on his suitcase. "You told Damien in front of the entire class that he had no right to go around lording it over people because his dad was under investigation for tax fraud."
"You remembered that?"
Bryan snorts. "It's hard not to. The look on his face was priceless!"
"It was nasty of him to pick on you."
"Still. You didn't have to help me," Bryan reminds him, throwing his arms up in delight as he manages to zip his suitcase shut. "It's not like you knew me or anything."
"He had it coming," Zack shrugs, unrepentant.
"Exactly. I know you don't say much. But when you do, you sure make an impact," Bryan stops any further conversation with a kiss that makes them both hungry for more but it's a bad idea of course, not when they're due to meet the rest of their schoolmates in the hotel lobby in ten minutes.
They're in the arrival hall, waiting for their bags to come out of the carousel and have only a few more minutes together before they go home. Jason's already texted him: Waiting outside. Make it quick. I'm hungry.
"Umm. I was thinking. Do you want to come over to my place and play Halo or something next week?" Zack asks. Bryan looks pleased but does not reply, forcing Zack to switch to his back-up plan; grateful that he spent time on the plane ride thinking of alternatives.
"There's also Comic Con, if you're not into Halo. We can go together," he offers before realising belatedly that he doesn't know if Bryan's into video games and comics the way he is.
"Is this a date then?"
Zack looks a little pained at the thought. He defines dates as events that usually involve either Jason preening in front of his mirror, asking him if his tie matches his shirt, or his father taking his mother out for a fancy dinner. He is therefore unsure as to how Halo and Comic Con fit into the grander scheme of things.
"That was a joke," Bryan assures him, amused that Zack's actually taking his words seriously.
"Oh. It was? And I don't have your number," Zack pats his pockets for pen and paper. "Can you give it to me?"
"You know you're doing this all backwards right?" Bryan points out as he scribbles his mobile number and email address, "See, in a normal world, you ask me for my number first before we go on a date. But you've skipped right to the sex part of things already," he continues in an offhand fashion and Zack whips his head around, making sure that there's nobody eavesdropping on their conversation.
"But we're not going out for dinner. It's just Halo. Or Comic Con."
Bryan raises an eyebrow. "Well, you're still going to come get me, aren't you? Don't forget the car and flowers. I like tulips."
"But I can't drive. Not yet. And it's not the season for tulips," Zack starts to sound a little panicked and worried and Bryan can't help but laugh. The answer is so typically Zack - naive, honest and unintentionally funny all at the same time. It's like he can't get by in the world without somebody by his side to help navigate human interaction for him.
"That was another joke, Zack," he says, suppressing a grin. Zack looks so relieved it's almost pitiful and Bryan masks his laughter with a cough. "You really need somebody to teach you these things."
"But I have you," Zack says earnestly and Bryan feels a wave of pleasure rise within him.
"Damn right you do," he looks up and grins at Zack.
Zack doesn't say anything (but Bryan isn't expecting him to), and flashes a smile at the floor.
the end