Title: Confrontation
Rating: PG-13 for language
Pairing: Gen with Pinto hintings
Word Count: 502
Disclaimer: This is more likely to happen than some other stuff I've written, but it is a lie none the less.
Summary: Don't make Zach angry. You won't like him when he's angry.
Author's Note: This whole fic is an excuse to use this line:
Zach doesn't often get angry. At least not red-in-the-face-yelling-at-strangers angry.
It happens on the press tour; they're driving from one place to another packed into an assortment of minivans and SUVs for anonymity when they stop at a gas station to grab some snacks and stretch their legs. Most of them stay in or near the cars, but Zach, Chris, Karl and J.J. go inside.
Zach immediately heads for the coffee and Chris bumps his hip with his own as he joins him. Zach smiles and elbows him in the ribs. Chris looks exaggeratedly affronted and promptly starts a tickle fight. Karl and J.J. roll their eyes at the pair from across the room where they are loading up on candy bars and caffeinated sodas. They purchase their various caffeine vessels and snacks and head back to the cars.
They are passed by another patron also headed to his car, who mutters something under his breath at the group. Zach's whole body stiffens, he inhales sharply, and suddenly he is fifteen again; the lanky, gay kid with the weird haircut, and this man is every bully that ever made fun of him or shoved him in the hallway. Chris grabs his arm and Zach is 31 again and he is pissed.
"What did you call us?" he barks out and Chris's grip tightens around his bicep.
The other man turns around to face them and Zach realizes that he is just as tall as him and a lot more muscled. This guy looks like he could bench press the SUV Zach got here in and could star in his own action flick or be a movie extra named Thug #1.
"I called you a faggot, faggot."
Karl is suddenly beside Zach and looks scary as shit. "You want to be leaving right about now," he says.
"No," Thug #1 counters, "I don't think I do."
They are blocking traffic and the car stalled behind them honk impatiently.
"C'mon Zach," Chris says, "He's an asshole, let's just go."
"No," Zach says, stepping closer to the asshole in question. The car waiting for them to move honks a few more times. "I have had enough of smug-ass mother fuckers like him who put others down to make themselves feel better about their shitty-ass lives."
Thug #1 practically growls and Chris and Karl pull Zach backwards just as the woman in the car behind them leans heavily on her horn. Zach snaps and spins around with a snarl.
"Lady, if you honk that horn at me one more time, I swear to God you will not leave here alive."
The lady in the car turns out to be an old woman whose mouth is now hanging open in shock. This knocks some sense into Zach, who doesn't bother apologizing before he stalks off toward their caravan of vehicles.
"Holy crap," Chris says once they're buckled in, "Remind me to never make you angry."
Zach laughs and takes it upon himself to resume their tickle fight.