And with each mile
CHAPTER 37: BREAKING POINT
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Zaylor / Hancest
Pairing: Zac & Taylor
About the story: Zac & Taylor's relationship broke up when they got caught kissing by the press and their career were over in a split of a second. To continue a normal life and to take a break from his brother, Taylor starts to study at a College in London but the long distance between them can't stop their feelings for each other.
Notes: Please bear with our writing, we're not from an English speaking country. Thank you very much for reading
Sorry for the delay. The new chapter was the biggest challenge for us so far.
We weren't sure if we should add more boysex at this point.
Please feel free to comment! ♥
I didn't know how I could try to put the pieces of my life back together. Without our dad life would never be the same again. Yet he tried to encourage one last time to continue doing what we love.
Another ringing sound of my phone brought me out of my thoughts. Zachary! I digged hastily in my pocket, yanked my phone out and pressed it against my ear.
"Zac?!? Where are you?" My voice almost cracked.
"Uhm no it's me, Ike...." He paused. "Dad... just died..."
Silence.
"Taylor?"
I couldn't respond. I still didn't want it to be true and I knew if I would say something I would immediately realize it's real.
"Taylor?" Isaac's voice sounded more distant than before, because my hand had let dropped the phone on the passenger seat. I swallowed and wiped over my ruddy eyes with my sleeve. I needed to find Zac. I needed him so desperately.
It was snowing and getting colder more and more. It took a few attemts until the engine did finally start. Within only a few minutes the streets were already covered in white snow. I cruised around the blocks in the proximity.
Thank god I didn't need to search long until I found my brother walking on the sideway a few blocks away from the hospital. I used the car honk but he didn't turn around. Hastily I steered the car to the side and almost crashed accidently against a fireplug as I tried to get the car parked close behind him.
I could see his vigor in the way Zac was walking even though he must be freezing like hell, he didn't give a fuck. I got out of the car as fast as I could and shouted his name but he didn't show any reaction and kept on walking.
"Zac please wait." I cried once more, running after him. I could see that his dark green Army jacket and his long blond hair were already covered with white snowflakes. Silently I followed him until I catched up to him but I was afraid to go around of him and look into his eyes, so I just stopped a few inches behind him.
"Where are you going Zac?" I asked hesitantly because I knew I had something to say.
He finally stopped but he didn't turn around to look at me.
"I'm going to raid the next gas station and drink my ass off until I'm numb." He stated coldly. His voice sounded deeper and more throathy than usual. That he said "gas station" instead of a bar kinda reminded me of the fact that we were really back in our stuffy hometown. All bars here were closed at this time.
I was relieved though, that he answered me even though I didn't drive home like he had told me to.
With a little bit more self esteem I laid my hand on his shoulder of his jacket.
"Zac...why did you leave?" I asked softly.
He angrily shrugged my hand off in an instant. "I told you to drive home Taylor. I'm not gonna fuck you tonight."
He was still acting tough but I wasn't suprised about his behaviour. His angry outbursts weren't new for me.
"Please stop Zac. I... I don't want to have sex tonight."
Suddenly he turned around and glared at me with his shrewd brown eyes.
"Are you sure Taylor? Because that's usually the way you make me forget your own sorrow."
I was completely taken aback.
Was I really that selfish? If our father wouldn't have passed away would we also have that many sex?
I never thought about it from that point of view. Perhaps I would still be too shy to give a blow job again. I was perturbed by his announcement and had no idea what to think about it.
"Zac I slept with you because I wanted you. I love you and I need you." I managed to say softly but I wasn't sure if it was enough for him. He was clearly mad and I knew that half assed apologizes wouldn't work with Zachary Walker Hanson, but as you already may noticed I'm not exactly an expert of words. I stood there looking at him, waiting for his response.
"Is he dead?" He asked, avoiding to look at me.
I could only nod. It didn't need words to say it out loud.
He let out a heavy sigh and raised his head towards the sky. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and let the white snowflakes falling on his beautiful face before he spoke again.
"Fabulous. Congrats Dad. Finally you don't need to deal with our fucking bullshit anymore."
Zac's sarcastic tone irritated me. Why did he always have to act so unpredictable? I thought we're finally at a point at which we could talk about our mutual pain and sorrow after I saw him crying in the hospital, but now he just went back to his casual cold behaviour like usual and it disappointed me that he was acting so emotionless again.
I just couldn't believe how he was still able to act that way. Our father just died for fuck's sake!
"Why did you lie to me Zachary Walker?" I finally managed to ask him in hope to get a decent answer this time. I was serious, I couldn't be more serious about my question. Somehow though his intimidating, unpredictable presence made me careful.
He immediately reacted when he heard me speaking his full name and quickly turned his head away from the falling snow. His expression looked angry as he raised an eyebrow to me.
"Lie about what?"
I gave him a frown. "Well, first, you've said to me you don't give a shit about Dad dying. But you do care... I just saw it in the hospital."
He laughed a little after that which made me even more confused. I didn't like the way he laughed, it sounded kinda bitterly.
"Taylor, trust me. You have absolutely no idea." He turned away from me but I walked around him that he had to look at me again.
"No idea about what?" I asked, impatiently hopping from one feet to the other. I wasn't sure what was nagging me more, the uncertainity or the freaking cold which made me chilled to the bones, but I couldn't allow myself to go until I would finally get some answers from him.
He shook his head. "It's better when you drive home Taylor. It's late for you. The streets aren't safe at night. Don't forget to put the car in the garage, I don't want the engine to get frozen."
He was acting ridiculous but this time I didn't take his cues. I could feel the icy coldness creeping through my clothes but I needed to talk this out with him.
"No idea about what Zachary? Why don't you talk with me about your sorrow? You know very well that I'm the last person who would judge you." My voice was broken and desperate. I had no idea anymore how I could get close to him, I felt helpless and exhausted. How could I deal with him if he always refused to open up to me?
He narrowed his eyes before he spoke again. "I don't need anyone's sympathy! I'm not like you Taylor."
I didn't get it. Minutes ago he cried in front of our Dad and even told him that he would get better again and now he was acting like the cold asshole he used to be again.
"You're a damn hyprocite." I cried out all of a sudden. "You just told Dad he would get better and that we would start doing music again. Was all you said just a fucking lie? Maybe I don't have any idea, but how shall I know when you don't fucking tell me?"
A moment of a uncomfortable silence followed before he sighed and looked up at me. We were quiet for another minute. Meanwhile our heads and jackets were covered with a thick layer of snowflakes. For a moment I really contemplated about driving home, I was mad and I didn't understand him. He wasn't taking me serious. But I knew that we needed to talk. And I was afraid that I might lose him again. Lose him forever this time.
I winced when he suddenly began to shout at me. "You live in a bubble of dreams Taylor. That's the reason why you don't see the reality. You spent all your time on studying the last two years. You didn't even notice what was going on in our family at all!"
I wasn't used to hear him shouting at me. It scared and confused me at the same time. I didn't know what to say. What the hell was he talking about? He also wasn't at home the last months when he did spend time with his damn Twinks in fucking L.A.
Then he reached out his hand and patted my cheek like I was a little puppy. "Go home Taylor. It's not good for you to stay up way past your bedtime. The reality might scare you. I don't want you to get nightmares."
He was a fucking bastard. But I sensed that there was something he did hide from me and I couldn't go until I knew what he was talking about. He was good at hiding emotions. He was so good hiding them that I actually started to assume he wouldn't care.
"Please tell me!" I said and crossed my arms over my chest. It was unusual for me to persist in my viewpoint but I was sick of not taken seriously.
The cold became unbearable and I was freezing and shivering but he still didn't seem to care at all.
"No I'm not in the mood. It doesn't change anything." He stated tonelessly and spitted a snowflake away from his chapped lips.
"Does that mean we won't start make music again?" I asked him worried, almost too shy to look at him. Without his agreement I would never be able to fulfill Dad's deathbed will.
He sighed again and didn't respond.
I sensed that if I wouldn't continue talking I would never get to know, so I scraped together all my confidence and stared at him like a deer in headlights in his direction. Music meant the world to me and for my brothers too.
"Zac, I'm really thankful that you have been there for me in the hospital and outward bound. I... I just want to be there for you like you have always been there for me. I got so afraid when you left all of a sudden... I was worried you would commit suicide or something like that. That's why I needed to find you." Okay, that was only half of the truth. Because I longed for his comfort as much I was worried about his sudden escape.
Zachary looked at me when I said that and it was the first time his eyes looked hurt.
"Maybe I should," he shrugged. "It would be a grand finale and everyone could move on and go back to their fucking hypocritical perfect lifes. Hooray. Hooray."
Honestly, I've never met a 17 year old boy who've been already so rancorous like my brother was at his age.
"Why do you say such a bullshit? I wouldn't know what to do without you Zac!" I couldn't help but start crying again. I didn't care anymore if I was acting like a crybaby, the thought of losing him was just too much for me.
I was surprised when he stepped towards me, wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me on my forehead.
"Calm down. I'm sorry Tay. I didn't want to make you cry."
"But you are treating me like a child, you don't take me serious. Don't think I'm not able to bear the truth. Sure, I've studied a lot and maybe I didn't noticed what was going on in our family but it's just not fair if no one tells me..." I sobbed like a crybaby and moved carefully closer to him. Granted, I was a sensitive boy and I actually enjoyed it when Zachary protected me.
He smiled a little and wiped one of my tears away with his thumb.
"Baby, they didn't tell you because nobody wanted to make you upset. You have always been the well-behaved son. You never disappointed somebody."
I didn't like what he said. But I was so lost and broken that I just shook my head.
"That's not true." I hiccuped whiningly. My lower lip stuck out in a pout and I felt like starting to cry again.
Zac let out another heavy sigh before he continued speaking. As he saw my pouting lip he smiled a little. He took my shaking hands in his, pulled them to his mouth and let out a long warm breath between them. He then wiped some snowflakes away from my shoulder and laid his hand on it.
"What do you think why I moved out and drove to L.A.?" He gave me a frown.
"Because you are precocious... and we needed a break from each other." I answered, not knowing what else to answer.
He laughed again.
"See? That's the reason why no one tells you Taylor. Not everyone is the perfect favorite son of the family. There is always a black sheep among us."
I shook my head in disbelief. "Don't forget in our case they're two black sheeps in the family."
"Tay, don't you really remember anymore when we got caught by the press two years ago, who was the one that persuaded you to go in the car for a pre-show quckie? It was me. Surprise surprise. You know it. I know it. Mom and Dad knew it."
I shook my head again. "It's doesn't matter whether.... We were both got caught off!" I exclaimed hysterically.
"Yes maybe you're right. But who do you think who got blamed for that? Why do you think Mom and Dad agreed when I told them that I will move out at the age of 17? And why I went to L.A....? I needed a pause Taylor. A pause of getting blamed all the time." He sighed heavily.
I was thankful and relieved that he was finally honest with me. "I'm sorry Zac. I didn't know that." I paused and added "I thought you were just horny when you decided to drive to L.A." I said in hope to cheer him up a little.
He smirked a little about that.
"Of course I was. That's why I've chosen L.A., but that's not what I really meant. I was sick of getting blamed all the time. Eventually, I am the one who ruined our carreer, your carreer twice."
"Twice?" I gave him a questioning look.
"Yeah twice." He repeated.
I knew this was a very rare situation between us. He was honest with me without being in one of his drunken stages and we didn't play a truth or dare game either. I wanted to take full advantage of this moment. I needed to know.
"Can I ask you an honest question Zac? What did really happen at the airport bathroom in Barcelona? Did you talk to one of your ex's?"
"Huh! I wish I did," he snorted sarcastically.
"Who was the person you talked to?"
"Are you sure you wanna know?"
I nodded.
"It was Dad." He said simply.
Dad? What? Why didn't he tell me?
My younger brother is like a deep ocean full of weird secrets. I gave him another questioning look.
"What did he say?"
He shrugged indifferently. "Just how pleased he is that I have managed to ruin your carreer for a second time. He already knew that you dropped off college. Mam and Dad got a call from your school, apparently your teachers had a very long conversation with your roommate William or Harry or whoever the fuck until he told them that you left for a Europe trip to get fucked by your younger brother."
It was doubtable that they said it in the vulgar language which he used but is was Zachary's usual way on saying things.
"And as a side note he told me that I don't even need to come back anymore." He paused and let a breath out. "But that's immaterial by now. I already know that I am the undesirable plague of the family."
My eyes widened when he said that.
How was he able to act as if nothing happened in spite of all what was going around of him?
I always thought we were both dealing with the same kind of trouble. And now, even though Zachary was the one who went alone through shit I had absolutely no idea of, I wondered how he was still able to act so tough.
"You are not a plague. You are everything I have Zac." I said softly.
"I'm not so sure about the plague part," he smirked a little while shaking off some snow from his jacket.
"And apparently you're the only one who thinks that way. I've been a shitty brother to you Taylor. Actually, you should have someone who supported you doing your College classes, someone who gives you back but I didn't do anything like that for you."
"Zac, I don't regret that I dropped off the college, not a single second. I'm even glad that you besought me to drop it off. If you didn't come to visit me, I still wouldn't know what's going on and be here with you today. Basically I have to thank you for that."
I assured him, then I dared it to bend over and gave him a soft kiss on his lips, wrapped my hands around his waist and continued talking.
"You have been there when nobody else was. You cared for me even though I should have taken care of you."
That caused him to smile. "You know that I'm able to take care of myself Tay."
I nodded. "Yeah I know. Better than anyone else."
And I wasn't lying. Eventually I understood why he acted so cold when he got the call about our father dying and let out a relieved sigh.
"Why didn't you say something about that to him in the hospital?"
"Because it was his fucking turn to apologize to me. Or at least that he would accept me as his son again. I'm not the selfish bastard like he was. But he just laid there and didn't mention a single word about it. Be assured Dad, I won't waste time anymore to continue my guilt trip!" He said bitterly, rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and spat on the snowy pavement.
I didn't know if the last words our Dad told me would make anything at better. But Zac deserved to know. I wasn't sure if it was the right situation to tell him about it, but I guess there will never be a perfect situation for it anytime. So I cleared my throat before I continued speaking in an effort that my voice wouldn't shiver.
"Zac, Dad commissioned me to tell you that he is not mad at you. He wanted me to tell you that. It was his last words which he spoke to me." I said softly.
Zac let go of me after that, turned around and kicked angrily against a small stone.
"Fantastic. Why couldn't he tell me earlier?" He raised his head towards the sky again as if our Dad could hear him that way. "Why do people only get compunctious when it's already too late to make it right?!?" He was mad but I could see that a tear dropped off his eye.
I knew that I had to be very empathetic with him now. Showing how much I felt sorry for all what happened to him would make him only angrier and everything more worse than it already was. We stood there and silenced for a while, I wanted to give him time to calm down before I talked to him again.
"Zac, what do think about start making music again? Was it a lie when you complied?" I asked worriedly to his back.
He shook his head. "No that was probably the only good idea he had before he died. But we need to talk with Ike about it before we can start to jump for joy. I'm not sure if he will also comply."
The snow had finally ceased but I was still shivering and I couldn't avoid that my teeth began to chatter because of the remorseless coldness. Apparently Zac heard it, he turned to me in an instant and stepped towards me, smiled and began to rub against my hurting arms soothingly.
"Your lips are already blue baby. Come on, let's get in the car."
I coughed and nodded.
"Give me the key," he ordered while he was walking to the driver's side.
"I can drive us home," I responded.
He rolled his eyes. "You drive like a woman Taylor. I wanna get home safe."
I sighed, yanked the key out of my pocket and threw it over to him. At least he got his black sense of humor back.
We got in the car and Zachary tried to start engine. Once, twice and three times more.
"Shit it doesn't work," he cursed. "The engine is already frozen. Looks like we don't get away from here without a tow service." He said and pulled out his mobile phone.
I didn't listen to his words. I was distracted by the things he just told me. I needed time to recall our past in mind. I was relieved in a way that his cold acting wasn't because he was just an asshole, but more of the reason that the backgrounds were deeper than I've ever imagined. When I thought about Zac and Dad now everything was put in a total different complexion on things. It was sad that I've been too blind or too busy to see our family conflicts, I was too consumed with my own problems that I didn't even noticed how Zachary suffered because of the accusations of our parents. I only could imagine how hard it must have been for him.
"We're here in the North Front Avenue.... yeah... and hurry up before it's Christmas. Bye." He commanded in the receiver of his cell phone before he hung up.
After he did hang up he turned to me and waved his hand in front of my face. "Hey Taylor, are you dreaming again? I just talked with the wrecking service. They will be here in 30 minutes."
"What? Oh yeah, that's fine..."
He handed me a towel to dry my hair. I took it absently while he frowned at me.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I just thought about a few things you told me. Do you..." I sighed and tried not to chicken out.
"Do you really believe that I slept with you because I wanted to forget my sorrow?"
I rubbed my wet hair with his towel and swallowed as I thought about it more intensively.
He shrugged. "Partly yes, but I guess it's normal. I used to do the same when I was in L.A."
It was sad that what he said was right. Sex made it easier for me to forget my own sorrow. I know that it doesn't solve any problems but at least it helps to forget them for a while. And Zac made me forget them many times in the last couple of days. For once I also wanted to make him feel good.
He reached his hand out for the towel but instead of handing it back to him I leaned over and kissed his lips lightly again. He looked surprised, pulled away and looked at me with a questioned look.
"What does this mean?"
"I don't want you to think of me like that. I really love you," I whispered and buried my face in his neck to continue my kissing.
He giggled a little because he was always ticklish on that part. Or maybe it was because of the feeling of my cold nose and lips against his skin.
"Stop it Taylor, or I might rape you on the backseat."
"I won't complain." I murmured. Okay granted. Now I was officially crazy. But for once I wanted to make him feel good for all the times he did it for me. I owed him. I wanted to prove him that I'm also capable of making him feel better. And I wanted to show him that I wasn't too afraid to make up for what I once had messed up in Barcelona. I also wanted to prove myself that I could also take the initative at least for once.
So I continued kissing his neck and down to collarbone while I clumsily tried to pull up his shirt a little. It was still cold but the skin of his strong upper body felt warm and so good beneath my face. He let out a soft moan and I knew that he was watching me again.
I hestitated a little when my kisses trailed down to his stomach and reached the waistband of his jeans. It was dirty. It was wrong. But it was what he needed and what I wanted to give him. Somehow, I managed to unbutton and unzip his jeans above his rock hard erection. It never took much to make Zac horny which didn't surprise me one bit.
"This is gonna be good," he grinning entertained himself. Impatiently, he slid his fingers into the waistband of his underpants and pulled both pants down eagerly.
I had seen his cock only once so close previously, in a hotel room in Spain. Now it was only a few inches away from my face. I never would have imagined that I'm able to do it again after the last time but somehow it didn't seem important anymore. We both needed distraction and forget our common sorrow.
Hesitantly, I stuck my tongue out and slowly brought my face down. My tongue-tip touched lightly.
"Yeah, that's it!" Zachary growled. He was doing his dirty talk again. I guess I will never get used to it but his throathy voice when we had sex was always a big turn on.
"Zac?" I interrupted suddenly and stopped my movement mid-way.
"Yeah?" He sounded a little irritated. I didn't want to make him thinking that I would wimp out again but I just needed his affirmation. I guess we weren't very different at least at this point.
"Would you... please guide me?" I felt my cheeks heaten up with shame. "I... I don't wanna mess it up again." I shyly admitted.
He just smiled at me. "You never messed it up baby." I loved it when Zac called me baby, I wished he would do it more often.
Slightly, he pushed his crotch against my face, as his hand went behind my head and drew it closer. I was still scared but I tried to remember about my "now or never" motto.
"Suck me Tay, come on suck my cock," he ordered in a low tone.
My heart pounded fast as I slowly parted my lips and captured around the head of it. I opened my mouth and tried to suck all of his cock in. As I gagged a little I felt Zac's hand in my neck.
"Slowly. Not so much. I will guide you baby."
With Zac's hands guiding me, my mouth easily took his boner all the way in my mouth. I began to suck at it carefully. Usually I would worry about being caught in the act again but at least Zac would notice if someone would come.
Hopefully.
With the prompting of Zachary's hands in my hair and the gentle thrust of his hips, I slowly established a rythm of sucking his cock. He pushed more in and held my head tighter. I could feel his cock swelling as it slid in and out of my throat.
His sighs and moans of satisfaction gave me encouragement, letting me know how well he was enjoying my efforts as I slid my lips and tongue up and down. My mouth and tongue had become sensitive sexual organs which stimulating me into pure hot need and desire. It was pushing me to new heights of erotic pleasure. I was so consumed to satisfy him that I was surprised when he suddenly pulled it out of my mouth.
"Let's do it on the back seat, there's more place." he commanded, climbing over his seat and patted on the spot next to him to indicate where I should get.
I was still afraid to get caught but I couldn't let him hanging right now, so I followed him and climbed on the back seat next to him.
"Come on baby!" he urged. "We don't have much time." He took the towel and put it behind his head for support.
I loved to oblige when I can so I did what I was told, kneeled between his legs and dipped my head down to his cock again which already glistened with my saliva. My mouth resumed sucking and Zac's hips were humping so forecfully that I almost no longer needed to move my head and his grunts of pleasure started up anew.
He leaned his head back and let out a deep moan as he grabbed my head. He ran his fingers through my hair and used it to forcefully pull my eager mouth onto his throbbing dick. I opened my mouth wide for him. My tongue glided along the head, but he wanted more and pulled me further down onto his dick. I got into a rhythm of bobbing up and down on his cock as he held my head. I swirled my tongue around the head, then he pulled me down and I sucked delicately along his shaft, hoping he would like it.
"Take it in properly baby." He groaned and pulled my neck closer to him so that he could plunge his cock even deeper into my throat.
All of a sudden my insecurity was back. As his breathings became shorter and quicker I knew he was close. What the hell should I do?
"Fuck Tay! Keep sucking..." he croaked.
Please Zac, please tell me what to do! I entreated to him internally...
His head arched back while his whole body shook with the rush of orgasm.
I couldn't pull away, could I?
As if he would sense my nervousness, he finally guided me with his hand on the back of my neck, pulled me slightly closer and groaned to me in his low raspy voice again.
"Swallow baby, swallow!"
With a loud grunt the first sprays of cum filled my mouth. Load after load caused him to groan as he began to shot them deep in my throat. During his last shot Zac purposefully pulled back slightly so that the last spurts of his loads would fill my mouth with his milky seed. It was my first taste of his semen when he came in my mouth and I closed my eyes tightly to enjoy every drop he gave me. The sticky milk in my mouth went down with two swallows. Somehow I managed to resume sucking his cock, swallowing and breathing at the same time.
Finally, he released my head and slowly, almost regretfully pulled his cock out of my mouth. We both gasped for air. Even though I would never talk about it with a different person I had to admit that I liked it and I began to feel proud of myself that I finally managed to do what for him was just a cinch.
He lazily smiled down to me, stroking my hair tenderly. Dizzily, I laid my head down on his chest and he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head. I was totally spent. We were lying there, trying to calm down after what seemed an eternity.
"Maybe I should open up myself more often if this is the reward afterwards." he eventually said, still satisfied smiling.
"Yeah you should," I replied and I meant it.
I wanted to enjoy the new proud feeling inside of me a little bit more, it even made me forget my own errection. Anyway, I couldn't feel comfortable if I knew the tow service would come by every minute. Zachary seemed not to care at all. But that's just him.
We silenced for a while and I lifted my chin to look out of the car window because I was worried we might fall asleep all of a sudden. I reached my arm out of the window and sighed dreamily as some snowflakes fell on my hand. As he pulled up his zipper I turned around to him.
"Don't you think it's time to climb back on the front seats again?"
Instead of answering, he kept smiling and studied my profile attentively.
"What?!?" I frowned at him. "Is my hair doing something weird?"
He shook his head. "No, not your hair."
He then reached out and used his index finger to graze lightly over the corner of my mouth, catching a drop of his remaining sperm of which I hadn't been aware that it was still sticking there.
Slowly, he brought his finger to my mouth.
"You forgot something baby." He told me in a seductive voice and began to lotion my lips in a circle with his cum until they were wet and sticky.
Fuck, it was the most vulgar experience ever and I could feel the upcoming heat in my cheeks, but the 19 old pervert inside of me couldn't resist to stick out my tongue and lapped up his semen. I sucked his finger as he pushed it slowly between my lips to reward me with the rest of it.
"Good boy." he praised, kissing my hair.
"Thank you Zac." I mumbled, although I don’t know why I did except that I somehow knew that it was the right thing to do.
He smirked satisfied after I swallowed all the remains of his cum. He made my cheeks flush and smile at the same time but I didn't care.
For once we made it right. I was able to make it right, I was able to please him.
The tow wrecking service came a few minutes later and I was relieved when we were finally on our way back home.
Together.
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Zaylor / Hancest
Pairing: Zac & Taylor
About the story: Zac & Taylor's relationship broke up when they got caught kissing by the press and their career were over in a split of a second. To continue a normal life and to take a break from his brother, Taylor starts to study at a College in London but the long distance between them can't stop their feelings for each other.
Notes: Please bear with our writing, we're not from an English speaking country. Thank you very much for reading
Sorry for the delay. The new chapter was the biggest challenge for us so far.
We weren't sure if we should add more boysex at this point.
Please feel free to comment! ♥
I didn't know how I could try to put the pieces of my life back together. Without our dad life would never be the same again. Yet he tried to encourage one last time to continue doing what we love.
Another ringing sound of my phone brought me out of my thoughts. Zachary! I digged hastily in my pocket, yanked my phone out and pressed it against my ear.
"Zac?!? Where are you?" My voice almost cracked.
"Uhm no it's me, Ike...." He paused. "Dad... just died..."
Silence.
"Taylor?"
I couldn't respond. I still didn't want it to be true and I knew if I would say something I would immediately realize it's real.
"Taylor?" Isaac's voice sounded more distant than before, because my hand had let dropped the phone on the passenger seat. I swallowed and wiped over my ruddy eyes with my sleeve. I needed to find Zac. I needed him so desperately.
It was snowing and getting colder more and more. It took a few attemts until the engine did finally start. Within only a few minutes the streets were already covered in white snow. I cruised around the blocks in the proximity.
Thank god I didn't need to search long until I found my brother walking on the sideway a few blocks away from the hospital. I used the car honk but he didn't turn around. Hastily I steered the car to the side and almost crashed accidently against a fireplug as I tried to get the car parked close behind him.
I could see his vigor in the way Zac was walking even though he must be freezing like hell, he didn't give a fuck. I got out of the car as fast as I could and shouted his name but he didn't show any reaction and kept on walking.
"Zac please wait." I cried once more, running after him. I could see that his dark green Army jacket and his long blond hair were already covered with white snowflakes. Silently I followed him until I catched up to him but I was afraid to go around of him and look into his eyes, so I just stopped a few inches behind him.
"Where are you going Zac?" I asked hesitantly because I knew I had something to say.
He finally stopped but he didn't turn around to look at me.
"I'm going to raid the next gas station and drink my ass off until I'm numb." He stated coldly. His voice sounded deeper and more throathy than usual. That he said "gas station" instead of a bar kinda reminded me of the fact that we were really back in our stuffy hometown. All bars here were closed at this time.
I was relieved though, that he answered me even though I didn't drive home like he had told me to.
With a little bit more self esteem I laid my hand on his shoulder of his jacket.
"Zac...why did you leave?" I asked softly.
He angrily shrugged my hand off in an instant. "I told you to drive home Taylor. I'm not gonna fuck you tonight."
He was still acting tough but I wasn't suprised about his behaviour. His angry outbursts weren't new for me.
"Please stop Zac. I... I don't want to have sex tonight."
Suddenly he turned around and glared at me with his shrewd brown eyes.
"Are you sure Taylor? Because that's usually the way you make me forget your own sorrow."
I was completely taken aback.
Was I really that selfish? If our father wouldn't have passed away would we also have that many sex?
I never thought about it from that point of view. Perhaps I would still be too shy to give a blow job again. I was perturbed by his announcement and had no idea what to think about it.
"Zac I slept with you because I wanted you. I love you and I need you." I managed to say softly but I wasn't sure if it was enough for him. He was clearly mad and I knew that half assed apologizes wouldn't work with Zachary Walker Hanson, but as you already may noticed I'm not exactly an expert of words. I stood there looking at him, waiting for his response.
"Is he dead?" He asked, avoiding to look at me.
I could only nod. It didn't need words to say it out loud.
He let out a heavy sigh and raised his head towards the sky. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and let the white snowflakes falling on his beautiful face before he spoke again.
"Fabulous. Congrats Dad. Finally you don't need to deal with our fucking bullshit anymore."
Zac's sarcastic tone irritated me. Why did he always have to act so unpredictable? I thought we're finally at a point at which we could talk about our mutual pain and sorrow after I saw him crying in the hospital, but now he just went back to his casual cold behaviour like usual and it disappointed me that he was acting so emotionless again.
I just couldn't believe how he was still able to act that way. Our father just died for fuck's sake!
"Why did you lie to me Zachary Walker?" I finally managed to ask him in hope to get a decent answer this time. I was serious, I couldn't be more serious about my question. Somehow though his intimidating, unpredictable presence made me careful.
He immediately reacted when he heard me speaking his full name and quickly turned his head away from the falling snow. His expression looked angry as he raised an eyebrow to me.
"Lie about what?"
I gave him a frown. "Well, first, you've said to me you don't give a shit about Dad dying. But you do care... I just saw it in the hospital."
He laughed a little after that which made me even more confused. I didn't like the way he laughed, it sounded kinda bitterly.
"Taylor, trust me. You have absolutely no idea." He turned away from me but I walked around him that he had to look at me again.
"No idea about what?" I asked, impatiently hopping from one feet to the other. I wasn't sure what was nagging me more, the uncertainity or the freaking cold which made me chilled to the bones, but I couldn't allow myself to go until I would finally get some answers from him.
He shook his head. "It's better when you drive home Taylor. It's late for you. The streets aren't safe at night. Don't forget to put the car in the garage, I don't want the engine to get frozen."
He was acting ridiculous but this time I didn't take his cues. I could feel the icy coldness creeping through my clothes but I needed to talk this out with him.
"No idea about what Zachary? Why don't you talk with me about your sorrow? You know very well that I'm the last person who would judge you." My voice was broken and desperate. I had no idea anymore how I could get close to him, I felt helpless and exhausted. How could I deal with him if he always refused to open up to me?
He narrowed his eyes before he spoke again. "I don't need anyone's sympathy! I'm not like you Taylor."
I didn't get it. Minutes ago he cried in front of our Dad and even told him that he would get better again and now he was acting like the cold asshole he used to be again.
"You're a damn hyprocite." I cried out all of a sudden. "You just told Dad he would get better and that we would start doing music again. Was all you said just a fucking lie? Maybe I don't have any idea, but how shall I know when you don't fucking tell me?"
A moment of a uncomfortable silence followed before he sighed and looked up at me. We were quiet for another minute. Meanwhile our heads and jackets were covered with a thick layer of snowflakes. For a moment I really contemplated about driving home, I was mad and I didn't understand him. He wasn't taking me serious. But I knew that we needed to talk. And I was afraid that I might lose him again. Lose him forever this time.
I winced when he suddenly began to shout at me. "You live in a bubble of dreams Taylor. That's the reason why you don't see the reality. You spent all your time on studying the last two years. You didn't even notice what was going on in our family at all!"
I wasn't used to hear him shouting at me. It scared and confused me at the same time. I didn't know what to say. What the hell was he talking about? He also wasn't at home the last months when he did spend time with his damn Twinks in fucking L.A.
Then he reached out his hand and patted my cheek like I was a little puppy. "Go home Taylor. It's not good for you to stay up way past your bedtime. The reality might scare you. I don't want you to get nightmares."
He was a fucking bastard. But I sensed that there was something he did hide from me and I couldn't go until I knew what he was talking about. He was good at hiding emotions. He was so good hiding them that I actually started to assume he wouldn't care.
"Please tell me!" I said and crossed my arms over my chest. It was unusual for me to persist in my viewpoint but I was sick of not taken seriously.
The cold became unbearable and I was freezing and shivering but he still didn't seem to care at all.
"No I'm not in the mood. It doesn't change anything." He stated tonelessly and spitted a snowflake away from his chapped lips.
"Does that mean we won't start make music again?" I asked him worried, almost too shy to look at him. Without his agreement I would never be able to fulfill Dad's deathbed will.
He sighed again and didn't respond.
I sensed that if I wouldn't continue talking I would never get to know, so I scraped together all my confidence and stared at him like a deer in headlights in his direction. Music meant the world to me and for my brothers too.
"Zac, I'm really thankful that you have been there for me in the hospital and outward bound. I... I just want to be there for you like you have always been there for me. I got so afraid when you left all of a sudden... I was worried you would commit suicide or something like that. That's why I needed to find you." Okay, that was only half of the truth. Because I longed for his comfort as much I was worried about his sudden escape.
Zachary looked at me when I said that and it was the first time his eyes looked hurt.
"Maybe I should," he shrugged. "It would be a grand finale and everyone could move on and go back to their fucking hypocritical perfect lifes. Hooray. Hooray."
Honestly, I've never met a 17 year old boy who've been already so rancorous like my brother was at his age.
"Why do you say such a bullshit? I wouldn't know what to do without you Zac!" I couldn't help but start crying again. I didn't care anymore if I was acting like a crybaby, the thought of losing him was just too much for me.
I was surprised when he stepped towards me, wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me on my forehead.
"Calm down. I'm sorry Tay. I didn't want to make you cry."
"But you are treating me like a child, you don't take me serious. Don't think I'm not able to bear the truth. Sure, I've studied a lot and maybe I didn't noticed what was going on in our family but it's just not fair if no one tells me..." I sobbed like a crybaby and moved carefully closer to him. Granted, I was a sensitive boy and I actually enjoyed it when Zachary protected me.
He smiled a little and wiped one of my tears away with his thumb.
"Baby, they didn't tell you because nobody wanted to make you upset. You have always been the well-behaved son. You never disappointed somebody."
I didn't like what he said. But I was so lost and broken that I just shook my head.
"That's not true." I hiccuped whiningly. My lower lip stuck out in a pout and I felt like starting to cry again.
Zac let out another heavy sigh before he continued speaking. As he saw my pouting lip he smiled a little. He took my shaking hands in his, pulled them to his mouth and let out a long warm breath between them. He then wiped some snowflakes away from my shoulder and laid his hand on it.
"What do you think why I moved out and drove to L.A.?" He gave me a frown.
"Because you are precocious... and we needed a break from each other." I answered, not knowing what else to answer.
He laughed again.
"See? That's the reason why no one tells you Taylor. Not everyone is the perfect favorite son of the family. There is always a black sheep among us."
I shook my head in disbelief. "Don't forget in our case they're two black sheeps in the family."
"Tay, don't you really remember anymore when we got caught by the press two years ago, who was the one that persuaded you to go in the car for a pre-show quckie? It was me. Surprise surprise. You know it. I know it. Mom and Dad knew it."
I shook my head again. "It's doesn't matter whether.... We were both got caught off!" I exclaimed hysterically.
"Yes maybe you're right. But who do you think who got blamed for that? Why do you think Mom and Dad agreed when I told them that I will move out at the age of 17? And why I went to L.A....? I needed a pause Taylor. A pause of getting blamed all the time." He sighed heavily.
I was thankful and relieved that he was finally honest with me. "I'm sorry Zac. I didn't know that." I paused and added "I thought you were just horny when you decided to drive to L.A." I said in hope to cheer him up a little.
He smirked a little about that.
"Of course I was. That's why I've chosen L.A., but that's not what I really meant. I was sick of getting blamed all the time. Eventually, I am the one who ruined our carreer, your carreer twice."
"Twice?" I gave him a questioning look.
"Yeah twice." He repeated.
I knew this was a very rare situation between us. He was honest with me without being in one of his drunken stages and we didn't play a truth or dare game either. I wanted to take full advantage of this moment. I needed to know.
"Can I ask you an honest question Zac? What did really happen at the airport bathroom in Barcelona? Did you talk to one of your ex's?"
"Huh! I wish I did," he snorted sarcastically.
"Who was the person you talked to?"
"Are you sure you wanna know?"
I nodded.
"It was Dad." He said simply.
Dad? What? Why didn't he tell me?
My younger brother is like a deep ocean full of weird secrets. I gave him another questioning look.
"What did he say?"
He shrugged indifferently. "Just how pleased he is that I have managed to ruin your carreer for a second time. He already knew that you dropped off college. Mam and Dad got a call from your school, apparently your teachers had a very long conversation with your roommate William or Harry or whoever the fuck until he told them that you left for a Europe trip to get fucked by your younger brother."
It was doubtable that they said it in the vulgar language which he used but is was Zachary's usual way on saying things.
"And as a side note he told me that I don't even need to come back anymore." He paused and let a breath out. "But that's immaterial by now. I already know that I am the undesirable plague of the family."
My eyes widened when he said that.
How was he able to act as if nothing happened in spite of all what was going around of him?
I always thought we were both dealing with the same kind of trouble. And now, even though Zachary was the one who went alone through shit I had absolutely no idea of, I wondered how he was still able to act so tough.
"You are not a plague. You are everything I have Zac." I said softly.
"I'm not so sure about the plague part," he smirked a little while shaking off some snow from his jacket.
"And apparently you're the only one who thinks that way. I've been a shitty brother to you Taylor. Actually, you should have someone who supported you doing your College classes, someone who gives you back but I didn't do anything like that for you."
"Zac, I don't regret that I dropped off the college, not a single second. I'm even glad that you besought me to drop it off. If you didn't come to visit me, I still wouldn't know what's going on and be here with you today. Basically I have to thank you for that."
I assured him, then I dared it to bend over and gave him a soft kiss on his lips, wrapped my hands around his waist and continued talking.
"You have been there when nobody else was. You cared for me even though I should have taken care of you."
That caused him to smile. "You know that I'm able to take care of myself Tay."
I nodded. "Yeah I know. Better than anyone else."
And I wasn't lying. Eventually I understood why he acted so cold when he got the call about our father dying and let out a relieved sigh.
"Why didn't you say something about that to him in the hospital?"
"Because it was his fucking turn to apologize to me. Or at least that he would accept me as his son again. I'm not the selfish bastard like he was. But he just laid there and didn't mention a single word about it. Be assured Dad, I won't waste time anymore to continue my guilt trip!" He said bitterly, rubbed his nose with the back of his hand and spat on the snowy pavement.
I didn't know if the last words our Dad told me would make anything at better. But Zac deserved to know. I wasn't sure if it was the right situation to tell him about it, but I guess there will never be a perfect situation for it anytime. So I cleared my throat before I continued speaking in an effort that my voice wouldn't shiver.
"Zac, Dad commissioned me to tell you that he is not mad at you. He wanted me to tell you that. It was his last words which he spoke to me." I said softly.
Zac let go of me after that, turned around and kicked angrily against a small stone.
"Fantastic. Why couldn't he tell me earlier?" He raised his head towards the sky again as if our Dad could hear him that way. "Why do people only get compunctious when it's already too late to make it right?!?" He was mad but I could see that a tear dropped off his eye.
I knew that I had to be very empathetic with him now. Showing how much I felt sorry for all what happened to him would make him only angrier and everything more worse than it already was. We stood there and silenced for a while, I wanted to give him time to calm down before I talked to him again.
"Zac, what do think about start making music again? Was it a lie when you complied?" I asked worriedly to his back.
He shook his head. "No that was probably the only good idea he had before he died. But we need to talk with Ike about it before we can start to jump for joy. I'm not sure if he will also comply."
The snow had finally ceased but I was still shivering and I couldn't avoid that my teeth began to chatter because of the remorseless coldness. Apparently Zac heard it, he turned to me in an instant and stepped towards me, smiled and began to rub against my hurting arms soothingly.
"Your lips are already blue baby. Come on, let's get in the car."
I coughed and nodded.
"Give me the key," he ordered while he was walking to the driver's side.
"I can drive us home," I responded.
He rolled his eyes. "You drive like a woman Taylor. I wanna get home safe."
I sighed, yanked the key out of my pocket and threw it over to him. At least he got his black sense of humor back.
We got in the car and Zachary tried to start engine. Once, twice and three times more.
"Shit it doesn't work," he cursed. "The engine is already frozen. Looks like we don't get away from here without a tow service." He said and pulled out his mobile phone.
I didn't listen to his words. I was distracted by the things he just told me. I needed time to recall our past in mind. I was relieved in a way that his cold acting wasn't because he was just an asshole, but more of the reason that the backgrounds were deeper than I've ever imagined. When I thought about Zac and Dad now everything was put in a total different complexion on things. It was sad that I've been too blind or too busy to see our family conflicts, I was too consumed with my own problems that I didn't even noticed how Zachary suffered because of the accusations of our parents. I only could imagine how hard it must have been for him.
"We're here in the North Front Avenue.... yeah... and hurry up before it's Christmas. Bye." He commanded in the receiver of his cell phone before he hung up.
After he did hang up he turned to me and waved his hand in front of my face. "Hey Taylor, are you dreaming again? I just talked with the wrecking service. They will be here in 30 minutes."
"What? Oh yeah, that's fine..."
He handed me a towel to dry my hair. I took it absently while he frowned at me.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I just thought about a few things you told me. Do you..." I sighed and tried not to chicken out.
"Do you really believe that I slept with you because I wanted to forget my sorrow?"
I rubbed my wet hair with his towel and swallowed as I thought about it more intensively.
He shrugged. "Partly yes, but I guess it's normal. I used to do the same when I was in L.A."
It was sad that what he said was right. Sex made it easier for me to forget my own sorrow. I know that it doesn't solve any problems but at least it helps to forget them for a while. And Zac made me forget them many times in the last couple of days. For once I also wanted to make him feel good.
He reached his hand out for the towel but instead of handing it back to him I leaned over and kissed his lips lightly again. He looked surprised, pulled away and looked at me with a questioned look.
"What does this mean?"
"I don't want you to think of me like that. I really love you," I whispered and buried my face in his neck to continue my kissing.
He giggled a little because he was always ticklish on that part. Or maybe it was because of the feeling of my cold nose and lips against his skin.
"Stop it Taylor, or I might rape you on the backseat."
"I won't complain." I murmured. Okay granted. Now I was officially crazy. But for once I wanted to make him feel good for all the times he did it for me. I owed him. I wanted to prove him that I'm also capable of making him feel better. And I wanted to show him that I wasn't too afraid to make up for what I once had messed up in Barcelona. I also wanted to prove myself that I could also take the initative at least for once.
So I continued kissing his neck and down to collarbone while I clumsily tried to pull up his shirt a little. It was still cold but the skin of his strong upper body felt warm and so good beneath my face. He let out a soft moan and I knew that he was watching me again.
I hestitated a little when my kisses trailed down to his stomach and reached the waistband of his jeans. It was dirty. It was wrong. But it was what he needed and what I wanted to give him. Somehow, I managed to unbutton and unzip his jeans above his rock hard erection. It never took much to make Zac horny which didn't surprise me one bit.
"This is gonna be good," he grinning entertained himself. Impatiently, he slid his fingers into the waistband of his underpants and pulled both pants down eagerly.
I had seen his cock only once so close previously, in a hotel room in Spain. Now it was only a few inches away from my face. I never would have imagined that I'm able to do it again after the last time but somehow it didn't seem important anymore. We both needed distraction and forget our common sorrow.
Hesitantly, I stuck my tongue out and slowly brought my face down. My tongue-tip touched lightly.
"Yeah, that's it!" Zachary growled. He was doing his dirty talk again. I guess I will never get used to it but his throathy voice when we had sex was always a big turn on.
"Zac?" I interrupted suddenly and stopped my movement mid-way.
"Yeah?" He sounded a little irritated. I didn't want to make him thinking that I would wimp out again but I just needed his affirmation. I guess we weren't very different at least at this point.
"Would you... please guide me?" I felt my cheeks heaten up with shame. "I... I don't wanna mess it up again." I shyly admitted.
He just smiled at me. "You never messed it up baby." I loved it when Zac called me baby, I wished he would do it more often.
Slightly, he pushed his crotch against my face, as his hand went behind my head and drew it closer. I was still scared but I tried to remember about my "now or never" motto.
"Suck me Tay, come on suck my cock," he ordered in a low tone.
My heart pounded fast as I slowly parted my lips and captured around the head of it. I opened my mouth and tried to suck all of his cock in. As I gagged a little I felt Zac's hand in my neck.
"Slowly. Not so much. I will guide you baby."
With Zac's hands guiding me, my mouth easily took his boner all the way in my mouth. I began to suck at it carefully. Usually I would worry about being caught in the act again but at least Zac would notice if someone would come.
Hopefully.
With the prompting of Zachary's hands in my hair and the gentle thrust of his hips, I slowly established a rythm of sucking his cock. He pushed more in and held my head tighter. I could feel his cock swelling as it slid in and out of my throat.
His sighs and moans of satisfaction gave me encouragement, letting me know how well he was enjoying my efforts as I slid my lips and tongue up and down. My mouth and tongue had become sensitive sexual organs which stimulating me into pure hot need and desire. It was pushing me to new heights of erotic pleasure. I was so consumed to satisfy him that I was surprised when he suddenly pulled it out of my mouth.
"Let's do it on the back seat, there's more place." he commanded, climbing over his seat and patted on the spot next to him to indicate where I should get.
I was still afraid to get caught but I couldn't let him hanging right now, so I followed him and climbed on the back seat next to him.
"Come on baby!" he urged. "We don't have much time." He took the towel and put it behind his head for support.
I loved to oblige when I can so I did what I was told, kneeled between his legs and dipped my head down to his cock again which already glistened with my saliva. My mouth resumed sucking and Zac's hips were humping so forecfully that I almost no longer needed to move my head and his grunts of pleasure started up anew.
He leaned his head back and let out a deep moan as he grabbed my head. He ran his fingers through my hair and used it to forcefully pull my eager mouth onto his throbbing dick. I opened my mouth wide for him. My tongue glided along the head, but he wanted more and pulled me further down onto his dick. I got into a rhythm of bobbing up and down on his cock as he held my head. I swirled my tongue around the head, then he pulled me down and I sucked delicately along his shaft, hoping he would like it.
"Take it in properly baby." He groaned and pulled my neck closer to him so that he could plunge his cock even deeper into my throat.
All of a sudden my insecurity was back. As his breathings became shorter and quicker I knew he was close. What the hell should I do?
"Fuck Tay! Keep sucking..." he croaked.
Please Zac, please tell me what to do! I entreated to him internally...
His head arched back while his whole body shook with the rush of orgasm.
I couldn't pull away, could I?
As if he would sense my nervousness, he finally guided me with his hand on the back of my neck, pulled me slightly closer and groaned to me in his low raspy voice again.
"Swallow baby, swallow!"
With a loud grunt the first sprays of cum filled my mouth. Load after load caused him to groan as he began to shot them deep in my throat. During his last shot Zac purposefully pulled back slightly so that the last spurts of his loads would fill my mouth with his milky seed. It was my first taste of his semen when he came in my mouth and I closed my eyes tightly to enjoy every drop he gave me. The sticky milk in my mouth went down with two swallows. Somehow I managed to resume sucking his cock, swallowing and breathing at the same time.
Finally, he released my head and slowly, almost regretfully pulled his cock out of my mouth. We both gasped for air. Even though I would never talk about it with a different person I had to admit that I liked it and I began to feel proud of myself that I finally managed to do what for him was just a cinch.
He lazily smiled down to me, stroking my hair tenderly. Dizzily, I laid my head down on his chest and he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head. I was totally spent. We were lying there, trying to calm down after what seemed an eternity.
"Maybe I should open up myself more often if this is the reward afterwards." he eventually said, still satisfied smiling.
"Yeah you should," I replied and I meant it.
I wanted to enjoy the new proud feeling inside of me a little bit more, it even made me forget my own errection. Anyway, I couldn't feel comfortable if I knew the tow service would come by every minute. Zachary seemed not to care at all. But that's just him.
We silenced for a while and I lifted my chin to look out of the car window because I was worried we might fall asleep all of a sudden. I reached my arm out of the window and sighed dreamily as some snowflakes fell on my hand. As he pulled up his zipper I turned around to him.
"Don't you think it's time to climb back on the front seats again?"
Instead of answering, he kept smiling and studied my profile attentively.
"What?!?" I frowned at him. "Is my hair doing something weird?"
He shook his head. "No, not your hair."
He then reached out and used his index finger to graze lightly over the corner of my mouth, catching a drop of his remaining sperm of which I hadn't been aware that it was still sticking there.
Slowly, he brought his finger to my mouth.
"You forgot something baby." He told me in a seductive voice and began to lotion my lips in a circle with his cum until they were wet and sticky.
Fuck, it was the most vulgar experience ever and I could feel the upcoming heat in my cheeks, but the 19 old pervert inside of me couldn't resist to stick out my tongue and lapped up his semen. I sucked his finger as he pushed it slowly between my lips to reward me with the rest of it.
"Good boy." he praised, kissing my hair.
"Thank you Zac." I mumbled, although I don’t know why I did except that I somehow knew that it was the right thing to do.
He smirked satisfied after I swallowed all the remains of his cum. He made my cheeks flush and smile at the same time but I didn't care.
For once we made it right. I was able to make it right, I was able to please him.
The tow wrecking service came a few minutes later and I was relieved when we were finally on our way back home.
Together.