Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Chris/Zach
Words: 1,000
Fandom: Pinto
Warnings: None.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these people, nor do I claim to
Summary: Significant mornings after in an established relationship.
Notes: Written for
less_star as a pinto santa present. It's fluffy with a little bit of angst and a happy ending. I hope you like it bb!
Chris blinked awake in the dark room, uncertain what had woke him. The clock’s red numbers declared it 4:42 am. He was about to bury himself back under the covers and press his face against Zach’s shoulder when he realized what must have woken him up. Zach was missing. Chris groaned and stretched before pushing himself out of bed.
They had gotten a suite and had a small front room with a couch, tv, and small table. There was no reason why Zach wouldn’t be in the hotel room. But when Chris opened the door and saw Zach sitting on the couch, he was still incredibly relieved.
Zach had a book open in his lap but seemed to be staring off into space rather than reading.
“Hey,” Chris said softly.
Zach’s head snapped up, startled. “Hey,” he said running his hand through his hair, before stretching sleepily. Even though he was too tired to do anything about it, Chris admired the way Zach’s body stretched and flexed. “I couldn’t sleep. Didn’t want to wake you.”
Chris shrugged. “Moot point now.”
Zach had his legs stretched out on the couch in front of him and pulled them back to make room for Chris before settling his feet in Chris’s lap. Chris wrapped his hand loosely around one of Zach’s feet and rubbed his thumb lazily up and down the arch.
“Everything okay?” Chris asked when Zach still hadn’t said anything about why he was up.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Zach you’re reading at 4 in the morning because you couldn’t sleep.”
Zach sighed. “Your flight is tomorrow afternoon--technically this afternoon--I suppose I got caught up my thoughts about that subject.”
“Thoughts of dropping me off at the airport kept you up? I can just take a taxi if it’s that big of a deal.”
Zach smiled and nudged him with his foot. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
“Yeah, but also, I haven’t developed telepathy in the past couple of hours either, so I don’t know what you do mean either.”
Zach sighed. “All right. I’ve been trying to think if there was somewhere I went wrong. If there was some way I could have done something to make it so we have a life together rather than a series of brief interludes in hotel rooms--and houses. Don’t take this the wrong way, I’m not unhappy with our relationship. I just think that--”
“Long distance blows. Yeah, I’m right there with you buddy.”
Chris pushed Zach’s feet off his lap and moved so he was lying half on, half next to Zach on the couch, his head resting on Zach’s chest. Zach stroked his hand through Chris’s hair and kissed his forehead.
“Fuck, I sound like a sap but I want to settle down with you. But, I have no idea if that is something that would even be possible for us,” Zach said.
Chris simply found Zach’s hand and squeezed gently, lacing their fingers together. He let the familiar rhythm of Zach’s breathing and the beating of his heart beneath his ear take him to sleep.
------
Zach woke up. He was alone in bed. He was going to lay back and wait for Chris to join him again when he glanced at the time. Shit. He practically lept out of bed and stumbled down the hall to the kitchen where he found Chris eating a piece of toast and drinking coffee. He allowed himself to relax.
“I thought you’d left.”
Chris turned and smiled warmly at him, “I would have said good bye.”
“I know. I just--”
“Yeah, I know. ” said Chris before he leaned over, and despite Zach’s morning breath, he kissed him deeply.
While Chris rode in a taxi to the airport, Zach buried himself under the covers in a bed that still smelled like the two them. The way he wished it would always smell.
------
When Chris came back to bed with coffee he also dumped a newspaper section in Zach’s lap. Zach flipped through it as Chris settled next to him with his own newspaper section. As he turned through each page Zach felt his confusion build.
“Chris, the crossword is nowhere in here, this is the houses for sale section.”
“I’m happy for you that you have such a keen sense of observation.”
“Shut up. But why--oh. You...Really?”
Chris just chuckled, “You want to finish a sentence there buddy?”
“Are you serious about this?”
“No this is a practical joke. I’m going to trick you to move in with me so I can steal all your stylish hats. Of course I’m serious. I figured this would be a good time, since we’ll be in the same area for an extended period of time. I mean, only if you want.”
“Yeah, I want,” Zach said before pinning his lover--his partner--to the bed under him.
------
Zach entered the bedroom with coffee, he handed one to Chris. Chris couldn’t help smiling as he watched Zach climb back into bed and get settled.
Chris adjusted a pillow on the bed behind him before penciling an answer on the crossword puzzle in the newspaper he had spread across his lap.
“What?” Zach asked, self-conscious, when he noticed Chris’s gaze.
“Nothing, I just like this. Our morning routine.”
“It is nice,” Zach said, smiling and reaching out to stroke his thumb across Chris’s cheek. “I’d like things to always be like this.”
It wasn’t a declaration of love, but Chris had always been good at reading through the lines. And sure enough Zach cupped his face in his hands and kissed Chris long and sweet.