Running With Scissors. [Prologue]
Title: Running With Scissors.
Author: Harriet, a.k.a masokisstiic
Rating: Overall R
Pairing: Flyzik and Zack.
POV: Third
Summary: "And I've been taken for granted, this time you've gone too far."
Disclaimer: I own nothing, haha.
Credit: Title to Underscore, and this story is based on the Stanford Prison Experiment.
A/N: Okay, so this is something new coming from me. I'm posting the prologue just to see what the reactions from it are, and if you are interested in this idea of mine then I will definitely continue it. I know it's not your usual pairing, and it isn't the most prettiest of plots, but I quite like it so I'm hoping you will, too. Comments will be greatly appreciated!
Tumblr.
Masterpost.
Matthew Flyzik and Zachary Merrick, two young American men, if you were to see them walking down the street I doubt you would take a second glance at them. They blended in with the crowd; they didn’t like to draw attention to themselves as a couple, so secretive they were.
As they lie next to each other on the grass in the park, it would be unlikely for a passer-by to stop and stare. They were just average boys with nothing to hide, weren’t they?
The oldest of the two, Matt, had short, spiked, dark hair, and from the looks of it he always wore a smile. He was dressed in dark blue denim jeans, and a plain black sweatshirt, the sleeves tugged over his fingers. He had always been one for nervous habits.
As the sunshine beat down on them, a glint in the light caught the silver ring pierced through the elder’s lip, yet it wasn’t his only piercing, black flesh tunnels in each ear, neither larger than a penny so it seemed.
He was still smiling, even as the taller boy, Zack, offered a playful poke to his cheek.
Zack had a fresher face; it’s obvious that he’s the younger of the two.
He’s not wearing a t-shirt, Matt claimed that it’s because he’s “allergic”.
The tattoos painting the canvas that is his pale body are bright and colourful, but Zack only uses them to draw attention to himself. Just himself.
As he stretches his arms above his head, his washboard abs stand out a mile, it’s quite obvious that the gym appears to be his best friend, so what did that make the older man lying next to him?
Nobody ever makes the assumption that Matt and Zack could possibly be in love, but if you were to ask them whether they were in a relationship, neither would deny it. They were not ashamed of each other, nor their sexuality, it was just something that they didn’t like to flaunt.
At least, Zack didn’t like to flaunt it.
And whatever Zack says, goes.
Matt ran a hand through his hair as he propped himself up on his elbows, cocking his head as Zack pulled out a newspaper from his rucksack which lie at his feet.
“What’s that...?” Matt asked, his voice a little shaky, God knows why.
Zack frowned, waggling the paper to create a rustling noise, “It’s a newspaper.” He replied, his words spoken slowly as if to take the mickey out of Matt’s quite silly question.
The older boy sighed, rolling his eyes, “I know that, what I meant was like, what are you doing with it?”
Zack just smirked, and not another word was spoken.
Matt knew that this wasn’t a good sign.
His top teeth tugged at his lip ring, pulling it into his mouth whilst his fingernails dug into his soft palms. He never liked that smirk.
“Come on,” He urged, “Just tell me what it is you’re up to, Zack. I know it has to be something!”
And before he had the chance to apologise for his rude outburst, Zack had already checked their surroundings before sharply slamming his fist into Matt’s bicep.
“Don’t talk to me like that.” He muttered bitterly as if this was a usual routine, “I’m going to show you if you’d be fucking patient.”
Then he smiled sweetly, and Matt’s heart melted.
Sometimes he hated the hold Zack had over him, but he loved the boy too much to ever deny that glance.
Matt watched as Zack flicked toward the back of the paper, then he paused, grinned, and his index finger slid down the black and white print until it paused at a bold border. “I saw this ad this morning and I just knew it would be perfect for us.”
Matt raised an eyebrow, his fingernails were digging in deeper now, but he didn’t dare interrupt again for his arm was still throbbing.
Zack circled the lettering with his finger as he placed the page on Matt’s lap, “Read it.” A simple command that Matt felt obliged to do.
“Twenty-six males required for a psychological experiment,” Matt read aloud, his eyes widening, “An experiment?” He squeaked, before flinching as Zack raised a fist. “I- Sorry, I was just shocked, that’s all.” He quickly mumbled, relief flowing through his veins as Zack’s hand retracted and instead placed itself over his own.
“Participants will be required to undertake a range of tests and interviews to determine whether they are suitable for the experiment. If selected, each man will be given one thousand dollars for every day that they remain in the experiment which will last up to fourteen days.”
Matt stopped reading as he finished the sentence, had he honestly read that correctly?
“One thousand dollars?” He repeated in awe, and though his mathematics had never been that brilliant, he was able to work out that if both him and Zack remained in this “experiment” for the entire duration, twenty-eight thousand dollars would be enough to get them by.
“I know, right? It’s a lot of cash for just two weeks, and it can’t be anything too bad y’know? I’m going to give the number at the bottom a ring and put myself forward for it, and you’re going to as well.” Zack said taking the paper from Matt and folding it in half to shove back into his bag.
“Wait, I’m going to?” Matt asked, slightly confused. “...What if I don’t want to?”
He knew he shouldn’t question Zack. He knew what the consequence would be, but he was feeling brave.
“I mean, seriously, Zack. Fourteen grand would still be enough for us if it was only you that done it...” He tried to negotiate, “And it sounds quite... risky?” He gulped, the printed words now sketched into his mind. As he closed his eyes, they grew larger and larger, his gut instinct screaming to back out. “It doesn’t give any details of what this experiment could be, and two weeks is actually a pretty long time. What if it’s dangerous?”
Zack grit his teeth as he tried to keep himself calm, “If it was dangerous I highly doubt they’d advertise it in the fucking paper. Are you honestly that fucking stupid?”
He couldn’t help himself, he had to lash out and strike the older boy’s cheek.
How could somebody lack that much common sense?
“I don’t care what you say, Matt, we’re going to take part in this thing. We’ll sign up separately and pretend we don’t know one another, that way we’ll have a higher chance of the two of us being picked. We need the money. I need the money to be happy, and you want me to be happy, don’t you?”
Matt was blinking furiously to disguise the tears that he knew Zack hated to see. His cheek was stinging, burning, though he wasn’t quite sure whether that was due to the hit, or because he was embarrassed of his own stupidity.
“Of course I want you to be happy, I love you, Zack.”
That made Zack a lot more cheerful, and he looked around again to make extra sure that they were alone in this park. They were.
Leaning over he lightly pressed his mouth against the red mark on Matt’s face, “M’sorry.” He whispered, “I love you, too.”
Their relationship was complicated.
Zack hated that he was stereotypically labelled as submissive due to his age, so when he fell for Matt, he wanted the older boy to know that he was in control this time.
And Matt was a pushover, he let Zack walk all over him because fuck, that boy meant more to him than anybody had ever done before.
“He punishes me because he cares.”
That’s what he says to himself, over and over again, at least ten times a day and how he wished it would be an exaggeration.
To some this relationship doesn’t seem “right”, but Matt can’t see that.
He knows that Zack’s actions toward him could be seen upon as domestic violence, but there’s also that voice in his head telling him that perhaps he deserves it after all.
Maybe if he wasn’t so unintelligent, if he was a little more romantic, and maybe just that bit better, Zack wouldn’t have to hurt him anymore.
He counted himself lucky that he had the younger boy to guide him through his life, he couldn’t make decisions for himself, never had been able to. Matt could never stand on his own two feet, there always had to be somebody there to act as a support for him, and for the past three years, Zack had been that support.
Three years of getting punched, kicked, slapped and bit, it seems quite ridiculous, doesn’t it?
Sometimes Matt kids himself that he’s a little masochistic, he enjoys the pain that Zack gives him, it makes him want the boy more. To an extent, it’s true, but even he knows that if Zack stopped the hurting altogether then he’d love him a lot more for that if it were possible.
But Matt has never, not ever left Zack.
He doesn’t think he could do it, not even if Zack pushed him down their flight of stairs again because he tidied the younger boy’s half of their bedroom when he wasn’t asked to, or if Zack collided his head against their living room wall because he changed the channel on the television without permission first. Even then, he’d still remain faithful, he’d still love him, he doubted that anything would change that.
The sad thing is, Zack realises this.
He knows that Matt loves him far too dearly to pack his bags; he knows that Matt relies on him to push him in the right direction, even if he uses the wrong method of doing so. Zack takes advantage because he is well aware that he can, plus, it feels good to be dominant.
And fuck, nobody can describe the feeling of realising that this is all one big secret.
A dirty little secret shared between only himself and Matt.
Everybody is so oblivious to what happens behind closed doors.
If anybody was to ask the boys’ close friends what they thought of the couple, the responses would be similar:
“I don’t think I have ever seen them apart, and the way they look at each other, you know it’s real.” or “They’re a couple that anybody would be jealous of. The ones you read in romance novels, yeah, that’s Zack and Matt.”
Jealous? Ha! If only they knew.
But thankfully, they’ll never know.
The side of Zack they see is the side that Matt fell for.
Push aside the violence and Zack could be the perfect boyfriend.
He can be romantic when he wants to be, often leaving Matt love-letters, roses, everything cliché, but everything that he knows Matt likes.
And one thing that Zack always does, he reminds Matt of how much he truly does love him.
Despite everything they go through, they will always remain in love.
Nothing could change that, absolutely nothing; at least that’s what they try to tell themselves.
But what if their roles were reversed?
In a matter of weeks, everything will change.
Author: Harriet, a.k.a masokisstiic
Rating: Overall R
Pairing: Flyzik and Zack.
POV: Third
Summary: "And I've been taken for granted, this time you've gone too far."
Disclaimer: I own nothing, haha.
Credit: Title to Underscore, and this story is based on the Stanford Prison Experiment.
A/N: Okay, so this is something new coming from me. I'm posting the prologue just to see what the reactions from it are, and if you are interested in this idea of mine then I will definitely continue it. I know it's not your usual pairing, and it isn't the most prettiest of plots, but I quite like it so I'm hoping you will, too. Comments will be greatly appreciated!
Tumblr.
Masterpost.
Matthew Flyzik and Zachary Merrick, two young American men, if you were to see them walking down the street I doubt you would take a second glance at them. They blended in with the crowd; they didn’t like to draw attention to themselves as a couple, so secretive they were.
As they lie next to each other on the grass in the park, it would be unlikely for a passer-by to stop and stare. They were just average boys with nothing to hide, weren’t they?
The oldest of the two, Matt, had short, spiked, dark hair, and from the looks of it he always wore a smile. He was dressed in dark blue denim jeans, and a plain black sweatshirt, the sleeves tugged over his fingers. He had always been one for nervous habits.
As the sunshine beat down on them, a glint in the light caught the silver ring pierced through the elder’s lip, yet it wasn’t his only piercing, black flesh tunnels in each ear, neither larger than a penny so it seemed.
He was still smiling, even as the taller boy, Zack, offered a playful poke to his cheek.
Zack had a fresher face; it’s obvious that he’s the younger of the two.
He’s not wearing a t-shirt, Matt claimed that it’s because he’s “allergic”.
The tattoos painting the canvas that is his pale body are bright and colourful, but Zack only uses them to draw attention to himself. Just himself.
As he stretches his arms above his head, his washboard abs stand out a mile, it’s quite obvious that the gym appears to be his best friend, so what did that make the older man lying next to him?
Nobody ever makes the assumption that Matt and Zack could possibly be in love, but if you were to ask them whether they were in a relationship, neither would deny it. They were not ashamed of each other, nor their sexuality, it was just something that they didn’t like to flaunt.
At least, Zack didn’t like to flaunt it.
And whatever Zack says, goes.
Matt ran a hand through his hair as he propped himself up on his elbows, cocking his head as Zack pulled out a newspaper from his rucksack which lie at his feet.
“What’s that...?” Matt asked, his voice a little shaky, God knows why.
Zack frowned, waggling the paper to create a rustling noise, “It’s a newspaper.” He replied, his words spoken slowly as if to take the mickey out of Matt’s quite silly question.
The older boy sighed, rolling his eyes, “I know that, what I meant was like, what are you doing with it?”
Zack just smirked, and not another word was spoken.
Matt knew that this wasn’t a good sign.
His top teeth tugged at his lip ring, pulling it into his mouth whilst his fingernails dug into his soft palms. He never liked that smirk.
“Come on,” He urged, “Just tell me what it is you’re up to, Zack. I know it has to be something!”
And before he had the chance to apologise for his rude outburst, Zack had already checked their surroundings before sharply slamming his fist into Matt’s bicep.
“Don’t talk to me like that.” He muttered bitterly as if this was a usual routine, “I’m going to show you if you’d be fucking patient.”
Then he smiled sweetly, and Matt’s heart melted.
Sometimes he hated the hold Zack had over him, but he loved the boy too much to ever deny that glance.
Matt watched as Zack flicked toward the back of the paper, then he paused, grinned, and his index finger slid down the black and white print until it paused at a bold border. “I saw this ad this morning and I just knew it would be perfect for us.”
Matt raised an eyebrow, his fingernails were digging in deeper now, but he didn’t dare interrupt again for his arm was still throbbing.
Zack circled the lettering with his finger as he placed the page on Matt’s lap, “Read it.” A simple command that Matt felt obliged to do.
“Twenty-six males required for a psychological experiment,” Matt read aloud, his eyes widening, “An experiment?” He squeaked, before flinching as Zack raised a fist. “I- Sorry, I was just shocked, that’s all.” He quickly mumbled, relief flowing through his veins as Zack’s hand retracted and instead placed itself over his own.
“Participants will be required to undertake a range of tests and interviews to determine whether they are suitable for the experiment. If selected, each man will be given one thousand dollars for every day that they remain in the experiment which will last up to fourteen days.”
Matt stopped reading as he finished the sentence, had he honestly read that correctly?
“One thousand dollars?” He repeated in awe, and though his mathematics had never been that brilliant, he was able to work out that if both him and Zack remained in this “experiment” for the entire duration, twenty-eight thousand dollars would be enough to get them by.
“I know, right? It’s a lot of cash for just two weeks, and it can’t be anything too bad y’know? I’m going to give the number at the bottom a ring and put myself forward for it, and you’re going to as well.” Zack said taking the paper from Matt and folding it in half to shove back into his bag.
“Wait, I’m going to?” Matt asked, slightly confused. “...What if I don’t want to?”
He knew he shouldn’t question Zack. He knew what the consequence would be, but he was feeling brave.
“I mean, seriously, Zack. Fourteen grand would still be enough for us if it was only you that done it...” He tried to negotiate, “And it sounds quite... risky?” He gulped, the printed words now sketched into his mind. As he closed his eyes, they grew larger and larger, his gut instinct screaming to back out. “It doesn’t give any details of what this experiment could be, and two weeks is actually a pretty long time. What if it’s dangerous?”
Zack grit his teeth as he tried to keep himself calm, “If it was dangerous I highly doubt they’d advertise it in the fucking paper. Are you honestly that fucking stupid?”
He couldn’t help himself, he had to lash out and strike the older boy’s cheek.
How could somebody lack that much common sense?
“I don’t care what you say, Matt, we’re going to take part in this thing. We’ll sign up separately and pretend we don’t know one another, that way we’ll have a higher chance of the two of us being picked. We need the money. I need the money to be happy, and you want me to be happy, don’t you?”
Matt was blinking furiously to disguise the tears that he knew Zack hated to see. His cheek was stinging, burning, though he wasn’t quite sure whether that was due to the hit, or because he was embarrassed of his own stupidity.
“Of course I want you to be happy, I love you, Zack.”
That made Zack a lot more cheerful, and he looked around again to make extra sure that they were alone in this park. They were.
Leaning over he lightly pressed his mouth against the red mark on Matt’s face, “M’sorry.” He whispered, “I love you, too.”
Their relationship was complicated.
Zack hated that he was stereotypically labelled as submissive due to his age, so when he fell for Matt, he wanted the older boy to know that he was in control this time.
And Matt was a pushover, he let Zack walk all over him because fuck, that boy meant more to him than anybody had ever done before.
“He punishes me because he cares.”
That’s what he says to himself, over and over again, at least ten times a day and how he wished it would be an exaggeration.
To some this relationship doesn’t seem “right”, but Matt can’t see that.
He knows that Zack’s actions toward him could be seen upon as domestic violence, but there’s also that voice in his head telling him that perhaps he deserves it after all.
Maybe if he wasn’t so unintelligent, if he was a little more romantic, and maybe just that bit better, Zack wouldn’t have to hurt him anymore.
He counted himself lucky that he had the younger boy to guide him through his life, he couldn’t make decisions for himself, never had been able to. Matt could never stand on his own two feet, there always had to be somebody there to act as a support for him, and for the past three years, Zack had been that support.
Three years of getting punched, kicked, slapped and bit, it seems quite ridiculous, doesn’t it?
Sometimes Matt kids himself that he’s a little masochistic, he enjoys the pain that Zack gives him, it makes him want the boy more. To an extent, it’s true, but even he knows that if Zack stopped the hurting altogether then he’d love him a lot more for that if it were possible.
But Matt has never, not ever left Zack.
He doesn’t think he could do it, not even if Zack pushed him down their flight of stairs again because he tidied the younger boy’s half of their bedroom when he wasn’t asked to, or if Zack collided his head against their living room wall because he changed the channel on the television without permission first. Even then, he’d still remain faithful, he’d still love him, he doubted that anything would change that.
The sad thing is, Zack realises this.
He knows that Matt loves him far too dearly to pack his bags; he knows that Matt relies on him to push him in the right direction, even if he uses the wrong method of doing so. Zack takes advantage because he is well aware that he can, plus, it feels good to be dominant.
And fuck, nobody can describe the feeling of realising that this is all one big secret.
A dirty little secret shared between only himself and Matt.
Everybody is so oblivious to what happens behind closed doors.
If anybody was to ask the boys’ close friends what they thought of the couple, the responses would be similar:
“I don’t think I have ever seen them apart, and the way they look at each other, you know it’s real.” or “They’re a couple that anybody would be jealous of. The ones you read in romance novels, yeah, that’s Zack and Matt.”
Jealous? Ha! If only they knew.
But thankfully, they’ll never know.
The side of Zack they see is the side that Matt fell for.
Push aside the violence and Zack could be the perfect boyfriend.
He can be romantic when he wants to be, often leaving Matt love-letters, roses, everything cliché, but everything that he knows Matt likes.
And one thing that Zack always does, he reminds Matt of how much he truly does love him.
Despite everything they go through, they will always remain in love.
Nothing could change that, absolutely nothing; at least that’s what they try to tell themselves.
But what if their roles were reversed?
In a matter of weeks, everything will change.