Whee, here's more...

[honeyandvinegar]

Title: "Up Standing (Act Two, Part um... Three??)"

Pairing: C/Z, Z/OFC

Rating: R for implications, possibly NC-17 here and there

Synopsis: You just don't know when you can become a train wreck.



“Best submit now… you’re almost out of fuel,”

“Fuck that, I’m near a gas station,”

“You have no fucking clue where that gas station is, shut up,”

“Oh… oh will you look at that!!” Casey yelled triumphantly as he pulled his car into a gas station. Zeke laughed.

“You have no money,”

“I’m gonna rob it,”

“With WHAT?? You used all your bullets on that prostitute back on Third Street!!” Zeke cried, laughing. Casey flicked the buttons on his video game controller, glancing to Zeke with a proud look. Zeke chuckled as Casey’s player pulled out an ancient looking sword from the back of his ‘car’. “Ah, the museum... forgot...”

“Damn straight,” Casey said; this game had to be the most violent thing he’d ever played in his life, but it was fun as hell. Zeke then grumbled and moaned.

“Fuck!” he yelled. Casey looked to his side of the screen and laughed.

“Aw, thanks for keeping the cops busy for me, Zekie!!” Casey laughed out, seeing Zeke’s character getting barraged by a whole mess of police cars. Zeke was busy trying to have a single manned shootout, grumbling under his breath as Casey began chopping gas station attendants in half. “Oh, will you lookit that?? They didn’t make a cash drop, I got here JUST in time!” Casey said, watching his character rake in many thousands of dollars from the gas station’s registers. Zeke grumbled louder as his character began losing hit points and eventually fell. He dropped his controller and flopped back, groaning.

“Fine, CLYDE,” he said. Casey whooped with delight as the scores came up for both of them.

“TOLD you.”

“Anyone home??”

Casey and Zeke looked towards the archway, hearing Gilda coming in. She soon appeared, along with another girl. Zeke sat up. “Hey Claire,” he said. Casey sat very still as the two girls began taking their coats off.

“Hey Zeke,” the girl said; Casey watched with confusion as the girls hung up their coats and things; Claire looked to be quite a bit older than Gilda was; her long blond hair looked dyed, and her face a little tighter than Gilda’s. “Who’s this?” Claire asked, motioning to Casey.

“Oh… my roomie, Casey,” Zeke said.

“Yea… Claire, Casey- Casey, Claire,” Gilda quickly introduced. Claire smiled, nodding.

“Hey,”

“Hey,” Casey said, waving slightly.

“C’mon, let’s get some drinks. You two want anything?” Gilda asked them.

“Sure. Open that bottle of wine I got in the fridge,” Zeke told her. She ‘oohed’ with interest, smiling wide as she and Claire went off to get it. Casey looked back to the game, shutting off the console and going to regular TV. Zeke looked to him, most likely noticing Casey’s worried expression.

“Don’t worry man, like I’d said; we talked. She’s not gonna pull shit with you anymore,” he told Casey, giving him a friendly pat to the shoulder. Even though Casey wasn’t sure about it, he nodded anyways.

“Okay, we got it,” Gilda announced as her and Claire came back in. Casey looked over and saw her carrying an uncorked bottle, plus four glasses.

“Oh… I don’t need any, but thanks,” he told her. She scoffed and shook her head.

“C’mon, Case. Lighten up, let’s have some fun,” Gilda said. Casey watched helplessly as all glasses became filled. She handed him one and he took it, feeling defeated.

“Aww,” Claire cooed, going to sip her wine. Drawing back, she smiled at Casey. “It’s okay… we won’t tell anyone we’re letting an eighteen year old get toasted,”

“He’s seventeen,” Gilda said; Claire made even more pleasant coos.

“Oh my, he’s a baby of a boy, huh?” she said, giggling. Casey felt his face go hot; maybe the wine wasn’t that bad an idea. He began sipping it while staring at the television, blocking out Gilda telling some story of some guy that hit on her at the bar she and Claire had gone to. Glancing to Zeke, Casey saw that he didn’t look that interested either. Zeke sipped his wine casually, nodding every now and again as Gilda went on. Casey ignored it all, not really caring either way. Hell, at least she’d backed off and listened to Zeke’s threats. That eased Casey’s mind slightly.

On Casey’s third glass of wine, he made a giggly realization- he hadn’t really eaten much, and the wine was really starting to play on him. Turning to Zeke he groaned. “I think I need something to eat,” he went to say, but the giggles escaping him made everyone chuckle.

“Doesn’t take much for you, huh?” Claire said; Casey was surprised to feel someone’s hand on his cheek, until he looked and saw it was hers. He turned away, nodding dumbly, forgetting what he’d wanted to do.

“Yea, maybe that’s not the worst idea, Case,” Zeke offered. “Can you grab that bag of chips, Gilda?”

“Oh, let him just ease into it,” Gilda said, swirling her wine around in the glass. Casey nodded again, but didn’t know why.

“I got the job at the supermarket, I start Tuesday,” he said, out of the blue. Gilda’s eyebrows rose.

“Really? Very cool- I say we toast to that,” she said; she reached for Casey’s half empty glass and refilled it, making Zeke frown.

“I think he’s had enough, Gil,” he said. She scoffed and chuckled, handing it back to Casey.

“Let him have fun. God knows he needs to,” she replied, winking Casey’s way. “Cheers,”

“Yea, that,” Casey muttered, sipping more. Truth be told, he didn’t have much of a clue to what was happening anymore. He just stared ahead at the TV, watching as some random law firm commercial played. What time was it? It had to be late, he’d seen this commercial about three times already… or was it seven? “Fuck,”

Gilda and Claire looked to him, smiling. “Fuck what?” Claire asked.

“I dunno. How many times…” he said, voice drawling horribly as he motioned his hand towards the television. “Who is that guy?”

“Shit, you are GONE, Casey,” Gilda giggled out. Casey looked towards her, just in time to see her snuggling close to Zeke’s side. He turned back around, staring again at the nameless face on the screen. As drunk as he was his ears still worked, and the unmistakable sound of kissing could be heard. He didn’t need to see that, not right now.

A sudden warmth came over him; he realized slowly that Claire was sidling up to him, making him blink slowly. “Hey,” she said softly. A hand began playing with his hair, twirling strands of it in her fingers. “You all right?”

Casey shrugged, still focusing on the flashing images in front of him. “Yea,”

“Mmm, good,” she cooed, moving in closer. What the hell was this girl doing? Lord knew… was that Gilda that just moaned?

“Zeke, I’m hungry,” Casey spoke out. A shift of movement went behind him, a small groan of protest coming from Gilda.

“Seriously, get the kid something to eat. He’s the size of a stamp, the booze is gonna make him pass out,”

Gilda groaned again, getting up from the couch. Casey sighed and put his head back on the edge of the mattress, putting his legs up from the floor to rest his arms upon. Just as he swallowed, the pressure in his throat grew. It took him a few moments to realize that Claire had her mouth trailing along it. “Um…”

“Shh…” she whispered, a playful look on her face. Casey blinked wildly now. Everything felt so damned numb; it was all pressure instead of pleasure, or even something to ease him. He turned his head slowly away, looking towards the window across the room. This made Claire move to his ear, lapping and nipping it lightly. Casey was beyond confused; he didn’t know what to do, or what to say.

“Doesn’t look like he’s interested in chips, Zee,”

That was Gilda, he knew that. Fuck he was hungry. “I’m really-“ he started, but was interrupted by Claire suddenly claiming his lips with hers. She smelled like wine and cheap perfume, making Casey flinch slightly. He didn’t like this, THAT much he knew. He didn’t like it at all. Her tongue was way too insistent, forcing Casey’s mouth to open wide to the point of pain. What the hell was she doing?

Oh God, no… more sounds from the couch now; Casey pulled away and for whatever reason looked over. Gilda was straddling Zeke’s waist, and he was saying something but Casey couldn’t make it out. His view was suddenly blocked as he fell back, hitting his head on the floor. “OW!” he cried out, lifting a hand to the back of his head. He looked up and saw Claire looking down on him, her hands at his shoulders. That must have been why he fell, he thought, though couldn’t remember her coming back at him. Her smile was predatory, making his lower lip shudder.

“C’mon honey, it’s all right,” Claire murmured, leaning down again. Casey kept his eyes open as she kissed at him again; they darted around, looking for any sign of just WHAT the FUCK was happening.

“C’mon, I’m not in the mood for a fucking orgy,” he heard Zeke saying. “Claire, come on, get off the kid,”

“I like ‘em young, Zeke,” Claire pulled her lips from Casey to say.

“Yea well, leave ’im be,”

“Zeke, don’t be such a dud,” Gilda said, moving down again. Casey could see Zeke’s hands at her shoulders, pushing her up.

“Come ON, Gil, not in the fuckin’ mood,”

“Oh fucking fine, God…”

Gilda returned to lying at Zeke’s side, but Claire had different ideas. Casey hadn’t protested against this and was now fighting for words to do so; just then however, her hand went to his jeans and moved between his legs. His eyes went wide as he pushed upwards, trying to move away. “Wait, no-“

“You’re not so bad…”

“Did he say no? Claire, he said ‘no’,” Zeke said. Casey swallowed and let out a shaky breath. Claire’s hand hadn’t left him however. In fact, she was starting to rub it into him harder, pressing up and down the clear ridge in the denim.

“Something here tells me he means ‘yes’,” she said in a singsong voice. There was something that swelled so huge in Casey’s chest right now, something he couldn’t control. He realized how awful it was to be drunk right now; he didn’t mind it with friends like Stan and the like, but Claire wasn’t his friend, and he didn’t really like her. At all…

“Is he fuckin’ crying?”

“He’s crying? Get OFF of him, Jesus!”

Claire moved away from Casey, looking down on him with confusion. “Um… I didn’t mean for him to cry, what the fuck…”

Zeke’s hand now reached down to Casey, his eyes blinking. “Case, you all right?” he asked. Casey frowned, staring at the ceiling. He didn’t know what the hell had just happened, but it did, and felt like crying harder over it.

“For God’s sake,” Gilda muttered. Claire had gotten on the bed next to her; they began whispering to each other as Zeke moved Casey’s chin to face him.

“C’mon, Case, get up here and have something to eat,” he said. Casey nodded slowly.

“I’m hungry,” he mumbled, remembering. Zeke nodded and took his arm, hoisting him up. Somehow Casey managed to get himself onto the bed, noticing in his haze that both Gilda and Claire were giving him odd looks.

“He can’t handle much, can he?” Claire said, sounding annoyed as she sipped more wine. Casey lay out onto the mattress, reveling in the cool sheet below his face.

“Maybe if we weren’t all pressuring him to drink his weight in booze, he’d be fine,” Zeke grumbled. He moved the chips over to Casey; he took one look at them and his stomach churned forcefully, making him wince. Zeke seemed to notice and grabbed them away. “Gil, get something like crackers, he’ll probably gag these right up,”

She groaned loudly, standing up. Claire followed, giving both Zeke and Casey odd glances. Casey watched them go, feeling oddly depressed. “I’m sorry, Zeke,” he mumbled.

“For what??” Zeke asked.

“I just can’t… have fun, ‘guess,” Casey said into the pillow. As intoxicated as he was, his whole body seemed to wake up now as Zeke’s hand went to his hair, patting at it gently.

“You’re fine, Case,” Zeke told him. Casey made a slow nod; Zeke’s hand stayed on his head, ruffling his hair gently, soothingly. Casey swallowed, feeling so, so tired…

Sleeping didn’t come very easy tonight, even with the exhaustion. Casey felt his body toss and turn, his head starting to ache. For a moment he didn’t know where he was; it was a bed, but not his own. It didn’t smell like the basement, anyways.

Casey opened his eyes a crack, keeping himself still. He saw another form lying next to him in the darkness, just a few inches away. Zeke. Casey took a long breath, staring while his eyes focused in the night, gazing at man lying next to him.

By God… Casey felt shivers in his arms, making the skin go goose fleshed. He must have simply passed out here, leaving Gilda to the upstairs bedroom. Casey swallowed, turning his head away. He tried occupying his eyes with the window, staring out at ice covered electrical wires. It was no good, really; he turned his head just a minute later.

There were many things Casey couldn’t help right now. Zeke was fast asleep as Casey reached over with trembling fingers, daring to… there. God, he loved the feel of Zeke’s skin. His cheek had some stubble near the jaw, Casey’s fingers making faint scratchy noises as they ghost-touched their way to his chin. He wanted so badly, so MUCH to touch those lips, yet it felt too risky. These actions were bad enough in Casey’s mind; that was until Zeke breathed out a low moan and sigh, moving his head. He now faced Casey fully, eyes moving under the lids in quick, darting movements. Casey wondered what he was dreaming of, a desperation filling him. He moved his head closer to Zeke’s until he felt the low, hot breath coming from Zeke’s nostrils. Why he did this was beyond him; this was pure torture, lying here next to the completely unattainable, all wishes to kiss and touch him, wake him, have him touch back… all vicious little lies Casey’s mind made up as some sort of comfort. But right now- no, he wanted something, even if it was nothing in the end.

Casey curled his body closer, making very small movements to not disturb Zeke’s peaceful rest. He almost gasped feeling the top of Zeke’s thigh along his own, the end of the cast bumping into Casey’s knee. Zeke was so tall; he’d always have to look down at Casey when he was standing, making Casey feel so small. He liked feeling small with Zeke; all the more fantasy to create in his mind at having Zeke looking down at him in an entirely different fashion…

Casey almost yelped when Zeke’s arm moved from his side and fell on Casey’s hip. He lie shock still, eyes going wide as Zeke smacked his lips, mumbling something under a breathy snore. Blood pumped loudly in Casey’s ears, nerves firing off at an alarming rate. He tried controlling the twitches in his limbs as Zeke’s hand flattened on Casey, pressing into the cloth of the sheet covering him. Zeke suddenly jerked forward and pulled Casey’s lower half to him securely, staying very still. Casey swallowed as the rest of him followed, his head resting upon Zeke’s chest. He could hear Zeke’s heartbeat from where his ear lie; Casey began forgetting all the nastiness of the night, right down to the headache he had.

“Casey?”

Oh dear fucking God. Casey’s eyes blinked furiously, hearing Zeke speaking. Was it in his sleep? Oh PLEASE, he hoped desperately. He figured the safest thing was to not answer.

“Casey? You up?” Zeke whispered. Casey didn’t dare move; this wasn’t a sleep-talking Zeke. His breathing had changed slightly, going from deep and hollow to normal; Casey stayed frozen in place, shutting his eyes in case Zeke moved and looked down. He waited for Zeke to groan and move away.

Instead… Casey had to swallow hard as Zeke stayed, even pulled in closer. Minutes passed as Zeke stroked Casey’s hair gently, sighing deeply just over Casey’s head. His other hand moved from Casey’s hip to his back, patting it. “Ah, Case,” he murmured quietly. “How you get to me sometimes,”

Casey stayed very, very still. He listened as Zeke’s breaths became sleepy again; he couldn’t help but hold him close all over again, blinking back tears in his eyes.