Another continuation (and there might be one or two more in the coming months)

“Go fish.”
Chris stared at Zach like he’d never seen him before. Zach sighed and put down the cards.
“You asked if I had any sevens, I don’t, I said pound pavement, that’s the way the game works, Pine.”
Chris yawned then, so big and loud that his eyes watered and his jaw popped. “Sorry. I, uh, I lost track of the game.”
“Because it’s time for little boys to go to bed.”
“But—”
“Chris.”
Chris averted his gaze and Zach wondered what that was about. But he didn’t say anything, so Zach stood, grabbed Chris’ arm and hauled him to his feet.
“Come on. Off to bed with you.”
Zach knew where Chris’ room was, so he pulled the younger man through the house and to the bedroom. There were items there that belonged to her, but Zach decided not to focus on that.
They were always at cross purposes, weren’t they? Jonathan, Olivia, Iris, Miles, and now…yeah, her. The one he’d seemed to be with the longest. Though still not as long as Miles, if it came to that.
A fool for love was still a fool.
He gently pushed Chris down onto the mattress.
“I’ll bet you can manage to get yourself undressed.”
“Yeah,” Chris agreed. Out came that tongue to trace over his lips and Zach fisted his hands. “Only…”
“Only what, Pine?”
“Can you stay here with me tonight?”
Zach laughed. “What? Why would I?”
“Uh.” Chris was blushing now.
“You’re not still thinking of that spider, yeah? Come on. It’s not going to come in here and eat you.”
“It might have had babies.”
“Maybe.” Zach smirked.
“And, uh, the slashers.”
“What about them?”
“We watched a lot of slasher films, Zach. I’m kinda freaked out.”
He sighed again. Ran his fingers through his hair. It felt greasy and he should have a shower, but he felt far too lazy and apatetic to bother.
“You’re a grown man, Chris.”
“I know, but—”
“This isn’t a good idea,” he said in a low voice. But those blue eyes rose to his and they almost looked watery like Chris would cry if he refused. And he just wasn’t. Even if it was the mother of all bad ideas.
“Zach.”
“Okay,” he replied. “Fine. Let me go get my stuff and we’ll go to bed together. To sleep, Christopher. Nothing else.”
“All right.”
Zach left the room and went to get his small bag. He took maybe extra long and it paid off because when he returned, Chris had taken off his clothes and put on low slung pajama pants and a thread-barren T-shirt.
He didn’t say anything when Zach returned, just stood there looking at the empty bed, so Zach went into the bathroom, got into his shorts and tank, and brushed his teeth.
“Do you have to go?”
Zach was surprised by the question when he came out of the bathroom.
“Go?”
“You know, back to New York.”
“Yeah, I do. It’s home.”
“LA’s home too, isn’t it?”
“Sometimes yeah and sometimes no. Right now, home is more New York for me. California’s…complicated.” Zach shrugged. “Anyway, you’re living the good life here. What are you worried about?”
Chris shook his head. “I’m not worried. I just miss you. A lot.”
Zach decided not to address that. “Get in bed, Christopher.”
And he did, too. Zach turned off the overheard light and then walked over to the side of the bed he supposed she normally occupied. For some perverse reason he wanted to smear his scent and greasyish hair all over her pillow.
Zach was here, Bitch
She wasn’t really one, except because of the obvious reasons.
He got in bed and turned off the lamp next to the bed.
“Next time your friends suggest slasher movies, maybe say no?”
A few heartbeats of silence.
“Yeah.”
Zach said nothing for a while and then he heard heavier breathing and knew Chris had fallen asleep. He was glad. Because they couldn’t go there. Not again. Not now as it was between them if they were to remain friends. And that was what Zach wanted. Not to lose Chris. Even if all it ever was, was this.
He almost got back out of the bed and went to the guest room, but no. He said he’d stay and he was a man of his word.
Took him a long time to fall asleep though. But there were no spiders or slashers. He’d slayed them.
October 22, 2021 at 4:01 am
I love it when he calls him Christopher.
But man they break my heart. I know they have to but still.
Well done!
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October 22, 2021 at 6:56 am
Yes yes they do
thank you
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October 22, 2021 at 4:13 am
Zach was here, Bitch that line 😀
Oh, this was so good. And everything Kris said ^
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October 22, 2021 at 6:57 am
thank you!
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October 22, 2021 at 8:19 am
Yeah, I love FRIDAYS!
Sigh…
See, IIIII remember when you wrote Enterprise. And I remember our talks. And IIIII remember what happened shortly thereafter.
So if that was an omen….well, may this one be too.
And I absolutely LOVE this one. How you just threw caution to the wind the most of any you’ve written under these particular circumstances.
Because as far as I can see and deduce from the evidence, Zach WAS here. First. Before all of them.
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October 22, 2021 at 8:26 am
Yes I believe he was there first, if you believe all the stories of their history in LA. Ah yes wouldn’t it be nice for it to be an omen? We shall see 🙂
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October 24, 2021 at 3:04 pm
Thank you so much, again (or maybe for the 1st time?) for giving us some PINTO for October. I so enjoy them!
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October 25, 2021 at 7:31 am
You are welcome! They might appear again in the next month or so
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October 24, 2021 at 8:06 pm
This is just so sad. Poor Chris seems so lonely!! He needs a Zach hug… and he needs to be in a romantic relationship with Zach in my opinion!!
I’m feeling sad myself. Just returned from a nice weekend away… at my twins’ senior year college family weekend. When did that happen?! Feeling the empty nest right now! 😢Meanwhile, my 23 year old fell and broke her ankle and ended up in the ER on Friday! She was with her significant other, who was doing a musical performance at the time. She had been staying with him at his mother’s house. So that’s where she is trying to get an orthopedic doctor to see her to do surgery and put a cast on. Problem is, she’s out of state, and she’s still on our health insurance. Idk if it will be considered out of network!? Ughhh!
I’m tired of adulting!!
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October 25, 2021 at 7:32 am
Awe I am sorry for the sadness when do you start your new job?
Yeah being an adult is so not fun sometimes
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October 24, 2021 at 8:09 pm
BTW I meant to comment how Zach can’t refuse Chris’ baby blues! Also love that he stayed although Chris fell asleep, because he’d promised! He’s so sweet!!
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October 25, 2021 at 7:31 am
🎃 Yes indeed!
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