Begin Again

Chapter 03

Zhan was upset. Something felt off. In the 10 years that they were together nothing like this had ever happened. Zhan was used to getting sex almost daily. He always got his way no matter what. It didn't matter if either of them was tired or sick. Which made him feel even more badly for his husband. The extra work hours and now a baby.  It must all be too much for him. 

He finished his hot steamy shower after releasing his seed and went to the living room. He started to check the different syllabuses for each of his classes and began to look for the books he would need on Amazon. 

When his husband finally awoke three hours later, Zhan began preparing their lunch. He decided to make a chicken soup full of veggies that his husband loved to eat and hoped that it would help him feel better and relax a bit. As he poured two bowls of soup and filled two small bowls with white rice he began to think of ways to make his husband relax.  A massage? He decided that after lunch he'd massage his back and feet. 

His train of thought was interrupted when the door to their bedroom opened and Xuan walked out dressed in his work clothes. "Are you serious?" Zhan said angrily as he slammed the bowl of rice on the dining table. "You're going to work?"

"I know... but we just need to go through the contract one more time and make sure everything has been done," he replied as he finished tying his tie. 

"But it's Saturday," Zhan said running his fingers through his hair. He sighed and crossed his arms.

"Zhan Zhan, this is why I didn't want to tell you last night. I don't want to start an argument. I already told you; we're having a baby soon. I need all the overtime I can get, and I've been seeing the bank statements. The baby isn't even here, and you spent a fortune already."

"Then let me work too, babe. I can work. I'll get a job...,"he said with a pleading voice, " with my college hours I can even get a management job. I'll help take a load off your back. Please." He tried to grab his husbands arm, but Xuan pulled away. 

"We've talk about this. I said no and that's my final answer," he said trying to end the conversation. He continued to button the cuffs of his black button up while looking at the mirror by the entry way.

Zhan walked back to the kitchen to quickly prepare his lunch bag. "I'll start looking for a job. What about the hotel? I'm sure I could get something there. You know I've always wanted to own a hotel or manage one. I could go this afternoon and ask for an application," he said as he now poured soup into a thermos for his husband.

Xuan slammed his fist on the entryway table, "What don't you understand about the word no? Do you not know what it means?"

Zhan almost dropped the thermos. The unexpected bang made him lose his coordination while pouring the soup into the thermos that he ended up spilling it all over his hand. "Ow." The thermos and pot spilled all over the kitchen sink splattering Zhan's clothes.

"I've told you time and time again. Just stop fucking asking. Sometimes I feel like a married a woman. Can't you just be a man for once and just accept no for an answer?" Zhan didn't respond. Instead he began to cry.

Xuan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Man up for once Zhan. Stop acting like a girl that doesn't get her way." He finished putting on his shoes and said, "I'm really late. We'll talk tonight."

When the door slammed shut Zhan cried out in pain. Never had he yelled at him like that before. Never had he hit anything to intimidate him like that. He quickly turned on the faucet and ran cold water on his hand. His wrist and part of his hand was stinging and turning red. The skin began to swell up. They didn't have anything to apply to burns, so he had to endure the pain. He grabbed a hand towel and drenched it with cold water and wrapped it around his burned hand.