Until the Stars Fade Away [MxM - SaifahZon] [COMPLETED]

Night 13

THE DOORS HAD SLAMMED nearly thirty minutes before, letting the heavy musk-like cologne dominate the room. Zon glanced at Neo, still clearly confused. Was he only the only one who felt this way? But he couldn't wrap his mind around what caused Saifah to storm off in such a hurry. Was everything okay? He rubbed his forehead. It wasn't his fault, was it...?

"Zon? Oi. Hello?" Neo's face popped up only inches away. "Are you even listening?"

He blinked at the beady eyes staring at him, his head empty. What was the question again? Oh, right! Zon squinted at the phone in Neo's hands.

"Either is fine," he murmured, passing the phone with the pizza menu back. He tried to shift his focus away, but the uncanny feeling stayed. Not only was he gnawed by worry and confusion, but he also saw it strange to be left with Neo alone. Not because it was unusual but because it was not how he had initially envisioned this evening. When Neo had first knocked on the door, it'd made Zon grow giddy at the idea of spending time with those two men together; he'd almost beamed with the rays of excitement. But now, looking at the menu of the closest pizzeria (that one he and Neo had used to order from whenever hungry after sex), he knew that excitement was lost.

He leaned against the bed frame, his chest heavy. Saifah was to be blamed for that; his decision to leave so abruptly had wrenched the joy out of Zon to the last drop. "Do you think it was weird...?" he asked, his thoughts slipping out of his mouth.

"Hm? Weird?"

"Nevermind." Zon shook his head. He'd better not bring Saifah up. And as if nothing had happened, Neo just shrugged it off too. With a wide smile, he clicked the screen and propped his arm behind Zon's head.

"Ordered," he said. "I took the Quattro one you love so much."

"Neat, thanks." Their eyes met, and Zon couldn't help but smile as well. Was it some sort of test? Him, a junkie, in a room full of coke? But Saifah didn't know if Zon was able to resist; shouldn't he rather keep an eye on him instead?

"Mom asked how's your writing going," Neo's full lips moved, taking some of Zon's attention. "I told her I don't know. 'Cause I don't. You're not telling me enough, Zon."

"It's not your genre," he laughed it off. "You wouldn't be interested."

"But I still want to know!"

Zon rolled his eyes, his skin getting warmer. It wasn't as warm as it used to be, however, and at the back of his mind, he had one big question left-why had his phone stayed silent this whole time?

"Fine. I'll send it to your mom once ready. I'm just not sure she will like it."

"Why not?"

"It's full of that-what was it? Oh yeah-'they/them shit'!" He drew the air quotes, biting his tongue. Before Neo had a chance to reply, Zon jumped to his feet and dashed to the kitchen, finding an excuse in bringing them drinks. As soon as he rounded the corner, he fished his phone out and double-checked the signal. All good and yet, nothing. He pursed his lips, putting the phone back in his pocket. For a moment, he foolishly hoped he had missed a text; that maybe he had muted the whole thing, set it to vibrations only maybe, but no. Radio silence. No explanation from Saifah at all.

From worry, he grew uneasy, a spark of irritation igniting his stomach. He came back to the room, letting Neo do the talking. The minutes seemed to stretch into hours, and an hour felt like days if not months. Although it was barely an hour, Zon felt an itching need to check his phone time after time. Where was it? Was it now? Maybe in five minutes? When the hour turns? With each passing moment, he grew more and more impatient, as if Saifah owed him at least something. His foot fidgeted, Neo's knee pressed on his.