If You Only Knew...?

The Only Part

Zach threw the blankets back and crawled out of bed for the bazillionth time that night. The clock read 3:35 in the morning and Zach hadn't gotten a wink of sleep.

He started pacing the hotel room back and forth, like he'd done three times already. The hotel had been over booked and the band and crew had to double up in rooms, so naturally he and Brent decided to share. In the queen bed next to his, Brent snored gently, his figure rising and falling in a rhythmic pattern. Zach sneered in jealousy; as exhausted as he was, sleep wouldn't come.

Bored with pacing, he started walking in circles. He didn't bother with his phone; he'd already checked that and nothing new had happened in the last hour he'd tried falling asleep. Running his hands through his hair, Zach decided to do something somewhat productive with his time.

He made his way into the bathroom and turned the shower on. He shut the door, undressed and walked into the steaming hot water.

The water pelted Zach's face in a welcoming stream, trickling down his neck and tracing its path down the rest of his body. The steam engulfed him, and he felt himself relax even more. Even though his nostrils weren't plugged, he inhaled deeply and felt the steam clear them out completely.

Zach ran his hands through his hair, trying to forget his exhaustion momentarily. Last night's show had been awesome; one of the best singing crowds yet. Zach smiled; the crowd singing their songs back to you was one thing he could never get over. It always sent a happy shiver down his spine.

After awhile, Zach turned the water off and wrapped himself in a towel. He spent an obnoxiously long time messing with his hair in the mirror before finally deciding to put his pajamas on and try for sleep again.

As Zach walked out of the bathroom, he looked at the clock. It read 4:03. He smirked at the time. It always seemed to show up nowadays.

"Trouble sleeping?" Zach jumped at the voice, and saw Brent propped up on one elbow. His short hair somehow managed to look messy even though Zach swore Brent didn't move in his sleep.

"If you could even call it sleeping," Zach replied. "More like tossing and turning... Like the sea." He beamed, proud of his joke.

Brent smiled and shook his head slowly. "Very funny." He pulled back the sheets and stood up. "So got a case of insomnia?"

Zach hung his head in defeat. "I haven't gotten a damn minute of sleep tonight. I feel like walking death."

Brent wrapped his arm around Zach's shoulders. "It's okay. We can fix that." He planted a gentle kiss on Zach's head before gesturing for him to follow.

Watching his feet, Zach let Brent lead him back into his bed, shuffling after him. Once he laid down, Brent pulled the covers up to Zach's chin and and sat next to him on the bed.

"What are you doing?" Zach asked.

"I'm singing you a lullaby." Brent smiled, as if he were proud of the idea. Zach couldn't help but smile back at the big goof.

"Are you gonna sing me my favorite song?" He asked, like a little girl asking her dad for a bedtime story.

Brent shrugged. "What else would I sing to you?"

"You did sing me the Barbie theme song once."

"That was one time." Brent punched him lightly on the chest. "Now shut up. It's bedtime."

Zach watched a bedraggled Brent clear his throat. Even before Brent started to sing, he felt himself relax deeper into the bed than he had all night.

"I'm falling apart again... And I can't find a way to make amends... I'm looking in both, directions..."

Brent's soft, lulling voice became distant as the words to Zach's favorite song wrapped around him and finally, after hours of endless tossing and turning, sleep came.