Watch Your Back

.:Chapter Six:.

   Brian unlocked his phone, resting his feet on his coffee table as he scrolled through his contacts to find Eli's number. Once he located it, he tapped on the 'call' button and then put the phone to his ear, listening to it ring a few times before the other man answered. "Hey, it's Syn. Got some updates for you." He said, feeling a small bit of dread settle in his stomach as he thought about telling Eli all the things that Zacky had told him over the past few days. It felt wrong.. But it was his job, he reminded himself, so he didn't have a choice.
   "Alright. Tell me what you found out about the little shit." Eli's voice grumbled on the other end of the line, causing the brown-eyed man to cringe a little bit. Geez, you'd figure that you wouldn't hate him that much if you know he's gonna be dead and out of your life soon..
   "Well, he and I hung out a few times here recently. Told me you had abused him or some shit like that. He called me at like twelve thirty a few weeks ago, saying he was scared, so I went over and got him and he slept over at my place." Brian replied, holding his phone between his ear and his shoulder as he touched up his black nail polish.
   "He slept over? You guys didn't fuck or anything, did you?" Eli suddenly sounded angry. Don't know why you're getting mad.. You had a chance to cherish him and you blew it. Brian's thoughts screamed, and he was tempted to say exactly that, but he bit his tongue once he remembered he'd be getting a huge chunk of money after this job was finished.
   "No. But if we do, I'll certainly let you know." He answered cockily, one brow raised upwards. "Besides, what's it matter to you if I bang him? You're not together anymore." He reminded Eli, cringing a bit as he realized he probably shouldn't have said that.
   "Whatever. Call me when you've got more updates. And don't believe a word he says. He's a manipulative little fucker." Suddenly, the line clicked, and Brian knew Eli had hung up. He lowered his phone before looking at the screen, realizing he had a text message from Zacky. His lips parted in a wide grin as he opened his text messages, reading what he had received from his hazel-eyed friend.

   >Hey, you busy today? Thought I'd come over and play some Xbox if that's cool. If not, don't worry. (:
   >Yeah, that sounds great! You want me to come pick you up?
   >No, I'll walk. Thanks, though! I'll be there in a little while.
   >Alright, see you then!

   It wasn't long before Zacky arrived at Brian's apartment, remembering the route well from the night that he had come over when he was scared. He knocked on the door, hearing Brian's deep voice call, 'it's open' from somewhere in the home. He opened the door and then closed it behind him, following the sound of a soft hum to the bathroom, where he found Brian there straightening his feathery hair. "Hey, Bri! Are you prettying yourself up for me?" Zacky smirked, his hazel eyes tinted with playfulness as they swept over Brian's entire body.
   "Well, y'know, gotta look my best." The brown-eyed man teased back, raising a brow at his friend who was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. "What've you been up to today, man?" He asked, turning back to the mirror as he ran another piece of his hair through the straightener. He waved his hand at the piece of hair that was steaming a little from the heat of the flat iron, cringing a little as it touched his cheek.
   "Nothing, really. Woke up, had some breakfast, laid around for a while and then decided I'd come visit you. What about you?" The hazel-eyed man replied, watching as Brian smoothly ran the comb through his now completely straightened hair. He then placed the flat iron on the counter and switched it off, pushing his way past Zacky and turning the light off on his way out of the bathroom.
   "Same here, man. What game do you wanna play? I've got Black Ops, so we could play a few rounds of zombies and crack open some beers, if you want." He suggested, leading Zacky into the living room and handing him one of the Xbox controllers.
   "That sounds awesome!" His hazel-eyed friend cheered, flopping down on the couch and propping his feet up on the coffee table. Brian chuckled, making his way over to the fridge and grabbing two beers, handing one to Zacky once he sat down next to him. "Thanks." Zacky smiled, popping his beer open and taking a sip as Brian started up the console and put in Black Ops II. His eyes widened as they immediately locked on the sight of Brian bent over his Xbox, placing the disk into the tray with delicate fingers. Jesus Christ.. He thought, his cheeks painted with a soft blush.
   "Alright. We wanna do this on hard or easy mode?" Brian smirked, scratching his chin as he flopped down onto the couch next to Zacky, setting up the game as far as the difficulty setting.
   "Hm.. Let's do medium right now, and if we get far enough, we'll do hard." Zacky replied, taking another sip of his beer as he glanced over at his gorgeous friend. Brian nodded, putting the difficulty setting on medium and then taking a swig of his beer as the game started. "I love this game so much." The hazel-eyed man laughed, scoring a head-shot on a zombie about thirty seconds into the first round.
   "Me too, man." The other man replied, biting his lip and leaning forward a little bit as he got completely into the game. Too adorable.. Zacky thought with a soft chuckle, barely glancing over at Brian for a moment before he focused on the game as well.

   After thirty six rounds of the video game, four beers each, and a few bowls of chips, both the men were pretty bored with the game. I have to tell him now.. He needs to know before we get too close. Zacky thought, forcing a smile at a joke that Brian told that he didn't really hear. "H-hey, Bri, can.. Can I tell you something?" He muttered, picking at his nails nervously.
   "Yeah, man. What's up?" The brown-eyed man sat down his beer, turning his body a little so that he was completely facing his hazel-eyed friend. He couldn't keep his heart from pounding as he wondered what Zacky was about to tell him..
   "Um.." He stared down at his nails, biting his lip as he searched for the right words. "I.. I.. Um.." Suddenly, his face was taken into warm hands, and his chin was lifted upwards so that he could look Brian in the eyes.
   "Zee, what is it? What's wrong?" He murmured, his brown eyes tinted with concern as he held Zacky's pale face in his hands. I could kiss him right now.. He told me he was gay, but.. Surely he wouldn't want me of all people. Brian thought, biting down on his tongue to repress his urge to kiss his friend.
   "I.. Brian.. I.." Zacky placed his hands over Brian's, his cheeks aflame and his eyes swirling with anxiety. "I think I.. I think I like you as more than a friend.." His voice barely reached Brian's ears, and as soon as he said it, he closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I'm sorry if that freaks you out, but.. I.. You're.. You're just so nice, and.. You treat me so well.. I'm sorry."
   "Zacky, look at me." The brown-eyed man whispered firmly. As soon as their gazes locked together once more, Brian crushed his mouth against Zacky's and slipped his tongue into the smaller man's mouth. He gasped, letting his hands fall away from Brian's to grip his hair, giving it a gentle tug as their lips wrestled for dominance. The taller man pushed Zacky down onto the couch, kneeling over him as he pulled away to take in a gasp of air. He then smashed their lips together once more, much more passionately than last time as he tilted his head and let a moan slip into the hazel-eyed man's mouth.
   "Brian.." Zacky gasped as their lips separated for the last time, staring up at his friend with wide eyes.
   "I like you too, Zacky." He smiled, running his hand through the smaller man's hair. "I have for a while.. And I'd like to ask if you'd give me a chance and let me prove to you that not everyone is like your ex."
   "A-are.. Are you asking me out?" The hazel-eyed man stuttered, feeling a bit flustered as he realized Brian was still crouching over him. The other man nodded, letting his lips leave whispering kisses down Zacky's jawline and neck. "B-Brian.. Yes.. I'll go out with you." He whispered, threading his fingers into Brian's feathery black hair.
   "Good.. Because if you said no, it'd make me kissing you really awkward." Brian laughed softly, resting on top of his new boyfriend. "I think I knew as soon as we met, you'd be really special to me.. I just didn't realize the extent of that." He murmured, burying his face into the sensitive skin of Zacky's neck.
   "I had that feeling, too.. Y'know, when you asked to sit down with me, I thought you had to be pulling a prank on me.. I was so sure that someone as hot as you wouldn't ever have anything to do with me." The hazel-eyed man admitted shyly, a soft giggle bubbling from between his lips. "But then, as soon as you let me stay over that night, and I woke up with you cuddling me.. I just.. I knew." He smiled, rubbing some of Brian's hair between his fingers.
   "You're so fucking adorable.." The brown-eyed man murmured, giving him a peck on the cheek before he heaved a deep sigh and closed his eyes. There, in one another's embrace, Brian and Zacky fell asleep together for the first time as a couple. This is how it's supposed to be.. There's no way I can kill him now. Was the last thing that went through Brian's head before he slipped into a dream about his new boyfriend, a smile plastered on his lips the entire time.