Social Norms (Synacky)

Chapter Forty-Two

Zacky didn’t show up to practice. That was just as well. Brian huffed, slinging his guitar strap over his neck and flipping through his tabs book. He grumbled to himself as he ran through the tabs for Lips of Deceit. The guys seemed to notice he almost had smoke flying out of his ears and left him alone, talking quietly amongst themselves.

And that’s how things went for two hours. Then, he slid his guitar in his case, and started as he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

“Bri?” Val asked, and he turned to look at her. “You okay?”

“Just fucking peachy.” He grumbled, zipping his case and standing up.

She frowned, “You guys are fighting.”

Brian rolled his eyes, turning to leave, not wanting to hear her lecture about fights and how to overcome them, but she said, “Hey, wait.” And he sighed, pausing.

“I can't really tell you something that you don’t already know, but I just want you to remember that Zacky is really fragile. Think about it before you decide everything’s his fault.”

Brian muttered some grumpy sort of response, before going to his car.

~*~

“Nope. No way. Not gonna do it.”

There was no one home. Brian was pacing in the living room, the phone sitting in its holder on the coffee table. He paused, glancing at it, before continuing to pace.

“He’s the one that flipped. He just blew his shit all of the sudden and then blamed me for it! That was a douche move on his part! I was just trying to fucking help him! Why should I go crawling back and apologize? I never apologize!”

They hadn’t spoken in six days. Six days filled with sour feelings and ice cream.

Brian missed him.

He didn’t know how much he horribly loved Zacky until they spent six days apart, Brian knowing that Zacky was probably hating him. Being apart wasn’t fun, but knowing that Zacky was mad at him was what made it so terrible. Brian wanted someone to cuddle up with, to make him forget about all his bad feelings. But the only one he wanted was Zacky.

And with that in mind, Brian picked up the phone.

It picked up on the second ring. A gruff voice that Brian didn’t recognize answered, “Hello?”

“Um, hi, is Zacky there?” he asked, hoping desperately he wouldn’t have to introduce himself.

“Who’s speaking?” The voice grumbled, and Brian sighed, closing his eyes. “I’m-I’m a friend of his. A friend from his band.”

“Sorry, he’s not available.” And the man hung up.

Well, damn.

Brian slammed the phone back in its holder, making it ring angrily. He stomped to his room, sitting down on his bed and folding his arms.

His eyes fell on his notebook lying on the floor, and an idea formed in his mind.

Two hours later, he was standing outside Zacky’s window, thanking whichever god he believed in that the window was open. He folded his note into a paper airplane, reeling back, and throwing it up towards the open window.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, an adorable face appeared in the window. Brian smiled tentatively, adjusting the strap on his acoustic guitar, before he played the first chord.

He hoped Zacky liked Metallica. Come on, who doesn’t? And he hoped he liked acoustic versions. Brian wasn’t able to set up his electric guitar and amp and everything there. And he hoped his voice didn’t sound too bad.

Nothing Else Matters was the most sentimental song he could think of. He liked it, it was easy enough to play. As he sang, he watched Zacky’s face, watched hurt and confusion turn to amusement and joy.

Once he finished, he turned around, opening his guitar case and taking out a single rose. “For you.” He said, and Zacky beamed.

“I’ll be down there in a second.” He said, racing down the stairs to greet him.

Brian was putting his guitar back in its case when Zacky tackled him, turning him over so he could kiss him all over his face.

Brian laughed, wrapping his arms around him. “Hi, Zacky.” He chuckled as Zacky continued to kiss him. “Miss me?”

Zacky sat up, straddling Brian’s thighs, and looked down at him. “Bri, I’m so sorry I overreacted, I just… I wasn’t thinking and I-“

Brian grabbed Zacky’s face and kissed him hard, shutting him up effectively.

God, he had missed this.

This kiss was hot and passionate and delicious. Brian gripped Zacky’s shoulders, and Zacky tangled his fingers in Brian’s hair, pulling slightly, both of them panting into each other’s mouths. Brian slid his tongue over the familiar metal of Zacky’s snakebites, clasping one in his teeth and tugging gently. Everything was so beautiful, the taste of spearmint and smoke on Zacky’s tongue, the way his ever-shy lips pressed up against his, the small sweet sounds that fell from his lips. It was perfect.

“I love you.” Brian panted in his ear. “I love you and I’m so sorry.”

Zacky just shivered, slipping his fingers up underneath Brian’s shirt, pressing them against his skin. Brian didn’t want it to ever end.

But of course, it did, especially since Zacky’s parents were home. Brian handed Zacky the rose after they had composed themselves, frowning as he noticed a large bandage on Zacky’s arm. “What the hell is this?” he asked, taking Zacky’s right hand, gingerly running his fingers over the bandage.

“I-It’s nothing, I…” Zacky looked away, tongue toying with his snakebites. “I fell down.”

Brian examined Zacky’s arm, remembering what Zacky had told him. The way I sliced my arms every night…

Zacky had cut himself. It was obvious. Blinking a few times, Brian looked at Zacky with a stern expression. “Zacky I-“

But he caught himself. He couldn’t reprimand Zacky, not now. Instead, he hugged him tight. “I love you.” He whispered, “I love you so much.”

Zacky’s voice was a soft murmur against Brian’s neck as he replied, “I love you too.”