Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby

chapter 5

Late September...

Brian and Zacky moved around the small cabin of the cruise ship, pulling on their suits for the formal dinner that night. They were nearly a week into the cruise and it felt as if they were on their honeymoon all over again, barely leaving the cabin or bed for the first three days. Zacky felt his heart flutter at the sight of Brian in his suit. It brought him back to how gorgeous he looked on their wedding day. While he wore his dress uniform, Brian had worn a black tuxedo with a dark purple shirt and a black bow tie. He was so lost in his thoughts of their wedding day, he hadn't noticed the other man speaking to him.

"Baby?" Brian stared at Zacky for a moment and then raised an eyebrow. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Zacky's lips, making the other man jump before he kissed back. "You okay, baby?" Brian asked in a concerned whisper.

"Yeah, baby, I'm fine. Just got lost in my thoughts, that's all."

"Oh? And what were you thinking about?"

Zacky smiled and caressed Brian's cheek, pressing a chaste kiss to his husband's lips. "You, of course."

"What about me?" Brian asked in confusion.

"I was thinking about how gorgeous you looked on our wedding day," Zacky answered, his smile becoming even brighter.

Brian bit as his lip and blushed. "Oh."

"Awwww, baby, you still blush when I say that?" Zacky cooed, nuzzling his nose into Brian's neck, pressing a kiss to the bronzed skin.

"Shut up," Brian mumbled.

"It's so cute, baby. I like it."

"Zack, come on, stop it!" Brian whined, trying to move away from his husband, but Zacky wouldn't let go.

"Brian, I'm just joking. Don't be so embarrassed about blushing."

"I'm not."

"Come on, let's go," Zacky whispered against Brian's lips and then kissed him before taking his hand and leading him to the cabin door, pulling it open and stepping into the hall, Brian right behind him. "You're gonna be the sexiest man in the whole dining room."

"Zack! Really?" Brian mumbled, looking around to see if anybody else was around to see him blushing horribly.

"Sorry," Zacky giggled, pulling Brian onto the elevator with him.

"Okay," Brian answered softly.

Zacky squeezed Brian's hand tight and then pursed his lips in thought. "Actually...you're the sexiest man all the time on the entire ship."

Brian wrenched his hand from Zacky's, crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his eyes. Zacky was confused by Brian's reaction. Couldn't the man see what he and everybody else in the known universe could?

"Baby," Zacky started softly.

"No, Zack. Why do you always have to do that when I ask you not to?"

"Brian, you're gorgeous. Why wouldn't I say that?!?!" Zacky asked, genuinely perplexed.

"I'm not...I'll never be..." Brian stopped, wiping away at the tears suddenly blurring his vision.

"You'll never be what?"

"I'll never be anywhere near as gorgeous as you, so please, stop patronizing me, okay?!?!"

Zacky was absolutely aghast at Brian's obvious low self-esteem. When had that happened? Where had his cocky but loving husband gone? And more importantly, what would he have to do to get him back? He couldn't assuage his husband's feelings because the elevator doors slid open and more formally dressed people stepped on. Biting at the inside of his bottom lip, he thought of ways to make Brian see what he saw, but he knew that it wouldn't be easy. His husband was more stubborn than either of their 3-year-olds when they wouldn't do what you wanted them to do. The elevator finally came to a stop and the doors slowly slid open, Zacky and Brian the last two to get off.