|Jachary|

|After Party|

Third Person's POV

The boys ran off stage, sweat dripping down their bodies. Jonah, Daniel, and Corbyn hug all four of them not caring about how sweaty they are. The three boys congratulate the four who finished their first show doing a mashup of a song from all four of them.

"After party time!" Corbyn yells running out of the backstage area to the exit door straight onto the van. The other boys laugh, and follow him, reaching the van to see him looking impatient.

"Come on! We have to stop at the hotel so you nasty boys can shower so we can go to the after party. Come on hurry!" He says hopping out of the van and pushing them all in.

Once everyone was clean and changed, they all headed to the party. It was at a house up in Beverly Hills with a view overlooking the city of Los Angeles. The boys all split up and went to talk to their friends and some family that came to wish them luck on the tour.

Zach didn't have anyone to really talk to, but Corbyn's family came to say bye to their son since he's going to travel the world with his best friend. So, Zach goes and talks to Corbyn's family with Corbyn. After a while he politely excuses himself, knowing they'd want some alone time with their son.

Zach would've talked to Alex, but he went to visit some family he hadn't seen in years. He was there for the beginning of the concert but had to leave to make it in time for dinner with his relatives. Alex did promise Zach he would fly out to some future shows to check in on him and everyone. Also in case Zach needed someone to rant to.

Jack hugs his family one last time before they leave the party. His family had a late flight back home, so they had to leave to the airport. He kissed them all bye on the cheek before they left.

As Jack turned around back to the party after watching his family's rental car drive off, he notices a certain brown haired boy with his feet in the pool off in the distance. Slowly, he makes his way over to the boy, waving to some people who waved at him or said hello.

Jack get closer and as he does he puts some pieces together. The boys had done a quick tour promoting the tour they are on now. Any hotel they stayed at, Zach could be found at the pool area dipping his feet in the water, or calming walking around in the water. When they would all swim, he would be full of energy, the only other time he was, is when he was performing or during interviews. Zach had always taken long showers, so he was always told to shower last unless someone wanted cold water for their shower. Jack realized that Zach would only ever be really happy when he was performing or near a body of water. Jack has noticed Zach staring off into the distance at body's of water as they drove past places. It confused him, and he wanted to know why. So, he sat down next to Zach, took off his shoes and sock, rolled up his jeans, and placed his feet into the water.

"Why are you so obsessed with being around water?" Jack asked the younger boy. He just wanted to know, so he got straight to the point.

"It calms me, and rids me of my troubled past. It cleans me, washes away all the horrible things that have been done to me. It makes me feel safe and happy. Something that I don't feel outside of water. The only other time I feel safe and happy is when I'm performing, but I can't sing forever." Zach answers, slowly dragging his hand through the pool water as he sat and watched it shine and sparkle during the warm L.A. sunset.

"The ocean waves. They build up, like I do. I build up strength from the hate, and my past. Then, the waves break. They crumble and crash down, like I do when something happens to me. The stress breaks me. Remembering my past breaks me. But the water makes me calm and happy. And no matter how loud a place is, when you submerge underwater, everything becomes muffled and quite. Is becomes calm." Zach continues on, turning to look at Jack who had a face of semi shock, but also an expression that made Zach nervous. A look of a caring person. He never had anyone to care for him, but Jack looked as if he cared in that moment, and was proven right.

"Look, I have always cared about you Z. I want you to feel safe. I want you to be happy. When I see that beautiful smile that you have show, I smile so much brighter. You haven't told me about your past, but when you want to, I'm here. We have a whole tour together with the others. Let's make to most of it. And by the end, water and performing won't be the only things that make you feel safe or happy. I want you to feel safe and happy with me." Jack says looking into Zach's eyes.

He slowly places his hand on top of Zach's, making sure no one could see it so it's not all over social media five minutes later, considering lots of people are filming and taking photos of the party in general.

Slowly, and nervously, Zach interlocks their fingers together, smiling a little at the thought of Jack wanting to be there for him.

"Cmon. There's a whole party here for us. Let's go have some fun" Jack says pulling his feet out of the water and putting on his shoes, Zach doing the same. Jack stands, and hold his hand out. Zach takes it, and stands up before releasing hands and going around saying hello to producers and directors they've worked with.

Jack spends the rest of the night with Zach at the party, but the boys all had to leave their own party earlier because they had to go to bed. They have an early flight to Canada, Shawn's home area, to have a few shows. Shawn, Jonah, and Corbyn are staying at Shawn's house while Zach and Jack are staying in a hotel because Shawn's house was small, and didn't mind staying in a hotel for a while.

Once again, Zach and Jack ended up cuddled together in their shared bed, but not while one of them was sleeping. As soon as they got into bed, they found each other, and Jack wrapped his arms around Zach, Zach smiling a tired smile falling asleep in Jack's arms.