Limelight

Zach and Diaz: Cheesy

(WOW, it has been a long time...! I've been having a hard time finding the drive to write for the last few months, I got through Something He Said but even then, I actually thought I would have that complete back before Christmas! But I'm finally getting back into it for real this time and stockpiling one-shots. Let's try for updates once, maybe twice a week, shall we?

A quick update: I did a full reblog spree on Tumblr of all the fics on this series/timeline so far, Limelight, Beyond The Barrier, and the multichaps that go along with them, so they're all in chronological order! You can find the link to my BGZ masterpost on my profile page and the timeline reblog spree link is listed on there under fanfiction.

I am also working on the third and final installment of the Tattooed Mistakes AU series, and that should be coming in October. Now, back to Limelight! It's time to continue the Zaz arc!)

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So. Diaz had called him. Sounding somewhat awkward compared to his cockiness at the party, when he had kissed Zach.

Four times. Four.

When he saw the name flash on his Z-band screen, Zach almost walked right into the wall of the barrier. He immediately heard laughter from ahead and scowled at Alonzo and Roz.

"What's wrong? Who's calling you?" Roz asked, trying to stop her giggles, as Zach hurried over, but she and Al both fell silent when he showed them the screen.

Alonzo stared at him in shock for a second, then punched his arm, "What are you waiting for? Answer it!"

"OK! OK...!" Zach shot him an irritated look, but he still paused to take a breath before he tapped the screen to accept the call, "Hey, Diaz!"

"Zach...!"

"Hi, Diaz!" Al called out over Zach's shoulder, earning him a shove.

"Is this a bad time?"

"No! No, not at all! Just gimme a sec, hold on..." Zach said, trying to sound composed, then turned to hiss not-so-discreetly at Al and Roz, "Would you...!" He shooed them back a little, then walked a few feet away just to be safe.

Alonzo and Roz watched him from their short distance away. He was obviously nervous, and slightly flustered, but eager as ever.

"He's never made it far enough to get a call before," Roz mused, "You think he's gonna scare him off?"

"No way. Diaz is totally into him. He kissed him," Al reminded her.

Roz rolled her eyes, "I know, I know, four times, I was there," she looked up at him, "He's survived this far, I'll give him that, but there's only so much Zach one zombie can take."

"Hey, he's calling him, isn't he? That's a good sign!"

He walked back towards them, his conversation with Diaz evidently over, with a dazed look on his face. He stood for a moment, his mouth hanging open.

"So...?" Al prompted.

"... He asked me out."

Alonzo couldn't wipe the grin off his face, while Roz just gaped.

"Holy-"

She was cut off by Alonzo's sudden proud cheering as he punched the air.

– LIMELIGHT –

They'd walked through the plaza together for a little while, but now that they were in Zombie Town in broad daylight, and not at a crowded house party where people weren't paying them too much attention, Diaz was acting different. Distant. He stayed close to Zach, but not too close. It didn't worry him, though. He didn't expect anything else. Not only was Diaz cautious of Zeke appearing out of nowhere and starting something with Zach, he was still in the closet as far as his parents were concerned. If they saw him, or even just heard from someone who saw him, out on a date like this, it wouldn't end well. It reminded Zach of Alonzo before his parents' divorce, shy and sheltered, so scared to open up fully. Faking confidence.