The Lift [Zan/Alex, Slash] Adult, Complete, p.8, 09/16/07

[believer_evans]

Part 11




“So is it just your mom or is your sister coming too?” Zan asked as he looked in the mirror for the third time in the last ten minutes. He was wearing a pair of black cargo pants which he had ironed and a plain black button up which he had borrowed from Alex. It was a sort of tight fit on Zan but it looked good.

Alex just put on a pair of jeans that didn’t look too old and a button down white shirt. The chicken was ready and waiting on a serving dish he’d gotten two years ago from Liz. The veggies were seasoned and waiting in their own plate beside the rice.

It was almost six and Alex felt as nervous as the first time he actually summoned up the courage to tell his parents that kissing another boy was not a sign of repressed trauma but a sign that he liked kissing boys.

“Hey, it’ll be fine. It’s just dinner, ok.” Zan reassured Alex, reaching over to take his hand. Alex’s hands were clammy and he forced a smile when he looked thankfully at Zan.

When the doorbell finally rang Alex jumped and laughed when Zan sprang up to look in the mirror.
“Ready?” Alex asked when he walked up to the door. Zan swallowed and nodded. Alex opened the door to see his mother and Liz.
“Hi sweetheart,” Nancy smiled and leaned in to hug her son.
“Hey bro,” Liz waved and walked into the apartment. “And you must be Zan,” Liz said as she saw him.

“Uh yeah, Hi.” Zan leaned forward to shake Liz’s hand. Liz smiled and stepped aside.
“I’m Nancy, Alex’s mother,” Nancy said as she walked into the apartment.
“Hello, I’m Zan Evans,” Zan said awkwardly and extended his hand only to have Nancy rush over to capture him in an unexpected hug.
“I’m so happy to meet you,” Nancy said.

Alex couldn’t help but smile as Zan struggled to decide on where to put his arms.

They all sat at the table while Alex brought in the chicken.
“Honey this all looks delicious,” his mother said.
“Yeah Als, this looks and smells great,” Liz stated and began to scoop some of the rice and veggies onto her plate.

Zan smiled over at Alex and helped him carve and serve up the chicken. They all began to eat with Nancy stopping every so often to make a comment on the food or the apartment.
“Looks like every time I had you kids help me in the kitchen paid off,” Nancy said.
“Yeah mom, having me wash the vegetables really taught me to cook,” Alex said with a roll of his eyes.

“You really need to do some more with this place,” Liz said after taking a sip of her water. “I mean it’s a great looking apartment but it looks empty.”
“You know what? I know a great little place in the Village that sells old furniture. Oh it’s not what it sounds like. It’s just furniture that the rich elite didn’t want anymore. It’s really a great store. I’ll tell you where it is.” Nancy said.

The dinner went on with small talk and the minor details of Nancy’s new life in the city.
“I needed a fresh start. And I really wanted to be closer to my kids,” Nancy beamed and reached over to take Liz’s hand and across the table to take Alex’s. e H

Zan took the opportunity then to head to the small kitchen and retrieve the apple pie. Liz stood up and helped clear out the dirty dishes.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Liz told Zan in the kitchen.
“Oh, yeah? Uh, me too.”

“I mean, I just heard about you from Alex. But Maria has told me about you. I didn’t think you were the same person.”
“Same here. I think I saw you once at one of the shows. Maria couldn’t stop talking about her scientist friend.” Zan grinned.
Liz blushed and brushed a strand of hair back behind her ear.
“I’ve also heard about you from Max,” Zan said.
“He talks about me?”
“He talks about you when he thinks no one is listening. Max’s a private guy but when we’re alone and I start talking about my music he starts talking about you. He’s never said your name, but whenever Maria brings you up he straightens up with a big smile on his face, which is rare for Max.”

Liz nods and reaches for the smaller plates for the pie and they walk back to the table. Zan sets the pie down and hands the knife to Alex to cut the pie.

~*~

“This was a wonderful evening,” Nancy says as she and Liz stand in the hallway.
“It was, mom,” Alex says and leans over to kiss her on the cheek. “We should do it again.”
“I’ll have dinner at my apartment next time,” Nancy said. “Good night sweetheart.”
“Night Als,” Liz said and she and Nancy left down the hall.

“See it wasn’t so bad,” Zan said as Alex closed the door.
“You’re right, it wasn’t.” Alex smiled.

“Your mom’s a good woman. And that sister of your is super smart,” Zan said and wrapped his arms around Alex’s waist from behind. “I think I’ll sleep at my place tonight,” Zan said.
“Why?” Alex frowned and turned around in Zan’s arms.

“I have to get up early. I don’t want to wake you up,” he explained. Alex kept frowning wanting to say that he didn’t mind as long as he got to fall asleep in Zan’s arms but he didn’t want to come across as clingy.
“Ok.”

Zan helped Alex clean up and soon placed a kiss on his lips and made his way to his own apartment. Alex sighed and walked into the bedroom, stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed.

As soon as he had the covers over his head his cell began to ring and vibrate on his bedside table.
“Hello?” Alex answered wondering who would be calling him so late.
“Alex? Hey man it’s not too late is it?” Asked the voice over the phone.
“Michael?”

“Yeah man, were you asleep?” Michael asked.
“No I’m up; you just caught me off guard. What’s up?”

“I haven’t heard from you in a while. How’s it going?”
“Ok, what’s wrong?” Alex asked sensing something in Michael’s voice.
“Nothing, can’t a guy just call up his friend and….ok, ok I actually need your help,” Michael confessed.

“I thought so, what’s up?” Alex asked and sat up in bed.
“I need a place to stay. Things with Melissa went bad. She kicked me out and now I’m pretty much homeless.”
“Where are you?” Alex asked now worried about his friend.
“In a phone booth outside your place. It’s really cold and I got all my shit with me. And when I saw all my shit I mean a bag of clothes and hockey equipment. Cause the rest she decided was hers to keep.”

Alex sighed told Michael he’d be right down. He grabbed the clothes he had just discarded and slipped them back on, grabbed his keys and jogged down to the elevator.
Once at the bottom floor he saw Michael leaning against the entrance of the building with two large duffle bags beside him.

“What happened man?” Alex asked as he let Michael in.
“I’ll tell you once we’re in your place. I’m freezing.”

Alex grabbed one of the bags and hefted it onto his shoulder with difficulty. They got into the elevator and onto his floor.
“Hey you’re dressed kinda nice, did I interrupt something?” Michael asked as they walked into Alex’s apartment.

“Nah, I just had my mom and Liz over for dinner,” Alex explained and let the bag down beside the couch.
“Your mom? Whoa, when did that happen?” Michael asked, setting the bag he was carrying beside the other one.

“Basically, my mom left my dad and moved out here to be closer to me and Liz,” Alex explained with a shrug.
“Man,” Michael sighed. “You ok with that?”

Alex shrugged then nodded. He had mixed feelings at first about his mom being so close. But she had changed and she was trying to accept him now. He still had some reservations. His mother hadn’t been abusive or anything like his father had been, but she never did anything to defend him or even make his life any easier.

But seeing her tonight and the day before he had seen her as he never had before. Back in his hometown his mother had always been a soft spoken woman, dinner on the table by 6, she always did her housework with her eyes downcast, and she always looked like she was never really in her body.

But the woman he’d seen recently was nothing like that. When she smiled it was not that of the devoted wife and mother. It was that of a happy woman.

“Yeah, I’m ok. It’s a little strange, but ok.”
“So this is ok right? I mean I don’t plan on staying too long. I’ve already started looking for places.” Michael said.
“Hey, it’s ok man. You’ve helped me out in the past. A place to stay is the least of what you can ask for.” Alex reassured him.

“Thanks.”
“So what happened?” Alex asked and went over to the fridge to retrieve two beers. Michael nodded and took the offered beer.

“Melissa had been riding my ass this year about popping the question. I kept telling her that things weren’t ready yet. I didn’t have enough money saved up. The investments I’d been working on fell through, and I just didn’t feel ready yet.

“So yesterday I get home from the ice rink, and I don’t know I felt something was weird all the way back to our place. So when I get there I’m like prepared to walk in and see all our shit knocked over, but what I find is Melissa making out with our neighbor. They were like full blown, three seconds from fucking each other on the couch. But the weird thing is that she’s the one who’s mad. I’m not mad, cause I felt like I had been preparing myself for it.

“So she’s yelling at me, her lips all red and swollen from kissing the guy and she’s telling me how it’s all my fault anyways, that I didn’t love her and that I didn’t treat her right. And the guy is just buttoning up his shirt looking all embarrassed and I can’t help but start laughing. I mean here I am coming into our place, find her cheating on me and she’s yelling at me. I just couldn’t stop laughing, and it gets her even madder.

So she tells neighbor guy to get out, and he’s like sticking to the walls trying to stay as far away from me like I’m going to hit him or something, but I just keep laughing. So she packs all my shit and tells me to leave. She tells me to leave like it was me who cheated.” Michael finished and took a long swallow of his beer.

“Oh man, that’s….that’s terrible.” Alex says.
“Not really. I guess it helped me realize that all the excuses I kept making were really just excuses not to marry her. I always thought that when I found the one I was going to marry nothing would matter, you know? I just didn’t love her.”

Alex just nodded and took a drink from his beer. He’d always suspected that Michael’s relationship with Melissa wouldn’t work out, but he never wanted to say anything.
“So how do you feel now?” Alex asked.
“Well besides being homeless, I’m ok.”

“Hey, guess who I’ve ran into recently,” Alex said. A spark went off in his head then.
“Who?” Michael asked.
“You remember Maria?” Alex asked trying not to smile.
“Maria? Liz’s friend Maria? Yeah I remember her. How is she?” Michael asked, not even bothering to hide his interest.

“She’s good. She’s got shorter hair now and red streaks. She’s fun.” Alex said and yawned.
“Oh hey man if you’re tired go to bed. It’s late. I’ll just crash on the couch.” Michael said.
“Yeah. Hey I don’t have anything to do tomorrow. You wanna do something?” Alex asked as he made his way to his room.
“Yeah, man. It’s been a while since we hung out.”

Alex nodded and closed the door to his room, stripped to his boxers again and climbed into bed.


TBC...

[believer_evans]

Thanks to those who have stuck with this fic even through my absences and prolonged breaks between. I will be posting more regularly now since I feel I have written enough to post more.

So thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy

Part 12


Alex rolled over and frowned when he heard the shower go on. He opened his eyes and squinted trying to figure out who was in his shower when he remembered Michael was staying with him. He turned back around and reached for his cell phone to check the time. It was 9:45am.

He figured Michael would sleep in and let him sleep in. Alex loved thinking about days like this as his days off, but in reality everyday was his day off. He knew other writers who had day jobs. He had one at first. He had worked in a book shop for about a year, but soon after moving into his apartment he sold his car and used some of the money to buy into stocks.

At first some of them had failed, but after a few months he settled on some good ones and now was doing really good. He received money for the short stories he had gotten published and he pretty much lived on that pretty well. That and the fact that he was a very frugal person.

“Hey man I’ll spot you with whatever cash you need. I don’t want to stay here without helping out.” Michael said as he came out of the bathroom in a towel. Alex looked away when Michael took off the towel to dry his hair. Michael never was one for modesty. “Oh don’t play little shy gay boy with me now,” Michael teased, “I know you’ve seen me naked before.”

Alex laughed and shook his head at Michael’s antics. His friend was currently looking into the mirror flexing and preening.
“You sure you’re not secretly gay?” Alex asked as he kicked off the covers and got up.
“Baby, if I was, you’d be the first to know,” Michael said with a wink and blew a kiss at him.

Alex walked into the bathroom and peed. He yawned and arched his back as the stream of urine began to pour into the bowl.
“So what do you want to do today?” Alex asked.

“Kinda hungry. Breakfast?” Michael called out from the living room. Alex finished peeing and shook the last drops off. He went to the sink and washed his hands, then his teeth and face. He walked back into his room pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt from the second drawer.

He came into the living room to see Michael dressed and sitting on the couch watching TV.
“I know a great little café a couple blocks down. They have the best waffles,” Alex said.
“Sounds good. You sold your car right?”
“Yeah. We can walk though, it’s not too far.” Alex explained.

They walked down the sidewalk side by side walking past the other Wednesday morning pedestrians. Michael kept his hands in his pockets, collar pulled up against the morning chill. Alex led them down to the quaint café and settled in a small booth near the corner.

“Hey, Mr. Alex I read your story,” said the waitress. She was Alex’s regular and he liked her attitude. “It was good. I don’t read too much, but I liked it. So what’ll it be?”

Alex smiled and ordered his regular Belgium waffle and side of eggs with an orange juice. Michael shrugged and ordered the same but with coffee.
“So how you doing? Guess the story business is treating you ok huh?” Michael asked.

“It’s really good actually. I’m working on something bigger now. My editor said I could make my latest story into an actual book.” Alex beamed.
“That’s great man. Congratulations. We should go drinking tonight to celebrate.”

Alex smiled but cringed at the thought of more drinking. But he as he looked up at his friend to see him genuinely happy he couldn’t bring himself to say no.
“Is it cool if I invite someone?” Alex asked.

At that Michael’s eyebrows went up and a grin spread on his face.
“Really? So who's the lucky guy?" Michael asked, intrigued. Alex felt himself blush but figured he couldn't keep anything from Michael.

"His name is Zan. He lives down the hall."
"How long?" Michael asked as he took a drink of his coffee.
"Actually just about a week now."

"A week and you already want to introduce him to the friends?" Michael asked.

"Well I've already met his friends. And he met my mom and Liz last night." Alex explained.
"You serious" Michael asked as he nearly choked on his coffee. "Isn't that moving a little too fast? I mean I didn't even meet Melissa's parents until about six months after we started dating."

Alex simply shrugged and took another bite of his waffle.
"Things kinda started out fast for us."
"Ok, what does that mean?"

Alex shyly recounted how he and Zan finally hooked up, everything from the elevator, to the tattoo, the mild concussion, and meeting his mom. All the while Michael listened with a constant look of surprise.

"You fucked this guy in a freakin' elevator?" Michael burst causing a dead silence in the small cafe and mother to glare at them as she covered her young daughter's ears.

Alex put his head down in mortification. He knew Michael would have a problem to how things started with Zan.

Michael had always been a sort of protector to Alex. When he had first drunkenly confessed his first sexual experience to Michael he woke up to a head ache and an angry Michael demanding to know where Paul lived.

When Michael had discovered that Kyle had been cheating on him, through Liz of course because he knew better than to tell him something like that, Kyle had mysteriously developed a black eye and a limp. When Alex had seen him walking down the street like that Kyle had turned and walked quickly away.

Michael never confessed that he had been the one to give Kyle that beat down but every time Alex brought it up he would grin.

"It just sort of happened." Alex supplied weakly.
"Bullshit. That's something you say to avoid saying how things really happened." Michael said.

When Alex finally looked up from the table he could see Michael sitting with his arms crossed and an angry glare on his face.

"Don't give me that look. I know what I'm doing. I like him, ok. I’ve liked him for a while." Alex said.

"Does he feel the same way?" Michael asked.

Alex sighed and thought back to his time with Zan.
"Yes. Yes he does." Alex said confidently.

They had eaten the rest of their breakfast in peace after that. As they asked for their check Alex's cell began to vibrate and he struggled to pull it out of his pocket.

Michael raised his eye brows and mouthed "Zan?" Alex nodded and smiled as he flipped open his phone.
"Hi."

"Hey, you're not home?" Zan asked.
"No, I'm actually having breakfast with my friend Michael. Alex replied. Alex heard Zan sigh on the other end. "You can come and join us. We're in the cafe down 5th."

"You sure?" Zan asked sounded more energized.
"Yeah. I'd actually like you two to meet," Alex said with a smile.
"'Kay, I'll be there in a few minutes."

Alex closed his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. He looked up to see Michael with a frown marring his face.
"Be nice, please" Alex said. Michael sighed and uncrossed his arms.

They waited for ten minutes before Zan appeared in the entrance of the cafe. Alex immediately shot up to greet him.

Zan looked like he was having a rough day but the second he spotted Alex he grinned and rushed the rest of the way to him. They met with an almost desperate kiss as if they hadn’t seen each other for months. The same lady who had covered her daughter’s ears earlier at Michael’s outburst was now covering the little girl’s eyes.

“Hey,” Alex said when they finally pulled apart. “What happened?”
“Nothing, I’m just glad to see you.” Zan said.

Alex blushed slightly then looked over to see Michael standing.
“Oh, hey this is my great friend Michael,” Alex said, taking Zan’s hand and leading him over to the table. “Michael this is Zan,”

Zan looked Michael straight in the face and reached out to shake Michael’s hand. Michael returned the gesture. Alex looked between them and could see the tension.
“Hey,” Zan said, still gripping Michael’s hand.
“Hi,” Michael replied. Their hands remained locked.

“Ok, hey you guys want some dessert or do ya want to get out of here?” Alex said hoping to break the weird masculine tension.

Michael and Zan finally released each other’s hands and Michael tried to hide the way he flexed his hand and winced.
“I’m actually kinda hungry,” Zan said. “Ya guys mind hanging for a bit?”

Zan ordered himself a burger, it now being lunch time, and a beer.
“So how long you two been friends?” Zan asked with a mouthful of beef.

“I’d say about seven years now. Right?” Alex said and looked over to Michael for confirmation.
“About, yeah,” Michael said. “You two been together for how long?” He asked Zan.

Alex shook his head and put his head down knowing Michael already knew the answer.
“A week, so far,” Zan said and grinned over at Alex.
“You think it’s going to work?” Michael asked.

“Michael,” Alex said warningly. Zan swallowed what he had in his mouth and smiled. He reached over and took Alex’s hand.
“It’s ok Alex. He’s your friend.” Zan said. “Yeah Mike, I do think it’ll work. And if it don’t, it won’t be for nothin’. I like Alex, a lot.”

Michael and Zan locked eyes and Alex could picture them as little boys playing a game to see who would blink first. He looked back and forth between them until finally Michael blinked and smiled.
“Ok, ok. You win, for now,” Michael said.
~*~

The three of them made their way back to Alex’s place after the café. Alex walked ahead of them as they walked into their building and smiled at the easy conversation he could hear Michael and Zan having behind him.

They took the elevator with Michael asking embarrassing questions about how they could do it in there and whether or not they would recommend it.

When it opened on their floor Alex came out first and spotted Maria sitting on the floor outside his door.
“Where were you guys? I’ve been sitting here for twenty minutes. The old lady down the hall actually tried to give me money.” Maria said and she pushed herself up.

“Why didn’t you call like a normal person?” Alex asked as he went up to her to hug her.
“Is that Mickey?” She asked as she spotted him over Alex’s shoulder. “Hey you, get over here.”

Michael awkwardly stepped forward and pulled his hands out of his pockets.
“Long time no see huh?” Michael said as Maria practically jumped on him. She had her arms securely wrapped around his neck and she was on her tip toes.

It took a couple of seconds for Michael to get his hands around Maria. Alex smiled when he saw Michael close his eyes and smile.

Michael and Maria had a thing going a couple of years back. They met through Liz who would stop at nothing in hooking them up. They lasted for almost a year before problems at home for Maria got in the way and Michael had no clue what to do when a girl shows up at your place at three in the morning in tears.

She when Maria’s father finally left home and her cousin ended up in jail, she told Michael she couldn’t be with him anymore. Michael did try to fight it. He even begged her once, as Alex had inadvertently witnessed, to stay with him

Liz told Michael to let Maria have her space, even explained what Maria had been going through. Michael reluctantly stepped back. After that the space became weeks, months, until finally Michael gave up and met Melissa, the cute, spunky girl who was not quite Maria, but good enough.

Maria pulled back from the hug and placed a kiss on his cheek before moving over to hug Zan.
“So where were you guys?” she asked.
“Eating.” Alex replied.

They walked into Alex’s apartment and Maria immediately ran in and sat on the recliner. Michael made his way slowly to the couch, sitting on the side closest to Maria. Zan and Alex smiled and moved to the kitchen getting something to drink.
“Thirsty?” Alex asked in general.

“Hell yeah. Bring me a beer,” Maria called out from her seat. Michael merely raised two fingers in the air. Alex retrieved four beers and gave two to Zan. They walked over to the living room where Zan gave a beer to Michael and Alex gave one to Maria.

They settled down to watch some TV; with Maria hogging the remote and making them all watch “Hope Floats.”
“What?” She complained when the guys groaned. “It’s a great movie. I figured at least the gays would be with me,” She said with a pout.

“Just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I like chick flicks,” Alex said. Zan nodded and took a drink of his beer.
“Oh please, don’t act like you weren’t crying the last time we saw The Notebook,” Maria said accusingly.

Alex’s mouth opened but then shut quickly as he tried to play off the embarrassment. Michael chuckled into his beer and shook his head at Maria.

Zan set his beer down on the coffee table and then kicked off his shoes to lay down on the couch, on his side, with his head on Alex’s lap. Alex smiled and placed his left hand on Zan’s head, gently massaging his scalp.

Alex looked around his living room. Zan on his couch, Maria to his right with her feet up on the recliner, Michael sitting beside him with his right leg up and ankle resting on his left knee. His life was going through so many changes, but it all felt right.

The movie was almost over. Zan was currently asleep, blowing hot puffs of air that seeped through Alex’s jeans. Maria was trying to hide behind her jeans but Alex could see the tear marks. Michael, now Michael was a different story.

Every time Alex looked over at him he caught Michael looking over at Maria. Alex knew Michael never really got over Maria. At one point in the movie when the little girls who played Sandra Bullock’s daughter burst into tears when her dad left, Alex could see how much Michael wanted to jump up and comfort Maria.

As the credits began to roll Maria finally changed the channel.
“Thank you,” Alex sighed to which Maria stuck out her tongue.

There was a knock on Alex’s door. He was about to move Alex’s head and get up but Michael stopped him.
“I’ll get it,” he said. Michael pushed himself off the couch. He looked through the peep hole and then jerked the door open. “Lizzie!” He cheered when he opened the door to a surprised Liz.

“Oh my god, Michael,” Liz said as she hugged him. “How are you I haven’t seen you in such a long time.”
“Yeah, too long I think,” Michael replied.

When they finally pulled back Liz spotted Maria who was already making her way over.
“Maria!” Liz beamed.
“You’re in trouble Ely,” Maria said in a mock mad voice. “You have been neglecting your dearest, bestest friend. And for what? Science? Pshaw!” She added with a toss of her hair.
“I know, I know, crucify me already. I’ve missed you.”

The two girls met in a tight hug. Alex smiled and looked down at Zan who didn’t even flinch at the girls’ loud voices.
“Als,” Liz said and waved him over.
“He’s got Zan on his lap,” Michael said with a wink.
“With company over?” Liz grimaced then stuck out her tongue.

“He’s sleeping,” Alex said.
“Oh, ok,” Liz said and dramatically tip toed her way over to Alex with a finger over her mouth. Alex laughed at his sister’s silly antics. Sometimes he forgot she was twenty one years old. He sometimes still saw her as a little girl with a high ponytail.

Liz bent over the couch and placed a kiss on Alex’s cheek. When she looked down and saw Zan asleep on his lap and smiled and placed her hands over her heart.
“So sweet,” she said.

They all sat back down, Maria on the recliner with Liz sitting behind her, Michael again moving over to sit close to Maria, and Alex stayed where he was, with his hand on Zan’s messy spikes.

TBC.....

[believer_evans]

Thanks to everyone who is leaving feedback, reading and just thinking about leaving feedback, or just browsing around my little fic here. I'm glad it's not dying a lonely exsistence like I feared it would.

Here comes another part that I hope you all will enjoy, feebackers and lurkers alike.

Just a warning that this part does contain NC-17 material
You are warned


Part 13


About an hour later, Liz was making braids in Maria’s hair; Michael was sitting on the floor so Alex could have room to lie down on the couch as well.

Zan’s eyes fluttered open and he stretched. He lifted his head to see Alex who smiled down at him.
“Hey, you’re finally awake,” Alex said.
“How long was I asleep?” Zan asked groggily.

“Hi,” Liz waved.
“When did you get here?” Zan asked. He slowly pushed himself up and sat back.
“About an hour ago,” Liz replied and continued to braid Maria’s hair.

Zan rubbed his hands over his face and then through his hair. His face was creased from Alex’s pants and the hair on the right side of his head was flat. He grunted as he stood up and walked into Alex’s bedroom to the bathroom.
“Someone’s grumpy,” Liz said in a little girl’s voice and pouted.

Alex stuck out his tongue at her and got up to follow Zan.
“Hey, you ok?” Alex said through the bathroom door. He could hear the steady stream of Zan urinating and then the flush of the toilet. After washing his hands Zan finally opened the door.
“I didn’t really get a lot of sleep last night,” Zan said.

“Why?” Alex asked as he moved backward and sat on the bed.
“My brain wouldn’t shut up. J calls me like at 3 in the morning to tell me that he wanted to go over some of the newer songs. He wouldn’t shut up till I hung up on him and turned off my phone.” Zan says and walks over to Alex. He stands between Alex’s legs and holds on to Alex’s head. “Man, I really want to fuck you,” Zan groans.

Alex finds himself eye to…well eye with Zan’s cock from behind his jeans. He closed his eyes and pressed his face against Zan’s groin, inhaling the masculine scent that was Zan.
“We can’t, not right now,” Alex mumbled against the fly of Zan’s jeans.

“Fuck, I know,” Zan moaned as Alex breathed hotly against the bulge. He finally pulled back and walked over to the mirror on Alex’s closet door. “Tonight?” he asked hopefully.
“Michael is kinda staying with me,” Alex groaned and for the first time regretted inviting his friend to stay.

“Why?” Zan asked when he finally got his hair like he wanted it. He looked over his shoulder at Alex who was grinning at him. “What?”

“You just…you’re hot,” Alex said. Zan grinned and walked, no, stalked towards Alex. He put a finger on Alex’s forehead and pushed him back to lie on the bed. Then he crawled on the bed until he was straddling Alex.
“That cock you got is hot,” Zan said and leaned down to kiss him.

Alex moaned into the kiss and reached up to pull Zan closer but he pulled away.
“Tease,” Alex complained as Zan moved away and stood back up.
“So why is Mike staying?” Zan asked.

“His ex fiancé threw him out and he needed a place to stay for a while.” Alex explained and pushed himself off the bed. “Man I want you,” Alex said as he walked up to Zan and wrapped his arms around his waist.

“Well you can’t have me now,” Zan said.
“If you guys are fucking in there can you close the door?” Michael called out from the living room.
“Eeew Michael, some decorum please,” Liz complained.
“Girl, you should hear them. It’s hot,” Maria said.
“Double eew,” Liz said, “He’s my brother.”

Zan and Alex looked at each other and began to laugh.
“Kinda like Rath,” Zan said.
“Yeah, except I don’t think Rath would mind watching much,” Alex laughed.

~*~

What started off as a chance encounter with friends turned into a semi party at Alex’s. Ava had called Maria who said they were at Alex’s. Half an hour later Ava and Rath show up. Sean calls Ava, which starts Rath into a lecture involving Ava in a chastity belt and Sean losing a certain important part of his anatomy. Kyle and Max showed up next after being called by Rath to, quote; “bring their asses ova.”

Now Alex was in the kitchen looking for something they could all eat, and was saved by Zan grabbing the phone and ordering Chinese food for everyone.

“Fuck man I need to get laid,” Rath decided to announce after three beers. He wasn’t drunk, far from it; he just wanted everyone to know.
“Here, here,” Maria cheered and raised her beer in agreement. Alex looked over at Michael and noticed how he sat a little straighter.

Zan nudged him and pointed over to where Liz and Max were sitting on the floor beside the recliner. Liz was blushing as she laughed and brushed some hair back away from her face. Max was grinning and was leaning pretty close to her. To anyone watching, it was obvious they liked each other.

Alex looked over at Zan in surprise.
“You knew?” Alex asked him.
“Not really. Kinda figured it out. I knew Maria had a friend named Liz. I knew that Max always asked a lot of questions ‘bout her, and then I see that you got a sister named Liz who is friends with Maria.” Zan said.

“This is a fucking small world,” Alex said.

The food arrived and everyone scooped the contents of the cartons into plates. In the end Zan and Alex ate straight from the cartons what everyone had left over. They sat on the couch now after Rath and Kyle got up. Ava refused to get us simply stating, “It’s way too comfy,” and crossing her legs Indian style.

So Zan, Alex and Ava sat on the couch with Alex sitting more against Zan than the couch. Maria sat on the recliner with Michael leaning against the wall beside her. Max and Liz had moved closer to the window, still sitting on the floor talking animatedly about something undoubtedly scientific.

Sean had moved from the kitchenette to sit on the arm of the couch next to Ava. Rath and Kyle were in the kitchen talking about, god knows why, global warming.

All in all it was the best night ever.

~*~

Liz and Maria ended up leaving together at around one in the morning.
“You’re staying at my place and that’s that.” Maria said taking hold of Liz’s hand.
“Might as well. My RA would call me in if I showed up now.”

Rath helped a sleepy Ava off the floor, reluctantly with Sean’s help. Rath would never admit that Sean wasn’t such a bad guy, but when it came down to his sister, he was basically extremely protective. But Ava seemed to be warming up to the guy so he had to at least tolerate him.
“You guys need a ride home?” Sean asked as he helped keep a mumbling Ava up.
“Sure,” Rath grunted.

Max and Kyle followed Maria and Liz out but not before Michael sprang up and hugged them both, hugging Maria especially longer.

Now it was just Alex, Zan and Michael in the apartment. They awkwardly stood in the living room not really knowing what to do next.
“Um, I’ll clean up here. Why don’t you guys just head to bed,” Michael said and began to gather the empty food cartons

Zan winked at him then took Alex by the hand and into the bedroom. Once inside Zan gently kicked the door shut and turned the lock.
“Zan,” Alex said looking towards the bed then back towards Zan. “We can’t, Mike’s here.”

“We’ll be quiet,” Zan whispered as he pulled his own shirt up over his head. Alex just stood and watched as Zan continued to slowly undress himself until he was just in his briefs. He pouted slightly when he saw Zan hadn’t gone commando.

“You’re turn,” Zan whispered. Alex nodded and pulled off his shift and pulled his jeans down quickly, not bothering to follow Zan’s pace. Once he too was standing in his underwear he walked backwards toward the bed and crawled onto it.

“I want to fuck you,” Zan said as he followed Alex onto the bed. Alex could see the front of Zan’s boxers already wet with precum and the thought of Zan wet and hard made his own cock twitch.

Zan pushed Alex down and slowly moved to cover Alex’s body with his own. “I want to fuck you all night till we can’t take anymore,” Zan almost growled. Once he was completely over Alex he slowly lowered himself bringing their erections together.

Alex immediately bit his bottom lip to keep from moaning out loud. He knew Michael was just in the next room cleaning up, knowing what he and Zan were doing, but it’s one thing to know someone is having sex and quite another to hear someone having sex.

Zan was grinning down at them as he ground his pelvis against his. He bent down and ran his tongue across Alex’s lips drawing out the bottom lip Alex was biting.

Alex could feel Zan’s nipple ring brush against his own nipple and felt a shiver run through his body.
“Shit, Zan…please,” Alex whispered and held Zan’s hips against his own.

“You want me to fuck you baby?” Zan teased as he continued to grind their cocks together. Alex nodded and gripped Zan’s hips tighter. “You want me to sink into that sweet ass and hammer into you? Your ass is so fucking tight, so hot. Shit, feels like I’m gonna die whenever I fuck you. I can cum just thinking about it.”

Alex just about lost it hearing Zan’s sex filled voice. He reached down and began to push off Zan’s boxers much to Zan’s amusement. “You want me to fuck you already?”
“God Zan, please just fuck me already,” Alex practically begged.

Zan swooped down for a passionate kiss before pushing himself up to remove his boxers as well as Alex’s.
“Lube?” Zan asked once they were both completely nude.
“Bottom shelf,” Alex said and pointed toward his bedside table.

Zan crawled over and hung half off the bed as he reached into the bottom shelf to retrieve the small bottle of lube. He then crawled back toward Alex displaying the nearly full bottle of lube.
“Like I said. It’d been a long time since I had sex before you,” Alex explained.

Zan poured some of the lube into his left palm then coated the fingers on his right hand.
“Open up for me,” Zan said as he reached down to touch Alex’s hole. Alex shivered as he bent his legs and opened them wide. Zan traced Alex’s puckered entrance and used the rest of the lube on his left hand on his own cock.

Alex felt Zan’s first finger probe his hole slowly. He griped the sheets beneath him as Zan’s finger pushed in deeper and circled inside of him. Zan lightly brushed against his prostrate and then pulled his finger nearly out and introduced a second.

Alex exhaled as Zan pushed in scissoring his fingers and twisting them. Zan was slowly thrusting with his fingers, watching as Alex closed his eyes and mouth to keep quiet. He chuckled as Alex struggled to keep from being loud and added a third finger.

“You ready for me now?” Zan asked as he pumped the fingers quicker.
“Y…yeah,” Alex said between his teeth. He whimpered when Zan pulled out his fingers but tensed when he felt the tip of Zan’s cock at his entrance.

Zan slowly pushed in and groaned at the tightness. Alex could feel every inch of Zan filling him and desperately wanted Zan to just push all the way in. When Zan had finally moved all the way in he stopped and closed his eyes.

Alex looked up at Zan in confusion. He wasn’t moving at all but had a strong look of concentration. When Zan did open his eyes he was smiling and bent down to kiss Alex softly on the lips.

“What are you thinking about?” Alex asked when Zan kept smiling down at him.
“I just….nothing,” Zan said and began to thrust slowly.

Alex moaned as Zan’s length moved inside of him. Something felt different tonight. Zan’s words of fucking him seemed to have gone. It felt like Zan was making love to him. Alex whimpered at that thought, wanting it to be true, but not yet trusting it.

Zan was thrusting slowly and deep, wanting to feel all of Alex’s tight passage. Somehow it felt different. Once he had pushed all the way into Alex he felt something inside of him click. It felt so good to be inside Alex because it felt so…right.

He had planned on just fucking Alex as he said, but just being still inside of him felt so good. He kept up his slow thrusts and swooped down to kiss Alex again.

Alex felt the threat of his eyes watering but tried to stop them. He couldn’t burst out into tears like some virgin girl. He was a man. Granted, a man that was currently sleeping with another man. He could feel his erection sandwiched between he and Zan and it rubbed against Zan’s stomach with each thrust.

Zan lowered himself more until he was on his elbows. He brought his hands up to Alex’s head and held them in Alex’s hair as they kissed. Alex had his arms around Zan running them over his back. Alex had his right leg between Zan’s legs. They were completely entwined.

“Zan, this feels…oh god this feels amazing,” Alex said in between kisses. He could feel all of Zan.
“Yeah,” was all Zan could say. He didn’t want to talk, he wanted to feel. He wanted to feel himself sliding in and out of Alex. He wanted to feel Alex’s lips as they kissed. He wanted to feel his sweat slicked skin sliding over Alex’s.

Alex jumped when he heard the front door of his apartment open and close. Had Michael heard them and left? Was he disgusted?
“Hey, come back to me,” Zan said and reached down to cup Alex’s shaft.

Alex moaned as Zan’s fingers circled and squeezed his cock. “I don’t think I’m going to last much longer,” Zan groaned and pumped Alex’s cock. “I want you to finish first.”
“No, no, I want us to finish together,” Alex said. He could feel his own orgasm quickly approaching.

Zan’s thrusts became more urgent and he could no longer hold his moans back.
“Come on, I’m going to cum,” Zan said and sped up his strokes on Alex’s member.
“Me too,” Alex said and felt his cock pulse and release his load. A second later he felt Zan’s pulse as he finished inside of him.

Zan let go of Alex’s cock and laid his head on Alex’s chest. They were both breathing hard and covered in sweat, but they couldn’t help but start laughing.
“Never felt, so good,” Zan said as he reluctantly pulled out slowly.
“Yeah, ditto.”

Alex sighed and licked his lips. He felt so amazingly relaxed that all he wanted to do was curl into Zan and fall asleep. But when he remembered his front door had opened and close he wanted to check on Michael.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Zan said as he felt Alex begin to pull away.

“I have to go check on Michael,” he said and managed to pull out from underneath Zan. He really didn’t want to but he needed to go check on Michael.

He pulled on a pair of pajama bottoms and walked out into the living room. The room was dark and Michael was nowhere in sight. He walked out into the hall but Michael was not there either. He walked back in to his apartment.

Zan was leaning against the bedroom doorframe, wearing his previously discarded boxers.
“Michael’s gone,” Alex said.
“My keys are gone, maybe he’s at my place,” Zan said and pointed at the counter to where he had left his keys.

Alex frowned and Zan went up to him wrapping his arms around his waist. “What’s wrong?”
“Do you think we disgusted Mike?” Alex asked. He wrapped his own arms around Zan’s shoulders. “I mean, he’s never really seen me with a man. He’s heard about me and other men, but never actually had to see me with them. What if he heard us and felt sick?”

He put his face against Zan’s neck and inhaled.
“Mike seems like a cool guy, I don’t think he’d be mad.” Zan said and rubbed Alex’s back in soothing circles. “Maybe he just wanted a place to sleep; the couch ain’t that good to sleep in.” Zan said and rubbed his neck.

“How does he know where your room is?” Alex asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe he went door to door,” Zan guessed. They remained in the dark living room in each other’s arms. “Look it’s late, he’s probably sleepin’. Let’s go back to bed, and we can talk to him in the morning.”

Alex sighed but nodded allowing Zan to pull him back to his bed. They climbed back in, settled onto their side with Zan spooned behind Alex. “Night,” Zan murmured against the back of Alex’s neck.
“Good night,” Alex said.

TBC...

[believer_evans]

Part 14



The next morning Alex woke up to hear the front door opening and closing. Zan was still asleep behind him, blowing puffs of warm air against his back. Alex gently moved out of Zan’s grasp and got off the bed. He yawned as he stretched and then scratched his chest before opening the door of his room and walked out into the living room.

Michael was about to sit down on the couch and stopped halfway when he heard the door open.
“Hey, where were you?” Alex asked. Michael grinned like he’d been caught and sat the rest of the way.
“I, uh, I was…eh I was at Zan’s.” Michael confessed.

“Why?” Alex asked as he walked around to sit on the couch as well. Michael shrugged and yawned widely. “Did you sleep?”

“I couldn’t really sleep anywhere,” Michael said and reached up to rub his face. “It’s tough being used to your bed with a warm body next to you. Zan’s place was cold and just so not mine.”
“Why didn’t you just stay here?” Alex asked nervously. He was afraid Michael would say he couldn’t stand hearing two fags fucking just in the next room.

“I felt like I shouldn’t be here,” Michael said honestly.
“Were you disgusted?” Alex asked.
“Nah, it’s just, it felt wrong. Like I was hearing my brother getting it on, or like having a really great sounding porno with no picture. Just awkward.” Michael laughed.

Alex laughed too, half in embarrassment and half in relief. He looked over his shoulder at the sound on his bathroom door closing and heard the shower turn on.
“You hungry? We actually have real food here now,” Alex said. Michael nodded and they got up and walked to the fridge.

When Zan finally came out into the living room Alex and Michael had managed to get a couple of edible looking pancakes onto plates. Zan grinned sleepily and sauntered over to the counter and sat on one of the stools.
“Yeah, I’ll take three flap jack and a coffee straight up,” Zan ordered.

Alex smiled and placed three pancakes on a plate and passed it to Zan. After they had enough done, they all sat at the counter with coffee, milk and orange juice. They ate and joked about the night.
“So how’d ya find my place?” Zan asked Michael.

“Rath told me,” Michael explained with a mouthful of pancakes in his mouth. “We were talking about how you two met, and he mentioned where it was. Hope you don’t mind crashing there.”
“Nah, surprised ya survived,” Zan laughed.

“So there any vacancies here?” Michael asked.
“Ya know. I don’t think so but it wouldn’t hurt at ask,” Zan replied and stole a piece of pancake from Alex’s plate.
“Hey,” Alex slapped Zan’s hand away. “I think I heard Maria saying there was a place in her building,” he said while trying to sound nonchalant. He noticed that Michael stopped chewing. “I remember her trying to get my sis to move in but Liz loves her dorm too much. Plus I think Maria really wants Liz to move in with her, not just in the same building. You should call her and see if it’s still open.”

Zan looked over at Alex with a knowing look and shook his head. Michael nodded and mumbled an “ok” and kept eating.
“We have another show on Friday, why don’t ya call her and tell her about that too. I forgot to tell her,” Zan said and shot Alex a wink. Oh, Alex felt himself falling deeper for Zan.

"Don't you have work?" Alex asked Michael.
"I asked from some time off," Michael said. "I had asked for a week off a month ago. We were supposed to go to the lake," he sighed. "Don't you work?" Michael asked Zan. Alex frowned at the question wondering why he never thought to ask that before.

"I got a part time thing I help at some times. Under the table kind of deal. I help Rath at his place sometimes too, cleaning up. I'm kinda a floater," Zan explained. "I actually do gotta go in today at five. I help out at this dive bar Downtown."

"What do you do?" Michael asked as he walked over to the sink and placed his dish inside.
"Bartend, clean tables, sometimes work the door. Basically whatever they need help with that night. I find out when I get there." Zan shrugged and also walked over to place his dish in the sink. "What about you?" Zan asked Alex.

"Just write. Got into stocks a couple years back and they've done pretty well. That and the royalties from my other short stories keep me ok," Alex replied. "So I guess it'll just be me and you tonight, unless you have plans," Alex said to Michael. Michael shrugged and walked over to the couch to sit.

"You could come down to the bar," Zan suggested.
"Nah, I think I've had enough drinking for a long while," Alex grimaced. "You could come over when you're off."

"Jeez, why don't you two just move in together already," Michael sighed from the couch. Alex laughed but stopped when he looked over at Zan who appeared to be seriously thinking about it.
"Are you serious?" Alex asked Zan.

"Maybe it's too quick, but think about it, how many times have I slept here instead of my place?" Zan said.

Alex stood there in surprise. Yes, he did think it was too soon to think about living with Zan, but at the same time he liked the idea.
"It's way too soon," Alex said.

"Ya think?" Michael scoffed from the couch, "I was just kidding guys."

Alex shook his head and looked over at Zan who was leaning casually against the counter. He wanted to kiss that smug grin off Zan's face.
"Why don't ya think about it and tell me what ya think later," Zan said before leaning in for a kiss and leaving.

Alex stood motionless in the kitchen until Michael cleared his throat.
"Uh, you're not seriously considering it are you? I mean you guys just met a week ago. Snap out of it man," Michael said. "You can't move in with him."

"Why not?" Alex asked and walked over to the couch. "I mean, ok yeah we haven't known each other for that long but for the time we have been together it's been great. He's practically over here all the time anyways,"

"It's only been a week. Of course it's great right now, it's all new. Give it time. Wait a month or something. You need to stop and really think about this. Right now he comes and stays over, but then he leaves. He's not living here already. Come on Alex, I know you're a lot smarter than this." Michael pleaded.

Alex sighed and sat down. He definitely wasn't thinking clearly. Michael was right. They hadn't been together long enough to live together. But there was a tug in his chest at the idea of it. He could picture waking up and going to bed with Zan every night. But he had to take a step back and really look at the situation. He would think about it. And he definitely needed time.

"Ok, I'll give it some time," Alex told Michael. "I should get some writing done." He said and went to retrieve his lap top. Michael shook his head but sighed in relief. Alex and Zan were moving too fast for his liking and he didn't want to see his friend get hurt. He'd hate to have to kill Zan.

~*~

Alex sat on the recliner with his lap top on the coffee table in front of him. He kept pushing his glasses up as they fell down his nose. He was hunched over and his fingers were coming down on the key fast and hard. Michael had the TV on but he couldn't help staring at Alex. It had been a while since he'd seen Alex write and it was still impressive. Put Michael in front of a computer and he'd probably be able to write a sentence in two minutes with the amount of corrections he'd have to make, but Alex was a whiz.

Michael could see that Alex was struggling as he hunched over to write, so he got up and went to the kitchen. When he came back he tapped Alex shoulder and showed him the cutting board. When Alex only frowned in confusion he pushed him back in the recliner, laid the cutting board across the arms and placed the lap top on top of it. Alex grinned and looked up at Michael like a small boy when his father fixes one of his toys.

"You looked uncomfortable," Michael said.
"Thanks," Alex said and continued to type away. This time Alex smiled as write. "I don't know what I'd do without you Mike," Alex said.
"You'd be a hunchbacked, starved, indie rocker, with a buzz cut," Michael said recounting all the other times he "helped" Alex.

"Oh god, I know right. You saved me from many mistakes, man. “Alex said laughing.
They continued like that until the sound of a very upset, hungry stomach broke the silence. Alex looked down at himself in embarrassment and laughed. "You hungry?" Alex asked.

"I could eat," Michael replied.
Alex picked up the lap top, cutting board and all and laid it on the coffee table. Michael watched him reach for his phone and waited.

"Hey Liz, what ya doing? Oh, you wanna grab some lunch? Yeah bring her along too, if you must. Ok, um, I guess I'll meet you there, yeah just wait for us there. Me and Mike. No, just us. Ok, ok, bye." Alex smiled and hung up.
"Ok, what was that?" Michael asked.

"Liz. Oh, I'm sorry I should have asked you first if it was ok. You want to have lunch with Liz and Maria? Liz is still with her and they both haven't eaten yet," Alex said trying to hide his smile.
"Oh, no, I mean yeah it's ok. We're going to meet them at Maria's then? I remember Liz went with her last night."

"Yeah, they're still there. I told them we'd meet there and see where to go."
Michael nodded and Alex could tell he was trying not to look too eager.

"You wanna grab the shower first?" Alex asked. "I just want to finish up this section." Michael nodded and went to dig in his baggage to pull out some fresh clothes before heading to the bathroom.

Alex wondered if he should really be trying to hook those two up again. On the one hand, it was a long time ago and most of Maria's wounds had healed. Michael obviously still had feelings for her, but on the other hand he wasn't sure if Maria would want to try again. He was either setting them both up for rekindled happiness, or setting Michael up for some serious hurt.

~*~

They got out of the cab in front of Maria’s apartment building. Alex found Maria’s name on the intercom and dialed her number. There was a two minute pause before Maria’s voice called out a “Yeah?”
“It’s me, Alex and Mike,” Alex said through the intercom.

They heard the buzz of the front door lock being released and walked in. Maria lived on the third floor and the elevator was out. Alex and Michael walked up the flights of stairs and made it to Maria’s door only slightly out of breath.
“Man, remind me I have to start hitting the gym again,” Michael complained. Maria opened the door before they knocked and waved them in. Alex started laughing when he saw the chaos they had walked in to.

Maria was in a towel, her hair still wet from a shower. Liz was on the couch, her hair wrapped in a towel but she was at least dressed. She waved at them as they walked in but then continued to paint her toe nails.

“You could have said you weren’t ready yet. I could have come a little later,” Alex said.
“I’ll be ready in ten minutes,” Maria said over her shoulder as she rushed back into her bedroom. Liz finished her nails and stood up to remove the towel from around her head. She bent over and shook her hair out before straightening back up, tossing her hair back.

That’s what Alex always liked about his younger sister. She was such a carefree person that didn’t have any of the usual hang ups about her looks that other girls did. Liz went to her purse and pulled out a tube of lip gloss and applied some to her lips. She was wearing a pair of ripped jeans and a plain light blue t-shirt. She slipped into some sandal and walked over to Alex to hug him.

“Hey,” She said and then reached over to hug Michael as well. “How you guys doing today?”
“Hungry,” Michael replied. Just then Maria reemerged from her bedroom wearing a pair of black cargo pants and bright red tank top that matched the red in her hair. She had just applied some eyeliner and grabbed the lip gloss Liz was still holding and applied some.

“Hi,” She said and hugged them both. “Sorry I just really wanted to take a shower before you guys got here,” she explained. “Ok, you guys ready to go, cause I’m starved,” Maria said and grabbed her bag from the counter. “I know this place that has the best Belgium waffles.”

They managed to walk to the small restaurant from Maria’s and were seated in ten minutes. Maria ordered her Belgium waffles, along with Michael who she had easily convinced to get too. Liz ordered a plate of eggs with some fruit on the side, and Alex ordered a plate of pancakes with eggs.

Maria moaned as she took a bite of her whipped cream and strawberry coated waffle. She looked almost orgasmic as she ate it.
“Oh, I told Michael about that vacancy you said was in your building. Is it still open?” Alex asked.

Maria struggled to swallow so she could answer and licked some of the remaining whipped cream from the corner of her mouth.
“I actually don’t know. I’ll ask the manager today, though. How cool Mickey, you might be my neighbor. Awe.” Maria smiled over at Michael.

Michael’s cheeks blushed slightly but he hid it well. They continued eating until they were finally full and Maria actually tapped out.
“Well I work today but I’ll ask the manager about that opening,” Maria said as they left the restaurant. “I’ll give you a call after, ok?” She said to Michael.
“Ok,” Michael and leaned in for a hug. As the two embrace, Alex noticed Maria closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she held Michael. Maybe there still was something there on her side as well.

Maria waved at them and walked on towards the subway.
“You know, we can go check right now if you want,” Liz said. “Maria has been trying to get me to move in to her building, but if anything I’d like a roommate.”

Michael nodded and shrugged.
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask,” he said.

~

They were buzzed in by the manager and walked in to the find the apartment on the first floor. An elderly man opened the door and smiled at them as they walked in.
“So how did you hear about the opening?” The man asked.

“A tenet of yours mentioned it,” Michael replied.
“I see. Well yes we do have an opening, two actually. Would you like to have a look at them?”

One apartment happened to be on the fourth floor while the other was on the sixth. The manager explained the difference in pay as one was a one bedroom and the other was a two bedroom. As they toured the apartments, Alex could see the interest in Michael’s eyes. It went beyond being closer to Maria; he was actually interested in the place.

“I’m not going to lie to you sir, I want this place. I have the money for it and I am willing to pay you a down payment right now,” Michael told the manager.
“I have to say, I’ve never met someone like you. It usually takes a week or so for someone to accept the apartment. What kind of employment do you have?”

“I work with an advertisement firm,” Michael said. “So how would you like to proceed?”
“Normally I would take some time to check your credit, but seeing as you are willing to put money down now, I think I’ll just start writing up the lease and we can have you moved in today,”

Alex and Liz stood back as Michael and the manager made up and signed the paper work.
“He’s certainly, determined,” Liz said.
“When have you ever known Michael to be anything less?” Alex replied.

Finally, with lease in hand and the down payment paid, the three walked back out into the city streets.
“We’re going to need to buy you some furniture,” Alex said. “Any idea what you’re going to do with the spare room?
“Thinking about having it be an office. I always wanted a home office. Melissa never let me work from home. My free time was supposed to be spent on her,” Michael said with a roll of his eyes. “Now it’s going to be different. I out for me.”

Liz and Alex both looked at each other for that. From the look on Liz’s face, Alex figured out she’d had the same idea about getting Michael and Maria back together.
“Hey, remember what mom said about that shop?” Liz said.
“Way to be vague lil’ sis,” Alex teased.

“No, really, mom mentioned a shop where you could buy furniture for your place. I’ll call her if you want,” she told Michael.
“Ok,”

~*~

The rest of the day was spent picking out furniture for Michael’s place, and some items Liz had insisted Alex buy for himself. Michael only bought the basics that trip, just wanting to have enough so he could sleep in the place. The shop said they could not deliver all the items until the next day so Michael would have to stay with Alex at least another night.

“You really don’t have to go at this too fast,” Alex told him. Michael shrugged and smiled.
“Al, I just fell in love with that place. It has nothing to do with leaving you alone. I can afford the speed this is moving in. We have one last night together, let’s just stay in.” Michael suggested.
“That actually sounds perfect.” Alex grinned and looked over at his sister.
“I actually have stuff to do today. You guys have fun,” She said.

They walked Liz to the subway and waved her good bye before heading back to Alex’s place.
“Man I am beat,” Michael said as he flopped down on the couch.
“You’re telling me. It’ only six and I’m exhausted.”

“Sorry about dragging you around all day,” Michael said as he turned on the TV. He kept flipping channels until he found a Hockey game.
“It’s ok. I had nothing to do.”

They remained watching TV until Alex began to nod off. Michael nudged him and laughed.
“Why don’t you go to bed? I’ll take the couch again,” Michael said.
“You know what, just share the bed,” Alex said. “The couch isn’t really made for sleeping. I promise not to make too many passes at you,” he winked.

Michael laughed and shrugged before turning off the TV.
“Let’s go, lover,” Michael laughed.

They stripped down to their underwear, boxer briefs for Alex and boxers for Michael, and climbed into bed. Michael teased that he hoped Alex didn’t mind spooning and actually began to spoon behind Alex.
“Don’t pay any mind if you feel something poking you during the night. Just a habit,” Michael said.
“I’ll try not to take it too personally,” Alex said and switched off the light.

Alex tried not to laugh when he felt Michael eventually begin to move away. Michael slowly rolled over and was soon snoring lightly. Alex stayed awake a while longer, wishing Zan was with him right now. He told Michael he’d give it time, but he realized that time would be hard.

TBC...

[believer_evans]

I'm glad this fic still has a following, I know the boys love the attention, especially Zan, he's sort of an attention whore.

Well, enjoy......

Part 15


It had been two months since that day in the elevator. Alex was at Cal’s office every week hammering out the details for his book deals. Different publishing houses were making offers and Cal was, for once, at a loss for words.

Alex was able to hand over half of the book for consideration as well as a synopsis of the plot. Cal was finding himself to be one of the city’s highly sought after man. There wasn’t a night where Alex didn’t come home to find a new message on his machine from Cal. There were already offers for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender agencies that wanted to award Alex on his accomplishments.

Alex was finding himself overwhelmed and he was hoping for a quite, uneventful night when he walked toward his apartment. He opened the door and found it dark except for some flickering light coming from his bedroom. He looked down the see small pieces of torn paper on the floor leading to the bedroom and he bent over to pick the first one up.

Alex smiled and set his things down at the read what was written on the paper.
“Two months don’t seem too long,” Alex followed the trail and read each note
“But it feels so good.”
“Knowing you are there”
“Knowing how I feel”
“Tonight I want to make you feel”
“How important you are to me”
“So just come in through that door baby.”
“And I’ll show you,”

Alex pushed the door which was slightly ajar and gasped at what he saw. The room was lit with candle light. He could see the candles float in glass bowls of water and an orchid lay in the middle of the bed. Alex walked in and picked up the flower. He heard the bedroom door close and saw Zan standing there.
“What’s all this for?” Alex asked with a grin.

“It’s been two months since we hooked up,” Zan said. He was wearing the very same outfit he had been wearing in the elevator and it made Alex smile to remember. “I wanted to make this night special, we’ve both been pretty busy lately.”

Zan leaned in and captured Alex’s mouth in a soft kiss. Alex moaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Zan’s neck. “I got something to show you,” Zan whispered.
“More?” Alex asked.

Zan nodded and pulled back. He pulled off his shirt and Alex moaned. “I like what you’re showing me so far,”

Zan grinned and turned around. Alex leaned closer and saw the new tattoo Zan had gotten. It looked just like the quill he had on his own back. Alex touched it and felt Zan shiver. “You got this for me?”

“I wanted ya to see how serious I am about this.” Zan said as he turned back around. “It felt right.”

Alex smiled and leaned in for another kiss. He loved Zan. There was no denying it. He had even told Zan three weeks ago.
“I love you,” Zan said when they pulled back from the kiss.

They fell back onto the bed and began to undress each other. Alex blinked back the tears at hearing Zan’s admission of love and kissed every piece of skin available. Once they were completely nude, Zan rolled them over so Alex was on top.
“I want ya inside of me,” Zan said.

“You, you want me to fuck you?” Alex asked in surprise.
“No. I want ya to make love to me,” Zan clarified. He reached over to the nightstand and handed the bottle of lube to Alex. “How do you want me?” Zan asked him.

Alex took the lube and leaned in to kiss Zan, sucking the other man’s bottom lip.
“I want you just like this,” Alex said as Zan trapped him between his thighs. Alex leaned on his elbows and opened the lube. He coated his fingers with a generous amount of lube and reached down between them to Zan’s anus.

He pushed his index finger into Zan and watched as Zan licked his lips. He thrust the first finger in and out of Zan until the man was begging him for more. He then added his second finger, scissoring them and stretching Zan. Soon he had three fingers inside of Zan. Two stretching him while the other kept stroking Zan’s prostrate.

“Mmm, come on baby, give me what ya got,” Zan moaned. He reached for the bottle of lube and coated Alex’s cock.

Alex led his coated cock to Zan’s ready entrance and slowly pushed in. He felt Zan’s leg tighten around him and leaned in to kiss Zan while pushing the rest of the way in.

He began to thrust into Zan and could feel Zan’s own hard, wet cock rubbing against his stomach. Once they had a steady rhythm, Alex reached for the forgotten orchid and began to run it across Zan’s face. Zan smiled and leaned into the caresses. Alex continued to touch Zan with the orchid and Zan would moan under the soft caress.

Alex kept up the slow and deep pace in and out of Zan and set aside the flower when his desire to touch Zan himself took over. He kept himself up on one elbow and used his other hand to touch Zan’s face, his lips, his neck, and down his chest to pinch a nipple.
“God, love you!” Zan moaned loudly and pulled Alex down for a kiss.

Hearing Zan proclaim his love made Alex lose his pace temporarily but composed himself enough to deepen the passionate kiss. Zan’s legs were wrapped around Alex’s legs so tightly that Alex could only thrust shallowly.

Sweat was already pouring down Alex’s face and a drop landed on Zan’s lips. He watched as Zan licked his lips, effectively licking the fallen drop. Zan’s own hair was slicked down from sweat and friction and he reached up and wiped some of the sweat from his brow.
“I’m close,” Zan said.
“Me too,” Alex groaned and began to thrust faster.

Zan brought his legs higher allowing Alex to thrust deeper and reached between them to Zan’s cock. It was hard and wet and it was easy to get s good rhythm. Zan was practically panting Alex’s name and thrashed his head on the pillow.
“Yeah. Come on, faster, god I love your cock!” Zan moaned.

Alex pushed into Zan as hard as he could and laughed when he could hear the bedpost actually knocking against the wall. Zan laughed too and encouraged Alex to move faster.

Zan reached up to grab the head board to brace himself and felt his balls tighten with his impending orgasm.
“Cum with me,” Alex groaned and pumped Zan’s cock faster. He when he felt the warm cum spurt from Zan’s cock he felt himself let go inside of him

Zan’s legs loosened and collapsed back onto the bed. Alex slowly pulled out and laid on Zan with his head on Zan’s chest.
“I love you,” Alex said and kissed the skin he was laying on.

~*~

A week after that night Zan moved in. He had thrown most of his stuff away, bringing only his clothes, records, and other essentials. Alex insisted they go shopping so Zan could feel more at home, with Zan complaining that as long as Alex was there it was home enough.

Alex still had Zan pick out some furniture pieces that were more him. He wanted the apartment to say that they lived there together. When they got back to the apartment, they spent the rest of the afternoon rearranging the place.

Liz was there to help along with Maria, Michael, Rath, and Max. Alex smiled when he saw Liz and Max moving the couch against the wall. The two had finally come out and said they were dating when Max finally said he hated being a secret. Now they moved around as one.

While Michael and Maria had made no move to rekindle their past romance, they were more comfortable around each other. Maria had been thrilled when she found out that Michael had moved into her building, and insisted in helping him pick out the rest of his furniture.

Zan’s band was touring more, and getting together was harder. It was why Zan kept insisting they move in together.
“I want to come home to you,” he had said after a particularly long trip.

It was two am when they had gotten everything the way they wanted it.
“I vote for a sleep over,” Liz called from her spot on the floor. She was lying down beside Max who was on his side looking at her.
“I second!” Maria said from the kitchen.

“Fuck that,” Rath complained as he stood up from the couch. “I don’t know about the rest of ya, but I need a fuck. Lates.” he said and quickly left the apartment.

They all erupted into laughter at his abrupt departure.
“He’s quite blunt, isn’t he,” Liz laughed and turned to lay her head on Max’s shoulder.
“He’s got a point,” Maria sighed and actually looked over at Michael.

Zan and Alex both caught that and looked at each other. Alex thought it was only a matter of time, and Zan thought it should happen sooner than later.

“Let’s watch a scary movie,” Liz said, “You got any?”
“I think so,” Zan said and walked over to the entertainment center to look at their DVD collection. He pulled out one and held it up to Alex who shrugged.

Liz and Max remained on the floor as the movie played while Zan and Alex got the couch.
“It’s sad to be the single people here, huh?” Maria asked Michael. He only shrugged and pulled her to him on the recliner. She raised her eyebrows at him, but settled on his lap.

One by one they all fell asleep. When Zan looked around and saw that he and Alex were the only ones left awake and grinned and began to kiss Alex’s neck.
“Anyone could wake up,” Alex whispered but allowed Zan access to his sensitive neck.

Zan reached down to feel Alex’s hardening cock through his jeans. Alex looked down at their sleeping friends and then closed his eyes just enjoying the feel of Zan.

When Zan’s hand stopped and moved away, Alex opened his eyes to see what had happened. Zan grinned and shifted so Alex could lie down. Once Alex was in a comfortable position, Zan lay down on top of him and adjusted himself so the bulge behind his jeans rested over Alex’s.

Alex had to bite his lips closed to keep from moaning. The pressure of Zan pressing down on him felt exquisite. Zan was grinning down at him with the same half grin Alex had fallen for in the first place.

Zan leaned down and pressed his lips softly down on Alex's and took his time sucking, nibbling, and pulling on those lips. It had been a while since they had the luxury of properly making out. Alex sighed and followed Zan’s suit by enjoying the soft, slow kissing.

When Zan began to thrust, however, the bets were off. Their kisses grew more passionate and hands wondered everywhere. Alex turned to make sure everyone was still asleep and Zan took the opportunity to kiss along Alex’s throat.

They continued to buck against each other, trying hard not to make much noise. Zan had to bring his face down to the crook of Alex’s neck to muffle his moans and was grabbing Alex’s arms. Alex could only move his left leg and he had it bent, anchoring Zan to him.

“Love you,” Zan whispered in Alex’s ear when his thrusts became jerky and finally stilled. Alex knew Zan had just cum and that knowledge was what he needed for the final push over the edge. He arched up against Zan and gasped.

“I love you too,” Alex whispered and fell asleep with Zan’s head on his chest, and a cooling sensation on his groin.

TBC...

[believer_evans]

Thank you for everyone who is leaving feedback on this meager fic. I hope you enjoy this new part.
This here fic is coming to its ultimate end soon. I'm thinking this is third of the last chapters. I sure have enjoyed writing this fic, and I hope you guys have as well.

Part 16


Alex was clicking away on his lap top, glasses resting on the tip of his nose. The coffee he had brewed was now cold in the mug on the desk he sat in. Zan had surprised him with the vintage desk one evening after complaining that Alex was going to ruin his back by being hunched over all the time.

Zan had gone to practice with the band five hours ago with a promise from Alex that he’d show up later that night at the bar Zan was currently working in. Alex had been pouring over his book feeling the pressure from Cal and the new publisher that kept wanting to push up the release date.

He pushed the lap top away, removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He looked at the time on the computer screen and groaned. He was supposed to be at the bar an hour ago. He saved the document and shut the lap top. He ran to the bathroom and washed his face. He grabbed a jacket from the closet and rushed downstairs.

He walked up to the bar and saw that there was a line. He walked up to the bouncer, Bear, who nodded at him and let him in.
“You gonna let him in and not us?” One of the women waiting in line asked. Alex paused but Bear’s hand on his back pushed him in.

Alex walked into a cloud of marijuana and coughed. There was a live band on the small stage and it was a full house. He pushed his way to the bar and waved over at Zan. Unfortunately, Zan had not seen him and was busily serving drinks to the rest of the people at the bar.

Alex squeezed onto a stool and waited until Zan made his way to his side of the bar.
“About time,” Zan said, “What do you want?”
“I’ll just have whatever beer you have on tap,” Alex replied and watched Zan nod and rush to get him his beer. When he came back he passed Alex a tall mug of beer and leaned in for a quick kiss and a wink.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Alex heard a woman say from his right. He looked over and saw the same woman that had been complaining outside. “First I get skipped in line for you, and now you’re telling me you’re the bartender’s fag?”

Alex frowned and turned back to his drink but the woman wouldn’t stop. “No, you do no turn away from me,” she said and put her hand on his shoulder. “What gives you the right to think you’re better than I am?”

“I never said I was,” Alex replied, “Now please let go of me,” he said and pushed her hand off of him.
“You fucking fag,” She said and was about to slap him when a hand shot forward between her and Alex.
“I think it’s time for you to leave,” Zan said. He was glaring at the woman and gripping her wrist tightly.

“Leave?” she said angrily. “You don’t have the right to talk to me like that you faggot!”

Zan laughed. An actual side-splitting laugh and waved someone over. Alex looked over to see Bear coming toward them.
“She needs to be escorted out. Make sure she never comes back,” Zan says and releases the woman. Bear nods and pulls the woman away. She continues to verbally abuse them on her way out but Zan just laughs and waves at her.

“You ok?” Zan asks Alex when she’s gone.
“I’m fine,” Alex says. “It’s just weird when I encounter someone like that. I keep thinking our society is past that.”

Zan shrugs and leans over the bar again, pulling Alex in for a deep kiss. Alex feels Zan’s tongue pushing into his mouth and sucks on it. When they pull apart some people around the bar whistle and hoot.
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m ashamed of who I love,” Zan said.

Alex couldn’t help but grin as Zan began to take orders again. He took a drink from his cold beer and looked at the people around him. He could see some women smiling and winking at him, raising their drinks.
Half an hour later Zan was finally relieved and pulled Alex toward the dance floor. Alex feigned disinterest, but began to sway along with Zan.

Zan pulled Alex close, making sure Alex could feel his erection. Alex grinned and ground his own against Zan as well.

They danced for another hour until Zan yawned and asked Alex if they could go home.
“I’ve been waiting for you to say that,” Alex said. They took a cab home, not wanting to walk to the subway, and made it up to their apartment.

By the time they made it to their bedroom, Zan collapsed on the bed still fully clothed.
“You’re not even going to take off your clothes?” Alex asked. He pulled off his shoes and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Too tired. Come here,” Zan mumbled.

“Let me take off my clothes,” Alex said, but Zan pulled him down.
“No, just sleep with me,” Zan said.

Alex woke up first the next morning. It was ten and he had to meet with Cal for a lunch meeting. He looked at Zan who was still slumbering peacefully in his clothes.

The bartending gig became a more stable position a month ago when they offered to pay Zan more and offer benefits. It took some convincing from Alex, but Zan accepted the job and now worked four nights a week. Now weekends were spent with Alex being alone, writing, or visiting Zan at the bar.

His relationship with Zan had become more of a stable comfort than when it first started. There was no lack of surprises still, with Alex coming home some nights to a full apartment or having some alone time with Zan.

They had settled into somewhat of a routine. Zan had more practices every week because the lead singer, J, had gotten an offer from a small recording agency to record a CD. So with Zan gone for the most part of the week, Alex was left alone to write.

Cal seemed to be calling everyday along with the publisher, Isabel. Alex had met her a month ago after meeting with Cal. The tall Amazon introduced herself to Alex and had quickly begun charting out his book schedule and possible book tour. It was overwhelming for Alex, but he agreed and set out to work.

He sent chapters to Cal and would receive feedback and corrections that looked like Cal simply burst open his red pen and let it drip onto the sheets. His inbox was full almost every day with suggestions from Cal and Isabel and the occasional comments for his local LGBT groups.

Alex took a quick shower and dressed in some khakis and a white button down shirt. He spent another hour going over what he had written and grabbed a bagel for breakfast. Zan was still asleep, so Alex left him a note and took off.

At Cal's office he could see Isabel. He sighed and after Cal's assistant let him know Alex was there, he was ushered in.

"Alex my boy, my prodigy," Cal beamed uncharacteristically.
"Uh, hi," Alex said and placed his work on Cal's desk. "Good afternoon," he said to Isabel.
"Hello Mr. Whitman," Isabel said. Alex found her formality uncomfortable but sat down.
"So what's going on today?" Alex asked.

"Well I just wanted us to get caught up and look into the ending of this book," Cal said. "When exactly do you think you'll be done?"

Alex looked between the two of them and sighed. He actually had no idea when he would be finished He could see an ending in his mind, but as for a time frame he was lost.
"Why don't you just tell me when you want me to be finished?" Alex said.
"We were hoping for a book tour next year. Maybe late Summer. We know a lot of organization which are interested in supporting the tour," Isabel responded.

"How exactly are these organizations learning about my book? I haven't even finished writing it," Alex asked.
"We've leaked chapters of the book along with a synopsis to certain groups to build a buzz. Don't worry, they all love it."

"So you're trying to create a big gay buzz?" Alex asked. He was never one to write just for a gay culture. He wrote what he knew. He wasn't sure if he could handle being the next gay writer dejure.

"Come on Ally, you get it where you can take it," Cal said. He reached for the file Alex had set down and leafed through the pages. "Looks good. Now, I know this great little bistro where we can all continue chatting, I'm famished."

Alex found himself sitting in a posh outdoor patio with a salad in front of him. He had hoped for a burger but when he saw Isabel order a Cesar salad and Cal order a cob salad, he figured he'd follow suit. Cal's good humor continued through lunch and Alex contributed that to Isabel's presence. She was wearing a white pant suit with baby blue top underneath that accentuated the swell of her cleavage. Alex noted the times Cal snuck a glance.

By the end of the lunch Isabel and Cal were busily talking about him and the book, paying no more attention to him. Alex looked down at his cell to see if he had any missed calls or messages and found none.

"Are we done here?" Alex asked, interrupting their conversation.
"Oh, are we keeping from something more pressing than your book deal?" Cal asked sarcastically.
"I really don't think you need me anymore. I'd rather just go home and continued writing if you're planning on having me finish this on a time line." Alex said and stood up. "Thank you, I assume this meal is comped," he said and left.

He made it back to the apartment at three and Zan was not there. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and walked over to the living room where he fell onto the couch. He curled up, hugging one of the throw pillows and fell asleep.

Something was tapping his nose persistently and he finally opened his eyes to see Maria peering at him.
"Maria?" he asked sleepily.
"Hey sleeping beauty," she said and leaned in to place a kiss on his lips.

Alex smiled and yawned when she pulled away.
"How'd you get in?" He asked and sat up.
"I borrowed Zan's key," she said and sat beside him on the couch. "I need your advice."

Alex put an arm around her shoulder and let her rest her head on his.
"Sure sweetie, what is it?"
"Michael," she sighed.

Alex tried to hide his grin.
"What about Michael?" he asked.
"I'm kinda getting those warm, fuzzy feelings for him again," she confessed.

"Really? Are you sure, or is it just friendship?" Alex asked.
"Well, we hang out almost every night. He’ll come over or I'll go to his place and just do nothing.

We've slept over each other's places too and it's nice. Once I woke up and he was touching my hair. I pretended to still be asleep because it felt so good and he kissed the top of my head, just like he used to when we were together.

"It felt so good, Alex. Then another time he fell asleep at my place, and we were on my bed. He was sleeping and I just stared at him, watching him breathe. He's so cute when he's sleeping. He makes all these funny faces and even snores a little. Oh Alex, I don't know what to do," Maria groaned.

Alex looked at her and could see her eyes watering.
"What do you want to do?" He asked.
"I just want to kiss him. I want to say I'm sorry for ever pulling away from him. I want to tell him that, well that I still love him."

Alex pulled away and moved so he could look into her eyes. She tried to look away but eventually gave a nervous laugh and looked at him. "I'm pathetic aren't I?"
"No Maria, you're not. You're the best person I've ever met. Why don't you just tell him?"
"Cause too much time has gone by. He moved on and has a totally different life," Maria said. "What if he doesn't love me anymore, that way?"

"He's a stupid man if he doesn't," Alex said and wiped a stray tear from Maria's face. "I think you should trust him and in how you feel and tell him."
"Can't you tell him for me?" Maria asked hopefully.

"How old are we again?" Alex teased. "I'm not going to tell him for you; it has to come from you. I'll tell you a secret," Alex said and paused to look around the apartment. Maria laughed. "I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"You really think so? Has he said anything?"
"He hasn't told me anything, but he wouldn't. Michael isn't the share your feelings with other people kind of guy, you know this. But I've seen the way he looks at you, and by what you've told me, it wouldn't hurt to let him know."

Maria was smiling and nodding now, wiping at the stubborn tears on her face. She leaned forward and hugged Alex to her tightly.
"Oh Alex, if it weren't for the gay sex I would have fallen for you," Maria said teasingly.
"Ditto," Alex laughed.

TBC...

[believer_evans]

Thanks for the feedback. Here comes another part!

Part 17


Alex was at the bar, sitting next to Rath watching Zan perform on the stage. It was harder for them to get in and Zan had to actually come to the door and tell the bouncer to let them in. Zan's gigs were getting more frequent and were at bigger venues. That night Rath showed up and helped Alex dressed telling him his usual wasn't going to cut it. Alex complained at first but allowed Rath to pull out a pair of Zan's torn black cargos and navy blue tank. He grabbed

Zan's gel and forced Alex to sit while he pulled at his hair. By the end Alex looked in the mirror and saw someone else looking back.
"You should show off that tat more," Rath has said. "I put a lot into it," he teased and slapped Alex's back.

Now Alex sat at the bar watching Zan on stage, sweat pouring down his face and chest as he slammed on the drums. Alex loved seeing him like that. By the end of their set, Alex was ready to tear into him.

Rath led them to the back entrance and they pushed the doors open into the cold night air. Alex sighed as the air refreshed his heated skin and his eyes sought out Zan in the darkness.
He found Zan huddling with the band, the red light from a joint passing between them. When

Zan looked up at him he grinned with hooded eyes and waved him over. Before Alex got to Zan, J stepped forward and stopped him.
"Hey," J said and Alex could smell weed and alcohol in his breath.
"Hi," Alex said and tried to move past him to Zan, but J put his hands on his hips to stop him.
"Fuckin’ A, looks good on you," J said, his accent getting thicker. "I'd fuck ya,"

"But ya ain't goin' to," Zan said and pulled Alex to him. "Don't worry 'bout him. He's high." Zan said.
"So are you," Alex stated.

Zan shrugged and took the time to look at him.
"You do look good," he grinned and kissed him.

They moved over to the group and the joint was passed around again. Zan took a deep drag and turned to Alex, signaling for him to get closer. He then began to blow the smoke into Alex's mouth. When he was done and pulled Alex in for a deep kiss.

Alex could feel himself go numb and felt slightly giddy. Zan blew smoke in his face two more times and then they pulled away from the group. He looked up at Zan who was looking seriously at the sky as if waiting for something to happen. Alex looked up too and only saw an airplane flying overhead.

"We should go someplace," Zan said.
"There's so many places to go. Where do you want to go?" Alex asked, following the plane with his eyes.

"I don't care. Someplace far away, with no one else around. Someplace no one can find us."
Alex looked away from the plane and looked at Zan who was staring at him. The intensity of the stare unnerved him at first, but Alex was soon smiling. He leaned in for a kiss but Zan began to talk again. "Let's leave tomorrow."

"Ok," Alex said and leaned in again, missing Zan's lips and only kissing the corner of his mouth. Zan grinned and kiss him properly and then moved to throw an arm on Alex's shoulder. Alex turned and saw Rath pinning someone against the brick wall. He could see the other man struggling to keep up with Rath's insistent, demanding kisses and finally gave up trying and gave Rath access to his neck.

Alex couldn't look away as Rath practically mauled the darker man. Rath wouldn't let him touch him, and kept pushing his hands aside when he tried. The other man had to settle with trying to hold on to the wall behind him.

Alex looked over at Zan who was looking at something else and then looked back toward Rath. He could see the look on the nameless man's face and wondered if Rath ever made Zan look that way.

Alex could feel his eyelids get heavier and yawned. He looked away from Rath, finding the prospect of climbing into bed more satisfying now.
"Ready to go?" Zan asked. Alex merely nodded and began to walk toward the front of the club.

Zan led them to the subway and climbed into the nearly empty car.
"You're such a light weight," Zan laughed as Alex struggled to stay awake. Alex grinned and leaned his head on Zan's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against Zan's bare skin. He could feel goose bumps there and shifted to kiss them.

He could smell the dried sweat that had covered Zan from head to toe, the light cologne that always seemed to flow from him, and the acrid smell of the marijuana. He looked over Zan's shoulder as they sped down the tunnel.

He didn't know they were in their apartment until his back hit the mattress. He could feel Zan's hands undressing, but he was too sleepy to do anything about it. He was rolled over until he was in the center of the bed and the blanket was brought up over him. He could hear the muffled sounds of Zan's clothing coming off and then felt him get into bed and cuddle up close to him.

He fell asleep soon after and found himself dreaming. In his dream he stood in an old abandoned building with a light peeking from one of the cracks in the floor. He walked toward it and kneeled so he could look into it, but all there was a blinding light. He stood up and was about to walk away when the floor gave up under him.

He tried to reach for anything but he just fell into the bright light. He felt like Alice as he just fell and fell. When he did stop he found himself standing in a large corn field. He ran through the field trying to find for a way out but every way he turned there was only more corn.

He finally found an opening but just before reaching it his surrounding changed once more and he found himself in the apartment. It was littered with loose sheets of paper and Alex could see that they were from his book. He bent to reach for one but a gust of wind blew in and all of the sheets began flying around the room. He tried grabbing them but they were always out of reach.

Then his bedroom door opened and Zan stepped out, grinning. But the flying papers shifted and began flying toward Zan. Alex could do nothing as the sheet began to slash at Zan. Blood streamed down Zan's body and he reached out toward Alex, but he could not move.

Alex woke up with a start. He didn't understand what the dream meant, but he felt for Zan anyway. Zan was slumbering beside him, lying on his stomach with his head turned away from him.

Alex got out of bed and went into the kitchen for some water. He attributed the dream to the effects from the pot, but it still bothered him. He took his glass of water and walked over to the couch where a lone notebook sat on the coffee table. Alex took it, and the pen that laid beside it, and wrote down his dream, not wanting to miss any detail. He looked down at the watch still on his wrist and saw that it was just eight in the morning. There was no sun peeking from behind the blinds which meant it was cloudy out.

Once he was sure he had written everything down, he set the pen aside and re-read it making sure he wasn't leaving anything out. He could try to interpret it, but it still felt too strange to him, and he didn't want to look any further into it.
He set the notebook down and headed back to the bedroom. Zan was still asleep, but now he was lying on his back. He climbed back into bed and laid his head on Zan's warm chest

~*~

Six months later Alex was about to toss his laptop and Cal into a shredder. He had made Alex re-write three chapters claiming they weren't clear on intention. Alex fought for hours, days even, to keep the chapters as they were, but Cal would simply cross his arms and say, "Who's the seasoned editor here?"

So that was why Alex found himself sitting in his apartment, by himself, another weekend in a row. Zan would stay with him for support at first, but Alex's frustration literally kicked him out.

So Zan went to work, gigs, hung out with their friends, without Alex, and it was starting to weigh on him.

The ending he had in mind when he first starting the book was not the same ending he was working on now. With all the changes he had to make, the rest of the story morphed into something different. Alex found that the characters in his book were not the only ones having problems.

He gave up and pushed his laptop away in disgust. He was pushing his deadline and if he didn't buckle up and finish soon he might end up in trouble.

He was in no mood to go to the bar tonight. Zan's shift wouldn't be over until 2 anyways. He wanted to call Liz, but was afraid he'd bother her. Maria was out of the question too. She had told him she and Michael were going out that night.

It was times like this that he wished they owned a dog. Then he could at least play with it right
now or take it out for a walk. . But he didn't so he just switched on the TV until he fell asleep.

It was quiet now and there was something on his lap. Alex struggled to wake up, vaguely remembering that he had been watching TV on the couch. Now the room was dark, and he reached down to see that Zan's head was resting on his lap.

He raised his watch up to his face to see what time it was and saw that it was 4am. He yawned and reached down to feel Zan's hair beneath his palm. it was soft, which meant Zan had taken a shower before joining him on the couch.

Alex closed his eyes and thought back on the other times he'd woken up in similar positions. These were some of the only times they spent time together and it made Alex upset.

It wasn't fair to either of them now that both their careers were progressing. His book forced him to stay home most nights, and Zan's ever increasing gigs drove him away from home most nights.

They hardly spent any time alone anymore.
Just that morning Zan had asked Alex to go to the bar with him, but Alex had turned him down in frustration.
"I can't just go to the bar with you, I'm trying to finish my book," Alex had said.

"You've been working on that book for months, man. I just want you to be there, just tonight," Zan had pleaded.
"I can't," Alex had replied.

Zan slammed the door after he left the apartment, leaving Alex alone in the deafening aftermath.
But now Zan was there with him, right hand griping at Alex's leg. He needed to finish that book soon.

TBC...

[believer_evans]

Part 18


"Can you make it to the gig tonight?" Zan asked as Alex made the bed. Alex stopped to look up at Zan and nodded.

"I need a break, and I haven't seen you play in a long time. I'll be there," Alex said with a grin.
"Good, cause there's something I have to show you," Zan said. "I gotta go now, but promise me you'll be there tonight."
"I promise," Alex said and rushed over to kiss him before he left.

Alex spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon hammering out more of the book. The gang would be there later that night to pick him up and they would all go together to see Zan perform.
When eight finally rolled around Alex saved his work and jumped in for a quick shower before the others got there. He dressed in a pair of jeans with a black, short sleeved button down shirt.

As he was pulling on his shoes he heard several loud knocks on his door.
Maria and Michael came in first, holding hands, followed by Liz and Max, Rath, and Ava on Sean's back. Alex invited them all in and offered them drinks to which everyone but Liz and Max accepted. They weren't much drinkers.

An hour later they all bounded toward the subway and headed downtown to the club. Ava was busily performing a mock pole dance in the car, ignoring the way Rath glared at her. Sean merely laughed and tried to pull her back down to sit on his knee. But she kept avoiding his grasp. She had cut her hair even shorter and wore it in a spiky bob with her hair dyed black, which Rath had also disapproved of.

Maria's hair had grown out and now hung in soft, loose waves and it swung behind her back. Alex looked over at Michael who was smiling as Maria spoke to Liz about her day. He was glad those two had gotten back together.

They ran out of the car when it stopped at their exit and ran up the stairs. It was raining, and by the time they made it to the club they were all laughing and shaking the water out of their hair.

They were on the list so were ushered in right away. Rath made his way to the bar as they rest moved closer to the empty stage. Zan's drums were already set up so they would be performing soon. Alex felt a small jolt of jealously when he saw the rest of his friends paired off. Liz and Max were talking into each other's ears; Michael and Maria were dancing, as well as Ava and Sean. He knew he had nothing to be jealous of, his other half was backstage somewhere.

It was another half hour before the band came on stage. It was a full house by then and Alex found himself sandwiched between two men who looked annoyed that he was there.
J screamed an intro and Zan's beat boomed out the first song. Alex was immediately sucked into the music, feeling the bass of J's voice beating through him with the fast beat of Zan's drums. Zan was shirtless as always; sweat already beginning to form on his face and body.

They had made it to their second song when Alex felt his cell phone vibrating in his right jean pocket. He pulled it out and saw that it was Cal calling. It was strange enough that Cal was calling his cell phone, let alone at this time of night. He pushed ignore and shoved it back into his pocket. He looked at Zan who was looking at him. Zan winked and then switched back to his drums. Alex was falling back into the beat when his cell began to vibrate again. He let it go without looking, but by the fourth time it happened he gave up and walked out of the club to the street.

"What is it Cal?" Alex asked impatiently.
"Well first of all you have horrible phone skills," Cal said, "And second, we have a problem. My assistant lost the latest chapters you sent me and I was going to show them to Isabel. I need you to come down to my office with a copy."

"Cal, it's ten o'clock on a Saturday. Can't this wait till tomorrow or Monday?" Alex asked.
"No, I was supposed to meet with her yesterday but she cancelled. Now she wants me to head to her office but I can't find the chapters."

Alex sighed and looked back toward the club.
"I can't right now, Cal. I'm not even home. I'm at one of Zan's gigs."
"Jesus, man. Prioritize. What's more important, your writing career or you little boyfriend's hobby?" Cal asked angrily. "Just run to your apartment, get those chapters and head to my office."

"Why can't I just email them to you?" Alex asked desperately.
"Yes Alex, go ahead and email me about fifty odd pages. That’s smart."
Alex fought the urge to tell Cal off and took a deep breath.

"Fine, Cal. I'll be right over." He said and shut his phone. He made his way back into the club and found Rath first. He told him he had to take off and to tell Zan he was sorry. He could tell Rath wanted to tell him to stay but the other man just shrugged and turned away.

Alex ran out into the rainy night and hailed a cab to head to the apartment. He paid the man extra to wait and ran up to print those chapters. Ten minutes later he was running back into the cab and telling him how to get to Cal's office.

He made it to Cal's office, sufficiently wet and mad. He laid the chapters on Cal's office and was about to leave when Cal called him back.
"As long as you're here, we might as well discuss what we have."

It was another two hours before he was able to leave Cal's office. He didn't feel like hailing another cab so he walked the couple of block to the subway and took it home. He had had a few missed calls from Liz, Maria, Michael, and the last one from Zan. He hadn't been able to answer because he was with Cal. but he figured he'd see Zan at home and speak to the rest in the morning.

When he got to the apartment it was 3am, and he was soaked from the rain. He turned on the light and found Zan sitting on the recliner, head down. Alex assumed he was sleeping so he quickly turned off the light.

"I'm up," Zan said. He sounded angry.
"Oh," Alex said and turned the light back on.
"Where'd you go?" Zan asked, still not looking up.

"Cal called. I had to bring him copies of the chapters I had given him. His assistant lost them."
"And he couldn't wait till tomorrow?"
"Apparently not. Cal's stubborn when it comes to work. Sorry I had to leave," Alex said and walked closer. "How was it?"

"It was great, until I found out you had left," Zan said. "I wanted you to be there."
"I know, I'm sorry," Alex said. He was now in front of Zan, but Zan would still not look up at him. He kneeled then, and put his hands on Zan's knees.
"I wanted you to hear," Zan whispered.
"Hear what?" Alex asked.

"We had a new song. I wrote it actually," Zan said and sighed. "I wanted you to hear it. It was for you. It was about you."

Alex didn't know what to say. He tried to hold Zan's hand but the other man pulled it away. "There was a record exec there too. A real one. He said he liked us, wants us to meet with him next week. He was talking about deals and tours. I wanted you to be there, I wanted your opinion."

"Oh Zan, I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Alex whispered.
"I told you. I said I had something I wanted you to see. You promised you'd be there. But ya weren't. You never are anymore."

Alex felt stung by Zan's statement. Was that really how Zan felt? It hurt and then it made him angry.
"What do you mean by that? I'm always here; you're the one that's never here. I'm stuck at home while you're out having fun. Do you even know how hard I've been working on this book?" Alex asked.

"Hey you're the one letting them control how you do it," Zan said. "I don't make you stay home. I beg ya to go with me, but you always say no. And I ain't out there just having fun. I'm working. I work at the bar, and I work with the band. Things are finally going good for me, and you act like it's all games. I ain't playin' around. This is serious for me." Zan said. Then he got really serious and stared at Alex. "Do you think you're book is more important than what I do with the band?"

"What?"
"You heard me. Do you think what you do is more important than what I do?" Zan asked again.
"Of course not," Alex said. "I know that what you do with the band is important to you."

"You see, you always say it's important to me, but ya never say that it's just important period. You've cancelled on my gigs cause you think you're book is more important than what I do-"

"No, that's not it at all," Alex interrupted. "You know Cal and the publisher have been riding me to get this book done. I've been killing myself to finish it and I feel horrible when I can't be there for you, but you're not there for me much either, you know. You don't even stay home with me when you have the night off."

"That's cause I don't want to be here bothering you. When I do stay you're always telling me to be quiet, to sit over there, don't do that. I feel like I can't do anything while you're writing so I leave."

They both remained silent for a few moments thinking about what the other had said. Alex could hear Cal's voice in his head calling Zan's music a hobby, and denied it at once. But then hadn't he left after Cal had said that?

"I can't do this anymore," Zan finally said.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked.
"I can't be like this. I can't be worrying about what you really think about me. I know what you do is important, I know it's your life. I don't think you know the same about me."

"Please don't say that," Alex said, he could feel his chest tighten and tears form in his eyes. "I know your music is your life too. I know it's important because I can see it when you play. Just please don't talk like you're leaving." Alex practically begged.

"I've been in the backseat of this for a long time now. I'm tired of begging for some time. Tonight was so important and I wanted you to be a part of it."Zan said and stood up. "I'm going to be staying at Rath's tonight."

"What? No, babe it's 3 in the morning. Just....just stay ok, please. We'll sleep it off and talk more in the morning, or, or we can stay up and talk. Just please don’t leave me," Alex said, crying now.

Zan shook his head and stepped by Alex, moving too fast for Alex to reach out and stop him. But Alex didn't try to stop him. He stayed kneeling on the floor in front of the recliner, hearing as the door opened and closed.

He couldn't believe that Zan had actually left. His hands were shaking and his breathing was fast and shallow. He felt like he had been punched in the chest repeatedly.

He didn't have the strength, or will, to get up so he just curled up and lay down on the floor.

TBC...

[believer_evans]

Hey all well this is the last chapter of this fic. It has been a blast writing it and these two have certainly taken me on an amazing trip. I just want to say thank you to everyone who stuck by this fic and have been kind enough for all the feedback and encouragement. It's always sad to see a fic end, but it was bound to happen.

I hope you all have enjoyed reading it as much as i have enjoyed writing it.



Part 19


Michael was the first to go over the next day. Rath had called Maria and told her what happened and she told Michael. He borrowed the key Maria had made of Alex's apartment and walked in. He searched the bedroom first but when he didn't find Alex there he came back out to the living room and found him on the floor.

"Alex? Hey, man, are you ok?" Michael asked and went over to check on him. Alex was curled up on his left side still asleep. Michael reached out and placed his hand on Alex's shoulder to wake him up.

"Zan?" Alex mumbled sleepily. He looked over his shoulder wishing to see Zan but found Michael instead. "Mike?"
"Yeah buddy, let's get you up ok," Michael said and reached for Alex's hands to pull him up.

Alex reluctantly helped and stood on wobbly legs in front of his friend.
"What are you doing here?" Alex asked.
"Maria told me what happened. How are you?"

Alex shook his head trying not to remember what had happened last night. He still wanted to pretend it was a horrible nightmare. He could see the look of total resignation and determination in Zan’s face when he decided to leave.

“He left me,” Alex said. “I think he’s leaving me, like leaving for good. You should have seen him Michael. He had already given up.”

Michael watched as his friend stared off with tears in his eyes. He wanted to go find Zan and knock some sense into him, tell him just how much Alex was hurting but he knew it would do no good. He had been there when Zan found out Alex had left the show early. He had seen the same hurt and dejection in Zan's eyes, and then he remembered seeing the tired look and the slump of Zan's shoulders.

"What happened last night, Mike?" Alex asked.
"He had come off stage after the set and was looking for you. Rath told him you had to leave. He looked hurt, man. Then he just looked mad. He said he had to go talk to some people and we never saw him again. Where'd you go?" Michael said.

"My editor called me. It was some stupid emergency, and I had to go over. He kept me there and when I got back, Zan was here. I'd never seen him look like that. And then, and then he says he's leaving. I have to see him. I can't just let him go like that, Mike. I can't." Alex said and rushed toward the door.

"Whoa, where are you going?" Michael asked.
"To Rath's. I know where he lives. Zan's there with him and I have to talk to him," Alex said as he left the apartment and toward the elevator. Michael closed the apartment door and followed him.

They were quiet the whole time. Alex decided on cab, not wanting to walk to the subway. They were in front of Rath's building in fifteen minutes and Michael had to run to catch up with Alex. They ran up the five flights of stairs until finally reaching Rath's apartment.

"Rath, come on, open the door," Alex said as he knocked. Michael was next to him, hands in his pockets. When Rath opened the door he looked like he hadn't slept.
"What?" he said.

"Please, where's Zan? I need to talk to him," Alex said. His voice sounded desperate.
"He don't wanna talk ta ya right now, man," Rath said, obviously feeling uncomfortable about having to relate that information.

"No, no please just let me in so I can talk to him. I need to see him, please Rath," Alex begged. Rath looked over at Michael who looked equally uncomfortable.
"Look man, he asked me not ta let ya in," Rath said.

"But why? He doesn't even want to see me, ever?" Alex asked. He turned around and slid down the wall next to Rath's door.
"Just go home," Rath said and closed the door.

Michael shook his head and got down to Alex.
"Come on, let's go,"
"No, I can't just leave. If I leave I'll never see him again," Alex said, tears streaming down his face. Michael pulled him up by the arms and led him away.

~*~

Two days later Alex came home to find Zan's clothes gone, and it was then that it hit him that Zan had made up his mind to stay away.

Alex wouldn't take calls for a week and it would take two more weeks for him to leave the apartment. He stayed in bed, taking in Zan's scent until it finally faded away. He had tried calling Zan but would get no answer.

After a month he finally let Liz come and visit him. One look at him and she burst into tears, holding on to him tightly.
"Oh Alex," She cried.

He couldn't bring himself to go check the bar for Zan. He was a coward and he knew it. He couldn't face any more rejection.

He was at Cal's office almost every day, dedicating all his time to rewriting most of the book. Cal let him and felt sorry for him. Isabel tried talking to him once, but after the third time he hung up on her she stopped. He took the chapters apart and changed most of the story, but Cal didn't complain. He took the new revised chapters nodded and made only a few corrections. Alex was a man on a mission.

When it was all over the book tour began. Alex found himself in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, all the major cities and even some not so major ones. Eventually he ended up back in New York. He was surprised by the crowd and he blushed when they cheered for him.

He sat down and read a section of the book, and answered questions from the audience.
"So did you leave the ending open for a sequel?" A woman asked.
"I've been thinking about it, but I haven't decided on a sequel yet," Alex answered truthfully. He wasn't so sure he was ready to jump into another book.

"So was this book all purely fiction, or did you have some personal experience?" asked someone else.
"Well, I prefer to leave that open as well," Alex said.

After ten more minutes of questions it was time for the signing. Alex smiled and took pictures with who ever wanted one, and signed every copy placed in front of him. He avoided the one question everyone seemed to ask. Who was the book dedicated to?

After an hour he thanked that the line was thinning out. His wrist hurt and his fingers were cramped when the last person came and went. He tossed the pen aside and put his head down. He was tired and all the attention was too much. He heard footsteps approaching but didn't look up. When he felt a book being laid down in front of him he groaned.
"Got time for one more?"

Alex looked up and saw Zan standing there. He was smiling shyly which was strange enough, but he looked different. He had cut his hair and now wore a soft mohawk. a new piercing adorned his face, a small loop in the middle of his bottom lip.
"Zan?"

"Hey Alex," Zan said. "So you got time for one more?" he opened the book and pointed at the page. Alex looked down to see it was open to the dedication page.

Simply for Zan.

He nodded and signed the page.
"I always hoped you'd show up," Alex said softly.
"I almost didn't" Zan confessed. "I read the book, all of it. I remember reading some of it when you were writing it. You changed it."

Alex nodded and looked back up at Zan. He had tried not to think about the man in the year they were apart, but there was no helping it. He still loved him.
"I'm sorry," Alex said. Zan just shook his head.
"Don't be. It's the past." Zan said. "It's a good book."

Alex shrugged and stood up.
"I'm glad you liked it," he said he closed the book and handed it back to Zan. "I'm having a dinner later tonight to celebrate the end of the tour. Everyone's going to be there," Alex said. "Would you like to come?"

Zan looked away and bit his bottom lip.
"Please," Alex added and reached out to touch Zan's free hand. Zan looked down at Alex hand and turned his hand around to hold Alex's fingers in his.
"Ok, I'll be there," Zan grinned.

They walked out of the book store together turning down the car that was outside waiting for Alex. Instead, they walked down the streets of the dimming city forgetting about the past. They talked about the tour; they talked about Zan's upcoming record release. They talked just to hear each other's voice.

They moved to the side to allow a group to pass by them and their hands bumped. Alex felt Zan's hand hold his and smiled.

Neither let go.

The End


**I know you guys probably wanted a happier ending for these two, and I really tried but they wouldn't have it. Zan said he wasn't going to just roll over and forget what they'd been through, and of course Alex said he totally understood. So with that note, thanks again for reading!!!