I Don't Want to Say Goodbye (Private with FatPanda)

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Name: Nathan Campbell

 

Age: 24

 

Appearance:

 

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Nathan rubbed his eyes tiredly and streched while trying to keep his eyes open. "Dammit... Where is he?..." The brunet mumbled under his nose as he ran a hand through his hair. Right now he was waiting for his friend to come over... They'd planned this evening to be one when they could just eat some pizza, watch some comedies and mess around... Pretty much like in high school.

 

Nathan sighed softly and shook his head while slightly rubbing his shoulder. The two had been best friends since they were kids. They both went to same school, same college. Now the only thing different were their jobs - Nathan worked... As a florist. Yes, as a florist. And no one was going to say anything against it - besides, he really knew his way around flowers and colors, so his bouquets were usually amazing.

 

The tall male scratched his head before standing up and walking over to the fridge. He opened it up and pulled out some left-overs from last night's dinner. His girlfriend... No, more like ex-girlfriend made it, and now he's alone. Again. How come he fucked up most of the relationships? Nathan sighed and put the food into the microwave to heat it up while he waited for his friend. Why was he even late?

[FatPanda]

Name: Zak Wiles

 

Age: 23

 

Appearance:

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Eyes: Hazel

Hair: Light red-brown

Skin Tone: Light

 

Personality: Childish and twisted; he likes to act nice and innocent at times but he is usually really rude, blunt, and corrupt. There's only one person he really cares about.

 

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Zak pulled on his red plaid shirt in a hurry, "Aaaaaah shit, I'm going to be late!" He added a watch and brushed his hair. "No way..." He looked in a mirror and saw the abundance of colours on his clothing. Despite all the colour, he looked good in it. Zak was going to see his childhood friend, also known as his best friend and the man he'd been in love with for the longest time ever. He thought about it, it was way too obvious he was dressing up; the shirt was new and it fit his body well. They were simply hanging out for the evening like any other day, he had no reason to look good. On top of that, his friend had just broken up with his girlfriend... again. It was too much to pounce on him at this moment, not that Zak ever intended to tell him. With a sigh, he pulled off the red and wore a casual white sweater.

 

He ran out the door with his black sneakers and without a jacket. It was warm today, he didn't need a jacket if he had a sweater on. He ran like the wind to catch the bus. He had moved across the city when he turned 18 to get closer to the university where he did his undergraduate degree and was doing his graduate studies in physiology now. It took him an hour to get to his former neighbourhood but he would make it on time. He lived here for 18 years, there were a few shortcuts he could make to get to Nathan's house. Zak walked down the street and as he was about to turn onto a side street, he ran into a girl.

 

The girl was with other people, a group of a few guys and another girl. There were three guys, two that were a lot bigger than him not that he was very tall at all. The other was considered average height but still taller than him. "What are you doing?" She screamed at him as she spun around to face him but then quieted down when she'd taken a look at his blank blinking face. His cute innocence made most people forgive him on the spot most of the time and this was one of those times. It would have been fine with an apology but the only problem was that Zak had a horrible attitude.

 

He barked back, "Aren't you the one without eyes? Watch where you're going, fat ass." He threw the insult at the young girl, his face scrunched into a scowl. He didn't have time for this but he wasn't planning on apologizing. Zak moved aside to get by the group but one of the big guys blocked his path.

 

"What'd you say, you ass hole? You were the one who bumped into her, and you're the one talking? She is not a fat ass, you are you douchebag. APOLOGIZE TO HER!" The big guy shouted at Zak, moving in towards him and grabbing his shirt. The guy glared down into his eye. He was probably younger but he was definitely bigger. "I said apologize to her!" He repeated in a louder voice and angrier tone to emphasize his irritation, losing patience with the silent Zak.

 

Zak glared back although his stare bore little hostility due to his cuteness. He sighed, he didn't have time for this but he didn't feel the need to apologize. "Fuck off."

 

The group of guys twitched an eyebrow and leaped at him. "You bastard, I'm going to kill you!" One of them punched him in the face. As he fell down, another kicked his stomach. They beat him up and left, spitting on the ground as they did. "Watch your mouth or you'll get killed one day." They made his body ache so much but luckily they didn't break any bones. Zak grunted and picked himself up off the ground, cringing at the stings. His lip cracked from the first punch. Those bastards are jerks. He felt like throwing up, if there was food in his stomach it would have come out onto his white sweater.

 

Zak couldn't believe he'd just been beaten up. He looked and smelled gross now. He was on his way over to Nathan's place, over to the place of the guy he'd been pinning for and he was a wreck. The small man felt like crying but resisted as that'd be the most embarrassing moment of his life. He dragged his ruined body through the short cut. I'm so late. He might be angry at me. The last thing he wanted was for Nathan to be angry at him.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

A soft sigh escaped Nathan's lips as he glanced at the clock for what felt like the milionth time. Really, Zak was rarely late... Maybe something happened? The florist bit his lip as he looked around a bit nervously and sighed, not completely sure wether he should just wait patiently, call his friend or go look for him.

 

After a while of thinking, the blue-eyed male decided to just stay home and wait. It was no use to go and search for Zak... The city was huge, he'd have no idea where to start, and maybe the other would come here by himself after some time. The best decision would be to wait.

 

The brunette took out the plate from the microwave and let out a small sigh before carrying it towards the table. Quietly, he sat down and began eating, closing his eyes for the time being. The food was delicious... Like it always was... Well, unless he was the one cooking it. Nathan was a terrible cook. The best he could to was make sandwiches or something that could be made it the microwave. If he even tried to do anything else, he was bound to fail.

 

Nathan let out a soft hum as he continued to eat the leftovers of yesterday's chicken. Somehow, his girlfr-... ex-girlfriend made it taste absolutely amazing. He still couldn't believe he let her go... She had to be one of the most perfect women he would ever find - he'd probably annoyed everyone with his talks about her...

[FatPanda]

Zak limped his way down the street, there was a large bruise on his right shin. He'd be there already if he could run but his leg hurt too much and he couldn't straighten himself. The first kick to his stomach left him cringing every time he tried to take a step. Ugh, just a little more. Zak pushed himself forward, trying his best not to fall over in pain and assume a fetal position. The motivation he held in mind to keep going was the thought of seeing the man he loved. They'd been friends since a long time ago and he'd slowly come to realize his feelings for the other.

 

The small man held onto his aching left arm with the right one and moved towards the house he remembered so well. He had spent quite a lot of time there when they were growing up together in this neighbourhood. Sometimes he had thought he spent more time there than in his own house down the street. He thought about all the times they played games, crammed for tests and exams together, and talked about... girls. Zak wasn't interested in girls, even way back then, but he didn't want Nathan to know about any feelings he harboured for the brunet so had agreed with everything his friend said. The only person he cared for was Nathan, no other girl or boy made his heart flutter more.

 

Zak shook the reminiscent feelings out. He was almost there now, the house with the blue roof could be seen from where he was standing. He pressed on to reach at least the gates separating the house from the small street. If he stepped within a close enough range, the German Shepherd would see him and hopefully call for his owner to announce his late arrival. He'd like to make it to the doorbell though. It was to the right of the white front door and there were no steps between the path leading up to the house and the door itself, luckily. However, that'd put a little more strain on his sore body.

 

He walked towards the gate and leaned on it as it swung open, creaking just slightly. The dog started to bark as he stumbled along the walkway to the door, hand reaching out for the doorbell. Ding dong.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan hummed quietly to himself as he continued eating the delicious chicken... That is, until he heard his dog barking. A small smile appeared on the man's face and he quickly stood up, leaving the half-eaten meal on the table. If it was barking, someone probably came... And it jus had to be Zak! Finally!

 

The brunet pushed away the chair and walked towards the door with all bad thoughts gone from his mind... Just, it took him a while to reach it. Halfway to reaching the door, Nathan had started coughing - it happened very oftenly for the past few weeks... He'd start coughing suddenly, yet he had no fever, no headache or a runny nose, so it couldn't have been a cold... Nathan was getting tired from that... He should probably go and see a doctor...

 

Once he finished coughing, the man sighed and rubbed his forehead, then continued to make his way to the door. The doorbell rang not too long ago... Maybe Zak wouldn't be annoyed with waiting yet? As the brunet opened the door, he smiled apologeticly. "Sorry, I-.." And that was the moment he saw his friend's appearance. His eyes widened as he stared at the boy before slowly opening his mouth. "Wha... What happened?!?" It was quite obvious the man was worried. Quickly, he pulled the shorter male inside and scanned his body with his blue eyes. "What in the world...?"

[FatPanda]

Zak straightened himself as the door opened. He wiped the dried vomit streak next to his mouth and pretended to be better than he really was. His body nearly lost its balance as he was pulled inside, his head spinning slightly. "Some assholes beat me up." He replied briskly and as uncaring as he could. He sat and struggled to get his shoes off his aching leg. It took him a while but he managed to do it. The feeling of sitting made him want to relax and pass out in the doorway but that might make his worried friend more worried. A small grunt left his lips as he got up.

 

He brushed past his friend's worried gaze and moved towards the bathroom. "Sorry I'm late... let me use your bath." He wanted to cry from the smell. It was disgusting and Nathan was there to smell it. It wasn't like he'd never puked in Nathan's presence but he still couldn't stand being so gross right now. His crush was smelling his bile while he looked like a bruise. How much worse could the day get?

 

Zak thumped his heavy legs on the stairs as he pulled his body up to the bathroom. He pulled off the disgusting sweater right before he got inside. He could already see the bruises forming, they were turning red, black, blue, purple, every colour possible. Closing the door, he undid the pants he'd only pulled on hours ago. Zak turned on the hot water to warm as he pulled off his tight pants, cringing once more at the pain of his shin. That one was going to an ugly colour in a few days. He sank into the water just as the tub filled to its rim and turned off the water.

 

The heat of the water soothed his aches nicely. Zak relaxed in the tub, leaning his head against the side. Some of the wounds stung but they were crying out in relief. He washed his face with the refreshing water and closed his eyes at the feeling. Some time during his relaxation, he really did pass out.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan bit his bottom lip when he heard the other's answer. He clenched his hands into fists as he gritted his teeth. His friend was beaten up?.. Damn, he wanted nothing more than to take care of the ones who did that... There shouldn't even be people like that in the world. Who the fuck beats up a guy like Zak?!? Sure, he could be a bit rude sometimes... But the brunet knew the other had his nice side.

 

The taller male nodded slightly when he'd heard the other wanted to use his bath and managed to squeeze out a small smile. “Sure, you know where it is... I'll get something for your wounds in the mean time.“ Nathan said quietly and smiled slightly as he watched the other walking off. He sighed softly to himself and turned to the kitchen. The man looked around and walked over to take out some desinfector and bandages, as well as plasters. Nathan bit his lip as he held the things in his hands, feeling a bit nervous...

 

He'd been glancing at the clock for the past twenty minutes. Something was wrong.... Zak would've gotten out of the bath already if everything was alright... The brunet quickly ran up the stairs and to the bathroom while holding the spare key in his hand. The reason he had one was because his bathroom doors sometimes stuck and he'd have to help people get out of the room... With a sigh, the tall male knocked softly at the door. “Zak? Is everything okay?“ After not getting any answer, he started panicking and quickly unlocked the door, bursting inside.

 

Once he noticed his friend in the bath, passed out, his blue eyes widened and he ran up to the smaller boy. “Zak! Can you hear me?..“ Nathan asked while slowly pulling the other out of the bath. Seeing his friend naked didn't seem to be a problem to him - they were both guys, after all. The brunet sighed softly as he grabbed a towel and gently dried the other off, just making sure not to press on any wounds too much. “Zak...“ He muttered out quietly and sighed before hesitantly picking the other up. He'd need some better lighting to take care of his wounds...

[FatPanda]

Zak felt someone beside him. His eye fluttered slightly. Opening them just a crack, he saw Nathan. Had he been fully awake, he would have been flustered for his crush to see his naked body. His friend had seen him topless a long time ago but not full on naked before. However for now, his body was too heavy from relaxation and his mind was too tired from exhaustion to notice. Yet he did note how wonderful it made him feel to have the man by his side, attending to his wounds. There wasn't even pain where he was touched. His eyes closed again and his mind drifted off into darkness once more.

 

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There was a warm blanket wrapped around his sore body that was now bandaged up quite nicely. Zak looked around as he sat up, not even wincing at any pain. He was in Nathan's bed and in Nathan's pajamas. He brought the sleeve up to his nose and sniffed. It smells just like him. The whole room smelled of him. Zak grinned as he fell back onto the bed, rolling around. That's when he remembered he had been naked when Nathan came into the bathroom to pick him out. A rush of blood went to his head as embarrassment took over. Ah, he saw me naked. NAKED! He felt like a school girl but he couldn't help it. The man he loved had seen his private parts.

 

Zak rolled around in the bed even more, trying to shake off the feeling. Eventually, he got tangled in the blanket and fell off the bed with a thud. He ripped the blanket off his body and shot up. There was no time to be embarrassed, he had spent his time reserved for Nathan sleeping. How much time had passed? He didn't know when he'd gotten in so didn't know how much time had passed but he owed his friend an apology.

 

The small man peered out of the bedroom and walked down the stairs. He had to look for Nathan and make a formal apology. He had been quite rude when he got in the house, not having really taken the time to ask him how he was doing even though they hadn't seen each other much lately. He wandered into the kitchen calling out softly, "Nathan?"

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan did his best on taking of his friend. He made sure to wrap the bandages carefully, trying not to press onto the wounds too hard. His hands were rather gentle so the brunet was able to do at least that much without a lot of work... Finally, once the blue-eyed male was done, he put Zak into his pj's and carried him into his bed while he himself went to the living room, to wait until the younger one woke up.

 

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Nathan sighed to himself as he watched some show about TV stars on a channel he'd found while searching for how to spend his time. The brunet scratched his head as a small yawn escaped his lips and shook his head slightly to get rid of the sleepiness. The other had been sleeping for over six hours by now... Really, Nathan couldn't help but grow more and more worried. Maybe he should've got the other to a hospital... What if what he did wasn't enough? Maybe Zak had some injuries that couldn't be seen from the outside?

 

With a soft groan, the tall male stood up and rubbed his forehead before heading to the kitchen. He walked over to the tea pot and started to boil up some water for the tea, biting his lip as he waited. Soon, he took out probably the biggest cup he had and made himself some black tea with very little sugar - he was feeling like he was about to fall asleep, and he didn't really like coffee...

 

That was when Zak came into the kitchen. The tea immediately forgotten, Nathan nearly ran up to his friend, his eyes wide. "Are you feeling any better?" He asked without letting the other say one word. The brunet gently lifted the smaller's chin up to look at his lip, a frown appearing on his own face. The wound there really didn't look too good... And he had absolutely no idea what was the best way to take care of it. While thinking, the older male still held the other's chin getly, as if afraid to hurt the other.

[FatPanda]

Zak immediately felt bad. He'd made his friend worry so much. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have picked a fight. I'm alright now, thanks to you." He smiled, hoping to make his point more clearly. His face started to flush as he looked into Nathan's eyes, and realized the other was holding his chin. He rudely removed the hand, noting that Nathan's hands were very gentle on his chin. The concern was refreshing on his mind but it also made him feel spoiled, not that he wasn't already feeling that way. "Don't worry so much about me, I'm always like this. I need to learn not to pick fights with just anyone." He tried to change the subject to keep his mind busy so to not flush into a bright red.

 

Nathan was always very nice. He was the only person who could tolerate Zak's attitude. It allowed Zak to relax around him and was also the reason he took such a liking to the man. He'd been in quite a few fights with his rotten attitude. Each time he was beat up, Nathan was the only one who showed any concern for him. He liked the gentleness of this man the most. Although he had to admit, his friend had a hot body and beautiful face as well.

 

The tea boiled into a hum. Zak hadn't noticed Nathan was making anything. "Oh, you're making tea? Is there enough for a second cup?" He asked cheerfully. Nathan was probably tired if he was making tea to drink. It was quite late, tea could keep you up all night if you weren't already tired. He walked over to the tea pot to poor himself and Nathan a cup each. Even though he knew Nathan was tired, he didn't want to sleep yet. Selfishly, he asked, "How about that overdue pizza and movie? I was looking forward to it. You're not too old to stay up late, are you?"

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan nearly flinched when Zak pushed away his hand. A soft sigh escaped the man's lips and he tilted his head. Really, his friend was acting weird sometimes... "I can't stop worrying about you and you know that..." The florist murmured out while pushing his hands into the pockets of his pants. The taller male observed the other carefully, as if expecting for him to faint again. Sometimes he himself could be over-protective and way too worried. The brunet couldn't help it - it was just who he was.

 

Nathan nodded quietly at the question and watched how Zak walked over to make the tea. With a slightly irritated expression, the older male rubbed his shoulder. There was annoying pain there and for quite a long time already... Really, if this was some weird cold or something like that - though Nathan doubted it - he had to get a doctor to check it. Combined with his coughing, the shoulder pain was really annoying.

 

Before covering a yawn, the brunet nodded at Zak's next question. "Sure, we can order some." He said quietly and scratched the back of his head as he walked off to take his cup.. Yet stopped about mid-way. Nathan could feel it even before it started - the coughing. The tall male covered his mouth with one hand as he fell into a fit of coughing, with his other hand holding onto the counter. He bent over while trying to stop, his eyes closed tightly. How come it even hurt so bad?!? This seemed even worse than some cold... Or even the flu.

[FatPanda]

Zak was about to sip his freshly brewed tea when Nathan started coughing. The cough was hoarse and sounded like it was straining in his throat. He stood by waiting for the fit to stop and joked, "Are you getting so old that you're coughing like a sickly old man nearing death already?" He laughed as he drank his tea expecting a laugh and a hearty response in return when the cough ended. It was a rude joke but he couldn't help it; he spoke his mind a little too carelessly.

 

The cough continued for quite some time. It should have stopped a while ago. Zak's face scrunched. He put the cup down and hurried over to his friend. "Hey, are you okay?" He asked while stroking Nathan's back to calm the cough. Worry rushed through him as he thought maybe his friend was getting sick. He pulled a chair over and tried to sit his friend down. He pulled the cup of tea over as well but realized it would be too hot to chug so grabbed another cup and poured some water. Handing it to Nathan he continued to rub the back.

 

"Are you getting sick? Maybe you should take some medicine and sleep instead. We can watch movies and eat pizza anytime. Let's get you into bed. Don't drink the tea or you won't be able to sleep." He went to a cupboard to search for cough medicine. Taking a bottle of cough syrup over, he poured some into a spoon. He added a bit more since the cough sounded worse than usual. "Here, take this first."

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan couldn't even answer to the other's joke. The coughing didn't seem anywhere near stopping as the tall male lightly gripped at his chest, trying to ease the pain that he was feeling there. His breathing became sharp and uneven as he was only able to breath in between coughs.

 

When the brunet felt a hand on his back, he felt somewhat better. Right, Zak was here... He'd be fine if he wasn't alone. The florist felt himself being sat down on a chair as his coughing continued, though seemingly disappearing little by little. His blue eyes slowly opened and small tears could be seen in the corners. The pain that he felt both in his chest and throat was enough for them to appear...

 

Nathan gladly took the glass of water and attempted to bring it to his mouth to drink it down. He failed at first, though finally made it and his coughing stopped. The brunet took in a few deep breaths as he looked up at Zak and smiled apologeticly. “Sorry about this...“ He said quietly since the pain in his throat stopped him from talking any louder. “I'm not sick... There's just coughing, it'll go away...“ Nathan said and gently pushed away the spoon with syrup away. “Don't worry about me. This is probably just some cold... Let's just offer the pizza.“

[FatPanda]

Zak blinked several times, just astonished at the response. "You're sure you're okay? You're not going to regret not taking the medicine later?" With a sigh he added. "It won't hurt to take some cough medicine but if you don't want it, there's nothing I can do." He frowned. Although he didn't sound too concerned because he didn't push it, he was fairly worried. The man he was pinning for wasn't feeling well and he wasn't helping him feel better one bit. Even if it was just a cold, Nathan didn't look well. It caused a pang in his heart. He'd insist the man took at least the harmless cough syrup and some sleep but the other man didn't seem too keen on the idea. He tossed the medicine in the sink and washed the spoon. After replacing the medicine on its shelf, he passed the tea over.

 

"Here, drink this." He at least wanted Nathan to drink something to soothe the most likely sore throat. If they were going to be staying up to watch a movie and eat some pizza, his friend was going to need some caffeine. "You just go to the couch and sit while I set up the movie and order pizza. Rest up, I can handle everything." He'd prefer if Nathan went to sleep but that wasn't likely to happen. Maybe it was a better idea to not let him have caffeine and dose off some time in the night but his friend probably wouldn't like to be cheated that way.

 

Zak turned on the familiar television and put the movie on. Luckily it was a comedy and would be light-hearted. They were easier to watch so would put less strain on the man who needed sleep. He couldn't imagine playing a horror, a thriller, or a melodramatic movie where it was so intense Nathan was on edge. He could only dream of his friend drifting off to sleep in that case. He let the beginning play while he went to call for pizza delivery. After making the brief call, he sat down and watched the movie as they waited for the food to arrive.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan smiled weakly and nodded slightly. "I'm pretty sure I won't..." He said softly as he watched Zak walking over to the sink and tossing out the medicine. The brunet sighed softly and rubbed his forehead with a slightly pained expression. Maybe this really was a cold?.. The man could swear he had a fever right now... He definitely didn't want to infect Zak! He wouldn't know what to do if he got his friend sick..

 

Nathan gladly accepted the tea cup and smiled softly at the younger male before bringing the cup to his lips. The first sip burned his throat a little bit, but... It still seemed to help. His blue eyes slowly closed back up as he drank the tea and nodded slightly at the words he heard coming from his friend. "Alright.. Thanks, Zak." Nathan said softly and smiled as he opened his eyes once again. Slowly, the brunet stood up and walked over to the living room where he sat down on a couch.

 

Once the man noticed that the other turned on a comedy, he let out a small chuckle and glanced at the other. He preffered something a bit more... Thrilling, at least usually. Though now a comedy really would be the best. Nathan didn't ever refuse a good laugh... And this seemed promising. Once the smaller male came back, the brunet's smile widened and he tilted his head and scooted on a bit closer. "You wanna stay here tonight?" He asked softly and smiled while leaning back against the comfortable cushions. The taller man honestly enjoyed these kind of evenings... They were so relaxing... Well, not when he felt like he had a cold, at least. Tomorrow he really should go and visit a doctor... Three weeks were a bit too much.

[FatPanda]

Zak was glad his friend seemed to be enjoying the movie. It was always a relief to know Nathan wasn't bored hanging around him. At the suggestion, a blush ran across his cheeks. What was his friend asking? Whether he wanted to stay the night as a friend or as something else? Zak shook the thought from his mind, Nathan wouldn't imply something like that. He was as straight as they came. He'd liked girls all his life. There wouldn't be a sudden change. Yet Zak couldn't help but think he meant more. Frowning to himself, the younger man tried to calm his thumping heart. There's no way he meant it that way... Then again, I make myself sound straight when I'm not.

 

With a frustrated sigh, he decided to assume it was a as a friend but accepted nonetheless in case it meant more. "Sure, I can take care of you if that fit comes back." He replied as normally as he could. It did seem to come out a little more excited than he'd have liked though. He tried to suppress the rising giggle and normalize his excessively wide grin. It would mean the world to him if Nathan was the first to make a move. That could only mean that his friend felt the same way. It might be too much to wish for, but a man can dream. The thoughts made his silly grin even wider.

 

He got up hurriedly to hide his goofy expression. "I think the pizza will be here soon." He walked to the door, away from the man his heart was thumping for. With a coincidence, the doorbell rang. Finally feeling the calm settle in, he opened the door and payed for the food. After he closed the door, he leaned against it for a short while. It was really a lucky coincidence. Wondering how awkward it would have been to wait in the corridor for food that wasn't arriving, he picked himself off the door and headed back to the living room. The time away from Nathan helped stabilize his emotions. If Nathan wanted to make a move, he'd take it but for now, he was simply a friend as always.

 

"Food is here." He announced as he returned to his seat and set the pizza down.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nahan laughed softly at the blush he noticed on his friend's cheeks. Really, the other was blushing quite oftenly lately... The man smiled softly when he heard Zak's response and nodded. "Thank you~" He said softly and turned back to the TV for a few moments... Well, until the other stood up to get the pizza... And how in the world did he know it was here when there was no doorbell?!?

 

Nathan raised his eyebrows and took the pizza from Zak's hands with a slightly teasing smile on his face. "Come on, how did you know he was going to come?" He asked with a chuckle and tilted his head before deciding to tease the other a bit... He actually enjoyed making the other blush, and sometimes it wasn't that hard.

 

"You know, the nights in this house can be a bit cold... If you decide you're cold by yourself, you can come to me~" The florist said with a chuckle before taking a sip of his tea. There would be no harm in saying something like that... He was straight, so was Zak, so why shouldn't he? They both needed a bit of laugh time at a time... Thr brunet glanced at his friend with a smile on his face as he waited for the response. Would Zak blush again or would he just kind of brush it off?

[FatPanda]

Taking a slice of pizza, Zak laughed slightly, "I'm just that good. I used to be a psychic, you know?" He winked at the irrational remark. Upon hearing the new suggestion, he nearly choked on his food. Swinging a hand up to his mouth, he thought, What is he saying?! This time, his face flushed instantly. There was no time for him to even try to conceal it. His face already became a bright red when he registered what his friend was saying. He'd already been letting his mind run a little too freely but this, this was definitely going to be a problem.

 

Even if he would have normally taken it as a joke, Zak couldn't this time. The statement was too suggestive after what he'd thought just seconds ago. "I... uh... what are you..." His blush deepened. He couldn't find the words he wanted to say. His mind was much too flustered to think but he knew this was a once in a lifetime chance. If he let it go, he wouldn't be able to confess ever again and worse, his friendship might break. Then he'd never see his crush again. Furrowing his eyebrows, he admitted nervously, "It is cold... If you don't mind... I'd like to sleep with you..."

 

Meaning it in a more adult sense than the original question had warranted for, he acted on his words. He put the food down, almost as a toss, and leaned over onto Nathan. His crush - no, boyfriend - looked so beautifully enticing. He believed they had both confessed their mutual feelings and came to an agreement to be lovers. He wasn't thinking rationally; the rush of excitement had taken over. Looking at Nathan's face, his control broke and he founded himself trying to kiss the man. With his mouth opened slightly and his tongue looking to slip into the other's, he felt his cock harden.

 

Zak knew it was possible his friend hadn't meant for this to happen, that he was heartbroken and looking for someone to date. As a friend, he shouldn't be making such a move on someone who was so vulnerable. Still, the possibility he could finally become lover instead of friend overpowered his ability to reason. Zak rubbed his hard-on against the other man's leg, hoping for a response. At the same time, he prayed he wasn't scaring Nathan off by coming on too hard.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan laughed softly at the reaction he got from his friend. There, he succeeded in making those cheeks red again! The brunet grinned as he watched the other nearly chockinb on his food and reached out for his tea, taking a small sip from it as the smile stayed on his face... That is, until he heard Zak's response.

 

His first reaction to it was frozing momentarely, then he quickly tried to calm himself down. His friend was just playing along, nothing more than that... The brunet chuckled and was about to continue the what he thought was a play, but when he turned back to Zak, his expression grew to a surprised and just slightly disgusted.

 

The fact that he felt something hard against his leg didn't help either. A bit hesitantly, the older male pulled away, staring at the other with nearly shocked eyes. "Stop joking around... This isn't funny anymore, Zak..." He said slowly, still staring at the other. He refused to believe this was something more than a play, some joke. "C'mon, I'm straight... And so are you! Dammit, I broke up with my girlfriend, too!" The blue-eyed male continued talking, panick rising in his voice. "You can't be serious... Right?..." He asked in almost a whisper with his eyes wide.

 

Sadly, the tall male wasn't able to even wait for the other's answer. He'd started coughing again... Just this time - a bit worse. Nathan pressed up a hand against his mouth as he shut his eyes tightly and bent over, all that happened quickly erassed from his mind. The blue eyes suddenly shot open and, with pure disbelief, the man slowly pulled his hand away from his mouth, just staring at the blood on it. He was coughing up... Blood?...

[FatPanda]

As Nathan pulled away Zak frowned. Had he been too eager? He opened his mouth to apologize but he didn't get a chance as his friend started to talk. His eyes widened at the remarks. Why does Nathan think it was a joke? Did I look like I was joking? He was confused at the shock, bringing shock to himself as well. The strain on his pants withered away and the lust on his lips was bitten back. He didn't know what was going on, having thought they had come to a mutual agreement. When Nathan declared he was straight, Zak came to realization that it had all been in his head. "What are you saying?! You said it was alright to sleep with you! You and I feel the same way! I thought you'd finally accepted me! You - you're not supposed to be straight... I'm not straight... I love you... I-I'm serious." Zak was on the verge of tears. His throat became raspy as mucous lined it. His face turned a pink hue as the blood rushed up to his nose. His eyes were flaming with the need to shed the tears. His heart ached like nothing he'd felt before.

 

His friend's face said nothing of a joke, the surprise was genuine. Zak wanted to bury himself in a hole; not only had he been mistaken, he was now jeopardizing their friendship as he revealed his hidden feelings with a stutter. The words weren't even properly formed, he wasn't prepared for it at all. His face was soaked by the tears as he cried out, "I'm sorry, I just really love you. I didn't mean to keep it from you, I've just always really really loved you. I-I'm sorry, I thought you liked me too. I-I'm sorry, I just really really... like... you." He sobbed the words, not even thinking that his friend wouldn't hear them over his own coughing. He slowly calmed his cries as he noticed his friend was bleeding.

 

With a swallow of his saliva accumulated from his erratic breathing, he wiped his tears onto his sleeve. "Are... are you alright?" He asked in a shy voice. The bold Zak he usually was had disappeared in the face of rejection but he was still concerned. With a hesitant arm, he reached up to pat Nathan on the back as he hoped his friend wouldn't find the gesture repelling. It would shatter his heart if Nathan never wanted them to touch even as friends again. Still he had to check up on his friend. "H-how are you feeling? Do you need to go see a doctor? No, you need to go see a doctor!" With a sniff, he got up and tried to pull Nathan up as well. He wouldn't take no for an answer when the man was coughing up blood. "How long have you been putting off seeing the doctor? You're sick right? The sick should see a doctor! How could you let it get so bad that you're now coughing up blood? I mean, it's blood. Nothing good ever comes from coughing blood!" He ranted on, nagging about every little thing to keep his mind off of rejection. "Let's go."

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan just couldn't believe what he heard from his friend. Zak was in love with him?!? But... He was straight... They both talked about girls, yet now that the florist thought about it, Zak never did have a girlfriend... Was he the reason for that? The brunet couldn't really focuse his thoughts at the moment as he continued coughing, only more blood appearing with each cough. The pain in his chest was increasing every moment... Only fragments of what Zak said reached his ears as the older male felt himself slowly slipping into darkness... Yet somehow managed to keep himself up.

 

Nathan's breathing hitched the slightest bit when he felt the hand on his back, his coughing disappearing little by little until it finally stopped, leaving the metalic taste of blood in his mouth. The brunet's breathing was rather hectic and he flinched when the other tried to pull him up. "D-Don't... It hurts..." Nathan managed to say while some blood rolled down from the corner of his mouth. He raised his slightly teary, blue eyes to Zak and opened his mouth to say something else, yet failed to do so. Sure, he probably had to go to a doctor sooner... But as always, he thought it would just be gone in a few days. The few days turned into a few weeks pretty soon...

 

Finally, the tall male tightly gripped onto his friend as he stood up, with one hand clutching his chest. Now that the light of the lamp was falling on him, it could be seen that he'd lost weight as well... Nathan couldn't even remember the last time he felt this bad. Just what in the world was wrong with him?!? The brunet looked at the younger male with slightly apologetic eyes as he gripped onto him with weakened hands. "Sorry I'm all like this.." He muttered out and managed to squeeze out a weak smile. As always, he was worrying more about the ones around him than himself. The blue-eyed male managed to straighten up after a while and let go of Zak, wiping off most of the blood with his hand. "...Will you go with me? To the hospital?" He asked while looking at his friend with slight hope showing in his eyes. "I didn't mean to react to what you said like this... Just... Gimme some time..."

[FatPanda]

If Zak wasn't filled with so much concern, he would have broken down on the spot. It was hard to accept the fact that he'd been pinning for his friend all these years and this friend had never once noticed nor did he feel anything towards him yet he'd made a mistake this one day assuming they could be together. He was relieved that Nathan still wanted him to accompany his friend to the hospital; it at least meant the man wasn't too disgusted with him that he wouldn't ever be allowed near his crush again. Taking a breath to stabilize his emotions, he smile shyly. "You've got all the time in the world, let's get you to the hospital."

 

He didn't bring a car as he'd taken the bus that evening so he decided he'd have to drive Nathan's car. "You're not driving, it'd be bad if you had a sudden coughing fit in the middle of the road." He guided his friend to the front door, picking up the car keys off the table on his way. He pulled on a jacket over the borrowed pajamas, not bothering to change. It didn't matter to him what people thought, they'd be going to the emergency room. It wasn't unusual for people to show up there in their pajamas. He put on his shoes and opened the door.

 

The car was cold from the night but slowly warmed up to a bearable temperature. With his seat belt buckled in, Zak drove along the road to the nearest hospital. He parked in the wide parking lot and got out of the car, walking towards the emergency room. If it turned out to be nothing more than a light cold, he would be relieved but that meant he'd go back to worrying about his earlier dilemma. He had no idea what he'd do if Nathan flat out rejected him and said there was no way they could be anything more than friends. Sure it was nice being a friend, it was a great pleasure to even be such a close friend to the man he loved but it also made him greedy for more.

 

He pondered the questions as they arrived in the emergency room.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Natha only nodded faintly when the other said that he'd drive. Quietly, the brunet got into the passenger seat of his car and put on the seat belt, with one hand slightly rubbing his chest. The older male let out a shaky breath when they started moving, the hand now clutching his chest. Somehow, when the car wasn't completely still, the pain increased...

 

The florist was glad to be out of the car. When they stopped, he slowly got out, holding onto the car doors as he took a few moments just to make sure he could stand properly and wouldn't fall. The pain in his chest was a bit duller now, but it wasn't anywhere near from disappearing. Even worse - he felt another fit of coughing coming his way... The taller man somehow managed to stop it, but he knew that once he did start coughing, it would be twice the pain. Still, he'd made his friend worry enough already...

 

Nathan took in a deep breath when they reached the emergency room, all the way while they were walking there, he was leaning onto Zak. His blue eyes trailed over the room until a worried nurse came to them, her deep green eyes quickly scanning over Nathan. "What happened?" She asked softly before noticing the dried blood in the corners of Nathan's mouth. Seconds after that, the said male began coughing, more blood dripping from his mouth while the girl's eyes widened. "Follow me, quickly!" She said to Zak before hurriedly walking off, probably to find a doctor. They'd have to run tests to know just what was happening...

[FatPanda]

Zak hesitated. "Go Nathan, they'll probably only be doing some tests. You don't need me there." He didn't want to follow them in; it wasn't his place to be in there. I am only a friend. Swallowing the words he spoke to himself, he remained where he was as he watched the nurse leave. He was sitting in the emergency room, off to one side, surrounded by people coughing, crying, and screaming. It was noisy in the hospital although it was the middle of the night. The ER never seemed to calm down.

 

It was a good thing he didn't go in, it gave him time to calm down. Everything that'd happened today seemed like a big mess. He'd been beaten up and had passed out. He'd confessed his secret feelings he'd worked so hard to hide all these years. He'd been rejected right after the confession. His friend was coughing up blood. And here he was in the ER trying not to feel the blush in his cheeks. Nathan rejected me, I know that. So why am I still feeling like I have a chance? He leaned upon me for support, that has no extra meaning to it at all. He doesn't feel anything for me, as he never has. The last bit stung; he knew it, it was a fact. Yet, to put it in words at that moment made him want to cry.

 

He looked around. If he cried here, he'd fit right in: with his bandaged up body and his tear filled face. He would look just like any other patient seeking emergency relief. But his pride wouldn't let that happen. Zak couldn't cry now, not when Nathan could return any second with the declaration he was fine. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the wall. The noise in the room droned around him into a low buzz and soon he met with slumber.

[Zombie_In_A_Box]

Nathan blinked a few times before giving the other a small nod. It took him quite some strength to actually be able to follow the nurse, who probably didn't even realize that Zak wasn't helping the brunet. The blue eyes of the male seemed hazy as he started to find walking a task which was already hard enough. No, this wasn't a simple cold anymore... If it ever was.

 

The brunet's eyes were blinded by the sudden bright light as the nurse lead him into a room where he was immediately pushed into some chair. Nathan let out a small wince when he felt a needle piercing into his skin as a voice somewhere near his ear told him to clench his hand into a fist a few times and relax it afterwards. The florist did it all slowly, not fully realizing why was he doing it and who was even around him. All he knew that his head was spinning, his chest hurt and he could still feel the awful, metalic taste in his mouth.

 

The tests continued for a few hours and the tall male was growing tired from it all. Nathan was tired - more than ever at this point. He just wanted to go back into his bed... Was Zak even still here? He probably left, after all, who would stay this long? He sighed and rubbed his eye tiredly as he sat alone in the completely empty room - well, until a doctor came in. He had a serious expression on his face as he held Nathan's chest X-ray. "Mr. Campbell, right?" The mentioned male nodded slightly, barely keeping his eyes open as he looked at the doctor. "I'm sure you're tired from all the tests by now, but we had to make sure... We wouldn't want to announce something like that without the proof we could possibly get." By now, Nathan was growing a bit worried. So it was serious...

 

"Mr. Campbell, you've got lung cancer." The words echoed through the brunet's mind as his eyes opened wide, now staring at the doctor in disbelief. "Wha... But... I don't smoke, I don't... None of my friends, do either!" The brunet said as he gripped his shirt slightly. "It's possible you inherited it from another member of your family. The chances are rather low, but... It's possible." The doctor answered quietly as he held up the X-ray and pointed at something that looked like a white stain in Nathan's right lung. "That's your cancer. It's progressed a lot by now." The doctor said with a bit of blame in his eyes. "You should never postpone a visit to a hospital, mr. Campbell." He said quietly while walking up to the shocked florist.

 

"I believe you came here with a friend. Would you like to let him know about this or should I tell him to leave?" The doctor asked softly as the brunet tried to find the words to express what he wanted to say. "Tell... Come here..." He finally muttered out, though he couldn't even make the whole sentence. The doctor merely nodded and walked off, leaving Nathan alone once again, only his thoughts keeping him company...