‘Fuck off, Brian,’ Zack hissed, slamming the front door in his lovers’ face. “Angry” didn’t even sum up how murderous Zack felt.
 
‘Oh, come on, Z! Don’t be like this,’ Brian sighed, opening the door that had almost smashed into his face.
Zack had made his way to the bedroom, the door almost closed completely. The bedroom light was on, and Brian could hear the bath running from their ensuite bathroom. Brian could see their bed through the crack between the door and the door frame. It’d been a long day, and all Brian wanted to do was strip down, and flop down onto the sheet. Unfortunately, Brian doubted he’d be welcome in that bed for a while.
Hesitantly, Brian entered the bedroom. Zack’s clothes had been tossed on the floor, and his shoes on either ends of the room. Brian rubbed his forehead. At least Zack had nothing to throw at him.
‘Babe, can we talk, please?’ Brian asked, leaning his head against the wall, next to the bathroom door. He could smell the lime bubble-bath Zack loved, and the lily scented candle that Zack insisted on buying. It was only ever used when the lights in the bathroom where to bright.
 
‘No,’ Zack snapped, his voice echoing around the small room. Something fell onto the tiles, and Zack all but growled. It’d been a while since Brian had seen Zack in such a bad mood. He was usually a cool and happy guy. When Zack was mad, Brian wanted nothing more than to escape until his partner had calmed down, but knew that would only anger the younger even more.
 
‘Can you tell me what’s wrong, then?’ Brian asked, resisting the urge to beat his skull against the wall. Zack mumbled to himself, his words drowned out by the running water. Brian pressed his ear against the wall, trying to listen.
‘Babe?’ Brian called out, his hand on the door. He was [i]not[/i] sleeping on the couch.
 
‘Fucking hell, Brian! You [i]know[/i] what’s wrong!’ Zack yelled, his bare feet stomping around the bathroom. The taps were turned, until the water ceased.
Brian sighed, and opened the door. He flinched when Zack spun on the spot, glaring.
The younger man stood in nothing but his underwear, his body pressed against the basin. The bath was full to the brim with water, and bubbles. The lily scented candle was perched on the small vanity, bathing the small room in a warm, flickering glow.
‘Leave me alone,’ Zack whispered, turning back to the mirror.
 
‘Not until you tell me what’s wrong,’ Brian said softly, standing a few feet from Zack. He dared not get any closer. Last time, he’d made the mistake to embrace Zack when he was in such a foul mood. Zack had cracked his knuckle, and Brian had to walk around for weeks with a bruised, and swollen cheek.
‘Come on, baby. Let me fix this,’ Brian spoke. Zack remained silent for a while, his shoulders rising and falling as he breathed.
 
‘She still loves you,’ Zack whispered, his shoulders slumping in defeat. He dropped his head, looking into the basin. He didn’t want to look at Brian.
Brian took a moment to catch onto what Zack was talking about. When he finally did, he couldn’t help but laugh. Zack whipped around, glaring, once again, at Brian.
 
‘Oh, baby. You’re so cute,’ Brian laughed, sweeping Zack into his arms, and kissing his pursed lips. Zack pushed himself away from Brian, scowling.
‘I don’t want her, Z. I want you. Only you,’ Brian smiled, feeling slightly joyous.
 
‘Then why did you agree to go to dinner with her?’ Zack spat, searching Brian’s face.
 
‘I couldn’t say no in front of her parents, Z,’ Brian said, reaching for Zack again. The younger man smacked Brian’s hand away, still feeling betrayed, and hurt. Zack wasn’t an insecure man, but he couldn’t help that he envied Michelle.
Michelle had been Brian’s high school sweetheart. They had dated for nearly five years, and had almost been parents. Michelle had lost the baby in her second trimester. Brian had left her, and found Zack not long after.
Brian claimed that he felt nothing for Michelle anymore, but there was some part of Zack that thought the older man was lying. [i]How do you spend five years with someone, and not have any feelings for them?[/i] Zack would often ask himself.
‘I don’t love her anymore, Zack. That part of my life is over,’ Brian whispered, caressing Zack’s cheek. The younger man sighed. Angry, or not, Zack couldn’t resist Brian. He pressed himself against Brian’s chest, nuzzling his face against the curve of his throat.
 
‘I don’t want you to go back to her,’ Zack admitted, his bare skin prickling as a cold draft washed through the small room. Brian rubbed his hands up and down Zack’s back, trying to warm his lover up.
 
‘I will never go back to her, Z,’ Brian whispered, kissing the top of Zack’s head.
Zack sighed, relaxing in the embrace. Being so angry had locked his muscles up, and his body felt weary, like he’d run a marathon.
‘I’ll call her tomorrow, and cancel,’ Brian said, kissing Zack’s forehead before pulling away.
‘Now, get in the bath,’ he smiled, helping Zack strip the last of his clothes off, before tossing his aside.
The two lounged in the bath for a while, water flooding the floor. Zack had filled it a little too much, and both bodies sent half of it crashing to the floor.
Zack felt comfortable, resting against Brian’s chest as the older man’s hands moved, causing ripples in the otherwise smooth water.
Zack could forget about Michelle, forget about the worry, even if it was only for a few days. It wasn’t that he didn’t have faith in Brian. It was the lack of faith he had in himself. But, as Brian’s strong hands bathed Zack’s chest in warm, bubbly water, he could forget about it all, and just relax.

Notes

This' the only thing I've completed in quite some time. It's rather shitty, but I guess I'm still a bit rusty.

Originally posted on Mibba.