Dirty Little Secret [CLOSED]

With their fourth studio album written and produced, copies flying off the shelves everywhere they went, Avenged Sevenfold were getting ready to go out on tour again and promote their new material. The promo's and radio interviews were all completed, roadies and technicians all briefed, it was all systems go. Brian finished packing his bag for the next eighteen months, this tour being the longest they had ever done thanks to the success they had achieved. They were going on a full tour of the US and the UK, hitting a few European dates along the way. With all the summer festivals done and dusted, it was time for them to get back out onto the road and do what they did best, entertain the masses. Picking his little princess, Pinkly up into his arms, he would never leave her behind, she always came out on tour with them, he took one last glance around his little apartment and headed out of the door. With all his bags sitting at his feet, he cuddled his little puppy closer to him and waited for the tour bus to pick him up. The unmistakeable sound of the bus horn came around the corner as he checked out his hair in the reflection of his front door, the loud honking noise causing Pinkly to jump in his arms. "Settle down baby, it's just the guys." Rolling his eyes at the monstrosity Matt had purchased for them to travel in, Brian picked up his bags and threw them into Matt's arms as the big hulking man came down the steps. "Could you have gotten anything bigger?"

"Big bus for a big guy," Matt smirked, taking the bags and following Brian onto their new bus. "Jesus, what have you got in these things, your kitchen sink?"

"We'll be gone for over a year dude, I need my stuff." He flopped down onto the small couch in the living area of the bus, taking in his surroundings. He jumped a little when his friend and band member, Zacky, sat down next to him, looking at him out of the corner of his eye. "Hey Zee, how's things?" He tried very well to stop himself from blushing as Zack looked at him, those green eyes twinkling at him.

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

"Things are going great, what about you?" Zacky replied as he gazed at the brown eyed guitarist. Zacky was more than happy to be back on the road with his friends again. He smiled as he listened to Brian talk before hearing a loud crash coming from the back of the bus.

"Dammit Jimmy! What did you do now?" Matt shouted before making his way towards the back. Brian and Zacky exchanged looks before following Matt to see what the commotion was. As they made their way back they saw Johnny on the floor with Jimmy's body pinning him to the floor.

"I didn't do anything I swear!" Jimmy said raising his hands up in the air. Zacky chuckled at his friend and shook his head.

"Jimmy, why is Johnny on the floor?" Matt asked him as if he were catching his child doing something they weren't supposed to do.

"No reason!"

"Jimmy..."

"Fine, I was playing video games with him and he was beating me, so I figured the only way I could stop him from doing that was if I sat on him." he explained.

"This is great and all, but can you please get the fuck off of me Jim?" Johnny groaned from under the drummer. Zacky laughed and moved to help his friends up off the ground.

(Sorry for the shortness I wasn't sure what else to put.)

@ RachTheBat

Brian rolled his eyes as jimmy excitedly bounced up and down on top of Johnny like an over active puppy, the smaller man groaning and struggling to breathe with the added weight on his chest. "You're like some giant man child Jim," Brian chuckled, shaking his head at his best friend. They all bent over laughing loudly as pinkly decided to make her appearance known, giving Johnny a tongue bath, the bassist spluttering and shouting for Brian to get his mutt off him. "Awww, don't listen to him baby, he didn't mean it."

Matt arched his brow as Brian continued to coo at his pooch, letting her lick his face as he nursed her in his arms. "Dude, you're way too creepy with your dog."

"What? She's my baby." Matt shook his head as he headed towards the games room, picking a disgruntled Johnny up off the floor, intent on kicking Jimmy's ass at his favourite game.

Glancing at Zacky as everyone wandered off to watch Matt kick ass, the sound of the lead singer cursing into his headset already drifting down the hall, Brian lifted his dog into his friend's arms. "You mind watching her while I take a shower? I won't be long."

(It's fine, I get carried away sometimes with mine haha)

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

"Uh yeah, sure." Zacky answered as he cradled Pinkly in his arms like a baby. Brian smiled and left to walk towards the bathroom. Zacky looked down at the small white ball of fluff in his arms and sighed. He wished he could have brought Ichabod instead of leaving him at his parent's house, but he had no choice unless he wanted his dog to go and bite Johnny again.

A half hour had gone by and Pinkly had jumped off of his lap when she heard something coming from a different part of the bus. "Pinkly come back here!" Zacky exclaimed as he got up from the couch and moved to follow her only to bump into Brian and almost knocked him over. Zacky grabbed onto him before he could hit his head against the wall and pulled him back up. He looked at Brian before noticing he was only in a towel. Zacky turned his head away and bit at his snakebites nervously as he scratched the back of his neck.

"She heard something, but I guess it was just you. Sorry about that." he muttered as he watched Pinkly run back and stop right at Brian's feet.

@ RachTheBat

Brian relaxed back onto the shower wall, feeling the stresses of the day wash away down the plug hole along with his favourite body wash, the hot water soothing him as it ran in rivulets down his back. He always used his time in the shower to think, to organise his thoughts into some sort of order, the quiet time letting him clear his mind enough to stop them all racing around his head a mile a minute. He tried thinking of the tour that was ahead of them, what would happen, how many people would come out to see them perform but he couldn't stop his mind from venturing off to the green eyed man that was just outside the bathroom door. They had been friends for most of their teenage lives, the very best of friends who he knew would have his back just as much as he would have his, and the others. He couldn't quite pin point the exact time when he had started to look at his best friend in a different light, noticing the way his eyes would crinkle when he smiled, the way his shoulders would shrug in that cute way whenever he found something funny. He felt like his heart would stop dead whenever Zacky looked at him, the butterflies swirling around in his stomach whenever his friend would say his name. He had it bad. He only wished he knew how the other felt about him.

Shaking himself mentally, he finished his shower and stepped out, wrapping a fluffy white towel around his waist. One of the perks of having a mother that was a little over protective was having the very best home comforts to hand. Using another to rough dry his hair, he ran a hand through it and stepped out of the bathroom when he heard Pinkly running about outside. Brian felt his breath hitch in the back of his throat as he felt Zacky's hand on his bare chest, feeling as if his skin was burning underneath the light touch. Laughing it off, Brian watched as Zacky averted his eyes and scratched at his neck, knowing that was something the shorter man only did when he was nervous. "It's okay, little scamp that she is." He watched as Zacky bit as his piercings, wanting his mouth to be the one doing it, wanting to feel those plump lips pressed against his own. Realising he was day dreaming, Zacky looking at him a little strangely, Brian taking a step back, holding onto his towel and turned to point at his bunk. "I'm just gonna..get dressed, okay to watch her a little longer?"

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

Zacky nodded and stepped aside to let Brian walk to his bunk before picking Pinkly back up and carrying her towards where had been before. Or at least he started to before he heard Johnny and Jimmy.

"Dammit Jimmy put me down!" Johnny shouted as he squirmed in the drummer's arms.

"But Johnny, you can fly!" he replied as he cackled and spun around with the bassist in his arms while trying to walk in the process. It was only when Pinkly barked that Jimmy tripped, losing his balance and landing on him for the second time in one day.

"I hate you..." the smaller man groaned out in pain as Zacky doubled over laughing.

"Jimmy, we need Johnny to play bass. Don't kill him!" Matt yelled from somewhere in the back of the bus.

@ RachTheBat

Brian laughed at the sounds that were coming from the living area of the bus, Jimmy's high pitched giggles ricocheting off the walls, Johnny's grumpy voice making the guitarist chuckle. Having changed into a pair of board shorts and t-shirt after his shower, he walked back down the narrow corridor and into the living room, half of his band members in a pile on the floor, Pinkly yapping at them as she tried to climb Jimmy. "Come on girl, lets go get you some food, we'll leave these buffoons to fight amongst themselves." Picking the little ball of fluff up into his arms, he ruffled her fur softly as he headed into the kitchen, grabbing a pouch of her favourite dog food to empty into her bowl. Turning his head slightly, he saw Zacky enter the little kitchenette, coming to rest at his side as he scooped out the meaty chunks. "Getting drunk tonight?" He asked, knowing full well they would all be having a good drink as they travelled to their first destination.

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

Zacky walked into the kitchen and looked over to Brian when he heard his voice.

"I don't know about that." he answered before turning to grab a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"Come on Zee, it's the first night of the tour."

"There will be other nights to get drunk Bri." he said as he leaned against the counter and opened the bottle before taking a sip of water.

"It's practically a tradition man, you know it is." Brian said stepping closer to him. Zacky raised an eyebrow slightly at him.

"Is there something going on that you're not telling me about?" he questioned. Brian's eyes widened slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"You're up to something aren't you? Is that the reason you want me to go so bad?"

"Y- No! It's just something we've done since we started you know? I just don't want to break tradition. That's all." Brian repiled averting his gaze. Zacky stared at him for a moment before deciding not to ask anything else. He was sure he'd find out eventually.

"Fine, I'll go."

@ RachTheBat

Now that Zacky was out of the way, Brian could put his little plan into action. He hadn't told the others of his idea, he knew they were rip into him for being a sap and besides, he wasn't sure if his feelings were reciprocated in the first place. Placing Pinkly down onto the floor, he cleared up the mess he'd made and headed off to his bunk, intent on getting the ball rolling. Taking out a piece of fancy paper he'd taken from his mother's creative writing kit, he settled down onto his bed to write a little note for the boy in his affection. After throwing the fifth piece of crumpled up paper over his shoulder, he decided to play a little 'guess who' and scribbled a few words onto the page, trying to disguise his handwriting a little. He knew it wouldn't take a genius to work out it was him, which was why he was doing it. He was too shy and unsure to say it to Zacky's face, so he thought a note would be perfect. Folding the piece of paper into a small square, he slipped it under Zacky's pillow on his way passed and went to join the others in the games room.

To Zacky,
I'm too chicken to say this to your face but I really like you, like a lot.
If you figure out who this is from and feel the same, leave your reply in the place where you spend the most time.
Love me.
xoxo

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

"We got ten minutes before we have to be there Zacky hurry up!" Matt shouted from the front of the bus. Hours had gone by and they were getting ready to go do soundcheck. Zacky groaned slightly as he woke up from his nap. As he moved to sit up, he felt something by his hand. A puzzled expression appeared on his features as he wondered where it came from but picked it up. He unfolded it and read the note. His eyes widened as he read it. He read one of the lines over again and bit at his snakebites.

I'm too chicken to say this to your face but I really like you, like a lot.

He stared at the handwriting and tried to figure out who it was but he couldn't think of who could have possibly put the note there. Was it one of the guys? It had to have been since he knew that note wasn't there when he first got there. Was this supposed to be some sort of prank or was whoever wrote this being serious? If they were serious, it had to have been one of the guys. They had been the only ones on the bus so far.

"Zacky come on already!" Matt yelled again.

"I'm coming!" he shouted back as he rolled out of his bunk and placed the note into his pocket. He wanted to figure out who the person was, but how could he if he had nothing to go off of? He figured he'd write back and try to see if the person would give him any hints as to who they were once he returned to the bus.

@ RachTheBat

Waiting until he was the last one off the bus, Brian snuck back into the games room to see if he had gotten a reply to his little note. Seeing nothing anywhere, he couldn't help the feeling of rejection that settled in his bones as he wandered back down to the front of the coach. Had he gotten it all wrong? Did he take the shy glances and obvious flirtation, the wrong way? Taking a deep, cleansing breath, he decided to wait until later to check again. Having another though, Brian doubled back to Zacky's bunk and smiled when he saw the note was no longer in its little hiding place. So he has read it.. he thought to himself as he jogged to catch the others up. He would wait until later that night and check again.

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

As he sat on a couch backstage, Zacky's eyes scanned his bandmates trying to see if he could find some sort of clue as to who sent him the note. As far as he knew, his bandmates were straight as arrows. Then again, their behavior when drunk sometimes said otherwise so maybe they were bisexual? He bit at his snakebites as he began wondering who it could have been. If he were honest, none of them were bad looking in the slightest. He never told anyone he was bi, but had one of them found out? Maybe this was some fucked up prank of theirs and maybe they wanted to see if he'd do something. Maybe-

"Zacky?"

He lifted his head up and saw all of his friends staring at him.

"Yeah?"

"Dude, we've been trying to get your attention for like five minutes. Are you okay?" Johnny asked as a concerned expression appeared on his face.

"I'm fine don't worry about me. You said you were trying to get my attention about something? What is it?" he asked, trying to change the subject and make them pay attention to something else.

Later when they returned to the bus, he took a page out of his notebook and began writing.

To whoever sent me the note,
I don't know who you are, but either way I'm hoping this isn't some kind of sick joke someone is playing on me. Can you at least give me some sort of hint? I mean you're obviously a part of the band or maybe you just got one of them to get this to me but I need to know something. I'll be waiting to see if you write back.
Zacky

@ RachTheBat

Brian watched his friend closely as they sat backstage after the show, watching as Zacky zoned out and seemed to be transfixed on nothing at all. He hoped that his band mate was thinking of him and, if not him, then the letter he had surely read by now. Brian had dashed back to the bus after the sound check was finished, desperate to get some kind of response to his correspondence. Seeing the room empty, he couldn't help but feel dejected, his shoulders slumping forward as a sad smile graced his mouth.

Getting back on the bus with the others, he'd made up some excuse that he had to dash off to his bunk as the rest of the band cracked open the beers, ready to celebrate a successful first show. He'd all but dived into the games room, his face lighting up at the little piece of paper that was sticking out of the corner of the seat Zacky favoured. He frowned at the words he read, a frustrated sigh passing his lips at the thought that Zacky thought it was some kind of joke. Ducking quickly into his own bunk, he ripped off a new sheet of paper and began to write.

To Zacky,
This isn't a joke or a prank, I'm serious. I can't tell you who I am just yet, I don't want to fall flat on my face if you don't feel the same.
I'll give you a hint though, and if you figure it out, meet me outside the bus when everyone has gone to sleep.
..Duels..
xoxo

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

Zacky watched his friends as they drank their beers. They were all talking and joking around, yet all he could focus on was the note he found in his bunk earlier. He got up and headed towards the games room before finding that the note he left there was gone. He felt puzzled and headed back to his bunk to find another note.

As his eyes scanned the words on the paper, he sighed a bit in frustration. Whoever it was, was not making it easy for him to figure out who left the note for him. He raised an eyebrow at the word 'Duels'. Was that supposed to be the hint? Or was that what they were calling themselves now? Either way, he was determined to figure out who sent him the note.

"Where you going Zacky?" Brian asked as he moved past him to reach for his hoodie.

"I'm going for a walk, I'll be back." he replied before stepping off of the bus. He figured maybe if he walked for a bit and came back and waited outside, maybe he'd catch who wrote the note.

After a half hour of walking around he returned to the bus and heard laughter coming from the inside. He leaned against the side of the bus before sliding against it so he was sitting on the ground.

He was determined to stay out and find out who this person was. Even if he had to stay out all night.

Unfortunately, for him he fell asleep.

@ RachTheBat

Brian watched Zacky as he got off the bus, sneaking a glance at his watch as the others crowded around the TV to watch Matt kick Johnny's ass on COD. He tried to concentrate on the game but found himself wondering if Zacky had gone out to wait for him to show up, he knew the note he had left the night before had obviously been read. Deciding to wait another hour or so, he kicked back and grabbed a beer, lighting the cigarette that Jimmy passed over to him as he watched short shit get his ass well and truly whipped by their lead singer.

After waiting for over an hour and a half, he couldn't take the suspense any longer. Grabbing his hoodie from the back of the chair, he shoved his phone and lighter in his pocket and headed towards the front of the bus, telling the others he was going to go look for Zacky. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he walked around to the side of the bus in the hopes that his friend would be waiting for him and couldn't help the grin that formed on his face as he spotted a hunched up Zacky Vengeance, arms huddled around his middle, sleeping like a baby. Sliding himself down the bus, he sat down next to the slumbering beauty and pulled out his packet of smokes, head resting against the cold exterior of the bus as he blew the smoke out into the air. He tried to work out in his head what he would say to the emerald eyed man when he awoke, whispering to himself words of encouragement, trying to gain a little confidence. "Zack, I really like you, have for a while actually. I just never knew how to tell you, didn't know if you felt the same." He kept whispering to himself, not noticing the boy beside him open his eyes and bite his lip to stop his chuckle sounding out loud.

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

Zacky's eyes opened when he heard someone whisper his name. He tried to listen more closely to see if he could identify the person's voice, but he still couldn't tell. He bit his lip and could feel his heart racing. All he had to do was look up now and he'd find out who wrote him the notes.

He shifted a little and ended up resting his head against the person's shoulder as he closed his eyes again. He breathed in the scent of the person before his eyes shot open.

"Brian..." he said quietly before closing his eyes again quickly when he realized he said it out loud. Zacky felt Brian tense up before feeling him pull away. He continued pretending to sleep, but felt his eyes scanning his body and bit his lip nervously.

Suddenly he felt himself being picked up off the ground. Before he knew it, he could hear the sound of the others again.

"Is he okay?" he heard Jimmy ask.

"He's fine, I just found him asleep somewhere. I'm gonna bring him back to his bunk." Brian replied before heading towards the bunk area.

As Zacky felt his back hit the mattress he felt a hand caress the side of his face before feeling his lips against his cheek.

@ RachTheBat

Brian placed Zacky down onto his bed gently, pulling his shoes and hoodie off before bringing the blanket up and over his friend's body. Smoothing the hair off Zack's cheek, he bent down and placed a soft kiss there, resting his forehead against the other's briefly before backing away and closing the curtain. He debated going back to his bunk to write another letter but thought against it, Zacky had yet to reply to the last one, he didn't want to bombard the guy. Joining the others for a few beers, he slipped into a seat next to Jimmy and accepted the bottle being offered to him, his eyes glancing back toward the boy who slept soundly, the boy who he couldn't quite get out of his head, no matter how hard he tried.

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx

Zacky opened his eyes the next morning a bit confused as he noticed he was in his bunk. It took him a moment to think of the night's events before starting to remember he has walked out of the bus and planned to wait for the person who wrote the notes. The more he thought about what happened, he frowned a little. He could have sworn Brian was the one to come out and bring him back inside, but at the same time, maybe he was just dreaming that part up. But how else would he have been back in his bunk? Then again, they were all drinking last night so maybe he blacked out and ended up back in the bunk on his own. He checked under his pillow for a note but saw nothing. He pulled out his notebook and began writing another note.

Duels?

That could mean anything. You could be referring to Harry Potter for all I know. I tried to stay up to catch you so maybe I'd have a clue but I guess I fell asleep or blacked out or something. If you still aren't going to tell me who you are, can't I have at least some other kind of hint?

Zacky

He read the note over before folding it up and heading back to the place he left a note before. He looked around but found he was the only one awake. Sighing, he turned around and returned to his bunk trying to figure out who could have been leaving the notes for him.

@ RachTheBat

Brian grumbled at being woken at whatever ungodly hour it was, Pinkly lapping at his hand to wake him up and feed her. Sitting up, he picked the little ball of fur up in his arms and cradled her to his bare chest, placing a kiss to the top of her head before swinging his legs around and standing up. He noticed Zacky climb back into his bunk and quirked his brow at the games room door being left slightly ajar. Padding down to the kitchen area in his boxers, Brian pulled a pouch of dog food out of the cupboard and emptied it into Pinkly's bowl, ruffling her head before sneaking back to the games room. He looked left and right and ducked inside, a grin spreading out across his face at the little corner of white paper that was sticking out of Zacky's chair. Sitting down, he rested his feet on the table before beginning to read. He rolled his eyes and chuckled at the Harry Potter reference, only Zacky could get it so wrong. Hotfooting it back to his own bunk, he pulled his pad out and began to write back.

Zacky,

I had to laugh at the Harry Potter reference, only you would think of something like that.
What other kind of duels can you think of that you take part in almost every night..
If you need another hint after that then there is no hope for you.. lol.

Sincerely,
S

He hadn't meant to sign it off with the first initial of his stage name but maybe that would help jog Zack's memory a little and get the ball rolling quicker, he was honestly tired of having to act like just the friend around the guy.

@ Xxzackysangel6661Xx