Tough Guy

“Mm, Zee.” I groaned and flopped over onto my back. Fuck! Another wet dream about my green-eyed boyfriend sucking me off? This was not good for my psyche. I ran a palm over my face and laid back, panting. Zacky and I had made out for the first time over the weekend and that’s all we’d done for the past three days. I was kind of tired of jacking off, but then again I was glad we weren’t pushing things too far too quick.

I jerked when the phone rang and scooped it up. The Caller I.D. said ‘Zee-Bee’ and I smiled because I genuinely loved seeing his name and number there. “Hey, baby.”

“I’m not your baby, but I could be real fast.” Matt chuckled into my ear, “Sorry, I used Zack’s phone while he’s in the can.”

“Nice imagery.” I laughed, “What’s up?”

“You’re ten minutes late. How long is going to take you to fairy out and get here?” He laughed too.

“Hey, dealbreaker!” I accused, “And I can shower and be there in about twenty to thirty minutes.”

“Yeah, well, you gave me reason to break the deal. I’ll see you in a few. Remember we’ve got a record executive coming in later this afternoon.” He reminded me and I knew that meant to dress the part of Synyster Gates, not Brian Haner, Jr.

I sighed and got up to get in the shower. Normally, I would have taken care of my horny problems in the shower, but I didn’t have time today. Running late was a horrible habit of mine and I knew Matt would kill me if I took longer than I had said. When I got out I quickly blow dried my hair, straightened it the amount I could with the time I had and packed my make up for Zacky to do. I put on a fedora, my leather jacket, and a pair of jeans shredded and ripped up. When my make up was done, I’d be Synyster Gates.

When I got to the studio, Zacky met me at the door. He laughed a little, “How are you always late when we have something big to do?”

“Sorry. I was having a really good dream I didn’t want to leave.” I smirked a little and pressed a kiss to his neck.

He groaned, “Brian, god, let’s go in or I’ll be ready to leave.”

“Sure. Hey, can you do my make-up for me? You’re better at it than me.” I pouted.

He nodded and lead me in to the studio. Matt smirked at me from the soundboards, “After you two get done doing whatever, I need you to run the boards so I can go record, alright, Brian?”

“Yeah, that works.” I was surprised. Normally, Matt recorded and let a professional come in, listen, and edit. He never let one of us do his job but he had been trying to teach us a little bit about the process, in bits and pieces at a time. Maybe he thought I’d learned enough to be a help.

Zacky set me down on the couch, spread my make-up out on the coffee table, and got to work. We could hear Matt getting impatient in the background but that made the efforts he was making even more enjoyable for us both. We shared grins and kisses in between him slathering on pale cover up, eyeshadow, and eyeliner that streaked down my face. Finally, he stood up, “All done, Syn. Go play with the big boys.”

“Thanks, lover.” I muttered, kissing my colorful, cheerful boyfriend.

Matt grunted, “A little bit of your guys’ attention please? Let’s get to cracking if you want a record out before our first tour date!”

“Fine.” I huffed and winked at Zack before going over to put on a set of headphones, “Ready when you are, you psycho workaholic.”

Matt just laughed and went in to do the damn song. It wasn’t half over with when I realized why he wanted me to hear the song. It wasn’t the slow, emotional kind of song he’d written for Zacky. It wasn’t a fast, screaming, song he wrote aimed toward critics. No, this was different. I read the lyrics along with him singing them and blushed when I realized something. In Matt’s own handwriting were the words: Nothing hurts my world, just affects the one’s around me, when syn’s sin’s deep in my blood, you’ll be the one to fall.

My eyes met Matt’s and he smiled through the glass at me. I glared a little because even if it had been a Freudian slip when he wrote it, he was using it to make me uncomfortable now. As soon as he was done and back in the room, I slipped the headset off, “You were perfect, like always. No one ever has to correct you, Matt, I don’t know why you even have anyone listen in.”

“Knowing someone is listening makes it easier to sing.” He admitted, “Anyway, thanks.”

“Not a problem.” I said cooly and stood, “Come on, Zee, I have a sweep to show you. I think you’ll love it and can use it in that new song we’re working on.”

“Cool.” He grinned and followed me over to the lounge area so we could jam out.

Jimmy finally showed up about an hour before the record executives were supposed to be there. He grinned at me, “How’d recording go this morning?”

“You knew?” I hissed at him so not to make it so obvious what we were talking about.

Zack arched an eyebrow, “Knew what?”

“Nothing.” Me and Jimmy chorused.

He added on, “I thought you’d get a kick out of it. Matt was sure you’d start a fight because you two are irrational like that.”

“What would you start a fight about?” Zacky asked, tugging on my shirt.

I shrugged him off, “Nothing, obviously, because I didn’t. Jim, drop it, man.”

He nodded and stepped outside, “I’m going to smoke one before they get here. Cigarette, Gates, not weed.” He amended when I started to protest. Jimmy being high when the record executives got here would not be good!

Matt finally tore himself away from the sound board, “You guys, I gotta go change clothes and shit. I’ll see you guys in the conference room.”

“’Kay.” Zacky muttered and then turned his green eyes on me since we were now alone, “Now what would you have started a fight over?”

I sighed. He just wasn’t going to let it go, was he? I lead him over to the soundboards and showed him the lyrics. He read them and laughed, “I could see why you would start a fight, but I’m glad you didn’t. Matt likes to fuck with your head because he can.”

I bit my lip, “Does it make you mad that he can?”

He snickered, “Babe, I think it’s hilarious. You’re both in denial. You won’t admit that the reason he gets under your skin is cause you’re attracted to him and he won’t admit that he likes to mess with you because he wants you. He hates that fact because he thinks big guys like him need feminine guys . . .like me.”

I rolled my eyes, “I hate stereotypical guys. That’s one of the reasons I like you. You’re unique. Let’s go to the conference room before dumbasses head explodes when he gets in there.”

“You go on. I’ll get Jimmy and be in there in a sec.” He kissed me quickly and headed toward the door.

When I got in the conference room, Matt was sitting on the table, tying a pair of steel-toe boots. Depending on the bagginess of his pants, he either wore them or cowboy boots all the time. I laughed, “Dude, the table is caving in-“

His head snapped up, “You know damn well I’m not a fatty, Haner, so shut it.”

Oh yes, I knew very well he wasn’t a fatty. He had gone shirtless around the gym enough times for me to definitely know that. Between his abs, pecs, arms, and loose gym shorts that gave me one too many looks up them while he spotted me, I had to fight getting hard the entire time we were there. I smirked, “I don’t know, Matt, you seem to have gained a few pounds since we’ve been off tour.”

“What? Where?” He stood and smoothed his shirt down, tucking it into his jeans, “What are you talking about?”

Oh my god, I couldn’t believe it! Matt was self-conscious about his weight?! The man was cut perfectly from head to toe . . . “You’re starting to sport love-handles, even.”

That’s when he knew it was bullshit. He rolled his eyes, “Not in this life-time, Brian. Where’s Zacky and Jimmy?”

“They should be in here-“ About the time I said that, Zacky came in with Jimmy laughing their asses off. I smiled at him and he grinned back, coming to hold my hand. I lead him to a seat at the table and turned toward him.

Matt spoke up, “You know, the record executives don’t know you guys are gay right?”

“Do they know you are?” I asked back.

“Um, no, cause I’m not.” His face colored.

Jimmy horse-laughed, I smirked, and Zacky just looked sick to his stomach. Catching Zee’s look, he sighed, “Anyway! They might not like it when they find out so you might want to not do that shit in front of them.”

I frowned. I wasn’t good at hiding who I was and I knew sure as hell Zacky wasn’t. I gave Zacky an apprehensive look and he shrugged, “We’ll do what we have to do. This is our futures at stake and theirs too, Bri.”

“Yeah.” I sighed and slipped my hand from his. I scooted my chair a bit away but moved my leg so that my foot brushed his. I saw him smile and knew he was okay with the distance as much as I wasn’t.

The people representing the recording company came with news that to promote our new album they would be getting us a bus this tour as well as an actual merchandise stand. We were elated because our name would finally be out there, as well as our music. It was a wonderful thing and they were pleased with the progress on our nearly finished album so far. As soon as they were gone, we all took a fit over how great our news was.

Matt cleared his throat, causing us to all glare at him. He smiled sheepishly, “Guys, I know I give you all a rough way to go, but I couldn’t imagine doing this with any other people. I’m really glad you guys put up with me.”

“We just barely manage it, but its worth it, buddy.” Jimmy laughed, “And don’t go get emo on us, Matt. We might have to start letting Zack teach you how to do make-up too.”

“Shut the fuck up, Rev, just shut up.” Matt chuckled and flipped him off, “Well, I’m going to go hit the gym. Work off my love handles, right, Brian?”

I felt my face flush and looked at Zack, “Care if I go along with him?”

“Um, no. I’ll see you later though, right?” He frowned.

I kissed the wrinkle between his eyebrows, “Yeah, of course. I’ll call you after I take a shower and we’ll go do something or just hang out.”

“ ‘kay.” He nodded and looked over at Matt, “Be nice, alright?”

“If he will, I will.” I smirked a little and kissed him again.

“Alright, let’s go, damn.” Matt said from the doorway.

I gave him a look, “I’m coming. “

“Yeah, we all wish.” Matt muttered when I got close enough. Ugh, great! Now I was definitely going to have a hard time concentrating at the gym!

I spotted Matt as he did a bunch of bench presses. I lost count after fifty and simply followed the bar up and down, hearing him huff after each one. Finally, he slammed the bar onto the rest and sat up, wiping sweat off of his chest and face. He stood, “Your turn, B.”
B.? Since when did he have a nickname for me? I slid about thirty pounds off of the bar before laying down and attempting to lift it. I groaned when I could barely push it back up, “Can you take twenty more off?”

“How about ten? Challenge yourself a little.” He suggested.

“Alright, but if I drop it, you better catch it.” I sighed and watched him move to change the weights. I picked the weight up with a grunt and he stepped closer. This afforded me a look up his gym shorts and I wasn’t surprised to see him without underwear. We’d worked out several times together and I always saw this. It was, however, the first time I’d seen him hard. The man had a dick like a baby’s forearm! Just glancing up at it between lifts had me wondering how I’d ever affect Zacky at all after he’d had that. My curious mind went from there to how it would feel to have it in me.

Unsurprisingly, with my thoughts leaving my mind preoccupied, it felt like no time before Matt was clapping his hands together sharply, “Yo, Synyster, that was a hundred and fifty, bud. You going for a record?”

“No, no, thanks.” I dropped the bar into place and scooted down so that I wouldn’t be headbutting his dick when I sat up.

“I’m going to go run on the treadmill, you going too?” He asked, motioning toward the other side of the gym.

I shrugged, “I can, though I haven’t in a long time.”

“Yeah it shows.” He reached out and patted my stomach.

I swatted his hands off, “Not all of us can be gifted with washboard abs, Shads.”

“I work hard for my abs, buddy, and the control they afford me? Totally worth it. Ask Zack.”
He smirked at me. It took me a moment and then I realized what he meant. He meant his abs being so cut and him being in shape meant he was a better lover.

I smirked at him, “Yeah, right. Besides, me and Zack are far too busy to talk about you and your shortcomings.”

He frowned then horse-laughed, “Haner, shortcomings have never been my downfall. I’d wear you out in the first hour.”

I just shook my head and rolled my eyes, “Whatever, Matt.”

He grinned and hopped on a treadmill. I drunk a few drinks of water and watched him out of the corner of my eye. I quickly grew fascinated with the way he moved and disgusted with myself. I chose a treadmill diagonally from him so it’d be harder for me to stare at him and slipped into my own world of a slow, laborious jog. By hell if I couldn’t keep myself from ogling him then I’d sweat out my desire and work to forget about it. Too much was at stake to be distracted-you know, things like my pride, my dignity, and Zacky.