Incestual Orgies and Other Fond Memories

After Zack’s confession, nothing changed in their dynamic. The equilibrium remained; the only faltering in it was Matt’s pitying glances when Alex and Jack treated the rest of the group to yet another public display of affection.

In fact, Matt seemed more distressed about these demonstrations than Zack. Taken into consideration however, it was understandable. Zack had experience in this area. Three years, eight months of experience to be exact. His appearance of utter tedium towards the couple was a practised response, not an automatic reaction like Rian’s.

“Matt.” Zack whispered when they finally got a moment alone. “Please, stop with the sympathetic looks. It just makes me feel worse.”

“Sorry.” Matt replied. “I just know how it feels to like someone who doesn’t realise.”

Before Zack could question him further, Rian flung himself bodily into the room and onto Zack’s bed, landing half across Matt in the process.

Matt shoved his legs off his lap and raised an eyebrow in silent criticism of Rian’s entrance.

“Who’s coming to get drunk with us then? Alex hasn’t got absolutely paralytic since before he was ill and there’s a party going on at Vinny’s and Danny’s. Jack thinks he’s caught what Alex had so he’s staying but come on, come get wasted then we can all moan and bitch tomorrow about how we’ll never touch alcohol again before having a healthy breakfast of tequila shots so we don’t have to go through the painful process known as ‘sobering up’.

“I’ll come- I haven’t seen Vinny or Danny in ages. They probably think I’ve been murdered and dumped in a lake somewhere or kidnapped by sex traffickers.” said Matt.

“Good friends they are then.” Rian laughed. “Not even bothered about informing the police of your disappearance. Just accepted it. They’re obviously having this massive piss up as a way to quell their utter despair at your probable death.”

As Rian finished speaking, Alex’s head appeared around the door. “What’s all this I hear about murdering’s and sex traffickers? Someone’s obviously agreed to come out with us tonight.” Alex then yelped wildly, and his head vanished. Loud thumping resonated from the living room, the sound echoing Alex’s path through to his and Jack’s bedroom.

The thumps ended and were replaced by a shrill screech and an “ow Alex get off me you huge lump”.

“Right, we’d better go before Alex crushes Jack to death and we have to inform Vinny of yet another tragic murder and or sex trafficked teenager.” Matt sighed, standing up and running a hand through his hair. He leant down to reach out a hand to pull Zack up but Zack declined.

“I think I’ll stay. I don’t feel like a huge party tonight.”

Matt’s eyes narrowed slightly but he was reluctant to say anything in front of Rian, who by the looks of it had already downed several pre-party vodka shots. Instead, he moved closer, and gave Zack a hug, using it as a cover to whisper a warning of “be careful”.

“I will.” Zack replied exasperatedly as Matt pulled away. They were both given a slightly confused look by Rian but as Matt dragged him off the bed, Rian’s puzzled features rearranged themselves into a look of excitement.

“We’re getting druuuuunk,” He began to sing. From the other room, Alex’s voice sounded in reply
“And we’re gonna puuuke. In Zack’s bedddddd.”

Zack just rolled his eyes and pointed at the door. Matt grinned and pulled a cigarette from his pocket, sticking it behind his ear for when they got outside.

As the pair of them left to retrieve Alex and relive Jack of his presence, Zack flopped back onto his bed, thankful for the upcoming quiet. He loved his friends, he honesty did, they were just loud and boisterous with no real concept of personal space. Usually Zack could endure it good naturedly; most of the times even enjoy it. But there were days, like now, when he was just too tired or too stressed to cope with their constant yelling and jumping around like monkeys on speed.

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About twenty minutes after Jack had heard the door slam (twice; Alex had forgotten his pack of cigarettes the first time), he felt brave enough to leave the sanctity of his room. For the past couple of days his throat had been sore and he was tired, probably due to still kissing Alex despite him being sick.

He shuffled into the living room to watch tv, duvet pulled over his shoulders like a protective cocoon. What Jack hadn’t expected was for Zack to already be there, quietly curled up on the sofa and staring into space.

“Are you stoned again?” Jack asked, motioning to Zack’s view of the cobwebs in the ceiling corner
(they’re five teenager boys. Cleaning doesn’t exactly happen regularly).

“No. Thinking.”

“Is it okay if we watch a film or something whilst you finish off this mild to severe existential crisis?”

Zack replied by sitting up and holding out his arms so Jack could lie on him. After they’d carefully selecting Big Brother (yet more evidence of Jack’s reality tv obsession/addiction) Jack cuddled back into the other boy, as Zack played with his hair contentedly.

Matt’s warning was still echoing in Zack’s head, but the close proximity and solitude of him and Jack was overpowering; almost toxic in its intensity. Knowing he would do something he would regret, Zack stood up quickly, dislodging Jack and almost causing the younger boy to fall off the sofa.

“Sorry. Need a piss.” Muttered Zack as an explanation. Jack just gave him a weird look before returning his attention to the Big Brother house and some crying celebrity.

In the bathroom Zack leaned against the sink, his hands clenched tightly around the rim. His forehead rested on the mirror but he refused to look at his reflection, knowing the neediness in his features would be obvious.

When he got up the courage to leave the small room, Jack was no-where to be seen. But then Zack saw the empty plastic baggie and Alex’s cigarette papers on the sofa and knew exactly where he was.

Sure enough, when Zack stuck his head out onto the fire escape, Jack was standing there, duvet still wrapped around him. Leaning in before Jack could, Zack flicked his lighter to light the spliff in his hand.

“Thanks.” Jack mumbled, trying not to let the joint get dislodged from between his lips.
After a couple of inhales, Jack offered it to Zack, who declined. This instantly aroused suspicion and confusion.

“What’s up Zack? You never say no to getting stoned?”

“And you never get stoned unless Alex does. So why tonight?” Zack retorted, slightly bitterly. It was true. Jack didn’t really like smoking and only ever did it or got high if Alex was. Even if Zack did it, Jack would just shake his head and smile, declining it. But the second Alex wanted to do something, Jack was all over it.

“I just wanted to be chilled out with my best friend, that’s all.” Jack smiled, knocking his shoulder playfully into Zack’s. “Besides, I thought you’d want to. You seemed stressed, I thought we could relax.”

How could Zack refuse that, especially paired with the hopeful eager to please smile on Jack’s face.

Accepting, he took a long drag before leaning in towards Jack to blow the smoke into his open mouth. Jack inhaled deeply as they made eye contact. It was easily one of the most non sexual yet utterly intimate moments Zack had experienced with Jack, and that included the many times they’d slept practically naked together.

Twenty minutes later they were back inside and Zack was regretting this decision. Jack got extra touchy-feely when high and it wasn’t helping this whole “platonic” thing they were supposed to have going on.

Jack was laughing at literally everything and anything. Right then, his attention was focused on a stray bit of Zack’s hair that was sticking up and as he reached out to pet it down, Zack couldn’t help but be mesmerised by the beauty of Jack’s movements and features.

So thanks to that, and the copious amounts of weed, Zack couldn’t help it when he moved in closer until their lips almost touched.

Jack just beamed at their closeness, his eyes screwing up in an adorable way as he mussed Zack’s hair even more.

Then Zack closed the few centimetres between their mouths, initiating a kiss that Jack didn’t shy away from.

So this meant their friendship was effectively ruined then.