Status: Completed.

Different Dimension

Thirty-Two.

It didn’t seem like Zack’s exams would ever end. He’d had so much work to do, so much revision, that he’d barely seen Martin over the past month. The memory of Zack’s birthday (and what a wonderful wonderful day that had been) had kept him ticking over, talking on the phone every night with the occasional phone sex session aiding to help too. Zack hadn’t expected his freshman exams to be this intense, and he knew Martin had a lot of essays to write and exams to take too as a Junior, so it wasn’t like one of them was particularly pining for the other.

They’d made it work.

During the exam month, Zack had also arranged to share a dorm with Rian again next year. It made sense – they were really good friends, neither of them were particularly annoyed about anything the other did, and they respected each other’s boundaries. It worked. And they’d made sure that Paul wasn’t going to be their RA again, so at least drinking around him wouldn’t be awkward.

Speaking of drinking, now that the exams were over Zack couldn’t wait to get his hands on Martin, but before he could do that, Sierra had insisted that Zack had to come with her to Kennedy and John’s big end of year party along with Tay, Rian, Alex and Jack. At least Martin would be there too, even if Zack wasn’t hanging out with him the entire time. And at least he would be leaving with Martin too.

A couple of hours passed into the party, and Zack found himself drinking in the kitchen with Martin, Kennedy, Sierra and Paul. Zack was sitting on the kitchen side, Martin standing in between his legs with his back to Zack’s chest, letting Zack lean on his shoulders for comfort. But what surprised Zack was that Sierra was leaning into Paul’s side with Paul’s arm around her shoulders – and that Kennedy wasn’t kicking up a fuss. He was happy for his friend, obviously, and he was happy that Kennedy had put his protest aside for now.

Everyone was happy. Zack could get behind that.

Behind. Hah.

“Missed you,” Zack murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to Martin’s neck.

Zack couldn’t see Martin’s face, but he could only imagine the expression he wore as he shivered.

“I know it’s been a long month, but could you rein it in?” Kennedy grumbled.

Martin laughed, shaking his head with a shrug, only making Zack grin. He knew how much Martin missed him too. Paul snickered, pressing a kiss to Sierra’s temple, only making Kennedy groan.

“Why am I the only one not getting laid?” he scowled.

“Must be your winning personality,” Martin teased.

“Like you can talk. You’re just lucky that Zack’s a ball of fucking sunshine and doesn’t get dampened by your grumpy nature,”

Martin just shrugged, still smiling, making Zack smile in return. Kennedy had a point.

“I can hook you up with someone, if you’re that desperate? I know some single girls,” Sierra offered, being genuinely serious for once.

“The only way this could be any worse would be if my baby cousin had to find me a pity fuck. Thanks but no thanks,” Kennedy muttered.

Zack couldn’t help but laugh, Martin, Sierra and Paul joining in too, only making Kennedy scowl more.

“Oh fuck you all,” Kennedy spat.

But it lacked any real heat, any real resentment, so Zack’s smile didn’t drop.

“If that’s what it takes!” Paul smirked.

Zack just laughed even harder as Kennedy huffed and walked away, Sierra wiping tears from her eyes as she giggled.

“He’s going to be moping all night now. You are aware of that?” Martin snorted.

“Eh, we’ll send a couple of girls his way. He’ll be just fine,” Sierra shrugged, wiggling her phone.

Zack would never underestimate just how sneaky Sierra could be. Wow.

“SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS!”

Zack grinned at the chant that started up across the kitchen, Sierra pumping her fist in the air in time with it. Shots got passed around, Sierra and Zack grabbing two each.

“To the end of freshman year!” Sierra toasted.

“Cheers!” Zack laughed.

As he downed the two shots (bleurgh, tequila), Paul looked away, as if to pretend it wasn’t happening/

“Seriously, Paul? Zack won’t be your freshman in a week’s time!”

“Exactly. One more week I’m meant to be responsible for your boyfriend. His wellbeing is in my hands,”

“Actually I think it’s in my hands,” Martin smirked, hand sliding over Zack’s thigh.

Zack blushed furiously as Paul grimaced, Sierra just laughed.

“You’ve corrupted him like I told you not to!” Paul pouted.

“Hypocrite. Sierra’s a freshman too,” Martin shot back.

“Sierra was corrupted long before I got involved,” Paul retorted.

“That’s true,” Sierra shrugged, “I’ve been a lost cause to society since puberty,”

Zack couldn’t help but laugh. Sierra definitely hadn’t needed corrupting. As for himself…was it really so bad that he’d lost a little of his naivety? Martin had changed him for the better, and he knew he’d changed Martin too.

“I’m so glad I met you. We were standing right here, y’know. When you first met me at the first party here of the year,” Zack said suddenly, the well of emotions inside him making him blurt out his thoughts.

“Me too. It’s like we’ve come full circle, right?” Martin said, twisting his body to smile up at Zack.

Starting and ending the year in the same place, but in a much better situation. Zack couldn’t imagine being anywhere else.

“Love you,” Zack murmured, pressing a kiss to Martin’s jaw.

“Love you more,” Martin murmured back.

Zack sighed happily as Martin slid a hand up to cup his face, kissing him firmly.

“Alright, no more mushy stuff. We need alcohol!” Sierra said loudly.

Zack laughed into the kiss, swiping his tongue over Martin’s bottom lip before breaking it. The heat in Martin’s eyes only made Zack shiver.

“We’ll continue that later,” Martin said lowly, voice dark and promising.

Zack grinned and grabbed the bottle Sierra held out. “Damn right we will,”
♠ ♠ ♠
Okay, so there is actually only one chapter left now.
I hope you've all enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it!
Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter, and to the following for commenting! Get your feedback in while you can :)

I'd.Be.Your.Tears
Tattoo
xMareBear14x
fiction246

xo

EDIT: 13th April 2015 - this story is now complete. I have decided that the last chapter I had planned is not worth writing! So yes, this story is finished and I hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!