Morning arrived quicker than what Zak and myself were ready for, after last night I had been debating on staying out the way and editing the shots giving the crew their time. But I had nothing to be ashamed of, despite feeling it.
Knowing Zak would need more support was enough to have me up and ready before he had even woke up. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I stroked his hair back gently easing him out of sleep.
"Come on Mr Demon Hunter, you gotta get up." I whispered as his eyes opened and fell closed again.
"What time is it?" He grumbled.
"A little after 9."
He gave a hearty yawn and turned on his side wrapping his arm around my waist. "Let's just stay here." He answered tiredly.
Smiling I rubbed his arm and back trying to wake his body up a little more than his mind. It seemed to be doing the trick as an even bigger yawn escaped.
"Stop destroying my sleep." He mumbled pulling me down onto the bed beside him making me giggle.
"But you gotta get up. Early bird gets the biggest worm." I reminded him.
"Well I don't eat worms so let the birds have it."
"Zachery still tired even after almost 9 hours sleep?" I asked taking in his closed eyes as he was trying to go back.
"It was unsettling." He responded back.
"So it's not that you want to hide in here? To avoid everyone?" I asked making him open his eyes slowly. The word guilty written across his face, he pushed his mouth to the side.
"Babe we got nothing to be ashamed of. You're not a failure, at all."
"So my mother belting you across the face hasn't changed your opinion on what a loser I am?" He asked making me frown.
"How the hell are you a loser?"
"My mom coming down to protect me at 39 years of age?" He suggested.
"Lioness." I reminded him.
"Yeah well I'm a little too big to be carried around."
I laid there quietly not knowing what else to say, sure I could sit there moping, whining and bitching about his mom. Or I could pull my act together and head out my backside and get on with it.
"Right!" I flung myself up off the bed and went to the wardrobe finding out clothes for him.
"What are you up to now?" He asked behind me.
"Getting you dressed if you wanna lay here and be a little bitch about things. I guess you wanna break up now then?" I goaded.
"No!" He snapped.
"What not even when home life has interfered with work life?" I challenged.
"Well if Aaron wasn't such a dick." I grumbled.
"So.... Am I getting another room or you gonna stop being a bitch and get up?" I asked looking at him.
He didn't move an inch.
"Gonna be a bitch then, I got slapped last night and I'm still going to walk out that door with my head held high? You know why? Because I love you and I'm not letting anyone tell me different."
I shifted through a few tops before pulling down a black one when a pair of arms went around my waist lifting me off the floor.
Before I could pass another comment I was thrown down on the bed making me laugh, pulling myself on to all fours I tried to crawl away fast when I got a hard slap across my butt making me flop down howling with laughter.
"Who's a bitch?" Zak asked laughing.
"You're a bitch!" I declared trying to roll over and avoid his hand.
"Ahh! My turn!"
Another slap came across my butt making me flip over as he walked to the wardrobe.
"Whiny bitch!" I shouted throwing a pillow at him as I got up on the bed ready to attack.
"Oh she wants to play tough. Bring it Yates!" He beckoned with his hand.
Launching myself off the bed, he caught me on his waist and grinned. "What does up.. Must come down...."
My laughing stopped as I realised what he was going to do. Wrapping my legs around him tightly, I locked my arms in time as he slammed us both down on the bed.
"I'm not!"
"A whiny!"
"Bitch!" He declared slamming us down each time as I cackled hard. After the last slam we both laid there laughing with each other.
"Uh oh! Guess what?!" He called.
"What?" I asked checking myself over as he was looking at me.
"Tickle time..." He answered seriously.
"But I'm not tickli-ahh!" I screamed with laughter as he grabbed my hips and straddled me pinning me down.
I could feel my face going red and blood pumping as I got hysterical under him.
But then I snorted....
Both surprised and shocked at the noise stopped to look at each other before we burst out laughing even harder.
I sat up and threw my arms around his neck before pulling him down on me hugging him tightly.
Happiness. Pure joy, was what I was in right now with him. Everything that had and was burdening us was gone in those minutes of madness.
His warm lips touched mine making the fuzzy feeling in my body spread. Stroking my hair off my face he grinned before planting another one.
"I'm nobody's bitch." He whispered making me smirk.
"Not even mine?" I asked innocently.
"No. Now I need a shower; then we're gonna get breakfast, face them and spend the day together before I have to work." He planned.
"Yes sir." I smiled happily.
He leant on me fully making me aware of why he was going for a shower.
"Cold shower.."
He nodded "It's what you do to me." He lifted himself up off me and stood at the end of the bed.
"Cause hiding that isn't gonna be easy." He sighed looking down at himself.
"Don't men just... Tuck it in their belts? Although I've never understood that cause surely that's worse.." I frowned sitting up.
I laughed "Maybe you could tuck it between your legs?" I suggested but that got me a pillow to the side of the head.
"I'm going for a shower.." He rolled his eyes as I continued laughing. Before he could get into the bathroom I slapped his butt.
"Head up boy! Not that one either!" I giggled.
"I'm gonna tickle you again." He warned making me slink away.
"Love you." I grinned.
"Hmm.." He answered shutting the door.
**********
Having luck on our side, we picked up the keys to the hire car when a clearing of someone's throat made us turn.
Bacon was stood outside with a cigarette between his fingers watching us.
"A word?" He asked looking at us both. I shifted my gaze to Zak's arm went across my front protectively. Looking at Bacon his eyebrows twitched slightly seeing the movement.
"Zak.. He's okay." I spoke quietly placing my hand on his back.
I began to worry about Zak whose eyes were glaring at Bacon, but our beef wasn't with Bacon. Hell he was the only one who actually spoke to me yesterday beside Zak.
"You're looking at me like you wanna hurt me Zak." Bacon spoke.
I looked at Zak when he blinked and looked down at me. "Zak.."
Looking back to Bacon he nodded and gestured to seating outside the hotel.
We all took a seat when I felt Zak's hand take mine, I placed my other hand on his forearm wondering if it was an energy thing he was picking up on.
"Look man. I don't know what's happened between you and Aaron. It's none of my damn business. I just wanna know if you're both okay?" He asked sincerely. I felt Zak's grip loosen on my hand slightly, I figured it was because he realised Bacon wasn't here to bawl us out.
At least I hoped not..
"Getting there.. I'm sorry for lying to you yesterday when you asked." I answered making Bacon look at me.
"You got nothing to apologise for. Nothing. I'm sorry it happened but in a way I'm glad that you have good support with you." He answered looking to Zak who hadn't spoken.
"Are you okay brother?" Bacon asked him.
"Y-yeah. Like Robyn said, getting there."
I rubbed his arm gently as they began speaking and eventually Aaron was brought up.
Zak's hand tightened on mine almost crushing it until I pulled his arm hair snapping him back to now.
"Sorry."
"You gotta calm down and let it go." I spoke quietly as Bacon nodded in agreement.
"I will when we both get a proper apology, until then.."
"Trust me, last night hit him hard. You'll be getting one as soon as he's awake. I told him to give you both space last night." Bacon responded.
"Good." Zak grunted.
"It was for the best.." I mumbled.
"Bro, what about your mom?" Bacon asked making Zak shrug.
"Don't care. I'm not having anyone, anyone lay a hand on her or speak to her any less than what they speak to me. I won't have anyone call her those names." He replied with his finger pointed to me.
Whilst I found it heartwarming that he was protective of me, I couldn't help be trouble with the idea of Zak and his mom falling out.
"Maybe you should ring her?" I suggested.
"No." He dead panned with a tone enough for me to drop that conversation thread.
"So where were you both heading out?" Bacon asked looking at the rental.
"Reno.. I haven't been there since... Well since Debbie and Mark." Zak answered causing me to look up.
It was my turn to hold his hand a little tighter, his face reflected the emotion I was feeling but he gave my hand a little squeeze back.
We chatted for a little while longer until both myself and Zak decided to head out and towards Reno. Bacon went to meet Billy and Jay but Zak wasn't in the mood for the crew yet. I just hoped they would sort it before the lockdown.
In fact, I am gonna make it my mission to have them sorted.
******
Breakfast was simply gorgeous as we sat in Reno at a small café with outside tables.
It wasn't a cold morning despite the autumn season but the trees were shedding well across the decking area where we were.
"Where do you wanna be in 5 years time?" I asked looking at him as I sipped my hot chocolate. I had let it go warm before I drank it, me and hot drinks have a troubled past..
That past being I was useless and often burnt myself with them!
"5 years? With you." He answered honestly causing a smile to fill my face.
"That was cheesy cute." I replied making him wink.
"What about you?" He asked.
"With you. Happy, content, madly in love, safe." I listed.
"You don't feel them now?" He asked with a small frown.
"I do, but I want the feelings to last. The very few memories I do have of my parents were ones of them madly in love. I've got photos now but memories mean so much more."
Zak nodded in agreement.
"I want to still be living my happy ever after."
He smiled "The impossible fairytale."
"Maybe it is, but maybe it isn't as impossible as you think. Fairytale always start off rocky... But there's always hope." I replied.
"And you always have hope? After everything?" He asked.
I nodded "Especially after everything."