Because of You

by David Horne

  "When do you leave?" Tom asked, staring at Zack to try and get all the little details logged in his head.

  "In an hour or so." Just waiting for Cody and Maria to wake up so I can say goodbye, are Steve and Taylor still at your place?" Zack asked with a tilt of his head, he'd known that saying goodbye would be the hardest part.

  "Yeah, they should be here any moment now." Tom said as the realization of the fact that this might be the last time he gets to confess, a sick feeling formed in his stomach as he looked at Zack.

  Something must have shown on his face as a look of concern appeared on Zack's face.

  "Are you okay?" Zack asked and raised a hand to put it on Tom's shoulder but Tom grabbed the hand and held it tightly.

  "Before anything else is said, I have something to tell you." Tom's serious tone made Zack focus even more on Tom. He saw the nervous look on his best friend's face, the shuddering breath he took before it whooshed out of his mouth.

  "I've been in love with you for years now." He decided to just say it and just to get it out as simply put as possible. Tom looked to Zack to see the man's eyes were wide but there was no confusion, disgust or betrayal. Only pure surprise.

  Going on the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Tom leaned forward, grasped Zack by the face and gently lowered his head to place a small kiss on Zack's lips, it was a gamble that could ruin the friendship they had, but Tom couldn't stay a friend any longer.

  Tom pulled away and ran his hand through Zack's hair once, just to feel the soft hair.

  "You don't have to say anything, I don't want you to say anything now. I want you to think about it, think about giving us a chance, think about if maybe you can see me that way and also please promise me that you will do all you can to come home." Tom said in a whisper.

  Zack was looking at him, with shock clear in his eyes. Slowly a hand made its way to his lips. Tom thought at first that Zack was going to wipe his mouth. Zack just rested fingertips to his lips, as if to push the feeling of Tom's lips into his a little longer.

  A slow nod made Tom smile. He leaned forward and kissed Zack on the forehead and then rested his forehead to Zack's.

  "Please come back to me." Tom said and hugged Zack tightly and got hugged back even tighter.

  With that he was out the door with one last look at Zack.

  Cody, Maria, Steve and Taylor were all waiting downstairs with sad looks on their faces. They all gave tight hugs and made him promise not to do anything stupid.

  "You all do realize that I'm just going to training and that I could possibly drop out and all this drama could be for nothing?" Zack joked but Cody just smirked at him.

  "You not give your absolute best at something? Like that will ever happen. Please, Zack, don't try and be humble, you'll be amazing like you are at everything you put your mind to. Just promise us that you'll be safe and not make any stupid decisions." Steven said with a cheeky grin.

  There was a moment of silence before Zack found himself in a group hug, a sniffing Maria looking teary-eyed. "Did Tom tell you?"

  Zack smiled a sad smile. "Yeah, he did, gave me a lot to think about."

  Another silence filled the room before Zack cleared this throat. The group backed up a step and Zack smiled.

  "Right, it's time for me to go, my mom is driving me. I'll see you guys in a few weeks."

  One last hug and everyone left the house, the group watched as Zack placed his bag in the boot and then climbed into the passenger seat. Zack waved at them as the car backed up and drove away.

  Tom had watched the scene from his room.

  A few days after Zack left, the Cul-de-sac was peaceful as it could be, most of the neighbors have given Brenda and John either a pat on the shoulder or a few words of strength.

  It was a few days later Rebecca showed up at the front door of the Mason family home, a gift bag held in her hand. She knocked on the door and took a deep breath before she smiled her most disarming smile.

  The smiled strained slightly when the door opened and Brenda was the one who stood on the other side. The woman's face went hard as granite. Brenda started to close the door but Rebecca shoved her foot between the door and door frame.

  "Wait!" Rebecca yelled as she gripped the door.

  "I have the fullest right to talk to Zack!" Rebecca yelled and tried to shove the door open enough for her to slip through but Brenda stood fast with the same hard look on her face.

  "No, you don't you skank, I refuse to allow you to enter this house." Brenda hissed at Rebecca.

  "Brenda? Who's that at the door?" John asked as he came from deeper in the house. The man gave one look at the scene with his wife and Rebecca.

  "What's going on here?" John asked, coming closer and holding onto the door to help his wife keep the door where it was.

  "I have to talk to Zack. I need to speak to him!" Rebecca practically screeched, gaining the attention of the neighbors out and about doing their thing either gardening or just relaxing. Some neighbors even poked their heads out their windows to see what the commotion was about.

  "No, you don't, you have lost all right to talk to Zack about anything. You cheated on him, he might not have loved you but you did hurt him," Brenda said and opened the door slightly.

  "And even if you did manage to convince us to let you in, Zack isn't here." John said and wrapped his wife in a one-arm hug. Rebecca looked at the two adults confused.

  "What do you mean?" She asked and tried to peek into the house around their heads by standing on her toes and tilting side to side.

  "Zack enlisted." They both said at the same time.

  Rebecca stared blankly at them both before she blinked a few times.

  "But he promised me he wouldn't." She looked at both of the adults, utterly confused.

  Brenda sighed and shook her head.

  "Rebecca, you cheated on Zack, that's as good as saying the relationship is over. The fact that Zack had promised not to join the military, something he really wanted to do, spoke of his commitment to you and what do you do? You go and cheat on him. Rebecca, there is no saving this relationship. Just leave." Brenda bit out and closed the door.

  A few days later, Greg's parents had told him to come home. They were very disappointed in his actions and were ashamed to show their faces.

  John told his sister that she had nothing to be ashamed about; what her son did, that he was an adult and fully aware of what he was doing.

  More days passed as days turned into weeks. Tom found out that he was accepted into the culinary school of his dreams; it was luckily in the city he was in so Tom didn't have to move as he was close enough. His parents wanted him to study without worry.

  He had written to Zack, and as expected, Zack was ecstatic for Tom and wished him all the luck and that he better works hard and have lots of new dishes to make for him when he gets back.

  Tom's feelings for Zack didn't fade with the man gone, they grew. His nighttime thoughts wandered to Zack, wondering if he was doing okay, if he had made some army buddies.

  When nighttime became dream time, the thoughts of Zack went from innocent to downright dirty. Tom had watched porn, learned all he needed to know and had sex before. He wanted to know how it felt, what to do, it didn't help that he was lonely too. It was when it looked like Zack and Rebecca's relationship was getting to a point where it looked like they were going to stay together for a long time.

  Tom laid on his bed, fresh from his shower with only a towel loosely wrapped around his waist, it barely made it around his hips. The moment when he laid down, the towel came undone.

  Staring up at his ceiling, Tom slowly ran his fingers over his stomach, he wasn't anywhere near as fit as Zack but he wasn't fat. As his fingertips ran over the sensitive skin of his lower belly, he shivered.

  Thinking of Zack at night always got Tom's mind to go down the gutter. Zack was just everything he wanted. Zack was also handsome and got his heart to beat for more than one reason.

  As it pretty much
always went when night fell, Zack was at the forefront in Tom's mind. The long limbs, smooth skin and rippling muscles soon got Tom's mind to make up a scenario of where Zack came home, that Zack would then tell him that he wanted to be was with him.

  The daydream his mind formulated went to a time skip as they do. They were on his bed, cuddling and making out, Zack's lips would be soft and pliant under his as he plundered Zack's mouth, getting moans and gasps that he inhaled as he rolled on top of Zack.

  The idea of kissing Zack was always a big turn on for Tom. He had accidentally seen Zack and Rebecca make out once and all he could look at was stare at Zack's mouth, the look his face made when he kissed and the small slips of tongue he saw now and again.

  Feeling his dick get harder with the thought of making out with Zack, being on top of him, grinding his hips into Zack's and the sounds the man would possibly make.

  Breathing labored, Tom gripped his dick and gave it a harsh tug, he was dripping precum like a faucet but he still reached up and under his pillow for his lube.

  A quick squirt of lube onto the head of his dick made him hiss but the warmth of his body and his hand spreading the lube out and starting a slow leisurely pace, it warmed up quickly.

  In his daydream, he had gotten Zack's shirt off and Zack had done the same to him. He took one of Zack's nipples into his mouth and gave a harsh suck, it made Zack arch up and groan low in his throat. Then Zack's hands moved to his pants and undid his belt, it landed on the ground with a dull thud. The loud sound of a zip being undone made Tom groan. Soon pants met the floor and shortly after, so did underwear.

  Tom knew to an extent what Zack looked like from all the years. In Tom's daydream, Zack was as sexy as always, his back arching as Tom's hands wandered down and gripped strong hips, giving them a squeeze.

  One had migrated toward the straining dick twitching laying on the taunt stomach of Zack. When his hand formed a fist over the smooth skin and have a pull, practically forcing the moan out of Zack's kissed bruised lips.

  Zack panted his name as Tom started to pump his dick, the precum helping the way. Tom groaned when his own dick was gripped and pumped.

  Their hands soon went faster and the grip tighter, breathes got haggard and names where gasped into the air of the room. Tom looked down at Zack, his chest feeling tight at the face of the one he loved.

  "I love you." Tom whispered into Zack's ear.

  Zack looked up at him, pleasure laced eyes looking deeply into his, a smile on his face.

  "I love you too."

  Tom had to bite his knuckles from screaming Zack's name.

  Cum splatters covered his chest, his breathing harsh and his heart even more so.

  "You better come back Zack."

  Chapter Six

  Thirteen weeks was a very long time to wait for Tom, but luckily for Tom, he had a lot to keep him distracted. Tom, Steve and Cody all went to their colleges. It kept them busy.

  Lessons, papers, projects and new experiences had them running around all week that when Saturday finally came around. They would all take a breather and hang out together, even if it was just for an hour.

  Tom still dreamt of Zack, daydreams and normal dreams. Most were good, some were steamy but now and again, one would go into dark territory. Tom would wake up either screaming Zack's name in terror, covered in sweat. His mom would come in and hug him, tell him that Zack was safe at a training camp.

  "I know that mom, I dreamt that he was on a battlefield and got killed." Tom mumbled into her shoulder, his shaking slowly going less and less before stopping, his mother's gentle back and forth strokes of her hand on his back.

  "He will be fine dear, you'll see. Brenda told me that Zack had already gotten scouted to be an engineer, they don't do as much fighting, he will be more in the back taking care of things than on the frontline." Helen said softly ask Tom slowly backed away, his face shiny with sweat.

  "I need a shower." Tom said as he got up and smiled down at his mom. She smiled back at him when she stood herself to go back to bed.

  "Night dear." Helen said and kissed Tom on the cheek.

  "Night Mom."

  After taking a shower and drinking a glass of water, Tom went back to his room and climbed into bed. He was out only a few minutes later, dreaming of Zack working on a car, in his father's shop. The smile on Zack's face as he tinkered and worked on a car. Tom just dreamed of watching Zack doing what he loved to do.

  The next morning was like always. Tom woke with morning wood, he got rid of it with some lubricant and a swift and tight fist paired with images of Zack. He then got out, decided to not take a shower as he took one only a few hours prior.

  He went down to the kitchen and made breakfast, once the breakfast was finished, his parents came down with smiles and thankful tummies. They ate their breakfast and went to their bedrooms to get changed and do their last morning routines such as brushing teeth and putting on make-up for Helen who had a client to meet.

  Soon Tom was fully neck-deep in culinary notes about everything and anything to the point where his head spun at times. He loved every minute of it. He loved making food using the new techniques he learns on those he loves. Steve and Cody loved to come over for dinner, Maria and Taylor were even more happy to join for dinner.

  They got mail from Zack each week, they were all thrilled and proud when Zack informed him that he was doing very well, he had passed every part of his training.

  It got closer and closer to Zack coming home, Tom got more excited and yet more and more nervous.

  Everyone told him that Zack would obviously want to pursue a relationship with him, that if he weren't interested, he would have said so from the start.

  Tom would then think back to the look Zack had on his face after he kissed him, the wide-eyed look and the hand that went to his mouth. The emotion in his eyes was surprised but there was something else there.

  One week away from Zack coming back, it was decided that they would hold a welcome back barbeque at Zack's home.

  Tom went out of his way to make sure that all of Zack's favorite foods and other goodies that would make Zack feel at home.

  The day Zack came home, the barbeque was already started with the fires burning and all the guests mingling in the backyard.

  John was the one to pick Zack up and the moment when Zack showed his face in the backyard, it exploded with the sound of happy cheers of his name.

  He was almost dog-piled to the ground by his friends, all of them heavier than the next and squeezing him hard.

  Zack was then guided to the other people to greet them and chat a bit with everyone. The day was a mad rush, Zack groaned at every bite of food he took, saying that he hadn't had a decent meal in a long time.

  Games were played and dessert was devoured.

  Unfortunately, there was not one moment where Tom could have alone with Zack, he had sent a few sad looks here and there, like he wanted to talk to him but everyone wanted to talk to him.

  In the end, time where they could talk alone didn’t come. Zack was still very tired and got sleepy far quicker than expected and the barbeque was cut short but everyone understood.

  Zack was gone early the next day for his graduation day. They all watched with pride and swollen hearts and a few teary eyes here and there. What was thought to be Zack coming back for a while had been rudely interrupted. It was revealed that Zack would be going to additional training to become a field engineer.

  A course that would be a month, a month of Zack being away but when Zack had told everyone with an excited look on his face as he talked about it. It had made it that no one could really complain to his face and possibly crush his dream.

  Thus, they watched him leave with a taxi to go to the airport. Tom's heart made a flip when Zack looked at him with a smile and mouthed. 'We'll talk when I get back.'

  There was no uncomfortableness in his face or body so Tom hoped that it was a good sign.

  The month went by slowly, so slowly that T
om wanted to bang his head against the wall on multiple occasions, but he held fast with the idea that after the engineer training, Zack would stay home for a bit and that they could finally have that talk.

  It, however, seemed like the universe was against the whole lot of them as it appeared. The moment Zack's training was done, he was deployed to the field, and contact became less as he was in a hostile area.

  Brenda was beside herself with worry, John did what he could but he was just as worried.

  Tom threw himself into his school as a way to distract himself. It also helped him to be too tired to dream at night. The nightmares more common now that Zack was deployed and probably in some sort of danger. It didn't get better as Zack, as soon as he was able, started to write more about what was going on around him.

  Zack was part of a platoon that was assigned to protect a village. The village was one that had little to give, yet they helped the soldiers where after the soldiers would play with the kids and help where they could.

  There was no real mention of violence in the letters but Tom had a feeling that Zack didn't want to make them worry.

  It sadly didn't work as the lack of real knowledge made them all worry all the more.

  Brenda and Tom had then decided to make a box filled with baked goods, letters, photos and other small things they were allowed to send to the village.

  The box had been well-received. Tom, with the help of his mom, had made more than enough cookies to be able to give to other soldiers and even to the villagers. It boosted the morale so high that the army asked if they would do it again every three weeks.

  They were more than happy to help the soldiers, so they agreed and it soon turned into a ritual that they kept going for a very long time. One letter that Zack wrote, he told them that he had been sent for even more training, stealth and infiltration.

  Zack's letters soon turned a bit scarcer for a while but Zack then came clean and said that enemy movement had made them more cautious and that was why mail was halted.

  Seven months passed, letters coming and going. Helen decided to hold a dinner party, Tom's friends were invited as well as John and Brenda.