Because of You

by David Horne

  "We need a shower." Zack said with a stretch of arms. Tom hummed in agreement. They both got up to go shower in the bathroom across the hallway, but when Zack put his feet on the ground and tried to stand up, his legs buckled.

  With Tom at his side, helping him to relocate his balance. They walked to the door and opened it slowly, Tom peeked into the hallway, looking left and right, but the house sounded like it was empty.

  They made their way into the bathroom and Zack reached into the shower to start to get the shower going. Tom again took to watching Zack's back. The shifting muscles as he turned the nobs, his gaze lower to Zack's ass and Tom groaned internally as his dick gave a twitch. His cum was leaking out of Zack and down his thighs, his dick slowly started to harden again.

  Zack looked behind him to see Tom's gaze was down south and couldn't help the blush that spread across his cheeks.

  "You were my first." The look Tom gave him made his chuckle. "The first man I ever slept with," Zack reached for Tom and led him into the shower where they stood chest to chest. "and the only man if I have anything to say about that." Zack finished by kissing Tom softly. Tom's arms wrapped around Zack, holding him close.

  It didn't take long for the kiss to turn heated, tongues dueling and Tom's hands lowering to grip the globes of Zack's ass. Zack moaned into the kiss, his fingers digging into Tom's shoulders when Tom's finger circled his cum filled hole before slipping it in. Zack gave a full-body shudder; it reawakened the fire in both of their bellies. Zack looked Tom in the eye.

  "Pick me up and fuck me against the wall." The growl-like quality of Zack's voice had Tom gripping Zack's thighs and hoisting him up and pressing him against the shower wall.

  Using the wall as support, Tom used his one arm to help guide his dick back to the cum filled hole.

  Both men groaned as Tom filled Zack again.

  They didn't last as long this time before Tom was cumming in Zack again, only this time he could see the face Zack made when he gripped his dick and stroked him to completion.

  Tom helped clean Zack out before he gave the man a good back massage, soon they helped wash each other's bodies and got out of the shower and dried off. Tied towels were all they had to cover themselves, but it seemed the house was empty as neither Zack nor Tom could hear any type of noise.

  Back in Zack's room, they both got dressed, Tom, who had a small stash of clothing since childhood sleepovers, got dressed in some underwear and a pair of sweatpants, Zack got dressed similarly. Zack had quickly changed his sheet before they both flopped onto the bed and looked at each other.

  Golden-brown met blue and both men met for one last sweet kiss. They arranged themselves so Tom was on his back and Zack was snuggled tightly against his side, head resting on Tom's shoulder. They shortly fell asleep.

  This was what Zack's parents opened the door to, the indeed left the house when Zack asked to speak to Tom alone. They had a feeling of what would happen and by the faint smell in the room, they had guessed correctly, but they didn't mind, they were both adults and the scene of the two of them cuddling in their sleep, Zack looking as peaceful as he did in Tom's arms made their hearts swell with joy.

  They went downstairs and sat on the couch.

  "I wonder what Zack is going to do now?" Brenda asked her husband where she was leaning into his side. John sighed and shrugged the shoulder his wife wasn't leaning against.

  "He will probably go into engineering as he still loves machines and things. I mean he did take additional training to become an engineer, he took engineering in school, was top of his class. I would be surprised if he didn't do something in engineering." John said as he looked into the general direction of Zack's room where the two men were napping in.

  "I'm just glad they are finally together. Tom will definitely be good for Zack and Zack will be good for Tom." Brenda nodded against her husband's shoulder and smiled.

  Chapter Nine

  At dinner time, both Zack and Tom came down, wearing shirts. They were also holding hands. Brenda and John had smiles all throughout dinner as Zack and Tom glanced at each other now and again with small smirks.

  Tom stayed the night, calling his parents to let them know, Helen asked if he and Zack were finally together and gave a small cheer when Tom confirmed that they were indeed a couple now. Tom listened with a smile on his face as his mother yelled to his dad that he and Zack were finally a couple. He chuckled when his father gave a whoop of joy.

  Once dinner was eaten, and the last cup of coffee sipped, they all went to bed. Tom held Zack to his chest, he listened to Zack breathe and sent a small prayer, a thank you that Zack came home safe.

  The next morning Tom woke up to Zack's golden eyes watching him. Zack was clearly halfway to waking up himself, the bleary eyes blinking at him from where he was still in Tom's clutches was telling enough.

  "Good morning." Zack's voice was sleep graveled and sounded so content that Tom couldn't help but smile at Zack. He got a smile back, the sleepy look yet to leave Zack's face.

  "Morning." Tom mumbled out, giving Zack a good long squeeze. Zack huffed a laugh before leaning up and giving a small closed-mouth kiss.

  They laid in bed, just staring at each other, occasionally Tom would stroke the bandage on Zack's face. They just enjoyed the moment of peace as they slowly woke up. Once they were properly awake, Zack got a smile on his face as if he remembered something good.

  "I'm meeting some of my old platoon mates… I'd like to introduce you to them. They know about you and how I felt… They helped me see the error of my ways and gave me the courage to confess to you the way I did." Zack confessed with a twirling finger on Tom's chest. Tom squeezed Zack once more to get his attention. When he had it, Tom smiled and ran a finger over Zack's lower lip.

  "I'd love to meet them."

  Zack gave a happy grin and hugged Tom tightly. With seemingly an energy boost from out of nowhere. Zack was up and tugging Tom up so they can get ready for the day ahead. Once they were dressed, Zack was typing on his phone.

  It was then decided that they would all meet for an early lunch.

  They had gotten into Tom's car after greeting Zack's parents as they left and greeted Tom's parents when they were leaving. The restaurant that they were going to eat at was a bit far, but it was closer for the others who were still either hospital or base bound.

  In the car, Zack told a little bit about each of the soldiers they were going to meet.

  "First is Commander Harris, I haven't seen him since he was airlifted to the hospital. I am unsure as to the extent of his injuries. From what I remember of the flashes of the rescue mission, his one leg looked very bad. Mangled in metal and bled a lot, all over the place." Zack was the one driving, so Tom had the time to watch as a dark look came over his face.

  "Then there is Cassandra, she's still in therapy both physical and mental. She only broke her leg so she'll be fine physically but mentally, I'm not so sure, so, it will be safer to say that nothing. Unless they are the ones mentioning about our time deployed." Zack warned Tom, giving him a quick side-eye.

  Tom gave a small understanding nod.

  "Then there is Phillip, he was our go-to guy for things to go boom, he was always making jokes, trying to get anyone to laugh, be it soldier or civilian." Zack's face was now one of amusement.

  "Lastly, there will be Paul. He was a fellow engineer, he's older than me and told me on more than one occasion that I was wasting my brains on being a soldier but well…" Zack looked left and right before driving forward. "He understood after a while."

  Tom knew that there was a hidden reason no one knew yet as to why he joined besides that it was always something he wanted to do. One thing that Tom could say was that Zack looked far calmer now as if he had achieved some sort of inner peace.

  It was a good look in Zack, his body language didn't change, but his face seemed more relaxed.

  "Those are the only ones that can make it but in time I want to introduce you to everyone and…" Za
ck's hold on the steering wheel tightened. "I also would… would you go with me to the funerals?" Zack's voice was just above a whisper.

  Tom reached over and gently placed his hand in Zack's tight, giving it a comforting squeeze. "Of course, I will."

  Zack parked the car and turned to face Tom. He leaned forward and gave Tom a small kiss.

  "Thank you."

  They got out of the car, locked it and moved to the restaurant. They came in and the hostess greeted them, a charming smile on her face. She led them to a table near the back, three men and a woman all smiled at them, two of the men stood and the woman did as well.

  Zack noticed first that Harris was now in a wheelchair.

  Zack saluted, they all saluted back, smiles still on their faces. Zack looked back over his shoulder up at Tom and gave him a shaky smile, showing Tom that seeing Harris in a wheelchair was a bit of a hit for Zack.

  "Hey guys, this is Tom. Tom, this is my old Commander Harris, Cassandra, Phillip, and that is Paul." Zack introduced them all by gesturing to each person as he said their name. They all greeted either with a nod as Commander Harris or small wave like Cassandra.

  Commander Harris was a classically handsome man in his late thirties or early forties with greying temples, he was clean-shaven. He had a few faint scars that told the life of a soldier.

  Cassandra was a strong-featured woman. Her nose was slightly crooked as if it was broken recently. Her dark blue eyes sharp and attentive as if she had yet to relax back into 'civilian' mode like Zack had. Tom assumed that was the case. Cassandra had her hair in a tight bun, she had no apparent scarring on her face.

  Paul had a mop of sandy blonde hair and green eyes, his face as rather square with a wide jaw, he was also very muscular and had a small nick of a scar on his chin.

  Phillip was a beanpole of a man even sitting down, he was extremely pale. He had ginger hair and a thick beard, but he had the friendliest eyes Tom had ever seen, their dark depths warm as he looked at Zack and then to Tom.

  They sat down and were handed menus.

  Given a moment to browse the menu, they all ordered their food and drink. With the waitress gone, they all got to talking.

  "Commander Harris was the first to realize Zack's feelings for you." Cassandra said with a smirk hidden halfway by her glasses rim. Zack's face colored a slight pink. Tom watched as they all gave fond smiles at Zack. It then hit Tom that the four other soldiers in front of them were far older than them, who were just barely touching their twenties.

  Commander Harris looked to be nearing his forties while the other three seemed to be well in their thirties. They were all looking at Zack as if he was a younger sibling, it warmed his heart as he now saw only the surface of the comradery that these five soldiers shared.

  "Oh?" Tom asked with a grin, throwing his arm around Zack to pull him closer. Zack went willingly, sitting close enough that Tom could keep his arm around Zack.

  Harris chuckled but nodded. "I was coming back from doing my rounds, just a general checklist type of thing when I came upon Zack reading a letter, a photo in his hand. I recognized the look instantly when I saw him looking at the photo. I did at first think it was a girl, but when I asked Zack what her name was he got quiet and had a look of panic on his face, it was small and if I hadn't been looking so closely for anything to give me something to tease him about I saw it." Harris looked at Zack, that fond smile still on his face.

  "He said he didn't have a girlfriend anymore; it was also how I found out how he was cheated on. I was about to tell him that I could see that he liked someone but he was called away. I may have snooped and picked up the photo as he took the letter with him. I knew what his mother looked like as he showed us when she sent him a photo of her and his dad as he had requested from her. I saw a group of four guys in the photo Zack left behind. Zack was one of them." Harris took a sip of his drink and looked at Zack, who had slowly turned a deeper shade of pink.

  "When Zack came back, I flipped the photo around to show him, his face got as red as it is now when I asked if the person he liked was in this photo. He sputtered and stuttered that he wasn't like that. Unfortunately, there are still many people in the military that don't condone homosexuality, but we were chilled with it. I saw that he was uncomfortable, so I told him that his being gay was no problem at all as three other men and two women in our platoon were gay as well." Harris looked at Zack again, this time with an almost brotherly smile on his face.

  "It helped him calm down, but he still refused to say who in the picture he likes. I hounded him for a while until he finally gave in when new mail came. He was sad that day, said he had missed his best friend's birthday for the first time. He was sitting on his bunk, reading another letter while munching on one of those delicious cookies. I sat on the bunk next to his and asked if he had gotten bad news. Zack just shrugged and said he missed his best friend's birthday and that he missed him." Harris paused in his retelling for the waiters to place their food and Zack and Tom's drinks down/

  "It was something in his face that told me that his best friend was the one he had feelings for. When I asked who his best friend was, Zack was in his funk a bit too deep to realize at the time what he was revealing to me. He showed me the picture that was attached to the letter of the two of you, and I asked if he was the guy that he had feelings for. All he could do was blush and nod." Harris looked at Tom with a serious look.

  "It was like pulling water out of a rock but I got it out of him, he really cares for you, please look after him." Cassandra, Phillip and Paul all looked at him but Tom kept eye contact with Harris; without breaking the stare-off, Tom reached over and tugged Zack to his side, so Zack was resting his cheek om Tom's chest. Tom's chin resting on Zack's head. "Zack had my heart for as long as I can remember, I would never hurt him, I'd rather die." Zack stiffened slightly in his one arm hold before he wrapped his arms around Tom in a hug himself.

  Harris' face softened when he saw Zack smile after a few minutes. Tom had subconsciously started to stroke Zack's arm.

  "You two make an adorable couple." Cassandra's steady and robust voice made the two men look at her, Zack blinking a bit before a happy smile grew on his lips. Tom just grinned and squeeze Zack's arm.

  "So, can I hear some stories?" Tom asked with a grin once everyone had time to chow down on their food for a bit.

  Zack suddenly got a shit-eating grin, and so the storytelling began.

  "So, we all watch this little shit over here actually sneak up on Commander Carter with that shit-eating grin he wears when he's up to no good and honest to God gets such a huge scare out of the man that he jumped into the air. The whole base bursts out in loud laughter and tears. Commander Carter had yet to get Zack back as no one seems to be able to scare Zack. I blame infiltration training. After he got that he got all sneaky." Paul growled the last part, almost giving Zack a stink eye, it made Tom think that Paul had been on the target of Zack's mischievous 'sneak attacks' as they had been dubbed.

  The snorts of laughter were more than enough to tell Tom that Paul had indeed been the target more than once.

  Phillip looked at his watch as sighed, he got out his wallet and places some money on the table.

  "I have therapy to go to, it's been great seeing you guys again and it was fantastic meeting you Tom." Phillip gave a salute and walked to the door. Cassandra reached for her purse and did the same, Zack and Tom followed suit. Harris had some trouble getting his wallet out of his pocket but managed and got his part of the meal money out. The waiter had seen Phillip put down money and had brought the bill.

  After paying and leaving, Harris wheeling himself out when Zack held the door open. It was at that moment that Zack saw the result of the damage to Harris' leg, from above his knee, his leg was amputated. He swallowed and gritted his teeth; Harris must have seen something in Zack's face and wheeled to stand in front of him.

  "Hey now, none of that," Harris lightly punched Zack on his hip. "you saved not only my life, but the
rest of the platoon, we all owe you our lives so please don't beat yourself up because you didn't get hurt. If you got hurt none of us would have been here." Harris patted Zack's hand and started to wheel himself off in the direction of the hospital. Cassandra gave them both a fierce hug before going after Harris, walking alongside him.

  Paul looked at both men, a serious look on his face before it broke into a cheeky grin, the scar on his face twisting his mouth in a restricting way.

  You better invite me to the wedding." He guffawed as he walked away with a backward wave.

  Zack huffed a laugh and tugged Tom back to the car. They drove back to Zack's house only to groan loudly when they saw an all too familiar car in the driveway, an all too familiar woman standing against the passenger side door.

  Parking Tom's car in Tom's driveway, Zack sighed when he saw that Rebecca had spotted him in Tom's car.

  "I thought my mom told her off?" Zack glanced at Tom, his eyes confused. Tom sighed and rubbed his forehead. "So did I."

  They both got out and walked toward each other before they started to make their way to Tom's house. The click-clack of heels made both men sigh and look at each other with a look of annoyance.

  "Hey!" Rebecca yelled out, clearly annoyed at being ignored, both men turned around. Rebecca walked right up to Zack and hugged him close, in a way that would press her breasts more firmly against Zack's chest, but the hug didn't even last a second before she was gently pushed away. Zack had a deep frown on his face, he crossed his arms and leaned back, furthering the distance between them.

  "What are you doing here?" Zack asked, looking Rebecca up and down. He couldn't help but shake his head when he saw what she was wearing. Seemed the time they spent apart had made Rebecca's friends influence stronger as her clothing was now even more skimpy than it was before. It was everything he didn't like about women's wear lately.