"I'm sorry for scaring you, Skeppy." Darryl murmured upon the, maybe, fifth time he'd caught Zak zoned out and staring at him. The man in question was quick to snap back to himself

"It's- I wasn't scared, Bad." He reassured with a sigh, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Well, I was a little but that was because we could have been caught."

"Zak, you keep just staring at me. Sometimes you don't even hear me call your name." Darryl pressed sadly, coming to sit at Zak's side on their couch.

Zak bit his lip, knowing full well that he'd properly worried Darryl if him not calling his stage name was anything to go by. He sighed softly, figuring he'd simply have to tell the truth rather than lie or drag it on any longer.

"You looked good... when you broke the drawer." He finally managed, staring at his own hands in his lap, face tinted a lush pink.

"What?" Darryl asked, confused, and placed a smooth hand on Zak's forearm.

"Well, you always look good but especially then. You looked... badass," He ignored Darryl's murmured 'language' "like I'm sure you do when you shoot or throw knives, I just- you looked hot and I can't stop thinking about it." He rushed out, on one breath, and distantly wondered whether Darryl had a single clue what he'd said.

"Oh." Seemingly, he had. "So, you weren't scared, you... liked it?" Zak covered his burning face with his hands before nodding - he'd already said the words, there was no backing out now. Darryl didn't bother fighting the blush that rose to his face, nor did he bother fighting his smile.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm- I'm glad you find me attractive." He reassured, only receiving a seemingly pained groan in response. "It's normal for people in a relationship to find the other attractive. I find you attractive." He continued, squeezing the hand rested upon Zak's arm.

Zak made some high-pitched, embarrassed noise in the back of his throat and Darryl decided to elaborate.

"Do you remember when you were figuring out the drum line for our new album? And I kept coming in?" He asked softly, waiting until Zak nodded. "You said it was because I'm clingy and that if I wanted attention, I should just ask." He teased lightly, contented in the way Zak shifted to peak from his hands.

"The real reason was because you looked good so I kept making excuses to come watch." He finished truthfully, smiling at where Zak had lifted his flushed face and dropped his arms to his lap.

"Wow, you have problems." Zak deadpanned.

Darryl gasped dramatically in offence, causing Zak to bubble up into giggles, curling away from his boyfriend slightly. "I can't believe you!" Darryl shrieked, only causing Zak to laugh harder.

Before Darryl had the chance to continue his indignant speech, Zak brought a hand to his jaw and pressed smiling lips to his boyfriend's. Needless to say, Darryl was adequately shut up.

[SPICE WARNING! Skip to the second warning if you wouldn't like to read it!! (Again, I don't write NSFW, it just gets spicy)]

So very definitely shut up that he certainly didn't hum as he shifted hands to Zak's waist. Nor did he hum when Zak took the chance to swing a leg over both of Darryl's and situate himself in his lap.

He also didn't let a hand trail up the curve of Zak's spine and into undeniably soft, gently styled hair. Nor did he let the other creep to wrap entirely around Zak's hips, pulling them together flush.

But, if he did, then Zak also arched with the press of Darryl's warm fingers and tilted his chin just so, the way he knew drove Darryl mad. Then Zak also drew Darryl's bottom lip between his teeth teasingly before quickly recovering it with his own.

Moments like these were always slow and warm and gentle. Were always kind and loving and private. Where they'd gather the other into familiar arms and press as close as was humanly possible.

They had no place else to be - their portion of work long since completed in the hopes of scrounging free time - and so were contented in the soft push and pull of tongues between teeth and fingers in hair.

Darryl's hands were warm when they finally found home splayed at the small of Zak's back and curved over Zak's thigh. They were almost as warm as the smile they caused upon Zak's preoccupied lips.

And as smiles became to wide to hide against one another, they pulled just far enough away to rest forehead to forehead.

[SPICE OVER]

Both felt more than just content to simply share space, Zak relaxing entirely over Darryl's lap and resting a heavy head between his arm and Darryl's neck. Darryl looped both arms around Zak's waist once more, one hand coming to rub lazy shapes over his back.

It was often the way with the two that no words were needed - at least, no sensible words - in order to communicated what they felt.

And that's how Darryl was certain, by the gently shift closer he gave, that Zak had heard exactly what he'd wanted him to.

I love you, he'd heard, and I cherish every moment we have like this.

And Zak had replied, in that silent way that they both did.

I love you too, he'd said, and I hope for a hundred more moments just the same.

////:\\\\

@fleepfloop
Don't think that we've forgotten you made a stan account for yourself calling yourself hot @dreamwastaken because we haven't (@dreamishot )
————————————————
retweets      likes
    |
    |
@chiccennuggies
...we're so stupid
    |
    |
@luciddreamer
In my defence, I joined the fandom halfway through everything with George, I was just trusting what y'all told me
    |
    |
@GeorgeNotFound
He didn't even make the account just to talk to me, he's had it for ages
         |
         |
     @dreamwastaken
     Why do you hate me?
     ————————————————
     retweets      likes

////:\\\\

"Dad?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

Keres awkwardly shuffled herself on the couch beside her father for a moment, attempted to collect the courage and the words to say what she really needed to.

"Um, how do you feel about, uh... homosexuals?" She stumbled, pulling at the hemline of the Hawaiian shirt Ophelia had gifted to her.

The man simply smiled softly, though Keres wouldn't know.

"Is this because of all that they say at the church?" He asked delicately, placing a hand atop Keres' restless ones. She nodded after some hesitation. "Honey, it's up to you to decide your own opinion on these sorts of things, you're an adult. I started taking you to that church to help you, you don't have to keep going if it's not helping any more."

"It's- it's still helping, I think. To have something to believe in, that's helping." She protested softly.

"Then keep believing. You don't stop being Christian when you stop going to church, Keres. God isn't going to hate you if you decide that's not what's best for you." He reassured. "I'm not going to hate you if you decide that's not what's best for you."

Keres took a moment to carefully shift her arm until she could take his hand in hers, squeezing it. She breathed in deep before bailing out and sighing.

But then she remembered. She remembered the way Ophelia held her in her arms while she cried after admitting to herself and to Ophelia that she felt some kind of attraction to a woman - one woman in particular, though she wasn't quite ready to tell Ophelia that. She remembered the way Ophelia had sifted fingers through her hair and whispered patient reassurances until Keres was calm enough to breathe properly. She remembered how Ophelia had assured her, sure and strong and solid, that if Keres had nothing then at least she had Ophelia - that Ophelia wouldn't be leaving. Ever, if she could help it.

Ophelia didn't want to leave.

Not only that, she was willing to fight to stay.

"Would you hate me if I was homosexual?" Keres asked on borrowed breath, refusing to look up from where her now clammy hand was gently cradled in her fathers.

"Of course not, Keres. You're my daughter- you're you and I love you. No matter what you entail, I will always love you. No matter whether you bring a man, a woman or someone else home with you, I'll be the same: embarrassingly excited." He spoke slow and clear, almost to the rhythm of his rough thumb brushing back and forth against Keres' skin.

"Sweetheart, I'd rather accept the fact that you love women and have a chance of meeting future girlfriends than not accept it and lose you completely. Because whether or not I accept or understand it isn't going to change that it's a fact." Keres wasn't certain when she'd started crying.

It was equally relief and from being so utterly overwhelmed. She'd expected almost certainly to have come from this conversation weighing twice as much in her chest and having lost her father.

"You will have to be a little patient with me, I don't understand it the way young people do but I want to learn. For you." He smiled and brought his vacant hand up to brush ever-gentle at the stray tears on Keres' cheeks.

"I love you, dad." She managed, voice wavering, and leant heavily into his side. The man's smile only grew as he wrapped a warm, worn arm around his daughter's shoulders.

"I love you too, Kerrie, I always will."

————————————
1.7k words

I'm really sorry for having almost completely dropped my schedule and having become really inactive - it's not hard to see that I became overwhelmed lately and fell under the tide of it all. I took the time to myself today, talked to my lecturers and tutor and sorted myself out a schedule for work, writing and me-time that will work and won't leave me feeling like I'm drowning. The update schedule will stay the same :]

Thank you all so much for being so patient despite it all and thank you to those that got in touch to make sure I'm okay - I promise that I will look after myself properly.

Feedback is welcome and appreciated!!

Yours, Dandelion