Hello my friend, we meet again.

[If Zach was paired up with any other person for this project, he’d probably be screwed, because he truly hated being around people. But there was something about Brian that made him different than the others. Normally, he wouldn’t even be caught in the same room as one of his classmates, let alone sitting on the same couch as them. With their bodies touching. But he didn’t even cringe or have the urge to move at all, which was extremely odd.]  Oh, thank God. I was starting to get a bloody migraine. [He mumbled while sliding his hands slowly down his face, grateful that Brian read his mind and had the decency to call it quits for the day.] Doing nothing seems like a brilliant idea. [He didn’t sound at all enthused, but the other boy’s comment about their professor was enough to evoke a genuine chuckle out of him] Yeah, got any shovels?

[Brian couldn't tell if his face was ripping open or if he was just smiling really, really wide. He'd seen Zach smile before. He had made Zach smile before. But he'd never heard him laugh, and it was honestly the best thing in the world. Whenever he looked at the younger male, it were as if he were still looking at the boy that he fell in love with so many years ago. There was a certain darkness in his eyes, but for just a moment; a split second, they lit up, and Brian was melting inside.] I figured you could use a break. [He replied, trying his absolute best to keep himself calm and collected because he didn't want Zach to notice that his cheeks were turning a dark shade of red and he couldn't seem to focus on anything other than him. Brian just kept looking at him. He was looking at him closer than he had before, and there was so many reasons for that, but only one that really stuck out. Zach was supposed to be his lab partner. He was supposed to hate him and think he was an asshole. All of that had to happen so that they could get to this point, and Brian was carefully lowering his guard, and watching Zach slowly but surely do the same thing.] Do I have shovels? [Brian gasped in mock horror, pretending to be offended.] Zachariah. Of course I have shovels. What kind of serial killer do you take me for?

[Zach let out a long, rather irritated sigh as he went back and forth between flipping through the text book pages and reading over the almost ten pages of notes he took on the very long chapter. The disorder they were assigned was Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. How ironic. He wanted to say so many things about the subject matter, but for obvious reasons, he wasn’t going to do that. Even though he surprisingly found himself wanting to spend more time with Brian, and he could practically call him a friend, talking about his horrible past just wasn’t an option. At least for now.] I swear. If we don’t get a good grade on this thing, I might actually murder our professor. [Zach said with a small, agitated noise before leaning back on the couch and pinching the bridge of his nose. He honestly didn’t feel like working anymore for the day.]

[Brian looked over at Zach as he angrily flipped through the pages and let out noises that sounded like he were attempting to create a new breed of dinosaur/cats. He couldn't help but to smile a little. Zach really was cute, and it wasn't only when he wasn't talking. It was the things he said or the way he said them and he thought that maybe if he didn't remind him so much of his best friend, they wouldn't be where they were right now.] Okay. [Brian said, taking the book, closing it, and tossing it to the floor.] I think we've done enough work for today. It's getting late, and you look extremely tired, and I'm extremely hungry, and maybe if it's okay with you; we can just sit here and do nothing for a little bit. [He scanned his eyes with his own, biting down on his lip and leaning back against the couch.] And as far as the professor goes; I've totally got you. We can bury him in my neighbor's back yard.