#protective!zon

Saifah had been acting a little off lately. He doesn’t smile the same. He’s just a little... strange. When Zon first noticed it, he quickly scanned his memory for anything he himself maybe did that upset Sai, but everything with them has been great lately! Sai even seems to be a little more like normal after Zon’s been able to spend some time with him. He can’t figure it out. 

Now in the engineering canteen, Zon looks around to find Sai. He wants to buy him lunch and hopefully cheer him up a bit. Sai is already sitting at a table surrounded by Fighter and a couple other senior engineering guys sitting either on or at the table. Sai looks just a little uncomfortable. That spikes Zon’s interest. 

Zon walks over to where Sai is sitting.

“Sawadee, Ai’Sai” 

Everyone greets back and fills Zon in on what they’re talking about. Something about music genres. 

Zon turns to Sai and bends down just a bit to speak a little nearer, a little more privately to him. “Are you okay?”

Sai turns and locks his eyes on Zon’s. He gently nods once and quirks an eyebrow. His eyes look just the smallest amount of stressed though, which is what makes Zon not feel totally crazy. 

“Are you sure? Because you look stressed out.” 

Siafah’s eyes widen infinitesimally, but Zon’s close enough to notice. And it’s enough for Zon to know he wants to talk to Sai alone. 

“Ai’Sai, let’s leave; come on.” And without waiting for a response, he turns to the rest of the group. “Hey, guys, we’re going to head out. Ai’Sai said he’d help me with something. See you guys later.” 

Some throw back farewells as Zon firmly grips Sai’s bicep and pulls him up and off the bench. He then pulls them outside the canteen and to a table off to the side; he throws his bag on the table and plops down on the bench next to where he’s pulled Saifah to sit. 

“Ai’Sai, can you please tell me what’s going on with you? I know something is wrong, and I know you’re trying to hide it. But I know you, AI’Sai. So can you just tell me?”

Saifah looks uncertain, as though still weighing if he could possibly make up a good enough excuse not to tell or fake being fine again. Zon glares at him. Saifah visibly gives in and his shoulders slump. “It’s stupid.”

“No. I guarantee you it’s not - not if it’s making you act all sulky like this.”

Sai looks down to the side. Zon sighs. Sai’s ignoring his question now? Really? Zon grabs Saifah’s hand and wiggles it back and forth a bit until Saifah looks back at him. Zon grins. Saifah huffs a laugh. 

Zon leans against Saifah’s shoulder and looks up at his eyes. “Will you tell me now?”

“Some of my seniors have been talking about how much they love this new rock band that doesn’t use guitar, which is fine.”

Zon tilts his head in confusion.

Saifah takes a deep breath that’s more like a sigh. “It’s just they constantly build up this band by talking about how guitar isn’t important or cool anymore. The ‘new future’ is bass or electric organ or whatever. And just that would even be tolerable, but anytime I try to say something, they just - interrupt or ignore it. Fighter’s fine and tries to be nice when he notices I got interrupted, but he doesn’t always notice. I just feel ...not valued.” He finishes with a huff, as if all the bad things he’s feeling could be released in that one breath.

Zon lets go of the Sai’s hand he forgot he was holding and moves his arm to wrap around Sai’s shoulders. He wants to be mad. He is mad, but he doesn’t know what to do with that. For now, he’ll just make sure Saifah knows that someone does value him. 

“Ai’Sai, let’s go do something fun. Maybe get some cake too.” 

Saifah scrunches up his face in his cute confused way, and Zon grins. 

“I want you to feel appreciated, so let’s go celebrate you.” Sai’s eyes widen, but Zon just laughs and pulls his arm to leave. They can ditch their afternoon classes. Sai is more important. 

*         *         *         *         *

It wasn’t until about a week later that Zon finally saw Saifah hanging with those specific seniors again. Zon eagerly took the opportunity and confidently strode up to the conversation. He greeted the seniors but otherwise stayed quiet. He wanted to be a part of this conversation. He planted himself right next to Saifah and wouldn’t leave. Saifah looked confused at him, but he didn’t say anything. 

At first, the conversation wasn’t even related to music. But after a while, the guys started talking about getting dinner and maybe going out for drinks or clubbing after. Zon quickly agreed to go with, and out of the corner of his eye, he could see Saifah’s jaw hanging open. Zon doesn’t like to go out drinking, especially with people he doesn’t know very well. In all honesty, he usually prefers to just stay home or hang out at Saifah’s place. 

But today, Zon wanted to make sure things with Saifah’s faculty friends were okay. He wanted Saifah to know he had someone in his corner.

Over dinner, there was some mention of specific songs that were gaining popularity and some impromptu breaking out in song, but nothing relating to guitars or bands.

It wasn't until hours later when everyone was half-past tipsy at a very noisy and full club that someone brought up the band Saifah told him about. 

One senior in particular seemed especially passionate about this band. This senior, P’Don, was just a couple centimeters shorter than Saifah and vaguely attractive - if you like that chiseled jaw and denim jacket look. He started out raving about the drums but then moved on to talk about how great it was there was no guitar so the drums were really the focal part of the music, which was not necessarily bad...

Until he draped himself across Saifah’s back and not-really-whispered in Sai’s ear, “What do you think about that?” 

Saifah’s eyes grew so big they looked like they were about to pop out, and he snapped his head to look at Zon. Zon immediately knew this was new and Saifah was panicking. 

Zon, short as he is, knows how to weasel his way between people and did just that, and if he just so happened to accidentally shove P’Don in the stomach with his elbow, well then, that was just a little clumsy of him. He can apologize later.

Zon firmly dives between the two men and wedges himself in the middle. He can finally take down this pathetic salaleo who’s been messing with Sai. “P’Don, are you feeling okay?”

P’Don blinked and looked down at Zon. “What?”

“Well, you just don’t look good. Are you gonna faint? You look like you might pass out soon.”

“Huh? No? I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” And Zon swings his arm in front himself a bit and shoves his elbow back with as much force he can muster directly into P’Don’s stomach. P’Don hunches over, and when he lowers his head to Zon’s chest level, Zon raises his elbow and brings it down at the base of P’Don’s neck. He hits the floor groaning in a flash.

“See? P’Don, you really don’t look great. Should I call you a cab?” Zon kneels down next to him and speaks eye-to-eye with him. “Don’t mess with Sai again.”

Zon stands back up and turns to Saifah, who’s frozen and staring at him. “Okay, I think I’m ready to call it a night. Can I crash at your place tonight? I don’t want to go home smelling like this.” 

Sai continues to stare. 

“Ai’Sai? Are you ready to go home?”

Sai weakly nods. And swallows. 

They say their goodbyes, leave P’Don in the capable hands of his other tipsy friends, and catch a cab home. 

*        *         *         *         * 

It’s later that night, when Zon is clean and snuggly in a borrowed shirt from Sai, that they both crawl into Saifah’s large bed to finally put an end to a very long day. Saifah has been more quiet than normal since the club. 

Zon’s anxiety took a break when he was at the club and drinking and riled up in anger, but now - now, in the peace and quiet and the comfort of Saifah’s bed - now, he’s wondering if he reacted too strongly, if Saifah is mad at him or didn’t like how he handled the situation, or if maybe Saifah didn’t want his help in the first place. Maybe he overstepped! Maybe he overestimated his and Saifah’s friendship! Maybe he should’ve gone back to his house instead. Maybe it’s not too late. Saifah’s probably annoyed with him and wants some time to himself. Maybe he can just - 

“Zon.”

Zon’s head snaps to lock on Saifah’s steady gaze. 

“I can see your anxiety.”

Zon turns his head back to stare at the ceiling and bites his lip.

Sai lets out a soft breath from his nose. “Thank you. For what you did.” A pause. “I didn’t know you could do that.” He breathes a laugh. Zon thinks his grumbly, sleepy voice and his breathy laugh is the most calming thing he’s ever heard. And attractive.

Zon looks at him again. “You’re not mad at me?”

Saifah laughs. “No.” He shakes his head. “No, I’m not mad. More like shocked witless.” 

“Oh.”

A beat passes.

“So what I did was okay? I wasn’t out of line or making you uncomfortable or anything?”

Saifah does that one smile he does that Zon can’t quite figure out what it means. “No, you were fine. Maybe, it was a little much, but that made my year. I’m never going to forget that. Thank you. ...for standing up for me. And, for making me feel important.” 

Zon shifts in the bed to face Saifah fully. “Of course. You are important.”

Saifah shifts in turn to mimic Zon’s position; except, Saifah also scooches much closer than before. Zon doesn’t necessarily mind. He likes being close to Sai. It’s calming. And he smells nice. Zon looks into Saifah’s eyes again. Saifah’s eyes are soft and warm, and unknowingly, Zon’s eyes match. 

“Zon.”

“Hm?” 

“Can I kiss you?” It’s barely a whisper. It’s barely a breath. It barely exists, and yet it’s out now. It’s a question long kept hidden, now exposed. Zon gently shifts his head just a little bit forward. Just as easily unnoticed as the question, he nods. 

Saifah slowly leans forward, while also raising up on his elbow to give him more freedom to move, and moves steadily closer to Zon. 

He leans in and down. He breaks eye contact and looks at Zon’s lips. Zon does the same. Zon can’t help but close his eyes and takes a soft breath in. And in a matter of heartbeats, Saifah’s lips are touching his own. 

And it’s like touching a live wire. An electric shock zips through Zon’s body, and as it passes, a wave of security and peace and comfort and love passes over him. His heart slows and he sinks further into the kiss. Saifah’s large body is sheltering him from everything else in the world, and he’s never felt more safe or comfortable. He feels like melting, and it’s perfect.