Zach was finishing up the last of his work when his phone rang.

He picked it up from his desk to glance at, and was surprised to see it was Shane. It was a little odd, since usually they texted, so instead of putting it off until he’d finished work he accepted the call and lifted the phone to his ear while lounging back into his chair.

“Hey. What’s up?” he said cheerfully.

“Hey,” Shane replied back tensely, his voice full of anxiety. “Just… leaving work. Are you busy?”

Zach frowned, glancing towards his computer screen. “Uh… was just finishing some stuff up, but nah, not too busy. Is something wrong?”

“Yeah.” He heard Shane exhale a sharp sigh. “I just… could use someone to talk to, if that’s okay? My boss—the superintendent—he just came by the school. He… wasn’t happy.”

“Aw, heck,” Zach grimaced, and immediately sat up, reaching for the mouse. With a few clicks he saved the documents he had open. “Okay, if you give me just a few minutes we can meet up? Would that help? You can come by my place, if you want. Or… wherever.”

“I…” There was a second or two of silence through the phone. “That actually would be really great. If you’re sure you’re not too busy?”

“Nope. Totally fine. I’ll text you my address. I’ll head there now, so it’ll take about fifteen minutes to get home. Meet you there?”

“Yeah. Yeah, okay. Sounds good. I’ll see you there,” Shane replied.

“Okay. Texting you now. See you.” He hung up and swiftly texted Shane his address, then hurried to shut down his computer and snatch up the things he needed from his desk. He could catch up on what he didn’t finish tomorrow, but right now all he could think about was making sure Shane was safe and happy.

Thankfully, he got to his house before Shane did. He pulled as far up into the driveway as he could to make sure there was room for another vehicle, then hurried inside to give a swipe over the house, making sure there weren’t any embarrassing messes. He managed to tuck away the basket of laundry he’d left unfolded in the living room the night before by the time there was a knock on the front door.

He pulled it open and stepped back so Shane could come in, flashing a bright smile. “Hey. Make yourself at home and all that.”

Shane smiled in return, but it seemed forced, a tension notable around his jaw and lips. “Hey. Thank you,” he replied, then got distracted looking around the living room at all the Christmas decorations. At least it seemed to pull him briefly out of his dark mood.

Zach frowned with concern, then shooed him towards the couch. “Sit. You should be relaxing. And telling me everything that happened.”

The shorter man sunk down onto the couch heavily, puffing out a breath that made his cheeks expand before it was released. “There’s not a whole lot to say, but…” He shrugged out of his jacket to set it over the back of the couch, his jaw rocking. “I guess some people have already been contacting the Board of Education? He mentioned he’d been getting emails and calls today.”

Zach settled down beside him, head bobbing. “That’d make sense. I’ve been trying to get the word out there.”

“Yeah, he heard about you too.” Shane frowned at him. “So he comes barreling into my classroom after class. Thankfully no students were there. But he’s huffing and puffing, cursing—being really fucking rude. Obviously really pissed. Was going on about how I was spreading lies and slander, and trying to ruin the school’s reputation.”

Zach’s lips pressed together as he listened. “Well, that’s ridiculous.”

“I know!” Shane threw his hands up in exasperation. “He’s just afraid of people realizing how full of bullshit he is. But when I tell him I’m not lying and what he’s doing is wrong and obviously other people agree with me, he gets up into my face and threatens me.”

Zach sat up straighter with alarm, eyes going wide. “Wait, he threatened you?”

“Not physically,” he assured, though still looked grim. “But he said if I didn’t call all this off and stop you from covering the story, he would fire me.”

He leaned back into the couch, watching Shane for a moment. He wasn’t exactly surprised. People in authority never wanted you to poke around in their business. Part of the reason he’d left Boston and gotten out of more prestigious journalism was because the larger, more risky stories always came with assholes like this. People who didn’t want to give up their power and control, and thought they could threaten or blackmail their way out of being the target of a story. He’d been issued several threats over the years, and while he had always done his best not to sacrifice his integrity to that sort of bullying, it was a life of stress he had been relieved to step away from.

And now Shane was facing just that. He knew it had to be devastating to think about the consequences if they failed.

“Okay.” Zach drew in a deep breath. “I know this is really scary and I’m sorry you’re having to deal with this. But, odds are, he was just trying to scare you. He has more to lose by firing you than not. If he really thought he could get away with it, he would have gone on and given you the boot today. If he fires you, he is just going to add more wood onto the fire we’ve started. It just proves he has more to hide, and he’s showing obvious prejudice. Hell, if he’s stupid enough to actually do that, you probably could sue the school pretty easily.”

“I can’t exactly afford lawyers,” Shane pointed out, but he did seem a little reassured. “But… Yeah. You’re right. I’m not going to let this stop me, either. We’re still gonna go ahead with everything.”

Shane’s forehead was creased with worry, tension lines formed around his lips. It was so wrong to see him distraught like this; he was so beautiful and perfect when he was smiling and laughing. He wanted so badly to reach out and brush his fingers along his temple and cheek, to smooth out those lines and comfort him. Maybe even… hold him.

God, the thought of having Shane in his arms made his whole body ache with need.

Instead, he compromised by reaching over to put his hand over Shane’s, where it was rested on his lap. Shane’s dark eyes flitted up to meet his briefly, then his hand turned over so their fingers could lace together. Zach’s were longer, but Shane’s were warm and just the right balance of soft and strong. The contact made goosebumps raise up all along his arm, and he tried to repress a shiver, but he was pretty sure Shane caught it based on how his lips quirked upwards just the tiniest bit.

He could deal with some embarrassment if it meant Shane was smiling.

“I’m, uh… proud of you,” Zach muttered, looking down at their joined hands. “That you’re still willing to go through with this. It really shows how strong and caring you are.”

Shane chuckled softly. “I’ve never really had a choice whether I could be strong or not. I just… did what I needed to do. But I’m glad I’m able to give back the way I am. It is scary, but it’s also a blessing.” His hand squeezed Zach’s gently. “And I’m grateful for your support too, you know.”

Zach shifted nervously, some heat rising to his face. “Um, thank you. I do what I can.” He licked his lips, then smiled wider. “Speaking of… you’ve had a really rough day, so I think you deserve to be treated. Would, uh, you like to stay for dinner? I can make something, and you can just take tonight to relax and chill out. Maybe we can watch a movie or something after.”

The other man blinked, looking briefly surprised, but then a wider, brighter smile made his face shine. “I’d really like that, yeah. I’ve been looking forward to trying more of your cooking, you know, since I tried those cookies. But only if you’re sure?”

“Absolutely sure,” Zach insisted. “I think I got some tortillas, I could make quesadillas? I can grill up some steak and veggies, with lots of cheese for them. Or chicken, if you prefer that.”

“Chicken would be great, actually. I like my white meats,” he replied playfully, with a wink. “But all right. I’m not gonna turn down being spoiled.”

Zach sputtered briefly in embarrassment from the joke, but then shook his head and grinned. “You’re awful. But chicken it is.” He pushed to his feet eagerly, but then realized getting up involved letting go of Shane’s hand. He hovered awkwardly for a second before letting go and clearing his throat. “Besides, you’re not getting spoiled. I’m just looking after you. But uh, yeah. Coming right up. The remotes are there, so if you want to watch something, go ahead. Oh—do you want anything to drink? I’ve got…” He squinted towards the kitchen. “Sprite, Dr Pepper, milk, apple cider, and water.”

“I can never turn down apple cider.” Shane smiled up at him, and Zach had to focus so his knees didn’t melt.

“Coming right up.” Then he was hurrying away into the kitchen.

He was making dinner. For Shane.

He was practically dancing around the kitchen while pulling out ingredients from the fridge and cabinets. Thankfully he had some chicken breasts already defrosting in the fridge, so he didn’t have to worry about them accidentally getting nuked in the microwave. Once everything was laid out on the counter and he was certain he had everything he would need, he grabbed the jug of apple cider to fill a glass. He even dug out a cinnamon stick from a case on the counter to drop into it, and popped it into the microwave just long enough so it would be pleasantly warm. A hot drink always made everything a little easier.

When he walked back into the living room Shane had the remote in his hand, but his focus was on the Christmas tree. He was staring at it with an expression Zach couldn’t immediately decipher. Wonder? Longing, perhaps? But it was wiped away when he noticed Zach, turning to accept the glass with a smile.

“Thanks,” he said, brows bouncing upwards when he felt the glass’ warmth. He took a sip, brows bumping upwards at the taste. “Oh wow, this tastes amazing.”

“You’re welcome. And good. If you want another glass, just holler.” He rubbed the back of his neck, eyes flitting back to the Christmas tree, then around the decoration filled room. “I, uh, hope the Christmas explosion isn’t too overwhelming for you.”

“Are you kidding?” Shane grinned. “I think it’s great. You really go all out, huh?”

“I guess so, yeah.” He shuffled his feet a bit. “Christmas has always been a big thing for me. Plus… seeing all this stuff, it just makes me happy. And I kind of needed that right now, you know?”

Shane’s smile softened. “Yeah. I get it. Well, don’t feel like you have to be embarrassed. It’s cute. I feel like I’m in Santa’s workshop or something.” His eyes glinted mischievously. “I just need a lap to sit on, so I can get my Christmas present.”

Zach was so caught off guard by the line that his laugh came out at first as a loud snort, which just made him go even redder. But Shane was laughing as well, and he couldn’t bring himself to be anything but elated to hear that sound.

“Well, uh, it depends on if you’re on the naughty or nice list, right?” Zach tried to tease back, but it came out a little sheepish.

“Guess we’ll have to find Santa sometime soon and ask him which I’m on,” Shane said with a mock sigh.

“Ha. Right. Um.” Zach cleared his throat. “Anyway. You relax, and dinner will be done in a jiffy. If you need anything, let me know.”

Shane’s eyes creased with amusement. “Yes, I know. Relax. I’m totally on it.”

“Good.” Zach waggled a finger at him playfully, then made his way back into the kitchen.

Phase one of winning Shane’s heart had been completed with the cookie mission. Now he needed to complete Phase Two: The Art of Tex-Mex.