John slid back into him. Zack hissed, more out of oversensitivity than pain. John moved slowly, giving him time to readjust to the sensation of stretching and fullness. Once he was seated, he set a gentle but relentless rhythm of short, quick thrusts. Zack knew what he was doing: he was focusing the majority of the sensation of the sensitive head of his penis. He was trying to get off as quickly as possible, undoubtedly for Zack’s sake.

Zack almost wished he wouldn’t. This was the first chance he’d gotten to watch John during sex when he wasn’t too caught up in it himself. John’s eyes were closed, and his mouth was slack. His brow was furrowed with concentration. Zack lifted his hips to a better angle and watched John’s expression warp to one of ecstasy.

John leaned down and found Zack’s mouth, smearing their lips together in what could only loosely be defined as a kiss. Zack didn’t mind. He could tell from John’s erratic rhythm that he was getting close. John accidentally hit Zack’s prostate dead-on, and Zack spasmed involuntarily.

“Sorry,” John mumbled, half-incoherent.

Zack shushed him and kissed his face, tongue darting out to taste his sweat. God, everything John did was endearing. Even when he was just trying to get off, he was still the most considerate person Zack had ever known. A strange feeling swelled in Zack, starting low in his belly and bubbling up into his chest. He couldn’t say what it was, but it comforted him.

“Close,” John moaned brokenly. “So close. Can you—”

Zack knew just what to say. “John, I can’t wait to watch you come. I love the look on your face almost as much as I love your cock.”

John thrust into him once more and cried out.

“That’s it,” Zack murmured, too caught up in the moment to think about what he was saying. “God, John, I love you.”

John’s eyes snapped open. Orgasm racked his body. When the final spasms of pleasure faded, he collapsed, breathing heavily against Zack’s neck.

Time slowed to a crawl.

Zack’s face turned bright red. At first, his thoughts were utterly silent, but then a small gasp of horror in the back of his mind crescendoed into a chorus of No, no, no!

John, to his credit, recovered quickly. When he lifted himself, Zack noticed with abject horror that he looked calm. He might even have thought Zack meant to say that.

As Zack struggled with words, John’s expression shifted from calm to affection. Oh God, what if he said it back?

John leaned forward and kissed Zack so tenderly, it made him want to scream.

“Zack,” he began, “I—”

“Don’t say anything,” Zack interrupted.

John looked surprised, but he stopped talking.