okay hear me out- fic idea
-ruben has technically never been on a first date (he doesnt class the amsterdam canals because zach wasnt speaking to him prior- as much as zach likes to protest because that whole thing was pretty romantic for him) and like he was deeply in the closet and dating guys in who were also deeply in to closet- so it just wasn't on the table for him
-And in an interview they are asked about the perfect first date and Ruben jokingly goes ‘well I've never been on a first date so I couldn't tell ya’ and throws the card that had the question away
-And angel then immediately starts jokingly being shocked and goes ‘Zach-attack (Zach sides eyes him) how could you neglect Ruby like that?!!!’
-And then Zach and Ruben both laugh it off and are like ‘we didnt have a normal start to a relationship did we—— but we go on loads of dates now!’
The conversations drifts to Zach, Jon and angel talking about amazing first dates they have been on or would like to go on
- Rubens kinda goes uncharacterly quite during the whole conversation
- Zach notices but doesn't saying anything but does steer the conversation into the next question
-The interview goes on as normal after that and then at the end of the day after Zach and Ruben have gotten into bed
- Ruben is scrolling on his phone and Zach is laying across Rubens chest
- Zach has been thinking about that moment since it happened and has been trying to convince himself to talk to Ruben about it and he finally just blurts out Rubens name
-ruben just hmms in responds, still scrolling on his phone and then Zach as quickly as humanly possible goes ‘doyouregretneverexperienceanfirstdate?’
- that causes Ruben to dramaticly blink his eyes and move his head multiple times and turn his phone off and put it to the side and puts his arms on Zach guiding him into his eye sight and then goes ‘baby can you repeat that please? —I don't speak what ever that was ‘
- then they have a conversation about it where Ruben ensures Zach that no he doesn't feel neglected, and no he doesn't wish that he could’ve explored more of a single experience after coming out- ‘you are all I need zach’
- Zach does believe him because Ruben wasn't lying and he knew that he was happy- but that doesn't stop him from hatching a plan to give Ruben the best first date ever
- he stages a meet cute with Ruben- and Rubens like ‘wtf why are you pretending to not know me we have know each other for over ten years???’
- but Zach just response with ‘I never met you before but maybe that's a sign from the universe and we should go on a date’
-Rubens like ‘wtf if you wanted to go a date you could've just messaged me??’
- Zach doesn't answer that and just says ‘I'll pick you up at for 4’ and starts walking away
- Rubens just like ‘pick me up?? we live together??’ but zach just laughs and keeps walking away
-ruben gets home (they are still living with the boys) and is like to Jon and angel ‘Zach is being so weird’ and explains what happened
- Jon and angel (who are in on it) are just ‘wow sounds like you got a hot first day’ and says like first dates things like ‘ooh what will you wear’ and what not
- Ruben doesn't see Zach for the rest of the day, then at 3:55 the door bell goes and Zach is standing outside dressed very nicely with a bouquet of flowers and he just smiles at Ruben and all he can get out is ‘hi’
- before Jon and angel rush to the door and shake zachs hand as if they have never met before and welcomes him into their home (that Zach definitely has never seen before because he definitely doesn't live there)
-zach gives Ruben the flowers ( Ruben brings them up to his nose the way he did the first time Zach gave him flowers - he does it every single time Zach gives him flowers because he knows it drives him crazy)
- and then as Ruben is smelling the flowers Jon and angel starting going into stern first date parent talk which Ruben just laughs at but Zach nods to very seriously
-afterwards they make their way to their date and Zach really goes into to it being a first date and acts like he knows nothing about Ruben and Ruben plays along and it's fun and flirty and they both have the best time
- after their date Finishes they make their way home and Ruben pretends that Zach coming in with him is a big deal and they probably shouldn't (whilst activitly drag him Into the freshhold)
- they pass Jon and angel (who had been camping out in the living area) and Jon asks ‘how’d the date go’ and Zach can barely get out ‘really well thanks’ before he is dragged into their bed room
- Jon and angel jokingly shame them but Ruben and Zach and far too preoccupied to care 
- afterwards when they are laying in bed and Ruben starts to feel emotional about everything and he's like ‘thank you, you always know what I need I really appreciate you’ and they both cry and it's an emotional bubble ( that never one of them plan to pop anytime soon) because Ruben finally gets the love he deserves and Zach hates that it took so long for him to get it
