Zachary did chuckle a little at Tyler’s honesty about the scratching. “I’m sure tonight’s thoroughly written off any curiosity you could have ever had before.” He sat down behind Tyler and was attentive, his eyes watching the angry marks clawed down his back. He was listening to his husband, all the while cleaning the scratches with tender pressure on the gauze. Hearing the apologies and the explanation made Zachary’s expression more thoughtful before he responded.
“Thank you,” he replied after another passing moment. “The nickname… I have never liked or been comfortable with many if any nicknames for myself. It might seem odd but it’s just how I was raised. My sister tries, to tease from time to time, but even that is rare. But that’s why it bothers me.” Dampening a new gauze with the peroxide, he continued on cleaning. “It might not seem like it but I am trying to get to know you. Or I would like to. That isn’t why I did the background check per se, but it is why I came to talk to you about it.” He went silent or a moment and then explained, “I have colleagues–others who are… high in the rankings with the company. They don’t know the details of your record, but they know it turned up a criminal record and needless to say, they quickly had strong opinions, along with apologies for pushing me into this experiment.” As he finished up with the cleaning, Zachary rifled through his kit to bandage the wounds, all the while speaking on. “I was angry, because they pushed me into this, but as soon as they conclude my new spouse is a potential risk for business, they immediately backpedal, and I know most of them have been expecting me to forgive them right away. I haven’t, and I hadn’t made my mind up straight away that your record automatically meant an issue. That was the other reason I came to talk to you, to gain more understanding.” Cracking a dry smile, he said, “There’s a reason I’m the CEO and they aren’t. But that aside…. I know I told you before I wouldn’t apologize. I’m still not sorry for knowing about your record now, but I am sorry I hadn’t at least forewarned you. I wasn’t seeking to add to our already strained relationship.”
“Okay, I’ll lay off the nicknames and if I call you Zach by accident, just give me that hooded eyes and growly voice thing you do to remind me,“ Tyler smirked. Even though they hadn’t been getting along, Tyler still had eyes, he knew Zachary was hot. He clenched his fists as Zachary continued to clean his wounds, they were stinging a bit, but it was helping. At least one good thing had come out of the bar fight tonight, they were making friends. Talking for the first time in a long time. It was progress, slow, but still, progress. “I get that, and I know why you did it but I probably won’t ever agree. Thanks for explaining ti to me though. I can see your side. I’m not sure if I ever would have told you about my history. If we’d gotten along from the start, I would have over time. Made sure you knew me before I told you.“ Zachary had done it for a business reason, Tyler wasn’t a business, he was supposed to be Zachary’s husband. Still, he couldn’t be mad forever about it. This would just be a barrier for them to move on. He didn’t want that.
Unclenching his hands, he ran them down his legs, trying to distract himself from the pain. “When I er... when I got arrested, I called my sister first. Her fancy ass husband is a lawyer, really high up and connections. She didn’t want to embarrass him with her family,” Tyler explained with a roll of his eyes. “She forgets where she came from, now she’s married into money.” His kid brother was different. He was going to make something of himself, make a difference. “So all this stuff kind of made a giant chip on my shoulder. Meeting you with all this money, just getting out of jailing and all that stuff. I’ve been a bit of a dick. Probably too late but I wouldn’t mind er.. trying again?” He looked over his shoulder at Zachary. “I mean, you’ve already got your hands all over my body, look how far we’ve come tonight?” Tyler laughed, eyebrow raised.
