Zachariah

L: i wish i was jokibf

L: it fell over when i was cleaning

L: i know it does and im so so sorry for it i swesr

L: swear* im so pathetic

Z: its ok baby its ok

Z: ill take it somewhere and see if it can be fixed

Z: i know you didnt mean it

Z: your not pathetic. i love you so much

L: it was :(

L: im so dorry

L: sorry*

Z: tell me your not serious liv

Z: you know how much that means to me

L: ......

L: i love you?

Z: baby...

Z: i love you too but please tell me it wasn't my action figure

L: im so sorry D:

L: i might have broken something valuable of yours...

M: aww what?

M: it wasn't my GL action figure was it?

You, Me, and...Him?

Must have been a false alarm. Or probably more stress weighing her down. Something. But at least the pain receded a bit, though was still there as Zach escorted Olivia down the main set of stairs. “Would it be convenient? The baby’s not due for another three weeks. I think I can last a little longer.” Though, Olivia liked the room they were currently in. She could always stay up there and come down when necessary. Hasn’t stopped her before. Aside from food and a bathroom, everything she could ever need had been upstairs with them.

Still latching onto Zach’s hand, she smiled up at him once they reached the bottom, silently hoping that this walk could ease the pain. If not, then it was definitely nice to steal some sleeping time away from the teen for a while. Olivia placed her head against his shoulder and chuckled as a thought had suddenly crossed her mind. “This is going to be an odd story to tell at our high school reunion, isn’t it?” she smiled up at him.

“Are you sure?” He asked. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind moving our stuff down here. At least just enough stuff to get us through the next couple of weeks, then move back up into the room we’re in now.” Zach didn’t say it, but it would definitely make him feel better. Knowing she wasn’t going up and down the steps alone. But he knew better than to push. Olivia was as stubborn as she was pregnant.

He chuckled with her, leading them to the front door. “You know they’re all gonna accuse us of having cheated on every person we’d ever been with,” he said, though the smile on his face proved he didn’t really care. Let them talk. “We could always spice it up though. Tell me I was kidnapped and you killed twenty armed men with nothing but a beanbag and a piece of yarn to save me.”

You, Me, and...Him?

As usual, Zach was right, especially when speaking on the later. “Well, not before since you wanna be so smart, Mister.” Granted, she’d always found him to be attractive, but Olivia would be a true liar if she said that she didn’t enjoy his current transformation, where she could go from chill to hot and bothered in seconds flat. With all the hard work he was doing day in and day out, she felt like thanking someone for that body of his. Job well done in her book.

Olivia knew where her heart currently was, and hearing his words made her feel alive and loved. Whatever and however he felt, she’d owed him everything, especially since he sacrificed everything to get to this moment. She held onto his hand with the both of hers, squeezing it lightly as she turned three shades redder. “We love you, too.” That underlying confirmation of the love she had for him had been announced, and it felt weird. A good weird, but still. Olivia was just about to say something else before she was stopped for a brief moment. An undesirable and sharp pain in her lower back throbbed harshly, leaving the young woman to squeeze Zach’s hand more harder than usual while trying her best to muffle her own pain stricken cry. “Oh…fuck…That’s not good.” she whispered out of confusion and fear. “Guess we should hurry up with that walk then.”

The confirmation of their love made Zach smile. Sometimes he could help but need for her to say that to him. To let him know he was loved. Her tightened grip over his hand startled him and he looked her over, barely catching the words she’d said so softly. “Right, sorry. I was keeping you up here all to myself,” he chuckled. His hand didn’t leave her though as they made their way out of the room and down the steps. Part of him was beginning to wonder if maybe they should move into one of the guest rooms on the ground floor. Olivia was very pregnant, and all those steps couldn’t be an easy task to take on every day.

The rooms on the first floor were smaller, but they could make it work. He’d sleep on the floor if it was necessary, and he could always leave his clothes in the old room and just go up there to change every morning. “Hey, what do you think about moving into one of the rooms down here? I know they’re smaller, but I think we could manage it. You wouldn’t have to worry about going up and down these steps all day,” he suggested as they reached the bottom step, his fingers still tightly intertwined with her own.

You, Me, and...Him?

How long has it been since he’d gotten a good night’s rest? Olivia couldn’t help but to think of herself as a burden, something she had no business doing since their trip had been a mutual one. With the both of them being forced to grow up due to the surroundings they were now living in, it was only fair to worry at how he’d been coping since things were getting close. To where exactly, was still unknown to her. “You? Drunk? That’s funny, because you’re usually out of your clothes by the sixth drink.” teasing Zach right back, she poked his side, though silently loved how he would always rub her stomach. It just felt right to her.

She couldn’t even respond to that. Realizing that they’ve grown up together for ages, living through each stage of life while looking to the other in support. Guidance. Their next path proved to be difficult, but who would she be without him, and in vice versa? Nothing. And as that answer and his words came to light, the more she didn’t feel the need to be scared of anything anymore. Olivia managed to keep her tears at bay, though didn’t hesitate to kiss Zach on the lips. Short and sweet, she didn’t want for it to be too long when they parted, ad she immediately hid her face from his view in moderate embarrassment.

“Uh actually, I’ve been holding my own until the seventh drink now, I’ll have you know,” he informed her, a tone of self importance ringing from his words. Zach was smiling though, loving how the two of them could fall so easily into this familiar back and forth. This familiar connection. Something long since having passed the boundaries of friendship. “And I don’t remember you complaining about my occasional nudist inspirations before.”

The kiss set him into silence. A feat only Olivia had ever really managed. It took a lot to shut Zachariah up sometimes, but Liv had never struggled to manage it. And it seemed she hadn’t lost her touch. She broke it off faster than she’d started it and he swallowed, leaning his cheek against the side of her head. “I love you, Olivia. You know that, right?” What kind of love? Well, it was hard to say. But it was no longer platonic. And he hoped he knew that by now. “I love you so much. And I love our little boy.”

You, Me, and...Him?

Olivia leaned into Zach a little, admiring his body wash that was used a while ago. “If you want to stick around, sure. I know you work in the morning and I don’t want to compromise much needed sleep.” She was still a little hurt from before, but it was bearable. With their apologies out in the open, it gave the girl something to feel relieved over.

She felt his hands on her stomach, blushing wildly despite the crappy mess she probably looked. “I’m a mess.” Olivia smiled as she whispered back. “How can you put up with me?”

“I’d rather get some time alone with you than a little more sleep.” He pushed down the urge to nuzzle his nose against her hair. And to hug her close. And to pull her down into the bed with him. Zach was resisting a lot of things lately. Bringing one of her hands up, his thumb gently massaged the skin there before he pressed a kiss to her palm. “I’m gonna be completely honest with you. I’ve actually been drunk this whole time. Otherwise, there’s no way I’d be putting up with you,” he joked, other hand still rubbing her belly.

He nodded after a moment, smiling, “You are a mess though. But so I am. And I think we both know I’ve been one for a few years longer than you have.” Looking down at her, the desire to nuzzle against her was quickly becoming harder to deny. “You’re my best friend, Livvie. I don’t need a reason to put up with you.”

You, Me, and...Him?

That was something she could do, no matter how anxious it made her. Olivia would wait. Until then, nothing would change between them. Maybe it would be better to just wait. As they were approaching the baby’s due date, everyone would be focused on making sure everything was ready for the still nameless baby. Olivia would have to take another look at her naming book later.

“Okay. I can do that.” And that was the truth. Sniffling, she nodded her head slowly, all the while looking up at Zach with a faint smile. “I’d get up to hug you, but my back is starting to hurt…” she told him. “Think I’ll walk around the farm again.”

He could almost cry, Zach was so happy. Not one part of him really doubted his feelings, or hers, but he was still afraid of the possibility. Combined with the fact that he didn’t want to feel like a negligent boyfriend by not being able to really be there for him, Zach knew that simply waiting was going to be the best for them.

Smiling finally, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Want some company?” He asked, leaning back to look at her, while also helping her stand. Zach couldn’t help but to take a second and appreciate Olivia, his hands once again rubbing over her round belly. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered.

You, Me, and...Him?

Olivia shook her head. “I shouldn’t have done that…” more tears had fallen, and by then she was ready to throw herself onto him. That was until she felt his hands on her stomach. Her selfishness kept her mind going, thinking that he deserved much more than her messy self.

“I was happy…But he’s not you, Zach. You make me happy.” Olivia continued. “As much of a dork you are, I can’t see myself with anyone else…You complete me, no matter the situation.” Olivia placed her hands on top of his, squeezing a few of his fingers as she finally had the courage to look up at him. Not only that, but she placed her entire heart on her sleeve. “So I’ll wait. Ten days, ten years. Whatever. I don’t want anyone else but you.”

He relaxed into her, hand resting momentarily on her lap as she soothed his fears. Taylor wasn’t there to replace him. Taylor couldn’t replace him. Zach sighed, nuzzling the top of her knee. He didn’t deserve Olivia, he knew that. But he realized now that he was much too selfish to be happy knowing she was with someone else. Especially knowing she wanted to be with him.

On his feet, his hands cupped her face and he ran his thumbs over the trails her tears had left. “I want to be with you.” He paused, shaking his head, “I swear, I do. And making you wait is the last thing I want to ask of you. I just want to make sure this is...real. That what we feel is real and that it’s not just because I’m providing for you. So just until after our boy is born, I wanna stay friends. As much as I hate the idea of it.”

You, Me, and...Him?

At least he showed that he wanted to talk, at least that’s what was perceived on her end. Zach was just as miserable as she looked and felt, maybe even a little more than that. She didn’t feel any type of way when he stood on the other side of the room. It made the teenager hug herself, sure, but it was better than being ignored. Or worse - being walked out on.

“I’m so sorry…” It was hard for her to speak, her voice already raspy due to its soreness. Eyes downcast, Olivia continued. “I hate feeling like this. I can’t help but to think I fucked up somewhere and is putting you through something so childish and stupid. I’m sorry.”

The apology was what broke him. Zach couldn’t keep the distance between them and he removed it, letting long strides carry him to her. The moment she was in reach, he set himself down on his knees in front of her, hands coming to rest gently on her belly. He rubbed gently, pressing a kiss over the fabric of her shirt. “No. No, I’m sorry. I was stupid back there and I’ve been stupid since that night we talked. I hurt you and I didn’t know how to make it right.”

Sighing, he looked up at her, meeting those intimidatingly blue eyes of hers. “And when I saw you sitting with Taylor, you looked happy and I...was jealous. Because I feel like I haven’t made you happy in so long. It was dumb. If he makes you happy, I can handle that,” Zach promised. As much as he cared for Olivia, he couldn’t expect her to wait for him.

You, Me, and...Him?

She waited, waited and waited until tears were streaming down her cheeks. Olivia didn’t know what to think at this point. Maybe his anger boiled over to something she would’ve never guessed otherwise, which made the situation worse for her. Not to mention that he was still in the shower by the time she got tired of pacing back and forth and sat down against the bed.

Eventually, Zach emerged from the bathroom, but the silence was still there. Her apology balanced on the edge of her tongue, and yet she couldn’t speak, couldn’t look at him when he was getting dressed. There was a slight pinch of pain in her lower back then, but Olivia opted to ignore it. “Zach? …Can we talk?” It was as if she was 6 years old, fearing that her words would be too frightening if she’d spoken any louder than what she currently did. Whether or not he wanted to talk was fine with her.

Her voice was so soft, so sad, it did nothing to help make Zach feel better. Had his anger not all but dissolved at this point, he probably would’ve told her to go talk to Taylor or someone else who had time for her. But he knew that would hurt and he figured he’d done more than enough of that at this point. Instead he swallowed, forcing words out of his mouth. “Course we can talk.” His tone was softer now than it had been downstairs. But it was tired, too. Not because of physical exhaustion, but emotional.

Out of habit he almost went and sat next to her. And God, Zach wanted to. He wanted to wrap his arm around her shoulder and make things better, but he feared making them worse. So he opted to stay standing just outside the bathroom door. “So what’re you wanting to talk about?” He asked, hand lifting to run through his still damp curls.

You, Me, and...Him?

Olivia watched how hurt Zach was, never seeing this side of him ever. It pained her to see him this way, to hear the hurt in his words as Taylor kept talking. His anger had been clear, and before the both of them knew it, he was gone, leaving the two to sit at the table in awkward silence. That feeling from before was coming back, the emptiness she felt because of their anguish. Should she follow him? Should she leave him alone?

“I’m sorry, Liv. Didn’t mean to rub him the wrong way.” Taylor rubbed her hand softly and slowly before standing. “No…It’s okay. It’s my fault.” She wasn’t sure on what needed to be done now, but anything would be better than continuing to sit here. Taylor grabbed her hand, helping Liv out of her seat before reaching for his hat. “I should go. Already done enough for all of us.” As the two said their goodbyes, he promised that the next visit would be more pleasant, and he was sorry for rubbing Zach the wrong way.

By the time Olivia was alone, she slowly followed in Zach’s footsteps, waddling in her slow pace as she, too, walked towards their bedroom, hoping that it was too late to reverse what was done.

The shower was scolding and Zach didn’t care. Every pelt of water left a red mark in its wake as the farmer boy stood in silence, letting it wash over him. He couldn’t help but feel stupid. Zach had never been one to act that way. Sure he could get upset from time to time, but he’d always been better about handling it. And to be honest, he wasn’t sure he’d ever felt that way because of Olivia before. Which only made him feel worse. Groaning, he grabbed for the shampoo and began to wash himself, taking as much time as he wanted. Which meant he sat in the shower until the water ran cold.

When he finally did get out, he dried himself off and wrapped the towel around his waist. But as he opened the bathroom door, he found Olivia sitting on the bed. Just when the guilt had finally began to settle, it was back and at full force. Quickly looking away from her, Zach grabbed a pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt to slip into. He wanted to say something, maybe apologize for his behavior, but his pride wouldn’t let him. He remained silent as he went back into the bathroom and hung up his towel.

You, Me, and...Him?

The bad part was that Zach wasn’t home long enough to meet the man. The tapping of his foot made it clear that he’d been feeling uncomfortable. Olivia knew it, and it was certain that Taylor did as well. Fortunately for all of them, he continued the conversation as if nothing was going on between them. “Wouldn’t think so. This is the first time I’ve seen you around in the past two weeks. You’re a complete ghost otherwise.” Taylor smiled, though shown a little bit of caution in his expression. Was that line for him or Olivia?

“Sounds like you’re fitting in perfectly…If you’re looking for something steady, I have a construction gig that pays great and has regular union hours. Just say the word and I can introduce you to my supervisor.” It was here that Taylor offered a hand of help, although he wouldn’t be surprised if Zach turned him down. After Olivia expressed to him how much she missed him during the day, it seemed like the only option to lend at the moment.

A complete ghost. Zach wasn’t sure if that was supposed to be a jab or not. It certainly felt like it. And for Taylor to suddenly be helpful and offering a steady job only felt like another jab. Fuck this guy. Mr. Nice Hair and his friendly job offers. Zach wanted to kick his shins and tell him to get lost. He doubted that’d go over well. Taylor looked like he could easily slam Zach’s face into the ground without breaking a sweat. “The offer is appreciated, but I’ll pass.” Standing from his seat at the table, Zach still refused to so much as pass Olivia a glance. He was so hurt and so angry, he knew it’d all dissolve if he looked her way. And right now, he wanted to be upset.

“I’ve already sold my soul to the farmers of this town and I wouldn’t feel right just leaving them after everything they’ve done for me and Olivia.” With a hard shove, the chair was pushed back under the table. “But why don’t you stay for dinner? I’m gonna go take a shower and hit the hay, so you’re more than welcome to my spot at the table. I’m sure Olivia would love to have you there.” His temper had risen at the point and he didn’t bother giving either of them a smile. “Great meeting you, Taylor. Maybe I’ll see you around, but probably not.” Zach wasted no time storming out of the kitchen and heading up the steps to his and Olivia’s bedroom.

You, Me, and...Him?

She diverted her eyes as soon after she spoke to him. What was the point? Every time she looked at his face she wanted to rip out her heart with her bare hands. If she didn’t know any better, the rejection she felt from before felt real enough. As much as she wanted to move on and try to make amends with him, she couldn’t. Thankfully, Taylor had been around during the times of Zach’s absence, filling that lonely void he could never fill since things had gotten too hectic.

Taylor kept his eye on the other guy in the room as he made his presence felt. The burlier man blinked silently, though smiled at the gesture. “Yeah, I heard about you,” Reaching for his hand, Taylor shook it a few times. “I’m Taylor. Folks live up the road so I figured I could come give Liv’ some company from time to time.” he then said. “How’s family life? Excited about fatherhood yet?”

Letting their hands drop, Zach sat back in his seat. “You’ve heard about me?” He repeated, eyebrow raising. Instinctually he wanted to turn to Olivia, but he refused to allow himself. “I’m not trying to be mean or anything, but I haven’t heard anything about you.” He swallowed, reaching up to run a hand over his jaw. For the time being, Zach was able to put up a relatively calm persona. But the tapping of his foot was going to give him away. “Like, at all. Nothing.” His teeth clenched.

A dry laugh worked its way past his throat. “I wouldn’t know much about family life. I work every day before Olivia gets up, right until I come back for dinner. So I guess you could say I don’t really have time for any of that.” His tone was bitter now. The younger man chose not to answer the question directed towards fatherhood. The last thing he wanted to do was talk about his child with some dude he didn’t even know.

You, Me, and...Him?

“She is adorable!!” Olivia had been squealing for the past ten minutes as she sat with a friend. Taylor was his name, though not new to the area at all. In fact, his parents were their neighbors, leaving him to come home ever so often whenever he wasn’t off doing military things. His parents just so happened to acquire piglets, and with Liv’s sudden approval, they needed to be kept. “Her name’s Lilly. I think she’s the runt, but I might be confusing her with Bosco.” Taylor’s hard accent filled the kitchen they were in as he smiled down at his picture book. Whatever the case may be, it was a great distraction to get Olivia away from what was currently around her.

Ever since that night, things have been kinda weird with Zach. She didn’t bother him as much, didn’t want to carry on a conversation past their required questions or answers. Her disappointment had definitely shown its face with no signs of leaving. Dinner was on its way of being done, and all there needed to be now was for everyone to sit down to eat. Looking at the time, Zach was expected to come home at any minute. When he did, they were too caught up to even notice him at first. Taylor was just going over some of his current training when the both of them looked up at Zach. As awkward as ever, at that. “Hi.” She smiled. “Dinner is just about ready. Mr. Palmer went into town for some supplies for his chicken coop. Might be another while for he returns.” She didn’t even miss a beat when she recited what was going on for the moment, and with that, she turned to Taylor and continued their conversation.

Taking in the other man, Zach couldn’t help but notice just how much more manly he seemed. Even at the table he seemed to take up the whole room. The younger farmer stood awkwardly, attempting to tamper down the feeling of jealousy and disappointment. “Oh. Okay.” Moving slowly to the trash can, flowers in hand, he couldn’t figure out anything else to say. Olivia had basically brushed him off for this other guys. And it had hurt. Like, really hurt. Lifting the top of the trashcan, he tossed in the flowers he’d bought into it, letting the top cover them.

Maybe it was courage, maybe it was just him being stupid, but Zachariah couldn’t talk himself out of what he was about to do. Turning back to the two of them at the table, he stepped over and grabbed one of the chairs. Placing it next to them, he took a seat, hard eyes boring into this...this guest. “I guess since Olivia won’t introduce us, I’ll do it myself,” he spoke up, interupting the two of them. His tone was surprisingly friendly, though he certainly hadn’t meant for that to help. Extending his hand, he smiled. “Names Zachariah, but you can call me Zach.”