`Everybody's a CRITIC {Zachie}

[Zachary LaRousse]

Unfortunately for Tony, the chances of Zac being the quiet, nice and ‘friendly’ friend he would’ve wanted the boy to be is almost zero. There is a chance, but it’s so small that he might as well give up on it entirely. Being such a flirt, a loud one to beat, is in Zac’s very core. To be an annoying brat is in his very being. To take those qualities away is to take away what makes Zac Zac. And as Zac always says, Anthony’s got enough passiveness and calm attitude for a dozen hims, so why bother being one?

“Silly Totoro, I know you’re not like those girls,” he smirked as he tightened his hug around Anthony, “You’re too cute to be like them. And a bit too tall. Not to mention a bit too quiet. And you certainly have no boobies like them.”And with that, Zac promptly gave Anthony’s chest a little squeeze, chuckling as he pinched and gave them a pat. “You seriously need to work out, you’re skin and bones. Maybe that’s why those thugs keep on picking on you. Maybe if you buff up a bit, they’d leave you alone.” Despite his rather playful approach, should Anthony search deeper (or maybe not, since he does have a knack for looking through Zac’s bravado easily), he’d find genuine concern in his best friend’s voice. Anthony’s such a ‘rape-bait’, and according to Zac, that’s putting it rather lightly. True, he could care less on what might happen to the kid three years ago, but now, he’d kill if he sees the boy hurt (by anyone other than him at least). He’s family now, and Zac values his family above all (or at least that’s what he was brainwashed to think).

He simply laughed at Anthony’s empty threat. He knew his friend wouldn’t do such a thing really, it just wasn’t in his nature. He should’ve told Antonio early on and have Zac receive his punishment should Anthony be the tattletale. “You know you have much confidence in Dad. You may be his favorite, but I can still sway him to my side. Now spill,” he chuckled as he almost bit Anthony’s ear, his teeth stopping mere inches from his earlobe. As Anthony started talking about what he overheard, Zac surprisingly became silent. He just sat there, eyes wide at Anthony, taking in everything. Only when Anthony finished telling his tale (and by finished I mean everything, down to the last pause) did Zac open his mouth to speak. And like all mood-breakers, Zac’s first words are: “That’s bullcrap.” Enter Zac’s disbelieving laugh once more. “That’s so shallow. Gosh. Like little kids. They should be ashamed.” It was shallow yes, but it way plausible. But still, Zac couldn’t believe how his father had let such a simple mistake pull them apart. He’d just have to prod deeper then. “Don’t worry Anthony, should you drive my plane off a lake, I won’t get mad at you. Just don’t expect me to say you, ok? Especially when it’s ice cold and all.”

“I knew it!” Zac brightened up at the mention of ‘gay-tendencies’. How long has he been waiting to hear that from Anthony’s mouth? “You know Tony, if you would like to come out, you don’t have to be shy. I won’t judge,” he teased. Not that he ever thought of his friend as gay anyway. He’s just too soft for his own good, but definitely not gay. Or is he? “Pshaw. We’ll head out to town to buy you one right now. Don’t worry Tony, you have the legs for it,” he winked as he slapped Tony’s right thigh, “I’d make sure we’d get the extremely short one.”

Zac’s palm met his face right after that advice. “Why am I asking you for advice again? How many girlfriends have you have really?” he teased. Anthony may not be that sociable, but he does give sound advice. Just not this time, in Zac’s opinion. “I tried asking her out nicely, it didn’t work. None of my old tricks work. Screw empaths and their uncanny ability to peer through me. Boy am I glad you’re not one.” He turned and smiled. “And for the record, I’m no horndog. Not my fault everyone wants to get inside my pants.”

[Anthony Martin]

Anthony tried his best to deal with both the emotional and physical harassment he got from Zachary. Sure he called Zac his best friend, because the younger boy is his best friend. He had Lyra, but she wasn't a guy-friend. Zac would always have his back, through thick and thin, and even though Zachie didn't show it, Anthony knew tat if something bad, really bad were to happen, Zac would kill whoever harmed Tony. Like a silent bond, both knew they were there for each other, but they never actually spoke it. Touching really, if your into stuff like that. But everyone knows Zachie isn't and Tony knows better then to be a gushy around Zac, he'd get hit. Tony knew that ever if Zac was an ass to him, Zac would never let anybody push him around; Him being Tony of course.

Anthony rolled his eyes at his stupid nickname, he had always really wondered where it came from. He could tell it was a bit... eastern-sounding. He assumed that it sounded that way because of Zac's apparent Asian heritage. But he didn't actually ever ask what it meant or why Zac even called him that. Tony just most ignored it, let it slide and went on with his day. Anthony's face again returned to it's red color when Zac decided to squeeze his chest, he nearly jumped out of his skin. "ZAC!!! That was completely uncalled for!" he yelled, thoroughly embarrassed, " And I have no desire to work out! I'm perfectly healthy just the way I am! I don't need to look like a.. a Greek god to feel good about myself!!" he said. He scooted farther away from Zac, hopefully to further protect himself from harm. He could tell that Zac was just teasing, and that Zac really did care. But sometimes the younger just crossed the line. Of course, Tony would get over it, but for a second he'd have to regain his composure.

"That is exactly what I thought." Anthony agreed, "There has to be something else, something deeper than that to really make them fight that bad. Your dad wouldn't have gotten so worked up over one tiny thing. I know that something else must have really been bugging the two and that moment just set them both off. " Anthony sighed and held the book he had retrieved earlier in his gloved hands. But as soon as Zac perked up, Tony glanced over to the other, a bit fearful. The he frowned, he didn't say anything though, he didn't really have much to say. He gave Zachie his 'disapproving look' and then let out a small noise when Zac slapped his thigh. So much for letting his face return to its natural color.

"I never said I was coming out moron..." he said and looked away. Tony had always been a little bit crooked on the swing of life, Zac would have had to be a real idiot not to notice Tony's eyes for both men and women. Plus, with the romance novels and his obsession with his hair being perfect all the time, it was no wonder bullies didn't pick on him for being gay. "And you're never going to make me wear a skirt, not now, not ever." Anthony sighed and ran his hand over the books cover a few times as he listened to Zac complain about his advice. He always felt like everything he said went in one ear and out the other when it came to Zac. Tony was more than willing to help Zac get a real relationship going, since everyone knows Tony could never get one of his own, but Zachie never took Tony's advice. Zachary was convinced that he had no faults, and it was everyone else that was messed up. Which made it hard for Tony to help Zac, when Zac's ego must have been bigger than the state they lived in.

"Thanks for rubbing in my lack of a relationship..." That was pretty harsh on Zac's part. Sure the whole thing was a joke, but Tony didn't take that one very well at all. "I can't help who I am... People just see right through me..." Here comes the Anthony pity-party, it happened a lot. Tony was quiet for a long time after Zac finished speaking. It was awhile before Anthony let out a soft sigh and kept his gaze onto the cover of the book he held in his hands. God now he felt even lonelier than before. Thanks a ton Zachie, thanks.a.ton. Go and ruin the mood why don't cha?

[Zachary LaRousse]

Zac couldn’t hide his glee. First the kiss-lipbrush. Now the chest pinch. He didn’t expect to get such a reaction from Tony. But he did. So unfortunately for Tony, Zac won’t stop now. He just likes seeing the boy squirm because of his doing. Maybe he’d grope the other guy for real now and see how red he would just become. Maybe his head would go so red that he’ll finally explode, he told himself, smirking at the thought. Not that he wants to inflict too much trauma on the boy. It’s just that he’s the only guy around campus who Zac could completely be himself with – be the irritating, playful and flirty guy with full faith that they’d still be friends at the end of the day (his other ‘best friend’, his old roommate Justin, left for Kocher two years ago). He’d deny it to his death, but Zac doesn’t have much people skills. Sure he may have that charisma that somehow pulls most people towards him, but his ego somehow overtakes such an appeal and somehow makes Zac appear like a pompous brat.

“And yet you like it all the same,” he said once more. That’s his infamous line anyway. He believes that despite all the harassment he does to people, they can’t complain much because he’s the one doing it to them. “I know if I did that to myself I’d be extremely happy,” he added. And Anthony scooting away would do nothing to stop Zac. He simply rolled over and assumed the same position over again (sitting behind Anthony, legs spread apart, arms around the other boy’s waist, chin on his shoulder). “Aww, thanks Anthony. I knew I was hot but it’s different now that you’ve told me that,” he chuckled as he poked his chin deeper into the guy’s shoulder, “Don’t worry Totoro, you’re hunky in your own nerdy self too. I’m just saying you need to bulk up so you won’t be teased about being ‘too soft’ anymore.”

Zac was curious, that goes without saying. Today’s the first time he’s had any lead about the reason of their parents’ fallout, so he was expecting some kind of spark to light up inside him to urge him to search more. And yet, he couldn’t explain it, but he somehow feels…content. Like he shouldn’t search about it anymore. Could it be that his father had placed some sort of post-hypnotic suggestion in him regarding the matter? “I agree. But, I don’t know, somehow, I just don’t care much anymore. I want to know more, but…it’s like it doesn’t matter much now that you’ve mentioned it. Maybe that’s the whole reason, maybe it was just the turning point, I don’t…care?” he shrugged, somehow hugging Anthony a bit tighter, “Just promise me it won’t happen to us, ok? I’d make you pinky swear if you don’t.” Even without his dad asking him not to follow their footsteps almost every weekend, Zac knows he’ll do anything to preserve his friendship-brotherhood with Anthony. The older guy’s just too precious to throw out, and Zac, thankfully, knows it.

“Pshaw. Fine, stay in the closet some more, I’ll wait,” he winked, shifting to the other shoulder to follow Anthony. Fortunately Zac’s not that dense to see that Anthony does swing both ways, or at least swings with men too. Aside from that hard-to-maintain mane he keeps shiny everyday of the week and those sappy romantic novels Zac would do anything just to get rid of, he does see the guy give glances to certain guys, may it be during gym class or just any other day. He thought he even caught the guy checking him out, but since they were ‘brothers’, he simply shrugged it off as him being a bit too cocky (apparently for Anthony, Zac can admit he’s too much at times too). And really, he has no problem with it. His caretaker/nanny, Cedric, was gay. Stephen, one of the closest thing he’s had to a big brother, was one too. So really, no prejudice should Anthony come out. “If it makes you feel better, if I’d come out, you’d most likely be the reason,” he teased, “But since that would almost not happen, you are free to dream about it.”

Oh no. He knows that tone. And that slouch. And that face. Oops. If he could only face palm himself right now, he would. “Hey, I went out of the line with that one, right?” he asked, though he already knows the answer. He simply hugged the guy tighter, swinging him side to side in a playful manner. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to,” he said, his voice becoming soft and sounding really apologetic, “I didn’t…I’ll help you get a girlfriend if you want. I’ve had enough already anyway.”

When he figured simple sweetness wouldn’t remove the boy’s angst, he broke the embrace and stood up, pulling Anthony’s arms slightly to make him stand. “Hey, let’s go out town. Get your mind off my bullying deal. My treat. You haven’t eaten lunch anyway right. Please?”

[Anthony Martin]

Unlike Zac, Tony was not pompous. He was overly humble about everything. Especially what he was the best at, piano. Anthony was what one would call a 'prodigy.' He started playing when he was just 4, learning from his mother. He kept going, with effort and patience, 'till he began to love the feeling of the keys under his hands. Too bad he would never be able to feel the cool ivory and ebony under his fingers ever again, unless he wanted to run the risk of setting off his powers. Which he'd prefer to get rid of entirely. He hasn't actually felt a piano key since he about 11. That was the point when he began to wear gloves all the time. People gave him looks a lot, thinking he was a germophobe. He always felt bad when he was getting attention, but he kinda would rather have attention than have everyone pass by him like they usually do. Cause besides his good looks, nobody really gave a rats-ass about Tony, they would never even give him the time of day. He was a face that was easily forgotten, a name nobody really knew. Anthony was always dreadfully lonely, which is probably why Zac's comment had hit a heartstring, it was Tony's lack of a relationship that really proved how incredibly lonely Anthony really was.

"The teasing doesn't bother me really, it happens so much I just have gotten used to it." Anthony couldn't escape from Zachie it seemed, and all the boy did was let out a sigh as Zac hugged him tighter. " Yeah... I promise..." he said softly and looked back to his book, trying to ignore the little imp on his shoulder. He chuckled softly and looked over at Zac, " Yah know, you're always saying that I'm adorable and you can't seem to keep your hands off of me... Yet you always deny everything right after... It's like your being... I don't know... Defensive" he said in a tone that was surely one of mischievousness. He liked to poke back at Zachie every once and awhile. Since Zac was picking on Tony, Tony liked to try and get back at him every once in a great while. Even though his attempts usually failed.

Anthony kept on his little pity-party as Zac talked and apologized. The voice and the swaying made Tony feel a bit better. Zac pulled Anthony to his feet and Tony stumbled forward a bit, holding the book close to his chest and sighed. "No, I haven't eaten yet. I guess some time off grounds would do me some good. " he agreed and turned to face Zachie. He sighed and rolled his eyes. " But I want Italian... Pasta always makes me happy. " he said with a soft smile, a cute, naive, little kid smile.

[Zachary LaRousse]

Aside from Anthony’s amazing patience for anything and everything (especially about a certain boy named Zac) and his bordering-negative humility and passiveness, Zac also admires his best friend in terms of his musical skill. Unlike the previous characteristics however, Zac openly praises the boy for such talent. Zac for one, couldn’t play an instrument well, even if it costs him his life. His parents tried enrolling him for piano lessons at age 5, but two months later, he got bored. They tried again with a violin at age 7. Failure once more. And so did the cello, the drums and the guitar. When he was young, he just doesn’t have patience for anything of the sort. Only when he grew a bit older did he realize the importance of such skill. “The ladies love it,” he was heard saying once. So now he’s somehow trying to relearn the violin, and at times coerces his best friend to teach him how to play the piano (he’s proud that he could somehow play ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ already).

Should he hear of all the ‘I’m a nameless, faceless person’ rambling of Anthony once more, he’d probably beat the guy up. Zac was definitely fed up with all those self-pity talks of his friend. He doesn’t know how to get it out of the guy’s system. And yet, for all his good intentions, most of the times he fails to realize that he’s somehow causing all these. Take the recent event, for example.

“Well you shouldn’t. You shouldn’t be ok with all my teasing. Fight back. Prove me wrong. How else are you going to survive the real world anyway?” he said as he hugged the guy tighter. He’s feeling like such a mom now, worrying for his little baby. He made a mental note to tease this guy like crazy just to get back at him for making Zac feel all sappy inside. “I’m scared that my teasing would be like the car driven off the cliff between us. Gosh Anthony, you’re killing me.”

He laughed so hard when Anthony tried to twist things and turn the tables back at him. So he’s supposed to be the one with feelings now? That’s preposterous. Anthony’s only a friend, or a brother, right? “Ok, now you’re pushing it,” he chuckled as he led the boy through the grounds, “First off, I can’t keep my hands off anyone really. You said it yourself. Secondly, I’m just telling the truth. You are adorable in your own dorky ways.” He gently placed one of Anthony’s wayward bangs behind his ear. “And your long mane really makes me hot.” And again another wink to show that he’s only kidding. “Finally, I’m straight and you’re my brother. Pseudo-brother if you prefer. Not only would it be a bit awkward, it would be incestuous too. I don’t want to be a criminal Totoro.” He gave Anthony’s cheek a little pinch as they reached his car, a yellow Porsche Carrera S Cabriolet. “Why, do you want me to fall head over heels for you Tony-boy?”

He promptly opened the door for Anthony and followed inside a few minutes later. “Italian then. You have any store in mind Princess Anthony?” he teased as he drove off the school and into town.

[Anthony Martin]

Tony sighed softly when Zac got up, and of course, the more timid of the two just followed. He walked with really no mindset at all, he just followed behind Zachary like a lost pet. He listened to Zac talk, and with all these years of knowing the ever talkative Zac, he got used to ignoring and just nodding, pretending he was listening. When really he was too busy thinking and drowning in his own little world that he could care less about whatever drama was happening in Zac's life. Anthony usually dealt with Zac in his own ways, which was better than most. Tony's other few friend generally hated Zac, which was too bad, Zac really was a good guy underneath his incurable flirtatious attitude and egotistical traits. But Zac was Tony's best friend, and no matter what happened, Anthony would pick Zac over anybody.

Tony walked with his hand shoved into the pockets of his jeans, the book he had was under his arm and he stopped when Zac brushed a bang away from his face. His face turned a soft shade of red before he looked away quickly. " You're an idiot..." he said defensively. " It's not a mane, and I like my hair just the way it is. Even if you and everybody else makes fun of it cause it's gay... or whatever" he said and rolled his eyes. He then looked over at Zac with one brown raised, " Straight MY ASS! You grope guys all the time... And if you really were straight you wouldn't cling to me like some sort of twisted-flirting-parasite... " he said and got into Zacs car. He leaned back into the seat and put his hands over his face. He let out a deep sigh and then looked out of the window of the fancy sports car. Unlike Zac, Tony had a four-door Toyta Avalon, a gift from Zac's father for his 16th birthday. It was a nice gift, the interior of the car was top-quality, and if Zac's father had tried to get Tony a sports car... Tony would have given it back, claiming he "wouldn't need a reason for people to look at him, and that he didn't need to be a show-off."

" And we aren't actually related, and I doubt you'd get arrested anyway, Daddy would bail you out before you could even call him... Not sure how he'd feel about the situation though..." Tony smiled and then chuckled a bit as he stared out the car window at the scenery. He didn't respond when Zac called him princess, he just shook his head, telling the other boy he didn't care where they went. He just wanted Italian.

[Zachary LaRousse]

As much as Zac would hate to admit it (at least in front of his father and a few family friends, Anthony included), he knows that part of what makes his friendship with the timid boy work, what makes them so cohesive and effective, is the fact that Anthony’s pretty much set on being Zac’s little follower. Zac knows his dad would kill him (figuratively, of course) should he gain knowledge about it, but there’s really nothing anyone else can do about it. Zac’s got enough hot air to make the whole world float, so anyone with enough backbone to stand up to him would really clash with him instead of being at peace. Which is why Anthony fits the best friend role quite perfectly. Passive, timid, always ready to be dominated ordered around by Zac. True, he does rebel from time to time, but in the end, Zac would still reign on top. (Zac does try his best not to push Tony around so much, but somehow, he just can’t).

“So smarty pants,” he teased as they drove out the parking lot, Zac giving the security guard a light salute before going out to the road that connects Hammel to the outside world, “If that isn’t a mane, then what is it? Have you seen a picture of a male lion before? And what do they call the hair around its head again?” He paused for a second to hear Tony’s answer and smiled. “You do know that you look much like a male lion. So that’s a mane. End of story.” He chuckled darkly before unleashing another light punch to Tony’s side. “Though in my opinion, you’re more like a lioness, without the fierceness of course, only with hair growing on you.” Apparently he forgot the fact that lionesses are the ones that hunt (i.e. smarter and relatively more fierce than their male counterparts) while lion males stay at home with the kids.

“When will you start looking outside stereotypes really? When are we, the 1920s?” He never really liked when Tony talked to himself like he’s some walking stereotype. Sure he was relatively scrawny (especially when he stood beside Zac), but that’s not enough, in Zac’s eyes anyway, to call him ‘gay’. “It’s not your hair that’s drawing people to you. We’ve talked about this a dozen times before. And the more you think it’s because of your apparent ‘gay-ness’ that people bully you, the more it’ll happen.” Sometimes he wishes he could find someone who could mindwipe Tony and edit out his memories, his personality, so that he’d be a much more assertive person.

Oh gosh. Tony won’t let it die, wouldn’t he? “Are you that eager to have my dick up your ass really?” There, he said it. God he can’t stop laughing. He had to force himself to calm down and remember he’s holding a wheel right now. “While I do grope everyone, I do it to guys just because they’re so uptight. I don’t see what’s wrong with that.” Nope, nothing is wrong in Zac’s world really, at least if Zac’s the one doing it anyway. “And I do flirt with you most of the time because I can see that you like it,” he teased, and while it may be a valid point, one of the main reason Zac flirts with Tony is because he tries out all his stuff with Tony first. Yup, Tony’s his somewhat tester for all his tricks (sorry Tony).

Zac likes his car for that exact reason: he wants to be seen. After all, he’s as loud as a guy can get. He’d laugh if Tony would buy a sports car though, it’s just not him really. When Tony elaborated on the whole incest comment though, a sly smirk worked up on Zac’s face and he ran a finger from Tony’s hips up his armpit. “Silly duck. So you really want something to happen between us?”