“Do you smell that? Breathe deep Zas,” Diego said inhaling.

“Yeah, it smells like a bunch of sweaty men, and desperation.” Zas said while looking around the bar.

“So cynical. Try to relax, it’s Guy’s Night! Woman don’t generally come tonight, and if they do…well, they’re not usually worth tangling with.” Diego said. 

He motioned for Zas to follow him further into the bar. Sighing Zas did so. It’s not that he didn’t want to be here, but that left Ezza all alone. Cameron was spending time at home with Akira, now that he was home from his business trip, so he wasn’t coming over at the moment. 

When Diego had called Zas and asked him out for a guys night, Zas’s automatic response had been to say no. After all, work friends was one thing, but meeting outside of work was something all together different. Ezza however had stopped him from declining. Saying she’d be fine, and he should go out and have some fun instead of staying in and worrying all day over getting home. That wasn’t his problem though; sure getting home was an issue especially since the webbing had closed, and Cameron and his Network were no closer to figuring out how to either get through or around it. His real issue was leaving Ezza alone by herself.

They had only “slept” together that one night, but they had been sharing a bed every night since then. It felt good to cuddle with Ezza, and he still wasn’t quite sure he was 100% okay with everything that happened, but he was trying as he said he would. Baby steps. It was just since that night he could feel the change in himself. He was feeling more protective of Ezza with every passing day. It was driving him nuts.

Speaking of driving people nuts, Penny was still at it. She would come over to visit Ezza sometimes, and then shoot him looks when Ezza wasn’t looking. Sometimes she’d corner him and start rubbing herself on him. He’d make her stop, but it took a lot of effort on his part; more than he’d like to admit. He’d tried talking to her late at night out in the hall,

    

but she just wouldn’t stop. He had ended up storming off in anger.

He ignored her messages and phone calls, but then she’d come over. He felt like he was losing his mind.

“Hello, Earth to Zas.”Diego said waving a hand I front of Zas’s face. Zas blinked and refocused his attention on Diego.

“Sorry, got lost in thought.”Zas said sheepishly.

“Oh no, I recognize that look. Ah man! I thought we were Single Pals, but here you’ve gone and got serious over a lady. Just my luck, I wanted to have a fun time out with another single guy, and instead I’m going to get a mopey in love dope.” Diego said shaking his head sadly. Then he heaved a sigh and headed to the bar for another drink. It must be bad if Diego was reading it on his face. Giving himself a mental slap to wake up, he headed to the bar to join Diego.

“You know, that was quite the love confession. Might give a guy ideas.” Zas teased Diego.

“In your dreams Lover Boy. I have standards.” Diego fired back without a seconds pause. Both men burst into laughter. Their night had officially begun.

 

“This is crap!” Justin said slamming his hand down on the table, and causing the pieces to jump, and slide onto the floor. 

“Whoa, careful there Testy,” Seth said sitting back. “It’s just a game, relax.”

Justin let out a few more choice words and then stormed out of the bar.

Zas shook his head and looked at Diego who shrugged.

“Well, wanna play another round, or are boys done for the night?” Seth asked a glint in his eyes. Zas smiled and nodded his head. 

“Load it up,” Zas said leaning forward. Diego chuckled at the two of them and said he was in. They had met Seth and Justin at the bar and started a friendly game of Don’t Wake the Llama. Seth struck Zas as someone who liked to con others, and Justin… well, he was a natural born dupe. Zas found himself liking Seth more and more as the night went on.

“Loaded and ready. You’re turn first Smiley.” Seth said to Zas. Zas smiled and leaned down to make his move. He was concentrating so hard that at first he didn’t notice, but slowly he felt a weird stillness creep into the room. Behind him people had gathered and then stood still watching the tv in the bar. Looking up he saw Seth staring avidly at the tv as well.

All around the, other people were carrying on not noticing the strange group. Zas looked up at the tv, on it was a sci-fi show. On it a woman was giving a speech to her group of soldiers about a coming war. Zas was turning his attention back to the game, when the words Webbing and a few others he had heard from Cameron caught his ear. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, then the show ended and the group that had been watching it all applauded and cheered. 

“About time,” Seth said sitting back in his chair. Then he noticed Zas looking at everyone. “What’s the matter boy? Too scared to make a move?”

“No, prepare to lose.” Zas said with a cocky smile plastered on his face. He didn’t feel like being here anymore, and he had questions for Cameron. Laughing in joy he didn’t feel, he continued on like normal.