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therumjournalsTitle: 46th and Pine: A West Philadelphia Love Story
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
therumjournals
Word Count: Epilogue - 700 (Total - 35,500)
Previous: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
(Header details at the Master Post)
Chris locked his bike to the bike rack and squinted into the early evening light until he spotted Zach's familiar form on the other side of Franklin Square. He jogged toward him, watched his face light up as he spotted Chris, and let himself sag happily into Zach's embrace.
"Hey, hottie," Zach said, kissing him on the cheek. "How was your day?"
"It was okay," Chris said, trying and failing to contain his excitement.
"What, what? Tell me, come on, what are you so happy about?"
Chris beamed, clutched Zach by his shoulders. "How do you feel about the intersection of 12th and Lehigh?"
Zach thought about it and frowned. "I feel terrible about it. North Philly, right? Isn't that, like, a really shitty neighborhood?"
"Uh huh, well, that may be true, but there's an elementary school there with a big ugly wall just waiting to be beautified - say, you don't happen to know any artists who might fucking flip their shit at the chance to work with that kind of canvas, do you?
"Shut up." Zach's jaw dropped a little.
Chris grinned. "I talked to the mural coordinator today. I may have suggested a certain local artist who would love the opportunity to 'light up young faces and old places'."
"Are you quoting marketing materials to me?"
"I made that one up. You like it?"
"Chris, don't fuck with me, are you serious?"
"Nothing's set in stone yet, but yeah. They are looking for an artist and I did give them your name. They asked if you'd like to come into the office next week to talk about your vision and some place-based design concepts and - yeah, you know, I kinda lost them after that, but I know you should do it. You'll do it, right?"
"Fuck yeah, I will. Oh my god, Chris, that is amazing," Zach said, wrapping his arms around Chris's waist and attempting unsuccessfully to spin him through the air.
"Better work on those arm muscles, Quinto. You're gonna be working with bigger brushes soon," Chris said, laughing.
"Whatever. You're heavy."
"Sorry, but someone keeps feeding me delicious pasta on a nightly basis."
"We need it to keep our stamina up!"
"Everything comes back to sex with you, doesn't it? Speaking of which, I'm starving." He grabbed Zach by the hand and dragged him across the square to the burger stand. They sat on a picnic bench as Chris ate.
"Give me a bite," Zach said, nudging his shoulder.
"Hell no," Chris said through a mouthful of burger.
"Come on," Zach whined. "It smells good."
"No." Chris wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I don’t want to be a bad influence on you. And I don’t want to deal with the consequences.”
Zach rolled his eyes and took a sip of Chris’s milkshake instead. He played with the straw for a few seconds. “Summer’s moving out,” he said, finally.
Chris looked at him in surprise. “Really? Damn. Where’s she going? To live in a giant redwood or something?”
“Close,” Zach said, laughing. “You know that show, Whale Wars?”
Chris’s mouth dropped open. “You’re shitting me.”
Zach shook his head. “Nope.”
“So should we start collecting her bail money now?”
“I know, right?” Zach laughed.
Chris noticed his expression turning serious. “What?”
“So, I was thinking, since Lily and Cho have moved in….and since Cho is now an actual contributing member of society, we were thinking…instead of getting another roommate, maybe you and I could move into the front room. I could keep the third floor as my studio. And maybe we could even get-“
“No…” Chris said, a smile starting on his face as he realized what was coming.
“Yeah. A real bed.”
Chris threw his arms around Zach and faked a sniffle. “Zach. You’re all grown up.”
Zach smiled and shook him off. “Shut it, you.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, asshole. Now come on. All these adult decisions are making my head spin, and I need to seriously kick your ass in mini-golf.”
“Wanna make it interesting?” Chris asked, standing up from the bench.
Zach shook his head as Chris took his hand. “You’re getting sexual favors either way.”
Chris grinned. “Then I will totally let you win.”
THE END
Author’s Notes:
First of all, thanks so much to everyone for reading, and thanks to everyone for encouraging me and for bearing with me as I taunted you throughout the writing process.
Most of the places mentioned in this fic are real. Fuego is a real place with a fake name where I spent many drunken Thursday nights when I was 24 and 25 (and yes, Citywide Specials are real too…unfortunately, they’re not actually city-wide). There are lots of localisms and references throughout the story, so let me know if there's anything that makes you go "huh?!" :-) And if you ever visit Philly, let me know, and I'll take you on the grand tour (Chris and Zach not included).
Author:
therumjournalsWord Count: Epilogue - 700 (Total - 35,500)
Previous: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5
(Header details at the Master Post)
Chris locked his bike to the bike rack and squinted into the early evening light until he spotted Zach's familiar form on the other side of Franklin Square. He jogged toward him, watched his face light up as he spotted Chris, and let himself sag happily into Zach's embrace.
"Hey, hottie," Zach said, kissing him on the cheek. "How was your day?"
"It was okay," Chris said, trying and failing to contain his excitement.
"What, what? Tell me, come on, what are you so happy about?"
Chris beamed, clutched Zach by his shoulders. "How do you feel about the intersection of 12th and Lehigh?"
Zach thought about it and frowned. "I feel terrible about it. North Philly, right? Isn't that, like, a really shitty neighborhood?"
"Uh huh, well, that may be true, but there's an elementary school there with a big ugly wall just waiting to be beautified - say, you don't happen to know any artists who might fucking flip their shit at the chance to work with that kind of canvas, do you?
"Shut up." Zach's jaw dropped a little.
Chris grinned. "I talked to the mural coordinator today. I may have suggested a certain local artist who would love the opportunity to 'light up young faces and old places'."
"Are you quoting marketing materials to me?"
"I made that one up. You like it?"
"Chris, don't fuck with me, are you serious?"
"Nothing's set in stone yet, but yeah. They are looking for an artist and I did give them your name. They asked if you'd like to come into the office next week to talk about your vision and some place-based design concepts and - yeah, you know, I kinda lost them after that, but I know you should do it. You'll do it, right?"
"Fuck yeah, I will. Oh my god, Chris, that is amazing," Zach said, wrapping his arms around Chris's waist and attempting unsuccessfully to spin him through the air.
"Better work on those arm muscles, Quinto. You're gonna be working with bigger brushes soon," Chris said, laughing.
"Whatever. You're heavy."
"Sorry, but someone keeps feeding me delicious pasta on a nightly basis."
"We need it to keep our stamina up!"
"Everything comes back to sex with you, doesn't it? Speaking of which, I'm starving." He grabbed Zach by the hand and dragged him across the square to the burger stand. They sat on a picnic bench as Chris ate.
"Give me a bite," Zach said, nudging his shoulder.
"Hell no," Chris said through a mouthful of burger.
"Come on," Zach whined. "It smells good."
"No." Chris wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I don’t want to be a bad influence on you. And I don’t want to deal with the consequences.”
Zach rolled his eyes and took a sip of Chris’s milkshake instead. He played with the straw for a few seconds. “Summer’s moving out,” he said, finally.
Chris looked at him in surprise. “Really? Damn. Where’s she going? To live in a giant redwood or something?”
“Close,” Zach said, laughing. “You know that show, Whale Wars?”
Chris’s mouth dropped open. “You’re shitting me.”
Zach shook his head. “Nope.”
“So should we start collecting her bail money now?”
“I know, right?” Zach laughed.
Chris noticed his expression turning serious. “What?”
“So, I was thinking, since Lily and Cho have moved in….and since Cho is now an actual contributing member of society, we were thinking…instead of getting another roommate, maybe you and I could move into the front room. I could keep the third floor as my studio. And maybe we could even get-“
“No…” Chris said, a smile starting on his face as he realized what was coming.
“Yeah. A real bed.”
Chris threw his arms around Zach and faked a sniffle. “Zach. You’re all grown up.”
Zach smiled and shook him off. “Shut it, you.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, asshole. Now come on. All these adult decisions are making my head spin, and I need to seriously kick your ass in mini-golf.”
“Wanna make it interesting?” Chris asked, standing up from the bench.
Zach shook his head as Chris took his hand. “You’re getting sexual favors either way.”
Chris grinned. “Then I will totally let you win.”
Author’s Notes:
First of all, thanks so much to everyone for reading, and thanks to everyone for encouraging me and for bearing with me as I taunted you throughout the writing process.
Most of the places mentioned in this fic are real. Fuego is a real place with a fake name where I spent many drunken Thursday nights when I was 24 and 25 (and yes, Citywide Specials are real too…unfortunately, they’re not actually city-wide). There are lots of localisms and references throughout the story, so let me know if there's anything that makes you go "huh?!" :-) And if you ever visit Philly, let me know, and I'll take you on the grand tour (Chris and Zach not included).
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 02:15 am (UTC)It's been too long since we all went out drinking, it needs to happen again soon, ESPECIALLY after reading this epic Philly fic.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:07 pm (UTC)mission accomplished! :-D
yaaaaaay! thank you so much :-D i'm glad you liked this! and yes, we definitely need to hang out again soon after you're back from your Shore Leave adventure!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 02:48 am (UTC)I can't find the words to describe how much I loved this. I can tell that this is going to be one of those stories I read over and over again. I loved it. If more Pinto stories were like this, I would never do anything.
Wonderful writing as always. I seriously cannot express how much I loved this so ya... I am going to stop rambling
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:11 pm (UTC)\o/ that's even better than i'd hoped for! thanks so much!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 02:55 am (UTC)I agree with Ashley that an actual Chris+Zach in Philly would be A++++ and would certainly make our lives a lot more interesting.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:13 pm (UTC)i don't really like jim beam either, so i drink like half a can of pbr after i take the shot. hmmmm...maybe that's why i get so drunk? ;-)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 05:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 05:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:15 pm (UTC)OMG, me too, bb, me too.
thanks! :-D
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 05:10 am (UTC)Ahahah, this is completely ME. Random tl;dr ahead: I went to an absurdly small highschool where I DOMINATED every English class. So, I went a to big, scary university in the big bad North and thought it would be easy. WRONG. My papers were so weak compared to what others were writing and I got really, REALLY discouraged because I was used to being exonerated and praised for my papers. So, I threw myself into the work and did everything I could to make myself a better writer. I sort of got there - eventually - and I loved being back at the top but god-forbid if I got a A- instead of an A. I completely related to Chris in this.
tl;dr? I used to be an asshole.
“Chris, oh my god, I thought I would never see you again!” Zach said excitedly,
Zach should always greet Chris in this manner.
"Oh motherfuck," Chris said into his hands. He looked up at them. "How drunk was Zach?" he asked hopefully.
"Not drunk enough to forget that you told him you liked his hat approximately fifteen times," Karl said.
Oh my god - is this a story about me? Jesus, I am totally Chris in this story!! I'm a repetitive drunk.
“I have no idea. But, I’ll go with you, and mock you relentlessly for being a hipster, and you won’t look as lame as you would standing there by yourself.”
Zach laughed. “Well shit, how could I turn down an offer like that?”
Ahh, true friends.
You guys have got kind of an epic bromance going, haven’t you?” Karl asked cheekily.
Truer words have never been spoken. And by Karl too!
But Zach was looking up from his book and grinning, yelling “Choseph!” and leaping down the porch steps into the arms of a grinning Asian guy with a messy mohawk and a beat up duffel bag across his back.
Since I'm writing this after reading the entire thing I will now say "ahahaah, Oh Cho, you make me laugh" but at the time I was like "FML HE RUINS EVERYTHING!!!"
“Whatever. Just, when you guys do it, do it in the science stacks, okay? I don’t want your jizz all over my literature.”
“I’m gonna come on Keats, just for you.”
“I’m going to vomit on your pillow.”
Classic. Love it.
He shrugged apologetically, but Zach just smiled and looked impressed that he had other friends. Finally, they managed to make their way to the beer pong table.
“Do you want to be on my team?” Chris asked loudly enough to be heard over the pounding music.
Zach smirked at him. “Do you want to be on mine?”
Hngh!! This was pretty much my favorite part. I loved this. I WANT TO BE ON ZACH'S TEAM.
Fuck no. Just…nngh…so hot I think my brain might explode.”
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize, just…fucking get up here and kiss the fuck out of me with your hot, filthy mouth.”
*brain ded*
Yeah, you and your cumsluttery can have the Internet.
and it made Chris so fucking happy every time he took a bite that he was surprised to find himself holding the last nub of bun before he realized it.
“Oh my god,” he groaned, after he’d finished the final bite. “Please don’t tell anyone I ate that. Fuck, please don’t remind me that I ate that.”
ahahah awww, truuuu wuv right there.
“Oh whatever, like you’re not about to go home and give thanks for some fine ass, too.”
Karl stared at him. “That’s a very disrespectful way to talk about my girlfriend.”
Chris snorted. “Give me a break. It’s Zoe.”
Zoe wandered up to them. “What’s me? Hey Karl, let’s get out of here. Are you gonna take me home and give thanks for this fine ass, or what?” she said, smacking her butt with a wink. Chris didn’t even try to stifle his laughter as Karl turned on his heel to follow Zoe out of the house.
Too cute. I really love that you made the star trek cast Chris' friends. Too often (I think it's basically a trope now) we see Zoe as strictly Zach's friend and I found it really weird and refreshing that she wasn't one of the hipsters living in the house. I really liked that.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 05:10 am (UTC)“What are you talking about? When have I ever done that?”
“Well, like with the cheesesteak…”
“Are you fucking serious? Zach, you ate that cheesesteak all by yourself, I didn’t point a gun at your head.”
“I know, but I did that because I like you, Chris, and I can see what’s happening.”
I was so pissed off when I read this. I hated Zach in this moment. LAME ZACH LAME.
“Mmm, tempting, but in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not really into being fucked by The Man.”
“You’re hilarious. Fine, how ‘bout you fuck me, then, and live out all of your communist fantasies by coming all over my face.”
“I’m hard already just thinking about it.”
Ahah oh my god! You write dialouge SO WELL. It just really flows. You're witty as fuck.
“Are you pansexual?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you’re terrified of the vageen.”
“You are correct.”
“Thank god.”
“Says the straight boy.”
“Yeah, that’s me. Totally straight. Totally not thinking about you drilling me in the ass right now.”
It's really too bad that ZQ is terrified of the vageen. I'd totes let him near mine if I thought he wouldn't run away. :(
Zach grabbed his wrist, held him there, bucked up against his palm until he shuddered. Chris slipped the tips of his fingers into Zach’s waistband so he could feel the hot slickness spilling into Zach’s boxers, and he groaned and came hard in his own pants, thrusting shortly against Zach’s leg until the last wave of pleasure swept through him and he collapsed onto Zach’s chest, drained.
Annnnnnd I'm spent folks!
But seriously, you took NY state of mind - THAT scene and you are like...idk doing it over again and I fucking love it.
I really, really liked this.
One day, when I come to Philly - you'll have to take me to 'Fuego's' and show me around, okay?
I WANT TO TAKE A NAP IN A PARK AND BE A HIPSTER FOR A DAY.
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 05:21 am (UTC)And just, this is perfect. I want life to be like this, with amazing vegan hippy friends, and it was just amazing.
(also, omg, I'm so sorry for how long and rambly this comment is, but seriously, this story is just gorgeous!)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 05:26 am (UTC)Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. And I've only been to Philly once, something like ten years ago (fuck, I feel old), but if I ever go again, I'm taking you up on that tour!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 05:37 am (UTC)Marvelous story about growing up. Great use of canon and your own characters. The dialogue is fantastic.
Brava!
Renee
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 06:15 am (UTC)and i will join the crowd in saying THANK YOU for sitting on this until it was done. THANK YOU. it was SO nice to be able to read it through in one go. so satisfying.
i adored your characterizations (and, as a berkeley-ite, i have lived with summer and harvest. and i eat quinoa. lol). chris and zach are so good, their chemistry is so sweetly heartbreaking, their dialogue is so easy. i had my heart in my throat through the whole damn thing.
and THANK YOU for giving it a real, honest to goodness, happy ending. that totally made my week.
*swoon*
amazing.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:31 pm (UTC)i'm so glad you enjoyed the story and the ups and downs of their relationship - and of course, i couldn't not give these boys a happy ending! :-)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 06:57 am (UTC)It is hilarious how much I'm like Chris Pine in this. I angst and agonize and I'm still a mostly unemployed (unless you count professional tutoring) gal with a B.A. in English.
The dialogue in this story is like magic. Sweet, buttery magic.
I can't think of a think that I don't love in this story. I'm not going to both copying and pasting any more lines because I'd end up reposting your fanfic which would get me no where (because I'd have to reread it AGAIN and its already 3AM and I totally need sleep).
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 05:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 07:39 am (UTC)So as it seems you know philly I haz questions.
1.Have you ever had Pica's Pizza (an upper darby restaurant yet SO AMAZING)
2. are you a Phillies fan?
3. and sad....did you hear that today the philly duck boat failed in the delaware river....was floating...and got split down the middle when a barge hit it...2 ppl are still missing.?
sorry to be a downer with the last question. HOWEVER I SHALL NOW REITERATE MY EVER EXPANDING LOVE FOR THIS STORY! and might I add i can see them hanging in northern liberties....lol. wow...this....this.....it blew my mind.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:14 pm (UTC)in answer to your questions:
1. no, i haven't! but perhaps i should!
2. I am a HUUUUUGE Phillies fan :-D See?! (http://therumjournals.livejournal.com/7180.html) I was at the game the night after I posted this story, actually!
3. omg, i know, that was such a tragedy :-/
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 01:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:15 pm (UTC)Where do I start?
Date: 2010-07-08 02:11 pm (UTC)You have so much in there that reminds me of home, college & grad school. South St., cheesesteaks,Russian finals (my college bf did really badly in it because of me).
Also, "How the fuck am I supposed to know how many light bulbs there are in New York City?" made me crack up! It brought back horrid memories of b-school job interviews, esp. the urban myth that circulated about one interviewer who asked the interviewees to open a window, which was nailed shut unbeknownst to them, just to see how they would handle the situation! Plus "going down the shore"...oh my, that phrase definitely hits the mark!
I guess I should also mention how much I loved the story itself. After a week of mourning my mil's death, I really needed some schmoop, and you came through big time! Thanks for helping to start my day off the right way, bb! :)
Re: Where do I start?
Date: 2010-07-10 11:05 pm (UTC)my sympathies for your loss :-( but i'm glad i could help. thanks so much for reading!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 03:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 03:27 pm (UTC)I thought that reading this I was bound to be alienated by at least some of the references or places mentioned, but that didn't happen at all. I mean, you've left me with a strong desire to see it all for myself in person, but you wrote this in such a way that I never felt lost, or like I was missing out on an inside joke or anything that wasn't at least partially explained or inferred. So thanks for that.
Also, as someone who finished a degree in Literature only to follow it up with Honours, Masters and (almost) PhD in the same, I was really feeling Chris' situation with the whole fail-at-making-life-decisions dilemma. I'm just gonna say I was twelve types of jazzed that you helped him figure out his happy ending there, coz hey, if it happens in Pintoland, it can happen in RL, right? Right. Glad we got that sorted.
So basically, thanks for making me feel welcome then messing with my head-- it was one hell of a journey and I'm so glad you did it :) Also, I want me some Philly cheesesteak, like STAT.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:08 pm (UTC)so glad you liked this :-D thanks!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 03:51 pm (UTC)Also, I know I said it before, but Chris quoting Edith Wharton in an interview is juuuuuust about my favorite thing ever.
Thank you so much for this! ♥
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 06:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 10:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 07:25 pm (UTC)You have this amazing way of making me absolutely giddy with joy for these boys, and then breaking my heart before putting it back together again, both in this fic and in the Coffee Fix universe, which I also love! Thanks for writing this and sharing it!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 08:25 pm (UTC)I have never even been to Philly, ever, but reading this makes me want to go! I love that you worked in the culture, landmarks, and quirks of a city into your story-- it just amped up the vibrancy of the whole story. :) I loved your version of Zach and Chris, and the hodgepodge of supporting characters was really awesome.
All in all-- lots of fun all around, and a great read. Thanks for sharing!
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 08:32 pm (UTC)It was like stepping inside a magic time machine for me, something that allowed me to live through someone else's life, to see a city I have never been to, to experience that feeling of intense, stabbing fear when future comes knocking and you are ready.
I have never had that type of love in my time in University, and I will never have, but that's another story.
The story I want to tell you is one of awe and joy, the avid desire of reading more, seeing more of these two people. To see more of how their hearts were going to grow and beat, and expands the horizons of their lives.
For two hours I visited a city, met two people, fell in love, lived.
I lived through your words the eternal story of human happiness.
Find someone, find yourself.
LOVE.
LIVE.
Thank you.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 09:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-08 10:54 pm (UTC)and I may have responded to this fic out loud because it is completely amazing. I am appalled at how awesome it is.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:27 pm (UTC)yes, cheeze whiz is the go-to cheese - i personally always get American cheese because yeah. ew.
thanks so much :-D
no subject
Date: 2010-07-09 12:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-10 11:28 pm (UTC)