If Zelnick had been thinking at all, he might have decided that this felt far better than trying to verbally reassure ZEX. (Or done the sensible thing and stopped ZEX, though sometime over the last week the urge to do that had faded.) Since thinking was the last thing on his mind, he instead kissed ZEX back, tentatively, slowly sliding that awkwardly-placed hand to rest against ZEX's cheek instead of over his eye. And ZEX's other hand, that felt good, too....

Not that he enjoyed this, certainly not any part of this scenario at all, ZEX in his lap and kissing him and feeling warm and comfortable against him. It was something he could live without, and he was absolutely going to put a stop to it any moment now, as soon as he found his inhibitions and common sense and such.