seven minutes in heaven. skephalo

Jealousy

Darryl wasn't jealous. Definitely not. That horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach was not jealousy. But if it wasn't, then what exactly was it? That, he had no idea.

He didn't feel jealous when the cashier giggled at the sight of Zak, an adult, buried in groceries when they were checking out.

He didn't feel jealous when the cashier said he wasn't bothered, but found it cute.

He didn't feel jealous when Zak blushed at the statement.

And he definitely didn't feel jealous when he saw a phone number scrawled on the back of their recipt.

If Darryl wasn't jealous, then why was he gripping his steering wheel, knuckles turning white, and completely ignoring anything Zak was saying? At the last stop light before the turn into the driveway of the older's apartment, Zak turned to him.

"Are you okay?" He questioned, genuinely confused by his sudden mood swing. Just ten minutes ago the two had been happily joking in the supermarket, and now he seemed almost angry at Zak.

Not knowing how to respond, Darryl stayed quiet. Which confused Zak even more.

"Did I do something wrong?" The sudden hurt in the younger's voice hit Darryl like a truck. He pulled the car into the driveway, putting it in park before turning to him and offering an attempted smile. It turned out to be more of a lopsided frown.

"You didn't do anything wrong. I'm not mad at you." He confessed, unbuckling his seatbelt and climbing out of the car. Zak followed, walking around to the back of the car to confront the older once more.

"Then why do you seem angry?" He asked, grabbing a couple of bags from the trunk. The older sighed, closing the door. His question remained unanswered until he pulled the recipt out of the bag in his hand, flipping it over to reveal the phone number scribbled on the back. Suddenly it clicked.

Darryl was jealous.

Zak smirked to himself, shoving the recipt back into the bag and following the older inside.

---

"Wanna record something?"

"Not really."

"What about watch a movie?"

"No,"

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

Zak was beyond frustrated with the older at this point. When they had got inside and put all the groceries away, he saw Darryl crumple the recipt and throw it in the trash. Since then, the two hadn't really talked. They just sat on opposite sides of the couch scrolling through their phones, Darryl subconciously keeping any convorsation Zak started relatively short.

Zak was getting tired of it, especially since he knew the older was just frustrated over something simple.

So, he decided to do something.

The younger sat up from his slouched position on the couch and turned to Darryl.

"Why are you being so quiet?" The older simply looked up at him from his phone, inhaling deeply before setting his phone down on the coffee table. Before he had a chance to explain himself, Zak spoke up again.

"I saw the recipt, if that's what you're upset about."

Darryl's eyes widened, and all he could do was stare intently at the carpet. He didn't think that the younger had seen it, and now worried that he had caught on to what he was upset about.

Should've been more careful, Darryl. Now he's going to figure out you like him and you know that won't end well.

"I jus-" Before he could form a response, the younger moved swiftly across the couch and leaned against him, bringing his lips close to the older's ear. Darryl's heart was beating out of his chest, and he was worried Zak could hear it.

With this newfound confidence in him, Zak whispered one of the most flirty things he had ever managed to say. "You don't have to be jealous. I'd choose you over him any day."

Zak leaned back, smirking when he met the older's gaze. Realizing how flirty what he said sounded, he broke the eye contact to stand up and walk into the kitchen, leaving a stunned and love-struck Darryl behind.