*~{Wilted Roses}~* skephalo AU

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Zak walked, fixing his posture as he looked around but started to get more nervous the closer he got to his friend's shop.
He tried to simply walk past and ignore the little glass shop but something inside him was urging him to go inside. Zak cleared his throat and slowly walked in

"Welcome! Oh, hey Zak."

"Hey Dar- Hmh? You're not Darryl?"

"I don't know if I should feel insulted or confused that you thought I was a 24 year old man-"

"Oh- I'm sorry, but where's Darryl?"

"He said he was sick so I decided to take initiative and take his place today. Wilbee is helping me stay cheery while Darryl isn't here to do it."

"Mh.. I see." Zak sounded slightly dissapointed.

"Hey, chin up man! You can still text him if You're missing him THAT much."

"Huh?"

"Zak, you looked like a little kid who dropped a lollipop on the floor. Here." He passed Zak his phone "Look through my contacts. I just called him his real name so it won't be much of a search." Toby grabbed a broom that was near the counter and began dusting the dirty floors.

"Darryl.. Darryl... Ah! Here he is!"

"Cool, I'm pretty sure he won't mind a text or two."

"Thank you Toby, this means a lot."
Toby giggled at Zak's slight I've reaction and shook his head a little "No problem."

"Can I stay here for a bit? I still have a little time before work."

"Sure, I don't mind."

Zak reached into his back pocket and grabbed his phone. His contact list had been collecting dust for a while now so it was nice having someone else to put in it. Zak smiled as he put the name into his phone. Should I text him right now? What if he's not awake? What if I text him and he's really dry.. I'll wait for him to text me. Wait no- he doesn't know I have his number.. okayyy here goes nothing.

Zak: hey.

Darryl: Hello? 0_o who is this?

Zak: it's me, Zak.

Darryl: ...Zak? How did you get my number ಠ_ಠ

Zak: I walked into the shop expecting- um well expecting to get something nice and then I saw you weren't there. Toby felt bad for me so he decided to give me your number.

Darryl: oooh that makes more sense.

Zak: Yeah, but anyways how are you doing? I heard you were sick.

Darryl: Ah, I'm okay but I have a fever and a cold so I'm definitely not 100% but other than that I'm fine.

Zak: any chance I could swing by and maybe bring you something or make you some soup?

Darryl: no, no it's okay. I don't want you to get sick as well @-@

Zak giggled to himself at the little faces the other texted.

Zak: C'mon Darr, I won't get sick I promise. Just give me your address and I'll come over after work okay?

Darryl: Fine. But only because I'm too sick to think straight. Here:

Zak: Thanks! I'll see you later ❤️

Darryl: ಠ_ಠ okay- cya ❤️

Zak took a slow breath and smiled. Darryl was a very interesting person, he wasn't like his old friends back in highschool. Each one of his friends had lost their child like excitement and playfulness but it seemed like Darryl hadn't. He felt as though Darryl never grew up. And Zak couldn't help but love his personality more because of it. "I wish I was like that." He sighed with a smile.

"Hey man, when does your job start?"

"Oh, it starts at 7:30.. OH GEEZ- ITS ALREADY 7:24?!?"

"Yeah you better get go-" Toby was cut off by Zak running out the door. "Uh- Have a nice day!"

"I'm not too late I can make it if I keep running." Zak put all his energy into running. When he got to the office he looked very tired and couldn't stop panting.

"Hey, are you okay Zak? You look like death." George asked.

"I feel like death. I ran all the way over here"

"Again" They said in unison.
Zak chuckled nervously.

"What were you even doing?"

"Stuff. I passed by your boyfriend's Cafe and got a little distracted."

George's cheeks turned pink as he turned away. "he's not my boyfriend. You're an idiot." He flicked Zak's forehead.

"Right, right." Zak said smirking. He opened his laptop and got to work. The hours at work felt like years. For Zak, it was hard to concentrate on something that he had really 0% interest in. He'd get easily distracted by things in the office and would just space out for a while until someone took him out of his trance. He hated being this way. The consequences of his ways almost costed him his graduation, but luckily he pulled through at the last moment with C's.

-Lunch break-

Zak bit into his ham sandwich as he waited for Nick to come and sit with them.

"It's weird that the boss hasn't burst in to yell at us at all today." Zak said with his mouth full.

"Chew your food idiot. Also, the boss was sick today so he couldn't come. Thankfully." George responded.

"Heyyyy mis amigos."

"Oh God." George facepalmed.

"Hey Nick. What's up?"
Zak asked.

"Nothing much. Jussst dreaming about the day I leave this hell." Nick sighed with a smile. "I could become an artist!"

George laughed loudly.
"What?! I can draw!"

"I'd like to see you try. I bet you can't even draw a base for the body."

"Yes I can! Stop laughing!" Nick slumped down in his chair, visibly heart broken. 

"Look Nick, you have to stick to what you're good at. Don't try new things with full confidence that you're going to succeed. If you do you'll be met with disapointment and drop it."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Okay dream crusher. This is why that dude at the cafe won't ask you out." He grumbled.

George smacked him lightly on the head "Shut up idiot."

Nick mocked George under his breath and then changed the subject "Sooo what are you guys doing after work? I was planning to get drinks and maybe find a good looking lady while I'm at it." He said jokingly.

George rolled his eyes. "As much as I'd love to join in your idiocy, I have a life and actually have places to be thank you very much."

"Wow George it's almost like nobody cares." He smiled. "So, what are you doing Zak?"

"Hm? Oh,, nothing. I'm just going over to a friend's house."

"A friend's house? I though we were your only pals?"

"You were but, I've met someone recently."

"Are they hot?" George put his had on Nick's face, shutting him up instantly. "Keep it in your pants Nick, anyway who is this person?"

"No one, really, please stop asking. I'll tell you when I feel comfortable. I don't like letting people know too much about my personal life, I'm sorry."

"That's okay." George gave him a warm smile. "Can't argue with that."

"Thank you." Zak smiled.