Jealous

"Jack, I don't feel good and we're not on tour," Zack whined. "Why can't you come lay with meeeeee?"

"I told you, babe, I have to go help Alex, plus I think you're faking. I took your temperature and it was completely normal."

Zack scoffed from where he was laying in bed, his head just visible under about fifty blankets, Jack thought it was too much but Zack argued one could never have too many blankets or pillows. He was faking being sick, but it was the dead of winter in Baltimore and they had just got home from tour two days ago. All he wanted was to snuggle with his boyfriend and sleep forever. He was even willing to skip working out for the day in order to accomplish this task but Jack didn't seem as committed.

"Maybe I am faking but what if I'm not? What if I have a deadly illness that I never told you about and I know this is my last day and all I want is to spend it with you. Think of how bad you'll feel if I'm dead and you couldn't even be bothered to snuggle with me in my last moments because Alex's dumb ass needed help picking out paint for his bathroom."

"Oh, my little Zachary." Jack walked over to the edge of the bed, leaning down to kiss Zack's forehead. "You've got to stop reading so many books, you're getting carried away."

Zack reached out in a last ditch effort to make Jack stay but the dressed boy was too fast, easily stepping out of his reach.

"Get dressed and do something, babe, you can't lay in bed forever."

"Is that a challenge?"

"Get up, Zack, or else I'm gonna post a picture of you sleeping at three in the afternoon and tell everyone you've traded in your healthy lifestyle for cookie crumbs and naps."

Zack didn't reply, flopping over angrily in bed as he heard their front door open and close. He knew Jack didn't mean to upset him that much but he did. Alex needing help picking out paint colors for his bathroom was way less important than spending time with him but did that matter? No. And tweeting a picture of Zack in bed? That would never happen because if he did that, people might think he was in a relationship with Zack and apparently that was awful, never mind the fact that half of the fans thought he was with Alex. Zack really didn't blame them, if he wasn't dating the boy, he'd think him and Alex were together too.

Getting out of bed with a huff, he went to the kitchen to get stuff out for cereal. He finished half the bowl before he decided he was going to work out today after all, it would kill time and keep him from thinking about how stupid Jack was. Smirking to himself, he left his half eaten breakfast on the counter and went to get changed. Jack could do the dishes when he got back.

Working out turned out to be a great idea. He channeled all his anger into running and lifting weights and he felt much better once he was through. Throwing all his clothes on the floor, Jack could do the laundry too, he jumped in the shower.

After he'd showered and changed back into his pajamas it was well after midday which meant Jack should have been headed home. Climbing in bed he flipped on some shitty movie while he played with his phone, eventually falling asleep.

He woke up to his phone vibrating noisily against his chest, the screen lit up with a picture of Jack.

"Hey, baby, what's going on?" He yawned.

"Seriously. Did you just wake up?"

"Fuck you. I only took a nap. What do you want?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to let you know I'm gonna stay out a little longer and get dinner with Alex. Do you want me to pick you up anything?"

"Are you serious? You're so annoying sometimes." It was bad enough he went to go help pick out paint for the bathroom, the fucking bathroom, but now he was staying out for dinner too? "No, I don't want anything. All I wanted was to spend time with you but I guess I should have checked with Alex first."

Without thinking, Zack hung up and hurled his phone across the room watching it shatter against the wall. He was over-reacting and he knew that but sometimes it was just so frustrating to date someone that was practically dating someone else. If Alex had a bad day at the studio, Jack stayed late to help him out. If Lisa was mad at him, Jack went over to help him figure out how to fix things. Anytime Alex needed him, Jack was there. It didn't matter what plans they had, or didn't have in this case, if Alex needed him Jack would be there, always. That would make Jack a fantastic boyfriend but there was one slight problem, he wasn't dating Alex.

"Fuck Alex," Zack muttered angrily to himself. Flipping over he shoved his face into a pillow and screamed until his lungs started to hurt. Nothing ever changed. Jack never changed. At what point was he going to come first? Was it even worth it to wait? He loved Jack but maybe that wasn't enough. Without thinking he got up and began throwing clothes into his duffel bag which was still half packed from tour. If Jack didn't want him then he didn't want Jack, it was that simple. Once he had all his clothes packed he went through the house, grabbing some of his favorite stuff, movies, books, anything he thought he'd need in the next few days, he could get all his other stuff later.

Taking one last look around their house, he walked out the front door. But just before he could pull out of the driveway, Jack arrived.

"Zack, where are you going?" Jack called through his open window.

"I'm leaving you," Zack replied simply. "I'll come back for all my other stuff later but I don't wanna spend another minute being a fucking third wheel boyfriend." He wanted Jack to say something, anything but instead the guitarist just stared at him. "Fuck you, Jack."

Driving on autopilot, Zack made his way to Rian's house hoping the older boy would be there. Normally he'd call first but his phone was still laying in pieces on the floor of what used to be his and Jack's room.

"Hey, Zack," Rian said, meeting him on the porch before Zack even knocked. "Jack said you left him, he was really freaked out."

"I'm sure he was," Zack rolled his eyes. "Can I stay here for tonight?"

"Yeah, man, you can stay as long as you want, you know that."

"Thanks." Hoisting his bag over his shoulder he followed Rian inside the drummer's small house. He knew this house almost as well as his own and he quickly walked to the guest room, chucking his bag onto the bed and kicking off his shoes. Joining Rian once more, he dropped down on the couch, resting his head on his friend's shoulder.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Zack sighed and leaned further into Rian's side. "I don't even know, I just...I'm so tired of dating JackandAlex. That's not what I want, you know? I love Jack more than anything in the world but I'm just his second choice. I'm his boyfriend and I'm still his second choice, that's not right."

"Have you told Jack any of that?"

"No, but I shouldn't have to, right? I don't know, Rian, am I just being over-dramatic?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all." Rian ran his hand down Zack's arm comfortingly, seeing how bad the poor boy felt. "I'm just saying maybe if he knew how much it bothered you, he'd change. That boy's crazy about you. No matter what you might think, I know for a fact you mean a hundred times more to him than Alex ever has or will."

"But what if he doesn't Ri? What if I tell him and instead of changing he just breaks up with me. I would, if I had a friend I was as close to as Alex and Jack are that's who I'd want to be with."

Rian couldn't help but laugh, squeezing Zack's shoulder as he spoke. "Are you kidding me? The two of us were super close before you and Jack got together but you know what happened?" Zack shook his head, not understanding at all where Rian was going with this. "You fell in love with Jack, not me, the same way Jack fell in love with you and not Alex. You just need to let Jack know that you want him to start showing you he cares about you a little more by not spending so much time with Alex."

"And he'll do that?"

"No shit. He loves you Zack! You should seriously see what he's like when his precious little Zachary doesn't wanna spend time with him, its disgusting actually. He gets all super moody and annoys the shit out of me and Alex until you come back around."

Zack smiled for what felt like the first time in years as he listened to Rian go on and on about how much Jack loved him. Sure he was still upset about how much time his boyfriend spent with Alex but now that he really thought about it there were a lot of other great things about Jack. Things that only he got to see or be a part of, only he got to see the goofy smile Jack wore while he slept. Only he knew that Jack had a burn mark on his back shoulder from a freak marshmallow roasting accident. Alex would never get to hold him while he didn't cry during The Fox and The Hound. Jack loved Zack way more than Alex and he wasn't really sure how he'd let himself forget that.

"You're right," Zack said, cutting off Rian who was still rambling. "I'm not gonna stay here tonight after all. I have a boyfriend who loves me waiting at home. I sleep a lot better next to Jack anyways."

"Good, I'm glad to hear that, Zack."

Zack only nodded in response, running back to the guest room to grab his stuff and hurrying out to his car.The drive back home was always short but it was even shorter tonight as he sped through town, wanting to get home to Jack as soon as possible.

"Zack you're home!" Jack rushed over, tackling Zack into a hug as soon as the boy walked through the door. "Please say you're not leaving me, baby."

"I'm not, I was being stupid, Jack. I'm so sorry for acting like such a dick. I just wanted to spend time with you and I got mad when you spent the whole day with Alex. I was acting like a spoiled brat and I'm sorry."

"You're not a brat," Jack mumbled into Zack's hair. "You're my little Zacky and I love you. We can spend all day together tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that until we're old and fat."

"So then I can be your fat little Zacky?"

"You're already my fat little Zacky," Jack joked pulling away and taking one of Zack's hands to lead him to bed. "But I still love you more than the whole entire galaxy."

"Do you really?" Zack asked just a little hesitantly, climbing into bed next to Jack. He tried to snuggle into his side but Jack sat up, frowning over at him.

"Why'd you ask me that? Do you think I don't love you?"

Zack felt his face heat up and he played with his fingers nervously until Jack took his hands in his own, repeating his question.

"Sometimes," Zack admitted, not making eye contact. "I mean, you spend a lot of time with Alex and I don't know, it just feels like maybe you like him a little more. I mean I'd understand if you did, most people would."

"Oh, c'mere, baby," Jack opened his arms, crushing Zack into a hug and holding him close. "Alex is nothing compared to you. You're my baby Zachary, nobody could ever be more important to me than you."

"I'm sorry for leaving tonight," Zack said softly into Jack's shoulder. "I should have talked to you about how I felt but I just get jealous sometimes when it feels like you'd rather spend time with Alex than me."

"You don't need to be sorry, babe, I should have stayed home with you. If it makes you feel any better Alex didn't even take my advice on the paint color."

"Oddly enough that does make me feel a little better," Zack smiled.

"Oh yeah?" Jack laid down, pulling Zack to lay next to him and wrapping his arm around him. "Then I know some stories that'll really cheer you up."

Zack spent the rest of the night listening to stories of times Alex had pissed Jack off or screwed him over. It was a relief to know that their relationship wasn't as perfect as Zack thought it was. By the time he fell asleep he was sure that Jack was his and his alone and that put to rest any remaining jealousy, it was like Jack had said after one of his stories. "I have my little baby Zachary why would I want a little Alexander?"