The phone on the nightstand beside the bed Darryl's was sleeping on rang insistently, obligaiting the blond boy to tiredly reach for it in order to obtain silence back.
Squeezing his eyes because of the screen brightness, he blindly accepted the call, bringing then the phone against his ear.

"Who is it..?" tiredly asked into a hoarse murmur, rubbing both his eyes with his thumb and index finger.

"Darryl he's back, he's here, he's here Darryl." a familiar voice repeated the same phrases in loop, awaking the Senior body right away.

"Zak?!" he abruptly got up, looking at the empty side of the bed where the short boy should've been. "Oh my gosh, Zak where are you?!" Slightly shouted at the phone, feeling the adrenaline peaking dangerously.

"He's here, he's here, help me please, he's here." he continued to repeat, his voice disturbed by his fast breathing against the microphone.

Darryl's tiredness vanished getting replaced by adrenaline, which made him jump off the bed, running then outside of the room and grabbing then his roommate bat leaned against the wall beside the front door.

"I'm coming, I'm coming Zak, everything is going to he okay." he kept reassuring at the phone, slamming the dorm door behind him while running through the empty and dark hallway then down the stairs of the building.

'I'm not going to show mercy to him this time.' angrily thought, clenching his hand on the bat.

There he was, slamming his shoulder against the door of the dorm number fourteen, unable to stop himself from the velocity he was going to. Without hesitation, lowered the handle, obtaining nothing but a muffled clack from it.

'It's locked?!'

He shoved his free hand into his pocket, pulling it out with a key between his fingers, quickly tucking it into the lock and opening the door.

Zak gave him the duplicate of the key in case of emergencies, but he never thought it would be needed since the short boy was staying at his dorm more than his own.

Swinging the door open and storming into the house, Darryl brought the bat up adjusting the grab, ready to use it. Looking everywhere in the house for both Zak or his father, he didn't find anybody, and adrenaline slowly weakened, letting place to pure concern.

"Zak, where are you? Wich room?" he asked after bringing the phone back against his ear, frantically looking around himself.

He searched for the short boy in every room without finding him, and anxiety made his stomach ache.

"Bathroom." Zak replied with a choked voice.

Rushing for that room, he let the bat fall on the ground on the way, opening the bathroom door fearing for the short boy conditions, finding him crumpled up in the corner of the small room in the middle of a panic attack.

"Zak!" the older boy exclaimed with eyes wide open, kneeing down in front of him. "Oh my goodness..." he quickly checked for wounds and bruised, luckily the only visible where the old ones. "There's no one, little muffin, everything is okay."

He carefully wrapped Zak in is arms, comforting and reassuring him, slowly calming him down.
After caressing softly his back for a few more moments, he broke the hug, cupping the younger boy's face in his hands and wiping the semi-dry tears away with his thumbs.

"What happened, little muffin? The door was locked..." Darryl asked, sliding his hands away holding then Zak's ones.

He looked away in reply, saying something incomprehensible under his breath.

"What was that?"

Zak stayed silent, his eyes glued away from him.

"Zak. Please."

"I said... 'again.'..." he murmured against his will, not finding an excuse.

"What? It's not the first time this happens?!" Darryl asked concerned, furrowing his eyebrows.

The short boy closed his eyes and nodded, bringing his legs against his chest hugging them.

"It was just a stupid... vision." he murmured, sighing.

"Zak..." the blonde boy caressed him softly.

"I just... keep having visions and flashbacks everytime I'm alone..." he murmured, sinking his face into his knees. "he's everywhere... I'm so tired..." said with his voice breaking, bringing both his hands on his head.

"Zak, I know it's rushed and it's literally the worst moment to ask you but... would you like to move in with me? I mean, you just said these things happen when you're alone, plus, you pass most of your time at my dorm anyway, so uhm... Hope it's not too sketchy." Darryl proposed without thinking twice, looking away from him.

"Uh? But, your roommate?"

Somehow, that being the first question from Zak, calmed down the Senior anxiety, and made his hopes peak up.

"He told me Tuesday he's going to leave tomorrow, and... I honestly wanted to ask you before but it wasn't the appropriate time to ask you." he admitted, regretting right away his confession.

Zak stayed silent for a long moment, staring at something indefinite in front of him, then finally spoke up, with a little of hesitation in his voice.

"If... I'm not a bother for you, I... will gladly accept." he answered, feeling sick from his decision.

'This feels so wrong.'

"Thank you Darryl."

"Absolutely no. Carder can go anywhere else but not in your same dorm, Noveschosh."

The two boys stood behind the principal's desk, Zak staring blankly at the middle aged woman, not really knowing how to feel about her answer.
The worst part was that he didn't even know if he cared about it.

"It's really important for Zak's mental health, he can't live alone after all that happened." Darryl objected, fidgeting with his fingers.

"I hope it's not for his physical too." the middle aged woman talked back, scoffing

Darryl clenched his hands into a fist, trying his best to ignore her teases, panicking slightly at Zak's confused glance.

"A no is a no, Noveschosh, get over it."

"I'm sorry but I don't understand the reason of this no." Darryl objected, feeling a strong pressure against his chest who deprived his breathing.

"It's pretty obvious: I don't want gay shit in my school, I want this to be clear." She blurted out, sighing loudly.

"Uh?? I'm not a fucking faggot." Zak exclaimed, stepping into the conversation.

Darryl heart got stabbed by his words.
Every aspect of that phrase hurt him.
Physical pain filled his body.

Noticing Darryl's reaction, a small grin grown on the principal face, who cleared his throat right after.

"You know what? You two can move in together, I don't care, but remember my words." She said sighing the firsts words out, leaning her back against her chair. "Carder, bring me the keys once you'll finish emptying you dorm. You both are dismissed." Concluded, tidying up her desk without looking at them.

The two, one more confused than the other, nodded and greeted her before exiting the office, Darryl tailing silently Zak.

"What was that?" The Junior asked confused, furrowing his eyebrows.

Darryl sided him, following him down the slightly crowded hallway, and imposed to himself not to answer to Zak questions.
The Junior glanced at the older boy, noticing only then that something was wrong from his dull expression and silence.

"Uh? Dude, are you okay?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows and tilting his head towards, so he could see more clearly Darryl's face.

"I'm... just so done with her being a homophobic bitch." he growled in reply without looking at him, narrowing his eyes and clenching his fists.

Darryl was mostly heartbroken for what Zak said earlier, but decided to concentrate his anger on the main reason of what caused the Junior to say.

The younger found himself staring at him stunned with eyes with open, both for his words and for his anger, and hearing him swear for the first time was almost unsettling.

'Why is he defending faggots so much?' Zak asked to himself not knowing how to reply to his words, looking back in front of him with a confused expression.

As soon as he looked up from the floor after over processing Darryl's words, his heart skipped a beat seeing Vincent at the end of the hallway, laughing and chattering loudly beside where the french boy's locker was located, with Zelk and Finn.

"Shit." He muttered under his breath, putting his hood on while furrowing and narrowing his eyes.

Refusing to stop walking, the Junior and the clueless Senior approached the talkative small group of boys, and as soon as they got closer, they got silent, welcoming the two with hateful glares.
Passing by without stopping, Zak glanced at Vincent, wich face was still purplish from his punch, then he slid his eyes on his, reciprocating the hostile glare.

The only difference between the two, was that Zak might had an angry and disappointed expression, but his eyes shared something different compared to Vincent.

Sorrow and regret.

Moving away from the trio, the Junior landed is eyes still on the floor, passing to feel nothing to feel way too much.
Darryl noticed his disturbance, and putting his anger and pain aside, he leaned one hand on his shoulder, tilting his head toward so he could see his face hidden in the hood.

"Zak? Are you okay?" he asked, trying to understand his expression.

The Junior slowly shook his head without ungluing his eyes from the funny pattened floor, then shrugged wanting Darryl's hand off his shoulder.

"Nothing got better between you two, didn't it?" the blonde boy asked, glancing back behind him at the three boys who restarted laughing and talking loudly.

"He doesn't want to talk to me," he started to bit into the flesh of the inner lower lip. "and I don't want either, so I guess it's okay this way." lied, gulping down the hot and iron flavoured liquid pouring out from his rim.

Darryl stared at him concerned for some seconds, not knowing what to do nor say anymore.

He was overwhelmed with all those emotions towards the short boy who was walking by his side, unable to control or describe all of those feelings.

Tired, that's how he felt. He kept slamming against those invisible walls that rose up in front of him anytime he was getting closer with Zak. Everytime more violently than before.

It was a loop.
Just an inch distant to touch Zak's heart, and suddenly he would find himself further away than before.
Again and again.

Tired.

"Jesus Christ, is super cold tonight." Zak murmured, rubbing energetically his hands together.

The weather wasn't the only thing cold, Darryl's attitude and behavior was too, but Zak didn't seem to notice.
Then full moon and the started sky shined above them, fleebly lighting up the surroundings.

"It rained all day, it's normal." the blonde boy replied, getting up. "Let's get in, little muffin."

"Ugh, we really have to?" he whined, pouting.

"Yes, or tomorrow everything will hurt, and I want you to remember that you have the game." the Senior objected, folding up the blankets.

"Fine." he gave up, lengthening the last syllabus.

Picking up all pillows and blankets, the two boys headed to their dorm, chattering quietly about baseball and such
Entering the apartment, they let fall on the couch what they were holding.

"I'm going to sleep on the couch, you can take my bed since my roommate is here." Darryl said, taking a blanket without turning towards him.

Zak shyly grabbed his sleeve stopping his movements, looking down slightly ashamed.

"Uh?" hummed the Senior, turning towards him. "What's up, little muffin?"

"I- uh, I know it's super childish but uh, could I... Sleep with you..?" Hesitantly asked, getting more ashamed at every word spoken.

Darryl couldn't help himself but accept with his usual warm smile, and after adjusting the blanket and pillows from where they belonged, he headed his room sided by Zak. He hated how vulnerable he was with him

Slipping under the blanket, Darryl got immediately surprised by Zak's arm's wrapping around his torso, pulling his small body against his. Falling in temptation, the blonde boy hugged him back, running his fingers through his hair again.

"Tomorrow is gonna be awfully stressful..." Zak murmured, his voice slightly muffled. "The trial, the game, the studies... Ugh..." He sank his face into the Senior chest.

Callahan called that day, he didn't really had time to talk, so he just let them know that the trail was programmed for that Saturday.

"Everything is going to be okay, little muffin." Darryl reassured, continuing to caress his hair and back.

"I hope you're right..." tiredly replied, slowly falling asleep.

Zak's breathing became slow and regular shortly after, leaving Darryl alone awake, drowning into his thoughts.

'Sometimes you make me feel like I actually have a chance with you.' he thought, tenderly running his fingers through his hair. 'But when I try to take that chance, you make me realize I never really did.'

He softly tightened the hug, a hurt smile grown on his face.

'It's okay, though.'

'I'll get used to it.'

[unedited, 2180 words.]