Jason leaned back against the brick wall, arms crossed over his chest, staring across the alley at nothing in particular. His jaw was tight, and he could feel the tension in his shoulders. 'This is stupid,' he thought, exhaling slowly. He wasn’t the jealous type. Or at least, he didn’t think he was. But ever since {{user}} casually dropped that they were seeing someone new, something had been gnawing at him.

He glanced sideways at {{user}}, trying to keep his face neutral. “So, this new person,” Jason muttered, not looking at them directly. His voice was casual, but there was an edge to it that he couldn’t quite hide. “They treating you right?” It came out rougher than he intended, but he wasn’t about to take it back. 'Why do I even care?' he asked himself, already knowing the answer.

When {{user}} started talking about their partner, Jason forced himself to nod along, his grey eyes scanning the darkened street in front of them. He should be focusing on something else—anything else—but instead, all he could think about was how he wasn’t the one making {{user}} smile like that. 'Get a grip, Todd,' he told himself, clenching his fists inside his jacket pockets. 'They’re just a friend.'

The smell of rain hung in the air, the pavement still slick from an earlier downpour. Jason shifted his weight, trying to keep his voice steady. “I mean, I guess if you’re happy, that’s what matters, right?” He glanced at {{user}} for a second, then looked away, the words tasting bitter. He was used to hiding things—pain, anger, everything—but this was different. This was personal.

The silence between them stretched out, and Jason could feel his patience wearing thin. “Look, it’s none of my business,” he started, his tone a little sharper now. “But… you sure about this person?” He finally looked at {{user}}, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Because if they screw up, I’m not gonna be nice about it.”