Page 22 of Inevitable

That he couldn’t depend on Bas and Drew.

That life didn’t work that way.

That you didn’t just get kindness for free.

That people weren’t good.

That Ezra didn’t have it in him to trust anybody.

“I’ve got classes Monday. I’ve already missed a week,” Ezra muttered when Drew’s piercing gaze became too much. “I have to catch up on some reading.”

He escaped the kitchen, leaving his cup on the counter. The rational part of his brain told him to get his stuff and run for the hills. He got as far as packing his bag, but then Drew peeked his head in and asked him to help with lunch. And then they ate, and before Ezra knew it, he was lounging on the couch with his books while Drew was clicking away on his laptop and another snowstorm gave Ezra the perfect excuse to stay put.

Just one more day, he told himself as he settled in. Just one more day.

* * *

Later that night, Bas came home as well. He stomped into the apartment, wiping snow off his coat.

Drew looked up in surprise. “Hey. I didn’t think you’d be back tonight.”

“I’m still stuck, and my playing sounds like shit.” Bas dragged his hand through his hair, giving off the perfect vibe of a storm cloud. He let out a huff of frustration and shot a glare at Drew as if his problems were Drew’s doing. “I better start canceling gigs. At the rate I’m going, I will fuck up playing whatever they put in front of me.”

That was a whole new side of Bas. So far, Ezra had only seen him smiling and teasing. Seeing him stomp around the apartment, grumbling and angry, was a change.

Drew pushed his laptop aside and got up.

“Maybe you should give yourself a break,” he suggested. “Take a couple of days off and do something unrelated to work. You’ve been working nonstop for months now. There’s a name for what you’re going through. It’s—”

Bas pointed his finger into Drew’s face.

“Do not say the b-word.”

“Burnout,” Drew said stubbornly. “You need to take some time off.”

Bas glared at Drew. “I don’t have time to do nothing. People are depending on me.”

“But if you’re stuck, then there’s no use in sitting in your studio. You know it won’t help. You have to get your mind off work for a bit.”

“Can you just not sound so”—Bas widened his hands—“fucking patronizing.”

“Can you not snap at me when you know you’re frustrated at yourself and not at me?”

“There you go again,” Bas muttered.

Ezra got up quietly and got out of the room as the voices got louder and louder. He didn’t think either Bas or Drew even noticed he’d snuck out of there. Raised voices sounded from behind the closed door of Ezra’s bedroom for quite some time before somebody stomped past his room and Drew’s bedroom door slammed shut. Ezra was mildly impressed. The man didn’t look like he had it in him to slam doors.

Another thirty minutes passed before Ezra quietly opened his door and snuck back into the living room to get his books. He stopped at the sight of Bas sitting on the couch, staring into the darkness.

Ezra hesitated by the doorway, not sure what to do next, when Bas spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t think I’m the one who needs to hear those words.”

Bas sighed and dropped his head into his hands.

“Shit,” he muttered.