Page 56 of Inevitable
“I think I have at least some idea.”
He stepped forward. “Can I?” he asked.
Bas didn’t know what Drew wanted, but he found that he didn’t care about the specifics. He nodded.
Drew wrapped his arms around Bas. Their bodies fit perfectly. Just like always.
“Is Ezra still asleep?” Bas mumbled into Drew’s neck.
“Yeah.”
Drew wrapped himself tighter around Bas.
“He fits,” Bas said quietly, still speaking into Drew’s shoulder. “It’s not just some kind of a convenient arrangement to keep you to myself at any cost. I didn’t plan on it, but it’s almost like he’s the missing piece.”
“I know,” Drew said. “God, Bas. I know.”
“I’m scared,” Bas admitted. “I’m afraid I might be fucking everything up for all of us.”
“You need to stop this. You’re not some kind of a bad-luck charm.”
“Aren’t I, though? If I weren’t the way I am, if you and I hadn’t been living like we have—not just friends, not quite lovers either—maybe you’d already found somebody? I know how much you want that. To belong. Instead, I’ve been holding you hostage. It’s fucked-up. I’ve been too selfish to let you go. Even now, with Ezra, I’m being selfish again.”
Drew was silent for a little bit.
“Haven’t you figured it out yet? I already belong. With you. Always have. That’s why nobody else has ever worked out.”
“And Ezra?”
Drew shrugged helplessly. “You said it yourself. He’s the missing piece. That first night I met him… I couldn’t get him out of my head. He was burned into my brain, and I’m not sure what crazy twist of fate it is that you two click, but I’m not going to question it. I want to know where we’ll go.”
“You sound so certain that we’ll go anywhere other than the dumpster of hurt feelings and eternal anger.”
“Careful, your optimistic side is showing again,” Drew said wryly.
“None of my relationships have worked. Ever. They’ve all crashed and burned. Some more spectacularly than others.”
“Technically, that can be said about every person who hasn’t found where they belong yet,” Drew said. He was being way too reasonable for Bas’s liking. “Luckily for you, that part’s been taken care of already.”
Bas just shook his head. “I can’t properly panic if you’re being all calm and reasonable,” he mumbled.
Drew’s arms only tightened around Bas. When he started speaking again, he sounded distinctly more serious than before.
“Everything else has been hard for us. I don’t mean all of it has been bad, but it hasn’t been exactly smooth sailing. For any of us. So maybe this is compensation. What if this, the three of us, will be easiest thing we’ll ever do?”
“Ever the optimist.”
Drew’s smile widened as he looked at Bas. “Think about it. What if we just suck at everything else, but we’ll ace being in a relationship?”
Bas snorted. “I can guarantee you, I will ace it.”
Drew’s eyes lit up. “Naturally, after all, you are am-ace-ing.” He waggled his brows as Bas started to laugh.
“That was… pretty good, actually. I’m gonna steal it.”
“As long as you embr-ace who you are,” Drew said, lips twitching.
“These are getting questionable now,” Bas said.