isawayfromthejumbledmassoflimbsandpeopleonlywantingthepersonheusedtobe,safefromsmalltalkandidlehands.

“sob,”geegriped,buthepassedthebottlealongallthesame,evenattemptingagrin.

draodoesn’twanttoask.hewantstositandsulk,takepartinenoughsmalltalktopassthenightawaywithoutseeminglikeanarse,maybesearhouthermierandthendukintopassonanotherroundofongratutionswithluna,thengohome,imingamigraine.it’sapusibleexuseandadoablepn,andnoneofitinvolvessittinghereandpyingtherapisttogee,buthewashisfriend,andthatomeswithaertainamountofresponsibility.

“youalright,mate?youseem…”hepaused,beausethere’snowaytogiveanauratedesriptionwithoutbeingoffensive.“down.”

“yeah,i’mfine.”geesays,anddraoanseethemomentwherehehangeshismindanddeidestotellthetruth,anatualripplearosshisfae.“no,i’mnot.i’mshit,atually.”

heswears,alongstringofitjusttomakehimselffeelbetter,andthepeoplelosesttothemstare,ahuddleofravenwsthatdraoanonlyvaguelyremember.

“wanttotalkaboutit?”

“it’sjustthathe’snothere.”draodidn’tneedtoaskwhohewas.“he’snothere,andhewouldhavelovedthis,tobewithher,toseeher.she’sgotthislineofes,likethefatherdaughtere,onlyonewitheahofusbrothers,andthere’s—there’sonlyfivees.thereshouldbesix.”heisgrippingontothetabletopsohardthatdraoishalfafraidthatheisgoingtoripapieeoff.“it’slikehe’sbeingfottenbyeveryonebutme.”

“that’snottrue,”draostarts,butgeeutshimoffjustasfast.