“I mean, I guess that makes sense?” Drew said uncertainly. He didn’t understand Bas’s intensity. Could barely concentrate on his words. “They didn’t know any better, if that was their reality.Right?”
“Yeah! Yes. Exactly. They didn’t know better.” Bas paused, glanced down at Drew, and repeated, on a whisper, “They just didn’t know there could be anything different forthem.”
Drewblinked.
“But then they find these films,” Bas continued. “Films that show the Allies winning. It freaks them the fuck out. They don’t understand what they’re looking at, right? It’s crazy, and they getscared.Because it makes them wonder…Is there something I should be fighting for? Should I have been doing something else?It shakes them to their foundations,Drew.”
Drew stared at the television, barely able to breathe. Was Bas saying what it seemed like he wassaying?
“But even though they’re scared, they can’t stop thinking about the things that they’ve seen. And the way it makes them feel.” Bas’s voice was low, husky, and Drew was ninety-nine percent sure he didn’tmeanto be breathing in Drew’s ear the way he was, but Drew’s dick didn’t seem to get the message. “Like maybe they didn’t realize just how unhappy they were until they saw the way things couldbe.”
Drew shut his eyes and exhaled. If he shifted his head a centimeter, his lips would touch Bas’s lips. And then… and then it would be Halloween again. Summer campagain.
Bad things happen when you losecontrol.
He pulled away, bending his knee up onto the seat and twisting to face Bas head-on.
“What are you saying, Sebastian? Flat out, without your sci-fisymbolism.”
Bas laughed softly and ran a hand over his face. “I was kinda hoping you’d be impressed by thesymbolism.”
Drew quirked a brow, and Bas admitted, “Fine. I… I haven’t stopped thinking about the kiss onHalloween.”
And there it was, point-blank and out in theopen.
Drew cleared his throat. “I kinda figured that by the way you disappeared for a solidmonth.”
“I apologized for that,” Bassaid.
“Yeah, and as I said, an apology makes it all fine, obviously. As long as you had areason.”
Bas rolled his eyes. “Give me abreak.”
“I have.” Drew’s voice was hardly a whisper. “That’s why I’mhere.”
“We need to talk about it. About the things you saidafter—“
“No. Nope, we don’t.” Drew flung a hand out in dismissal. “We definitely donot.Suffice it to say, I was drunk. I should never have saidthat.”
“Was ittrue?”
Drew swallowed, his throat clogged in a way that beer wouldn’tcure.
“Tell me, Drew. Did you mean it when you said you’d wanted it for a while?” Bas’s voice was cajoling now, pulling the truth from Drew’s chest, and he panicked. “Because I’m thinking I’m not the only one who’s been keeping secrets for awhile.”
Drew jumped to his feet. “It’s too late to talk about that. I wanted to explain that it was all a mistake, but you kept avoidingme.”
“And you kept sniping atme.”
“And so didyou!”
“Fine, then. Explain now.” Bas leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and stared up atDrew.
“No!No.” Drew pushed both hands through his hair. “I’m telling you, there’s no reason to talk about thisanymore.”
“There’s a lot of reasons.” Bas blew out a breath. “Drew,I…”
“You disappeared for amonth!”Drew exploded, hurt and terrified. “You wouldn’t return my texts, you didn’t even call me onChristmas!”
