The truth was somehow far simpler and far more complicated than Drake could even begin to understand. The simple part was that he and ClaudiaĀ hadnātĀ planned any ofĀ it.Ā TheyādĀ fallen into an easy pattern, comforting one another as they adapted to life without Conner tucked into the middle of them, making their days better. The complicated part was, of course, the fact that Claudia hadĀ seemingly likedĀ Drake the entire time.Ā HeādĀ been oblivious, pouringĀ all ofĀ his attention into his other best friend, even after he was gone. Conner had been out of sight, but neverĀ out of mind. Claudia had practically needed to spell it out to Drake howĀ sheādĀ been feeling, andĀ heādĀ been so flustered and embarrassed thatĀ heādĀ provided several months of kissing to make it up to her.Ā
It was confusingĀ to beĀ suddenlyĀ datingĀ one of your best friends, and so soon after your other best friend had been arrested and snatched away from you.Ā ThereādĀ been days when Drake had doubted his relationship with Claudia, fretting over the suddenness of their newfound attraction to each other.Ā Some nights,Ā heādĀ laid awake wondering if heĀ wasĀ even into her at all, even as she slept beside him, naked and all wrung out.Ā HeādĀ wondered, selfishly, stupidly, if the two of them had trauma bonded over the loss of Conner.Ā Maybe theyĀ were both just missing him, finding pieces of their best friend inĀ one anotherĀ and clinging on for dear life? HeĀ couldnātĀ make senseĀ of it.Ā
āNo, thatās not whatĀ I āā he sighed, cutting himself off. Raking a hand through his hairĀ uncomfortably, trying to make sense of the thoughts whirring around in his mind.Ā
Conner was still refusing to join Drake on theĀ sofaĀ and it wasĀ agonising. All he wanted was to be able to pull his best friend into a warm hug, feel the distant yet oh-so familiar comfort of their bodies pressed together. He thought it might just be the only thing that could relax him right now. Instead, he simply leaned forward, his hands coming to rest against Connerās thighs as he looked up at him.Ā
āThereāsĀ noĀ finallyĀ about it, man. Claudiaā IĀ donātĀ know, she was into me and IĀ didnātĀ even... I missed all the signs, spent weeks,Ā months,Ā talking about how much I missed you,ā he laughed, feeling embarrassed.Ā Ā
Maybe if Conner could see it from his perspective, all the humiliating details, he might find the funny side in it. Maybe heād be a little less pissed if heĀ realisedĀ that there was nothing calculated about their arrangement, and that it was actually just an example of Drake being a dumbass.Ā Again.Ā
"I swear, man.Ā ItāsĀ not as romantic or messy as you think,ā he flushed. āShe told me I needed to get my shit together, and thatĀ youādĀ hate to see me moping around worrying about you. She gave me this big speech about how, like,Ā youādĀ root for us and howĀ youādĀ want me to be happy.āĀ
It felt stupid, recounting it back to him now. The facts were as simple as that, and Claudia had drilled it into Drake that he was sabotaging his own happiness by missing all the signs with her inĀ favourĀ of worrying about Conner.Ā HeāsĀ not getting out any timeĀ soon,Ā thatāsĀ whatĀ sheādĀ told him.Ā YouĀ canātĀ keep waiting around for him, and we shouldĀ still get toĀ be happy, baby.Ā
Drake was a sucker for pet names, andĀ heādĀ always been no good at turning down a pretty girl with a compelling argument. There was a reason heād had such an embarrassing crush on Austen for so long, their lust-induced hook ups just a desperate, horny excuse to get off on her end, while Drake had been moon-eyed and awestruck by her ability to boss him aroundĀ andĀ call him handsome while she rode him.Ā
āI guess, in like... A weird way, youĀ kindaĀ brought us together?Ā Yāknow, all my missing you was what drove her so crazy sheĀ actually toldĀ me how she felt,ā Drake flushed, hearing his own words back and how ridiculous they sounded.
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