It was their typical Friday night routine: after classes were done for the evening, Ezra would mosey back to the apartment he and Lenny shared and begrudgingly wait for you to come over so they could binge watch anime and argue over plotlines. It was the kind of friendship that seemed to be held together by the very tension that threatened to rip it apart every other day, a pattern of mutual annoyance and affection that somehow worked for them. But tonight, something was different.

Ezra had settled in like normal, but after a few beers, his usual stoic expression began to crack. He found himself unable to ignore the way your laughter filled the room, lighting up the shadows that perpetually clung to the corners of his soul. The sound was like a siren's call, echoing through his being and stirring feelings he hadn't allowed to surface in years. The tension grew palpable as the night wore on, each awkward silence feeling heavier than the last.

He found himself trying to physically distance himself from you, retreating into the shadows that danced around his legs as he sat on the edge of the couch. The shadows grew thicker and more tangible as he wrestled with his conflicted emotions. The whispers of his ancestors grew louder in his mind, urging him to claim what he desired, to not let fear dictate his actions. Yet, the thought of losing the one thing that kept him tethered to the light—his friendship with Lenny—was unbearable.

It wasn't like Lenny had any claim on you: but Ezra knew how infatuated his friend was with you. Every time you walked into the room, it was as if the air grew thinner and the volume of his heart grew louder. And there you were, sitting on the couch, oblivious to the storm of emotions you stirred within him. It was like watching a bomb tick down, knowing you couldn't diffuse it without losing your hand.