***

Konnor smiled as he sat at the desk in his room, writing a letter to Justice. He couldn't see his friend right now, because he was on holiday with Maura. He and Grayson had received a letter from Maura just three days ago, gushing about the beautiful weather, the smell of the local patisserie and the refreshing summer rains of Paris. It read like a mushy romance novel, from the way she went on about the romantic setting, quiet corner seats in restaurants and moonlit walks.

Justice was in for a good ribbing when he got back, for being a romantic sap.

When his mobile buzzed on the desk, Konnor reached out blindly, expecting to see a message from Grayson complaining about work. Instead, there was a text from Lachlan. His smile grew as he sat back in his seat and read the message.

In town today, meeting Monroe. Can I swing by and hang out? he asked, probably bored out of his mind because he was away from his laptop. Especially since he'd switched from his old publisher to Giovanni and Darren's publishing company. There was a lot of paperwork involved at first, but they were finally settling into a routine that gave them a few more hours a week to get together.

Sure thing. Gray's working, but I'm free, he sent back, hoping to keep the afternoon light and fun. He knew how much Lachlan hated being dragged away from his computer.

Perfect. I'll pay for take-out, he offered, in return.

Konnor was glad to hear that. Lachlan had never forgotten any of the 'best friend' things that only he was privy to. His sweet tooth, his preference for beer over hard spirits, his love of all things chocolate; they were all weaknesses that only Lachlan fully understood and appreciated.

He abandoned his letter to Justice, since he knew Grayson wanted to add to it anyway. He pocketed his phone and left his room, jogging down the stairs to the front room of the fraternity house.

He headed straight for the kitchen and got a few cold drinks together, before venturing to the pool table in the fraternity common room, to set it up and wait for Lachlan.

Thankfully, after ten minutes, Lachlan arrived and greeted him with a hug of the likes they never used to share. Their hugs nowadays spoke volumes. 'I lost you once'; 'I'm so glad we're friends'; 'I'll never lose you again.' Even when they broke away and began playing pool he was reminded of how much work they'd put into their friendship. And how brutally honest they'd become with each other.

Lachlan looked up from where he was preparing to take his next shot and Konnor knew that he was ninety percent focused on him, putting just a small amount of his attention on the game. Reminding him that Lachlan was here for him.

He was worried, but not nearly as much as his boyfriend, and the only one who would get that was Lachlan. “I don't even know if I want this 'intervention' Grayson has planned. But I also really don't want to disappoint him.”

He hadn't told his best friend about his therapy sessions before these last few days, because he honestly hadn't been sure if it would work. It had taken a whole year after Casen suggested it, at Darren and Giovanni's insistence, for Konnor to even realise that he probably needed it. Not that needing therapy had automatically translated into getting therapy or having it work out. But, he'd finally succumbed a year ago and given it a shot. Then a second and third one.

Before he knew it, he was going to weekly sessions with Rico and had only recently ventured into group therapy. There, he met up with Jean and Jaime, the two friends Giovanni had promised would help him through the group dynamics and make sure he felt comfortable. Konnor had almost been shocked to find that he was right; the two were welcoming, comforting and often spoke up in the group sessions when he was asked to speak, but wasn't sure what to say. They'd saved his ass a few times, so he could well understand why Grayson had invited them to this 'intervention' to get him one step closer to recovery.

He just wasn't sure he was ready for it.

His thoughts were broken by an unexpected, but welcome, hug from Lachlan. “We're always with you, Konnor. You mean so much to all of us, in different ways. I know Grayson is doing this because he loves you and wants you to realise how important you are to us,” he whispered, gently carding his fingers through Konnor's hair in that way he loved. “If you're not ready, I'll fight him every step and even get Darren to talk to Rico about it. But if you're just scared, then I'll be with you for every second of it, to hold your hand, to be with you, and to make sure you're safe.”

The promise meant so much that all he could do was bury his face in Lachlan's shoulder and take slow, deep breaths.

There was no appropriate response to that. There was no appropriate response to any of it, but Konnor knew he didn't need words right now. Everything he needed to say – everything Lachlan was trying to say to him – was said through that hug.

Loyalty. Friendship. Undying love and devotion. He already knew he had those things from Lachlan and Grayson; maybe it wouldn't be so bad to see everyone show up to the cabin and realise he had it from them, too? Because he had a feeling that was Grayson's plan. A “look who came” show of affection, proving that all those who showed up did so because they wanted Konnor in their lives and to understand that he wasn't worthless or too erratic to be their friend.

And, really, that could only be a good thing, right?