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Levi stared at the ceiling, considering how surprisingly comfortable the dark walnut bar top felt on his back. The bar was empty. None of the staff had come in for their shift yet. He was thankful. He needed time to clear his head.

“Levi! What the fuck are you doing laying on the bar? Wait. Why the fuck are you here?”

Levi didn’t move. He wanted to stay silent. He wanted to keep this to himself. Especially from James. He’d gotten too comfortable, but all the hurt had come rushing back in. His mouth betrayed him.

“Jon told me to come in tonight. Said he could fend for himself, and Gus could help him in the unlikely event he would need it.”

“Then why are you here so early? You didn’t get all huffy and leave early, did you?”

“Why the hell would you think I would do something like that?”

James sat on a barstool at Levi’s head. “Because that’s how you avoid arguments. You clam up and leave. It ain’t healthy, bud.”

Levi grunted and sat up. He was not comfortable with his face that close to James.

“And what would you do differently in my situation? Go pick up a girl and start dating her, too?”

James closed his eyes. Levi knew he had struck a nerve.

“That’s not fair. But since this isn’t about me, I’ll answer it honestly. The old me? Absolutely. In a heartbeat.” His eyes flew open, burning with emerald fire. “But now? No. Jeff and I haven’t been together long enough to even broach the topic of whether we’re in love. We’re still figuring things out, and I wouldn’t do that. He’s not comfortable keeping things open, and I am mature enough now to respect that. Even if we’re arguing.”

Levi raised an eyebrow.

“And before you even ask, yes. We argue. It’s normal to not always agree.”

Levi nodded. “I know what you mean. But honestly, I wasn’t about to ask that. I was just going to comment on how you seem more mature now.”

“Is this the first fight y’all have had?”

“We’re not fighting.”

“But your feelings are hurt? Because he’s feeling better and doesn’t need you to wait on him hand and foot?”

“It’s not about being needed.” He doubted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. “I don’t know.”

James stood and went behind the bar. Levi could hear bottles clanking together. He didn’t bother to turn to see what he was doing.

“Levi, turn around.”

He placed a drink on the bar, inches from Levi’s leg. “People are going to be here soon. Jon may have been right, you probably needed to get out of the house. So tonight, you’re a patron - not my boss. Drink this. It’ll help. After this one, you’ll get your ass off the bar and plant it on a stool. Got it?”

Levi eyed the drink suspiciously. “What the fuck is it?”

James smiled. “I thought you were from Louisiana. Don’t you recognize a Sazerac?”

“Uh no. Gus never taught me this one.”

“Well, drink up. I think you’ll like it. It’s mostly rye.”

Levi downed the drink. “What the fuck? Mostly rye? Was that absinthe ?”

James laughed. Levi felt the warmth of the alcohol settling in his stomach.

“I can’t believe you’ve never had one. They’re my bad mood go-to ever since…” He stopped himself mid-sentence and turned to make another.

Levi glared at him. “Ever since when?”

James’s shoulders sank. He turned and placed the fresh cocktail in front of Levi. “Since my life fell apart. I left town for a few days and ended up somewhere near New Orleans. Honestly, most of that time is a fog, but I could never forget the drag queen bartender giving me one of these saying that it would ‘fix everything, at least for tonight’. It did, and I woke up the next day with a hangover from hell, in some stranger’s bed. There was weird shit all over the place. There was a creepy vibe, so I got the hell out of there fast. Never looked back. When I got home, I decided to lay low and figure out my shit. Gloria didn’t deserve that.” He smiled. “Neither did you.”

“Levi! Where the hell have you been?”

“Leo, didn’t James tell you what was going on?”

“No.” He pointed at James. “Shithead there said it was none of my damn business.”

James laughed. “Well, at the very least, it wasn’t my place to tell.”

Levi nodded. He caught Leo up on Jon’s accident, his recovery, and about his banishment to the bar.

Leo patted him on the back. “Glad he’s doing better. Sounds like you’re a little pissed about not staying home to take care of him. I think he’s good for you. Don’t go doing anything stupid.”

Levi nursed his drink. “You really think I’d do something stupid?”

He tipped his head towards James. “You threatened to shoot him when he came back. I didn’t know what the hell happened when he disappeared before. Honestly, didn’t think much about it. After he came back, seeing your reaction, I put the pieces together.”

Levi chuckled. “Trust me, he still deserves it, but he’s been useful. Plus, I may be getting too old to dispose of a body.”

Leo shook his head. “I may still be too sober to be dispensing proper advice, but let me tell you one thing from experience. Don’t get too drunk tonight. Be sober enough to get home. Enjoy the fresh air. I’ll bet he knows you were upset because you’ve never been good at hiding how you feel. If he didn’t pick up on it, don’t doubt for a second that Gus isn’t filling him in.”

Levi nodded.

“But I’d also wager that he was feeling guilty for you being cooped up in the house for nearly a week.”

“Shit. I didn’t even think about it like that.”

“Of course not. Gay or straight, you’re still a man. Deb is always reminding me how stupid men can be. Granted, she’s usually talking about me, but she seems to think that it’s all of us.”

Levi laughed. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

He looked at the screen and smiled.