The night of the party arrived, and despite the heavy weight in Evan's chest, he found himself walking through the crowded Gryffindor common room with Pandora, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling of anxiety. The music was too loud, the laughter too bright, and yet, everyone seemed to be having the time of their lives. Evan felt like a stranger in his own body, as if he were just watching the world go by rather than participating in it.

The usual suspects were all there—James, Sirius, Remus, and the rest of their group, laughing and mingling like they belonged. Lily and Mary were chatting away near the drinks table, and Regulus was standing off to the side, looking as aloof as ever. Pandora was absorbed in a conversation with a couple of Hufflepuffs, but Evan wasn't paying attention. His thoughts were too preoccupied with everything that didn't seem to fit right.

It wasn't long before Barty appeared at his side, a bottle of something in his hand. His grin was wide, but it looked off-center, as if the alcohol had already begun to hit him. He nudged Evan's shoulder with a slight sway, his eyes bright but unfocused.

"Evan, my rose," Barty slurred, his voice too loud, "you look... you look incredible tonight." He stepped closer, throwing an arm over Evan's shoulders like they were long-time friends, though Evan was hardly used to such public displays.

Evan stiffened at the unexpected contact, his heart skipping a beat at the nickname. "Barty, you're a bit—"

"I'm fine, baby, I'm fine," Barty interrupted, his words dragging slightly as he swayed on his feet. He took another swig from his bottle, oblivious to how the alcohol was slowly unraveling him. "You're always so serious, always so... so closed off. Let loose, Rose. Let me take care of you."

The warmth of his words, though strange, somehow made Evan's chest tighten. He hadn't heard Barty call him anything like that before—"rose" and "baby." The affectionate names made him feel something unfamiliar. He glanced at Barty, seeing the way his friend's eyes were glassy, and suddenly, a knot of worry tightened in Evan's stomach.

"Let's get you somewhere to sit," Evan said, his voice calm but firm, offering a smile he didn't feel. He tried to steer Barty away from the crowd, but Barty was stumbling more than usual, and Evan had to hold him steady as they made their way toward the stairwell that led to the dorms.

The Gryffindor common room was loud, and the people around them seemed too carefree, too loud, and too alive. But Evan's focus was solely on Barty, who was still calling him "his rose" with increasing volume as they ascended the stairs. By the time they reached the Slytherin dorms, Evan was practically carrying him.

Once they finally reached their shared room, Barty collapsed onto one of the beds, still grinning but now more vulnerable than ever. His words were slurred, and his usual cocky demeanor was now replaced with an emotional sincerity that left Evan feeling uncomfortable in the silence. Barty reached for Evan's hand, pulling him closer.

"You're so... so beautiful, Evan," he mumbled, his voice breaking slightly. "I just... I don't know how you do it. You make everything look so easy. But I see you. You know that?"

Evan blinked, unsure how to respond to the rawness in Barty's words. He wasn't used to hearing his friend like this—Barty, the confident and sometimes reckless Slytherin who never seemed to care what anyone thought, now seemed like a completely different person.

Barty tugged at Evan's sleeve, his face softening into something unfamiliar and almost heartbreaking. "I just want you to know," Barty continued, his tone quieter now, "that I care. I care about you, okay?"

Evan felt his throat tighten. He didn't know what to say, how to respond to Barty's vulnerable state. He tried to pull his hand away, but Barty was insistent, his arms wrapping around Evan in a tight hug. The weight of Barty's body against him made Evan stiffen, but it was also oddly comforting in a way he couldn't explain. It was almost as if the pressure of Barty's embrace was the only thing that kept him grounded in the moment.

"You're not alone, you hear me? You never have to be alone," Barty whispered into his ear, his breath warm and shaky. "I've got you, Rose. I'll always have you."

Evan froze, his heart thudding in his chest as Barty held him, pressing his face into the crook of his neck. The words hit harder than Evan expected, striking a chord deep inside him. He knew Barty was drunk, but there was something about the sincerity in his voice, something that made Evan's resolve waver.

But all Evan could do was stand there, trapped in a haze of mixed emotions, unsure of how to react. Barty's hold was tight, his breath slow and steady, and for a brief moment, Evan didn't feel the overwhelming weight of the world pressing in on him. He felt something else—a strange sense of warmth, a sense of connection, but it wasn't enough to silence the ache inside him. The ache that had been with him for so long.

"I'm losing you," Barty mumbled, his voice muffled by Evan's shirt. "I can't lose you, Rose. Please... don't leave me."

Evan's breath hitched in his chest as the words settled in. Barty was crying. Real tears, not the kind of dramatics he usually pulled in front of others, but something raw, something real. His friend—no, his best friend—was holding him like he was the only thing keeping Barty tethered to the world.

"I'm right here, Barty," Evan whispered, his hand instinctively going to Barty's back, rubbing in small circles to comfort him. The sound of Barty's sobs echoed in the otherwise quiet room. "You're fine. It's okay."

But Barty shook his head, clutching onto Evan tighter, his tears staining the front of Evan's shirt. "No, it's not okay. I don't know what's happening anymore. I can't... I can't do this without you, Rose. I can't. You don't understand..."

The words made Evan's heart sink. Barty had always been the strong one. He'd always been the one people looked to for leadership, for confidence. But now he was a mess, vulnerable and broken, and the weight of that vulnerability crushed Evan in ways he hadn't expected.

"You're not losing me," Evan said, his voice more reassuring than he felt. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do in this moment. He didn't know how to comfort Barty when he couldn't even comfort himself.

"I am," Barty continued to cry, his words muffled by Evan's chest. "I can't lose my rose. You're my everything, Evan. You're the only one who gets me. Please... don't leave me."

Evan's heart clenched painfully, and for a moment, he couldn't breathe. It wasn't the alcohol talking. He could tell. This was Barty's fear, his desperation to hold on to something, to someone. And right now, that person was him.

The warmth of Barty's body pressed against him, the quiet sobs breaking through the night, made Evan feel helpless. He didn't know what to say, didn't know how to fix this. All he knew was that Barty, in this moment, was shattered. And it was because of him.

"I'm here, Barty. I'm not going anywhere," Evan whispered again, even though he wasn't sure if he meant it. Even though, in his own heart, he wasn't sure where he was anymore.

But Barty didn't respond right away. He only held him tighter, his tears wetting Evan's skin, his breathing shaky. For a long time, neither of them spoke. The only sound in the room was Barty's soft sobs and the steady rhythm of Evan's breathing as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

It wasn't just the alcohol. Barty was hurting in a way Evan couldn't fully understand. The weight of it pressed against him, suffocating him with an unspoken plea.

Eventually, Barty's sobs slowed, but his grip on Evan didn't loosen. He was still clinging to him, his face pressed against his chest, his heart beating erratically in sync with Evan's.

"I just... I don't know what I'd do without you, Rose," Barty said quietly, his voice breaking as he whispered it into Evan's chest, his body still shaking.

Evan could barely find his voice to respond. "You'll be okay, Barty."

But in his heart, he wasn't so sure.