Liam stopped a few steps away from Blake, unsure whether to cross his arms or just stay frozen where he was. Blake looked tired—eyes slightly puffy, hair messy, like he hadn't slept properly at all. His hands were deep in his pockets, shoulders tense.
"Can we talk somewhere private?" Blake asked quietly.
Liam nodded, even though a nervous weight sat heavy in his chest. They walked to the quiet bench behind the residence building. Blake sat first, elbows on his knees, staring at the ground.
Liam joined him, leaving a little space between them.
"So… what's going on?" Liam asked softly.
Blake took a deep breath. "It's about Saturday night."
Liam's chest tightened. Saturday night—Blake falling asleep on his shoulder, the warmth of him, the soft breathing, the unexpected comfort… and then the confusion that settled afterward when Blake avoided him all Sunday.
"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you yesterday," Blake continued, voice low. "I wasn't ignoring you because I was upset. I was just… processing."
Liam frowned lightly. "Processing what?"
Blake rubbed the back of his neck. "How comfortable I felt with you. How natural it felt to just… lean on you. I haven't felt that close to someone in a long time."
Liam felt his heart soften a bit. "Blake, you just rested on my shoulder. It wasn't a big deal."
"It was for me," Blake said quickly. "I don't… do that with people. I don't let myself get close like that. But with you it just happened, and it scared me."
Liam blinked, caught off guard by the honesty.
"I kept thinking about it yesterday," Blake continued. "How peaceful it felt. How safe I felt around you. And it confused me."
Liam's breath hitched slightly. "Confused you how?"
Blake looked at him finally. "I don't know what it means. I don't know if it was just comfort or something more. But it wasn't nothing, Liam. That's why I freaked out."
Liam looked away for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "You could've texted me. I felt like you were avoiding me."
"I was avoiding myself," Blake admitted. "Not you. I never meant to make you feel like you did something wrong."
Liam's shoulders relaxed a little. "You didn't hurt me. You just… worried me."
Blake nodded slowly. "I know. And I'm sorry. I don't want to push you away. I just don't understand what's happening with me. But I want to figure it out. With you."
Liam felt something warm spread through him at those words.
But before he could answer, someone called his name.
"Liam?"
They both turned.
Arthur stood a few meters away holding a takeaway cup, looking surprised to see them together. His eyes flicked between Liam and Blake, and Liam could see the way he registered the tension immediately.
"Oh—sorry," Arthur said softly. "Didn't mean to interrupt."
Blake's posture stiffened, his jaw tightening.
Liam felt his stomach flip.
Because suddenly, everything felt like it was shifting again