When Oliver opened his eyes the next morning, the first thing he noticed was the dull ache in his body. Everything felt sore in a strange way—but not bad. It was the kind of ache that reminded him something important had happened.
Then he noticed the second thing.
Someone was standing over him.
Heat rushed straight to his face.
Oliver froze instantly and shut his eyes again, pretending to still be asleep. His heart started beating too fast, and he cursed himself for opening his eyes in the first place.
Liam was right there. Oliver could feel it. He could feel his presence, his shadow, the quiet weight of him.
Liam smirked.
"You're awake," Liam said calmly.
Oliver didn't move.
Liam leaned closer. "Your breathing changed."
Still, Oliver stayed still.
"Oliver," Liam added, clearly amused. "You're terrible at pretending."
That did it.
Oliver suddenly sat up and grabbed the blanket, pulling it tight around himself just as Liam reached for it.
"Hey!" Oliver snapped. "Don't do that!"
Liam laughed, stepping back. "Relax. I was just checking if you were alive."
Oliver glared at him, his ears burning. "You were smiling."
"That's because you're cute when you panic," Liam said easily.
Oliver groaned and flopped back onto the bed, covering his face with the blanket. "Please stop talking."
Liam was already dressed, Oliver noticed through the small gap in the blanket. Clean shirt. Neat hair. Like nothing had happened.
That annoyed him.
"You're too calm," Oliver muttered.
Liam shrugged. "I woke up early. Thought I'd let you sleep."
Oliver peeked out again. "You could've left."
Liam's smile softened. "I didn't want to."
That made Oliver quiet.
After a moment, Oliver sighed and pushed himself out of bed. "I need to freshen up," he said quickly, grabbing his clothes. "I have work."
Liam nodded. "Take your time."
Oliver rushed into the bathroom, splashing water on his face and staring at his reflection. His face was red. His hair was a mess. His thoughts were worse.
But… he smiled.
When he came downstairs later, the smell of something warm filled the house.
Oliver stopped at the kitchen door.
Liam was there, standing in front of the stove, poking at something in a pot with deep focus, like it was a serious mission.
Oliver blinked. "Why are you in my kitchen?"
Liam looked over his shoulder. "Good morning."
"That's not an answer," Oliver said.
"I'm making hot chocolate," Liam replied proudly.
Oliver's eyes widened. "Leave the kitchen."
"What?"
"Liam," Oliver said seriously, walking in, "this is the only place I have to stay. If you burn it down, where will I go?"
Liam laughed. "I won't burn it down."
"You said that about the toaster at Mrs Gracie's house. Mom told me"
"That toaster attacked me first."
Oliver rolled his eyes and reached for a cup. "Move before you poison us."
They ended up sitting at the small table with two mugs of hot chocolate and some bread Liam had somehow not ruined.
For a while, they drank quietly.
Then Liam spoke. "You're thinking too hard."
Oliver nearly choked. "I always think too hard."
Liam smiled at him. "I like that about you."
Oliver looked away quickly, pretending to focus on his drink.
Soon after, they left the house together. Liam insisted on walking Oliver to work. Oliver said it wasn't needed. Liam ignored him.
When they reached the restaurant, Mrs. Snider looked up from the counter, surprised.
"Well," she said slowly, smiling, "this is new."
Oliver rubbed the back of his neck. "Good morning, Mrs. Snider."
"Is this the guy who usually bring you here in a motorbike, the one who drops you off at a distance?" she asked warmly, already curious.
"I'm Liam," he said , nodding politely. "Oliver's friend."
Mrs. Snider's eyes sparkled. "Friend, huh?" She clapped her hands. "Come in, come in! Anyone who can get Oliver out of his shell is welcome here."
Oliver groaned. "Mrs. Snider…"
She laughed and brought Liam a plate of food without even asking. "Sit. Eat. You look hungry."
Liam didn't want to leave after that.
The three of them talked and joked, sharing stories. Mrs. Snider teased Oliver endlessly. Liam laughed more than Oliver had ever seen him laugh.
For a moment, everything felt easy.
Eventually, Liam stood up. "I should go."
Oliver frowned. "Already?"
Liam hesitated. "I don't want to."
Mrs. Snider smiled knowingly. "You'll come back."
Liam looked at Oliver. "Yeah. I will."
And for the first time in a long while, Oliver believed someone meant it.
When Liam finally came home, the house felt different.
Too quiet.
The lights in the living room were still on, even though it was already late. His chest tightened a little as he closed the door behind him. He didn't need anyone to tell him what that meant.
They were waiting.
"Where have you been?"
His mother's voice cut through the silence before he could even take off his shoes.
Liam stopped walking and lifted his head slowly. Mrs. Adrien was standing in the middle of the living room, her arms crossed tight over her chest. Her face was stiff, eyes sharp, like she had been holding her anger in for hours and was finally ready to let it loose.
His father sat on the couch, quiet as usual, hands folded, eyes tired.
"I asked you a question," Mrs. Adrien said. "Where did you go last night?"
Liam exhaled and walked in properly. "I stayed over at a friend's place."
That was all.
That single sentence.
Mrs. Adrien laughed—but there was no humor in it. "A friend," she repeated slowly. "Which friend, Liam?"
He didn't answer immediately. He didn't need to.
Her eyes narrowed. "So it's true."
Liam frowned. "What is true?"
"You went to him," she snapped. "Oliver."
Liam's jaw tightened. "I said a friend."
"Don't insult my intelligence," she said sharply. "You think I don't know where you ran to last night? You think I can't connect things?"
Mr. Adrien shifted slightly on the couch. "Let's all calm down—"
"No," Mrs. Adrien cut in, raising her hand. "I will not calm down."
She turned back to Liam, her voice rising. "Do you know how this looks? Sneaking out of the house. Staying overnight at another boy's place. Do you know what people would say if they knew?"
Liam clenched his fists. "I don't care what people say."
"You should!" she shouted. "You're not just anyone, Liam. You carry this family's name."
"I didn't do anything wrong," he said firmly. "I stayed with a friend because I didn't want to be here."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. Then she shook her head slowly, like she was disappointed.
"That boy," she said coldly, "is dangerous."
Liam blinked. "What?"
"Oliver," she continued, pacing now. "Those kinds of people are always the same. Quiet. Polite. Always acting harmless."
She stopped in front of him. "They are patient. They wait. They dig their claws in slowly."
Liam stared at her in disbelief. "You don't even know him."
"I know enough," she snapped. "He is using you. He sees what you have—your future, your name, your life—and he wants to attach himself to it."
"That's not true," Liam said, his voice rising. "You're wrong."
She ignored him. "When he's done, he will leave you. That's how people like him are. Silent, cunning, and dangerous."
"Stop it," Liam said sharply. "Don't talk about him like that."
Mrs. Adrien scoffed. "You're blind. Completely blind."
Mr. Adrien finally stood up. "That's enough," he said, his voice calm but firm. "You're going too far."
She turned on him. "So now you're defending this nonsense too?"
"I'm defending our son," he replied. "You're attacking someone you don't understand."
"I understand perfectly," she said. "I'm trying to protect him."
Liam laughed bitterly. "Protect me? By insulting someone I care about?"
Her eyes widened. "Care about?"
The room went still.
Liam didn't take it back.
"Yes," he said quietly. "I care about him."
Mrs. Adrien's face hardened. "This is exactly what I was afraid of."
She pointed at him. "This ends now. You will stop seeing that boy."
"No," Liam said immediately.
"You will," she insisted. "Or there will be consequences."
Liam stepped back slightly, anger and hurt mixing in his chest. "You don't get to decide that."
Mr. Adrien sighed deeply. "Liam is right. He's not a child anymore."
She laughed again, sharp and bitter. "Then why is he acting like one?"
Liam's voice shook, but he didn't back down. "I didn't choose this family's name. I didn't choose your expectations. But I will choose who matters to me."
Silence fell heavy between them.
Mrs. Adrien looked at him like she didn't recognize him anymore.
"Go to your room," she said finally. "We will talk about this later."
Liam didn't argue.
He turned and walked away, his chest tight, his thoughts already drifting somewhere else.
To a small house. To a quiet boy. To a place that felt safer than this one ever had...