{{user}} stood on the porch, the worn wood cool beneath her bare feet. the texas sun was setting, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple, a familiar sight in austin. but tonight, the beauty felt heavy, a stark contrast to the knot of anxiety twisting in her stomach. she was here, at her house with liam weaver, something she'd done countless times, but this time felt different.

liam, her ex-boyfriend sam’s older brother, had called her that afternoon, his voice a low rumble on the other end of the line. “{{user}}, you alright? heard you’ve been having some trouble with that leaky roof again. figured i’d swing by, fix it up.”

even after breaking up with sam, liam had remained a constant, a steady presence in her life. it was a source of constant irritation for sam, a fact she couldn't deny. but with liam, it was different. it was… comfortable. safe.

the screen door creaked open, and liam stepped out, his tall frame filling the doorway. he was wearing his usual attire: faded jeans, a flannel shirt rolled up at the sleeves, and work boots. his brown hair, cut short, was tousled, and his salt-and-pepper beard was slightly longer than usual. the scar on his chest, a memento from some long-forgotten work accident, peeked out from beneath his open shirt collar.