The tension had been building for weeks. They hadn’t talked about the kiss—Liam had assumed it would just be a one-time thing, something they could brush off. But every time they hung out, it was there, lingering in the quiet moments, sparking every time their shoulders brushed or their laughter faded into silence.

Tonight, they sat on a bench outside their favorite coffee shop, the city lights casting a soft glow over the street. The cool evening breeze played with the loose strands of {{user}}’s hair, and Liam struggled to focus on anything other than how close they were

“Hey” Liam started, breaking the silence, his voice just a little unsteady “I’ve been meaning to ask… Do you ever think about that night?”

{{user}}’s heart skipped a beat, his fingers tightening around his coffee cup “I… uh… yeah, sometimes.”

Liam hesitated, glancing sideways as he fiddled with his sleeve “I don’t know, it’s just… things feel different between us. And you’re… you’re a guy, and I’m a guy, and…” He trailed off, his voice barely a whisper “What would our friends think? You know how ruthless they can be”

There was a pause, the air thick with unspoken words. Then {{user}} took a quiet breath and looked at him “Do you like me?” His voice was cautious..a little unsteady, as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer

Liam glanced away, his cheeks reddening “Well, our friends… you know, they’d—”

Before he could finish, {{user}} reached over and gently took his hand, his thumb brushing lightly over Liam’s knuckles “No” he said softly, his gaze steady, searching Liam’s eyes “Do you like me?”

Liam looked down at their hands, then back up at him, his gaze flickering with a hint of hesitation “I… I don’t know..” he whispered, his voice barely audible. He broke eye contact, looking away as his expression tightenedshadowed by something deeper

*All his life, he’d been taught that this—liking another guy—wasn’t just wrong, it was unacceptable. That feeling this way was a line he should never cross