Expulsion gave Liam Barrett a dangerous choice. Needing to transfer for his final year, he'd known immediately where to go. It was a distantly familiar place that'd taken everything from him; had once ruined him so absolutely and twisted his persona...
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Charlie slowly blinked at the figure who'd frozen in the doorway, a similar mixture of shock and confusion reflecting back. Although Charlie hadn't been sure how to react, his smirking lips pulled against his will, leading his recovery.
ㅤ"Hello, darling," he drawled, mimicking Liam's accent.
ㅤLiam was nowhere near as amused as Charlie. He trudged over to the counter.
ㅤ"Why the hell are you here?" He shoved past Charlie to fill out his shift sheet.
ㅤCharlie sniffed. "As happy as I am to see you too, love, don't you think you're shameless acting like that? I'd be well embarrassed if I was you. Certainly wouldn't show my face. Or did I knock your head a little too hard?"
ㅤLiam didn't seem to care for Charlie's mockery, unruffled in the face of him. Purple bruises coloured his cheeks, an understatement of the extent of his true state. Admittedly, his steadiness in Charlie's presence was impressive after the fact.
ㅤ"If I avoided you now, neither of us would respect me. I'm not a sore loser."
ㅤLiam hadn't been wrong. Losing a fight didn't diminish respect, but getting cold feet and backing down from one you started did. Confidence, even if unfounded, was admirable. His opinion of Liam had risen a peg.
ㅤ"You're still on minus points, posh boy."
ㅤLiam huffed. "I'd be astounded if I was in spitting distance of zero."
ㅤ"You're not."
ㅤCharlie watched Liam lean over the counter to scribble his time on the shift sheet, dark strands falling over his forehead. Whilst Charlie wouldn't ever admit it, Liam wasn't nearly as brain-dead as he'd initially thought. Being solid enough to remain unoffended and knowing how to retain Charlie's respect, a little more than an idiot, he was at least average intelligence. The only thing Charlie couldn't work out was why Liam thought Charlie's opinion of him mattered.
ㅤLiam's tongue pushed against the corner of his lips in concentration before standing straight. Charlie snapped out of his thoughtful daze.
ㅤ"I work here now," Charlie belatedly answered.
ㅤLiam visibly grimaced. "Every single job in the entire world... And you happened to come here."
ㅤ"I'm not stalking you. You aren't pretty enough for that kind of attention."
ㅤ"Whoever said anything about stalking? Now I am worried."
ㅤStraight-faced, Charlie kicked the back of Liam's legs and Liam stumbled slightly, chuckling in surprise. It was their first interaction not ripping each other's throats out, their bickering more lighthearted than normal.
ㅤ"Don't get any ideas," Liam warned, as if reading what Charlie was thinking. "I still hate you. You're insufferable.
ㅤCharlie smiled, ducking his head at the stupidity. "Insufferable," he echoed.
