Not Coded

8

Theo Raeken had always been in control. It wasn’t something that came from a place of trauma or external pressure. It simply was. He had grown up knowing how to navigate the world on his terms. His life was filled with structure—clear, logical decisions made after careful observation.

His family had given him the luxury of never having to second-guess his worth. He loved his parents deeply, his older sister Tara even more. They had been his constants, the foundation of everything he believed in. His parents, both powerful figures in their respective fields, had always treated him with love and respect. His sister was his best friend—a wild, shining star in the world of cinema, but also his source of calm when the world felt too chaotic. They shared a bond so tight that words were often unnecessary.

Theo wasn’t the type to crave attention or validation from others. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe in love—he did, wholeheartedly. He had grown up surrounded by it, nurtured by it. But he never understood how people let it consume them, let it unravel their sense of self. Love was something to admire from a distance, not something to lose control over.

That is, until Liam Dunbar came along.

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Six months ago.

Theo hadn’t wanted to attend the film convention. Red carpets and interviews were more Tara’s thing—after all, she was the celebrity in the family. But when she begged him to come, claiming she didn’t want to walk the carpet alone, Theo relented. He really had nothing better to do that day, and the idea of walking through art galleries afterward seemed like a decent trade-off.

The convention hall was buzzing with energy, fans screaming for a glimpse of Tara, reporters with cameras flashing incessantly. Theo endured it all, walking the carpet alongside his sister, giving polite smiles and even answering a few interview questions. He was used to it by now—people interested in his family more than in him.

But soon enough, Tara got caught up with her world—talking to other actors, producers, directors. Theo excused himself, slipping away unnoticed, heading to the exhibit hall where the paintings hung. He wasn’t here for the people. He was here for the art.

Theo had always loved art. As a painter himself, it was one of the few things that helped him maintain his control. His mentors praised his work for its detail, its calculated precision. But he never could get the hang of portraits. Every time he tried to capture someone's likeness, their eyes came out wrong—dead, devoid of the spark that made them human. Eventually, his mentor, Mr. Carson, suggested he stick to landscapes, where his precision flourished.

Theo’s mind was still replaying Carson’s words when he spotted him.

Liam Dunbar.

A boy, standing alone in the hallway, fixated on a painting. Theo almost passed him by—it was rare to see someone else so deeply engrossed in art in a room filled with loud chatter and moving bodies. But something about the way this boy stood there, his eyes locked on the canvas, gave Theo pause.

Theo stopped a few feet away, drawn by curiosity. The painting Liam was staring at was an enigma—an 1800s Italian piece depicting two lovers. At first glance, most saw a man and a woman, but if you looked closely, you’d realize they were both men, their love forbidden and hidden in plain sight.

The boy—Liam—hadn’t moved, his gaze intense and unwavering. Something about his stillness intrigued Theo. So, against his usual instinct to keep to himself, he spoke.

“Do you like the painting?”

Liam blinked, startled out of his thoughts. He fidgeted slightly before nodding, his dirty blonde hair falling slightly over his eyes. “Yeah… I do,” he said quietly, his voice soft but sure.