Expelled and needing to transfer for his final year, Liam had known immediately where to go. It was the place that'd taken everything from him; that'd ruined him so absolutely it'd twisted his personality beyond recognition.
The place where he'd met...
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"You don't have to walk me," Charlie said.
ㅤThe complaint clouded before his face in the dark, glowing beneath streetlight before vanishing in a blink. Liam was in good humour as he strolled beside him—a steady contrast to Charlie's stumble. He may have sobered up, but his limbs weren't cooperating as he would've liked.
ㅤ"I don't have to take glances at your arse whilst I do so either, but that doesn't stop me."
ㅤCharlie grumbled something unintelligible.
ㅤHe couldn't understand it. He didn't get how Liam could maintain his geniality—to be so gracious with his shoulders so relaxed atop his straight, easy back. Had he not realised he couldn't smile his way out of this mess? No matter what Liam thought now, Charlie would always be the bastard who'd hurt him, and Liam was always going to be the person Charlie hurt. No number of witty comments or eye rolls were going to undo that.
ㅤ"Will this actually work?" Charlie prodded, slowing to a stop. His flat loomed over their heads.
ㅤ"Will what?"
ㅤ"You're joking. Jesus. Do you really think we can go back to normal by pretending that nothing like that happened between us? As if that could—what? Will reality out of existence?"
ㅤIt would've been nice if they could, but Charlie couldn't imagine a future where he wasn't crushed with guilt every time he looked at Liam's lingeringly familiar face.
ㅤ"There's no way you can't still be upset about it," Charlie knew. "I was there. Even if we tried, what value could I possibly have to you to make it worth it? You said you had forgiven me, but—"
ㅤ"Yea, I said I had forgiven you," Liam cut in. He paused. "...Admittedly, I would be lying if I said I didn't still find the memories... unpleasant."
ㅤCharlie's beaten trainers spun with the ground, their once-white colour stained irreversibly with years of filth, every seam stained brown. Guilt fizzed painfully into his conscience.
ㅤLiam's long breath was as foggy as smoke. "But I am making peace with it. If not today, tomorrow. It will happen."
ㅤCharlie slowly peeked up.
ㅤLiam was smiling slightly, dismissing Charlie's concerns with a motion as easy as a shrug. "You're making it too complicated."
ㅤ"It is complicated."
ㅤ"Because you're making it that way."
ㅤCharlie rubbed his jaw, grazing against his stubble. It was a bad idea from conception—putting two uncooperative mules such as themselves together. Liam was never proven wrong without a fight. He was daring Charlie to stick around to find out.
ㅤ"Fuck you," Charlie settled with.
ㅤLiam smiled as if he'd already won. "Oh, I hope so. I'll pen the date in my gold-leaf calendar."
