Breathe Again

03: You Can't Beat A Man In A Suit

Isaac wakes up long before Liam does.

He stares up at the ceiling, afraid to move in case he wakes Liam up. From above him on the wall a clock is sticking, from somewhere near Isaac's feet Liam is snoring.

Isaac is growing restless.

The first sign that Liam is starting to wake is when he stretches and manages to strike Isaac in the face. It certainly shakes Isaac out of his bored state, and also leaves him wincing, turns out Liam has a pretty strong kick, even half asleep.

The feeling of his feet connecting with flesh must trigger something within Liam because he wakes up pretty quickly after that, and when he sees Isaac sat up rubbing his jaw he puts two and two together and quickly breaks into a series of apologies.

"Nothing I'm not used to," Isaac points out, "but seriously that was a hell of a kick, maybe you should pick up karate too."

"I think my strength may somehow be saved for when I'm sleeping," Liam jokes, still looking very apologetic, "like some kind of useless superpower."

"I guess it's good protection for if someone ever tries to murder you in your sleep."

"What is it with you and murder?"

"It's a lot more likely than you think Liam."

"Actually I think you'll find it's generally a lot less likely than I think, my perception of the risk is likely to be skewed."

"Please shut up," Isaac requests.

"You started the conversation."

"And now I'm finishing it."

Liam tries to pout but is interrupted by a yawn, rubbing sleep out of his blurry eyes.

"Can I go back to sleep?" He asks.

Isaac shoots him a look that's been perfected from having to wake two seven year old girls up for school several times over the past couple of years. It simply states, you can but I will be very disappointed. It's proven effective in 99.9% of uses.

Liam at the very least looks sheepish.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles, "for dragging you here, I don't really know what I was thinking."

"Please tell me there's at least a semi decent reason for you brining me here."

"That really depends on your definition of decent."

"Liam," Isaac says, warning in his tone.

"I'm sorry," Liam repeats, "god you're going to think it's such a stupid idea."

"Liam, please."

"So my dad's getting married."

Liam falls silent, Isaac isn't sure what to say. Isaac can't say he knows much about Liam's absentee father, other than he apparently walked out on them around thirteen years ago and Liam hasn't really spoken to him since.

"Okay, so we're going to buy him a congratulations present?"

"No, I want to go to it."

Isaac hates himself for asking the next question but he feels as if it has to be said.

"Has he invited you?"

The look on Liam's face says it all but Isaac waits for him to say the answer aloud none the less.

"Well not exactly, but I'm sure he would have done if he'd known our new address."

Liam's address is hardly new, he's been living in the same house for the past seven years at least.