The tranquility of the previous night had evaporated by morning.
Zack was jolted awake by the shrill ring of Kieran's phone, followed by muffled cursing from the other room.
"Kieran? What's going on?" Zack asked groggily as he stumbled into the living room.
Kieran was pacing, phone pressed to his ear, his expression a storm of frustration.
"I don't care what the article says, Leo! Just handle it!" Kieran snapped before ending the call.
He tossed the phone onto the couch and ran a hand through his hair, his movements agitated.
"What happened?" Zack asked, his concern outweighing his sleepiness.
Kieran turned to him, his jaw tight. "The tabloids. Someone leaked photos of us, and they're claiming our relationship is staged for publicity."
Zack's stomach dropped. "What? How would they even—?"
"Doesn't matter," Kieran interrupted. "What matters is how we're going to fix this."
Fix this? How am I supposed to fix this? I'm not even a real part of this world.
Kieran grabbed the TV remote and turned on the news.
A flashy entertainment channel was already covering the story, complete with blurry photos of the two of them laughing over coffee and a sensational headline:
"Kieran West's 'Boyfriend': Just Another Publicity Stunt?"
The anchor's voice was bright and cutting. "Speculation is swirling around actor Kieran West and his so-called 'boyfriend,' Zack Lively, as sources claim the relationship is nothing more than a PR move.
Fans are divided, with some calling it cute and others labeling it fake.
What's the real story?"
Kieran turned off the TV, muttering a curse under his breath.
Great. Now I'm the boyfriend who's bad for his reputation.
"Okay," Zack said, trying to keep his voice steady. "What do we do now?"
"We need damage control," Kieran replied, already scrolling through his phone. "Leo's working on a statement, but we need to be seen together. In public. Acting like nothing's wrong."
"Acting," Zack echoed.
Kieran paused, meeting Zack's eyes. "I know this isn't what you signed up for. But if we don't convince people this is real, my career is toast."
Zack swallowed hard. He didn't like the pressure, but the look on Kieran's face—raw and vulnerable beneath the frustration—was enough to make him nod.
"I'll do whatever it takes," Zack said.
Kieran's shoulders relaxed slightly, and he offered a faint smile. "Thanks, Zack."
An hour later, Zack found himself sitting across from Kieran in a bustling café, their carefully chosen location meant to maximize visibility.
The plan was simple: look natural, smile, and let the paparazzi do the rest.
But simple didn't mean easy.
I feel like I'm under a microscope. Every move, every expression—it's all being analyzed.
"Relax," Kieran murmured, his voice low enough that only Zack could hear.
"You look like you're waiting for a root canal."
Zack forced a smile. "Easy for you to say. You're used to this circus."
Kieran leaned in slightly, his tone softening.
"Hey, you've got this. Just… focus on me."
Zack's gaze flicked to Kieran's, and for a moment, the noise of the café faded.
"Right," Zack said quietly. "Focus on you."
The moment didn't last long.
A flash from a camera jolted Zack back to reality, and he resisted the urge to flinch.
Kieran, ever the professional, barely blinked.
Instead, he reached across the table and took Zack's hand, his fingers warm and steady.
Zack's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly covered his surprise with a laugh, hoping it looked natural.
"You're good at this," Zack muttered.
"Years of practice," Kieran replied with a smirk.
If he can fake it so easily, why does it feel so real?
By the time they left the café, the paparazzi had gotten their fill, and Zack felt like he'd run a marathon.
"Think it worked?" Zack asked as they climbed into Kieran's car.
Kieran hesitated, his usual confidence wavering.
"It's a start. But we'll need to keep this up for a while."
Zack sighed, slumping against the seat. "Great. More fake dates."
Kieran glanced at him, something unreadable in his expression. "Yeah. Fake."
Neither of them spoke for the rest of the ride home, but the silence wasn't comfortable this time.
For Zack, it was filled with questions he wasn't ready to answer.
And for Kieran, it was filled with feelings he wasn't ready to admit.