The library was quiet, the familiar scent of old books and freshly printed paper filling the air. Liam sat hunched over his desk, his fingers tightly gripping the pen as he worked through yet another equation. His eyelids were heavy, but he pushed through the exhaustion, determined to finish the problem set in front of him.
Days had blurred into one continuous stretch of study sessions, late nights, and early mornings. His body, once sharp and capable, was now a vessel that ached with every movement. The weight of his self-imposed isolation was beginning to take its toll, but Liam refused to acknowledge it.
He could feel the throbbing headache building in the back of his skull. His vision was starting to blur, and his concentration wavered as he stared at the textbook in front of him. But he couldn't stop. Not yet.
Liam leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. He tried to focus, but his mind felt like it was swimming through a fog. His hands shook slightly, and for a moment, he considered just closing the book and getting some rest. But he immediately dismissed the thought.
No.
He couldn't afford to rest. Not when there was so much to do. Not when everything depended on his focus.
Liam reached for his coffee cup, only to find it empty. The cold bitterness of the drink had long since lost its effect, but he stood anyway, hoping a refill would wake him.
As he made his way to the break area of the library, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. He gripped the counter tightly, but it didn't help. His legs wobbled, and the world around him tilted.
For the first time in days, he allowed himself to close his eyes.
A sharp, searing pain shot through his temples, and he staggered backward. His heart raced as he tried to steady himself, but the world spun faster than he could process.
His vision blurred, his head pounding with each beat of his heart. He gripped the edge of the table, trying to hold himself together, but his body was betraying him.
It wasn't until he stumbled and caught his reflection in the glass window that it hit him.
He looked… hollow.
His face was pale, eyes sunken, skin drawn tight over the sharp lines of his face. The exhaustion was impossible to hide now, and he could no longer pretend that his body wasn't giving up on him. His shoulders slumped as he let out a long, shaky breath.
Liam had pushed himself to the limit. The old drive to push harder, study longer, to never stop—he had ignored all the warnings. He had ignored his body's cries for rest, for sleep. He had ignored the fact that he was only human.
But now, standing in front of that reflection, he couldn't escape the truth any longer. His body had reached its breaking point.
As Liam staggered back to his desk, his steps slow and unsteady, he noticed Lily standing by the door of the library. She had seen him when he faltered, and her expression was a mix of concern and confusion.
"Liam?" Her voice cut through the haze of his thoughts, gentle yet persistent.
Liam didn't respond. He simply sat back down at his desk, his eyes blurry as he tried to focus on the open notebook in front of him.
Lily hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked over to him. She stood quietly beside him, not saying anything at first, but her presence was undeniable.
"Liam, you need to rest," Lily said softly. "You're pushing yourself too hard."
Liam's hands clenched into fists on the desk, but his body refused to obey. He didn't have the energy to fight her, to argue.
"I'm fine," he muttered through clenched teeth, his voice rough.
"No, you're not," Lily replied, kneeling beside him. She reached out, gently placing a hand on his arm. "Please, Liam. You're not invincible."
He closed his eyes, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "I never asked to be."
Lily didn't say anything more. She just sat there with him, waiting in silence, knowing that Liam needed more than just a few kind words. He needed to hear it from himself.
But Liam was too far gone. His mind was a blur, and his body was screaming for rest, but he couldn't bring himself to give in.
And then, it happened.
He slumped forward, his head dropping onto the desk, unconscious before he even realized it. The sound of his head hitting the surface echoed through the library, and Lily sprang to her feet, panic rising in her chest.
She called out for help, but Liam didn't stir. The panic spread like wildfire, and she rushed to his side, trying to rouse him.
It wasn't until she helped him to his feet and guided him out of the library that she realized just how fragile Liam had become. His body was unresponsive, his posture slumped, his expression completely blank.
Lily kept him steady as they walked down the hallway, her heart racing in her chest. For the first time in months, she could see the cracks in his cold exterior—the façade that he had so carefully constructed.
And for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to feel the weight of what was happening. Liam wasn't just shutting everyone out. He was breaking down.
By the time they reached the apartment, Lily had half-carried Liam through the front door, her worry growing with every step. She wasn't sure if he had even noticed her presence, but she refused to let him collapse.
"Liam," she whispered softly as she helped him to the couch, sitting beside him. "You need to take care of yourself."
But Liam didn't respond. His eyes remained closed, his body stiff but unmoving.
And in that moment, as Lily watched over him, she realized just how much he had been hiding. His coldness, his detachment—it wasn't just a defense mechanism. It was his way of surviving. But in doing so, he had driven himself into this state of exhaustion.
Lily didn't know what to do or say, but one thing was certain: Liam was no longer the boy who had pushed everyone away so effortlessly. The walls he had built around himself were cracking, and he had no idea how to stop it.
As the night settled in, Lily stayed by his side, her own worries mirroring his. He was still the Liam she knew, the one who cared too much to show it, but for the first time in a long time, he was letting her see the truth.
And she didn't know how long it would take for him to heal—but she was ready to be there, even if he couldn't acknowledge her presence.