Liam woke up with a start, his body sore from the odd position he had slept in. His eyes slowly opened, adjusting to the morning light, and for a split second, everything felt surreal. He blinked, looking around the room, only to find himself not alone. Lily was lying beside him, her body pressed against his side, her arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace.
His heart skipped a beat.
It was a strange sensation. He hadn't been this close to anyone in… well, he couldn't remember the last time. And yet, here she was, her face nestled in his chest, her breathing soft and steady. The warmth of her body seeped into him, and for a moment, Liam couldn't help but freeze, his mind racing.
He didn't recall what had happened the night before. He couldn't even remember how they ended up here. His head was still foggy from lack of sleep, and his body ached from the exhaustion he had been pushing himself through. But one thing was clear: this—this feeling, this proximity—was something new. Something… intimate.
His face flushed with embarrassment. It didn't matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he didn't care, that he was beyond the need for affection or attachment. His heart betrayed him. The last thing he wanted to do was admit that he liked having Lily so close.
What happened last night? He couldn't remember, but the way Lily's hand was still resting over his chest… He must have held her in his sleep, or worse, they'd crossed a line, one that he couldn't even recall. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, but he wasn't ready to face the reality of it. Not yet.
He decided to pretend to still be asleep, hoping Lily wouldn't notice that he was awake. His mind was too confused, and he wasn't sure how to process the situation. Besides, it was too early for him to deal with this. He felt vulnerable, exposed, and that was something he hated more than anything.
A few moments later, Lily stirred. Liam held his breath, trying to maintain the illusion that he was still deep in sleep. She moved slightly, shifting in his arms, and Liam's pulse quickened.
Then, to his utter shock, Lily pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.
Liam's heart almost stopped.
He felt her lips brush against his skin, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze. The light touch of her kiss left a warmth on his cheek that lingered, a feeling he wasn't sure how to react to. His body tensed, his stomach doing flips as she whispered something so soft he could barely hear it.
"I love you," she murmured, the words barely above a whisper, but they hit him like a thunderclap.
Liam's breath caught in his throat, and his heart pounded in his chest. It was as though his entire world had shifted in that single moment. She loved him. Lily loved him. And yet, he couldn't even remember how they had gotten to this point. He didn't know if he was ready for it, but that didn't change the fact that her words were etched into his mind.
Lily pulled away, unaware that Liam was fully conscious. She stood up from the bed, her bare feet brushing the floor as she grabbed her coat from the chair. With a final glance back at him, she left the room to join Avery and Emily in the living room.
Liam stayed still, eyes closed, trying to make sense of the storm inside his chest. I love you.
Her words echoed in his mind over and over again.
His heart was racing, his chest tight, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he could feel something break inside him. His cold, calculated exterior—something he had relied on to protect himself for so long—was crumbling. And it was happening in the most unexpected way.
Liam's Breakdown
For the first time in months, Liam allowed himself to feel. He let his emotions rise to the surface, no longer suppressing them with the cold shell he had created around himself. He had tried for so long to keep his distance, to avoid caring, to remain indifferent to everything and everyone. But Lily's words—I love you—had shattered that.
Liam sat up slowly, rubbing his temples, the weight of the situation hitting him all at once. He was terrified. Terrified of what he felt for Lily, terrified of the vulnerability she brought out in him, terrified that she could see through the walls he had built around himself.
But, deep down, he knew he couldn't keep running from it. He had never been good at hiding his true feelings from her. The connection they shared was too strong, too undeniable. He loved her too.
Liam stood up and walked over to the window, looking out at the bright morning light. He let out a slow breath, his heart still pounding in his chest.
"I love you too, Lily," he whispered to the empty room.
Lily's Return to the Room
An hour later, Lily knocked softly on the door, her footsteps light as she entered Liam's room. She found him sitting by the window, his back to her, the cool air coming in from the slightly cracked window. She didn't say anything at first, just watched him, unsure of how to break the silence between them.
Liam didn't turn around at first. He was still trying to figure out how to face her after everything that had happened. His emotions were still raw, and he didn't want to appear weak. But when he heard the door creak open, he knew it was her.
Lily walked closer, standing just behind him. "Liam…?" Her voice was soft, uncertain. She wasn't sure what to expect after everything that had happened the night before.
Liam took a deep breath, his shoulders tense. He finally turned around to face her, his gaze soft yet filled with a storm of emotions. For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no anger, no coldness in his eyes. Only vulnerability.
"Lily," he began, his voice quiet but full of emotion. "I… I don't know how to do this. I've spent so long pushing people away, building walls around myself… But I can't keep doing this with you. I don't want to."
Lily's breath caught in her throat. Her heart was racing, a flutter of excitement running through her veins. She stepped closer to him, her fingers reaching out to gently touch his arm.
"Liam…" she whispered, her eyes searching his face for any sign of doubt. But all she found was sincerity. His gaze held hers, unflinching.
He finally stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Slowly, cautiously, he cupped her face in his hands, his thumb brushing over her cheek. His heart was beating loudly in his chest, each second that passed feeling like an eternity.
And then, without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her.
It wasn't a soft, tentative kiss. It was full of longing, full of everything he had been holding back. It was a kiss of desperation and passion, a kiss that spoke of all the feelings he had buried deep inside for far too long.
Lily responded instantly, her arms wrapping around him as she pulled him closer, the kiss deepening as their emotions poured into each other. The world outside ceased to exist in that moment. It was just the two of them—raw, unguarded, and connected in a way they never had been before.
As they finally pulled apart, gasping for air, Liam rested his forehead against hers, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I love you, Lily."
And for the first time in a long time, Liam's cold shell was completely gone.