The woody scent of soap filled the bedroom when Liam came out of the bathroom in black boxers, wiping the water droplets from his neck with a towel. His slightly tanned skin was still damp, from his face to his toned chest, and shiny in the light as he moved closer to the bedside lamp. His movements painted long shadows on the dirty-white walls of his apartment.

He threw the towel onto the back of the chair, then bent to gather his scattered clothes from the floor. As he pulled on his pants, a voice broke the silence. "Don't put those on; you'll ruin the view."

Liam couldn't help but let a small smile appear at the corner of his mouth. He glanced over his shoulder, and with an eyebrow raised, he asked, "You're still awake?" Then, without dwelling on the comment, he continued getting dressed.

"Yes, still awake," Jay replied, looking at him through half-open eyes. Then, he patted the place next to him, adding, "Come back here."

"Later."

"Okay."

Jay couldn't help but check him out.

"Does your tattoo still hurt?" Jay asked with genuine curiosity, fidgeting with the sheets.

"Nah, not really."

"I want one too."

"Do it."

"I'm afraid of needles... and also the pain."

"It's not that bad. It's similar to a bee sting."

"Well, I have never been stung by a bee either." Jay let out a nervous laugh.

Jay hoped their little banter would continue, but Liam didn't pay attention to him after that. After putting on a shirt, Liam grabbed his phone and his pack of cigarettes from the nightstand, then stepped out onto the balcony. The door made a faint creak, leaving Jay alone in the rumpled sheets.

Now, the apartment lay in utter silence.

Jay sighed deeply, as if deflated, and sank further into the sheets.

He couldn't help but laugh bitterly at his naivety. He felt foolish for hoping for more.

A chuckle escaped him again, while hugging the pillow to his chest. He felt both lighthearted and unwell.

They had drunk something earlier. More specifically, Prosecco. Jay didn't get the hype around it. He disliked alcohol and never learned how to drink it. It was Liam who convinced him to try it, claiming it was expensive and something he never tried before, and somehow he ended up having two glasses. He couldn't believe he had fallen for his nonsense again.

Indeed, it tasted good—rich, fruity, and sweet. However, it acted much like cheaper varieties, quickly losing its Bacchic effects. Seeing the glasses on the counter, reminded him how quickly he had downed them, intensifying his nausea.

"I'm never drinking again," he muttered to himself.

Jay had been to Liam's place numerous times and still felt like an intruder. The apartment was spacious and modernly furnished, but he realized he had spent most of his time in the bedroom, specifically in bed. He was more familiar with the black satin sheets than with other details, and in his attempts to spice things up, none of the positions had given him a clear view of the room either.

And now that he thought about it more, he felt a bit embarrassed.

Jay felt the air in the apartment growing increasingly heavy, and he needed to take a breath of fresh air, and this was the only option available, and now he had to endure the uncomfortable silence that he hated. It was unsettling, tiring, and It seemed to stretch endlessly, heightening his unease.

He slid the glass door open, and stepped into the balcony. Liam sat on the chair on the left side, looking like he didn't have a care in the world while smiling at Instagram reels. The pale light of the screen was the only thing illuminating his face, creating a contrast with the surrounding darkness.

"Must be good to be an idiot," he told himself, then he tried to light a cigarette, but the flint wouldn't light up.

His lips pressed tight around the cigarette when he realized that he was trying in vain, so he grabbed Liam's lighter from the table, and after finally succeeding, he asked, "Where did you buy this from?"

Liam glanced up to see what he was talking about, then replied flatly, "A friend gave it to me."

"Nice," Jay said as he sat down on the rattan chair. Jay sat in the cool of the night, but the coolness did nothing to ease the heat rising inside him.

The long drag he took from his cigarette burned his throat.

His leg was bouncing against the foot rapidly.

Liam used to be that person to fill the silence with stories and laughter till late into the night. But it's not like that anymore.

Jay sighed deeply, feeling a heavy warmth enveloping his body. He leaned back, staring into the distance, with a feeling of emptiness tightening his heart , making it hard to shake off the lingering doubts.

"I have to ask you something," he said suddenly.

"What?"

"Do you want to end this?" Jay asked, his voice trembling slightly with doubt.

Liam looked up from the phone, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"This thing between us... do you want to end it?"

Liam raised his eyebrows, surprised. "Why would you think that now?"

"You didn't answer my question," Jay said. "I won't be upset if that's the case, because I already have a feeling about it, but I just want to hear it from you."

"No. No, I don't."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

The answer made Jay feel a bit relieved, his shoulders sagging briefly in the chair.

"You didn't answer my question," Liam pointed out.

"A few things."

"Okay. Surprise me." Liam leaned in, propping his arms on his legs.

"Because I feel like we've drifted apart." Jay wrapped his arms around his body in a loose hug. "I mean, we haven't talked much or gone out lately, and when we do, we only meet here, so it's normal to think that, right?"

"And?"

"So, don't you see anything wrong with that?"

"What's wrong with meeting at my place?" Liam asked, keeping his eyes on Jay as he took a drag out of his cigarette. "Here, we can spend time together without other people bothering us. That doesn't sound terrible to me."

"Yeah, but it's getting boring, don't you think so?"

"No, not really. It's not boring for me," Liam said, a suggestive smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Seeing Liam's smile made him want to punch some common sense into him, but he controlled himself. Knowing him, Jay knew that Liam wouldn't take him seriously, and he started to feel sorry for starting the conversation, but it was already too late to turn back.

Liam's gaze lingered on Jay for a moment longer than necessary, and the seriousness of the conversation slipped away as Liam leaned closer. "Do you want to try fucking in public?"

"Of course not."

"Come on, don't be shy. If you have a fantasy, let me know so I can make it happen."

"You're so annoying sometimes, I swear."

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "I mean, we're getting along well, and we haven't had any problems or fights so far. Stop overthinking it."

"How am I overthinking? I don't hear from you for days, isn't it normal to ask questions?"

Jay opened his mouth but faltered, letting out a heavy sigh instead. "I didn't really have time to go out lately, because of work, you know that right? Even my friends noticed it."

"Still, how long does it take to send a quick message?"

"When I'm distracted, it feels like it can take pretty long," Liam said.

"Are you kidding me?"

"I'm not."

"Yeah, sure."

Liam's lips pressed into a tight line. "Why are you making a drama out of it? I don't get it. At this point, it feels like you're just making up reasons for us to argue."

"Why would I do that?"

"How can I know? Maybe you found someone else and you want to get rid of me."

"Are you stupid?"

"Calm your tits, I'm joking."

Jay deliberately avoided eye contact, pretending to be interested in the rattan string sticking out of the chair.

Liam lowered his gaze, his lips tightening for a moment, before he opened his mouth, hesitating as he searched for the right words to put an end to the uncomfortable conversation. He thought well, then softened his voice to a more apologetic tone as he spoke. "Look, if it's that important to you, I'll make sure we go somewhere next time, okay?"

Jay let out a dry snort, clearly doubting his words.

"You don't trust me?" He leaned in slightly and casually took Jay's hand.

Jay sighed, feeling the conversation dragging on without any purpose. "I do," he said, wanting the conversation to end quickly. Faced with the situation and feeling like he had made a mistake, his interest in continuing the conversation waned.

Liam tilted his head just a bit, his gaze dropping briefly to Jay's lips before returning to his eyes. "Come on, give me a kiss."

"Stop it," Jay said, trying to pull his hand from Liam's.

"Why not, huh?" Liam grabbed Jay's arm, pulling him towards him. Jay winced as the grip on his wrist tightened painfully. "I won't forgive you if you don't."

Jay wanted to ask, 'Forgive me for what?' but held back. It seemed pointless. He wouldn't get a satisfactory answer; the conversation would drag on, leaving both more upset with each other.

He preferred to make a compromise. Like every time.

But Liam looked at him, and his controlled gaze made Jay feel small. He glanced away, but Liam grabbed him by his chin, turning Jay's head to face him. Before he could fully react, Liam planted a swift, light kiss on his lips.

Liam let go of his arm, put out the cigarette burning in the ashtray, then suddenly stood up and said, "Man, I'm starving. Wanna eat something?"

"Sure," Jay said flatly, suppressing the emotions in his voice as he stared into the distance. Now he was listening to the

Liam stepped inside the apartment, leaving him alone again. Jay let out a resigned sigh, wrapping his arms around him in a loose hug.