The house was quiet…
too quiet…
dangerously quiet.
Kia had barely stepped inside when footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Heavy with the energy of someone who had been waiting for this moment.
Liam appeared at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in a black hoodie and sweatpants, but his posture was anything but relaxed.
The moment he saw Kia, his face hardened.
Like steel snapping into place.
"Kia," Liam said flatly.
Kia straightened, trying to hide the slight annoyance that flashed through him.
"Good evening," he said politely.
Ryan beside him was still thinking what Liam wans by this time, he normally sleeps early.
Liam's eyes flicked to Ryan before returning to Kia — sharp, calculating, territorial.
"So," Liam said slowly, stepping closer, "you finally showed up."
Kia frowned.
That tone wasn't friendly.
Not even neutral.
It was a warning which was so much annoying him.
Ryan's voice came out calm.
"Liam…"
But Liam kept talking.
"You didn't come the whole day," he continued, folding his arms, "and the kids cried themselves to sleep asking for you."
Ryan's eyes widened a little, wondering why Liam is like this, he is normally calm, why is so moody today
Kia felt his stomach twist, he so much wanted to give this piece of shit a heart to heart talk if not that his bunny is here.
Is stupid guy was lecturing a whole him, can you imagine, with that face that looks as if threatening him to stay away from his Ryan, can you imagine someone telling him to stay away from his own bunny?
"I didn't know—" Kia started.
"Oh?" Liam stepped even closer. "You didn't know? Or you didn't care?"
Kia swallowed hard.
Ryan stepped in quietly, now getting slightly angry, "Liam, that's enough."
Liam ignored him.
"You're a busy man, aren't you?" Liam said with a mocking smile. "Too busy to show up. Too busy to call. But not too busy to play house when it's convenient."
Kia's jaw clenched.
"Watch your words," he said softly.
"I am," Liam shot back. "Are you?"
A beat.
Ryan exhaled slowly — the universal "I'm losing patience" sign.
"Liam," he repeated coldly this time, "go upstairs. Please."
Liam looked at Ryan.
Really looked, them he saw Ryan cold and new he was getting really pissed off.
Thenhe looked at Kia, this stupid idiot.
And something in his expression shifted…
not anger…
but understanding something Ryan wasn't ready to say out loud.
Liam's voice softened only a fraction.
"Ryan… if he ever makes you cry again, I won't stay quiet."
Kia froze.
Ryan's breath caught.
Liam didn't wait for a reaction.
He simply turned and walked upstairs, disappearing around the corner.
Silence.
A thick, heavy silence.
Kia finally whispered:
"…You cried?"
Ryan stiffened.
"Liam talks too much," he muttered.
Kia's chest tightened painfully.
"Ryan—"
"Sit," Ryan said quietly, walking to the living room.
Kia followed.
The lights were dim.
The room smelled like vanilla and something familiar — like home.
Ryan sat on one end of the couch.
Kia sat on the other, leaving space between them.
But both of them felt the distance like a wound.
Ryan spoke first.
His voice calm… but not cold.
"Why didn't you come today?"
Kia stared at his hands.
"Because I was scared," he admitted.
Ryan blinked at him, surprised.
Kia continued softly:
"I thought… you'd be angry with me. Or you'd push me away. Or you'd look at me like I didn't belong here."
Ryan swallowed.
His voice came out low.
"You disappearing… felt worse."
Kia's head snapped up.
Ryan looked away.
"Leo and Lila asked for you all day," he muttered. "I didn't know what to tell them. I didn't know how to explain…"
His voice cracked — just barely.
Kia moved before he could stop himself.
Not touching Ryan — he knew better — but closing some of the space between them.
"I didn't mean to hurt you," Kia whispered. "That was never my intention."
Ryan shook his head slowly.
"You hurt me five years ago. And now you're doing it again without even trying."
Kia inhaled sharply.
"Ryan…"
He reached out — stopped halfway — fist trembling.
"I don't want to lose you again."
Ryan looked at him.
Really looked.
And in his eyes was the one truth Kia hadn't expected:
Ryan had missed him too.
Silence pressed between them.
Then Ryan whispered:
"…I don't know what we're doing, Kia."
Kia's voice shook.
"Then let me stay long enough to figure it out with you."
Ryan didn't answer.
But he didn't tell him to leave.
And that, for now, was enough.
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