Artificial Love (Thiam)

Chapter 6 (aged 21)

"You can tell me to leave sometimes, y'know." Liam began, his eyes locked on Corey and Mason nervously, "I don't want to always be intruding on your... you know, moments."

Corey and Mason rolled their eyes in impressive unison and both looked at him like he was stupid. He'd gotten sort of used to that look over the years.

"Liam, how many times must we tell you that we like you being around. That's what having best friends is. Wanting people to be around you."

Liam frowned, "And that's really nice, but a set of three best friends where two are a couple can be... unfortunate for you both. I don't want to be that person."

Corey and Mason glanced at each other again, "We often have Brett with us too, don't forget. And also, you predate me in this relationship." Corey told Liam, shaking his head.

"Okay, okay, fine. I just... y'know, I feel bad."

The two of them laughed and Liam pouted, "Don't make fun of me, I'm trying to be a good friend."

"You are a good friend." Mason filled in easily, "Except those summers you made me come with you when your Mom dragged you over to hang out with Prince Asshole and Josh." Mason had been calling Theo names like that since they were children, despite the fact that Mason and Theo actually got on rather well. As far as Liam knew, the two of them still texted.

Liam, on the other hand, hadn't heard from Theo in nearly two years. He'd contacted him a few times, but after multiple unanswered text messages, he had pretty much made his peace with any relationship there being gone.

Ironically, Liam also kept in contact with Josh still. He'd always got along better with Josh though, so he supposed that wasn't a huge surprise. When Theo had stopped answering, Liam had spent a lot of time wondering what had gone wrong. As much as they hadn't been best friends growing up, Liam sort of thought they were... friends. Weird, volatile, mean friends, but friends nonetheless. He sort of thought they were tied together after everything else.

But instead, time passed, and Liam kept in touch with just about everyone except Theo. His mother, Nolan, Josh. Hayden, even.

He had been hurt at first, but the clock had kept turning and eventually, Liam had become too immersed in his ongoing life.

"Yes, well, I needed you. Imagine how many more bones I'd have broken if you weren't there." He rolled his eyes dramatically, brushing off all thoughts of Theo and his disappearing act.

"When are you going back?" Corey asked tentatively.

They'd broached the subject before. Both of them, and Brett, and his mother... and Josh. But Liam sighed, "I'm not. We've been doing this since I was eighteen. I'm nearly twenty-two, guys. It's ancient history. Dead and buried. Just a weird relationship forged in fire. Like a zombie apocalypse friendship. We needed each other to survive summers, now the apocalypse is over and we have nothing in common."

The car pulled up outside the castle and Liam smiled brightly, wrapping his scarf tighter around his neck as he got out. There were people outside the gates, because there always were, and Liam gave them a friendly wave, watching as the cameras flashed in his eyes, before he, Corey and Mason all turned to walk back into the house.

Once the three were inside, they all immediately began stripping layers off. It was freezing outside, but inside, his home was warm and toasty. Never silent, there was always something going on. Liam's little sister, Ellie, was always running amuck, and Liam knew she had all the same spirit as him, despite them only being half siblings. Aside from that, even guards and staff in their castle had always been treated like family. Everyone was always on a first name basis, and much of their staff brought their families to Christmas dinner at the palace.