Artificial Love (Thiam)

Chapter 31

Theo watched in unnamable horror as Liam walked right by him, never once meeting his eyes.

He couldn't pretend to be shocked. Liam did what anyone would have done in that situation. He picked safety and security and tradition over jumping into the unknown with a boy who had routinely let him down. Theo's heart felt absolutely shattered in his chest, but he wasn't angry. He couldn't be angry. Liam had been fighting so long already. Theo had simply waited too long.

He was too late.

Jenna shot him what was almost certainly the most pitiful look he'd ever received in his life.

Then she turned, and followed Liam. She had to. He was her son, and he was about to be married.

"Theo, man..." There was a hand on his shoulder. It felt abstract and disconnected. "No one would blame you if you didn't go in there."

Mason. He was talking to Mason. And Mason's concerned dark eyes sort of stung— because twenty minutes ago Mason had been pissed at him and begrudgingly being his friend. So that was that. Liam was gone. Even Mason knew it. Worse, Mason knew Theo wouldn't cope well.

He could run. He could return to his own Kingdom. To his own life. But running was only leaving Liam behind again, proving the point that he wasn't worth it. Running would only shatter his heart further.

No, Theo wouldn't run. Not this time.

Instead, he would stand behind Liam and watch the love of his life, the only person he'd ever truly loved that way, marry somebody else. He would force himself to remain strong, to keep his chin up, to ignore the suspicious eyes and sharp tongues. He knew what people thought. He knew that they were right. While mainstream media might never have run too far with those theories, people in corners of the internet had. He would try, truly try not to give ammunition. Not to show how sharp and resonating and constant this pain felt. It permeated his skin and bones, poisoned his mind. He felt like he'd been physically hurt, though it was really only his heart. His pride. It was really only holding his one, fragile, beating heart out to Liam and having it shattered like blown glass.

What was worse, he couldn't even blame Liam.

Liam. Good, kind, clever, competitive, inspired Liam. His Liam. Or, maybe not his.

Liam had been fighting for Theo forever. Liam had been willing to risk everything again and again. It was Liam who would try to involve Theo in games as kids. It was Liam who had wanted to stay friends. Liam who had wanted to talk after the kiss. Liam who had followed Theo into his room. Liam who had messaged Theo every day for weeks after he lost his Mum.

When the world felt like it was crashing down around him, when he was overwhelmed and buried and gasping for breath, it was Liam. Always Liam.

Liam had fought for him a thousand times over, but Theo hadn't been ready. He'd missed his chance. Liam had waited a long time, and Theo had simply shown up too late. At least Liam would know now. How much Theo was willing to give up for him too.

It had all been sort of sudden, really. The overwhelming realisation that hell or high water, Theo had to at least try.

He had woken up early, and his eyes had found Liam. Liam, who had drool on his pillow and hair sticking in all directions. Who snored in quiet snuffles and talked in his sleep, usually about nothing. He couldn't have looked less refined. He looked like a boy. Young and untroubled and off in whatever dream world he had found himself in.

Theo had started thinking about it. About the pressure. About how he could never tell his mother. About how Liam was born to be a leader, where Theo had spent much of his young life hiding and avoiding responsibilities. He started thinking about how much the throne was not worth losing Liam, and about how... when it came down to it, soulmates were made, not found.