Archive of Our Own

Looks like this is the place. 

Beyond the tall iron fence and the lengthy concrete driveway lay a white brick house topped with a navy blue tiled roof, the centrepiece of an already impressively spacious front lawn. The word that came to mind as they gazed upon it was picturesque; it had the charm of a place that had been built decades ago without looking old and decrepit. They had known that Liev’s family was very well off, but hadn’t had much of a visual indication of their financial situation until now… Well, if Quinn didn’t count the fact that Liev was always wearing the highest-quality clothes to mufti days, owned the newest iPhone model, and even had his own car. 

They tried not to be a jealous person, but when they compared their own family’s situation, where most of their and Quentin’s clothes were secondhand, they’d had to save up months of their own paycheque to be able to afford their own phone, and the only car in their family was their dad’s work van… Well, it was a little demoralising, to say the least. They hadn’t even stepped foot on the property yet, and it already felt as if their hand-me-down shirt, thrifted jeans, and $30 shoes from the Warehouse were not appropriate for the occasion. In their defence, hadn’t they just been invited over to hang out? It wasn’t as if Liev would expect them to show up at his door in their Sunday best.

Just in front, Quinn spotted a modest grey car parked on the driveway. If they were being honest, it clashed heavily with the upper-middle class vibe of the rest of the property, a few prominent scratches and patches of dirt visible on the side. But now wasn’t the time to be so judgemental, especially when they were supposed to be a guest.

Frowning, Quinn mentally chastised themselves. Real rich of the person who doesn’t even have their learner’s to judge somebody’s car… Wait, isn’t that the one Liev used to drive to the amusement park on our first date? The one he also used to drop me off home? 

Perhaps it was because they had shed their rose-coloured glasses that they had finally noticed all of its imperfections. It was much like their current relationship with Liev; now that he had shown them his true colours, he was no longer the intimidating, impossibly perfect head boy that they had once pined for, but a damaged, lonely, and not-entirely-right-in-the-head guy. As much as there were times where they questioned their decision to maintain this… situation with him, it was still somewhat relieving to know that he had reasons for everything he did. He wasn’t some untouchable god nor some infallible force. He was a human being – albeit an incredibly eccentric one. 

… This probably wasn’t the time to be pondering such a heavy subject.

Shrugging off their worries, Quinn unlatched the narrower side gate, taking care to relatch it and shut the gate properly. Feeling a lump beginning to form in their throat, they began the journey up the driveway. 

The autumn leaves crunched beneath their feet, the sepia Kāmahi trees looming above them and casting harsh shadows on an otherwise sunny day. Seemed that sharp contrasts had become a common motif of the past few weeks. Quinn glanced at their phone, briefly considering sending Liev a text to let him know they’d arrived, but chastised themselves for the idea just as quickly. He would appreciate a more personal greeting. Plus the anxiety of waiting would kill them.

Jeez, they’d be waiting for him either way. They really were getting themselves into knots for nothing.

As they finally reached the porch, Quinn paused and simply stared up at the door, trying to ignore the way their palms began to bead with sweat. Anxiety really made the most mundane objects look like indomitable beasts. Sudden phone calls held your worst fears, public speaking exposed your every imperfection, and knocking on someone’s door held the possibility of them not expecting to see you, or worse, not even answering.

Even so, once Liev came to greet them, they would no longer be able to retreat into their own head whenever they botched an interaction with him. They would have to be a proper, polite guest. To ask as little as possible from him so as not to take advantage of his hospitality. To compliment everything about the house, even if what they said didn’t really reflect their true opinion. 

… Well. Paranoid and over-prepared as they might seem, they hadn’t been invited to a friend’s house in ages. They just wanted to make a good impression on him, redundant as it seemed.

But they had to do it. Liev was their friend (?) and he was trying to open up by inviting them to his house. It was up to them to trust him and pray to God that they would survive this afternoon (literally and figuratively).

Before they could rethink it, Quinn raised their hand and knocked. Thrice.

And now they could lower it. Pray that it had been loud enough for him to hear.

In hindsight, they weren’t sure it actually mattered, since not a second after the third knock they heard feet padding rapidly against the floor. And then the door swung open.

Liev stood there, that perpetual light smile on his face. He’d shed the academia-style sweater and button-up that they’d come to associate with him, and instead wore a brown, high-collared sweater over his tailored pants.

He looked so cosy and soft in those clothes. They couldn’t help but return the smile. “Hey. How’s your day been?”

Liev’s grin widened, almost uncannily so. “You’re here now, so it’s perfect! How are you, Quinn? Was it a long walk? If you want, I wouldn’t mind driving you home again.”

Oh no, the questions.

“N-n-no! I’m okay! I don’t wanna keep you from your school stuff,” they stammered. “I-I’m good. Been a bit of a stressful week, with open days and uni visits and applications and stuff. On top of school. What about you– wait, I just said that…”

Congrats on somehow starting with another awkward greeting, Quinn! What next? Are you gonna make another, “What’s up” joke? Ramble on about peach mango pie?!

Liev’s brow furrowed in concern, confirming their worst fears. “It’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up. You’re probably exhausted, and it’s your first time over. I would be just as nervous if the roles were reversed.”

That was another thing with him; despite their hesitations, he just acted so genuinely kind and considerate, never being annoyed whenever they said something off-kilter or stupid. That made it hard to really want to stay away from him, even long after they learned of his true nature.

As they tried to calm their racing heartbeat, Quinn also attempted to speak a sentence free of stuttering. “Th… Thanks. Sorry. Been a while since I was last invited to someone’s house.” 

The smile returned to Liev’s face, though this time it was noticeably softer. “It’s alright. Come on in and I’ll boil the kettle. Do you like tea?”

“Tea sounds great, thank you.” Quinn bent down to remove their sneakers, positioning them neatly in front of the metal rack populated with heels and dress shoes. They recognised a pair of white sneakers resting on the top left side that must have belonged to Liev. The distinctive check logo told them the brand right away. These are the shoes every popular kid wears on mufti day. I’ve heard they’re comfy… I wish I could find them at an op shop or something.

They’d have to save that for another time. Quinn stepped through the threshold, turning to close the door behind them. Just as their hand touched the handle, another one wrapped over their own, and they glanced back in surprise to find Liev still standing there, looking just as startled.

“Sorry!” they spoke in unison, yanking their hands away as if they’d been scalded. 

Liev pushed the door the rest of the way until the latch clicked, turning the lock with a mildly sheepish expression on his face. “Quinn, you’re my guest. Let me take care of everything for today.”

“I’m just closing the door,” Quinn shrugged. “No biggie.”

His wide-eyed gaze flickered to them, the light in his eyes slowly fading into that all-too-familiar emptiness. “You’re so kind… So kind. Even when I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve it at all.”

They needed a distraction. Quickly. “W-why don’t you show me around! Tea can wait until afterwards.” 

He snapped from his trance so suddenly that it gave them mild whiplash, and almost made them question themselves. “Sure! Where would you like to go first?” he asked, smiling innocently.

It wasn’t a total lie. They’d always been curious about how someone like him lived in a somewhat morbid way. At school, he projected the image of a perfectly polite and mature guy with his whole life in front of him, with his shit together, with nothing particularly off about him. Now that they were at his house, they could really get to know who he was behind that head boy, model student mask. Find out what he ate for breakfast every morning. What his room looked like. Whether or not he kept people in his basement.

(Okay, they were getting carried away. Realistically, something like that would be impossible to hide from the authorities… right?)

“I suppose the living room would be a good place to start. But I’m just a guest, you know your own house and I don’t, so I reckon you should lead the way,” Quinn answered. The less decision-making they had to do, the better, especially when they were the one intruding into his space. (And yes, they were well aware of the irony.)

“You’re right, the living room is always interesting!” Liev chirped, ever the yes-man. “Ever since my parents left, I’ve had it all to myself.” As he casually reminded Quinn of his current familial situation, he finally started walking down the hallway, and they promptly followed. “Although I have to admit how lonely it’s been. I’m so happy you decided to visit today… it’s been a long time since I’ve had someone over.” He stopped when he reached a sunny-looking threshold, stepping aside and gesturing an open hand in its direction. “After you.”

“Thank you… But wait, you’ve never had anyone over? Like, not even for study sessions?” Perhaps it was a silly question considering his general view of people who weren't them, but the idea of him only ever being home alone… Well, it made them uncomfortable, to say the least. Made them think that it could have contributed to his mental state. Hopefully he was just exaggerating.

Liev raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely puzzled. “Why would I need to? I can handle school work on my own, I don’t need people around for that.”

Oh dear. He really did not seem interested in the ‘socialising’ aspect, even one sought out of convenience. “What about externals? You’ve never felt stressed enough to want to study with other people?” 

“No. Other people are just a nuisance.” 

Quinn wanted to disagree, but… The casual way with which he admitted his disdain for others, especially when contrasted with his warmth towards them, was almost tantalising in a way. They’d been treated as a social ghost for so long that having someone vie so wholeheartedly for their attention (not that there was much competition to begin with) felt like something they’d earned, like a reward for their weeks of suffering. 

But they needed to stand their ground. He might like it well enough, but they knew from experience that asociality (or dare they say anti sociality) was not a healthy way to live in the long run. Still, what could they say that would make him rethink his ways? Was there even anything they could say? And what about… 

“Quinn? Are you okay? … Did I say something wrong?”

Now it was their turn to snap from their pensive trance. They glanced back at him to find that he looked worried, the hand that had been held out now rubbing up and down his forearm. 

They practically flailed to put him back at ease, putting their palms out in an allaying manner. “Yes! Don’t worry about me. And it’s fine, it’s nothing you’ve said! I’m just… thinking. About stuff.” Awesome. He will totally not suspect a thing.

Liev considered them for a few moments, his striking pink eyes meeting theirs and narrowing slightly. Quinn fought not to squirm… for more than one reason. Try as they might to meet his gaze normally, he did have very pretty eyes. “Hmm… How suspicious! You can tell me about it after I’ve finished showing you around.” He gestured towards the threshold again, smiling as bright as ever. “After you!”

“Uh. Okay.” Though part of them still wanted to ruminate on how to breach the topic on their mind, they decided to leave it for now. All of this worrying and overthinking was beginning to hurt their brain. With that, Quinn stepped forward through the threshold to be greeted by the Latané family lounge.

The wide space was bathed in light, owing to the drawn curtains which let in plenty of sun. It contained a large cream sectional sofa and a black armchair in front of an empty fireplace. A flatscreen was mounted on the space above. 

The wooden coffee table featured a small potted bonsai tree that particularly piqued Quinn’s curiosity. “You have a bonsai plant? I don’t think I’ve ever seen one up close.”

Liev barely spared it a glance. “It’s fake. My mother used to own a real one, until…” He shrugged, indifference permeating his expression. “... I don’t know. She just stopped taking care of it, I guess.”

Ah. From what they knew of Liev’s mother, she’d always been… a difficult person to talk about. It was probably best to change the subject. “Oh. Um, your lounge looks really nice. Very sunny. I bet afternoons and weekends would be very relaxing for you.” They luckily stopped themselves from adding, since your house is so quiet. 

Thankfully, Liev’s expression lifted, and though he shrugged again, it seemed less out of indifference and more of a so-so notion. “They’re quite calming.”

Next was the dining room, boasting an 8-seater table covered with an intricately patterned tablecloth, plus matching back and seat cushions on the chairs. Quinn had to wonder if Liev’s parents had regularly hosted parties. Would’ve made sense given how image-conscious they seemed. 

The kitchen was… a kitchen. To be more precise, it was like their family’s kitchen at home, if every appliance was stainless steel, they had a kitchen island, and there wasn’t so much clutter lying around (to be fair, it was being used by a family of four). Also, if they actually had a dishwasher.

Liev’s tour of his home was… certainly unique. While family friends they’d visited tried to maintain some sort of pride for their living space, Liev spoke about it like it was just… something that he happened to have in his life. Like it was his parents’ space, and not also his own. Still, he readily answered their trivial questions, even if his responses held a distinctly detached affect.

And thankfully, he also pointed out the bathroom. They hated having to ask for directions.

The next stop was a big one; Liev’s room. As they approached the closed door, Quinn braced themselves for a horror show…

And never got it. Not in the way they expected, at least.

The first thing they noticed was how tidy it was, at least for a teenage boy (and yes, they would know since they lived with one). Almost uncannily so. In fact, it was barely decorated at all. Aside from the essential furnishings like a bed, bedside table, a desk, and a chair, there was nothing else of note. A few stacked textbooks and a stationery cup lay atop his desk, but nothing that really… gave them any insight on him as a person. 

“Oh! Your room is so, uh…” Quinn struggled to come up with a genuine compliment as their eyes darted around. Spacious? Clean? Roomy ? 

“It’s okay, there’s no need to flatter my room,” Liev reassured, a teasing lilt to his voice. “It’s just a place where I sleep and study, nothing special.” His face fell as some concern occurred to him. “You don’t… dislike it, do you? Or the rest of my house? I did my best to tidy up, but if there’s something you hate, I’ll get rid of it—”

Quinn huffed an exaggerated sigh. “Now you’re the one worrying. Liev, your house is just fine – you did a good job. I guess I’m just not used to seeing such a… minimalistic room. I suppose I can see the benefits of one, though.” Having such a low-maintenance setup would certainly make it easier to focus on more important matters, which for Liev would not be in short supply.

Liev’s shoulders loosened, much to their relief. He’d done his best to put them at ease, so it was only natural for them to return the favour. “Mm… Oh! Look at this, Quinn!” A renewed burst of energy had him striding to the bed and yanking off the sheets to grab something. With the excitement of a child showing off their art, he turned and thrust out a familiar grey stuffed cat. “Quinn Jr. says hi! He’s happy to see you too!”

He’d… He’d kept the toy they’d won for him on a whim. He’d liked it to the point that he slept with it in his bed. It was such a small thing, but Quinn felt their eyes prick with tears. “I’m… I’m glad…”

Immediately, Liev’s face fell again. “Quinn…? What’s wrong? Please don’t cry…” He sat on the side of the bed with Quinn Jr. on his lap, patting the space beside him. 

Quinn sniffled as they took the offer, wrapping their arms around themselves in a vain attempt to calm down. Ughhh. They were getting emotional over something minor again . Why were they like this? Why .

A grey blur peeked out hesitantly from the corner of their eye, and they took it, hugging it to their chest as they tried their best to regulate their breathing. Inhale, count to three. Exhale, count to three. Inhale, three. Exhale, three.

When they’d regained their ability to speak, Quinn started with a well-deserved apology. “Sorry… I’m just glad… really glad you liked it. That you still have it, you know?” 

“Of course… It’s my second favourite thing in the world! And here I am doing my favourite thing; spending time with you!” The mattress sank deeper, Liev’s presence slowly drawing closer to their own. “Um… If it’s okay… Do you want a hug?”

“No… No, please. Lot of things happening. Just… I’m okay.” Quinn took a deep breath, closing their bleary eyes and doing their best to release all the tension in their body. The plushie in their grip kept them somewhat grounded, thank God. They thought of their plush toys back home, issuing them a silent apology as well for having committed such an act of betrayal. 

Liev was silent for a few moments, but Quinn couldn’t find it in themselves to spare it more than a passing thought. 

Fortunately, they didn’t need to, since the mattress gently sprang back. “I see. It’s okay. Would you like some tea?” His voice betrayed no negative emotions, but rather sounded even and patient. 

Quinn managed a shuddery nod, slowly opening their eyes to see Liev standing in front of them. Tea did sound nice, since it would soothe their throat and chest. It didn’t hurt either that he was willing to give them some alone time. He might be an obsessive stalker, yet somehow he still had a decent understanding of boundaries. “… Sorry again. I know I’m being dramatic.”

Liev frowned. “Don’t say that, you don’t need to apologise. I appreciate when you’re honest, Quinn. Means you’re not just saying what I want to hear.” He made his way through the threshold before stopping and turning to them once more. “Take as long as you need, okay? Come to the lounge whenever you’re ready.”

And with that, he was gone, his footsteps quietening as he retreated through the hall. 

As they sat there, regaining their bearings, Quinn could faintly hear the hissing sound of the boiling kettle, as well as the opening and closing of drawers and cabinets. Their eyes trailed over random spots in the room, looking for something, anything with which to distract themselves. Their gaze landed on the stack of textbooks on the desk. The titles … Classical Mechanics. Principles of Organic Chemistry. Introduction to Applied Calculus. Thrilling. But each book was so thick that Quinn found it impossible to imagine a high-school student — let alone a Year 13 — having the motivation to read them. Liev really is extraordinary. Of all people… of all things , why me?

They did have an answer to that. But it was one so convoluted that they had trouble believing it themselves. How exactly could some childhood promise have driven him to be so… passionate about me?

It occurred to them that they were literally at his house. They could probably find some clues if they snooped around, but it was also equally likely that Liev would not appreciate them being so nosy. Though for someone who was, y’know, stalked by him for God knows how long, I am acting very concerned about his privacy.

… Just this once. Just this once, they would give in to their curiosity. They would be the creep. Hey, it would only be fair to return the favour.

Standing up, they returned Quinn Jr. to his rightful place on the bed. The plush cat’s beady eyes bored into theirs almost knowingly, and with that Quinn averted their gaze and began to make their way out of Liev’s room.

Their pace was an instinctive tiptoe, even though the sound of their footsteps would have been drowned out by the boiling kettle. Moreover, they could hear Liev humming merrily to himself as he worked. A familiar tune. They briefly wondered how his piano prowess was faring. 

There had been a few rooms which Liev had completely ignored. One was right beside his, and the other was at the very end of the hallway. They’d been too anxious to ask about them before, but now they were straight up going to barge into them uninvited. Or maybe just the one right next door. They did not want to try their luck with the other room.

As they approached the door, Quinn’s heart began to race all over again. They knew it was irrational, that Liev’s door hadn’t creaked either, but they still feared that opening it would reveal them straight away. Guilt also weighed them down, despite the fact that he had been just as creepy if not worse to them. They stood there for a few moments, trying to gather up some courage. Just reach out, grab the handle, and…!

Before they could rethink it, Quinn opened the door and slipped inside. 

And nearly sneezed. 

They had clearly stepped into someone else’s bedroom, but the amount of dust… How could anyone breathe, let alone sleep in here?

The strangest thing was how much more… personalised this one seemed. Though that was not exactly an achievement given the competition. There were band posters and paintings on the walls, the vanity was crowded with makeup and perfumes, and there were scented candles on the bedside table. A digital piano was situated in front of the window, though with the curtains being drawn, very little sun could actually reach the room itself. The desk was populated with notebooks and a pastel purple stationery holder. A corkboard hung from the facing wall, covered in pastel sticky-notes. There was plenty of evidence that someone lived here, and yet…

They were the only thing missing. If what Liev had said was true, then who could they have been?

And then it dawned on them. His sister. Of course she wouldn’t be around; she'd cut ties with her family long ago. 

Entering this room had left them with more questions than answers. Why exactly did Rebecca run away? Especially without telling her brother anything? Had they been close? Did Liev miss her?

As they continued to inspect the room, they caught sight of the picture frame on Rebecca’s bedside table. It struck them so strongly that she immediately went to take a closer look, uncaring about how dust coated their hand. 

The mood of this one was a stark contrast to the photo that had (ostensibly) fallen out of Liev’s wallet; not just because of the sunny beach in the background, or because they looked much younger, but also because young Liev was smiling. Not just a small, demure upturn of the lips, but a full on grin, as he proudly crouched behind an impressive sandcastle decorated with driftwood branches. Beside him, Rebecca looked rather sheepish at her significantly less impressive structure, but still looked happy, a supportive arm around her baby brother. Both were covered in sand from hours of play. 

They had never seen Liev so expressive, let alone so happy, in a setting where they weren’t present. But it wasn’t a bad thing, not at all; it just greatly surprised them. And shocked them. And made them wonder with horror just what could have happened to change him so much. What his parents could have done.

“Quinn? The tea is ready!”

It was Liev’s voice, muffled by the several walls between them. Quinn’s nerves skyrocketed as their thoughts raced in circles. He was going to find them, and find out what they had been doing. Fuck them, fuck their stupidity and gall, what the hell had they been thinking?!

“I’m in the living room, okay? Take your time!” His tone was as chipper as always, displaying zero surprise or shock.

Oh. 

Thank fuck he’d left the kitchen. Thank fuck he hadn’t tried to check his room. Setting down the picture frame, they hightailed it out of that bedroom in as inconspicuous a manner as they could. 

“I’ll be a sec!” they called back once they’d set foot in the hallway again. Luckily, their impulsive dash into open territory had been a good call; the area was empty. 

They took another deep breath, schooling their expression into drained neutrality. If there was another thing they knew about Liev, it was how eerily good he was at reading people’s true emotions and intentions, despite claiming to have little to no empathy for others. They’d done their best all throughout the date to disguise their questions as simple curiosity, but somehow, he’d almost always managed to see past their lies. 

Admittedly, some vindictive part of them wanted to see how he would feel, having his actions thrown back in his face. To see how he liked it when someone disregarded his need for privacy, all under a flimsy excuse. 

Yet… They weren’t vengeful or bitter enough to act upon it. It still remained that as disturbing as some of his actions and mannerisms were, being with him was better than nothing. Better than going back to the way things were before. 

Quinn shook those dark thoughts from their mind, focusing on making their way down the lengthy stretch of hallway back into the sun-filled lounge. 

True to his word, Liev was sitting on the sofa, a tray with a teapot and two steaming cups on the coffee table in front of him. His head snapped up in their direction the millisecond they entered, as if he had been in anticipation the whole time. “Quinn! Are you feeling better?”

“Mhm,” they replied, for once deeming it best not to overdo their response. They moved to sit on the armchair before pausing at the sound of his voice. 

“Hey, um…”

“What is it?” They turned to see him pouting disappointedly. It was then that they noticed the wide space between him and the armrest.

“... I wouldn’t mind it if you sat by me. Again. If you want.” Liev averted his eyes shyly, but the slight upturn of his lips and the dusting of a blush on his pale face more than gave him away.

… Well, crap. Could they really say no to that face? “... Sure.”

He perked up, nodding gladly. They sat down on the sofa, noticing now more than ever that the warmth of his body radiated much closer to theirs than it had in his room. A blush threatened to rise on their cheeks at the thought, but they tampered those feelings down, reaching out to pick up their teacup.

Looking at the tea set on the table, they noticed that Liev had included a small plate of graham crackers on the side. He really didn’t have to. God, and right after I… Why do I have to feel so guilty after the fact? 

Quinn took a sip of tea in an effort to focus on the present. The past couldn’t be changed; they’d made their bed, now they had to lie in it. (They were aware that spouting a cliché idiom would not ease their anxieties, but it was all they had).

“Do you want to watch some TV?” Liev held the remote, switching on the flatscreen to a news channel. The current story was about the cost of living crisis, which did pique Quinn’s interest, but not enough in the moment that they wanted to emotionally invest in it. “Ah… I’m sorry, I forgot to mention that our provider only has news and documentary channels. Is that okay?”

They retracted their hand from the plate of biscuits. “Just… two types?” Quinn turned to gauge some sort of reaction from him, to the news story, to any of the things he was saying, but he looked back at them with complete indifference. “Don’t tell me you weren’t allowed to watch anything else.”

Liev’s response was so full of innocent confusion. “I’d be lying if I did. I don’t want to lie to you anymore, Quinn.”

So they’d been correct with their earlier assumption. Liev’s folks really were tiger parents, in an even worse way than Quinn could have imagined. They’d hoped that he would at least have a show or movie he grew up watching, something to reconcile that strikingly normal image of his young self with the person they were seeing now, but no. Had he really never been allowed to be a regular kid?! 

“… Quinn? Why do you look so scared?” Liev’s brow furrowed, before his eyes widened as realisation came over him. “Don’t worry, okay? It doesn’t bother me at all! Honest. Looking back, I don’t think I would have enjoyed any shows as a child. I was… I think you get the idea based on the stories I’ve told you. I was a weird kid, an anomaly. Rebecca tried to get me into some shows she liked when we were younger, but they all seemed so vapid and uninteresting. I just couldn’t understand why she would care about silly things like… well, that! I mean, if it’s not educational in any way, then what’s the point? It never made sense to me, although she did always enjoy pointless things… Ahh . I’m rambling, aren’t I?” 

He scrubbed his hands through his hair, brows scrunched in sheer frustration. “I’m so sorry. It’s your first time over and I’m ruining it. I want to share things with you, more than anything, but then I end up making myself sound even more like a lunatic.” He peeked at them through unkempt bangs, one eye burning into theirs 

and shining with crazed desperation. “Quinn, you don’t hate being here, do you? I promise I’m not usually this erratic. It’s just that there’s so much in my head and I keep thinking you’ll hate me if something goes wrong even when I know you’re far too kind for that and what would I–!”

Recognising his need for reassurance, Quinn took his free hand in theirs, squeezing firmly. ”Stop. Just. Chill out. Freaking out is my thing! Look, Liev, you don’t need to go so far to impress me. Your house is amazing! And I’ve honestly been a bit jealous ever since I stepped foot in your front yard. Maybe you don’t think you’re a great host, but guess what? You’ve been accommodating me this whole time, which to me makes a pretty damn good host. You’re always patient and understanding, and you never try to force me into doing things I don’t want to do. So what if you ramble about stuff sometimes? That just means you have a lot to talk about, and I like it when you open up about yourself. When I can learn more about you rather than, well, how much you like me. You get what I mean?” She felt slightly pompous mentioning that last point, but extensive time with him had shown that it could not be less of an exaggeration.

That stopped his tangent right in its tracks, and he straightened up, gazing at them in astonishment, before squeezing right back with a nod. A good sign, especially since his eyes no longer held that manic shine.

“Now. If there’s nothing you particularly like on TV, then we can watch something on your laptop. It’s all good. I can even recommend a show if you’re interested,” they continued, rubbing gentle circles into his skin with their thumb. “Does that sound good to you?” 

Liev’s nodding grew more frantic as he became physically incapable of moving his head any faster. “Yes, yes! Quinn is so smart and forgiving! That’s why I love you so much!” 

“Hey.” Quinn lightly bopped him on the forehead with the side of their fist, as if pressing the snooze button on an alarm clock. A living, breathing alarm clock. “There’s nothing to forgive. You didn’t do anything wrong, alright?” 

Well, not today at least.

He grew flustered at the contact, but conceded with another nod. Satisfied, Quinn removed their hand, officially freeing him from custody. 

Clearing his throat as if to clear the awkwardness settling between them, Liev stood up. “I’ll go get my laptop. You just stay here and get comfortable, okay? And please have some biscuits!”

With that, he was gone, fleeing into the hallway before Quinn could say anything else. That was yet another thing about him; his responses to displays of concern or care were a toss-up between accepting them (very, very ) wholeheartedly and becoming paradoxically shy.

What else was there to do but wait? After their little venture earlier, they were not going to take their chances again. 

Quinn took a graham cracker from the plate and bit off half. As they chewed, they considered dipping the other half into their tea in a “posh” manner, before feeling how cool the side of the cup had gotten. 

They drank the rest of the tea, despite finding the coldness mildly revolting. Even in their stalker’s house, they could not rid themselves of those people-pleasing habits. 

To make up for the aftertaste, they promptly poured themselves another cup. The mellow sweetness helped to wash out the bitterness and astringency that had settled in their mouth. 

They had another biscuit. And another sip of tea. And another. 

They turned off the TV, remembering that it wouldn’t be needed anymore. And waited some more.

Just as they began to grow antsy (courtesy of the extra adrenaline from anxiety), Liev re-entered the living room, having apparently recovered from his bout of bashfulness and wearing a bright smile, with his laptop pressed to his side. “I’m back! And you finally had some biscuits, which is great!” 

Quinn greeted him with a wave. “Welcome back. I was starting to wonder what was taking so long.”

Liev returned it with enthusiasm, sitting back down on the couch and sidling up to them unapologetically. “Oh, you know. Just logging in and looking up websites.” He opened the laptop, the screen displaying a streaming site. The text cursor blinked on the search bar, ready to go. “So what did you want to watch?”

The suggestion readily came to them. “Here, I’ll do it.” 

He handed them the laptop. They hovered their hands over the keyboard before side-eyeing him when he curiously peered over their shoulder. “Nope. I wanna surprise you.”

Liev pouted childishly, but acquiesced with a playful smirk as he leaned back against the couch. “Fine. I trust your recommendation will meet my standards.”

Quinn rolled their eyes, but played along. “Oh yes, almighty head boy. It will be the best show you’ll ever watch.”

The smile grew more genuine as the corners of his eyes crinkled. “No doubt.”

How could he have so much faith in them, even for the most trivial of matters? Quinn fought not to crumble under the praise as they turned so that he couldn’t see the screen, typing in the name of the show and pressing ‘Enter’.

Bingo. There it was at the top of the results. They clicked on the link and skimmed over the synopsis and the episode thumbnails, ensuring that they weren’t about to show him a porno version of it or something.

When their fears had been assuaged, they clicked on the first episode and returned the laptop to the coffee table. Then they sat back, trying their damndest not to think about just how close Liev was. Or how good he smelled (really, what cologne was he wearing?).

The intro scene played out; a girl running for her life from a crazed serial killer, desperately weaving through hallway after hallway in an effort to lose him. Apart from a glance in Quinn’s direction, Liev didn’t react, though this was hardly unusual for him.

Eventually, the girl was cornered into a room, back pressed against the wall as the killer lumbered towards her, cackling. The suspenseful music sped up, emphasising the simultaneous urgency and futility of her struggle.

The massive cleaver in his hand glinted in the dim moonlight as he raised it above her head. The girl opened her mouth to scream. The screen went black.

… And then the lights switched on, revealing an ensemble of characters wearing party hats and holding presents. A flurry of streamers filled the screen as they all shouted, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

The girl, though briefly frazzled, shook it off fairly quickly, jokingly reprimanding her friends for subjecting her to such a terrifying experience. The ‘killer’ turned out to be a hired actor, and a pretty friendly guy. 

Liev raised an eyebrow. “Wait… So she’s not going to die?”

Quinn snickered. “Guess not.”

“How disappointing.” Despite that, he seemed more amused than disappointed. “Oh well. Maybe in the next episode.”

Having finished the series long ago, Quinn had to contain their laughter. 

It turned out that the series was less of a horror and more of a slice-of-life, centering around a girl who loved all things horror, but could never quite experience anything close to what she saw in the movies, being that she lived in a middle-class, suburban neighbourhood where nothing ever happened. It was a realistic yet wholesome look at common horror tropes such as the abandoned building (the people frequenting it were just fellow horror fanatics or ghost-hunters) and the cult of doom (while they engaged in pagan worship, they were harmless and mostly just wanted to be left alone). 

(Okay, none of those things were being shown on screen yet, but Quinn could nerd out in the safety of their own thoughts.)

The surprise birthday party scene also planted the seeds of potential between the girl and the actor; just as he was about to leave, having finished his job, she invited him to stay and at least have some cake, since “all that running around must have made him hungry.” If there were any doubts of this foreshadowing a romantic relationship, the softer background music and the teasing ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ of her friends should have certainly eliminated them. 

But to their surprise, Liev didn’t seem the least bit intrigued by that part.

The remainder of the episode focused on introductions to the major characters, starting with the girl’s friend group. Though they all had wildly different personalities and fashion senses, they all shared an interest in horror. This time, Liev’s lack of response wasn’t very shocking.

Next was the girl’s little sister, who emulated her in that she loved watching scary movies, especially those way beyond her demographic. Being a kid, though, she was also prone to acting very ‘edgy’, taking creepypastas as gospel and listening to dark and depressing songs.

“You know, she reminds me of my brother,” Quinn remarked. “Always thrill-seeking, always trying to act tougher than he actually is.” 

Liev cast a glance at them, something strange gleaming in his eyes. “Does she now.”

“Um. Yeah.” 

The tone of his voice sounded strange too. But Quinn didn’t really feel like asking him to elaborate.

The episode ended on a cliffhanger, with the girl preparing to go on her first big adventure in an abandoned amusement park. A deliberate hook for the viewer to watch the next episode.

When the credits rolled, Liev gave Quinn a smile that they thought resembled authentic satisfaction. “I see why you like that show so much. It’s very… how to say… ‘chill’? The, um… ‘vibe’ of it is unexpectedly relaxing.”

“... You sound like an old man who just learned modern slang,” Quinn teased, lightly bumping him with their elbow. 

Liev’s mouth dropped open, though he looked mildly insulted rather than genuinely upset. “Hey! I’m trying to sound more casual! I thought you would like it…” 

They patted him on the shoulder. “No need to force yourself. I think the way you normally speak already suits you.” 

Now that they thought about it… “Huh… We’re the same age, but hearing you talk like a teenager sounds so weird to me. Maybe it’s ‘cause of the way you talk at school? All those speeches and stuff?”

Liev put his pointer finger and thumb under his chin in a pondering manner, before shrugging. “I guess it’s just the way I was raised? My sister and I were trained to use formal speech growing up, so it’s difficult for me to break the habit.” 

“And you grew up billing… No, tri lingual, right? So apart from speaking formally, you would have had to learn to do that in three different languages. That’s…” And here was Quinn, barely able to say a sentence in their native tongue. “ Jeez. No wonder you’re so smart.”

Liev’s cheeks reddened as he rubbed his arm in his signature bashful pose. “I-It’s nothing impressive… Quinn is such a sweetheart…”

Quinn turned back to the laptop. “So, are you up for another episode, or should we stop for today?”

“Ah, before that. There’s one thing I’d like to ask, if you don’t mind. The protagonist’s younger sister also enjoys horror, correct?”

“Yep.” Was he actually becoming invested in the show? 

Liev closed his eyes as he formulated his question. 

“Okay. Now, speaking of siblings…”

They suddenly snapped open, revealing a hollow gaze. 

“... Tell me. Why is my sister’s door open?”

They froze. Tried to avert their eyes to no avail.

What… How… How did he…

The room. The room they’d entered, then left without looking back. The room he would have passed by while getting his laptop, in plain sight.

The room they’d left without shutting the fucking door.

Quinn opened their mouth, but no words would come out. Tried to move, push him away, run , but their muscles refused to act. They couldn’t move a single inch.

Liev watched them with unblinking eyes. “I wanted an answer.” 

His voice was barely above a whisper, yet it sent abject terror coursing through their veins.

“I… I…” How could they explain themselves? They… They’d had their reasons, but articulating them was another matter entirely. How could they explain their frustration with him without fully antagonising him?

Was there even a point in being gentle? If they continued to stay silent about it, then… 

“... Is it a crime to want to know more about you?” Quinn finally dared, miraculously keeping their voice from wavering. “You want me to stay by your side, right? So you should trust me.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Why do you even care about her? She doesn’t matter anymore.” His tone dripped with an uncharacteristic irritation. 

Normally, such venom would have caused them to cave in out of fear, but not this time. This time, they would match it with venom of their own. “Then what about that picture? You cared about her once. Don’t deny it.”

Something momentarily flashed in his eyes, but it faded before they could point it out, replaced with pained indignation. “... What is this about, Quinn? What did I do to make you so angry?”

The hurt in his expression nearly caused them to take everything back, to apologise for disrupting the peace and entering his sister’s room without permission. But no. This was their chance to be completely honest with him. He would listen, right? He might be insane, but he was still capable of reason, if in a strange way.

“Try to look at it from my perspective, Liev. Yes, I told you I would stay with you, but that doesn’t erase the fact that you stalked me for months. You told me you would control yourself and get some help, but how do I know you haven’t gone behind my back and continued to follow me around? Maybe I am just being paranoid, but it’s probably because I’m at my stalker’s house .” They paused, closing their eyes, inhaling, trying to keep themselves from lashing out at him. 

“... So after all this time, you still don’t… You can’t trust me?” 

Quinn opened their eyes to see that he had shed the wariness of that empty gaze to leave open sorrow and confusion. Was this a mistake? Did he really deserve such a harsh verbal beatdown? 

They sighed. “I don’t know. I want to, believe me. I want to believe that this relationship could work. But I’m frustrated. It’s not fair that you get to stalk me with no consequences. That when I talk to you, I have to be careful what I say and who I mention lest you freak out. Threaten to ki– hurt someone. Do you understand?”

Liev eyes grew wide as they poured out their true feelings. It was clear that such a possibility had never occurred to him before. Quinn couldn’t blame him; he prioritised them above all else, even school, but having so much happening in his life left little time for introspection.

He lowered his head. Silent. Thinking about what they’d said, or planning how best to manipulate the situation in his favour?

When he looked at them again, his voice remained hesitant. “... Is that what you were thinking about earlier? In the hallway?”

That had been part of it. What about Quinn’s relationships outside of their family? Would Liev learn to tolerate those, or would he treat them like liabilities? Would Quinn have to continue walking on eggshells with him? To continually reassure him that others wouldn’t replace him? 

“Yes. Liev, say I meet someone – or even a group of people – who, somehow, are interested in being friends. What would you do?”

Liev’s composure cracked as he registered the question, paranoia and hatred leaking onto his face. But, catching himself, he closed his eyes. Took a deep, deep breath. Answered. “I would be scared, Quinn. Terrified . What if they hurt you like those bullies did? What if they pretended to be your friends, only to lure you into trusting them so they could humiliate you? If that happened… If I failed to protect you again…” And the expression that twisted his features, caused him to dig his nails into his arm, Quinn could only describe as bloodthirsty. 

They had to give credit where it was due; he had restrained himself from actually saying it. They’d been right to have faith in him, but now…

Quinn began to regret calling him so many derogatory names, even if they held some truth. Mental illness was not voluntary, as they would know from experience. It crept up on you during the worst moments, preventing you from thinking or acting logically. From functioning like a normal, sound-of-mind human being.

They tried to imagine what life must be like for him; constantly having to be perfect, with no one to confide in. Never being allowed to show weakness, lest he risk disappointing people. His teachers. His classmates. His parents . Being so isolated from his peers that he found it impossible to connect with them, especially with the social barriers in place. Small wonder why he would jump at the opportunity to rekindle a relationship with his childhood friend. With someone he could just… be himself with, no expectations. Small wonder why the idea of being abandoned terrified him so much.

Perhaps they weren’t so different after all. Quinn could relate to the paranoia, at least; the lingering fear that they weren’t good enough, nice enough, socially skilful enough to maintain their friendships. That they had been the reason they all failed. Ironically, that insecurity was partially why they had agreed to stay with Liev in the first place; if not him, then who else did they have?

“Quinn.”

They broke from their pondering trance at the sound of Liev’s voice. He was almost gazing past them, looking in their general direction but not meeting their eyes, appearing to be in even more of a trance than they had been. “Tell me what I can do to make it up to you. Anything.”

A moment passed, and the questions were already at the tip of their tongue. “I want you to be completely honest with me: do you still follow me around? How far have you gone? Do you stop when I leave school, or have you followed me home before? And… Have you tried to hurt anyone else since our date? Or even had the urge to?”

Liev physically crumpled as each question hit him, despite Quinn keeping their tone as level as possible. They didn’t want to fight – that had never been their intention. They just… They just wanted the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it might be. 

When Liev finally spoke, it was without his usual eloquence, his voice trembling as he spoke. “I-I’ve kept myself under control! I swear ! I try not to follow you around anymore because I know you would hate that and I know you would tell me if something happened, but… Sometimes I worry. That I’m not spending enough time with you. That while I wasn’t around, something horrible could have happened to you. A-and… Even if I know you’re only a call or text away, that’s not enough . I have to make sure. I have to see for myself.” 

So. At least their “unreasonable” feelings of being watched (that they’d formerly attributed to anxious paranoia) had been validated. At the same time, hearing his internal conflict out loud was… not nice at all. They could never think of him wholeheartedly as evil, when he seemed so painfully aware of the perverse nature of his actions.

“And. I’ve followed you home before, a few times. But please please please believe me when I say that I would never try to break in. I just want to make sure you get home safe. But I did consider it a few times before realising it would be difficult on you. So the farthest I’ve gone is across the road from your house. I want to be able to visit for real and make a good impression on your parents, which…” He trailed off, unable to look Quinn in the eye. A far cry from his earlier, clingier self.

How courteous. So trailing them all the way to their own house was okay, but breaking and entering was crossing the line. And then there was the mention of their parents; they didn’t think either of them would be happy to find out that their potential suitor was a paranoiac and a violently unstable stalker. But at least, despite the warped logic, he was trying to be considerate? 

“Lastly, I… Of course I still get the urge to hurt people. There were those stupid juniors that pushed past you in the hallway last week. That bitch who gave you a dirty look when you asked her to move out of the way. But I haven’t broken our promise, never! I would sooner stab myself than betray you! I–!” 

“Liev, no!” Quinn finally interrupted, just managing to tamper down their panic. “Just. Stop. You don’t need to do something like that.” 

Liev stopped, eyes cloudy. He gripped his forehead with both hands, as if forcing the thought away. “I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you frightened again. I’m… so sorry.” His voice had thankfully become less erratic. Slower. Calmer. 

In a moment of concern, Quinn reached out to touch the side of his head, but halted themselves. Instead, they continued to speak. “It’s okay. Look, this isn’t just about me; When you speak like that, throwing your life away for so little, that’s what’s scary. I promise you haven’t betrayed me, alright?”

He nodded slowly, not lifting his head.

“And, strange as it feels to say, thank you for being honest. What’s done is done. What matters now is how we move forward.” He had remained remarkably stable ever since their date, especially given the many uncertainties they were both facing, so Quinn was willing to keep their faith in him.

Huh. If it weren’t for their current circumstances, would they have been as accepting as they were now? Would they have been able to handle hearing Liev’s admission so well?

… Oh, to hell with it. They’d made their choice long ago. If Liev could keep his end of the deal, then what was their excuse?

Liev cautiously lifted his head. “You don’t hate me, right? Even after everything I’ve done?”

“... No,” Quinn replied after a moment of consideration. “Of course it’s uncomfortable to find out, but I do understand you’re not out to hurt me.”

The tension seemed to leave his body at their answer. “That is… Good. I would still like to earn your trust. Legitimately. I can’t make you feel cornered anymore.” A small, rueful smile curled on his lips, and Quinn knew that they were thinking of the same thing.

“Then, can I ask you a favour?” 

Liev looked at them with mild surprise, but nodded. “Of course. What is it, Quinn?”

Some part of Quinn feared how he would react to the request, but they only hesitated for a few moments before asking anyway. “Um. Don’t take this the wrong way. But… Could I meet your student council, um, peers? I know they’re not really your friends. But you’re around them a lot because of your duties, right? Plus I remember that you used to sit with them at lunch. If nothing else, you at least tolerate them…”

The moment the question left their lips, Liev’s expression blanked with horror. Obviously he would not take the possibility of them talking to other people well. Yet, despite the way his nails dug into his knee, he kept silent until they had finished speaking.

He stared at them for an uncomfortably long time, which Quinn met with staring of their own. Taking back their words would just mean cornering themselves, as he had said. If Quinn could habituate him to them being around other people (which, yes, was inevitable, especially after graduation), perhaps he would learn to see that most interactions were pretty mundane, nothing more to them.

… Fuck, but that was coming from them , who overanalysed all of their own social interactions. Were they just being sadistic, triggering his paranoia like this? Making him think that they might abandon him if they found someone “better”? 

They just… didn’t want to fear for anyone’s life anymore. They’d experienced more than their fair share with those bullies. As horrible as they had been, no one deserved to be threatened at knifepoint like that.

“Why…? Am I not enough, Quinn? A-am I so uninteresting that…” His voice cracked, as if he was on the verge of tears, and Quinn wanted to sink into the ground from sheer remorse. “... no. No. Quinn is kind, and they would never be so callous. They’re trying to help me even though I don’t deserve it. They’re trying to help me.” 

How was he reading their intentions so well? Sure, it could have been from all that stalking. But beyond that, their conditions were much more similar than Quinn had previously thought. 

For one, they were both chronic overthinkers.

“That’s right. Liev, you will always be important to me. You were my childhood friend, and I’m so, so happy that you remembered me after so long. But we aren’t gonna be able to stay in this bubble forever; we’ll grow up, and with that comes having to talk to other people. I want us both to be prepared when that happens.” They attempted a small smile, but it fell flat from the tension in the room.

And that wasn’t enough to curb the emptiness in his eyes. “Quinn is so smart, thinking so far ahead. But there’s more to it than just being hurt. There’s… There’s someone in the council you should never, ever meet. He… He’ll take you away from me. He’ll charm you with his words and invitations and you’ll be too kind to resist him and then, and then, and then –”

“Liev, that’s not going to happen,” Quinn firmly rebutted, halting his tirade. “I won’t leave you.” The word ‘ever’ remained unsaid yet they both understood.

He gave them a soft smile, some of the vibrance returning to his eyes. “It makes me happy to hear you say that. Still.”

Coldness seeped into his voice. “Don’t listen to anything he says. He is annoyingly casual with people, and he might even flirt with you as a ‘joke’. Tell me if that happens, okay, Quinn?” The sweet, boyishly cute smile he sported completely juxtaposed his next words. “I’ll make sure you never have to look at his face again!”

The twinkle in his eyes told them that he was mostly joking. Mostly. Quinn tampered down their instinctual twinge of panic to make a quip of their own. “Dude, I don’t even know the guy’s name. How am I supposed to know the face you’re targeting?”

Surprisingly, that defused him, and Liev giggled, shaking his head. “Nevermind. I’ll tell you at school on Monday.”

Quinn pouted, playfully imitating him, but straightened back up once they remembered the original matter at hand. “Sooooo… Um. Can you do that for me, Liev? Let me meet the student council? If things don’t work out, that’s fine, we can go back to the way things are–”

“If things don’t work out, I will personally make their lives a living hell,” Liev snapped, eyes ablaze with hatred. “How dare they! I’ll kill them all, I’ll kill them, I’ll KILL THEM !”

“... I appreciate the concern,” Quinn could only deadpan. Hey, sometimes all you could do in such an absurd situation was find its humour. “But even if we don’t become friends, I’ll obviously still have you. So it won’t be too bad.”

And immediately, Liev’s world was all sunshine and rainbows again. “Yes, you’re absolutely right! I will never, ever leave you, Quinn! I love you so much!”

He almost vibrated with euphoria as he continued. “If that’s what you want… I’ll do it. You’ll keep your promise too, right? You won’t leave me behind? Ever?”

“No, I won’t,” they reaffirmed. “I won’t abandon you, Liev. As long as we both keep our promises, things will be alright.”

He nodded in wholehearted agreement. “Yes… Yes. You’re right. Why did I ever doubt you?”

“Good. It’s settled, then.” Quinn released a breath they hadn’t even realised they’d been holding, flopping down languidly against the armrest. They almost wanted to nap right then and there from the mental exhaustion – confrontation always took a lot out of them.

“Oh no. Are you okay, Quinn?” Liev’s voice was soft, worried about disturbing them, arms fluttered around them in a panic.

“Mhm. Just need a moment,” they murmured. 

And with a grunt of effort, they sprang back up, brushing their bangs back in place. “Um. Anyway. I’m sorry for being so harsh. And for breaking into your sister’s room. I got worked up, but that doesn’t mean I should have torn into you like that.”

Liev shook his head, completely at ease. “Like I said, you don’t need to apologise for being honest. I’m glad you feel like you can talk to me about difficult things. That’s the hallmark of a good relationship, is it not?” 

There was that, too. Liev could be surprisingly open-minded when he was stable. “Yeah, you’re right.”

They were silent for a few moments. Then Quinn spoke up again. “Is there anything you want to tell me? Anything at all? I promise I won’t judge. It’s only fair after you had to listen to me rant.”

“There is one thing,” he replied. “Firstly…” His mouth set into a hard line despite the sadness in his eyes. “I still want to know. Why did you go into her room?”

Ah. That. “Because I was confused about your reasons for being in love with me,” they responded, subconsciously curling their fingers around each other. “I know, I know it was a childhood promise and everything, but even so… Well, I thought things would make more sense if I snooped around. Which, in retrospect, was kind of a dumb idea, since why would I find answers in your sister’s room? I doubt she even knew who I was.”

“Why would you…” Liev tilted his head as he expressly attempted to decipher their rationale, before his eyes grew wide and worried. “No… Do you need reassurance? I love you. I love you more than anything on this Earth! Did something happen to make you doubt it?”

“No, no… That’s not it. I just… Forget it. I’m not sure how to explain,” Quinn admitted sheepishly. “But I did have another reason; I was, as I said, frustrated. I wanted you to have a taste of your own medicine. To understand what things were like for me during our date.” 

They lightly slapped their forehead. “That was petty of me. I am sorry for breaking your trust like that.”

He didn’t respond for several seconds, which left Quinn nervous to lift their head. “And I understand if you’re upset or angry. If… If there’s something I can do to make it up to you, then–”

They were cut off as they were enveloped in a warm hug. 

Liev snuggled into them, nuzzling his cheek against the top of their head. “You're so silly, Quinn; I could never be angry at you. I was just sad that you felt like you couldn’t trust me. Like I said, ah… not that long ago, you’re allowed to feel negative emotions. Even towards me, even if… even if it hurts me. I know I can be difficult, so I want you to know that you’re not any less perfect for being human.”

Quinn had instinctively stiffened, unprepared for such an onslaught of affirmation and affection, but as he continued to comfort them, they sagged more and more against him, until their head was resting against his shoulder, their eyes burning as they fought not to break down into another heap of tears.

“God. God. How… How are you so…?” They trailed off as their lips quivered uncontrollably, so instead of trying to say anything more, they simply wrapped their arms around him in return, burying their face into his neck. Liev held them tighter, a hand gently rubbing their back.

They stayed like that for a long while. When they finally slowly separated (Quinn first, since Liev wasn’t letting go anytime soon), he made a whine of protest, but ultimately allowed it. Quinn gave him an apologetic smile, which Liev returned with an easy one of his own.

“Ah, there is another thing I wanted to ask; when will I be able to meet your parents?” His tone was hesitant, but his eyes were bright at the idea, holding an uncontained anticipation. “You told them that we’ve gone on a date, right? They must be curious about us, then! And I’m curious about them too!” 

Translation: When can I come to your house? Like, with your permission? Quinn nearly hyperventilated as every worst-case consequence of saying yes flashed through their mind. Their parents being threatened by an incensed Liev after making a lighthearted joke at Quinn’s expense. Quentin , his future ruined forever because Liev had mistaken him as a threat to their safety. If he had considered murdering random people simply because they had been annoying, what could stop him from targeting their family , the people closest to them?

But at the same time, it wouldn’t be fair on him if they refused; he had already agreed to do something similar for them, despite the psychological strain it placed on him . Moreover, they knew that he wasn’t completely blinded by obsessive paranoia; he was still rational enough to recognise nuance. Case in point, their recent topic. Still… Would it be the right call to trust him? Could he keep himself in check long enough to charm their parents?

And could Quinn trust him enough to let him this far into their life?

“... Quinn?” Liev wore a crestfallen frown. “Is that a no?”

“... If I’m going to do that… If you want to visit my house, you have to promise me.” Quinn paused to take a breath, steeling themselves once more. “You have to promise that no matter what happens, no matter what my family says or does, you won’t harm them. Can I trust you to do that? For me?”

“I promise!” The panicked answer was out hardly a moment after they’d asked the question. Liev’s eyes had grown wild, terrified of rejection. “I promise I’ll be good, I won’t hurt them, whatever you want! Please don’t be scared… I can keep myself under control…” 

Curse them. Curse their softness. The sheer desperation in his answer was enough to convince them. “Then… Okay. I believe you. I’ll ask my parents tonight if you can come over next week. That works–” 

“ Yes ! Yes yes yes Quinn trusts me… I’m going to meet their family!” Liev radiated with glee, squirming in his seat. 

“... Ahem. As I was saying. Saturday, next week. Would that work for you? Of course I still need to confirm with them, but…”

Nothing could dampen Liev’s pure, unadulterated elation. “Saturday! Saturdaysaturdaysaturdaysaturday…”

Welp. No backing out now. In seven days, he would officially be meeting the parents™. And their brother. 

Quinn had to stop catastrophizing this any further. If he had proven himself to be trustworthy up until now, then he could handle this. 

Liev stopped, seeming to sense their inner conflict. “... On second thought, maybe I could come over another week?” He gave them an understanding smile. “If this is truly stressing you out, I don’t mind. Just give me a date and I’ll make it work.”

He was compromising for their indecisiveness. Again. 

If they really thought about this, what was the worst that could happen? Mama and Dad would like him. Quentin would find him cool (nerdy, but still cool). Liev had given his word that he would remain on his best behaviour. They had done all they could. Everything would be fine. 

They smiled back, allowing the tension to leave their body as they fully settled into their decision. “No, next week is fine.” 

His eyes lit up, his own smile widening. “Okay. Thank you, Quinn. Really. I won’t let you down.”

And finally, the heaviest part of the day was over. All tough conversations had been had. Quinn could relax, knowing that they’d spoken their piece.

They leaned back, closing their eyes. The sofa was gloriously soft… They could just drift off right here…

“... Shall I get you a blanket?” Liev’s tone was joking, but fond.

Quinn shook their head, sitting up properly. Now was not the time, no matter how comfortable they’d become. Liev might ( would ) be happy enough, but as lax as they were, Mama and Dad would have a heart attack if they asked to stay over at a boy’s house. 

Wait, how long had they been here, anyway? The brilliant sunlight had mostly faded from the living room, leaving everything awash in dullness. Quinn pulled out their phone from their pocket to check the time, and almost had a heart attack themselves.

“Oh crap ! It’s already almost six PM. I better get home!” They nervously chuckled, already dreading their parents’ (and especially Quentin’s ) teasing. “Wait, do you want me to help tidy up? I’m sorry I didn’t finish the biscuits, but–”

“It’s alright!” Liev waved them off. “I’m the host, so it’s my responsibility to clean up, but thank you!” He glanced out the window, evidently noticing the same thing they had. “Oh dear, you’re right. Are you sure you want to be walking home this late? Like I said, I don’t mind driving you at all. It just means we can spend a little more time together, which is always wonderful!”

That did sound like a good idea. “Okay, yeah.Hey, thank you so much.” Quinn pointed their gaze to their lap shyly. “Um, thank you also for inviting me over today. I really did enjoy it. And thank you especially for listening earlier. I just want you to know that I do still like you, even if we have to have these hard conversations sometimes.” 

“Quinn…” Liev sounded touched. The sofa shifted, his warmth approaching them once again. “Can I… Hug you again?”

Instead of answering, they turned and wrapped their arms around him, burying their face into his shoulder. After a gasp of surprise, Liev squeezed them back firmly, arms encasing their waist. He leaned down against their neck, hesitant, but Quinn just stroked his hair soothingly, allowing him to nuzzle closer.

“Quinn is so kind… So perfect…” he murmured. “I love you so much. I’m so happy that you’ve stayed this long.” His warm breath ghosting against their nape caused goosebumps to prick up, though the sensation was not unpleasant. 

Not really knowing how to respond, they simply held him some more, letting him (and themselves) revel in their shared contact for a little longer.

When they finally nudged him away (ignoring his typical whines of protest), Quinn could barely look at him, still a little mortified at their spontaneous boldness. 

They could practically feel Liev’s amused stare. “Aww, I almost feel hurt. Didn’t you just hug me? There’s no need to be so shy, you know...”

“Easy for you to say, Mr. ‘Can I Hug You Again’,” they deadpanned.

Liev laughed, the sound paradoxically clear and innocent. Boyish. Cute , even. “But I can’t help it! Just being around you makes me feel so warm inside. I want to share that warmth with you!”

And they hated to admit it, but that got a smile and snort out of them. 

Still. That someone as… offbeat as him could act so normal… Sometimes Quinn still couldn’t comprehend it. 

Perhaps these little moments would become the norm someday. Of course, that all depended on whether or not Liev could truly find some help.

But after today… Quinn was hopeful. Maybe he had a chance after all.

Springing up from the sofa like a charmingly demented jack-in-the-box, Liev turned and extended a hand towards them. “Come on, Quinn! The longer we keep your parents waiting, the more suspicious they’ll become!”

Their muscles moved faster than their brain; by the time they recognised the double entendre, they were already holding his hand. “Yeah, you’re– Oh my God, Liev.”

Liev was still chuckling over his dumb joke as he led them to his car.