After Dark

Thirty-one

He had been fine. The entire time, Liam had been fine. They acted as though nothing happened, and he was okay.

He couldn't stop grinning the entire time. Ian had a big grin too. They had to take separate cars on the way back home though. Ian and Ember had to ride with Javi and Lucas while Liam, Paige, and Izzy had to go with Chris.

Liam hadn't had any major issues with this. They dropped Izzy off first and then took him home. He said goodbye to them and then ran inside, sneaking back up to his bedroom. It was nearly two in the morning by the time he got done with his shower and changing out of wet clothes.

It wasn't until he sat on his bed that the gravity of the situation hit him.

Ian had kissed him. Ian had kissed him in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain, while they were standing in a random parking lot.

Part of him wishes that was all a part of his overactive imagination. Perhaps he had just been watching too many shows lately. However, that didn't really make sense because he didn't even like Ian like that.

Well, he must've if he kissed him. He did realize that he kind of favors Ian over the rest of the group and he really likes being around him. Is that from liking him?

Liam's never had a crush before. He doesn't know how these things work. What does it mean to have a crush? What does someone do with their crush?

Well, he could guess that they might kiss them in the rain.

So, maybe he has a crush on Ian. That's good to know. That's not even what worries him the most about this situation. Ian kissed him.

He doesn't think that was a dream. Hell, part of him hopes it wasn't. If he's hoping it wasn't a dream then he must actually have a crush on him, he guesses. He assumes so anyway, he's never hoped anyone had kissed him before.

Wait, fuck, no this can't be happening. He likes Ian, and not just in a romantic way. He likes having him around. What's gonna happen now?

He can't get too hysterical. Ian could still come over when he can't sleep and they can still have movie marathons while he introduces Liam to shows and movies he's never heard of before. They could still be normal, maybe. Hopefully.

But what if they weren't? What if Ian never speaks to him again? What is he gonna do? He needs Ian. Ian helps him feel normal. Ian makes him feel like his whole life isn't going to go to shit after be turns 18 and gets disowned by his parents, or whatever is going to happen.

Liam sits on his bed and rests his elbows on his knees so he could use his hands to cover his face. This is bad, isn't it? He shouldn't have kissed Ian. As he's wallowing in his own frustration, a realization hits him.

Ian kissed him.

Holy shit, why'd Ian kiss him? If he ignitiated it does that mean that it doesn't all stop and they'll still be friends? He doesn't even wanna think about the possibility of anything other than friends at the moment. He just doesn't want him to leave.

What if Ian hates him?

Wait, why would he hate Liam? People don't normally kiss people they hate. Unless he only kissed Liam in the heat of the moment and his brain was all foggy so he wasn't thinking. That makes Liam a weirdo for kissing back doesn't it?

At least, he thinks he kissed back. It's a flash but also moving in slow motion at the same time.

Yeah, he definitely kissed back. He hopes he didn't suck, he's never kissed someone before. He doesn't even know how he did that.