Part One: Arthur & Blake at the Café
Blake sat by the window at the small campus café, tapping his fingers anxiously against the table. He hadn't expected Arthur to ask to meet him — especially not after the awkward moment at the bench. But when Arthur texted, "We need to talk. Just us," Blake didn't say no.
A few minutes later, Arthur walked in, his shoulders tight, his expression unreadable. He spotted Blake and walked over slowly.
"Thanks for coming," Arthur said as he sat down.
Blake nodded. "Yeah… sure."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Arthur leaned forward, eyes fixed on Blake.
"I'm not going to yell or make drama," Arthur began quietly. "I just need honesty."
Blake swallowed hard.
Arthur continued, "Are you serious about Liam?"
Blake blinked, caught off guard. "I… I don't know yet. I like him. I trust him. Being around him feels calm."
Arthur nodded, lips pressed together. "And seeing you with him today… yeah. It hurt."
Blake lowered his gaze. "Arthur…"
"You don't owe me anything," Arthur said, voice gentle but strained. "We're done. I accepted that. But I wasn't prepared to see you getting close to someone so soon. Especially someone as kind as Liam."
Blake winced. "I'm not trying to hurt you."
"I know," Arthur whispered. "But seeing you with him brought back a lot."
Blake lifted his eyes. "Are you… jealous?"
Arthur sighed. "A little? Maybe. But it's more than jealousy. I just want to know if Liam is going to go through what I went through."
Blake felt his chest tighten. "No. I don't want to repeat the past. I'm trying to figure things out the right way this time."
Arthur nodded slowly. "Good. Because Liam's a good guy. He deserves clarity."
Blake exhaled, staring into his coffee. "I know. And I'm trying."
Arthur stood. "Then don't hurt him like you hurt me."
He walked out before Blake could say anything else.
Blake sat frozen, Arthur's words echoing in his head — and feeling heavier than he expected.
Part Two: Arthur & Liam in Liam's Room
Later that afternoon, Liam heard a knock on his door. When he opened it, Arthur stood there, holding the straps of his backpack nervously.
"Can I talk to you for a sec?" Arthur asked.
Liam stepped aside. "Of course. Come in."
Arthur walked in slowly, looking around the small room before sitting on the edge of Liam's bed.
"I talked to Blake earlier," Arthur said quietly.
Liam felt his breath pause. "Oh."
Arthur nodded. "I'm not here to scare you off or warn you about him. It's not like that."
"Then what is it like?" Liam asked gently.
Arthur took a deep breath. "I just wanted you to know… Blake's complicated. Not bad. Not toxic. Just… complicated."
He offered a soft, sad smile. "I learned that the hard way."
Liam sat next to him. "So you two were close, huh?"
Arthur nodded once. "Yeah. We were. But we ended things because… we wanted different things in life. That's all."
Liam sensed that Arthur was purposely keeping the details light — protecting Blake, but also protecting himself.
Arthur continued, "Seeing you with him today surprised me. Not in a bad way. Just… unexpected."
Liam folded his hands in his lap. "I didn't know there was history between you two."
"You weren't supposed to," Arthur said. "No one was."
A moment of quiet passed.
Arthur turned to him. "Liam… just be careful. Not because Blake is dangerous or manipulative — he isn't. He's actually one of the most loyal people I know. But he struggles with things he never talks about."
Liam nodded slowly. "Thank you for telling me."
Arthur stood, adjusting his backpack. "I like you, Liam. You're easy to talk to. I don't want you getting hurt without warning."
Liam smiled softly. "I appreciate that."
Arthur walked to the door but paused. "And… if you ever need to talk about anything… I'm here."
Liam nodded. "I will. Thanks, Arthur."
When the door closed behind him, Liam let out a long breath.
Now he had pieces of both sides — Arthur's quiet sadness and Blake's confusion — and he wasn't sure what to do with any of it.
But one thing was clear:
Whatever was happening between him and Blake was more complicated than he first thought.