EPISODE 17: The Only Exception
1997 Words
The city had long settled into the rhythm of a Saturday night.
Restaurants buzzed with laughter.
Bars echoed with clinking glasses.
Nightclubs pulsed with booming music and flashing lights.
Yet, standing in front of the full-length mirror in his bedroom, Liam Asterion felt none of it.
His reflection stared back at him.
Calm.
Collected.
Handsome.
The same Liam everyone admired.
But behind those composed eyes was a storm he couldn't quiet.
He loosened the top button of his black shirt before buttoning it again.
Then he sighed.
"...I'm actually doing this."
He ran a hand through his neatly styled hair before letting out a dry laugh.
"If Adrian or Ryan ever found out where I'm going tonight..."
He shook his head.
"They'd think I've completely lost my mind."
Maybe he had.
For the past few weeks, Noah had become an uninvited guest in his thoughts.
During lectures.
During company meetings.
While driving.
Even while trying to sleep.
No matter what Liam did...
Noah found his way into his mind.
It wasn't just Noah's face.
It was the little things.
The way he smiled with his entire face instead of just his lips.
The way he thanked people over the smallest acts of kindness.
The way he apologized too much.
The way he cared about others before himself.
Liam had tried ignoring it.
He buried himself in university work.
He spent longer hours at Asterion Global Group.
He reviewed reports over and over again.
Nothing worked.
His mind always wandered back to the same person.
Noah.
Which brought him to tonight.
Liam wasn't going out looking for someone.
He wasn't going out hoping to replace Noah.
He simply wanted to understand himself.
Because if Noah had awakened feelings he'd never experienced before...
Then Liam wanted to know why.
With one last glance at himself, he grabbed his car keys and left.
---
Nearly forty minutes later...
Liam parked outside one of the most popular l***q+ clubs in the city.
The neon sign glowed brightly against the night sky.
People walked in laughing.
Some entered holding hands.
Others left wrapped in each other's embrace.
Liam swallowed.
For the first time in years...
He felt nervous.
Not because of where he was.
But because of why he was there.
"This is either going to answer everything..."
"...or make everything worse."
He stepped inside.
---
The music hit him first.
Heavy bass vibrated beneath his feet.
The dance floor overflowed with people moving freely beneath colorful lights.
The atmosphere was lively.
Warm.
Comfortable.
Liam made his way to the bar.
"A whiskey."
The bartender nodded before sliding the glass toward him.
Liam had barely taken his first sip when a cheerful voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Mind if I join you?"
He turned.
Standing beside him was a tall man wearing a leather jacket with an easygoing smile.
Liam gave a polite nod.
"Go ahead."
"I'm Chris."
"Liam."
Chris smiled.
"I don't think I've seen you around here before."
"It's my first time."
"I knew it."
Chris laughed.
"You've got that 'I don't know where to look' expression."
Despite himself...
Liam chuckled softly.
They talked.
About work.
About music.
About random things.
Chris was funny.
Easy to talk to.
Comfortable.
Then...
Chris casually rested his hand on Liam's forearm.
"If you don't have plans after this..."
"We could get to know each other somewhere quieter."
Liam looked down at the hand resting on his arm.
His heart didn't race.
His breathing didn't change.
There wasn't even the slightest flutter.
Instead...
His first instinct was to gently move away.
"I'm sorry."
Chris immediately understood.
"No spark?"
Liam smiled apologetically.
"I'm afraid not."
Chris shrugged with a friendly smile.
"Happens."
"No hard feelings."
He walked away without another word.
Liam watched him disappear into the crowd.
Then stared into his drink.
Nothing.
---
Maybe it was just Chris.
Liam wasn't ready to give up.
Over the next two hours...
He met another man.
Then another.
One confidently asked him to dance.
Another complimented his smile.
One even boldly slipped his phone number into Liam's shirt pocket with a wink.
Liam accepted every conversation.
He listened.
He replied.
He gave every interaction an honest chance.
Yet...
Every single time...
Nothing.
No excitement.
No curiosity.
No desire to stay longer than necessary.
Every smile directed at him...
Reminded him of another smile.
Noah's.
Every laugh...
Became Noah's laugh.
Every gentle touch...
Only made him remember the night Noah had unconsciously grabbed his shirt while crying in the club.
Liam shut his eyes.
"...Damn it."
His voice was swallowed by the music.
He had come looking for answers.
Instead...
He found one answer he couldn't escape.
No matter who stood before him...
His heart searched for only one person.
Noah.
---
Liam left the club shortly after midnight.
He didn't go home.
He couldn't.
His thoughts were too loud.
He drove through the sleeping city without a destination.
Traffic lights changed from red to green.
Cars passed.
People laughed outside restaurants.
Yet Liam barely noticed any of it.
His fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
"...What have you done to me, Noah..."
The words escaped before he could stop them.
He reached for his phone.
There was only one person he trusted enough to say this out loud.
He dialed.
The call connected almost immediately.
"Liam?"
Falcon Hayes sounded surprised.
"You never call this late."
"...Can we meet?"
Falcon instantly heard the seriousness in his friend's voice.
"Our usual place?"
"Yeah."
"I'll be there in fifteen."
---
The bar was quiet.
Soft jazz played through hidden speakers.
It was nothing like the noisy club Liam had just left.
Falcon was already seated in their favorite booth with two glasses waiting.
The moment Liam sat down...
Falcon frowned.
"You look terrible."
"I feel worse."
Falcon blinked.
"Now you've got my attention."
The waiter poured Liam a glass of whiskey before walking away.
Falcon leaned forward.
"So..."
"What happened?"
For several seconds...
Liam simply stared at the amber liquid.
Then quietly said,
"I went to a gay club tonight."
Falcon nearly choked on his beer.
"...You what?"
"I went to a gay club."
Falcon stared at him as if he'd grown a second head.
"Liam..."
"Out of everyone I know..."
"You are the last person I'd expect to hear say those words."
"I know."
"No..."
Falcon shook his head repeatedly.
"I don't think you understand."
"I've known you since high school."
"You've never even looked at another guy."
"So..."
"What the hell happened?"
That question lingered between them.
Liam slowly exhaled.
"There is someone."
Falcon's eyebrows rose.
"There is... someone?"
Liam nodded.
"A guy."
Falcon leaned back.
"Well..."
"I definitely wasn't expecting that."
A faint smile tugged at Liam's lips before disappearing just as quickly.
"I wasn't either."
Falcon folded his arms.
"Start talking."
Liam took another sip before beginning.
"His name is Noah."
"He is Ava's best friend."
"I met him a few weeks ago."
Then...
For the first time...
Liam told someone everything.
How he first met Noah in the kitchen.
How Noah unknowingly occupied his thoughts.
How he found himself looking forward to seeing him.
How work and school had become harder because Noah constantly crossed his mind.
How protecting Noah had stopped feeling like simple kindness.
By the time Liam finished...
Falcon was speechless.
"So..."
"The reason you walked into a gay club tonight..."
"Was because of Noah?"
Liam nodded.
"I needed to know."
"Know what?"
Liam looked directly at Falcon.
"I needed to know whether what I felt was because I was attracted to men..."
"...or because I'm attracted to just....."
He paused.
"Noah."
Falcon remained silent.
"So?"
Liam gave a defeated laugh.
"I talked to different people."
"I gave every conversation a chance."
"I wanted to be fair."
"But..."
"The moment they touched me..."
"I wanted them to stop."
"There wasn't a single moment where I felt what I feel whenever Noah is around."
Falcon slowly nodded.
Then...
Falcon leaned back in his chair, his fingers loosely wrapped around the neck of his beer bottle. He stared at Liam for a long moment before letting out a slow whistle.
"My friend..."
"You really did all that?"
Liam gave a tired nod.
"I needed to understand what was happening to me."
Falcon was quiet for a few seconds before speaking again.
"So let me see if I've got this right."
Liam looked up.
"You walked into that club because Noah made you question something you've never questioned before."
Liam nodded once.
"You spent the whole night talking to different guys."
"Yeah."
"You gave those conversations a genuine chance."
"I did."
"But not one of them made your heart move."
Liam's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Not one."
Falcon tapped the table thoughtfully.
"And yet the whole time..."
"You couldn't stop thinking about Noah."
Liam didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
Falcon chuckled softly and shook his head.
"You know what's funny?"
"What?"
"The answer wasn't inside that club."
Liam frowned.
"It was already waiting for you before you even walked through those doors."
Liam remained silent.
Falcon pointed a finger at him.
"Those men didn't make you feel what Noah makes you feel."
"Not because there was anything wrong with them."
"But because, for you, this has never been about finding just any man."
A small smile tugged at Falcon's lips.
"My friend..."
"I don't think you're interested in every man you meet."
"I think you've fallen for one man."
He let the words settle before continuing.
"And that one man just happens to be Noah."
Liam lowered his eyes to the whiskey in his glass.
A helpless smile escaped him.
"When you say it out loud..."
"It sounds crazy."
Falcon laughed.
"Maybe."
"But from everything you've told me..."
"It also sounds true."
Silence.
Long...
Heavy silence.
Finally...
Liam smiled.
A helpless smile.
"...I think you're right."
Falcon grinned.
"I know I am."
He took another sip before asking,
"So..."
"Does Noah know?"
Liam shook his head.
"No."
"And he won't."
"Not now."
Falcon frowned.
"Why?"
Liam's expression softened.
"Because Noah is trying to heal."
"He was with someone for two years."
"They built a life together."
"Then one day..."
"The guy told Noah he wanted space."
Falcon's smile disappeared instantly.
"...Seriously?"
Liam nodded.
"I met Noah after that."
"I've seen how hard he's trying to move forward."
"He laughs."
"He jokes."
"But sometimes..."
"I can still see the hurt behind his smile."
Falcon sighed deeply.
"Damn..."
"That kid really went through it."
Another silence settled over the table.
Then Falcon quietly asked,
"What if that guy comes back?"
Liam looked at him.
"What if he realizes he made a mistake?"
"What if Noah forgives him?"
Liam's fingers tightened around his glass.
He didn't answer immediately.
When he finally spoke...
His voice was calm.
Steady.
"If Noah chooses to give him another chance..."
"I'll respect that."
Falcon nodded slowly.
"But..."
Liam's eyes hardened with quiet determination.
"I'm not going to hide how I feel forever."
"I've spent too much of my life walking away."
"This time..."
"If I want someone..."
"I'm going to fight for them."
He smiled softly.
"Not by forcing Noah."
"Not by rushing him."
"But by showing him..."
"Day after day..."
"That I'll never be the reason he has to question whether he's loved."
Falcon stared at his best friend for a long moment.
Then a proud smile spread across his face.
"There you are."
Liam frowned.
"What?"
"The Liam I know."
"The man who never gives up once he's made up his mind."
He lifted his beer.
"I hope one day Noah realizes just how lucky he'll be."
Liam lifted his whiskey.
A faint smile curved his lips.
"So do I."
The glasses clinked gently.
And beneath the warm lights of the quiet bar...
Liam Asterion accepted a truth he had spent weeks running from.
Noah hadn't changed who he was.
He had simply become the one person capable of reaching a heart Liam had believed was closed forever.
- Writer
