Liam’s living room smelled faintly of cedar and fresh coffee, a cozy scent that should have been comforting. But today, it carried a weight, an undercurrent of something unspoken. Ethan had just returned from months abroad, his PhD finally completed, and the moment he stepped into the house, the air seemed to shift.
“Liam,” Ethan’s voice was warm but carried that easy confidence he always had—the kind that made him seem untouchable. He dropped his bag by the couch and stretched. “Feels weird being back. Feels like I blinked, and—bam—I’m home again.”
Liam laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. “We’ve missed you, man. The place hasn’t been the same without you tripping over my messy kitchen or stealing my snacks.”
“You mean without me judging your cooking and silently wondering why you li
