William parked the car and turned off the engine, his fingers still gripping the steering wheel. He glanced over at Luke, who was slouched against the seat, his eyes closed. William’s stomach tightened again, the uncertainty of everything between them weighing heavily on his chest. He had to make sure Luke was okay. They couldn’t just leave things hanging, not after everything that had happened.
"Hey," William said gently, nudging Luke's shoulder. "You ready to get inside? I’ll help you in, okay?"
Luke stirred a bit, his eyes fluttering open. He gave William a half-smile, though it was a little dazed. "Yeah, sure. I’m good. Just... you’re a really good friend, you know that?"
William’s heart skipped a beat. The words felt different coming from Luke. It wasn’t just casual; there was something deeper behind them, something that made William’s breath catch in his throat. But before he could respond, Luke pushed the door open, stepping out of the car a little unsteadily.
"Alright, alright," William said, moving quickly to steady him. "Let’s get you inside before you fall over, okay?"
Together, they made their way into William's apartment, Luke leaning on him more than William had anticipated. It felt intimate, in a way. The kind of closeness William wasn’t sure he was ready for. He led Luke to the couch and helped him sit down, making sure he was comfortable.
"Here," William said, grabbing a glass of water from the kitchen and handing it to Luke. "Drink this. It’ll help."
Luke took the water gratefully, gulping it down slowly. He glanced up at William, still with that soft smile, but now there was something more vulnerable in his expression. "Thanks for taking care of me, Will. I mean, you really didn’t have to."
William sat down next to him, feeling the weight of the moment. His mind was swirling with everything that had happened tonight, but he couldn’t ignore the way Luke was looking at him. The way the evening had shifted from awkward to something else—something unfamiliar and yet so familiar.
"Of course," William said, trying to keep his voice steady, but it was hard. "You’ve always been there for me. I’m not just gonna let you... well, mess things up for yourself."
As the quiet settled between them, Luke’s breathing slowed, and his body seemed to relax into the couch. William could hear the soft sound of Luke’s steady breathing, but his own thoughts kept racing. He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol, or the exhaustion from the long night, but something in the air felt charged. He glanced over at Luke again, watching him for a few moments, wondering if he should say something.
Suddenly, Luke stirred. His eyes opened slowly, focusing on William with a soft, almost dazed look in them. He pushed himself up just slightly, his movements sluggish but purposeful.
“Hey,” Luke said quietly, his voice sounding thicker than usual. “I need to tell you something.”20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaVkv80ia6
