The dining room buzzed with quiet conversation and the clinking of glasses as Noah and Liam entered the restaurant, their polished appearances giving no hint of the frantic rush it had taken to get there. The clients, seated at a long, elegant table, greeted them warmly, completely unaware of the near chaos leading up to this moment.

As they settled in, Noah took the lead, flashing his trademark smile. "Thank you all for taking the time to meet with us. I think you'll find tonight's discussion both exciting and productive."

Liam nodded, adjusting his tie as he opened the portfolio in front of him. "We're here to ensure every detail aligns with your vision. This project is a collaborative effort, and your feedback is essential." His tone was calm and professional, though his grip on the papers betrayed a slight tension.

Noah shot him a sidelong glance, quickly picking up on the stiffness in Liam's movements. While Liam was always composed, tonight's close call seemed to have thrown him off balance.

As the conversation progressed, the clients asked a series of detailed questions about the project specs. Liam answered the initial queries with his usual precision, citing figures and design details without hesitation. But as the discussion moved into more fluid territory—speculative ideas, hypothetical scenarios—Liam's focus faltered for just a moment. He glanced down at his notes, realizing with a jolt that he had misplaced the next page.

Before the clients could notice the brief pause, Noah smoothly stepped in. Leaning forward with an easy grin, he said, "What Parker's getting at is how this approach ensures long-term sustainability while still maintaining cost efficiency. We've designed the specs to not only meet current needs but to adapt to future challenges as well."

Noah's confidence and charisma immediately disarmed the room, shifting their attention away from Liam. One of the clients chuckled. "That's quite a vision, Mr. Greene. You make it sound effortless."

"Well, when you have someone like Parker handling the technical details, it almost is," Noah quipped, nudging Liam's arm under the table.

Liam forced a small smile, grateful for the assist even as his cheeks burned with embarrassment. Internally, he scolded himself for the misstep, hating the feeling of being anything less than perfect in a professional setting. But externally, his demeanor remained steady, giving no indication of his frustration.

The meeting continued, with Liam regaining his footing as the discussion returned to hard data and concrete plans. By the end of the evening, the clients seemed impressed, nodding in agreement as Noah and Liam outlined the next steps.

As the dinner wound down and the clients began to depart, one of them turned to Liam and said, "You two make quite a team. It's clear you balance each other out perfectly."

Liam nodded, offering a polite smile. "We aim to complement each other's strengths," he replied.

When the last of the clients left, Liam exhaled a quiet sigh, his shoulders visibly relaxing for the first time all evening. He ran a hand through his hair, the pristine strands falling slightly out of place. "That could have gone better," he muttered, his voice just loud enough for Noah to catch.

Noah lingered by the table, stealing a glance at Liam from the corner of his eye. Normally, he'd crack a joke to ease the tension, but something about Liam's expression—a flicker of self-reproach in his usually composed demeanor—kept him silent.

Instead, Noah fiddled absently with the edge of the folder in his hands. His usual confidence wavered as a knot of guilt began to form in his chest. He knew Liam was harder on himself than anyone else could be. And tonight, that pressure had bled through, even if no one else in the room had noticed.

Noah's mind wandered back to earlier in the day, to their detour through the city's streets. He'd been the one to pull Liam off-course, insisting they take time to enjoy the sights. He'd seen Liam relax, really relax, for the first time since they'd landed in London, and it had felt like a small victory. But now? Now he wasn't so sure.

Was this his fault? Had his impulse to show Liam a bit of his world caused the slip? Noah clenched his jaw, pushing the thought aside. No, he told himself. Liam isn't a robot. He deserved a moment to breathe, to experience something outside the endless grind of work. That's not a crime.

Still, a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that he'd inadvertently set Liam up to falter. And the idea of being the reason Liam's confidence had taken a hit twisted uncomfortably in his chest.

"Hey," Noah finally said, his voice softer than usual. He hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit. That dinner went fine. The clients were happy, and that's what matters."

Liam glanced at him, his eyes clouded with doubt. "Fine isn't good enough," he replied, his tone measured but strained. "It's my job to be prepared. I don't make mistakes like that."

Noah bristled at Liam's self-criticism, frustration bubbling up alongside his guilt. "You're not a machine, Liam," he said, a bit sharper than he intended. He softened his voice quickly, trying to smooth over the edge. "Look, no one noticed anything was off tonight. And even if they did, you handled everything like a pro. You always do."

Liam's lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't argue. Instead, he gave a curt nod, his gaze dropping to the polished table.

Noah wanted to say more, to tell Liam that he didn't have to carry the weight of perfection on his shoulders all the time, but something held him back. Instead, he offered a small, tentative smile.

"Besides," Noah added lightly, hoping to inject a bit of levity, "if it makes you feel any better, I was so impressed I almost forgot to flirt with the waitress. And that's saying something."

Liam's brow lifted slightly, the faintest trace of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Almost?"

"Hey, I said almost."

The tension between them eased, the air growing lighter as they gathered their things and headed for the door. But as they stepped out into the cool London night, Noah's thoughts lingered on Liam's earlier words.

For all his charm and laid-back demeanor, Noah had never been the type to dwell on what others thought of him. But with Liam, it felt different. He wanted Liam to see him as reliable, someone worth leaning on—not just the carefree guy who cracked jokes when things got tense.

As they hailed a cab, Noah resolved to be better, to balance their partnership in a way that let Liam breathe without fearing he'd fall apart. Because, for reasons he wasn't quite ready to name, Liam's confidence mattered to him more than he'd realized.