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Theo walked into the house which he assumed was empty for the evening. Liam was supposed to be at practice and his parents were out of town for the weekend. So when he heard a heartbeat coming from up the stairs and tensed up a bit. But when he finally made it up the stairs and into Liam's bedroom where the sound was coming from, he found Liam fast asleep on the bed.
He sighed and smiled at the sight of the beta sprawled out on the covers, one leg hanging off the bed. He set down his bag quietly and slipt out of his shoes before climbing onto the bed discretely. He laid down next to Liam and just watched him breathe. It was so peaceful when it was just the two of them. Since he'd moved in with Liam and his family, he'd actually gotten to be with him a lot recently. Probably more than he'd ever been with anyone.
The Geyer's house only had two bedrooms but Liam very willingly shared his with Theo. He didn't really have much of a regard for his own or anyone else's privacy anyways so it wasn't that big of a deal to him anyways. The first few nights they shared a bed and Theo's wolf loved every second of it, being close to someone who cared. He wasn't even afraid of having nightmares like he did every night. Just having Liam so close seemed to chase them away.
Liam's parent's felt bad for Theo having to share a bed with Liam because they knew he was such a bed hog. So they rearranged Liam's room a few days into Theo staying there declaring his stay permanent. They put a brand new bed by the wall with brand new bedding and everything. Theo thanked them and told them repeatedly that they didn't have to but the Geyers wouldn't have any of that.
That night Theo had his first nightmare since moving in with Liam. Theo loved his new bed but... he loved his new friend a lot more.
Theo couldn't help himself but brush a locke of Liam's hair out of his face. The moment his fingers gently graced the other boy's forehead he awoke. Liam stirred pealing his eyes open to see who was there and relaxed when he saw Theo. "Hey."
Theo smiled running his fingers through Liam's hair a little. "Hey. I thought you had practice tonight."
Liam nodded. "Yeah. But it got canceled cause everybody on the team caught some nasty flu bug." Liam stirred some more and stretched snuggling further into his pillow.
"I guess it's good to be a werewolf, huh?"
Liam shrugged. "Yeah. That's definitely a plus. But I ruined another pair of gloves today."
Theo propped his head up using his elbow to support him while he looked down on Liam still fidgeting with the boy's hair. "What happened?"
Liam shifted on the bed so he was closer to the Chimera and sighed. "My IED just flared up and got the better of me." Liam turned his head up to Look into Theo's eyes. "And I didn't have you there to talk some sense into me."
Theo's lips turned up into a small grin. "But no one got hurt?"
Liam shook his head. "Just the gloves. Fifty dollars down the drain again." Liam carefully placed his hand on Theo's side and brushed their knees against each other. "You should come to my practices and just be there for when I get angry since Scott is gone now."
Theo didn't say anything, just smiled and moved on. "So how are things with Nolan?"
Liam shrugged. "Well, he still makes me angry but... we're working things out. I guess I just realized that you and him aren't that different." Theo raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. "OK. Not in your personalities. No. But he was once an enemy too. But he is a lot sweeter than you."
Theo scoffed and rolled onto his back looking at the ceiling. "I thought I was being sweet just now?"
Liam threw an arm around Theo's belly and scooted closer. "You are sweet. But you're also an asshole."
"How was I being an asshole just now?"
"You weren't," said Liam frustrated.
"Then why did you call me an asshole?"
Liam sighed. "I wasn't talking about now. I was just saying in general. Mostly when we're around other people."
"Am I not supposed to be?" Theo asked in an almost whiny voice.
"No, it's fine," said Liam. "I was just making an observation. I'm not asking you to change."
"Do you want me to change-"
"Theo," Liam warned, tiredness still in his voice. "You've already been changing so much recently. I think you just need to get comfortable with yourself. No more change. Not yet."
Theo was silent for a few seconds. "What about us?"
"Us?" Liam asked hesitantly.
"I mean... we're not always going to be like... whatever this is, are we?" Theo turned on his side facing Liam. "I'm not even sure what we are but I hope it doesn't stay like this forever."
"No..." Liam said reaching a hand up to grab Theo's. "Maybe that's the only thing you need to worry about changing right now. But don't think of it as change."
Theo's fingers danced with Liam's as his eyes happily looked into Liam's. "Then what do I think of it as?"
Liam shrugged biting his lip. "How about growing? We can grow closer, get to know each other and whatever this is in time."
Theo got a big grin on his face and nodded. "Yeah. I like that."
"Yeah?" asked Liam.
Theo nodded making Liam smile really big.
"Are you hungry?" Theo asked a few minutes later.
Liam cocked an eyebrow at him. "I'm always hungry."
"Can I take you on a date?" Theo asked with a hopeful expression on his face. Theo couldn't remember the last time he felt hope that wasn't false and it felt good.
Liam's smile fell away and his heart fluttered, a pink color rising to his cheeks. "...yeah," Liam whispered quietly and nervously. He swallowed. "Right now?"
"Well, what better time to feed you than when you're hungry?" Theo said answering Liam's question.
Liam smiled again and laid on his back. "OK," he said nonchalantly. "But what do we tell other people?"
"We'll take our food to-go. I have a special place in mind." Theo sat up and got up from the bed. "Bring a blanket or two."
Liam and Theo had gotten burgers, fries, and milkshakes at a local diner before Theo drove them onto the preserve. Liam didn't think much of it until Theo drove off of the path and put his truck in 4-wheel drive. "What are you doing?"
Theo grinned at Liam mischievously. "What? Off-roading make you nervous, little wolf?"
"No," said Liam crossing his arms and pouting.
Theo smirked. "Well, hold on tight, pup. It's a pretty rough ride up to the top."
"The top of what?"
It took Theo fifteen minutes to drive his truck up to the top of the mountain and park it. He chuckled at how tense Liam was at first. Eventually, Liam let go and have fun. Once at the top, Theo parked his truck and smiled at Liam. "You ever done that on a date?"
Liam looked right back at him with a playful smile. Liam wasn't sure he'd smiled like that since before he became a werewolf. "I haven't."
They climbed onto the bed of Theo's truck and cuddled up in the blankets with their food. From the top of the mountain they could see the sun setting over the horizon and all the little lights of Beacon Hills sparkling in the distance. They sat side by side with a blanket underneath them and one on top, each with their food in their lap taking bites at they watched the sunset.
Liam ate a french fry and took a sip of his milkshake. "You know, Theo..." Liam said breaking the silence. "This is probably the best date I've ever been on."
Theo smiled look into Liam's eyes as the sun just finished going over the horizon. "Me too." Theo ate a french fry and bumped his head against the back window of his truck. "I haven't been on many dates though to begin with. Or any for that matter."
Liam squinted. "Really?" Theo nodded. "I guess dating wasn't something the Dread Doctors were to concerned about anyways, huh?"
Theo shook his head. "They didn't want me to date. To much emotional attachment, I guess. I didn't ever want to let them down but..." Theo examined his burger and pulled out a big chunk of tomato and set it on the wrapper. "...I'm really glad I did in the end cause otherwise, I'd still be rotting in hell."
Liam wanted to talk serious with Theo but he was very distracted by the tomato. "Um..." Liam shook his head. "I think it just took you a while to realize you weren't actually thinking for yourself. You let them do it for you."
Theo shrugged. "I don't know, Liam. A lot of the things I did, I wanted to do. They just enabled me."
Liam shook his head. "Yeah but everyone grows up with a family that teaches them how to think of others and how your actions effect them. You didn't really have a loving family growing up like the rest of us."
Theo still kinda picked at his burger. "I still mess up."
Liam shook his head again with a smile this time. "No, Theo. You're still learning. Just like me."
Theo rolled his eyes and let out a faint chuckle. "You sound like Scott." He took a bite of his burger and watched Liam get all flustered over the comment. When he was finished chewing he leaned in and spoke into Liam's ear. "It kinda suits you."
Liam just frowned and gave Theo that adorable pouty look on his face making Theo start laughing. Laughter was a beautiful thing when it came from Theo. "Dude, why'd you take out your tomato?"
"Cause I don't like tomatoes," said Theo.
"I love tomatoes," said Liam as if he were offended.
"Does it hurt your feelings that I don't like tomatoes or something?" Theo asked perturbed. "Here. If you love them so much, why don't you eat it?" Liam hesitated before taking the tomato slice and eating it. "There problem solved. Now, whenever we get burgers you can have my tomatoes."
"And you can have my pickles," said Liam.
"Pickles?" Theo questioned.
"I don't like warm pickles," said Liam opening up the wrapper than once help his burger and revealed five pickle slices.
"But you like cold pickles?" Theo asked squinting slightly confused. Liam nodded. "Who only like cold pickles and not warm ones? You're so weird." Theo reached for the pickles and ate one.
"Who doesn't like tomatoes?"
"Lots of people," answered Theo. "And these pickles aren't even warm anymore."
"Oh," said Liam reaching for them. "I'll eat them then-"
Theo smacked his hand. "We made a deal. You gotta hold your end up. I get your pickles."
The boys chatted and goofed around in the back of the truck for another ten minutes before Theo walked Liam to the edge of the mountain and sat, both of them curling up in a blanket to protect them from the wind. They pointed out the various familiar places; the hospital, the school, the Sherif's station. "Beacon Hills looks so small from up here," Liam said.
"Beacon Hills is small," said Theo bitterly.
"You know what I mean," Liam nudged him.
"Distance makes things look smaller." Another nudge. "I don't know what you mean."
"Just think of all the really big problems Beacon Hills has brought us, all the really horrible things that have happened here," Liam said. "It's such a small place for all the trouble it deals with." Theo stared at Liam amused. Sometimes this boy was just so impressive. "What?" asked Liam feeling odd.
Theo shook his head. "Nothing..." Theo cleared his throat and looked away before looking back at Liam with an embarrassed smile. "You're just... stunning sometimes. That's all."
Liam didn't really know how to respond to that. He just sat there staring at Theo, Theo staring right back. It wasn't uncomfortable in any way. Liam bit his lip unintentionally drawing it to Theo's attention. Liam blushed realizing what had happened and found himself looking at Theo's lips subconsciously. He didn't resist whatever it was that was urging him closer to Theo. He moved with it and soon their noses were touching, their minds were both racing and blank at the same time.
When their lips met, everything seemed right. There was a peace neither of them had felt before that moment, a silence that they wished wouldn't have to end, a calm that they didn't want to turn into a storm. There was happiness without worry and hope without fear. It was something Theo had never even had a glimpse of. He didn't even know it was possible until it was happening.
They slowly parted their lips from each other opening their eyes for the first time since that kiss. If Theo didn't know what love was before, he sure did now. "Wow..." Theo said breathlessly.
Liam was in the same condition but with a big smile on his face. "Let's go home."
Theo nodded and they made their way back to the truck. Theo started the truck finally starting to process what had just happened. He turned to face Liam, eyes watering from all the excitement. "So, are you gonna ask me out on our next date or do you want me to?"
Liam smiled playfully and sort of bounced in his seat. "No. We have to take turns. It's more fun that way."