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Liam had used up all the balls. They all landed in the goal. It helped that mason was the one in goal. His friend had offered to stay back with him so he could give him a lift home after practice. And forever one to want to feel usefull, mason tried to be goalie But if anything that was just a little dangerous. Liam often didnt fully check his strength when pelting shots. But not wanting to actually hurt mason was good pratice for games to find shots around the goalie who also wouldnt appreciate the full stregth of a teen wolf.
The air was quiet. It was late. Everyone else would be home by now. But there was an unsettled feeling around that has liam on edge. He peered around by the forest outskirts and then to the bleachers. And there barely seeing it. Liam saw a glit of golden eyes. They were low. Hiding under the seats. But they were watching him.
"Mase, stay there." Liam warned. Trying to keep his voice calm as to not panic his friend.
"What is it what do you...." madon questioned cutting off his sentace when he also saw what liam was looking at. "Thats a wolf"
Huh deja vu much.
Liam drew his focus onto the wolf.
Double deja vu. That was the same wolf that chased them way back before mason knew about the whole werewolf thing. He sniffed the air focusing on the scent and chemosignals. He wasnt the best still at that. But the general vibes he could manage. The wolf felt calm. Nothing screamed stress or fear. Which was good. But the scent. Yhere was something farmiliar. There was earthy, woody tones and a comfort.
Liam sucked in a breath.
"Theo"
Mason was wide eyed next to him. Liam ignored it in favour of moving toward the wolf.
"What are you doing?" Madon whisper souted at him. Grasping for liam trying to stop him
"Its just theo" liam brushed him off
"Yeah theo formal evil guy who we havent seen since like the hospital and frankly he may still be a littke evil. Like maybe he was only with us coz we were all being hunted. You cant tell me you trust him li. "
That had liam pausing. Did he trust theo? He spent more time with theo than any one else in the pack combined and the whole time theo was there helping and givung him a space to figure shit out. Theo who used to never hesistate to hurt someone to get what he wanted but then was there constantly making sure liam never seriously hurt anyone. Theo who scott had called barely even human, but then treated liam with the most humanity surrounding his ied and anger.
There was no denying it really.
"Yeah, i do. I do trust him. He's gotta be here for a reason."
Liam walked on.
As he approached theo sat still still as a wolf. Liam got close and sat at eye level with him.
"What are you doing Theo?"
The wolf titled his head as if he was asking what, am i not allowed to be here?
"I'm sure your here for something. Your not one to beat around the bush whats up really. Do you need help with something?" Thatbmade the wolf almost look surprised. Did he really think liam wouldnt help him if he needed it?
"Come on take me to your truck and shift back. We'll talk" liam turned tobface mason. "Dude imma help theo out head home ok I'll get theo to give me a ride later ok"
Msson looked hesitant.
"You sure?"
Liam waved him off. He looked back at theo who was staring liam down at this point.
"What cat got your tounge. Or o guess wolf coz you know... anyway. Lead the way yea?" Liam subconsciously brought his hand up to ruffle theos ears. The wolf froze and liam panicked realising what he had done.
"Oh sorry habbit your like a massive dog with fluffy fur i just.." he started moving his hand away but stopped when theo moved and pratically nuzzled his head into liams palm.
Fuck thats cute.
They walked off the pitch together heading into the woods. Since liam had no idea where they were going he wasnt really paying all that much attention. But the quiet felt nice. Peaceful. It was interesting as much as theo sometimes pissed him off liam often felt safe around the chimera which all things considered was insane. But when was anything in his life sane.
Theo suddenly stopped. He tilted his head again and stiffened. Liam stopped too and listened around.
A gun cocked. Hunters. Liams eyes widened in panic but before he could do anything there was a weight pressed against him and pushing him to a tree. Theo had somehow shifted back into a Human and moved liam without liam even taking two breathes. Their eyes meet. Blue on green and liam stopped breathing alltogether. Theo lifted a finger to his mouth signaling to be quiet.
No shit asshole. But then liams mind wandered to more pressing issue.
Theo was very naked. And very pressed up against liam.
Trying to focus on sounds around him was proving to be very difficault. Youd think between being used to the boys locker room and hell even malia shifting, the nakedness wouldnt be an issue but this close was a whole other thing. All liam could see, feel smell was theo and his inner wolf was screaming safe safe safe. Liam was fighting every instinct he didnt know he had not to pull theo in more and surround himself in theo.
Theos arms caged him into the tree placed at his shoulder and hip of all places. Liam barely knew what to do with his own hands, but somehow they ened up on theos chest.
Theo then sighed and relooked at liam.
"They're gone" but he didn't step away nor move his hand if anything he held on tighter. Lism nodded. Refusing to break contact first. Theo scanned liams appearance. As if checking for injures. Once he saw that liam was ok he leant forward a bit. His head dipped and landed on liams shoulder and he tilted his head a bit to bury his nose in liams neck. Liam moved his hands with that movent circling the up to wrap around theos neck.
He doesnt know why he did this. Adrenaline, instinct. But it was over as soon as it atarted
Theo moved back and re-evaluated where they were.
"C'mon. Trucks close." And they walked again. Like nothing happened. Well almost like nothing happened. Theo kept looking over his shoulder. To check if liam was still there. He looked nervous. Thats was a knew ish look on him. So again without thinking liam walked in step with theo and brushed his arm lightly against the other boys.
That had theo stiffening again. Liam had always been a tactile person. But he guessed that theo really wasnt used to that. Maybe he didnt find comfort in thw touch. He was about to step away when theo suddenly slipped his hand into liams. Fingers intertwining and dragged him along to wherever his car was. Liams wolf was practically purring in delight at the contact and to be fair, liam was too.
They reached the car in no time. Theo opened the back and grabbed a duffle bag in which he found shorts and a shirt. Liam turned away then to not watch theo get dressed
"Aw dont get shy on me now little wolf. You've already seen it all." Theos voiced teased
"Shut it asshole" liam snapped back no real heat to it
That just hot theo to laugh.
What the fuck.
Liam spun around quickly. Theo lauguing. Like full on happy laughing. He had to see it.
Theo noticed that liam was staring.
"What am i not allowed to find that funny?"
"I'm just surprised to see you express an emotion other than broody"
"Uh huh."
"Anyway what did you want anyway. Or was mason right and you did drag me out here to kill me."
"Do you really believe id want to kill you?" He asked suddeningly serious again.
Liam exhaled
"No"
They couldnt stop staring at eachother. Both waiting for the other to say something more. Theo finally gave.
"I didnt really need anything i just wanted to check in on you." Theo confessed
"Check in...you were worried about me?" Liam asked slightly surprised "after the whole hospital thing i wasnt even sure you were still around. I mean leaving would have made sense. Not that i wanted you gone..i mean...just that you were free why'd you stick around?" Liam was rambling now. Getting more and more flustered the more he talked. Theo just smiled at him.
"I could have. I was sorting through some emotion stuff i was dealing woth post...everything"
Gabe, saving me. Everything huh
"I smiffed out some hunters here in the preserves and i thought i needed to tell someone so I came to you" he paused. "I didnt think I'd get to show you a live presentation but alas hunters. What do we wanna do about them?"
"We?" Liam latched onto.
"Yes we I'm guessing you wouldn't wanna drag the others into this. The puppies i mean not scott abd them. They're not here anyway. Me and you we can handle it. Unless you wanna do it alone?"
"No!" Liam jumped in. Shit that was kinda loud.
"I mean. Yeah we make a good team we've got this"
Liam hadn't noticed but he had stepped forward in that exclamation. They were so close that liam could feel theos breath. The calmness washed over him again
Theos own heart skipped then
"You keep doing that."
"Doing what?" Liam asked his turn to tilted his head in question like a puppy.
"Being close then calming down i don't get it normally i bring out anger of you"
Liam hummed contemplating the statement
"True but that was half to due with the anukite and half to do with you pishing me to an outlit" theo flinched slightly at that "yeah you werent as stuble as you think. You wanted to help and you did."
"Liam" theos voice was strained.
"Yeah ive got you all figured out. You care about me and what heppens to me. It started during the ghost riders i didn't really realise till you showed up again at the hospital. But then you ran. Why?"
He wanted to be sure he thinks he knows where this was going but needed theo to admit it. He watched theo. Watched a bunch of colourful emotions passed over his face. It was mesmerising.
"Liam please. You have to know" theo started slowly moving his hand to cup the betas jaw. "It was so kuch. Im was so used to...my whole life one emotion at the time but saving you taking his pain it was overwheming i was always gonna come find you i just needed to.." he trailed off.
Liam smiled thats all he needed. He tilted his head up and brushed their lips together. Slow at first then theo exhaled and they were moving. Both grabbing onto eachother anyway that they could. Getting as close as possible. Drowing in eachothers scents and just feeling everything
The rest could be figured out later. But for now they just were.