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Liam is freezing. Not just a light shiver on his back freezing but full on teeth chattering violently cold. He didn’t even know werewolves could get that cold. Desperately trying to get some feeling back into his fingers, he rubs his hands in front of his face, blowing warm breath onto them.
A snicker behind him stops his actions.
“I told you, you should have gone back to get your jacket Li...”
“Shut up Theo.”
Liam knows that it is November and that the trees are covered in ice every night, he knows that it’s technically too cold to be outside in just a hoodie and he really, really wanted to take his cosy, deliciously warm winter coat, but then he got distracted and now the jacket hangs on its hook in the Geyer’s entry way like it did since Jenna put it out for him last month.
Why does Liam run through the woods, on a cold November evening, only accompanied by a relentlessly teasing Theo and the chattering of his own teeth, one may ask now?
It’s all Nolan’s fault. The ex-hunter had picked up biweekly runs through the preserve to get in better shape and be able to play lacrosse with a bunch of supernaturally enhanced teenagers without dying after 10 minutes. On one of those runs he encountered a bunch of weird looking stick figures, hanging from a tree and a little fire place that looked suspiciously like the remains of a witch circle.
The way back had surely been a new speed record for poor Nolan.
Sadly, in his fear, he didn't remember where he found the stuff and so it was up to Liam and Theo to find the place and access a possible threat.
Because the preserve is pretty big they took advantage of the thanksgiving holidays and roped the older pack members into helping with the search.
Scott and Stiles, Lydia and Malia and even Derek who took Mason and Corey with him, were somewhere out in the dark too, trying to find “the Blair Witch” how Stiles had already baptized their newest monster of the week.
Liam certainly hopes they would find something soon, before he looses the feeling in all of his limbs.
Another shiver runs up his spine as he feels the wind breeze through the bare tree branches. Theo come out from behind a group of bushes where he apparently tried sniffing out the witches. A far too amused smile plays around his lips as he watches Liam.
“I really love this jacket Jenna bought me, you know? The goose downs keep the heat so well and I barely feel the wind. It’s almost too hot.”
Liam only growls at him, not sure he will be capable of an answer without stuttering through his trembling lips.
Half an hour later Liam can’t feel his toes or his fingers or his nose anymore, Theo made no less than 12 comments on how super cosy and warm his jacket is and they haven’t found a clue of even the littlest stick figure yet.
Just when he is ready to give up his phone rings and he needs three tries to take the call because the touchscreen doesn’t recognize his frozen finger as a body part anymore.
“H-hey Scott, what’s up?”
“Liam, where are you? We found Nolan’s witch puppets and it seems to be alright. Some Kind of protection spell Derek said.”
Thank god! I can go home.
“T-that’s really great S-scott. So we can g-go home?”
A long sigh is audible on the other end of the call. “Yes, but wait for us, I want to make sure everyone is alright, just in case we missed anything in this.”
Past complications certainly have made Scott more wary but Liam really wishes it wouldn’t show when he was more popsicle than werewolf.
After a quick confirmation he hangs up (just pressing the power button this time, no chances taken with the touch screen) and looks up to Theo.
“All-clear on the witches front, but Scott wants us to stay put because of a ‘safety check up'.”
Theo just rolls his eyes, he is still not much of a pack animal even if he responds better to authority than in the beginning now, and then turns around, calling over his shoulder: ”Come on little wolf! Don’t want you to loose a toe or your cute little nose over this waste of time!”
Despite the cold Liam feels a blush creeping up his neck. Cute nose? That was a thought for another time though, because Theo steadily walks towards the cars now, and even if the witches weren’t evil Liam has no intention of staying alone in the preserve.
The walk to where they parked Theo’s truck alongside the Jeep, Derek’s Camaro and Lydia’s convertible is too short to really warm up any body parts and so Liam is still shivering when Theo comes to a halt next to the vehicles.
His teeth are chattering again and he can feel Theo’s eyes on him, the Chimera looks like he is fighting himself for a short moment, then he takes a step towards Liam.
“I cant look at you anymore”, he grumbles while opening his jacket with impatient movements.
Liam stares at him, unbelieving that this meant what he thought it meant.
Theo just rolls his eyes, clearly annoyed with the beta's hesitation and steps closer until he could reach around his back. His arms snaking around Liam’s waist and their chests pressed flush together Liam feels the warmth seeping back into his body and so he swallows down his sass over Theo’s change of mind and just burrows his nose in the incredibly warm and steady shoulder in front of him.
They stand like that for what feels like hours, Theo’s hands steadily burning through the fabric of Liam’s hoodie while Liam himself presses his palms against Theo’s chest and burries his face under the jacket to soak up warmth. When the cold vanishes Liam’s brain finally starts working again and he can access the situation.
They are practically cuddling. He stands in the middle of the woods, cuddling Theo Raeken. The boy he first damned to hell and then brought back. The boy who hadn’t left his side since the war. The boy he had a crush on that was not only incredibly distracting but also increasingly hard to hide as is only grew with time.
“Why is your heart beating so fast?” Theo’s whisper nearly got lost with Liam immerged in his thoughts, but somehow he still hears it, but that doesn’t mean he has an answer. Instead he burries his face even deeper into Theo’s chest.
“Cold...” he mumbles.
Theo laughs again, this time more affection than mockery lies in it.
Before anyone can speak again, branches break behind them and a new voice sounds.
“Oh this is just great! We run through the woods all night, trying to save Beacon Hills once more and you two lovebirds put the monster hunt on hold to cuddle!”
A growl emerges from Liam’s chest as he frees himself from Theo’s embrace. His eyes already golden as he stalks towards the older boy, who despite being taller than the beta retreats a few steps at the sight of him.
“Stiles...” it comes out as a growl and the human raises his hands with a nervous chuckle. “Okay, okay, calm down anger boy – I was just trying to lighten the mood!”
Scott, every inch the true Alpha, steps forward and his presence alone is enough for Liam’s protruding fangs to vanish again.
“We just have to wait for Derek, Mason and Corey, then we finally can go and get some sleep”, Scott said and when Liam looked away from Stiles he noticed the girls coming out between the trees on the other end of the clearing. Scott and Stiles immediately start up a conversation with them and Liam stays behind, still trying to calm his anger.
Theo sneaks an arm around his waist, pulling him back in. “Its too cold with the open jacket” he mumbles in Liam’s ear as he settles into a comfortable position.
Liam already opened his mouth to say something like you know that thing has a zipper, right idiot? before he notices his mistake, bites his tongue and leans back against Theo’s chest instead.
And when they get thrown some knowing looks from Derek and a matching grin form Mason and Corey, as the three walk towards their group, Liam doesn't even feel any anger flaring up at their taunting, so comfortable is he in Theo’s embrace.