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It started off simple with some missing flowers from old Mrs. Donovan's front yard, nobody thought of anything other than child's play.
Next were some weird incidents of freaked out drunks, rambling to Deputy Parrish about invisible walls they kept running into on their way home through the park; by now the pack had already acknowledged the possibility of something supernatural but since nothing really happened so far they stay on the side lines.
Since Scott and the older pack members left town for good a few weeks ago, Liam, as the acting Alpha leads the pack - for now consisting of Mason, Corey, Nolan, Alec and Theo.
“I just don't think we need to do really anything as of now?” Mason shrugs, “I mean, a few stolen flowers – bet it was a teenager to cheap to buy a bouquet for his girl...”
Next to him on the couch Corey hums thoughtfully, “I don't know... I have a weird feeling about this. Something is off.”
Both of them turn their heads to look at Liam, seemingly star struck from the responsibility of decision, he rubs his tired eyes.
“I don't know guys, we should just wait until Theo is back from his work trip tomorrow, surely he knows what this could be. He knows so much, maybe he can tell us what we are dealing with here.”
Mason's face changes, a sly smirk appearing on his lips, “Oh yeah, Theo... he was gone for a week. Do you miss him?”
“I don't know what you are talking about", Liam tries to fight his blush and keep his voice steady at the same time. He knows that the pack knows about the attraction he feels towards Theo, his crush that only grew into more after that one night a few weeks back... Liam shakes his head forcefully. No, not going there now.
He claps his hands to underline the topic change, “Alright guys, enough of this for now, you do remember that we wanted to study for the math test next week right?”
~♤~
When Theo turns on his phone on the way back to Beacon Hills, it nearly drains what is left of his battery when all the missed messages and calls come in. He quickly plugs it into his car, puts the mailbox on loudspeaker and speeds of towards home, his foot on the gas getting heavier and heavier with every voice mail Liam left him.
~♤~
Unicorns. Real fucking unicorns.
Theo rubs his eyes unbelieving but the off-white horse creatures with the pearlescent swirled horn on their heads are still there. They are currently scattered over the little league football field, peacefully munching away on the grass. The kids are torn between enthusiastically petting them, braiding the long manes and carefully touching the horns, overall the only scared people seem to be the teachers who stare at the children touching and talking to the air like they have seen a ghost.
Theo pulls out his phone.
“Liam? I think you should come to see this. Bring Corey.”
“Why are they touching the air?” is the first thing Nolan says when the pack arrives a good 20 minutes later, which causes Theo to raise his eyebrows but Corey is faster.
“Really? None of you can see them?”
“See what?” Mason steps up next to his boyfriend and Theo, the tablet that contains a new, updated version of the Beastiary in his hands.
The older Chimera swirls around, hands spread out, “The fucking unicorns!”
~♤~
Liam's head spins. Apparently unicorns really exist and apparently only virgins, the purest souls alive, can see them. And Corey, probably because of the chameleon thing... but it explains the children, at least. And the drunk people dodging against invisible walls.
There is only one question...
“Wait, why can Theo see them?”
Brett rolls his eyes as he turns to Nolan, “Well, you see Noley, if two – or more – people like each other very much, they might have sex. Which the unicorns don't like so they turn invisible. Theo can see them. He is also a psychotic asshole most of the time. Why do you think he can see them?”
Silence.
Then the whole pack turns to look at Theo.
Instinctively the Chimera takes a step back. “Hey! For my defence, I lived in the sewers for most of my life, under the control of the mecha-docs, it's not like I had tons of opportunities to get laid...”
Liam snorts but it comes out more bitter than expected.
“Oh please, who are you trying to fool? I can confirm that Theo isn't a virgin in any means-”
He stops, realizing what he just said before solving the situation in his preferred way. He turns around and leaves.
~♤~
“Liam! Liam wait!”
Mason sounds so out of breath already, poor human who plays no sport, so the beta slows down and faces his best friend. For a few moments nobody says a word, then Mason's quiet voice breaks the silence.
“Liam talk to me, I am you best friend, you know I wont judge.”
Liam sighs, avoiding the human's eyes once more in favour to rub his neck and contain his blush.
“You and Theo? Is this why you were being so weird about him earlier?” Mason presses further.
“Yes!”, Liam nearly shouts, “yes, okay, Theo and I had sex, one time a few weeks back. No, we are not together now. He clearly only saw it as a stress relief between friends because he hasn't said anything about the matter afterwards.”
“But,” Mason's voice is painfully empathetic now, “do you want there to be more?”
All of a sudden Liam feels his long supressed feelings bubble up and tears well up in his eyes. “Of course I want to! I felt this way since after the war and when he kissed me I was thinking, maybe, maybe he feels the same. But then he was gone when I woke up the next morning. Mason... Mason, I think I love him.”
The words hang in the air for a moment, spit out like they were burning Liam's tongue, then a third voice cuts through the silence.
“What?”
Liam's head snaps up, meeting Mason's guilty eyes, focused on something, or rather someone behind him. He turns around.
“Liam, is that true?” Theo asks again, stepping closer.
Liam swallows hard, his eyes flickering around like a caged animal searching for an out. There is non, with Mason in his back and Theo coming closer he has no choice.
“Of course it’s true, you idiot”, he grits out between his teeth, “I mean how could I not? You saved my life. Twice. You are my anchor, even though you are the cause of my anger more often than not”, he chuckles wetly before finally looking up to meet Theo's eyes, “I am sorry. You just wanted to be friends and I destroyed this first chance on a normal relationship because of my stupid-"
“Liam!” Theo cuts him off, he is way too close now, his hands framing Liam's face as he forces the beta to stay, “I don't want to be your friend.”
Liam's heart grows heavy but Theo isn’t finished.
“I don't want to be your friend, because how could I? You claim that I saved your life but in reality it was you who saved me. Not just from the literal hell but also from myself. I loved you since I first set my eyes on you, even if I didn’t knew it back then and I am sorry when I ever made you think otherwise.”
Nobody moves as Theo's words fade away then Mason clears his throat.
“So guys, that was really heart warming and all but we still got a football field full of unicorns over there...”
Liam chuckles and he leans forward to peck Theo's lips in the shyest of kisses, hesitating in his move to pull back until Theo chases his lips and kisses back. What was meant to be a ‘to be continued later' quickly turns into a full blown make out session and Mason sighs, realizing that neither Liam nor Theo would be of help any time soon.
~♤~
“Hey kids! You want to help me bring the pretty horses home?”