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Mason’s always been pretty sure Liam was straight; he knows his best friend better than anyone else, has pretty much resigned that being in love with him was just going to be something he dealt with for the rest of his life. Sure, he cracks jokes all the time to Liam about finding him the perfect guy or whatever, but it’s just a way to deal with what Mason knows is going to be his forever unrequited feelings.
So it takes Mason completely by surprise when Liam seems to have developed the hugest crush on Scott McCall.
They’re at the mall, and Liam is contemplating his reflection in the mirror, trying on a distressed denim jacket. “What do you think?” he asks.
"It looks good, dude," Mason says. "You should get it. It’s kind of a little out of your usual style, but I think it’s a good direction."
Liam turns, eyeing the American flag patch on the shoulder. “Scott has one,” he says, blushing and looking at his feet.
Oh.
"I mean, do you think he’d be flattered if he saw me wearing it? Or what if he thinks I’m copying him…or what if we wear it on the same day to school and we end up matching?"
Mason sets down the pile of rejected jackets on a nearby table harder than he expected. He’s not really sure what’s happened this year, knows Liam has been keeping something from him, and has been patiently waiting for him to be comfortable enough to talk about it, knows they’ve been getting closer to broaching— whatever it is. Mason’s had lots of theories, sure, a lot of them have tried to figure out why Liam’s started hanging out with Scott all of a sudden, but a simple crush never occurred to him.
"Look," Mason says carefully. "You know that I support you a hundred and ten percent, no matter what, right? And I’m not gonna push you to define it or whatever, but it’s totally okay to have feelings for Scott. He’s really nice, plus he’s like one of the hottest guys at school, so." Mason wonders if telling Liam he has good taste in guys might be too much, but he’s got to play up the supportive friend role. He’s not jealous, not really; he’s sure everyone probably has a crush on Scott McCall at some point. But Mason is sure as hell disappointed that this is definite proof that Liam doesn’t feel the same way about him now; that all those lingering glances that he thought might have been something, and that bubbling hope inside his gut every time Liam had lingered on a hug, cuddled up to him during their sleepovers… it all just kind of fizzles away.
"Scott is amazing," Liam says, eyes glazing over. He takes off the jacket, folding it up.
"Yeah," Mason agrees. "Um…you know he’s dating Kira Yukimura, right?" Liam’s gotta know, Mason saw him eating lunch with all of them the other day. "I mean, I’m not telling you who to you can and cannot crush on, but—" Okay, actually now that Mason thinks about it, what McCall had said in the gym the other day, if you don’t want to be with us, that’s okay, sounds a lot like— he was inviting Liam to be part of a polyamorous triangle of something, and whoa, how could Mason could have missed that? He must have been too focused on Liam almost getting hurt to realize what actually was happening.
"Wait, why do you think I have a crush on Scott?"
"Dude," Mason says. "You talk about him all the time. You make hearteyes at him without even realizing you’re doing it, and you’ve started hanging out with his little pack—"
"What? It’s not a pack!" Liam says nervously.
"Pack, gang, whatever," Mason says. "I just wish you could have felt comfortable telling me this without you know, all this secrecy and making me feel left out and stuff. I know it might be weird since we’re best friends and I’m already out at school, so people might think if you— yeah, I get why you probably didn’t want people assuming we were dating or anything."
Liam furrows his brow at him. “Why are you talking like getting assumed that I was dating you would be a bad thing? You’re awesome, man.”
Mason shrugs off the compliment. “I know I am,” he says easily. He punches Liam on the shoulder playfully. “But like, if you want to date Scott, or like, date Scott and Kira, it’s totally fine with me.”
Liam looks a little lost now. “Scott is— Scott’s my al—” Liam stumbles a little on his words, wringing the jacket in his hands. “He’s always there to help me, you know? Just— um, he’s like mentoring me in stuff, you know for my anger issues, and he’s been really helpful.”
Mason thinks the inflection isn’t really right for always to be the word Liam was about to say, but whatever.
Liam tilts his head, thinking hard. “Um… if I was out at school, would you think it was weird… if people thought we were dating or whatever?”
"You know me," Mason says. "I don’t care what people think."
Liam huffs and puts the jacket under his arm. “I always thought I’d be cramping your style,” he says. “I figure you wouldn’t be able to meet your dream guy if everyone thought we were together.”
"I’ve already met my dream guy," Mason mutters under his breath. They’re walking over to the cash register now so Liam can pay for his jacket, but Liam turns suddenly to look at him as if he heard what he just said. But that would be impossible, right?
Mason finds out about werewolves on a Tuesday.
They’ve just finished losing a game to Timbald Hills, and Mason was planning on taking Liam out for a post-game celebratory Denny’s run, and he still plans to even though the Cyclones lost. He’s a good best friend, knows when Liam needs cheering up. Guy’s been under a lot of stress lately.
But when the team leaves the locker room, scattering across the parking lot to their own cars and to various parents, Liam isn’t among them.
Mason catches Stiles Stilinski by the sleeve. “Hey, where’s Liam?” he asks.
"Oh, uh, Scott’s giving him a pep talk," Stiles says.
Pep talk. Right. Well, Mason’s really good at those. He brushes past Stiles and heads into the locker room, confused when Stiles darts in front of him. “Hey, wait, you can’t go in there!”
"Why not?" Mason retorts, narrowing his eyes. He pushes past Stiles, curiosity and worry getting the best of him.
By all means, it’s not what he was expecting when he walks to the last row of lockers. He expected, with a heavy heart to find Liam confessing his crush or something, and he bitterly conjures up multiple images of them making out fervently against the lockers.
Instead, he finds Scott hunched over what looks— looks like Liam, except his brows are protruded and his eyes are glowing and are those fangs coming out of his mouth?
Liam is growling, body shuddering, and Scott is patting him on the shoulder, saying comfortingly, “It’s okay, it’s just the full moon, just focus on your anchor.”
"Liam," Mason says, shocked and frozen; he can’t look away. What’s happening?
Liam catches sight of Mason standing there, and he’s still shaking, but he’s staring back, and Mason doesn’t know what’s happening but he’s here for him, however he needs.
"What’s going on?" Mason asks.
Scott turns to look at him, not taking his hands off from where they’re still holding onto Liam supportively. It looks like he’s thinking fast, and then Stiles says quickly from behind Mason, “Oh, um, Liam’s joined our LARPing group and he’s allergic to this mask we’re trying out for our upcoming—”
"We’re werewolves," Scott says simply. "Stiles, I thought you were—"
Stiles shrugs. “Kid’s fast, what can I say.”
"What’s happening, is Liam okay?" Mason asks.
"He just got upset after we lost the game. Liam’s been getting really good at control but I guess with the full moon and then the other team making fun of that last goal he missed, it got to him," Scott says quietly. "Come on Liam," Scott says soothingly.
Liam’s gaze hasn’t left Mason since he got here, and Mason crouches down next to Scott, taking Liam’s other hand. There are claws protruding from his fingers, hooked and dangerous looking, but Mason isn’t scared at all. “Hey,” he says, looking Liam straight in the eye. I’m here for you, he means, and he knows Liam knows it from the tone in his voice, the way he always knows exactly what Mason means.
The claws recede, and then Liam’s face slowly shifts back to usual, brow disappearing and the fangs retracting. Liam blinks once, and then his eyes aren’t glowing golden yellow anymore. “Mason,” Liam gasps, curling his fingers around Mason’s own. “You…?”
Scott and Mason help Liam to his feet. He’s a little sweaty but otherwise seems alright. “So, werewolves,” Mason says, raising his eyebrow.
Liam laughs nervously. “Yeah… I wanted to tell you earlier, I just didn’t know if you’d…”
"I think it’s awesome," Mason says, and Liam’s face breaks into a smile. "I mean, there are pros to go with the accidental wolfy-face, right?"
"Strength, healing, enhanced hearing," Stiles says, ticking off abilities on his fingers.
"Wait, how long have you been…?"
Scott gives him a quick account of what happened at the hospital, and Mason doesn’t miss the lingering hug he gives Liam or the way Liam presses his face into Scott’s shirt.
Wait, if Liam’s been a werewolf since then, that means he must have heard what Mason said last week at the mall. He knows.
Mason gets pulled into a grateful hug as well, Liam’s arms warm as they circle around his back. “Thank you,” Liam says. “I mean, um, you being here. Helped me come back. You’re… um…” he trails off, pulling back from the hug.
Scott gives Liam a knowing smile. “It’s okay, Liam, you don’t have to tell him everything right now.”
What is that supposed to mean?
Scott pulls out two helmets from his locker, handing one to Liam. Liam takes it, and then glancing up at Mason apologetically. “Sorry, I know you said pancakes after the game no matter what, but I’m really tired.”
"That’s alright," Mason says easily. They leave the locker room, thoughts spiraling quickly through his head. Liam is a werewolf. Mason’s not sure if this is a better explanation for all the weirdness that’s happened recently than the crush-on-Scott-McCall theory. In fact, Mason thinks, as he watch Liam climb on the back of Scott’s dirtbike and loop his arms around Scott’s waist, it’s probably still true.
"It doesn’t get any easier," Stiles says, standing next to him.
"What, the werewolf thing? I didn’t think so," Mason says.
"No," Stiles says, turning to give Mason a critical eye. "Being in love with your best friend."
"Alright, wendigos, bezerkers, scary mouthless assassins… what else is there?" Mason asks.
Liam shrugs. “I dunno, there’s a lot of stuff,” he says as his character K.O’s Mason yet again. “Lydia is a banshee, and Kira is a fox, too,” he adds.
"So, what is like, Scott the team captain of the supernatural club or something?" Mason asks, setting down the game controller.
Liam just sighs, getting that dopey look in his eyes whenever he talks about Scott. “He’s the alpha,” he says, admiration filling his voice.
"Uh huh," Mason says. "You tell the alpha yet about your big fat crush on him?" he teases.
"What? No, it’s not like that," Liam says, chucking a piece of popcorn at him, and then another when Mason opens his mouth, goading him on. The next few pieces actually do land perfectly in his mouth. Werewolves, man. Not to be outdone, Mason upends the bowl of popcorn on Liam’s head.
When the laughing and shrieking and popcorn throwing dies down, Mason wipes some fake butter grease off his shirt and shakes his head when Liam picks grabs him with one arm and hauls him off the floor.
"Alright, showoff," Mason says. "I’m just sayin’, ever since I got in the know, you haven’t stopped talking about Scott and how awesome he is."
"That’s because he is,” Liam says. “I just… I don’t know how to explain it, okay? He’s important to me, but like, it’s not romantic, you know?”
It must be a werewolf thing because Mason doesn’t get it. The lingering hugs, the constant touching, the way Liam’s eyes light up when he talks about Scott… it certainly looks romantic to Mason. He’s not jealous, though. Maybe a little heartbroken, but hey, he’s going to be the best supportive best friend he can be.
Liam sighs. “Okay, look, it’s a whole other different thing than, say, um… you know how I was wolfing out after the game?”
Mason nods. “Yeah, it was a moon thing? Or an anger thing, I’m still not really clear.”
"Kind of both," Liam says. "Anyways, to control the shift, Scott taught me about finding an anchor, you know, something to keep me human. It can be a person, someone you care deeply about, or a memory, or a feeling, an idea you believe in." Liam looks him in the eye. "My anchor is a person," he says softly.
Oh. “Um, that’s nice,” Mason says. “I’m sure Scott is—”
Liam frowns. “Mason, I’m trying to tell you something here, okay. It’s you. You’re my anchor.”
"Wait— what?"
Liam blushes, pink showing high on his cheeks. It’s ridiculously adorable. “You. You kept me grounded even before I was a werewolf, you know. It’s… it’s always been you.”
Mason feels warm and pleased all at once, and Liam steps a little closer, eyes bright. “That day at the mall, when you said you’ve already met your dream guy?”
Mason can feel his heart beating rapidly with nervousness. “Yeah, I didn’t think you’d hear that.”
"It’s me, right?" Liam asks, giving him a smug smile.
"Fine, yeah, don’t let it get to your head," Mason says, rolling his eyes. He knows they won’t even have to talk about not making it weird; they’re that close.
"Good, because you’re mine too," Liam says, stepping in close and giving him a quick kiss on the lips.
Mason is so surprised he doesn’t even react; just stands there. Liam is bouncing on the edges of his toes, watching him eagerly. “Was that okay?” he asks, suddenly shy. “Oh no, it was too soon, wasn’t it, Scott told me I didn’t have to tell you about you being my anchor, just whenever I was ready, but I thought—”
Mason holds a finger up to his lips. “You just caught me off guard,” he says, grinning. “Let’s try that again.”
The videogames go untouched for the rest of the night.