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It has only been a couple of hours since the Anukite had been defeated and everyone had regrouped at the McCall residence. And Scott is enjoying the relief and ease that comes with knowing his pack is alive and well, surrounded by everyone he cares for.
Comfort surrounds him as he watches everyone interact, feeling like he can finally breathe freely now that no one is in immediate danger anymore. Turning to look at Malia, tucked into his side, with a similar look of peace on her face, the warmth in chest expands.
A few minutes pass like this before Malia brushes a kiss on his cheek before leaving his side to go over to the other side of the living room where Derek is beckoning for her to join him.
As soon as that happens, Scott feels more than sees Stiles rushing over to him before grabbing his wrist and hissing in his ear “We need to talk. ” suffice to say, his tone is enough to set Scott on edge.
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They make their way out of the house without warranting much attention to them, it’s nothing unusual for the two best friends to want a moment alone after all. Especially after months apart. And any other time, Scott would be thrilled at the thought of some quality time with his best friend, but right now, he’s more than a little scared.
As they walk down the footpath, far enough from the house that they know none of the supernaturals can still hear them, Scott is dreading the conversation. It was clear from Stiles’s tone that this conversation was not going to be a lighthearted one and Scott can only think of one reason Stiles might be mad at him.
Stiles stops and turns to him.
“Scott, what the hell? When did this- how did this happen? How’d you let this happen?!”
“I.. uhm..” Scott really thought Stiles wouldn’t mind. He suspected that, at most, he’d be surprised, maybe a little pissed that Scott hadn’t consulted him before making any moves, but he really, truly, didn't think he’d disapprove.
Stiles and Malia had been broken up for months before Scott even started having feelings for her. He really never saw Malia as more than his friend and packmate while she was still his best friend’s girlfriend. He always knew she was beautiful and strong and he had cared and admired her, but completely platonically. Really!
“I just didn't think you would have a problem with this. I mean it only started during the Ghost Riders and nothing even really happened until the hunters and you were long gone by then, so i just didn't think-”
“Yeah no shit it wasn't until the Ghost riders, which is why I wasn't there to stop it! And you know, I suspected there was a little something there then but I figured I was just reading too much into it, it's impossible!” Stiles scoffs “Of course it only really happens when I’m hundreds of miles away” Stiles flails his arms as he looks at Scott as if expecting him to agree with him.
And Scott gets it. He really does! He’d probably be pissed too if Stiles had suddenly decided to start dating Kira or Allison without warning. But this is getting a bit much. The genuine anger and distress in Stiles’s voice is starting to piss him off.
“Listen man, I get it, you’re pissed.-”
“Yeah I’m pissed!”
“But” Scott raises his voice over Stiles’s “you're making this a bigger deal than it has to be. Really. And at the end of the day, it’s really not your decision to make.”
Stiles is looking at him like he’s grown a third head as he backs up from him.
“A bigger deal than it has to be? Scott, Scott, Scotty.” Stiles places both his hands on Scott’s shoulders in what is probably meant to be a placating manner, like talking sense into a child. “Just think logically about this. There's no way this’ll work out. “ Scott frowns and opens his mouth to protest. “No, No! Just let me paint you a picture okay? Forget this is about people from our own lives. We’ll just lay it out into a story, okay bud?”
He waits for Scott to nod, and so he does, albeit very reluctantly.
“The two people here, ones meant to a leader; good, kind, just. I mean sures he’s got some issues of his own but hey, nobody’s perfect.”
Jeez thanks.
“But at the end of the day, he’s good. And the other? The other is bad news. The other is a killer. Cold-blooded, unremorseful and manipulative. ”
Okay now he’s getting pissed. Malia may have her moments of murderous tendencies and questionable morals but that is no way to speak of her. Honestly he’d never have thought Stiles would ever speak so ill of her.
“So see, these two people just wouldn’t work. They come from completely different worlds. One raised in a nice loving home, the other in a- well not a nice or loving home of any kind. No parents, had to fend for themselves, ended up resorted to killing and all sorts of other villainy habits.”
Stiles is looking at him as if he expects him to agree but Scott is only feeling his anger towards his best friend rise by the second.
“Stiles stop. That’s enough. I understand that you're mad, but you can’t possibly mean all the things you just said. Honestly you're making her sound so bad when she has never been anything but helpful and kind.”
Stiles looks almost disgusted by what he said.
“Helpful and kind?! What are you talking abou- wait did you just say she ?“
Scott is confused.
“Well yeah, what else would you call her?” Stiles’s eyes narrow.
“Why would I call Theo a she? I mean, unless there's been some other major changes to him since I left? And I'm pretty sure I wouldn’t have missed that information, I mean the guys still unbearably ripped so… yeah whatever you get my point.”
Scott is so confused.
“What does Theo have to do with any of this?”
He sees Stiles’s face screw up in an incredulous eye roll before he, once again, places his hands on Scott’s shoulder like one would do to a child.
“Scott. Which two people do you think we’re talking about here?”
“Malia and me, obviously.”
“What?! No! No, no, no! I’m absolutely not talking about you two! Oh my god you think I'd talk that way about Malia ? You think I'd get away with still breathing if I talked that way about her?!” Stiles’s eyes are wide as he looks around them, as if making sure the girl in question isn’t going to jump out of the bushes or something. “No way man! I love Malia, I'd never say that stuff about her.”
While that is a huge relief to hear, Scott is still lost on who Stiles has been referring to this entire conversation.
“Wait, so who’ve you been talking about this whole time?”
“Liam and Theo! Obviously! You know? Liam, who is meant to be alpha after you're gone? And Theo? The big, bad, evil first chimera? The very very bad news? The one you literally killed you?!”
Well that makes a lot more sense.
“Wait, so you're not mad about me and Malia?”
“What! No! Why would I be mad about that?”
“Because she’s your ex and I'm your best friend and I never really told you I had feelings for her?”
“Well, okay yeah that makes sense. But seriously Scotty, since when do you ever have to tell me about these things for me to know?” Stiles raises his eyebrows at him smugly.
“So, you knew?”
“I guessed. After the wild hunt, you two just seemed different. Closer, I think. Malia had definitely softened up to you.” Scott nods, relief flooding him. “Beside, I totally caught you checking her out a few days before I left.” Scott blushes furiously as Stiles smirks.
“So, you're really not mad then? About us?”
“No Scott, I'm really not mad. As long as you're actually in this and not just fucking around with her?” Stiles throws him a challenging brow.
“No! No! Of course not. I…. I think I may sort of be in love with her.” He murmurs looking down, Stiles smiles softly at the admission.
“Well then, no Scott, I am definitely not mad at you. Listen, I love Malia, I do. I think a part of me always will. But it’s not in that way, not really. It’s not the same completely platonic love I felt for Kira and Allison but it's not the same type of love I used to feel for her either.” and Scott gets that. It's the same way he feels towards Kira and Allison. “So trust me when I say this, I'm really happy for you both.”
“Thanks, man. Really, you have no idea how relieved I am. And I know Malia will be, too. She was really worried you’d be against this.”
“Well then I'll be sure to give her my congrats as soon as we get back.” Stiles chuckles, slapping his shoulder before wrapping him in a half hug.
Before he abruptly pulls back with a stern frown on his face.
“ Don't think this changed the subject of whatever the hell is going on between Liam and Theo! Like seriously Scott! I’m gone for a few months and I come back to Theo Raeken helping the pack?” his eyes are wide as he nearly shakes with agitation.
And yeah, Scott totally understands his unhappiness at Theo being included in tonight’s plans, but they needed all the help they could get and honestly? The chimera had been surprisingly useful the last few weeks. After stumbling into them at the police station, he had stuck with them and helped with their plans without anyone ever even having to ask him.
Then tonight, when Scott had learned of Gerards plan to divide and conquer, he did the first thing he thought of to protect his beta. For some reason, he knew immediately who to call to send for Liam; who would help without hesitation.
“Look, I know you're not happy about him being here. I’m not exactly thrilled, either. And I'm not letting him in the pack, if that's what you're worried about; but we needed help. And he's been unbelievably reliable recently. And I’m aware this could all still be a part of some grand scheme of his to gain our trust again but believe me, I'm not falling for it a second time.”
Stile had started shaking his head at him halfway through explanation already, hands flailing in ‘cut it off’ motion.
“No, no! I'm not worried about that! Like at all, even. I know whatever the hell is going on is genuine. That is what scares me!”
“What do you mean?”
“Scott, you knew he’d go help Liam right?” he nods. “And you mentioned earlier they’ve been working together?”
Again, Scott nods, still unsure of where this conversation is at right now.
“Well, why do you think he’s been so willing to risk his life for liam? You told me yourself, you suspected Theo was on his way out of town when you called. Yet, he actually turned around and went to the hospital, running headfirst into a fight he knew he was outmanned and outgunned in.” Stiles is making slow rolling motions with his hands as he says this, his face urging Scott to catch up.
And he does. Scott gets it.
Scott gets it.
He had always found it pretty odd how keen Theo seemed to help Liam. Not the pack, not really; by extension sure, but his priority always seemed to be Liam. At first, he brushed it off as a coincidence and then he had come to the conclusion that maybe Theo felt indebted to Liam, for having gotten him out of the Skinwalkers prison; and hence tried to keep him safe in order to return the favour.
But the more he thinks about it now, he totally gets it. He can almost recall the subtle but obvious changes in Theo’s behavior recently; mostly around Liam. He’s been better, softer almost. He even thinks he might have seen him smile at Liam a couple days ago. Like not one of those signature smirks but a real smile.
“Holy shit”
“Yeah, holy shit.”
“You mean…?”
“Yeah I mean.”
“But… maybe it’s not?... Oh my god, how do you know?”
“Oh I don’t know, maybe it’s the fact that he’s been making fucking heart eyes at Liam?! Our Liam! How’d this happen? More importantly, how'd you let this happen?”
“I don’t know! Okay… okay, so now what? I mean, there's nothing we can really do about how Theo feels, can we? Besides it's not like Liam feels the same, he's totally straight.”
There. Problem solved.
Stiles raises an eyebrow at that.
“I wouldn't be too sure about that, bud. Not if the longing heart eyes I just witnessed in there are any indication.”
Okay, problem not solved.
“Maybe we can get Hayden back into town? Or remind Liam of her enough that he forgets about Theo?”
As he is saying it, Scott can tell by the look on Stiles’s face, that he already disagrees with his own idea of manipulation; but still he’s morally inclined to verbally point it out.
“Whatever the deal is with them, we can’t interfere and force them to not be together, Stiles. It’d be wrong and you know it.”
“Yeah yeah, I know. But I'm not happy about it.” he mutters, starting to walk down the sidewalk once more.
They walk like that for a while, at a slow pace, contemplating what this could mean.
Scott’s conflicted about how he feels about a possible relationship between the chimera and his beta. Theo is probably the very last person he would have chosen for the boy he pretty much feels like a father to. Saying that may be weird but it's true. He’s not sure if that's just an alpha and beta thing, since he never really felt that way towards Hayden, despite her being his second bitten beta; but he truly feels as protective and bonded to Liam as he suspects a parent would to their child.
And obviously, no parent would want the resident bad boy for their kid, right?
But then why does the thought not nauseate him as much as it probably should?
Probably because he's seen firsthand how different Theo is when he’s around Liam. How his eyes follow the beta’s every move and how he angles his body towards him whenever in his presence. How rigid he stands around others but softens slightly as soon as Liam enters the room. The intensity in his eyes as he gazes at Liam at times he thinks no one else is looking. And finally, the chemosignals that slip past his tight control. The emotions are so subtle that Scott just knows Theo keeps them under lock 24/7; and only a little slip off of him because, Scott realises with a start, he feels so much of them, they overflow.
Theo is in love with Liam.
Holy shit.
His shock must show on his face as Stiles stops him with a hand on his arm.
“What? What’re you thinking?”
“You’re not gonna like it but I don’t think Theo just likes him or something. I think Theo is in love with him.”
“Oh great. This is just great. He couldn't just be into him so they could fuck once and forget all about each other? He had to go and fall in love with the little runt?”
Scott chuckles at the nickname as Stiles flails around, kicking at the sidewalk and squawking as he snubs his toe against it.
He really was their little runt, wasn't he?
Scott thinks back to when they first met Liam, the over-enthused and crazy talented boy at lacrosse tryouts; completely unaware of how his life would drastically change that very day.
Scott sometimes feels guilty for having bitten him, thinking that he should've worked harder to try to find some other way to have saved him. Maybe Liam wouldn't have had to grow up too fast, carrying the burden Scott once did as he was struggling to navigate high school while leading a secret life as a werewolf. He remembers feeling that guilt being the worst it ever was when Hayden had died, remembers the feeling of holding his own first love’s dead body in his arms. So many other situations arose when Scott would beat himself up for ever setting Liam on this path.
And while those moments of doubt did exist, there's also been more instances where he’s been gladder than ever for that night he bit the younger boy. It may be a little selfish to think so but he is so glad to have his beta by his side. Not only did he gain a loyal, strong, fierce pack member but a great, reliable friend with a heart of gold, who he loves like family.
It’s this goodness in him that Scott wants to protect more than anything and he knows, realistically, he can't protect his beta forever, not in the type of life they lead, but he also knows he would never forgive himself if he didn't do enough to at least try.
And based on the fact that Theo had kept Liam from losing that part of him twice already, stopping him from killing Nolan and Gabe on two separate occasions; maybe, just maybe, this wouldn't be the worst thing.
Just as he’s about to turn towards Stiles with this, his best friend pretty much reads his mind and beats him to it.
“Well maybe… and I can't believe I'm saying this. But maybe Theo won't be too bad for him.” Scott turns to Stiles, eyebrows rising in shock. “Yeah yeah, I know, who would've ever thought I'd ever speak in favour of Theo . “ Stiles shudders as if Theo’s name tasted bitter in his mouth. It probably did.
“But maybe- I think, they might complement each other. I don't know about romantically, I don't even want to think about that. But in a fight. Or as a team. Or whatever. I mean, I've already left Beacon Hills, you, Lydia and Malia need to leave and move on eventually too. And while I trust Mason and Corey to be the brains while Lydia and I are gone, someone needs to be there for strategy, someone who can calm Liam down, someone who can be the voice of reason to Liam’s impulsiveness.”
Scott takes in this information; already imagining, and finding to his great surprise, that he can see them working perfectly as a pair. As a pack.
Holy shit.
“I really hate to admit it, but Theo is smart, really smart. He's strategic and resourceful. Him being good at handling Liam is just a bonus, really. So while I obviously never want him as pack, maybe you should talk to him about sticking around to help the puppies.”
“So, you're saying I should ask him to help Liam and the others while we’re gone?”
“Well yeah. But be scary about it. Give him the shovel talk. Oh, oh!! Tell him that you know about his feelings for Liam, that’ll terrify him. Put the fear of God into him, Scotty!”
A little extreme but okay.
“You think so?”
“Um yeah.” Stile gives him his best ‘duh’ face. “The guys the prime example of emotional constipation!”
“And if working together results in them becoming a couple?” Scott doesn't like it but he’s coming around to the idea. It's Stiles he’s worried about.
He watches his best friend take a deep breath, hold it in and let it out as if it pains him to say his next words.
“If they do work together and realise they are madly in love or whatever, I will do my best to not want to kill Theo everytime I see him.”
At Scott’s questioning brow, Stiles holds his right hand over his heart and left up in the air, holding up three fingers
“Scouts honour”
Scott grins.
He has a good feeling about how this might all turn out.