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Theo steps into the empty gym of Beacon High to find Liam pacing, mumbling nonsense under his breath as he runs his fingers wildly through his hair. His steps falter when he notices the unconscious, possibly dead body lying at Liam’s feet. Theo’s gaze flicks up to Liam, who’s stopped pacing and is looking at him with wild desperation in his eyes.
With the most unimpressed expression he can muster, Theo leans back against the wall with his arms folded across his chest and arches a dark brow in sardonic inquiry. “Care to explain what I’ve just walked in on, Little Wolf?”
“No, Theo, he’s not dead," he drawls, and then pauses. "Unfortunately,” Liam adds with a mutinous look on his face. “Fucker’s too stubborn for that.”
Theo smirks. “Dead, not dead, makes no difference to me, Little Wolf. But it still doesn’t explain the mess you’ve gotten yourself into.”
Liam huffs, his eyes flicking down and glaring hatefully at the guy on the floor. "It is not my fault this asshole decided to follow me into the gym and try and attack me."
Theo chuckles. “Self-defence. Completely innocent. Got it." He smirks at Liam's obvious frustration and winks.
It's too easy to rile Liam up. Theo loves the bright flush that rises on Liam’s cheeks and the narrowed stare he gives him. It's honestly the highlight of his lonely days.
“You have to tell me why we’re committing a felony before we do it." His shoulders lift in a careless shrug. A smirk curls around his lips. "Not that that’s going to stop us, but at least I’ll have all the facts.”
Liam makes a strangled noise of annoyance and throws his hands up. “He’s unconscious, Theo, not dead. We need answers, so can you just—“ he waves a hand at the body and then to him, and Theo has to bite the inside of his cheek to suppress his smile.
Realising Theo isn’t going to take the bait, Liam growls. “Help me, asshole! Just help me grab him and put him in the chair.”
At Liam’s words, Theo finally notices the chair off to the side and the silver chains on the seat.
Theo turns back to Liam and raises a brow. “Seriously, Liam. What are you gonna do, chain him to the chair and interrogate him?”
Liam obviously doesn’t hear the clear sarcasm in his words because he just grins. It’s almost predatory, and Theo does not find it the least bit attractive.
“That’s exactly what we are going to do, T,” Liam quips, the grin on his face turning softer the longer he stares at him.
“This is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done,” Theo comments dryly, but he still pushes off the wall and walks over to the body. “But,” his head tilts slightly, and a small smile plays on his lips, “I’m interested to see how this plays out.”
"Shut up," he snaps without heat. "I've done dumber shit than this, trust me."
Theo snorts. "I don't doubt it." He bends down and throws the guy over his shoulder. Liam follows behind him over to the chair, his eyes obvious as they appraise his strained biceps. Theo smirks.
He drops the hunter unceremoniously onto the chair and lets Liam wrap the chain around his body. After a moment, Theo sighs and grabs two of the smaller metal chains and wraps it tightly around the guy's wrists.
The guy won’t wake up anytime soon, so Theo decides to sit on the floor. Liam joins him a few moments later, spreading out his legs and leaning against the wall. Theo ignores how Liam’s thigh is touching him and sending a hum of warmth through his body.
This isn’t exactly what he had planned for tonight. At most, he expected to get a few hours of sleep before the nightmares started and kept him awake for the rest of the night, where he spends the rest of the night lying on the bed of his truck, staring up at the night sky, counting the endless bright stars that cover it. He’s been lucky the last few nights. The officers haven’t been able to find his truck. That gives him a few more hours of rest, at least.
But it wasn’t a nightmare—memory—of Tara plunging her fist into his chest and ripping her heart out that woke him. Instead, it was the incessant ringing of his phone that jolted him out of his restless sleep. If it were anyone else, he would have ignored it. But it was Liam, so he answered.
If anybody could penetrate the cold, calculating indifference Theo wears to shield himself, it would be Liam. He doesn’t know when or how, but somehow the angry, impulsive, selfless and stubborn beta has forged himself so deep into Theo’s stolen heart that he doesn’t know how to live in a world without Liam in it. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his Little Wolf. And if that means covering up a dead body, or spending the night sitting on the uncomfortable floor of the gym and interrogating the hunter, then that’s what he’s going to do.
What he will always do.
He will always be there when Liam needs him.
“Thanks,” Liam mumbles, nudging his foot with Theo’s. “You didn’t have to come help me, but you did, so thank you.” Liam turns his head slightly to look at him. He tilts his head thoughtfully, his blue eyes sharp as they gaze over Theo. “Why did you come?”
Theo shrugs, keeping his eyes firmly fixated on the basketball net in front of him. “You called me. You asked for my help. I came,” he answers simply.
Because it is. Simple, that is. Liam calls. Theo answers. Liam needs help. Theo’s there. That’s all there is to it.
Liam’s smile is gentle like he can hear the thoughts running through Theo’s head. “Yeah, T, you did. You came,” he whispers, almost breathless. “You always come,” he adds, almost as an afterthought.
“And I always will,” Theo promises.
“I need you to answer something for me, Theo, and I need you to be straight with me,” Liam says, lifting his head so that his eyes can meet Theo’s. “Why do you keep trying to save me?”
His breath catches sharply in his throat. But Liam doesn’t let him retreat, doesn’t let him waver. He holds Theo’s gaze, and somehow it makes Theo bold. “Because it’s you. You're important to me. I care about you. I’m always going to want to protect you.
Liam licks his lips, eyes dark and heated. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he tells Theo hoarsely. “I really need to kiss you.”
Theo reacts on instinct. He can’t help it. He’s been dreaming of kissing Liam for months, possibly since Liam broke the sword at the police station during the war. He lifts his head slightly and kisses him. He opens his mouth when Liam begs for entry, his stomach clenches when Liam makes a pleasing sound, almost like a purr, as he slips his tongue into Theo’s mouth, flicking against it and pressing his lips harder against his.
The sound of muttered curses and pained groans forces them to break away. Theo tries not to smile at the way Liam tilts forward, trying to chase his lips. “Later, Little Wolf,” he says. “Right now, let's get you some answers.” He kisses him hard and then stands up, walking over towards the hunter.
Seconds later, he hears Liam’s heavy footsteps before he’s moving up behind him. He wraps his hands around Theo’s waist and presses a kiss on his shoulder. “You are so getting a blow job when we get home.”
Theo’s breath hitches and Liam moves so he’s standing beside him.
There’s a smirk on his face, but his blue eyes are severe as they hold Theo’s gaze. “Yeah, Theo, I know about you sleeping in your car. And I'm fucking pissed that you didn’t tell me, but I’d rather do something about it than stay mad. So, you’re going to move into the spare bedroom, and you’re not going to argue. Clear?”
Theo manages a small nod. He’s still not sure what’s happening, and he doesn’t really care. Not when Liam’s looking at him like that. Like he’s the only thing that matters. Like all Liam wants to do in life is take care of him. Not when Liam’s voice takes on that deep edge that seems to vibrate along Theo’s nerves.
Satisfied, Liam grins. “That's my guy.” He gives him a soft kiss before moving, so he’s standing in front of the hunter.
“Now, how about you and I have a little chat, hmmm?”
THE END.