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click
It's the sound of the pin being taken out. It's small and innocent, almost satisfying. The first action that led to an extent of destruction. A simple click of metal, that you can only hear if you are the one who's holding it.
Theo was always the one holding it.
Crash.
It's the grenade hitting its target. That's the part the adrenaline rushes through your body, you know what happens next so you have to prepare yourself. It could be the ground or an object, or a person even, but now it's too late to do anything but wait.
He never tried to stop it, anyway.
BOOM.
It 's the explosion. The epitome of the destruction. It's violent, aggressive, hot and brutal, and it's the end… But it's also the beginning, so as soon as your ears stop ringing, you hear it again.
click
Because it's a circle and not a line. It's a cycle that's bound to happen again, again and again, till the day that the Crash target it's you.
–––––––––
Most people would agree that talking to Liam was always like handling a grenade.
He was a bitten werewolf with IED, practically the recipe for disaster, some people even called him a "walking bomb". A small spark and he could explode. So they handled him with attention and caution, always labeling him as dangerous and unstable, too scared of accidentally pulling the pin that would lead to destruction.
Theo apparently was the motherfucker addicted to pulling his pins.
The time or place never mattered, a small click and everything exploded between them, leaving only destruction, sometimes even pain, behind. A vicious cycle that would never stop.
Because every single interaction they had would end up the same:
With a BOOM.
A big and theatrical explosion, induced by the adrenaline and their wildest instinct, bringing pain but also pleasure. It could make them scream and laugh and punch, then cry, but never run away (not from each other at least).
It could be something like Liam's fist colliding with his face, his nose breaking under the strength of the impact, sending bolts of pain through his body and drips of blood down his chin, all because of a stupid question.
Groaning, Theo covered his broken nose with his hands protectively, putting distance between them. He didn't want to fight Liam again, but he wouldn't let himself be treated like a punching bag.
Even if he particularly deserved the punch.
"That was so unnecessary." He cried out, breathing through the pain that was slowly fading away as his body healed. "You could have just said that you were mad."
"I'm mad" Liam said, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Theo huffed, rolling his eyes and tried to analyze the damage on his, now stained red, clothes.
"Wow, great communication skills, I would never have guessed." Mumbled with a sigh, letting the silence take over.
They ended up going home together to play videogames, the punch and the fight just a distant memory on the back of their heads, even if Theo's clothes smelled strongly of his blood.
it didn't have to always involve violence. It could also be just a heated discussion, screaming and pointing fingers, sharp words cutting deeper than knives, cold truths being spitted on their faces, hurting more than a punch ever did.
"I don't fucking care what Scott told you to do! This wouldn't have happened if you trusted me." Theo whisper-shouted, pushing Liam with his shoulder weakly since their hands were tied to each other's on their backs.
"Don't try to blame me, your plan fucking sucks" Liam cried out, fighting the wolfsbane ropes, the effort only making it more painful for them, as the tight knots rubbed their skin.
"Can you stop that? It's not helping, dickhead!" Theo cussed, pushing him again. Liam pushed back, frustrated, his anger starting to fill the dark room with its peppery scent.
"At least I'm trying to take us out of here…"Huffed, pulling the ties again, this time harder, accidentally causing the knot to rub more violently against Theo's wrist, the wolfsbane burning as much as the rope burns.
"Quit it, Liam! You're hurting me, asshole!" Theo shouted, pushing Liam harder, which made him stop, but also increased his anger. "I don't know why the fuck you are mad since it's your fault we got captured."
"Fuck, you are so annoying! We are here, because your plan sucks." Liam growled in an animalistic way.
"My plan would have worked if you had just trusted me!"
"Do you really think anyone can trust you after what you did with Scott?" Liam shouted, his voice distorted and deeper. He had finally lost control. "After what you did with your own fucking sister?!" He added.
Theo didn't reply, feeling his (sister's) heart sink and miss a beat, like the organ also knew it didn't belong there. A cold shiver ran down his spine as Tara's memories rushed his mind, the sadness and shame hitting him like an ice bucket. The silence that took over was louder than anything that had been said. Tilting his head down, Theo wasn't even surprised to have to blink away tears forming in his eyes.
Maybe it was the chemo signals, the lack of reply, or the salty scent tears have, but Liam's demeanor quickly changed, guilt washing the anger off his face, Theo didn't even need to look at him to know it, he was used to the cycle at this point
"Theo I-... I'm sorry." Liam moved anxiously behind him, his voice quieter and apologetic. "I didn't-"
"No, I get it, Liam, really." Theo interrupted with a sigh, trying his hardest to hide the quiver on his voice. "There's no reason for any of you to trust me".
"Don't say that, don't-"
"It doesn't matter, Liam… let's just, find a way out of here." He interrupted again. His voice was cold, masking his feelings like he used to do all the time.
Liam humbled a quiet agreement, not daring to speak again even after fighting their way out of the hunter's prison and driving back to the McCall's.
It was situations like this that would make you believe the cycle had ended, that the destruction was too severe to have another click ever. It's when most of the people would have probably stopped, afraid of the explosion that almost destroyed them, scared that the next would straight up cause their death.
But it was never like this for them.
Even though they knew the extent of the damage they were causing each other, they couldn't stay away for long.
They were part of a cycle that would always lead to the same thing.
But that didn't necessarily mean such a bad thing.
Because It could also come as a fit of laughter that would extend for minutes straight, making both out of breath, unable to stop even though the joke was not funny anymore and their stomachs ached. Liam leaning against his shoulder on the couch, trying to stop the aftermath giggles to turn into full laughs, but failing as soon as his eyes landed on Theo's face, which ended up making them laugh even harder.
It was also a hug once.
After another close call, where Theo almost didn't make it out alive off a cave that they decided to check, after seeing a weird magical sigil inside. They had barely entered, when the ceiling started to collapse above them, Theo was quick enough to push Liam out of the way of a big falling rock, but couldn't get himself out fast enough, ending up trapped under tons of stone.
He doesn't even know how much time had passed while he was down there, but it sure felt like ages until Liam finally managed to pull him out, dirty and bloody (definitely with a concussion) but alive.
Liam was furious, shaking and screaming and cursing, still holding the hand that he used to pull him out, so tight his knuckles were white. When he stopped talking and moved closer, Theo thought he was going to get punched or at least pushed against a tree for being reckless. But instead, Liam threw his arms around him, holding so tight it seemed like he was scared he was going to run away or disappear at any second.
Theo was startled for a bit, confused by the sudden change of behavior since Liam had never shown that type of affection towards him before. It took only a few more seconds for Theo to do the same and hug him back, just as tight, letting his head fall on the other's shoulder. Liam sighed into the embrace, hiding his face on Theo's neck, his body visibly relaxing and his heartbeat evening out.
And a few days after it came as their lips clashing against each other's, their bodies pressed together in the middle of the preserve. Liam's hands holding him, pinning him into a tree, not letting him move an inch even if he wanted to. It was messy, hot and violent, but it wasn't just an adrenaline induced kiss, it was the culmination of all confused and intense feelings they have been feeling since Theo came back.
"Man...If Stiles finds out…" Theo whispered mid kiss, making Liam chuckle, the hand holding his waist drawing provocative circles on the exposed skin under the shirt.
"No one has to know what we do." Liam whispered, leaning back a bit to breathe, but never separating their bodies, a small smirk appearing on his red lips.
"Did you just casually quote Taylor Swift mid make out?" Theo asked, incredulously, both eyebrows raised to his forehead.
"Did you just outed yourself as a Swiftie?" Liam gasped and Theo blushed, rolling his eyes as the werewolf started to laugh at him.
"I already regret kissing you" The chimera murmured, bitter and embarrassed, but Liam only smiled, kissing his cheek first and then lowering his mouth to his jaw and neck.
"Do you, though?" He said against the pale skin before biting it.
Theo chuckled, but didn't deny it, letting Liam try to prove him wrong and really enjoying his effort. The beta kissed and bitted his neck and collarbone hard enough to leave bruises that slowly faded away as his healing kicked in, just to get bruised again in the next second by Liam's sharp teeth.
Small pleased sounds started to escape his throat against his best efforts, making Liam even more eager to continue, his strong hands pressing harder his body on the tree, handling him with an ease that made Theo's body hot all over.
"That's definitely worth the danger of going back to hell." He jokes. His voice was breathy and his eyes closed, his white skin streaked with red everywhere Liam could reach with his mouth.
"Guess I'll have to go down with you if that happens, then… "he whispered against his ear, voice silky and flirty, but not enough to hide the true meaning of the words.
They both knew that's how it was supposed to end. With the two of them together.
Theo opened his eyes, using his hand to push Liam away a bit. Liam looked at him, confused and a little worried, eyes searching his face like he could guess the problem just by looking at his expression or read his mind with a glance.
"Is something wrong? Do you want me to slow down?" He asked concerned, cupping Theo's cheek gently. Theo smiled softly, shaking his head.
They were bound to be destroyed together and by each other, like two asteroids with crossing routes, unable to move away, just waiting for the collision.
Fighting it was useless.
"You love me." Theo whispered, but it wasn't a question, it was a fact. Even if they had never said the words, it was true.
"I do." Liam smiled, leaning in again to leave a quick kiss to his lips, consolidating the words. "Do you?"
"Yeah… I think so." Theo answered honestly, just now realizing how long it has been since he truly loved anything. Liam nodded, kissing him again, slower this time, making sure to savor the moment and all of its emotions. "I love you" Theo whispered between the kisses, and Liam chuckled.
"That's definitely not the worst thing I ever heard" Liam replied laughing, earning the shove on his shoulder. Theo rolled his eyes, but was laughing. "I love you too."
They knew where that was going from the beginning.
Even when they were still holding onto the idea of mutual hate, labeling themselves as barely allies, pretending to not care but running straight to the danger in order to protect each other, they knew.
"I'm not dying for you" Theo had said that night on the elevator.
"I'm not dying for you either" Liam replied.
But it was a lie and they were both aware of that, because they already knew what fate had planned for them.
They would live and die together.
So yeah, every interaction with Liam was part of the same dangerous cycle as throwing a grenade…
Click. Crash. BOOM.
But Theo was always ready to pick up his pieces.