Chapter Text
Liam had gotten used to finding Theo napping in his dorm after classes. Theo didn’t even live on campus, which probably contributed to why he would break into Liam’s room to nap, but it was starting to get on his nerves. Mason didn’t seem to mind, but Theo wasn’t taking over his bed, he only ever stole Liam’s bed.
He came back from class– bone tired and just wanting to sleep– only to find Theo buried under his blue sheets. He looked over to Mason's bed, hoping that his best friend wouldn’t mind if he took a nap there. Unfortunately, the bed was stripped down to the matters. He groaned when he remembered that Mason washed his sheets every Thursday. Mason’s good habits were going to make Liam die of exhaustion.
Without his permission, the thought two people could fit on the bed crossed his mind. He tried to push it out of his head, but the thought of soft, warm blankets easily persuaded his sleep-deprived mind. Clumsily, he kicked off his shoes and pulled off his jacket and jeans. If Theo wanted to steal his bed, then he could deal with Liam being in his boxers.
Liam didn’t even bother to wake Theo up, he just went up to the bed and started to push Theo’s body closer to the wall. Theo woke up with a jolt. Liam almost let out a laugh at how disoriented he looked.
“Liam? What the hell?” Theo grumbled. He rolled his eyes, wanting to point out that Theo was the one in his bed. If anything, Liam should be the one asking that question.
“Move.” He nudged Theo harder, “I want to take a nap, and you’re hogging the bed.” Theo gave him a confused look before he listened to Liam and slid over.
The blankets were already warm from where they had been touching Theo, and everything smelt like him. Liam hadn’t thought the scent would have brought him as much comfort as it did. He closed his eyes and couldn’t help but focus on the smell. It reminded him of once when he was little, swimming in a freezing cold pool at Mason’s house. Their parents had been so angry that they’d gone swimming so late into the fall, but they liked watching the leaves drift down and touch the water. That’s what Theo smelt like—fall leaves and, below that, a bit like chemicals.
Liam didn’t know when he fell asleep, but he woke up to the sound of Mason unlocking the door to their dorm. He looked to his side, but Theo wasn’t there, and when he touched the sheets they were cold. He’d left a while ago.
– – –
It became normal for Liam to find Theo in his bed and then joining him. Theo always left before Liam woke up, but he didn’t really mind. He wouldn’t know how to deal with waking up next to Theo. His hair would probably be all messed up and his voice would be gruff with sleep. The thought made Liam’s heart race for some reason.
Liam climbed into his bed and Theo made room for him on instinct. Liam was upset. There wasn’t even something specific Liam was mad at, so there was nothing to blame. There was only the feeling of building anger and frustration in his chest. Liam fought with the blankets as he tried to get comfortable before he laid down. Everything was annoying him.
“What happened?” Theo asked. Liam hadn’t even realized he was awake; though Liam had been moving a lot, so he might have woken Theo up.
“Nothing.” Liam snapped, definitely meaner than he needed to be. He tried to slow his breathing and calm down.
“Just angry?” Theo asked. He didn’t even bother to sit up or open his eyes, and it made Liam feel oddly at easy. He wasn’t being watched or judged.
“Yeah.” he breathed. Theo gave a hum of understanding.
Theo’s hand was suddenly covering one of Liam’s, “Could you not rip the blanket?” he asked, and Liam registered that he was gripping the comforter, so tightly his knuckles were white, and the fabric was straining.
“Sorry.” he let go of it, but Theo’s hand didn’t leave. It was grounding for Liam. He could feel his pulse start to even and his body start to relax.
“It’s fine. Lay down, little wolf.” Theo soothed, and Liam couldn’t help but to listen to him. He put his head on his pillow and hugged the shared blanket closer to his body. Theo held onto his wrist, gently pressing on Liam’s pulse point, and didn’t let go even after they both fell asleep.
– – –
“How does Theo even get in here?” Mason asked quietly as they both looked at Theo once again under Liam’s blankets.
“No idea, and honestly I don’t think I want to know.” Liam whispered back. They just got back to their dorm and found Theo there, with the door and window still locked.
“You still angry that he’s taking over your bed?”
“Not angry, but I am confused why he’s never used yours.” Liam glanced over at Mason’s perfectly made bed.
“Because he knows I wouldn’t put up with that.” Mason smiled.
“Are you saying I’m a pushover?” Liam asked, and put his hand on his chest like he’d been scandalized at the idea.
“No. I’m saying that my solution to finding Theo in my bed would not have been to join him.” Mason gave him a pointed look before walking over to his desk and pulling out his notes.
“Well, I’m not going to kick him out if he’s tired.” Liam said, moving over to his own desk.
“And that’s exactly why he uses your bed.” Mason pointed out. Liam couldn’t really fight with that, and besides, he didn’t want to wake Theo up with their noise.
Liam studied for what felt like days. By the end, his vision was blurry, his hands ached from typing and writing, and his ass was practically numb from how long he’d been sitting. At most, it’d been an hour. Mason was still working hard at his own desk, and Liam wanted to rest. Theo was still taking over his bed. Normally he would have just climbed in, but it felt a bit weird with Mason there. Obviously, his best friend had seen it, but never while Liam was awake.
He glanced over at Mason’s bed and raised an eyebrow. Liam tried to quietly move behind Mason to reach his bed.
“No.” Mason said without even raising his head.
"But–"
“No. Use your own bed. Theo’s not an exception, and neither are you.” Mason insisted.
“Ugh, fine!” Liam groaned as he turned around and stomped to his bed. He climbed into the warm sheets and was once again enveloped by Theo’s scent. Sleep made everything fuzzy and a bit confusing, but Liam felt a heavy arm wrap around his waist and pull him close. He leaned back into it, liking the feeling of a body pressed to his back and breath puff onto the nape of his neck.
– – –
Liam wasn’t used to waking up while Theo was still in the room. In fact, it’d never happened before. So he was especially lost when they woke up at the same time with limbs intertwined and chests pressed together.
“Uh, good morning?” Liam said, looking at the man under him.
“It’s like six, Liam.” Theo responded, smiling a bit.
“Right.” He felt extremely awkward and frozen.
“Could you get off of me?” Theo asked, glancing to where Liam was pressed on top of him.
“Sorry, sorry.” Liam said as scrambled off Theo and out of the bed. He could feel a hot blush on his cheeks, and Theo didn’t look much better. Liam was glad Mason wasn’t there to see whatever this was. He was out at some fancy diner with Corey. The thought of food made his stomach rumble. Theo was probably hungry too, “Hey, do you want to go to dinner?” He asked, hoping to defuse the new tension.
“Together?”
“Do you have everything else better to do?” Liam asked. Theo shook his head and looked genuinely excited to go to dinner. Liam didn’t want to think about his smile too much.
– – –
Waking up with Theo still in the room or in the bed became normal for them. Liam would open his eyes to find Theo studying at the desk, sat up in the bed scrolling through his phone, or curled up next to Liam, sleeping, but that one didn’t happen often.
One afternoon, Liam woke up to find Theo still asleep, and he knew something was wrong. It was a Tuesday, and Theo never stayed that late. He shook the man beside him awake. Theo grumbled and batted Liam’s hands away, but then his eyes shot open.
“Shit, I’m late for class.” Theo said, scrambling out of the bed. Mason and Corey didn’t bother to get up from the couch to help. Instead, they watched Liam and Theo rush to collect all of his things. Theo was pulling on his jacket as he opened the door.
“Wait, your phone.” Liam said as he rushed to catch up with Theo.
“Thanks,” Theo leaned in to grab it, planting a light kiss on Liam’s lips as he did so. The urgency they both felt dropped as Theo pulled away. They stared at each other, wide-eyed and shocked in the doorway for a moment, “Fuck. I-I’m sorry. Um, bye.” Theo said before quickly leaving.
Liam’s shock didn’t abide even when he finally closed the door, walked back into the room, and sat at his desk. He knew that Mason and Corey were looking at him and would have been able to see the whole thing.
“Did that really happen?” Liam asked dumbly.
“Yep, and you just won me five bucks.” Mason smiled as he took a bill from Corey’s wallet.
“You bet on whether Theo and I would kiss?” He couldn’t believe it. That was such a weird thing to bet on.
“No, we were betting on who would kiss the other first.” Corey explained. That was an even more confusing bet, but Liam couldn’t bother to ask any more questions. He was too focused on remembering what Theo’s lips felt like on his own.