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Liam has never felt worse in his life.
Not when he broke his leg or any of the times he was shot or stabbed. Nothing has ever felt this bad. Nothing.
And no, he is not being dramatic, no matter what Theo might say.
Theo, who had warned him last night that he should take it easy, and Liam had waved him off and told him he would be fine.
He’s not fine.
He’s dying. He has to be. That’s the only way to describe how his insides feel like they’re twisting around themselves and the splitting pain in his head.
A knock sounds at his door, and Liam winces at the sudden loud noise. “Liam?”
He opens his mouth to answer, but all that comes out is a whimper. The door cracks open, bringing light in with it, and Liam ducks under the covers quickly to block it out.
“What on earth are you doing?” Theo asks him.
“I’m dying,” Liam groans into his pillow. “Just leave me.”
There’s a huff from above him before the blanket is pulled back from over his head. “You’re not dying, Liam.”
“I am,” Liam says. “My insides are trying to find their way outside, and it won’t be long before they succeed, and I die right here. But it’s fine. It’s what I deserve.”
The bed shifts, and Liam hisses at the sudden coolness against his skin before he realizes it’s Theo’s hand on his forehead. “Why do you think that?”
“What?”
“That you deserve this.”
“Because I drank too much of Lydia’s spiked wine and beer and whiskey and something else that was bright pink,” Liam says. “And now I’m going to die. Do you think it was poisoned?”
“No,” Theo says. “I drank it, too.”
Liam squints up at him. “Then why are you okay?”
“Because I took it slow and drank plenty of water like I told you to do multiple times,” Theo says.
Liam groans. “But I felt fine.”
“Of course you did,” Theo says. “You were too drunk to think otherwise. And now you’re experiencing a nasty hangover. Welcome to twenty-one, Liam.”
“If this is what being twenty-one is like, I don’t want it,” Liam mutters.
Theo laughs. “It’s not that bad. You just have to remember your limits. And I don’t know, maybe listen to me when I’m giving you advice.”
“Definitely will next time,” Liam says.
“No, you won’t,” Theo says. He sighs and runs a hand through Liam’s hair, smiling fondly down at him. “But it’s fine. I’ll be here to take care of you.”
“You always are,” Liam says.
“Always will be,” Theo says.
“Good,” Liam says, smiling up at him. “If I didn’t think all my stomach contents would force their way out the moment I sat up, I’d totally kiss you right now.”
“Romantic,” Theo says, wrinkling his nose. “And not how our first kiss should go.”
“It should have happened already,” Liam mutters. “Now we’re getting old and closer to death.”
“We’ve always been close to death living in this town,” Theo says. “Getting older is more a blessing than anything.”
“I suppose,” Liam says.
Theo leans down and brushes his thumbs across Liam’s jaw. “Did you mean it, or is your brain just addled from being hungover?”
“My brain is probably a little addled,” Liam admits. “But yeah, I meant it. I want to kiss you, Theo. I’ve wanted it for a while. That and, well, everything.”
“Everything?”
“Yeah,” Liam says. “Everything. Kisses and dates and holding your hand. Cuddling on the couch, falling asleep together, and getting to wake up in your arms every day. Everything .”
“I want that too,” Theo tells him. “You just— you never said anything.”
“Neither did you,” Liam points out. “And then I saw you talking to Isaac at the party last night and—”
“Were you jealous?” Theo asks him.
“Maybe,” Liam mutters.
“Isaac is my friend, Liam,” Theo says. “It’s been a while since I saw him, so we were just catching up. That’s it. You’re the one I want.”
Liam smiles. “Good, because you are too.”
There’s pain still shooting through his skull, and his stomach is in knots, but he ignores it. Especially when Theo leans down and kisses him. It’s just a soft brush of lips before he pulls back, but it’s still enough for Liam to know he wants to kiss him forever.
“Why’d you stop?” Liam asks him.
“Because you’re still hungover,” Theo says. “And look like you could puke at any sudden movement. I don’t want to overdo it.”
Liam pouts but doesn’t argue. “Fine. But will you stay?”
Theo smiles and lets Liam pull him down next to him. He wraps his arms around Liam and pulls him close as he whispers, “Yeah, I’ll stay.”