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The apartment smells like burnt tomato sauce and Theo’s terrible life choices.
Liam stares down into the pot like it personally offended him. Bubbles pop aggressively at the surface, the sauce watery in some places, scorched black in others, a complete disaster.
“This is your fault,” Liam mutters, nudging Theo out of the way with his hip.
Theo raises both hands like he’s innocent. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You literally dumped the pasta into cold water and then walked away.”
Theo snorts, flicking a piece of spaghetti at him. “I was multitasking.”
“You were on your phone watching raccoon videos.”
“Yeah. And? Inspirational content.”
Liam glares at him. “You were supposed to cook. It was your turn.”
“I did cook.”
“No, you ruined cooking.”
Theo leans casually against the counter like he’s done nothing wrong. He’s wearing Liam’s black Henley—his favorite one—and the sleeves are pushed up just enough to expose his forearms. Liam tries not to notice. Tries not to notice the way Theo’s hair is still slightly damp from his shower, how he smells like Liam’s shampoo now, how he’s standing barefoot in Liam’s apartment like he’s always belonged there.
Theo grabs a spoon, stirs the disaster sauce like it’s fine. “I mean, how bad can it be?”
Liam watches a soggy noodle float to the top like a corpse. “We’re gonna die.”
Theo tastes the sauce anyway. Grimaces. “Okay. Maybe we shouldn’t eat this.”
“You think?”
Theo tosses the spoon in the sink. “Wanna get McDonald’s?”
Liam’s already grabbing his keys.
_
The drive’s quiet. Not awkward quiet. Just their usual quiet.
Theo’s got his knee up on the seat, picking at the skin around his thumb like he’s got a million things to say and no idea how to say them. Liam drums his fingers on the steering wheel, humming along to some stupid pop song on the radio.
Every few seconds, Liam catches Theo glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. Theo opens his mouth like he’s about to speak but then shuts it again.
Liam pretends he doesn’t notice. Turns the music up.
They pull into the drive-thru, and Theo leans over, reading the menu like he’s never been to McDonald’s before in his life.
“Why are you studying it like it’s the SATs?” Liam asks.
Theo’s dead serious. “I have to choose wisely. This is my first post-prison McDonald’s.”
Liam laughs under his breath. “It’s not that deep.”
“It is,” Theo says. “Fries are life or death.”
Liam shakes his head but his heart’s so full it hurts a little.
_
They end up parked on the edge of Beacon Hills, the kind of place where the trees thin out and the sky stretches wide and open above them.
Theo’s sitting on the hood of Liam’s car, a McDonald’s bag crumpled between them, a box of fries balanced precariously on his knee. Liam’s drinking a Coke, kicking at the gravel with his sneaker.
“Okay, you have to admit,” Theo says, mouth full of fries, “I absolutely killed this order.”
“You got two cheeseburgers and fries,” Liam deadpans. “The most basic order.”
“Yeah, but the execution? Immaculate.”
“You sound like Gordon Ramsay.”
“I could be. If Gordon Ramsay liked raccoons.”
Liam raises an eyebrow. “Why do you keep bringing up raccoons?”
Theo just grins. “I feel spiritually connected to them. Messy. Hungry. Unhinged.”
“You’re an idiot.”
“You like it.”
Liam chokes on his drink.
Theo laughs so hard he drops a fry on his hoodie.
_
The sky’s stupidly clear tonight. Stars scattered across it like someone spilled glitter.
They fall into a comfortable silence, shoulders brushing, sharing fries, sharing warmth.
Theo leans back on his elbows, eyes on the stars. “You ever think about how weird this is?”
“What?”
“This. Us. Me, out of jail. Living in your apartment. Wearing your clothes. Sharing your fries.”
Liam tosses a fry at him. “You make it sound like you’re a stray I took in.”
Theo catches the fry in his mouth, smirking. “Did you?”
Liam rolls his eyes but the corner of his mouth twitches. “You’re not a stray.”
“Am I yours then?” Theo says it so casually, but his voice drops just a little too soft.
Liam’s throat goes dry.
“You’re mine,” Liam says, like it’s obvious. Like it’s always been.
Theo goes quiet. For once, he doesn’t have some smart-ass comeback.
He just leans a little closer. Not enough to touch, but close enough to feel.
_
When they get home, Theo hovers in the hallway, tugging at his sleeve.
“I’ll take the couch,” he says. “Don’t wanna make things weird.”
“You already did,” Liam says, stepping out of his shoes. “You wore my shirt. You stole my fries. There’s no recovery.”
Theo scratches the back of his neck, sheepish. “Yeah but… the bed’s your space.”
“So?” Liam tosses him a pillow. “You’re part of that space now.”
Theo’s ears turn so pink. Like instantly.
“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?” he mutters.
“Nope.”
“Fine. But I’m sleeping on top of the blanket.”
“You’re not,” Liam says, walking past him. “Because you’re a blanket hog and you’ll end up wrapped around me anyway.”
Theo groans. “I hate you.”
“You like me.”
Theo mumbles something under his breath that sounds dangerously close to yeah, I do.
_
It takes them fifteen minutes to settle because Theo keeps moving around, overthinking where to put his arms.
At first, they lie stiffly, backs to each other like the bed’s suddenly too small.
Liam flips over first. Hooks his chin on Theo’s shoulder.
“You’re still awake,” Liam whispers.
“No I’m not.”
“You’re literally talking to me.”
“I’m sleep-talking.”
Liam laughs softly against his skin. “Come here.”
He drags Theo closer, his chest pressed against Theo’s back, arms lazily wrapped around his waist.
Theo goes rigid. His breath stutters.
“You gonna freak out?” Liam teases.
“I’m considering it.”
“You want me to let go?”
Theo’s quiet. “...No.”
Liam nuzzles the side of his neck. “Good.”
A long beat passes. The kind that feels like the world shrank to just this bed, just this room, just them.
“I’ve never really done this before,” Theo whispers. “The date thing. The… this thing.”
“The ‘falling asleep in my arms’ thing?” Liam hums. “Yeah, me neither. Guess we’re both just gonna figure it out.”
“Could’ve picked someone less annoying to figure it out with.”
“You love it.”
Theo sighs, settling deeper into the hold. “Unfortunately.”
_
Ten minutes later, Theo’s still awake. Still tense. Still overthinking.
“You gonna relax or—”
Liam doesn’t finish the sentence. He just leans forward and presses a soft, lingering kiss to Theo’s cheek.
Theo’s entire body short-circuits. His face turns a deep, furious shade of red.
Liam smirks against his skin. “Oh my god, are you blushing?”
Theo shoves his face into the pillow. “Shut up.”
“You’re blushing.”
“I hate you.”
Liam peppers another kiss to his jaw just to be extra annoying. “You like me.”
“Shut up.”
“You like me.”
Theo groans, dragging the blanket over both their heads to hide.
Liam’s voice softens. “Goodnight, raccoon boy.”
“M’not a raccoon.”
“You’re my raccoon.”
Theo huffs, but Liam can feel his smile in the dark.
And as Theo finally, finally relaxes, fingers loosely gripping Liam’s wrist where he’s holding him, Liam thinks maybe this was the perfect first date after all.