Chapter Text
Liam Dunbar had never really had luck in terms of teammates, by being bullied at Devenford and being hunted in Beacon Hills High. But months after the war, things were starting to get better, he finally was getting the respect and admiration as the team's co-captain. They were beginning to realize that having a werewolf on their side was quite useful.
What the boy wasn't expecting was that he dragged the attention of another player in an unexpected way.
"So, what do you wanna talk about?"
"I was wondering if you are free this weekend?" Kevin questioned. The black haired boy had joined the team around the same time as Liam back in freshman year, although they had never been particularly close.
"Mostly, yeah."
Where was this going? He only hoped this wouldn't end up in another locker room fight.
"Great!" Kevin smiled. "I have some tickets for 300: rise of the empire, wanna join me?"
The werewolf had thought that his teammate wanted to discuss something about lacrosse or about one of the subjects the two of them had together. He wasn't expecting to be invited to hang out, they definitely weren't that close friends, Liam wasn't sure he would count Kevin as a friend.
"Hum... I was planning to see it with Corey and Mason." Liam stated. "And maybe Theo, if I manage to drag him along."
"I wasn't planning on inviting them." Kevin admitted.
"Something wrong with them?" The captain asked suspiciously. Why would that guy have a problem with his friends?
"Nothing. I just wanted to be the two of us." Kevin confessed.
"Just us?" Liam asked, confused. "Not anyone on the team?"
"Just us, like on a date." Kevin remarked.
"A date!?" Liam blurted out, caught out of guard and with his cheeks burning. "Us?!"
"Yeah, have you never thought about me like that?"
"Ham... Look I..." Liam said, covered in embarrassment. "I don't even think I have thought about a guy like that, actually."
"I see." Kevin bitted his own lips, frustrated. "But, would you like to give it a try? It doesn't have to mean anything."
"Oh, I don't know if that's a good idea." Liam said. "I'm straight?"
"Why are you saying it like a question?" Kevin raised an eyebrow.
Liam opened his month, but couldn't think in a response.
"Look, if you change your mind, the offer will still be up for now." Kevin guaranteed. "But, no pressure."
"Sure." The captain gave the other boy an awkward smile.
The conversation was a quite awkward and left Liam clueless. He couldn't stop thinking about Kevin's question as he made his way to the library to meet Mason and Corey. Would he like to give it a try? He surely didn't have any special feelings about that guy. Liam wondered if it was some other boy who had asked him out he would've a different reaction.
"So, what was Kevin on about?" Corey asked seriously when the captain joined them at the library table.
Yeah, Kevin. What could he even say about that guy? Maybe being the captain of the team Liam should know better his teammates, Kevin as a decent player, but he wasn't a strong presence in Liam's life outside of the field. He was quite pretty, actually.
"Earth to Liam." Mason said, shaking his hand in front of Liam's face.
"What did you say?" Liam asked, coming back to reality.
"What was that guy's deal?" Mason asked.
"Wish I knew." Liam sighed, burying his face on the table.
"Something happened?" Mason asked, putting one of his hands on Liam's shoulder. "Is the lacrosse team giving you a hard time again?"
"Quite the opposite, actually." Liam whined, lifting his head once again. "He asked me out."
"He's quite attractive, is that a problem?" Corey inquired while Mason gave a small laugh about the way his best friend was reacting.
"I've never been with a guy before." The werewolf remarked.
"So you said yes?" Mason questioned with a curious look.
"Wait, no!" Liam exclaimed. "He just got me confused."
"Confused about what?" Alec asked, appearing in the middle of the conversation, taking the spot next to Liam.
Alec was the newest addition to the pack, Scott had found the 16 year old werewolf after his pack had been killed by hunters, leaving the poor boy alone. The young werewolf had been shy at begging, but he was starting to get more comfortable around the others.
"Kevin from the lacrosse team asked Liam out." Corey informed.
"Ah, Theo's not gonna be happy about this." Alec muttered in a teasing tone.
"What does Theo have to do with this?" The werewolf asked, confused.
"Like I hope he doesn't tear this guy's throat." The youngest beta laughed.
"Why would he even think about that?" Liam asked, confused. Alec knew Theo wasn't that type of person anymore, actually the youngest boy had never seen the chimera at his worst.
"Well, if I was at his place, I wouldn't like it if some dude was hitting on my boyfriend." Alec stated.
"What?!" Liam exclaimed, almost jumping from the chair.
Alec's statement made Mason and Corey burst into laughter and made the sophomore look confused, like something was off.
"I wasn't expecting that it would be that funny."
"Wait, you really thought these two were dating?" Corey asked while trying to contain his laughter.
"They are not?!" Alec yelled, this time actually jumping from his chair.
"Why would you think that?" Liam asked, confused, like there was nothing going on between him and Theo.
"I mean it isn't really that odd of an assumption." Mason confessed.
"You too?"
"I think the real question is who didn't think about that." Corey remarked. "You two are basically an old married couple."
"How?"
"You two are practically always together." Alec said.
"We are not together right now." Liam retorted. "And if he was here he would be laughing at this absurdity."
"Yeah, 'cause he always got your back, right?" Corey joked.
"Only when they are not fighting like an old married couple." Mason added.
"Like, you two are even living together." Alec reminded.
"Because he was homeless." Liam explained. "Wasn't letting him sleep in his car, especially with hunters still around."
"Yeah, it must be good having him around the house." Alec mocked.
"We're just friends!" Liam shouted.
"Really, Liam?" Mason asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, he's also my anchor, but..." The werewolf added, why did he need to be explaining himself? "There is nothing else."
Theo might be the person who understands him the best and usually knows the right thing to say in order to make Lian feel more conformable or to annoy him. He enjoyed spending the time with that stupid chimera and seeing how he has been smiling more lately. But, that didn't mean anything.
"Sure." The chameleon said. "The way you look at him says otherwise."
"I don't look at him like that."
"Why are you so defensive, right now?" His best friend inquired.
"Theo would be offended if he heard all of that." Liam guaranteed. "Plus, I've never really thought about boys like that."
"Are you sure, Liam?" Mason questioned with a malicious look. "Not even Matthew Bomer in White Collar?"
"That's different." Liam stated embarrassed. Yeah, Matthew Boomer is hot, so what?
"You basically drooled when the guy was on screen." Mason ruminated.
"Aren't Neal Caffrey and Theo quite similar?" Corey pondered.
"No idea who that is, but you are much more caught on Theo than on the lacrosse dude." Alec said, going back to the original subject.
"That's true, indeed." Corey pointed out. "Have you even thought about Kevin?"
"Thought about what? I barely know the guy."
"That's why you go on dates, Liam. To get to know someone." Mason explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I just don't feel like it." Liam pouted. "I don't know... with Hayden was easier."
"You don't feel like because he's a guy or 'cause you barely know him?" Mason asked.
"Ah... maybe both." Liam answered uncertainly. "But, it's more about the second question."
"Just take a moment to think and you will find the answer." Mason assured.
"What are you now? Some kind of wise?"
"And maybe think about Theo a little bit." Alec mocked with a smirk on his face.
"Shut up!"
As if he would think about Theo like that.
One advantage Theo living with him was having the chimera as his personal driver. When Liam didn't have to stay till later the chimera usually drove him back home before his shift started. It was good not having to drive by himself, Liam being the one on the driver's seat.
Having Theo at the truck with him was calm and light. Liam enjoyed talking to him about their days and silly stuff. He also knew how to comfort Liam when he was having a bad day.
The chimera almost made driving look cool. He looked relaxed, if Liam was behind the wheel he probably would look nervous and stiff. Driving was like a natural thing to Theo, holding the wheel with his strong hands, that position really made his biceps stand out even more. Well, it's not like it wasn't something that normally stands out, even with loose and long sleeved clothes it was evident that Theo was muscular.
Liam wondered if the older boy got ripped like that with actual training or it was a chimera thing. Either way, he looked strong and attractive.
Oh God, what was he even thinking?
"Can you stop staring at me like that?" Theo demanded, slightly annoyed.
"Stare at you like what?!" Liam blurted out as if he got caught doing something inappropriate.
"You tell me." Theo voiced, taking a quick look at the beta. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing, it was just something with the team." The captain muttered.
"What did those guys do, now?" Theo inquired. Alec wasn't that far from thinking he would rip one of his teammate's throat, but not out of jealousy as the younger werewolf was suggesting. But, Liam knew if he became a target of bullying once again, they would have to deal with the chimera of death.
"It was just one guy, actually." Liam whispered, still trying to process what had happened.
"Did he..."
"Aksed me out." The werewolf managed to say. It wasn't that weird of an idea, right? So why did he seemed uneasy talking with Theo about that?
"Oh." Theo sighed, but he seemed to remain tense. "And that... was it a problem?
"Not exactly." Liam admitted. "It was just unexpected."
"He didn't pressure you into anything, right?" The driver asked, concerned.
"No, he was quite chill, actually." The captain informed.
"So, you..."
"I declined." Liam informed.
"Okay." Was all Theo said.
"He wanted to see a movie that I was already planning to see with the boys and you." Liam informed.
"That wasn't the only reason you ditched that guy, right?" Theo noticed, he always seemed to notice the little things when the subject was Liam.
"I'm not even sure if I like boys." Liam blurted.
"That's up to you to decide."
"I just never thought about it."
"And now you think it's a possibility 'cause of that lacrosse dude?" Theo asked, but he did not seem to be pushing like Alec.
"Maybe, but it isn't really about him."
"So, it's about someone else or...?"
"More about me thinking." Liam assured.
"That's something that only you can decide for yourself." Theo said. "But, don't think too much that little head of yours might explode."
"Shut up!"
One Friday night Mason and Corey had decided to make Liam and Theo tag along to the Sinema. He had already gone there a few times, but it felt quite different now that he was starting to question some things.
The beta was already starting to rethink if he should go or not when Theo entered his room without a warning and also without a shirt, exposing his toned body. It wasn't like Liam had never seen him without a shirt since they were living together. But, Theo could maybe act a little less shameless about it, right?
"Can you at least put on a shirt before invading my room?" Liam asked, trying to control his heartbeat. No, no, he wouldn't think about Theo like that. It's just Alec putting thoughts in your head and that stupid chimera being ridiculously attractive was not being helpful.
"Well, I came here looking for it." Theo declared, already opening the beta's wardrobe without permission.
"In my stuff?" The werewolf exclaimed. He was acting more annoyed than he actually was, but it was to hide the effect that Theo's back had on him. He could even see the muscles contracting from a far.
"You must have mixed up part of the laundry."
"I don't mix things up"
"See, it's here." The chimera said with a green hoodie that in fact didn't belong to Liam and the beta pouted.
"You're going with that hoodie?" Liam asked, trying to make a small talk to avoid the intrusive thoughts.
"Any problem with that?"
"No." Liam tilted his head. He really didn't, the hoodie by itself looked good, if it was a piece of clothing that if he saw at a store he probably would buy it. And that green turquoise really lightens Theo's eyes. Even if it didn't show how muscular his arms were, he still looked good.
He's so cute like that.
"Or a tight shirt is a requirement?" The chimera asked with his eyes fixed on the red long-sleeved shirt Liam was wearing.
"Shut up!" The beta yelled while throwing a pillow at his annoying housemate. The only thing Theo did was laugh. Liam couldn't complain about him laughing, after everything the older boy had been through, he deserved to be a normal teen and laugh and do silly things.
And when he genuinely smiled it was radiant.
Oh, he really needed to make those silly thoughts about Theo fade away. Maybe, Operation Sinema would help.
Liam wondered why he had thought that letting Mason and Corey drag him to Sinema was a good idea. Has he ever found himself lucky in that damn place? They were attacked by some supernatural thing there at least three times.
The overwhelming music wasn't exactly pleasant to his wolf ears and Liam looked more uncomfortable in that sea of bodies, he doubted that he would find himself attracted to anyone there. Also, Theo coming along in that search for a date for Liam, but quickly leaving them when Nathan Pierce dragged him to a particular conversation wasn't a delight to the werewolf.
Liam probably should be focusing on the hot guys around instead of how Nathan was a little too close to Theo for his liking. It almost made the werewolf growl. Why of all people there, the one that the chimera was giving attention to was that jackass? Like the club was filled with sure more interesting guys and go-go dancers giving a show, none were exactly Liam's type, but could be appreciated.
The werewolf even tried to dance with one boy around his age there, he was quite handsome and had defined biceps. Unlike Liam he was a good dancer, still dancing with that guy felt odd, like something was out of place. Why was he even with that guy again? Maybe, being with boys wasn't Liam's thing after all or maybe it was the dancing thing.
Liam needed some time out of the dancing floor to reorder his head, then he quickly spotted Theo casually sitting on a couch while scrolling trough his phone, all by himself. Thankfully, Nathan seemed to be gone. The chimera hadn't really put any extra effort in getting ready for the club, he was wearing his usual jeans and tha one green hoodie, his regular look. Actually, it looked like he didn't even wanted to be there.
The werewolf took the spot next to Theo and sighed, letting himself drown in the couch while Mason and Corey were dancing together like the corny couple they were. Liam kinda envied them.
"Any luck?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not really." Liam pouted. "Don't know why I thought this would be a good idea."
"Giving up that easily?"
"I look at those guys and I don't really want to be with them." Liam said, passing his fingers through his own hair. "Maybe, I'm not bi, after all."
"And the girls here, do you feel something about them?" The chimera asked, the question made Liam take a moment to observe the girls there, they were a minority, but we're still there to be found.
"Humm... Nope."
"Maybe, you just ain't the type that finds someone in a damn club." Theo suggested.
"Now, you're calling me corny." Liam whined. Why couldn't things come more easily to him?
"That's you saying." The chimera commented. "You don't have to force yourself into felling anything."
"And how about you?" The younger boy asked, trying to shift the attention focus.
"About me?" Theo asked, Liam thought he might have seen the chimera blush, but it was probably just the lightning.
"Someone caught your coywolf eyes?"
"Though all this was about finding someone for you, not for me." Theo said, evading the question that was still in the air.
"Nothing is stopping you from finding love tonight." Liam remarked. Ah, he really needs to stop being that corny. "Or just a hook-up, maybe."
"Actually, there's someone I find quite interesting." The chimera admitted.
"Really, who?"
"You will have to find that by yourself." Was all that Theo said, not giving any information to the beta to work with.
That was the first time Theo had hinted being into someone. Who could it be? Theo didn't talk that much with people outside the puppy pack, well there was the costumers at Deaton's clinic, but he had never really talk about anyone in especially. When they entered the clubs, Theo didn't really giving much attention to anyone, expect for...
"Please, tell me it's not Nathan." Liam pleaded.
"Would it be a problem if it was?" Theo asked, giving emphasis on the if.
"Well, that guy is terrible." The werewolf ranted.
"Was he involved with the hunters?" Theo asked with concern in his face.
"Not directly." The werewolf declared.
"Has he ever hurt you?" The chimera was probably thinking if that guy would go on his 'make a wrong move and you will die', as Liam liked to call it. The imaginary list contained most of the lacrosse team for giving Liam a hard time and annoying cutumers.
"No, he's just a typical douchebag." Liam admitted, compared to his former Devenford teammates and people like Garrett and Gabe who tried to actually kill him, Nathan Pierce was a chill guy. "He thinks he's better than everyone."
"I'm not close with that dude." Theo stated, what strangely made Liam feel a little better. "We were just talking about a chemistry project."
"A chemistry project without the metaphorical chemistry there, right?" The werewolf queried.
"Oh, are you jealous?" The older boy laughed.
"No, why would I be?" Liam blurted out, he couldn't help the red from spreading on his face. "I just don't wanna see you with a bastard like him. And I sure don't want him around me more."
"Don't need to worry, I'm not into him." Theo finally established.
"Good." Liam said, although he wasn't sure what he was even trying to implie with that.
"However, I'm not planning to make a move now, anyway." The chimera murmured.
"Why not?" Liam asked, quite curious, but afraid of the answer.
"Hum... Don't think I'm built for relationships." Theo admitted quite embarrassed.
"Only one way to find out."
"I'd rather not screw this up." Theo sighed.
"This guy is missing out, so."
However this person was, it was someone really lucky, Liam thought. Theo was already extremely attencious with him, he wondered how the chimera would be as a boyfriend.
"He isn't and I'm sure it isn't actually mutual." Theo declared. "I think I should just focus on myself or however."
"You are not enjoying it here, right?" Liam sighed. The club seemed to only be fun for Mason and Corey.
"I can't exactly get drunk, so no."
"You looked more like a clubbing guy when I first met ya." The werewolf voiced.
"Was I really passing that vibe?" The chimera laughed.
"There was the time you followed Josh here."
"And you only know that 'cause you were stalking me."
"And also there is a difference in your clothes now and then."
"What is wrong with my clothes?" The chimera frowned.
"Technically, nothing." Liam said. "Just now, you wear more loose clothes, you like hide in the hodies and layered jackets."
"When did you become a fashion specialist?"
"Shut up!" Liam said giving Theo a little punch in the shoulder. "Anyways, back then you wore like more... revealing clothes, lower collars and tight shirts."
"Are you trying to call me a slut, Dunbar?"
"Wait, no!" Liam blurted out, embarrassed. "Just making... a style analysis."
"Style analysis?" Theo repeated with a smirk on his face. "Think I was trying to go for the cool and mysterious look back then."
"It was quite charming, indeed." The werewolf adimmited. Come on, it's about Theo they were taking about, he could put off any look.
Even if he was wearing a casual outfit, Theo's beauty still stands out, with his now slightly longer hair falling in his face, his broad shoulders covered by the hoodie that hide his muscular arms that Liam wouldn't mind trailing with his fingers. Oh.
"Well, you even tried to seduce Malia and my girlfriend." Liam complained, trying to regain the composture he almost lost for a second.
"Still, hang up in that?" The chimera asked without a hince of guilty on his voice.
"Depends, are you still trying to be homewecker and steal someone's girlfriend?" The beta interrogate.
"I assure I'm not intending to take anyone's girl." Theo stated, he didn't seem to be lying, but with his super spy skills you never know.
"Good."
"It's more 'cause I'm not really into girls, though." The older boy revealed, it was the first time he actually mentioned something about his own sexuality.
"What?!" Liam yelled incredulous. "So, why did you flirt with Hayden?"
It would be funny to informe the Liam from one year ago that he would be almost was irritated about Nathan speaking with Theo than that time that Theo himself was all over Hayden. But that didn't really mean anything, right?
"It was more to piss you off." Theo said. Yeah, even after all the change for the better thing, that chimera still managed to piss Liam off.
"You jerk!"
If he was bissexual or however, would he feel something looking at the other guys inside the locker room? It's not like he was actually staring at them, Liam wasn't thrilled to share the same space and look at a bunch of sweaty teenage boys. He actually considered most of the guys there disgusting.
What even makes someone be attracted to or like a guy? What would be Mason and Corey's answers? Also, what did Kevin that was at his side finishing adjusting his lacrosse equipment think about all that?
"Want to say something to me, Dunbar?" Kevin asked, fixating his look to the captain.
"Hum, I wanted to know like... what got your attention." Liam informed, it's unsure if he should even be making the question.
"On you?" His teammate asked.
"Yeah."
"Well, you have always made a good impression." Kevin said without stopping to think about it.
"I wouldn't say that." The captain said. Unless Kevin was counting being beat up by his own teammates as some kind of good impression, Liam was not really Mr. Popular.
"Why not? You are our best player and a good leader. And you can be cute and hot at the same time."
Cute and hot.
"Don't know if most people would agree about that." The beta laughed.
"If they say otherwise it's because they are jealous or skeptical due to the werewolf thing." Kevin stated, it was nice to hear that someone on the team wasn't judging him for this. "And by the way, I'm kind of amused by the werewolf thing."
"It's not a great thing, surely." Liam rolled his eyes.
"I think it's kinda hot, you know?" Kevin remarked with lustful eyes.
"H-hot?" The beta repeated with his cheeks burning red.
"Yeah, this strength you got." Kevin continued his thought process. "Bet you could easily slam me against the wall?"
"And that would be attractive to you?"
"Don't you think so?" He asked.
The werewolf had found himself in that scenario a certain number of times, but usually he was the one being pressed against the wall and none of the times he would describe as attractive. The first time he could think of was on the same locker room when Derek that the only effect that had on him was the feeling of a murderous rage and he had also broken Liam's lacrosse stick, there was also the time that Nathan was ready to fight for stealing his party, he felt the guy's hand around his neck and try to control himself to not punch that jackass and cause a scene. And he wouldn't even mention the ghost rider.
Ah, it also happened when he brought Theo back down at the tunnels, the chimera's first instinct was to attack. Well after all that time being tortured down there without being able to fight back, Liam couldn't exactly blame him for that. The chimera smelled like he was scared, Liam had first it was just another act, but looking back Theo was probably in fact terrified.
Theo had pressed his strong forearm against the werewolf's neck and growled at his face. They definitely were a little too close, but Theo was more likely to rip his throat than to kiss him. Another uncomfortable situation. How could Kevin see that was hot?
Well, Theo had enough strength to manhandle him, the chimera had knocked him out when he was going to kill Nolan. Thinking about it Liam never got to know how he got inside of the car. Had he suffered so much brain damage from being knocked out five times that he completely forgot walking to the car? Or did Theo carry him to the car? Good that nobody else was there to see them, how embarrassing it would get caught on Theo Raeken's arm. His strong and defined arms, even without the chimera powers he probably would still be really strong. And how did Theo carry him? Bridal style maybe? Liam wouldn't mind being carried like that again.
"No! No!" Liam yelled. He couldn't be thinking about that. Do not think about Theo like that. "No!"
"Ok, I get that." Kevin said with a concerned voiced. "Calm down."
"I'm calm!" Liam alleged, but his tone wouldn't convince anyone.
"Did I make you that uncomfortable?" His teammate asked.
"It wasn't that." The werewolf said, he got so lost in his thoughts he even forgot what Kevin was talking about. "My mind went somewhere else for a second."
"You sure?" He asked once again. "I can stop with my flirtiness if it bothers you."
"No. I mean..." Liam struggled to find the words. "It's not like..."
"I think you need some time alone to think." Kevin said while he left the locker room. "See ya on training."
Time to think? There was nothing that he needed to think about. He certainly wasn't thinking about Theo Raeken in that way, it was just Alec's words that got into his head. Things would come back to normal.
Spending most of his formative years in unethical labs indicated that Theo had missed most of the precious experience of childhood and teenager years and it showed. And Liam was determined to compensate for those lost years creating new memories for Theo.
Liam loved the arcade, he had a special attachment to it. It was the place he was introduced to David, his mother thought that introducing her new partner to him in a place he usually had fun was a good idea. And it worked, how could little Liam not already grow attached to his new step-dad when he was a master at the claw machine.
He was surprised when Theo said he had never gone to the arcade when Liam was telling the story of his first meeting with David. The place was really popular when it first opened, but by the time Theo had already been taken to another underground lab by dread doctors.
The arcade contain many special memories for Liam, moments he cherished with his parents, with Mason and he also wanted to create new memories with Theo. He wanted to bring joy to the chimera after all the years of manipulation and isolation.
Although, joy was definitely not what Theo was feeling playing the basketball game. He claimed Liam was only winning because he had the unfair advantage of playing an actual sport. Even though the lacrosse and the basketball balls were from completely different sizes and he didn't directly hold the lacrosse one and it wasn't necessary for it to be thrown to a higher spot.
Still, Theo had his time to shine at air hockey, if someone heard how much of he was laughing and mocking Liam for losing would not even imagine how bad he was at most of the games there.
While walking to the next game, the beta's eyes stopped by the claw machine. Among other stuffed toys, what got his attention was the grey wolf. It looked so cute and fluffy. It was a shame David wasn't there with them to give it a try. Liam himself had always had a shity luck on that machine.
"Why are you staring at it so much?" He heard Theo asking.
"They have a wolf." Liam said while pointing at the grey wolf stuffed toy inside of the machine.
"Don't tell me you are thinking on trying to get it." Theo mocked.
"Well, this machine sucks." The werewolf complained, he still remembered clearly the times he went back home frustrated 'cause he didn't get anything on that stupid machine. "But..."
"A werewolf wanting a wolf toy, really?" The chimera mocked.
"It's a cute one." Liam pouted, quite embarrassed. Theo was probably thinking about how childish he was.
The older boy had stared at him for a while before he grabbed his own wallet looking for coins.
"Alright, I will do it." The older boy declared, giving Liam his usual smirk.
"You don't have to."
"And lost the chance to prove I'm better than you at a game? No way." Theo said smugly. Sure, that was the only reason. No other motive that would give Liam some kind of hope.
With the coin being placed inside the machine, Theo began his first attempt, the claw managed to reach the stuffed wolf but it wasn't enough to actually grab him.
"Yeah, look how good you are." Liam mocked.
"Do you want this thing or not?" The chimera asked, shifting his head towards Liam's direction. "Because for me I can stop trying."
"Go ahead." The beta said, but Theo still failed on his second attempt.
"Don't say anything!" Theo demanded, already irritated and flustered with the machine. Liam could understand the frustration.
Luckily, the third attempt was a success with Theo managing to grab the stuffed toy the werewolf wanted.
"You did!" Liam cheered, taking the stuffed wolf in his arms, firmly hugging it.
"If you wanted to pet a wolf so bad, I could have just shifted into one." The chimera said through a smile.
"What?!" Liam exclaimed after been caught out of guard.
"Ah, nevermind." He said with a trembling voice, running his hand through his neck.
"Don't know if you as a wolf could beat this little one cuteness."
"Excuse me, but my wolf's fur is really soft." Theo retorted.
"Oh, really." The younger boy laughed.
Without thinking too much, Liam reached for Theo's hair, passing his hands through the soft hair that the chimera had decided to let grow a little after being brought back. If his hair was already this soft on his human form, Liam wondered how fluffy it would be on his wolf form.
"I was talking about you doing it on my wolf form, not... like that." Theo said with his face burning red.
"Ah, sorry!" Liam blurted out, quickly taking his hand away from Theo, but he wanted to stay like that for longer.
Coach making them running for countless times around the lacrosse field was torture for most of the players, Liam would really complain about it, he likes running. Although, having to endure hearing Nathan Pierce's voice.
"This freaking school should at least have some cheerleaders." That freaking guy commented while he kept running. "Dunbar and Holloway, you two should look after this as captains"
"Don't think this fits as captain duties." Nolan said.
"You two are useless." Nathan whined. Yeah, the two of them were useless, not the guy who didn't score anything last game.
"Not our fault you can't find a girl to cheer for you." Liam snarked.
"As if you had any girl, Dunbar." Nathan mocked. "You just have those guys yelling for you and Bryant."
"At least, I've friends that support me and cheer for me." The werewolf declared. "Unlike some people."
"Why would I want some guy yelling at me from the blenchers?" Nathan muttered. "Also, I definitely wouldn't want to see Raeken or Hewitt in skirts shaking pompoms."
Nathan's comment made the captain made picture Theo as an actual cheerleader. At first it was a laughable scenario, the chimera didn't even have the qualities of a cheerleader, he was grumpy and his cheering looked more like a scolding than anything else. Also, he wasn't sure if Theo could pull out the cheerleader uniform with his ripped body and thick thighs. He sure would look good shaking pompoms and maybe the uniform was not that bad.
Oh, gosh.
"Hey, Dumb-bar! Stop daydreaming and go back running!" Coach yelled at him. The athlete was so lost in his thoughts, his Theo thoughts, that he didn't even realize when he had stopped running.
"I'm not dreaming!" Liam shouted as he shifted his attention back to the coach.
"Just keep moving, you can think about your girlfriend later."
"I'm not thinking about any girl!" He declared with a bright red face, which was in fact true. Though, what he had on his mind was equally embarrassing.
"Oh yeah." Coach said like he had just remembered some very important detail. "So, think about that boy of yours later."
Liam didn't even manage to protest, he had only let a growl out before he had taken a step back and bumped into Gwen making them both fall.
"What's wrong with you today?" Gwen asked with her usual sharp and direct way of saying things.
"A boy." Liam whined.
"A what?" She asked, confused.
"Dunbar! Summers! Back to training!"
"Hey, Dunbar!" Gwen slapped his back when he left the boy's locker room after training.
"Hi, Gwen."
"So, a boy, hum?" The girl asked with a malicious look on her face.
"Don't know what you are talking about." Liam muttered, trying to escape from any more questions.
"You were the one who said it actually." Gwen pointed out. Couldn't she just let this one go?
"It was nothing."
"I think someone is having boy problems." His teammate guessed. Sometimes he saw Gwen was the annoying little sister he never wanted to have.
"I'm a boy, so if I have a problem isn't it automatically a boy problem?"
"You're stalling, Liam." Gwen rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, I think I have these feelings for this... boy." Liam confessed seeing it was the only way she might let this one go.
"Is it Theo, isn't it?" Gwen gushed.
"Wait? Why would you just assume it is him?" The werewolf asked in despair. He wasn't obvious like that, right?
"Come on, you two would look cute together." She insisted while poking his arm.
"This can't be it." The beta whined.
"Why not?" Gwen had asked before starting singing. "Theo and Liam kissing on a tree."
"Stop, that's embarrassing!" He begged, if Theo walked in and heard her little song it would be a disaster. "I can't like him."
"It's not like he is straight, right?"
"Not really, but it's Theo." Liam pointed out. "It's complicated."
"Complicated?"
"He's not exactly the picture perfect of boyfriend material."
"Liam, I've seen how he acts around you." Gwen said, she hasn't known Theo for as long as the others, so she wasn't really that aware of the history. "He's definitely as infatuated as you."
"You are seeing things." He said, but he couldn't stop his face from turning red.
"I will start to photograph whenever he's looking at you." The girl decided. "Then, you would be able to deny it."
"Just if you photoshop it." Liam laughed. "Bye, Gwen."
The werewolf needed someone who could see things clearly, someone wiser who probably would make his head come back to reality and make these stupid thoughts go away. Liam needed his best friend.
Mason was one of smartest people he ever knew and was skeptical about the chimera's motives, so he would be the perfect guy to put some sense back into Liam's head.
"I might have a question to deal with." The werewolf confessed, a little nervous when he met with his best friend.
"And that question would be?" The curiosity took over Mason.
"Fine, I might be bissexual or however." Liam admitted.
"So our clubbing night was successful after all." Mason smiled.
"Kinda."
"I'm happy you came to talk with me about this." Mason said. "But, you still look stressed."
"Well, I may come to that conclusion 'cause I started to notice someone that I shouldn't be noticing that much." Liam confessed still uncomfortable with his feelings for Theo.
"I get it, buddy." Mason said, pressing a hand on his friend's shoulder. "And that boy would be?"
"You will be mad at me?" The werewolf whined.
"I would only be slightly bothered If that boy was Corey, although it would be understable, my boyfriend is caught." The human stated. "But, I don't think that is the case."
"It's Theo." He sighed.
"So you like him?" Mason raised one eyebrow.
"You are not going to yell at me, really?" Liam questioned intrigued.
"Why would I?" Mason questioned, completely. That wasn't the attitude he wasn't expecting.
"Because it's Theo!" Liam exclaimed, waiting for some word of wisdom. Like Liam that's a terrible thing, you can't like that guy.
"And the problem is?" He questioned, Manson was being as useful as Gwen.
"He used to be the big bad chimera of death and did all those bad things..."
"Dude, I made those same statements when you had started hanging out with him, especially when you made him move into your house." Mason had cut him off with an incredulous tone. "And you yelled at me, your best friend, saying 'he's not like that, he has changed'."
"Yeah, I know." The beta whined. How could his best friend use his own words against him?
"So, why would you say all this stuff all of the sudden?"
"I don't know." Liam confessed. "I feel I'm just going to embarrass myself in front of him."
"You've already embarrassed yourself in front of him many times."
"Oh, thanks." The werewolf gasped. "That was really helpful."
"Yet, he still looks at you like he's admiring a painting." Mason stated.
"He does not." Liam retorted, bit knowing how Mason could come to that conclusion. "What he likes is teasing me."
"I get that you are scared and trying to find a reason to let this go." Mason put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "But, give it a time, I know that you will be able to figure this out."
"I wish that was easy." The beta sighed.
"When it's time you will be with the man or woman of your dreams."
"Easy for you to say." Liam rolled his eyes. "You have Corey."
"Yeah, but the last guy I had kissed before him tried to kill me."
"The last person I kissed punched me." Liam remarked. "It's that enough or the attempt of murder is the requirement to have luck at love?"
"Well, you were almost killed multiple times." The human voiced. "Bet, if you kissed Theo you would get lucky."
Liam had the task to look for some special herb for Deaton along with Theo and Malia, but those two had decided that it would be better if they were full-shifted to look for it, leaving the youngest bets to wait for them with a bag with their clothes. Why did he even tag along?
After some boring minutes of waiting, Theo came into Liam's direction still in his black wolf form and dropped the herb next to the beta.
"Good job." Liam said.
Instead of shifting back, the wolf rested his head on Liam’s lap and stared right into his eyes.
"What are you doing?" The boy asked surprised by the sudden contact. "Oh..."
The werewolf remembered their conversation at the arcade, about Liam petting him. He had thought Theo was just joking, but could he really be talking seriously?
Liam dared to get his left hand to the wolf's head, still afraid that Theo would shift his head and bite him, but instead he melted into his touch.
"You like that, hum?" Liam smiled. Theo's fur was so fluffy, better than his wolf plushie.
Both of the werecreatures heard a sound of something approaching and it didn't take long for a coyote to come close to them and shift back to her human form.
"Damn, Malia. Put some clothes back first." Liam said, pressing his eyes shut.
"Since when you are such a prude?" Malia asked, picking up her clothes from the bag. "Don't you shower together with the lacrosse guys?"
"Don't put it in that way." The werewolf whined.
"Don't act like a virgin, so." Malia pondered. "Theo doesn't mind."
What was ironic, giving the fact the chimera was the one with less experience out of the three.
"He is a wolf now, course he isn't complaining." Liam said, opening his eyes and staring directly into the black wolf that barked. Whatever he meant with that.
Malia, now fully dressed, seated on the preserve ground next to the young werewolf.
"Like he isn't a show off himself." The werecoyote snarked.
"What do you mean?"
"That he's a little shit." Malia grabbed the wolf's fluffy tail, which made Theo jump from Liam's lap and growl at her.
"Hey, where are you going?" Liam asked when the wolf began to drift away from them.
The beta made the mistake to follow the wolf and ended up meeting the sight of a very naked Theo. If that night at Sinema, Liam was telling the chimera that he used to hide his body, now he was certainly showing way too much skin.
"Oh my god, sorry!" The beta yelled, turning around to hide his flushed cheeks.
He was planning on teasing Theo about how much he had liked to be petted in his wolf form once he shifted back, but now all of Liam's composture was gone and he barely could think straight. What a joke.
"Take me on a date first before you start grabbing me, Tate." Theo announced, fully ignoring Liam.
"As if I would want your gay ass." Malia mocked.
"I remember you having a different thought a while ago." The chimera teased.
"Using your coyote sense against me doesn't count." The werecoyote argued.
"It sure doesn't." Liam murmured. He really should do something to avoid these kinds of thoughts about Theo before he does something he might regret.