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Liam knew the second he stepped through the front door that the night had officially become too long.
His muscles ached. His shirt was torn near the shoulder. There was dried dirt on his jeans, and he was pretty sure there was someone else’s blood on his sleeve.
He didn’t want to think about that.
He just wanted his bed.
Preferably for the next twelve hours.
He made his way upstairs, dragging his feet behind him. The house was quiet, his parents still out, and for once Liam was grateful for the silence.
Then he reached his bedroom.
He stopped.
The window was open.
Not wide open. Just enough to let the cold night air slip through the curtains.
Liam stared at it.
“No.”
He walked into his room.
“Seriously, Theo?”
Nothing.
Liam sighed.
Of course.
Because apparently getting attacked by supernatural creatures all night wasn’t enough. He also had to deal with Theo breaking into his bedroom again.
He crossed the room and pushed the curtain aside.
His annoyance disappeared.
Theo was sitting on the floor outside the window.
His back was against the wall, one knee drawn up, his head tilted slightly downward.
For a second, Liam just stared.
Theo looked awful.
There was blood at his temple. A cut split his lower lip. One sleeve of his jacket was torn nearly to the elbow, revealing several angry scratches underneath. His breathing was slow, but not quite steady.
And he was shivering.
Theo looked up.
Their eyes met.
“Hey,” Theo said.
Liam blinked.
“Are you kidding me?”
Theo glanced down at himself.
“I was going for mysterious.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“I noticed.”
“You’re sitting outside my window.”
“I also noticed that.”
“At midnight.”
“Technically, it’s twelve-oh-seven.”
Liam stared at him.
Theo gave him the faintest smirk.
It didn’t last.
Liam crouched down in front of him.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re covered in blood.”
“Most of it isn’t mine.”
“That is not reassuring.”
“I wasn’t trying to reassure you.”
Liam reached toward him.
Theo immediately flinched back.
Liam stopped.
For a moment, neither of them said anything.
Then Theo pushed himself upright.
“I’m fine.”
He made it halfway to standing before his legs buckled.
Liam caught him by the arm.
“Theo.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“And I said you’re not.”
Theo tried to pull away.
Liam tightened his grip.
“Let go.”
“No.”
Theo stared at him.
“Liam.”
“You’re not going anywhere looking like that.”
“I can walk.”
“You almost fell over.”
“I was sitting for a while.”
“That doesn’t make it better.”
Theo’s jaw tightened.
Liam could practically see the argument forming behind his eyes.
So he waited.
Eventually, Theo sighed.
“Fine.”
Liam helped him through the window.
Theo immediately leaned against the wall once he was inside.
Liam shut the window.
“Sit.”
“I don’t take orders from you.”
“Then don’t.”
Theo stared at him.
Liam pointed at the bed.
Theo sat.
“Happy?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Liam grabbed the first-aid kit from his desk.
Theo watched him.
“You keep that in your room?”
“I’m a werewolf.”
“And?”
“And people I know get hurt a lot.”
Theo hummed.
“Fair.”
Liam sat beside him and opened the kit.
“Hold still.”
“I am holding still.”
“You’re moving.”
“I’m breathing.”
“Stop being annoying.”
“I thought you liked that about me.”
“I don’t.”
“Liar.”
Liam rolled his eyes.
He carefully cleaned the cut on Theo’s temple.
Theo hissed.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
Liam looked at him.
Theo’s expression had gone blank again.
That was the thing about Theo.
Whenever something hurt, he made himself smaller somehow.
Quieter.
Like if he acted like nothing was wrong, eventually everyone else would believe him.
Liam didn’t.
“What happened?”
Theo looked away.
“It’s handled.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“I know.”
Liam waited.
Theo said nothing.
After a few seconds, Liam sighed.
“Okay.”
Theo looked back at him.
“Okay?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not going to ask again?”
“I already asked.”
Theo studied him suspiciously.
“You’re weird.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Liam continued cleaning the injuries without saying anything else.
The silence stretched.
For once, it wasn’t uncomfortable.
Theo seemed to notice that.
He glanced down at Liam’s hands.
Then at the bandages.
Then back at Liam.
“You’re not going to make me tell you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you obviously don’t want to.”
“That usually doesn’t stop you.”
“Yeah, well.”
Liam shrugged.
“Tonight I’m tired.”
Theo snorted softly.
“That might be the most honest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“I’ve been honest with you before.”
“You’ve threatened to kill me.”
“I meant it.”
“I know.”
Liam paused.
Then he looked at Theo.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
Theo looked away again.
Something about his expression made Liam’s chest tighten.
So he went back to wrapping the bandage around Theo’s wrist.
After a few minutes, Theo spoke.
“Why?”
Liam frowned.
“Why what?”
“Why are you doing this?”
Liam glanced at him.
“Cleaning your injuries?”
“Yes.”
“Because you’re hurt.”
Theo laughed once.
There wasn’t much humor in it.
“That’s not an answer.”
“It is.”
“No.”
Theo looked at him.
“After everything I’ve done?”
Liam’s hands stilled.
There it was.
The thing Theo had been trying not to say since he’d climbed through the window.
Liam carefully set the bandages down.
“I haven’t forgotten.”
Theo’s expression hardened.
“I didn’t say you had.”
“I know.”
Liam leaned back against the bed.
“I remember what you did.”
Theo looked away.
“And I’m not saying I forgive you for all of it.”
Silence.
“But…”
Liam shrugged.
“I don’t have to forgive you for everything to care that you’re hurt.”
Theo stared at him.
For once, he had absolutely nothing to say.
Liam picked up the first-aid kit again.
Theo kept staring.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring.”
“You’re weird.”
“So are you.”
Liam finished taping the bandage into place.
“There.”
Theo flexed his wrist.
“That’s it?”
“Unless you want me to amputate.”
“I’ll pass.”
“Good.”
Theo sat quietly for another moment.
Then Liam noticed him shiver.
“You’re cold.”
“No.”
“You’re literally shaking.”
“It’s a very subtle tremor.”
“That’s called shivering.”
“Whatever.”
Liam grabbed the blanket folded at the end of his bed and tossed it at him.
Theo caught it.
He unfolded it.
His face twisted.
“This is hideous.”
Liam stared.
“Then give it back.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t need it.”
“You just insulted my blanket.”
“I’m allowed to have opinions.”
“About my blanket?”
“Especially about your blanket.”
Liam held out his hand.
“Give it.”
Theo pulled the blanket tighter around himself.
“No.”
“You hate it.”
“I’ve changed my mind.”
“You can’t just—”
“Apparently I can.”
Liam groaned.
“You’re impossible.”
“And yet you invited me inside.”
“You climbed through my window.”
“You didn’t throw me back out.”
“Because you’re injured.”
“Excuses.”
Liam shook his head.
Theo’s mouth twitched.
Liam noticed.
“You’re smiling.”
“No.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“You absolutely are.”
Theo rolled his eyes.
“You’re really annoying when you’re tired.”
“You’re really annoying all the time.”
“That’s fair.”
Liam smiled despite himself.
Theo looked down.
Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.
It was quiet.
Short.
Real.
Liam froze.
Theo noticed immediately.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring again.”
“I’ve just…”
Liam smiled.
“I’ve never heard you laugh like that.”
Theo’s expression changed.
The humor faded, replaced by something softer.
“Like what?”
“Like you actually meant it.”
Theo looked away.
“I don’t laugh much.”
“I noticed.”
“Don’t make it weird.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
Liam smiled.
“Maybe a little.”
Theo shook his head.
The room fell quiet again.
But this time, the silence felt different.
Theo pulled the blanket around himself.
His fingers curled into the fabric.
“I didn’t know where else to go.”
Liam looked at him.
Theo’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“I just…”
He swallowed.
“I didn’t know where else to go.”
Liam didn’t hesitate.
“Then you come here.”
Theo looked up.
“What?”
“If you don’t know where else to go, you come here.”
Theo stared at him like he’d started speaking another language.
Liam frowned.
“What?”
“You mean tonight?”
“Yeah.”
Theo looked down.
Liam understood.
“Not just tonight.”
Theo went still.
“If you ever need somewhere safe, you come here.”
Theo’s eyes flicked toward him.
“You’re serious.”
“Yeah.”
“Even after everything?”
Liam didn’t look away.
“Yeah.”
A pause.
“Even after everything.”
Theo’s expression crumpled for half a second.
So quickly that Liam almost missed it.
Then Theo looked down.
His shoulder brushed Liam’s.
He didn’t move away.
Neither did Liam.
A few seconds passed.
Then Theo slowly leaned against him.
Tentative.
Like he expected Liam to push him away.
Liam didn’t.
He simply shifted so Theo could rest more comfortably.
Neither of them said anything.
For once, Theo didn’t seem to need to.
Eventually, Liam’s eyes grew heavy.
His head tipped back against the bed.
The warmth of Theo beside him became strangely comforting.
The last thing Liam remembered was the faint weight of Theo’s head against his shoulder.
⸻
Liam woke up with a crick in his neck.
His arm was completely numb.
And something was missing.
He blinked sleepily.
Then looked down.
Theo was still there.
Mostly.
He’d somehow migrated halfway across Liam’s bed during the night.
More importantly, Liam’s pillow was now firmly underneath Theo’s head.
Liam stared at him.
“Theo.”
No response.
“Theo.”
A sleepy groan.
“You stole my pillow.”
“No.”
Liam blinked.
“You’re literally sleeping on it.”
“Coincidence.”
“That’s not how coincidences work.”
Theo pulled the pillow closer.
“Go back to sleep.”
“It’s my pillow.”
“Not anymore.”
Liam started laughing.
Theo opened one eye.
“What?”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“Mm.”
“And you’re stealing my stuff.”
“Your pillow is comfortable.”
“You spent all night telling me my blanket was ugly.”
“It is.”
“You’re still using it.”
Theo looked down.
He was completely wrapped in it.
“…Coincidence.”
Liam laughed harder.
Theo’s mouth twitched.
For a moment, he looked almost embarrassed.
Then he sighed.
“Fine.”
Liam raised an eyebrow.
“Fine what?”
Theo stared at the ceiling.
“Maybe…”
He hesitated.
“…your house isn’t such a terrible place to end up.”
Liam smiled.
“High praise.”
“Don’t ruin it.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Theo closed his eyes again.
This time, when he settled against Liam’s shoulder, he didn’t hesitate.
And Liam didn’t either.
He just let him stay.