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“Gimme, gimme, gimme, a man after midnight, won't somebody help me chase the shadows away? Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight, take me through the darkness to the break of the day…”
The song is already playing when Liam, Corey and Mason get into Theo’s truck. Liam can see Theo tapping his fingers to the rhythm and hides a smile - Theo has the weirdest taste in music. Not that Liam is complaining. He prefers this to the broody Theo, the one that won't even let him play any music.
“Oh, my god! ABBA? Seriously?” Mason says from the back seat. Liam throws him a glance, surprised by his comment. Mason meets his eyes and shrugs. “What? The big bad chimera of death listening to ABBA? Come on now, even you have to admit it's funny.”
Liam wants to say that there is nothing wrong with ABBA, that he listens to it too from time to time (when he comes across it on the radio or something, not actively looking for it, but still). Yet before he can do that, Theo pops the CD out and tosses it into the glove compartment before switching the radio off.
When his hands return to the wheel, he grips it tightly. Liam can see how tense his whole body is, but Theo doesn't say anything, just puts the truck into gear and starts driving.
Liam throws Mason a dirty look, silently telling him he's the one responsible for them having to ride in silence. And with broody Theo too.
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Days later, Liam is rummaging around Theo’s car, trying to find the screwdriver Theo sent him to get. He is currently under the hood, cussing out because the truck won't start. And he's in one of his moods again. They have been less and less frequent lately, coming on more when someone steps on his toes and he tries hard not to bite their head off over it.
Which is another can of worms, just taking it and not standing up for himself, but Liam has other problems now. Like finding that screwdriver and not getting his head bit off.
While he looks he stumbles upon a CD thrusted into the glove compartment. Only it is in a paper cover. Liam is pretty sure Theo owns exactly one CD, the one with the ABBA songs on it.
He doesn't know what compels him to take it out of the cover. Maybe because Theo took care of it enough to actually put it in the cover, which makes Liam super curious. There is an inscription on it, something written with a sharpie.
Liam gasps when he reads the words.
“Tara’s FAV ABBA songs ‘03”
“Oh, no,” he says shakily, realizing why Theo listens to it in the first place. There aren't many things left over from his sister, and for him to even have this is a small miracle on its own. He feels tears prickle at his eyes; he can't imagine what its like to have had a sibling and lost it, much less feel responsible for their death. And it’s something Theo carries with him every single day.
“Did you find the damn thing yet?!” Theo shouts from the front, head still buried under the hood. Liam wipes away at his eyes furiously, remembering the comment Mason made. It makes him so angry, but still he returns the CD back into the cover and slides it into its place as gently as he can.
“It's not here!” He shouts back, clenching his hands into fists, and breathing through the rage that consumes him. He's not gonna let Mason get away with comments like that anymore. No way. Even if he's his best friend, Liam’s going to put him in his place.
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Next time Theo (ever so kindly, Liam should remind Mason) picks them up, the radio is off. Liam didn’t really get a chance to talk to Mason sooner, and he's not about to do it now in front of Theo. But the radio is off, and Liam wants some music.
He reaches for the knob and Theo tries to stop him, reaching for him and saying “Don't–”
It's too late, Liam already flipped the switch. The CD player loads, and picks off right where it has been turned off before.
“Anybody could be that guy, night is young and the music's high, with a bit of rock music, everything is fine! You're in the mood for a dance and when you get the chance…”
“Oh my god, I love this song!!” Liam shouts, grinning like crazy, then starts singing from the top of his lungs.
“You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen!! Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine. Oh, yeah!”
He throws Mason a pointed look, smirking even if Mason is clearly confused by his outbursts.
“You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life!! Ooh, see that girl, watch that scene, digging the dancing queen!”
Strangely enough, Corey, who almost never speaks up, suddenly joins in on the singing, smiling, and probably completely oblivious to why Liam is acting the way he is.
“You're a teaser, you turn 'em on, leave them burning and then you're gone, looking out for another, anyone will do. You're in the mood for a dance, and when you get the chance…”
And then suddenly Mason pipes in, like it's not a big deal, like he didn't tease Theo about ABBA the last time.
“You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen! Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine, oh, yeah!!”
And suddenly all three of them are singing and laughing, Liam’s anger subsiding more and more while Theo just watches them like they've lost their minds.
Even if Liam can spot a little uptick in his lips where he tries to fight off a smile of his own.
“You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life! Ooh, see that girl, watch that scene, digging the dancing queen!!!”