"I'll go check on what's taking him so long," Mason muttered, sliding out of his chair. Liam didn't even look up from his textbook, just grunting in acknowledgement. Corey had been gone for five minutes to look for a book they needed for their group project and Theo was super late as well. It was not a Good Day.

The fact that Theo had even returned to school and was now in Senior Year with them was something that baffled Liam on a daily basis. Scott and the rest had all left for college, leaving Liam in charge, and part of him had assumed that Theo would be leaving as well. But, as Theo had pointed out when he turned up for the first day, being locked in hell for half the year had not been particularly conducive towards him getting his high school diploma.

He was retaking pretty much all of his classes (somehow he had passed Econ, which to Liam just proved that Coach Finstock genuinely had no idea who any of his students were) and was in quite a few classes with them, including Biology, where they had been placed together for a group project.

Liam looked up with a frown, glancing around and realising that he was completely alone.

At that moment, Theo breezed in, slipping into the seat opposite him and looking as suave and unconcerned as always.

"You're late," Liam pointed out.

"Sue me," Theo shrugged, pulling his books out of his bag. "Where's Mason and Corey?"

"They went to find a book," Liam rolled his eyes.

Theo stared at him incredulously. "And you believed them?"

"Well, I believed Corey, but when Mason left as well I figured out what was going on pretty quickly," Liam sighed. "They've bailed and left me to do all the work, which is stupid because I fucking suck at Biology."

"You can't possibly be that dense," Theo drawled, a grin tugging at his lips.

"I just don't get Biology," Liam growled.

"Clearly," Theo laughed.

He tilted his head, closing his eyes. Liam watched him with a confused frown.

"What are you doing?" Liam asked.

"I'm listening," Theo said.

"To what?" Liam pressed.

"Just listen, you moron," Theo smirked.

Liam sighed, shutting his eyes and focussing on his hearing. At first, he had no idea what had Theo snickering but then he heard it.

A low moan, followed by a shushing noise and then a slurp.

"Oh my god," Liam breathed.

"He gets it," Theo laughed.

Liam turned bright red, trying to focus on something, anything else, but now that he was attuned to it, all he could hear was the obscene noises drifting from the top corner of the library where Mason and Corey were clearly in the middle of something they should definitely not be doing in public.

A loud groan and a whispered, "fuck yeah, faster baby," made Liam squeak, slamming his hands over his ears.

Theo almost fell out of his seat laughing while Liam squirmed.

"I think they can hear us," Corey whispered.

"Fuck, who cares, don't stop," Mason gasped.

"Oh my god," Liam whined. "My ears have been defiled."

"Poor innocent Liam," Theo taunted, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.

"I'm not innocent," Liam snapped, dropping his hands as he glared at Theo.

"Is that right?" Theo said, cocking an eyebrow in that way he did that always drove Liam to immediate rage.

"I've gone further than you have," Liam pointed out.

"And how would you know?" Theo smirked.

"You telling me that living with the Dread Doctors made for a healthy sex life?" Liam sneered. "I doubt you've ever even kissed someone."

"I have so kissed someone," Theo scowled.

"Oh yeah?" Liam asked. "Like who?"

"Tracey," Theo said triumphantly.

"And you killed her?" Liam said, leaning back in his chair, frowning. "That's cold, bro."

"Don't call me bro," Theo said, crossing his arms and glaring at him.

Liam was about to reply when an even louder moan reminded him of what had started this whole conversation in the first place.

"This is your fault," he said sulkily.

"And how is it possibly my fault, Liam?"

"If you hadn't been late, we'd be working on our project and not listening to-" He cut himself off, gesturing towards where the sounds were coming from.

"Your best friend getting his dick sucked by his boyfriend?" Theo smirked.

"Yes," Liam said, turning red again. "That." He shifted in his chair again, and Theo's eyes turned dark as he looked at him.

"This is turning you on, isn't it?" He said, looking delighted as he leaned in, sniffing the air.

"No," Liam protested.

"It is, I can smell it," Theo laughed. "You're kinkier than I thought, Dunbar. I'm impressed."

"Just kill me," Liam groaned and hit his head on the table in front of him, shifting again as his erection pressed uncomfortably at the front of his jeans.

"Want some help with that?" Theo asked in a low, sultry tone that Liam had never heard before. He peeked at Theo from behind his hair, his heart rate skyrocketing.

"What?" He breathed.

"You heard me," Theo shrugged, trying his best to look nonchalant, which was ruined by the light dusting of red across his cheeks.

Liam sat up fully, his gaze unwavering. Theo dropped his eyes, biting his lip. Liam's mind raced, suddenly remembering dozens of small moments that he had dismissed that made a lot more sense under this new revelation.

"Oh my god," Liam said slowly. "You're into me."

Theo said nothing, but his blush deepened into a dark, rosy red. Liam stared, his lips turning up into a small smile and then a huge grin, the tension draining from his body. For once, he felt like the ball was in his court. Theo was always so self-assured and charming and now he seemed almost shy. Liam basked in the power before finally relenting.

"Theo, you idiot, I like you as well," he said magnanimously, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head. The last thing he saw before he toppled backwards was the shock in Theo's eyes.

He lay on the ground, legs in the air, wincing at the dull ache in the back of his head.

"Taking a nap there, baby wolf?" Theo asked, peering at him over the edge of the table.

"Ow," Liam announced. His pride was more damaged than his head, however, and he sighed as he disentangled himself from the chair and stood up. He looked at Theo, who was smirking at him. So much for holding all the power.

"I can kiss it better, if you want," Theo teased.

"Promises, promises," Liam muttered, righting his chair.

Theo moved faster than Liam had thought possible, suddenly standing in front of him and clutching the front of his hoodie.

"I always keep my promises," Theo said in a serious voice.

"I know," Liam whispered.

He swayed closer and Theo closed the distance, claiming his lips with a quiet sigh.

"Oh my god," Mason yelped from a metre away.

"Like you weren't just doing worse," Liam said accusingly, turning to glare at his best friend's interruption.

Mason turned pink.

"I told you they could hear us," Corey shrugged.

"Well, we're going," Liam said, grabbing his books and shoving them in his bag. "Message me what you want us to do."

Theo gathered his things slowly and Liam shifted from foot to foot, waiting impatiently. As soon he had his bag, Liam grabbed his hand and dragged him from the library.

"Liam, what are you doing?" Theo asked.

"We're going to my place," Liam said firmly.

"To study?" Theo asked tentatively. Liam stopped and looked at Theo.

"No," he said, frowning. "Definitely not to study. Why? Did you change your mind?"

"About what?"

Liam's eyes flicked down to his bulging erection and then back up to Theo's face, who followed his gaze down. He licked his lips, and Liam's gaze darkened.

"Right, then let's go," he said, marching towards Theo's truck.

They got into the car, Theo waiting, hands hovering over the steering wheel. "Are you sure?" He asked, swallowing nervously, staring down at his hands.

"Theo," Liam said gently. "I've been pining over you since the fucking elevator."

"Which one?" Theo asked, a hint of a smirk on his lips. Liam, despite himself, was charmed.

"Being the bait," Liam said.

"Oh," Theo said, glancing at him. "That long?"

Liam nodded. "Maybe before then, but that was when I realised."

"Me too, that night, I mean," Theo said. "The horse."

"I'm impressed," Liam nodded.

"You remember?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Liam chuckled.

"It was the first time I'd done something that you didn't sneer at," he said with a dramatic roll of his eyes. "Of course I remember."

Theo smiled at him, and it was such an open, honest, vulnerable smile that Liam felt himself melt, leaning in to brush his lips over Theo's.

"Can we go now?" He whispered.

"Yeah," Theo said, his voice shaky. "We can go now."

He started the ignition and Liam watched him as he drove, drinking him in. The almost-too-long hair flopping into his eyes, the cute mole on his cheek, the scruff on his face, the smile that danced on his lips as he glanced at Liam out the corner of his eye.

"You're staring," he pointed out.

"You're beautiful," Liam countered. He heard the other boy's heart actually skip in his chest and smirked. Clearly, he was not used to compliments. Liam vowed to shower him in them until he believed every word.

"Stop it," Theo muttered, blushing once more.

"God, I love it when you blush like that," Liam said, ignoring him. "It's adorable."

"I'm not adorable," Theo argued, his blush defying his own words. "I'm terrifying."

"You keep telling yourself that," Liam said dryly. "I know the truth."

Theo scowled, but Liam could tell he was pleased.

They pulled up out the front of Liam's place. Liam got out straight away but Theo lingered.

"What's wrong?" Liam asked, leaning in the door.

"Your parents are home," Theo pointed out.

"So?" Liam shrugged.

"Wouldn't it be awkward?" Theo said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Theo, we can just hang out," Liam said gently.

"Oh," Theo said softly.

"We'll wait for them to go to bed before we get to the fun stuff," Liam grinned, turning and walking towards the house, assuming that Theo would follow.

"Liam," Theo hissed, scrambling out of his truck.

He waited at the front door for Theo to join him. "Yes?" He asked innocently.

"What if they don't like me?" He asked, a pained expression on his face.

"Oh Theo," Liam said fondly, patting his cheek. "As if anyone could ever hate you."

Before Theo could point out that at one point or another literally everyone in Liam's pack had loathed him to the point that they watched him get literally dragged to hell and did nothing to stop it, Liam pushed open the front door.

"I'm home," he called.

"In here," his mum called from the kitchen.

Liam dumped his bag by the front door and kicked off his shoes, Theo following suit. They walked into the kitchen to find Liam's mum pulling a tray of cookies out of the oven.

"How did your studying go?" She asked as Liam bent down to kiss her cheek.

"Rubbish," Liam said cheerfully, grabbing a cookie from the tray and juggling it from hand to hand before taking a bite.

"That's hot," she scolded. She set down the tray, noticing Theo hovering in the doorway.

"And who's this?" She asked.

"Feo," Liam said around his cookie.

"Theo?" She asked. Theo nodded shyly and she beamed at him. "I've heard so much about you. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Mum," Liam whined, looking embarrassed, while Theo raised an eyebrow at him.

"Has he now?"

"All good things," she winked. "I don't think he quite did you justice."

She busied herself around the kitchen, firmly pushing Liam onto a stool, Theo joining him as they watched her. Eventually, she set a plate of cookies in front of them and smiled as Theo took a bite.

His eyes fluttered closed and Liam smirked at him.

"Can I marry you?" Theo asked, opening his eyes to stare at the goddess in front of him.

"Oi," Liam scowled.

"I don't think that Liam would like that much," she winked, ruffling Liam's hair. "Why don't you take the rest up to your room," she suggested.

"Thanks mum," Liam said, grabbing the plate.

"Thanks Mrs Geyer," Theo said, standing slowly.

"Please, it's Jenna," she beamed at him. He nodded, following Liam upstairs.

He stopped at the door, leaning against it and watching as Liam took a pile of neatly folded clothes that had been resting on his bed and shoving them into his closest. He then kicked aside his lacrosse bag and flopped onto the edge of the bed with a happy sigh.

"Coming in?" Liam asked.

Theo stepped inside, closing the door behind him and moving to sit beside Liam. He looked at him, eyes drawn almost inevitably to his lips.

"What?" Liam asked.

"You have some chocolate," Theo said, gesturing to his face.

Liam wiped his face with his sleeve. "Did I get it?"

"No," Theo said, leaning forward, taking the plate from his hands and placing it on the bed before kissing him, licking along Liam's bottom lip, chasing the taste of chocolate. Liam gripped his shoulders, returning his kiss with enthusiasm, his tongue meeting Theo's as he pulled him impossibly closer.

"Oldest trick in the book," Liam said, smiling against Theo's lips.

"Maybe," Theo smirked.

Liam reached over and grabbed a cookie and broke it in half, capturing the oozing chocolate against a finger, brushing it over his lips, along his jaw and then down his neck. Theo's eyes tracked his finger, his eyes turning dark as they met Liam's challenging gaze.

"Well then," Theo said.

Liam grinned cockily. Theo rose to the challenge admirably.