"Liam." Theo says but the younger one doesn't look at him. Instead his eyes are fixated on two people standing in the distance.
"Liam." Theo tries again but nothing happens.
"Liam, look at me. You look like you're about to destroy all of Beacon Hills…You don't do such things, you're practically a younger version of Scott." Theo says.
"Oh, right, I forgot. You're the one that destroys lives." Liam finally turns to Theo for a second before looking back at the two people. Concretely, Hayden and some guy standing dangerously close to each other and only a step away from kissing.
Theo's jaw widens at Liam's strong reaction but he closes it immediately. He decides not to dignify that with an answer. He has a variety of witty and sarcastic replies on hand. That's what happens when you hang around Stiles. He also has a variety of 'evil-Theo-I-have-no-heart' remarks but he swallows those away. Because each day that goes by he is less satisfied with giving out these answers to those who see him as the devil himself.
Theo looks at Liam who is still growling and shakes his head sadly.
"You know what Liam? Go ahead. Destroy Beacon Hills. They'll probably blame me in the aftermath anyways." Theo blurts out and has to stop himself from stomping away like a kid with a tantrum. Instead he walks away with his head held high to the nearest cafe that he can find. He finds the bathroom, locks himself in there and lets all of his frustration out on the mirror. Sometimes he wishes he didn't heal this fast so that the physical pain of punching a mirror would have a more lasting feeling.
There's a knock on the door but he ignores it. He knows he'll probably have to make a run for it once he's let out his steam. The door opens roughly and Theo wonders for a brief minute if he should tell the owners of the cafe that their locks don't work. Of course then he remembers the destruction he's about to leave them as a present and the fact that the person in front of him now is actually Liam. That explains the rough opening.
"Where'd you run—" Liam begins. "Woah! How can you say that I have anger issues when you do this for the fun of it." He shakes his head.
Theo just stares at him incredulously wondering whether the werewolf lost some of his thinking skills from playing so much lacrosse. He takes out some cash and leaves it in the bathroom with a scribbled note of apology for the owners. He wasn't a total jerk despite everybody's beliefs.
The two of them walk together towards Liam's house where they are supposed to meet the rest of their friends later that night. Neither one of them speaks and the tension is becoming too overwhelming. Theo would be one to make fun of it, poke it and make it flare up, but since it's his tension he can't. In all honesty he would rather punch Liam in the face but he's trying to be on good behaviour and he would never hear the end of it from Liam about him having anger issues. And he's pretty sure Scott wouldn't be happy either.
By the time they get to the house Theo's body is as tense as a bowstring and when opening the door he nearly wrenches it out of its sockets. Liam gives him a surprised look but doesn't comment.
After a few minutes of awkward silence as they've settled inside Liam speaks.
"Why do I feel like you're angry at me?" Liam asks quietly with a tinge of annoyance in his voice.
Theo lets out a humorless laugh. Some of the tension that's been building up in his muscles flows through that laugh making it even more strained than necessary.
"What is wrong with you today?" Liam asks.
"Why do you say there's something wrong?" Theo tries to say as innocently as possible.
"Because you're being, I don't know, just weird." Liam waves his hands in the air as if that meant something.
"Oh, you mean, I'm not saving my own ass and not using others as bait. I'm not destroying lives. I know it's hard to imagine. Theo not being selfish, not being a jerk. I'm sorry Liam, I'll do better. The next chance I get I'll punch you in the face, laugh, and offer you up to the highest bidder." By the end of his spiel Theo's voice is so loud that the house nearly shakes with it. His teeth tighten, his jaw locks, and he stabs his claws into his palms to stop himself from shifting and actually attacking Liam.
Liam stares at him, his eyebrows high up in surprise but also scrunched together into a frown. Theo didn't think that was actually possible.
"How could you say that? After all that we've bee through? I know you won't use others as bait."
"How could I say that? Are you even listening to yourself talk Liam?" Theo walks closer to Liam gesturing wildly in the air. Liam doesn't step away.
"I know perfectly well what everyone thinks. I can't take away the past alright? I can't." Theo puts his head down.
Liam takes a step closer and gently puts his hand on Theo's shoulder.
"No one is asking you to." Liam says gently and that brings Theo's rage back. He grabs Liam's arm and roughly takes it off of his shoulder, as he takes a step back.
"You are!" Theo yells out and Liam's frown deepens.
"When have I ever asked you to change?!" Liam yells and Theo can see he isn't far from shifting. He must admit he's surprised they weren't at each others throats already.
"I destroy lives Liam. Remember? I destroy lives. Maybe I should just go back to doing that. It's so much simpler after all. I destroy lives. You admitted to it less than an hour ago. So don't give me this innocent look. I know that secretly you wish I was a good man. But I'm not Liam. Go, run off to your ex-girlfriend. And let me do the dirty work in this world. It seems to be the only thing I'm good at."
Liam closes his eyes as he realizes what moment Theo was referring to. Back in the street when he was watching Hayden.
"Theo…I didn't mean…I shouldn't have said that. It wasn't true. I was just…annoyed."
"Your eyes were glowing, your claws and teeth were out. I think annoyed doesn't cover it."
"I wasn't annoyed at you. I was…I was taking it out on you."
"So I'm the punching bag."
Liam sighs and drops his head. Taking a step forward he reaches out to Theo but Theo steps back.
"I'm out. Go talk to Hayden, I'm sure she'll take you back. But in order for that to happen you actually have to talk."
"But I don't want to talk to Hayden." Liam says and Theo smirks.
"Yes, you do. You were ready to pounce on that guy that was with her."
"No I wasn't…Okay, well maybe I was but…I was just being possessive, that's all…I'm pretty sure that's a werewolf thing, or just generally a shapeshifting thing…"
"Fine. Don't talk to her. I don't really care. But I don't want to hear your sob story alright? I'm leaving, now." Theo knows that deep down he does care. Maybe he cares too much and that's what is scaring him. He turns around towards the door.
"Wait!" Liam grabs Theo's shirt which makes Theo turn partially back to him.
"What now?" Theo says annoyed but in reality he doesn't want to leave, he just feels like he's suffocating so he needs to leave before he does actually punch Liam.
"I'm sorry." Liam says and Theo just closes his eyes.
"It's fine. Besides, I'm used to it."
"You shouldn't be! Especially not from me!" Liam says and Theo is surprised at his vehemence.
"Why not from you?" Theo asks, actually curious to hear what Liam has to say.
"You've saved my life so many times. And you're my anchor. How could I say terrible things? I'm not saying the past didn't happen. It did. I don't know about the others but I have forgiven you." Liam grips Theo's right bicep tightly.
Theo's heart beats louder. Liam forgave him. He was his anchor. Why didn't he know all this?
"You shouldn't forgive me. And I shouldn't be your anchor, you never know, maybe one day I will stop being the bait." Theo says instead.
Liam slowly places his hand on Theo's chest, right where his heart is.
"Stop." Theo puts his hand on Liam's to take it off but doesn't. Liam's hand is softer than he thought it would be. He didn't really think of werewolves and werecoyotes as creatures with soft hands what with all the running around on all fours.
"Your heart is beating really fast." Liam says and doesn't take his eyes off of Theo's.
"Wow. Your observation skills have not changed." Theo smirks but Liam doesn't take the bait.
"You are my anchor because you remind me of the reality. Somehow, despite our differences, you know what is going on in my head. You push me and then reign me in. I don't know how you do it but you do. That's why you're my anchor." Liam says and Theo has to look away from his probing gaze because it's all too much for him. He was never one to have anyone care for him, that was mostly his fault of course, but it didn't change the fact.
He opens his mouth to say something but Liam stops him.
"If you say something witty or stupid or demeaning I probably will punch you. I realize it's your defence mechanism or whatever, but really, don't." Liam says.
Theo shuts his mouth because it was exactly what he was about to do. Instead he just sighs.
"Can you forgive me for saying what I did back in the street?" Liam asks, his hand still on Theo's chest. Theo realizes that if Liam did take his hand off he would forever feel cold.
"Are we gonna be all gooey now? You don't need forgiveness." Theo says staring at a chair.
"Just because you put up a strong face doesn't mean I didn't hurt you, somewhere deep down. And the thought that I hurt you with those words, the words I defend you from when others use them, that thought hurts." Liam says and the frown on his face makes Theo realize he's being serious.
"Fine, yes, I forgive you. Now go be gooey with Hayden, I have a life to attend to." Theo says. To be truthful he doesn't have much of a life outside of Liam and whatever shenanigans his pack gets into, and he's quite certain Liam knows that, but he's willing to pretend.
"Stop saying her name. I don't want to be gooey with Hayden. I'm perfectly fine where I am." Liam smiles. And it's Theo's turn to frown.
This time he does look at Liam. The werewolf's face is relaxed, quite the opposite of his angry outbursts, but when Theo's eyes slowly go down to Liam's neck he sees some tightness and lots of swallowing as his Adam's apple bobs up and down. Liam is nervous and Theo can't quite figure out why. Without realizing it his fingers reach out and gently trace up and down Liam's neck. He listens to his strained breathing and the fast heartbeat. And then Liam licks his lips and something in Theo ignites. His eyes can't unglue themselves from those lips and he doesn't know why. He takes the fingers that had been tracing Liam's neck and brings them up to Liam's lips with a shaky hand and traces those lips instead. Liam's lips part and his breathing becomes shakier. Theo can feel Liam's gaze on his eyes but he doesn't give in. Instead he keeps staring at his lips. Theo takes a step forward and now they are chest to chest with Liam's hand still on his heart. The realization that Liam can feel his heart is like cold water.
"I have to go." Theo says, taking his eyes off Liam's lips, and turns around. He makes it a few steps to the door before he hears Liam's voice.
"That's it? You're just going to leave me standing here?" Liam asks his voice shaky but strong.
Theo closes his eyes and tries to find that 'uncaring Theo' in him.
"Yes." Theo says and walks towards the door. But before he gets a chance to open the door Liam is somehow standing in front of him, occupying all of his personal space.
"You don't get to do that." Liam says.
"Actually, I do." Theo counters.
But before Theo realizes what's happening Liam's lips are on his own. The softness melds onto his own and Theo gives in but not without a fight. The kiss itself isn't soft, no it's rough. They move from one wall to the other, pushing and pulling, until one of them trips and they're on the floor.
Theo opens his eyes and looks up into Liam's dark eyes.
"Do you believe me now when I say that I'd rather be here with you than with Hayden?" Liam asks.
"Did you hear that?" Theo asks as he hears footsteps coming towards the door.
"Crap. It's Scott and the others. I completely forgot…"
"Too preoccupied?" Theo smirks.
"Shut up." Liam smacks him on the arm and gives Theo a hand getting up.
They get up just in time to see the others enter. Both of them unconsciously take several steps away from each other so as not to arouse any suspicion.
"Finally. I really was wondering when the two of you were gonna get together." Malia says and takes a bag of chips out of the cupboard.
Theo and Liam look at each other in alarm.
"Malia, usually people wait to hear the news not just hear it through walls." Scott says gently to his girlfriend but can't help smiling at his friends.
"I…You…" Liam stutters.
"You know this is all your fault right?" Theo points at Liam but has trouble hiding the smiling he's currently wearing.
Epilogue
Once everyone is gone Liam and Theo breathe a sigh of relief.
"I'm really your anchor?" Theo asks.
"The world is strange but somehow you are the person that knows me more than anybody else and you make me a better person."
"If you tell anyone I said this I will punch you. But…you are my anchor too. You make me want to be a better person."