hello

Corey hears Liam's heartbeat from outside the Hewitts' house long before Beacon Hill's shortest werewolf appears in the bedroom doorframe. If he had to hazard a guess, he'd say ten minutes passed before Liam actually opened the door and stepped in the house, and another five before he stomped up the stairs. From there, it's another two minutes until he appears around Mason's bedroom door. Too long blonde hair appears first, as Liam slinks around the wooden frame slowly. Corey watches in bemusement as the rest of Liam appears, back to him, body part by body part, until Liam is about a foot into the room and nods, then shuts the door. He turns on the spot, looking slightly terrified, and jumps backwards when he sees Corey looking at him, slamming into the door with a wince. He looks almost shocked to see Corey there, for some reason.

His expression changes quickly, morphing into a pleading face, like Liam wants Corey to speak first and break this awkward silence that's sprung up between them, but hell no. Corey doesn't particularly mind Liam – he's Mason's best friend, for one thing, and he respects him for that, and personally he has no problem with him; it's Liam who's caused the majority of the animosity between them, really - but there's a history between them that can't just be brushed over. So, no, he's not speaking first. Liam can deal with the uncomfortable situation he's created by entering the room so weirdly.

Liam shifts from foot to foot, stretching his back out a little, and then clears his throat three times in a row. "I, uh…" He trails off and gestures around the room, looking lost. His phone chimes, and he checks it, and then like a flash of lightning a determined look takes over his face. He crosses the room to Corey's bedside in a few quick strides, grabs the chair that Mason put there (for when he got a visitor, he'd said that morning, and had then left before Corey could ask him who was visiting) and throws himself into it.

"I'm here to talk," he announces, and must pick up that Corey's heart suddenly goes into overdrive, because the determined look fades into apologetic. "I'm here to say sorry," he expands, in a much softer tone.

That throws Corey off. He blinks, then squints at Liam. "Huh?" He wants to sit up, but an ill-advised make-out session with Mason that morning has left him feeling a little worse again, so he doesn't risk it in case he throws up all over Liam and ruins this possible friendship that might be happening right now.

Liam shifts uncomfortably in the chair, fingers tapping on his leg. But he doesn't look away from Corey once. "I've been a shitty person to you," he says. "I've been acting like a dick, and I need to apologise for that. I didn't trust you after…everything, and I'm sorry for that."

Corey smiles half-heartedly. He knows Liam is being genuine, but he doesn't deserve forgiveness from someone who doesn't even know half the story – namely, Corey's half. "You had every reason not to trust me. I was with Theo for ages."

Liam flinches, but unlike a month ago when Liam would start reeking of anger and hatred at the name, he just smells of confusion and slight…affection? Happiness at the least. That's a discussion for another time, and Corey is distracted from that train of thought when Liam starts speaking again. "He was a manipulative asshole back then. I knew he treated you badly, but I didn't realise just how awful he was to you. I thought you being with him made you like him, made you evil, but recently I figured out that the world doesn't work like that. You were scared. You're not bad, you're just…" Liam spreads his arms wide as he struggles to find the correct words.

"A raging ball of neuroses?" Corey asks, a faint smile on his face.

Liam's lips quirk up into a similar expression, and then a full-on grin takes over. "That's one way to put it – did Mason come up with that?"

Corey's eyes soften at his boyfriend's name. "Yeah," he says fondly. "It's a Masonism."

"Intense," Liam says, in a scarily good impression. "Well, it's true, you are the most nervous person I ever met," he continues a little more sombrely, and stares out of the window. "I really am sorry. I didn't just get you wrong…I ignored how you felt. I ignored how scared you must have been, how anxious."

Corey shakes his head, and forgets about lying down. He tries to prop himself up on his elbows but falls back with a gasp, and immediately Liam springs from the chair and grabs his wrist. Black veins leech down his arm before Corey can pull away. He does anyway after Liam's taken the pain, mainly because he doesn't have the strength to free himself from a werewolf's grip, and scowls at him. "You didn't have to do that," he reprimands, fumbling for an extra pillow and shoving it behind himself. Liam helps him to gently push himself up.

"I didn't," Liam agrees. "But I wanted to. Shit, Corey, I thought you'd healed loads by now?"

"I have. The herbs Melissa used sped it up loads, it's just a bit painful still sometimes." Corey grabs the water glass and takes a few tentative sips. Swallowing hurts his throat, but the dull ache of the dryness hurts more.

"Do you know how long it's going to hurt?" Liam asks softly, looking at the barely-visible wounds on his arms. "I mean, I didn't even take all of your pain just then, and it hurt like a son of a bitch."

Corey shrugs, setting the glass back down on the bedside table. "Who knows? I can deal with it, it's fine." Liam is looking at him with a mixture of concern, sorrow and pity, so Corey changes the subject. He loves Mason, and he enjoys being looked after by him, but it's been a tad smothering lately. Corey can't bring himself to say anything about it; Mason had clearly been distraught about Corey going missing and then being hurt. But the break from the constant worried glances is kind of refreshing, and he doesn't want Liam to start where Mason had left off. "I didn't fight Theo with the rest of you. That's a pretty big reason not to trust someone."

Liam takes the bait. "Dude! No, I said, I get it! You don't have claws and fangs and everything, nobody expects you to fight! Like Mason and Stiles, you have other talents, and they're useful in different situations. And even if you didn't, you'd still be pack."

Corey looks down at his hands. "Still doesn't mean I had to stay with Theo."

Liam exhales sharply. "Well, I guess not. But that doesn't mean that you didn't have other reasons." It's not phrased as such, but it's clearly a question. Not one that Corey particularly wants to answer either.

Finally he thinks he's worked up to it, but his voice still cracks a little when he begins. "Theo acted like he cared about me. I hadn't really had that before, not as much as he did. Um…I know that he didn't actually care about me, eventually, but he was technically my alpha by then? And he brought me back from the dead, you know, so I felt loyal to him even though actually he probably didn't deserve it. And…" He glances up to see Liam's reaction. The werewolf's face is calm, but attentive, and when he sees Corey's worried glance he smiles and nods for him to continue. "I felt sorry for him. His parents were kind of like mine, and then the Dread Doctors manipulated him, so I couldn't really blame him for what he became. I mean, if they had told me I could escape all of it and become superhuman when I was a kid, I probably would have done the same thing." He takes in a shuddering breath. "I think Hell changed him, Liam. I think he's human again now. But he definitely wasn't then."

"I think you're smarter than people give you credit for," Liam says softly. "I never even thought about his parents before."

Corey shrugs. "Why would you? It's not something that naturally occurs to most people."

Liam bites his lip. "Mason said your parents were shitty," he mumbles. "I'm sorry, Corey. I should have treated you better."

Corey rolls his eyes at him. "Not everything I say is a guilt trip, Liam," he chides him gently.

"Just some things?"

"Of course," Corey says smugly. "In front of Mason. Then I get sympathy kisses."

Liam pretends to gag, and both of them laugh, breaking any of the lasting tension in the room. "Can I ask you something?" Liam asks when their giggles trail off.

"Sure." His heart stutters for a second but this time, Corey makes an effort to keep his heartbeat slow and natural, so he doesn't alarm Liam again.

"When you realised what was happening – with Theo, I mean – why didn't you switch packs? I know you felt loyal to Theo, but Scott would have looked after you."

Corey laughs, a short and harsh bark, before he can stop himself. "No offence, but your pack wasn't the most stable then," he offers as an explanation when Liam looks confused, and slightly annoyed. "And even if it was just an act, I could at least pretend that Theo cared."

"Scott cares."

It's too much. "Not about me, clearly," Corey snaps, then his brain catches up with his mouth and he clams it shut, looking away from Liam and at the wall. Way to go, Corey. You're just starting to make amends with a guy and then you insult his alpha. "Sorry. I didn't mean that."

"What do you mean?" Liam doesn't sound reproachful at all, just confused, like a kicked puppy. "It's fine, I just don't understand."

Corey relents. "He doesn't care about me, Liam. He shoved his claws into my neck without asking me or even telling me what was going to happen."

"He shouldn't have done that." Liam's good at controlling his IED now, but that doesn't mean he can't get angry. Corey can hear it in his voice now, and just hopes it's not directed at him. "He feels bad about it, and so do the rest of the pack. He only did it because he felt like he had to."

"Yeah, I know." Corey tugs at the bed covers. He feels warm suddenly, a flush in his cheeks and neck. He's beginning to regret his outburst. "I would have agreed to it. It's more that he didn't ask. That's what bothers me."

Liam nods. "I get that – wait. Bothers you? It still does?"

"Well, yeah. I guess so."

"You mean…Scott hasn't apologised?" Liam suddenly looks ten times more pissed off.

"Uh, no. I haven't really ever talked to him."

Liam nods, and closes his glowing yellow eyes. Corey waits while he breathes and counts, and when Liam opens his eyes again they're back to their normal blue. "I thought he'd talked to you," he mutters, rubbing at his forehead. "But I didn't talk to you, did I, so maybe we're all just pieces of shit."

"Liam—"

"I'm back!" Mason slams the front door behind him and leaps up the stairs two at a time, like he always does, and Corey starts worrying that he's going to trip, like he always does, until Mason appears and bounds over to greet Corey with a kiss, like he always does. Liam looks away, apparently disgusted, until Mason clambers onto the bed carefully and starts pulling snacks out of the carrier bag.

With his usual brutal honesty, Mason hands Corey a punnet of raspberries and asks Liam, "What's pissed you off now?" Corey sniggers and munches on the fruit happily, watching the scene like a soap opera.

Liam glares at Mason. "Scott never apologised for the whole claws incident," he growls. "I thought he had. He should have done."

Mason hesitates. "Yeah, he should have," he says carefully. "But it happened at a bad time in his life. He probably doesn't want to bring it up because he associates it with that." Corey nods in agreement. He's pissed off about it, sure, but he knows why Scott did it, and he knows why the alpha avoids him still. Doesn't mean he's happy about it, but he's made his peace.

Liam shakes his head. "Corey's pack. He needs to talk to him," he argues.

"Pack ally," Corey corrects through a mouthful of raspberries.

"You're pack, Corey," Liam insists, then suddenly looks guilty. "Unless you don't want to be, because the alpha did that. That's fair."

Mason looks between the two of them like he's spectating a tennis match, and then frowns at Corey when he's about to shove more berries in his mouth before answering Liam.

Corey refrains, answers, "I wouldn't mind being in the pack, I just don't think I am yet. I only really feel like an ally because Mason's in the pack," and then starts eating the raspberries, raising his eyebrows at Mason. His boyfriend just looks back at him, unimpressed, before smirking, and wipes a bit of juice from his lip.

"That's my cue to leave," Liam says loudly, when Corey watches Mason bring the stained thumb to his lips and lick the juice off. Corey waves a hand in his general direction and puts the punnet on the bedside table, and Mason tosses the carrier bag onto the floor. A packet of cookies rolls across the floor and hides itself under the desk.

"Bye, Liam," Mason says absently, as Liam scurries out of the room, looking traumatised. "See you later." He gets an answering squeak as Liam rushes down the stairs and out of the door.

They barely get five minutes into making out until there's a knock on the bedroom door that Liam closed behind him, and Mason groans and jumps off the bed to answer it. Corey sits up again, pissed off that he's been interrupted before they could get to anything good, and grabs a cushion to put over his lap. Mason sees the movement out of the corner of his eye and smirks at him before grabbing the door handle.

He opens it to allow Scott in, who looks exceedingly sheepish and nervous, and then embarrassed when he takes in Corey's mussed hair and Mason's swollen lips (Corey likes to bite a little, sue him) and no doubt the arousal that's permeating the air of the room.

"Oh, I can come back later," he offers awkwardly, flailing wildly to gesture leaving, but Mason opens his mouth before he can even finish that sentence. He likes Scott, but he loves Corey, and he's been wanting the alpha to apologise for what he's done to him for months now.

"No, you should talk to Corey," he insists, giving Scott a meaningful glance, and then shooting Corey a reassuring one. He gets a bright smile in response, and his heart skips a beat at it. Out of his peripheral he sees Scott smile slightly at the stutter. He turns to go out of the room with one last grin at Corey, and then adopts a more serious expression to look at Scott. "He's the centre of my universe. Don't mess this up."

He stores Scott's shocked face away in his memory to laugh at later, and heads downstairs to make lunch while Scott and Corey talk. Sandwiches sound good.

Thank you for reading! And for all the love and support so far on my other fics too, you're all awesome :D