Music vibrated through the walls, young bodies swayed against each other in a slosh of spilled drinks, while a roar of laughter and chatter exploded from within the house. Theo stood in the doorway to the kitchen, amusedly watching the werewolf being held upside down for a keg stand. The room wad filled with teenagers cheering him on, with a fond smile Theo observed Liam's best friend giving him high fives when he was done. Grabbing a bottle of whisky, Theo began pouring another crown and coke.
Sitting on the back porch he could hear the younger boy speaking in a hushed whisper.
"Mason, I cannot tell him."
"Why not? Be brave, what is the worst thing that could happen?" Curiosity about what they could be talking about was eating away at him.
"No. I don't even know if he likes me like that." Theo immediately stopped listening; this wasn't a conversation he needed to eavesdrop in on. Getting up and needing some space to think, he ended up in the clearing beyond the backyard, relaxing into a swing.
The chimera needed to clear his mind after learning new information about the beta. Liam was into guys; how did he not know this? Sure, they'd almost kissed but that was probably more of a pity thing. Also, Liam had a crush on someone? The older boy was filled with a jealously he had no right to feel. Lost in thought, he didn't hear another body approaching.
"What are you doing out here?" A soft surprised voice brought him back to Earth.
"I could ask you the same thing little wolf." Theo teased. Slowly and wobbly, Liam sat in the swing closest to the older boy.
"I think I may be drunk."
"Whys that?" Theo couldn't help but admire how adorable the werewolf looked currently with those bright blue eyes.
"I have lost count of how many beers I have drank, and I'm not even hungry."
Theo fought to control himself, then gave up, bursting into laughter.
"Hey…stop laughing…you're being mean." With a pout, Liam turned away from the chimera.
"I'm not being mean, you're just very silly right now."
After a few moments of silence, the beta spoke again.
"Can I ask you something?" Nerves instantly flooded the older boy's body.
"Yeah, sure." He fought to control his chemo signals.
"Are you happy? Or do you regret staying in Beacon Hills and becoming pack?" Shock went through him immediately at the question. Theo got quiet, thinking how he wanted to answer. After a few moments of silence, the werewolf spoke again.
"Sorry…that was rude of me to ask. And I interrupted you out here…I'm sorry, I will just leave." Liam went to stand up to leave, but the older boy quickly grabbed his wrist, settling him back into the swing.
"Wait, don't go. I am happy. I feel relaxed and at peace, which I have never really felt before, it is totally new to me. But I also feel a little anxious like I am waiting for the next bad thing to happen."
"Do you think it's possible to feel anxiety about something good?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well maybe since you feel remorse about what you've done, and your accustomed to so much negativity and destruction, that you feel anxious because everything is positive around you. Like maybe subconsciously you think it is all too good to be true."
Theo went quiet again, absorbing the young wolf's words. Once again taken aback by how deep Liam was and how complex his thoughts were.
"Or maybe I'm just drunk and speaking nonsense." Liam continued, sounding defeated.
"No. It isn't nonsense. You're probably right honestly."
"Hmph."
"What?" Theo pressed, visibly confused.
"Did you just say I was right? I don't think that has ever happened before." With a laugh, the chimera shoved Liam's shoulder playfully.
"Shut up." Theo took the next few moments of silence to watch the werewolf, a pinch of jealousy still stinging, knowing that Liam had a crush on someone else.
"Why'd you come out here when all your friends are inside?" Theo figured the younger boy would be much more honest with the alcohol and wolfsbane coursing through him.
"Not all my friends." Liam paused, glancing at the older boy before continuing.
"And I just needed to clear my head a bit."
"Oh well, I will leave you to it." Theo jumped out of the swing, turning back towards the house.
"I don't think I feel very well." A quiet voice broke the new silence, followed by vigorous vomiting. Slowly he turned to see the werewolf hunched over the pile.
"Okay, I guess I am babysitting tonight." Theo mumbled to no one in particular, swiftly pulling Liam up and wrapping an arm around the younger's waist, hauling him towards the house. Once they made it inside and up the stairs, he laid Liam in the werewolf's bed.
"Hey, if you're going to puke again, please do it in here." He shoved a small trashcan against the side of the bed, before turning to leave the room. A quiet sad voice responded.
"Are you mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad at you?"
"Because I threw up and ruined the party."
"Liam…" Slowly Theo sat on the edge of the bed, running soothing fingers through the younger boys' hair, ignoring his own heart skipping a beat when Liam leaned into the touch.
"I'm not mad and you did not ruin anything. It's late and I am going to tell everyone to leave and clean up a bit. I will be right back." As he stepped away from the bed, a clammy hand grabbed his own.
"Promise?"
With a soft smile Theo nodded, then headed downstairs to kick out a bunch of teenagers.
Once everyone was gone, there were two stragglers, Mason and Corey. He couldn't kick them out, they were both beyond drunk. Slowly he picked each boy up, carrying them to his own bed, leaving them to rest. Theo changed into a pair of sweatpants, then with a deep breathe reentered the werewolf's room expecting him to be asleep. But was surprised to see the younger boy up and chugging a glass of water.
"You're still up?"
"Yeah." Liam hesitated before continuing.
"I wanted to see if you were going to keep your promise." His voice was quiet, barely above of whisper, but he sounded sober, like Liam again.
"Well, I had to clean everything up, so it took a while."
"You didn't have to let Mason and Corey sleep in your bed though." The younger boy challenged.
"No, but they'll feel better waking up in a bed rather than the couch or worse the floor."
"That was thoughtful of you. Now where are you going to sleep?"
"I didn't really think about that, the couch will be fine for a night." Theo could hear the younger boy's heartbeat picking up before he responded.
"Or if you want, you could stay in here with me?"
Theo knew he should just go to the couch, but those blue eyes were captivating, pulling him towards Liam.
"Do you think that is a good idea?"
"I don't know. But I know that I want to be close to you right now. And it's just sleep."
With a shy smile Theo climbed into the betas bed. Almost immediately Liam laid against him, nuzzling his head onto the older boy's chest, draping a leg over him. Taking another deep breath, Theo inhaled the werewolf's scent and all his nerves and reservations subsided. Cautiously he wrapped an arm tightly around Liam's shoulder, pulling him impossibly closer. Theo did not know what would happen between them in the morning, but for the moment he felt completely calm and at peace, everything was perfect.