"So let me get this straight," Corey told Theo on the phone, "You are missing movie night because of the storms that are rolling in and Liam wants you to stay over?" Theo sensed a range of emotions in his friend's voice, spanning from disbelief to borderline excitement.

"Well he did not ask me, per say, but I think he does not want to be alone," Theo whispered to the phone, fearing Liam might overhear him in the other room. "I would feel like shit if I left him during this, besides, I do not think I would be able to make it to your house before the storms start getting bad. I am sorry, but movie night will have to be rescheduled."

"Are you kidding?!" Corey yelled and Theo feared the worst. Ever since he had started working, he and Corey had not been able to spend as much time together and he knew Corey really wanted to hang out. However, Theo was shocked by how Corey continued, "You are staying the night at Liam Dunbar's house! Like, 95% of smut fan fiction starts that way. Stay over there, and tell me every scandalous detail when you come home! Enjoy, Raeken."

Theo sighed and rolled his eyes, "Goodbye Corey," he said before hanging up the phone. He knew that Corey was just joking, but in honesty, Theo had considered the odd situation that they were in. Here he was, staying the night at Liam Dunbar's house, a fantasy of over half the school. However, Theo knew that nothing would happen, Liam is taken and all evidence suggests he is straight. 'Thiam', as Corey had affectionately begun calling it, was over before it could begin. Theo was just being a good friend to Liam and making sure he was safe from the storm, thats all.

After hanging up on Corey, Theo made his way back to the living room, where Liam was sitting on the couch watching the weather channel closely. Now that Theo was off the clock, he finally noticed just how nice the Dunbar mansion was. Their living room was decorated with ornate furniture, not to mention the massive size of everything. The living room alone could fit a dozen people comfortably atleast. This place seemed way to big for just a small family of three. Theo sat on one of the couches and felt miles away from Liam. "It, uh, it sucks you had to cancel your plans," Liam said to Theo, as a small way to apologize for indirectly asking Theo to stay over.

"Corey was understanding, you know, safety must come first, and I am not even sure the bus would run in the storm," Theo explained, which was not a lie, but he knew if he really wanted to, he could have made it to Corey's. This did not mean that Theo was upset to cancel his plans. In honesty, he was worried for Liam, who seemed to act differently at home, especially today with the news of the storms. Theo just would not have felt right leaving him there alone.

"Bus? You take the bus around? You don't drive?" Liam asked Theo in a confused tone.

Theo smiled a bit to himself, of course rich kid Liam never would have had to take the bus, he always got around in the newest most expense model of sports car. Theo nodded, "Yes, I take the bus, my family does not own a car, so my mom and I take the bus when we go places." He explained, and he shockingly noticed an expression of guilt from Liam, as if he was sorry for asking about it. "So, what are they saying about the storms? Are they going to be as bad as they look?" He then glanced out the window where he saw dark clouds. then he noticed rain droplets splashing on to the window.

"They are saying it could be pretty bad," Liam replied, his voice almost shaking. This reaffirmed to Theo that Liam had serious anxiety about storms, because Liam would not be this vulnerable if it was not serious. "They are saying it could last all night."

Theo watched as he saw this completely new side of Liam, a side of Liam he had caught glimpses of before, but was now seeing the whole thing. As he was seeing this, Theo felt the urge to try and protect Liam as much as could. Though Theo did not know how to survive a thunderstorm, he did know how to sound knowledgeable to comfort Liam. "Well it is best we get prepared. We should get some flashlights, and perhaps some pillows and blankets so we can stay down here. It is safer to stay on the ground floor."

Liam seemed to calm down slightly as Theo spoke. The boys then began to get prepared for the storm, pulling out some snacks, and making sort of a bed out of pillows and blankets on the floor of the living room. Throughout this process, Liam seemed to have calmed down, and that put Theo at ease. He hated seeing Liam like that, and he hoped perhaps, he would not have to again. The two sat down on the blankets and kept watching the forecast, hoping that something changes and the predictions of a dangerous storm goes down.

"Maybe you could call Hayden, make sure she is doing well?" Theo suggested to Liam as he saw the forecast doubling down on their predictions. He was hoping that talking to Hayden would calm Liam down more than Theo could, after all, they were dating.

Liam shook his head slightly and looked down at his phone, which had him and Hayden as its lock screen. "She, uh, she wouldn't understand, probably best if I didn't." Liam turned his phone over so he was no longer looking at the lock screen. Theo watched Liam's mannerisms and began to wonder if the rumors of Liam and Hayden being on thin ice were true. "She just, doesn't get my feelings sometimes, I highly doubt she would get this."

Theo furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he listened to Liam explain his relationship with Hayden. None of this made sense to Theo. Liam and Hayden were dating, how could she not understand him? What kind of relationship is that? "Then why are you with her?" Theo blurted out, but regretted it. He pushed to far, and he knew that was wrong. "I am just saying, if you can't call her at a time like this, what kind of relationship is that?"

Liam shot an angry glance at Theo, Liam's trademark fury was now visible again, and in a way it comforted Theo to see it. The Liam that Theo was used to was still in there somewhere. "We have a good relationship, but nothing is perfect! Why would I take advice from you! I have never even seen you date anyone."

"You are right, and I am sorry, I should not have said anything," Theo replied and sighed. It was true, Theo had never been in a serious relationship before. He's hooked up with people a few times, but he's never actually found someone that he clicked with enough to invest his time in to. Perhaps he was to picky, but he wanted a spark, he wanted some passion, and he has yet to find it. "But maybe you should call her. She could surprise you."

Liam's anger melted away once again as he looked down, fiddling with his fingers. "She wouldn't, we have been through this before. We were at her place and a storm came through, and she told me I was being ridiculous, and irrational. But I-I can't help it. I do not know what it is. I haven't had any traumatic thunderstorm incident, but I get shaken up when a storm come through. She's right, it is ridiculous and irrational."

Theo shook his head in protest, "No it isn't. Liam, if you can't help it, then its not ridiculous. Everyone has fears or anxiety about something. Just because not everyone shares the same anxieties or fears as you, does not make you ridiculous. Don't let people tell you that." Theo was very passionate about this. He has been at Corey's side all these years as people have made fun of him for social anxiety, and it always infuriated Theo. He was not going to let Hayden do the same thing to Liam.

"Oh yeah? Well whats yours?" Liam asked, and Theo knew this was Liam's way of getting even. Theo knew Liam's fear, so Liam got to know Theo's.

"Bridges," Theo responded to Liam confidently, to show Liam he was to ashamed, "Or I guess, heights, but a lot of times bridges trigger that fear. The idea of being high up and the only thing supporting me is a piece of wood or metal placed there by humans is utterly terrifying," Theo said with a small chuckle.

Liam laughed a bit too. "Well now you don't make my fear of storms sound to emasculating," Liam teased and both boys laughed. When the calmed down, they both jumped a bit when the lights shut off. The storm had knocked the power out. Liam grabbed one of the flashlights and turned it on, "And I hate when this happens too," he said with a deep fear in his voice.

"Liam its ok, its just the lights," Theo calmly replied, trying to make sure Liam did not freak out. "We have the flashlights, so there is nothing to worry about." The sound of thunder echoed around them, as flashes of lighting occasionally illuminated the room.

Liam nodded and tried to slow his breathing and stop his shaking. "You are right, its just the lights, nothing to worry about. We can still watch the forecast on our phones if need be," Liam said to Theo, but it was clear he was just trying to calm himself down. Soon, they heard some strange noise coming from outside, but it was not thunder or the moving of debris. The boys looked towards the window to see if they can figure out what it was then Liam's eyes widened, "Oh my God, Ruby. She must have gotten out through the dog door!"

Theo has already had a few run ins with Ruby, the Dunbar's corgi. The dog was spunky and tended to act upon its own will, often causing disruption in Theo's landscaping work. The boys rushed to window to see if they could find her, but at the first crack of thunder, Liam instinctively backed up. Theo's eyes scanned the yard and saw a pile of pool furniture that had blown over in the wind, "There she is, she's trapped under some chairs." He watched at the poor animal moved frantically, trying to squirm her way out from under the chair. "I will have to go get her."

"Theo, no! The wind is crazy, it was powerful enough to move the furniture, just think if something hits you!" Liam said but his eyes returned to the sight of Ruby trapped under the furniture. It was clear Liam was filled with fear upon the sight of his dog being trapped.

"I can't let her stay out there, I am going," Theo replied before walking to the door, with Liam following close behind, "Open the door for me when I come back ok?" Liam nodded and Theo walked out into the rain and shut the door behind him. The wind truly was powerful, so as Theo began to step forward, he found it difficult to walk in a straight line. Nonetheless, he pushed forward, ignoring the cold rain almost feeling like needles due to the high power of the wind. He walked for what seemed like ages until he finally reached the pile of furniture. He knelt down and began to pet Ruby softly, "Shhhh, I will get you," he told the dog as he began to pull off the furniture while still fighting the wind.

Eventually the furniture pile was light enough for Theo to be able to pull Ruby out of from under it. After picking her up, he began his trek back to the door, where he could barely see Liam watching through the window. Dodging a few twigs flying through the air due to the wind, Theo eventually made it back inside and Liam slammed the door behind him. "Oh my god, Theo, thank you so much!" Liam said and took Ruby into his arms.

"Well I couldn't see a dog in danger, and I hated seeing you upset about it," Theo said and chuckled, soaking wet from the rain, he might as well of jumped into the pool while he was out there. "But see? Everything is ok!" Liam nodded to Theo, and the two looked each other in the eyes. Much to Theo's shock, Liam leaned forward quickly and Kiss Theo quickly before pulling back just as quickly.