Liam was exhausted and horrified. Sitting in his living room, he had spent almost all afternoon with Stiles and Lydia learning all there was to know about the world of werewolves. He couldn't understand how for the last 3 years or so his new, seemingly normal friends, had dealt with all the crazy stuff that had been happening to them. He couldn't imagine having his life in constant danger all the time.

Even with his IED, Liam had probably never felt the type of certainty in his mortality that these people had. With every story and description Stiles and Lydia gave, Liam wondered how only a few friends had died. Stiles seemed to be pretty light-hearted about everything he'd gone through while Lydia explained things like it was written in a well-known textbook. Neither of them seemed to notice how panicked all of this was making Liam.

"Is there any way we can take a pause," Liam finally asked after Stiles showed him a sketch of an Oni. "I just need to, find my happy place for a minute. " Stiles and Lydia gave each other a look.

"Sure," they said simultaneously. Liam got up and went into the kitchen. Still unsure what to do with himself he began making a sandwich. He wasn't sure what he was putting into the sandwich, but the act of doing something so normal seemed to be helping him relax.

"Hey," Scott's voice broke the silence in the room. Liam looked up and saw the young man standing in the doorway of his kitchen. Liam's stomach jumped at the sight of Scott, who in the afternoon light was looking especially beautiful. Liam wanted to run over and leap into Scott's arms, but then he remembered. Everything that Liam had learned about Scott and what he was flooded into Liam's mind again. The instinct to rush Scott with a kiss faded, so Liam gave him a weak smile instead and continued to craft his sandwich.

"So," Scott began as he eased his way toward Liam. "Snack break," Scott said with a chuckle. Liam still didn't speak, but nodded. His mind was so full of information he was afraid to open his mouth, and what would come out. Yes hearing about the disaster that's been your very existence for the last three year has made me a bit peakish. Liam thought.

"Stiles and Lydia can be, thorough." Scott said. "I know it's a lot to take in."

"Yeah," Liam agreed softly. A part of him appreciated Scott's ability to understand how difficult all of this must be for Liam. For 15 years of Liam's life he believed that monsters weren't real. Even when he was a little kid he never had a fear of the Boogie man in the closet or monsters under the bed. But now he wondered if all those moment when he swore he saw something lurking in the shadows of the woods behind his house if he were right. While Liam's mind continued to doubt and his hands continued to add to the sandwich, Scott continued to talk.

"I mean when everything happened, that is when I got bit, all I wanted was to go back and be normal. I never wanted any of this to happen. Hell I just wanted to not be such a spaz," Scott's words made Liam wince with embarrassment. Of course hearing that the guy you like, really like, is a werewolf is off-putting at best, but hearing that that dog bite you suffered has turned you into a monster had to have been the most outrageously troubling news one could ever receive. Feeling stupid Liam stopped making his sandwich and gave a heavy sigh.

"Look, if this is too much for you I'll understand," Scott said. He seemed hurt. "I mean you don't have to do me any favors." Liam's heart starting pounding at the thought of not being with Scott, and any doubts he had about building a relationship with him dissipated.

"It's not too much," Liam protested. His voice cracked, which made him pause with what he was going to say. Puberty was such a mood killer. Liam took a deep breath and cleared his throat. "I mean of course it's a lot but I can handle it," he said calmly, careful to keep control over his vocal chords. Scott rolled his eyes at Liam's words, and his body tensed up as he folded his arms.

"Liam you're stress eating," Scott said nodding to the sandwich. Liam looked over and saw that the simple sandwich he thought he was making was now so full of random ingredients Liam wondered how he thought he'd be able to fit it into his mouth. Liam pushed the sandwich away and closed the gap between him and Scott. He put his hands on Scotts folded arms and locked his with the upset teenager.

"I really like you Scott," Liam voice was low and sincere. "You just have to be patient with me, okay. Scott gave Liam a smirk.

"Sure, but you have to tell me when you're freaked out about all of this," Scott began, but before he could finish his thought, Liam leaned forward and kissed him. Scott wrapped his arms around Liam's waist, loosing himself in the kiss. Liam responded by wrapping his arms around Scott's neck. Time stopped and for a moment Liam felt completely normal and completely safe.

"Hey guys," Stiles interrupted loudly. Scott gave a low growl of disapproval at the sound of his best friend's voice which made Liam shiver. Stiles, rounding the corner into the kitchen, stopped abruptly. "Sorry dudes. I didn't realize."

"What do you want Stiles," Scott demanded.

"Well, Lydia and I still have a lot to cover with Liam so, if we could have him back please," Stiles said, then the sandwich caught his eye. Liam let out a sigh and gave Scott a quick kiss before reluctantly letting go of his embrace.

"Alright teacher the student is ready for the next lesson," Liam said.

"I was really leaning towards more of a coach, athlete vibe, but sure teacher's good too," Stiles mused. "By the way is that sandwich for anybody?" Liam shook his head with a chuckle as he grabbed the sandwich for Stiles and walked towards the living room.

The following Monday afternoon Liam was at school trying to focus in Advanced Algebra. A week ago he loved school now that he knew all the campfire stories were true he found himself having a hard time taking his future education as seriously as before. If two werewolves hunt a Kanima running at a speed of 90 miles per minute and a Nogitsune possesses a human every 5 minutes how long would it take a banshee to scream upon stumbling on a dead body, Liam thought completely unable to keep the werewolf lore from distracting him from his work. The bell was a welcomed relief, and Liam wasted no time heading to the locker for practice.

"Hey Liam wait up," Mason's chipper voice was also a welcomed sound. Once he caught up to Liam Mason began talking at the speed of light. Over the years Liam had learned how to keep up with his friend's ever-shifting word-vomit. The kid could go from talking about how his completely bombed his science test on funguses to describing a weird looking mole he saw on his ball-sack using his mother's hand mirror in a matter of seconds. To the untrained ear it would seems there would be no connecting these two situations, but following Mason's train of thought was a proudly acquired skill of Liam's.

"That's not black mold in your toilet Mason and even if it was it wouldn't cause herpes," Liam responded.

"Oh so doctors know everything now," Mason protested. "You can get herpes if someone squeezing but not from a dirty toilet seat?"

"They're two different types of herpes and clean your bathroom, man that sickening."

"Speaking of which were you ill this weekend?" Mason asked. Liam grimaced.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I stayed up until 3 a.m. waiting for the details of your date."

"Oh shit, I was supposed to call you," Liam said. He felt horrible.

"Yes and tell me everything about mister perfect Scott McCall," Mason exclaimed. "So how did it go?"

"Awful," Liam said absent-mindedly. The mention of Scott's name put his head in a whirlwind of werewolves and hunters, Onis, and sex.

"That sucks, man" Mason said breaking Liam's train of thought.

"What sucks?"

"That your date went bad," Mason said confused. Liam panicked trying to refocus his attention to the present conversation.

"It didn't," he exclaimed in a loud, upbeat voice. "Scott's awesome. We had a great time." Mason stopped walking and furrowed his brow at his friend.

"You just said, and I quote, it was 'awful'," Mason. Liam panicked even more. He was a horrible liar and Mason was possibly the best human liar-detector on the planet.

"Well," Liam began but was interrupted.

"It started awful, because I was crazy late," Scott said. He walked up behind Liam wrapping his arm around the younger boy's shoulders. Liam looked up at him surprised by his present but eternally grateful for it. Scott was looking at Mason with a big bright smile on his face. "Once I got there and begged for forgiveness, Liam and I had a great time." He looked down at Liam as he finished his statement. Scott kissed Liam softly which made the smaller boy's heart stop.

"I can see," Mason said with a giggle. Liam turned a deep shade of red. "Well I'll see you two later." Mason walked off in the other direction. The hallways were almost completely empty as all the students escaped for home.

"Thanks," Liam said. "I don't know how you knew I needed saving."

"Well, I kind of knew you were in trouble," Scott started as the two continued to walk toward the locker rooms.

"How," Liam asked. "What werewolves can read minds?" he said it as a joke, but then panicked at the thought that that could be true.

"No, but I can hear your heartbeat and I could hear your conversation with Mason," Scott confessed. "Awful?" he restated. Liam winced.

"Yeah, I mean almost getting eaten by a big scary beast isn't what I would call an awesome first date experience." He mused.

"Okay, but that wasn't our first date," Scott protested. "I'm calling do over, tonight, after practice."

"Can't," Liam said. "Huge history test tomorrow and Wednesday is the game, how about Thursday?"

"Sure, oh wait no. I have a shift at the vet," Scott said disappointed.

"Friday night it is," Liam said. He grabbed Scott's hand spun himself out of the cradle of Scott's arm hug and took off running down the hall. "Last one to the locker room pays for dinner. Before he could finish his statement a gust of wind blew by him, and the sight of Scott's back grew further away. Never challenge a werewolf.

Chapter 3: Liam finds out about the mysterious deaths of two local men and how Scott has been doing everything to keep it from him.