"What's with him?" Theo asked Corey when Liam got up from the bar to go deal with his inner turmoil on the dance floor. Mason stayed behind this time. He noticed Liam was acting weird, meaning he was actually drinking and getting drunk.

"He and his girlfriend of like 5 or 6 years broke up tonight. Apparently after the first time he saw her in months-"

"Ouch" Theo wasn't a man of many words and in fact, at times, came across as unsympathetic. Corey knew better. He knew about Brett and how hard Theo had it. People misunderstood him and Corey guessed Theo preferred it that way. He never got close with anyone enough to correct them.

However, it was interesting that he was even asking about what was bothering Liam, as they had only met two days ago. He was used to seeing people drown their problems in alcohol. He and Liam weren't exactly 'buddies' so, it was unexpected to say the least. Corey took a mental note and filed it away for later.

Karaoke was a horrible idea. Corey finally admitted to himself when Liam belted Apologize by One Republic, voice cracking and off-beat. Liam was definitely going through something heavier than he made out. Theo also noticed. Liam's song choices were bipolar, and he was cringy at best. He finally had to pull Liam down from the stage when people started complaining about hogging the mic.

"THEO!" Liam was gone for the night and whatever booze monster this was, has officially inhabited him for the rest of the night. "Theo" Liam was that kind of drunk. The kind Theo hated to deal with. Jocose teetering on the edge of lachrymose. It's the happy to sad drunk. It's literally the worst kind.

"What's up, Liam? And I thought we discussed that my name is Tyler when we're in public." Theo tried not to roll his eyes, but it was the hardest thing in the world at that moment.

"Nothing. I just like saying your name. Theeooo. Tyler isn't as fun" Liam laughed like it was the funniest thing ever.

Theo clearly didn't get the joke "could you please stop before I throw you out on your ass?

Thanks"

"Wouldn't be the first time todaay hahaaa" Liam was so not funny. This was going to cause problems with other customers. Liam needed to go home.

Theo looked around for Mason and didn't see him. Great. He has irresponsible friends who took him drinking. "Corey, I'll be back. I'm gonna take dumbass here home before he causes me to get fired. Can you hold down the fort 'til I get back?"

"Don't worry about it. You can go ahead and head out for the night. It's slowed down enough for one person now"

"You sure?"

"Go. Tend to your new friend" Corey laughed. He liked to poke at Theo about choosing a lonely life. Theo wasn't laughing. He flipped off Corey and brought Liam to his truck. He wasn't doing this out of the goodness of his heart. He couldn't find the friend that was always hanging around this kid, or he would have made him drag Liam's ass home. Breakups were hard, but it wasn't that serious from what he'd heard. Granted, Theo hadn't heard the whole story.

Theo brought Liam to his own house, against his better judgement. He couldn't completely remember what the directions to the other man's house were right now and honestly, he didn't see Liam as a threat. Theo also just wanted to go to bed as soon as possible. Maybe he'd get some sleep tonight. Getting Liam out of his truck proved to be even more difficult than getting him inside. Liam had fell asleep on the way there and was being difficult.

"Liam, get up! You can sleep when you get inside, come on!" Theo tried and failed to wake the sleeping man. Finally, he just pulled him out of the truck and carried him, one arm around Liam's waist, Liam's arm around Theo's shoulder, and all but dragged him through the threshold. What a lightweight. Theo had carried Liam to the living room and laid him on the couch. He felt like he needed a shower. Maybe that would make him feel better.

He couldn't put his finger on it, but he felt off today. I don't understand why I'm having these nightmares again. Brett is gone. He let the hot water run over him while he tried to forget the past few days. That creep, Donovan that made him have to tell Liam about his personal life. His nightmares about Brett. His weird... acquaintanceship? Corey and his dumbass remarks.

Theo turned the water off and came out of the bathroom in just a towel. He walked past the couch to find it vacant. Where the hell is Liam? A pain in his stomach forming as he headed to his room only to stop in his tracks. Liam made his way into Theo's bed and stripped down to his boxers. "Great now where am I gonna sleep?" he sighed.

"Theo?" Oops. He'd spoke that too loud. Theo didn't move.

Liam rolled over and faced Theo in a drunken, sleepy haze. "Theo? What are you doing here? Are you naked?"

Theo actually facepalmed. "Liam, I'm here because this is my house and yes, I'm naked because I just took a shower." Liam's eyes were still mostly closed. He didn't really process what Theo was saying and Theo knew. He was getting dressed when he heard Liam stir.

"What are you doing?"

"m gonna go... the couch" Liam yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Liam. Can you even find the couch?" Theo tried not to laugh at him, but Liam was truly a horrible drunk.

"et don't mattr. ss yur bed. i'll sle-ep on th couch!" Liam still didn't open his eyes. He would stumble around until he broke something before he ever made it to the couch.

"Liam it's really ok. Take the bed. You're the guest and you're not gonna keep me up looking for the couch all night"

"You sleep here too!" Theo was shocked, to say the least. Was this his plan? Break up with his girlfriend first? Get drunk first? What is this?

"Liam I'm fine on the couch. You sleep" Theo shut the lights off and Liam was already out.

"What do you do to get the extra tips Theo? I doubt people are just that generous." Theo shuffled in the sheets. "Well come on Theo. If you're so eager to get it from a stranger, I'm right here!" Theo gasped waking up from his never-ending nightmares. He was sweating. He heard a familiar voice in the dark.

"Theo? Are you ok?" Liam blinked at him. Liam heard screaming coming from the living room in the middle of the night and went to check on him. He was having night terrors, and whatever it was made him stop breathing. Just when Liam went to try and wake him, Theo snapped out of it.

"Liam?" Theo took a second to adjust and let his mind catch up. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Why? What's up?" Theo yawned.

Liam just gawked at Theo, not sure what to say. He didn't want to set Theo off, but he also wanted him to know that he could talk to Liam about it. "Theo-you were screaming-"

Theo rolled his eyes, outwardly annoyed at this whole conversation "Liam it was a nightmare. People have them."

Liam started getting irritated. He was trying to help, yet again, and Theo was being completely unreasonable. "That was beyond nightmare. That was- you sounded like you were in pain- what were you-" Liam didn't want to ask, but never has he heard of anyone having a nightmare that seemed to literally suck the life out of them. "What were you dreaming about, Theo?"

Theo didn't answer. He didn't want to think about it. Liam quickly got the hint. "I'm sorry, Theo. Maybe you'd feel better in your own bed. I'll sleep out here." They stalked to the dark room, Theo laying as comfortably in his bed as he could after what happened. It had shaken him to his core, but he wasn't about to let Liam know that. "Goodnight Theo"

Liam turned to leave when Theo broke down. "Liam- can you stay with me please- just until I fall asleep?" Liam just nodded and walked to the bed and sat there, not knowing what to do next. A few minutes passed and Theo finally spoke. "You know you don't have to sit at the edge of the bed. You can lay down. There's room for two." Liam was more aware of his body and his movements than he ever had been in his whole life. He didn't want to take up the whole bed or move too close, but he also didn't want to make it obvious what he was doing. "Can you please just lay down like a normal person, Liam, so I can go to sleep?" When he finally did lay down, Liam felt... weird. Awkward, but also just, weirdly self-aware. And still drunk.