They ate in Liam's room, Theo giving him space while he sat on the chair at his desk. Theo was observing Liam's habits after his episode. He still seemed fairly normal, only more... self- depreciating. Liam had been constantly apologizing for his freak out and Theo tried so hard to make it ok, but Liam wouldn't accept it. He finally tried a different tactic after a while.

"Theo, really, you don't have to be nice. You don't have to stay here. I know you probably want to go home-"

"Did you enjoy dinner, Liam?"

"Yes... Thank you by the way. I probably should have said that already-"

"Did you get full or are you still hungry?"

"I'm- I'm good. Thanks"

"Alright. I'm going to bring our plates downstairs and I'll be right back up"

"Theo, you don't have to-"

"I'm a grown man, Liam. I know what I don't have to do. Meaning I'm not going to do the dishes. You wanted to help, so I'll leave them for you" Theo smirked "It's the least you can do after I made this delicious meal" he laughed. Liam finally cracked a small smile. Theo finally found it. The solution to keeping Liam from feeling so guilty after a breakdown. Just treat it like it's any other thing. Not like it doesn't matter, but just continue as if it was totally fine and normal. Make him feel like it was totally normal.

"Alright. I guess that's fair. I did bail out on Cooking 101 with the Master Chef Theo Raeken" Liam laughed like normal.

"Oh no you don't" Theo furrowed his eyebrows and Liam looked back at him in confusion. "Just because I didn't know what was going on this time doesn't mean you get out of this that easy. I'm not letting you off the hook until I am confident you can make something that isn't microwavable without adult supervision" Theo laughed at his teasing but made sure it wasn't too much for Liam. Liam just looked at him in shock.

"I wasn't trying to get out of anything! I was having an episode!" Liam looked like he was almost hurt at the accusation, but like he knew Theo hadn't really meant it. They were starting to get a pretty good read on each other after such a short period of time.

"A likely story" Theo just picked back at him "because how would I possibly know if you were just trying to skip out on this whole deal. I see you now" Theo laughed heartily "I see what you're all about. And getting your friends in on it too, that's a nice touch, Liam but not good enough" Theo smiled at him to show he wasn't anything but playful. That Liam could trust him.

"What do you mean? My friends?" Liam hadn't seen Mason and doubted Scott or Stiles had shown up.

"Oh... Yeah... I called Corey and asked him to give me Mason's number... I kinda let him know what happened and he told me where to find you" Theo didn't really have to feel as nervous as he was feeling explaining this to Liam, but it felt like a breach of his privacy. Telling him that he told Liam's friends behind his back felt bad, but not letting him know he'd told them felt wrong.

"It's ok. Mason should know. I should probably tell my parents too sometime soon" Liam could see the look of almost fear on Theo's face as he talked. He wasn't mad. He was honestly glad that Theo even cared enough to call Mason. He literally could have just freaked out and left. Liam was grateful that Theo had taken care of him, though. He would have just ended up in a cold shower in his clothes if it progressed. He didn't know how to process everything with Hayden yet and then things at work were becoming strange with this Brett guy popping up everywhere. Maybe he would take tomorrow off too. He probably should after his episode, but he didn't want to be one of those people who call out while they are already short-staffed.

It was hard. Liam didn't want anyone knowing something was wrong with him. Especially when it was this. People tended to look at someone with any type of disorder as 'broken' and Liam couldn't have that. People already looked at him like they suspected he was off, but if they knew for sure, and then found it was IED, he'd always be on edge. Always risk having another episode over the smallest inconvenience. Just like he had today because he was too busy not trying to deal with Hayden. He was definitely not going to be able to call out when it wasn't even that serious this time. Liam didn't even break anything or fight anyone or rip anyone apart emotionally. He could go into work and let his brain reset back to normal.

"Hey are you listening?" Theo asked, concern overwhelming in his voice.

"I'm sorry... I was... thinking. What were you saying?"

"I was asking if you thought you needed to go to work tomorrow." Theo breathed steady, making sure to proceed with caution. "I mean, personally, I don't know if you really should after what happened, but I've also never seen you go through thiss... Or anyone for that matter. Soo" Theo asked awkwardly. Liam wasn't used to Theo being awkward. He'd seemed so sure of everything he says and does but today, Theo showed a more vulnerable side. People usually are, awkward or at the very least distant, after he has an episode, but he'd never imagined Theo being awkward. Then again Liam and Theo still only just met.

"I'm still debating" Liam finally said, trying to be calm. He really didn't know what to do.

"Well, if you need a ride, feel free to call me" Theo's face went back to concern.

"You're not leaving, are you?" Liam whispered, hopeful that he wasn't being as seriously needy as he felt. He knew that he shouldn't be asking anything of Theo. He'd been taking too much care of him since they met, and it really was a horrible way to start a friendship. Liam wasn't usually this

clingy. He's never really had many friends besides Mason. Scott and Stiles were more like the older brothers that took care of Liam when he went through his awkward phase in high school and helped with lacrosse and kind of showed him the ropes with how to get on the teachers' good sides. Liam was never really close with them like he was with Mason. He did talk about his relationship with Hayden because they'd be more impartial than Mason, but they still didn't seem to see it the way he had. Maybe Liam was too clingy to Hayden. Maybe that was why she wanted so much space.

Liam was once again broken out of his thoughts by Theo "I think it's best if you're not alone right now. I'm not able to stay, though. I called Mason, so he's-" Theo got cut off by the doorbell "here. I thought it'd be better if you had a more familiar face to help you through this."

Liam was a little disappointed. He loved Mason, he really did. However, Mason tried too hard to make it ok. It wasn't that he wasn't a great person to have after this, but he wanted someone like Theo. Someone who just made it feel normal. Someone who made Liam feel normal. Mason had been at the brunt of one of Liam's episodes once and he felt the full effect it had. Liam had put him in the hospital and Mason tried to make it ok, but since then, Mason, even if he tried to hide it, part of him was scared of Liam. Part of him would always flinch when he knew Liam was upset about something.

Mason rushed in the front door hugging Liam and mothering him as soon as he laid his eyes on him. "Are you ok? What brought this on? If this is about that bitch Hayden, I swear to GOD-"

"Mase. I'm fine. I promise" Liam assured him.

Mason looked at Liam skeptically and then his eyes finally trailed over to Theo. "Thank you for taking care of him during this, dude. I really can't tell you-"

"It's fine. I'd stay, but I have to work." Theo looked at Liam and tilted his head, "Are you gonna be ok while I'm gone?" he smirked.

"I'll be fine" Liam rolled his eyes as Theo walked through the threshold laughing. Liam stopped him and Theo looked back at him curiously. "Thank you, you know, for everything" he said, too timidly for his own liking. He felt like a child.

"It's really ok, Liam. Just know you owe me" Theo smirked and Liam scoffed out a laugh and rolled his eyes as he all but shoved Theo out the door.

Liam spun around on his heel facing Mason, smile still on his face, small as it was, Mason still scrutinized it. "What was that about?" Mason asked, brow raised.

"Nothing" Liam assured him, letting his smile fall.

"You know you're a horrible liar, right? Seriously. Am I being replaced? Should I be worried about this dude?" Mason said feigning a freak out.

Liam just ignored him. Mason was a dramatic person by nature, but when Liam got close to anyone it seemed amplified. He actually kind of liked that about Mason. It seemed to level them out. Of course, it wasn't as bad as Liam's IED, but it made Liam feel like he wasn't so dramatic when he felt things on such a high scale. Hayden would have said their friendship was toxic, but Liam was able to be himself around Mason. He felt the fear when his IED was underneath the surface, sure, but Liam would never be judged by Mason for having problems.

"Thank you" he'd finally said.

"For what exactly?" Mason asked.

"For telling Theo where I was. For helping even when you couldn't be here." Liam's smile was back, this time bigger than the last. Mason would always come to his rescue. No matter what. He would never be replaced. Their bond was unrivaled. They were brothers.

"Dude, I'm just surprised he didn't freak out. He doesn't seem like he handles emotions very well" Mason said seriously. He was right. Theo was very emotionally stunted. Liam guessed it was part of his job. Being a prostitute, you have to have some level of apathy. Then, after seeing Brett and how he was in general, it grossed him out. Then seeing him with Theo, he could imagine why Theo's emotions were dormant. That guy could make anyone feel like garbage.

"I'm surprised too, honestly. He seems very... intense?" Liam said, not sure if that was the right word.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, he has this guy, who I suspect is an ex, following him around all the time."

"Wow. Stalk much?" Mason's face pinched at the thought.

"Yeah. Well. He's actually staying at the hotel for an 'undetermined amount of time' and dude" Liam makes his expression as serious as possible so Mason can understand the extent of how impossibly important these next few words are "-he is such a creep."