"What do you mean 'nightmares?" Liam asked him with a slightly more worried look on his face. You don't always have them."

"Yeah but... today... I don't know. It was different with Josh. Bordering into relationship territory. Plus the sex. It was great but... I guess after Brett..." Theo trailed off hoping he wouldn't have to explain further.

"Are you telling me that you have nightmares after you have sex? Theo this is your job versus your health. You shouldn't compromise your health for a job!"

Theo was prepared to argue but Liam was already rebutting. "And don't give me any crap about you being 'not qualified' because you can work at the hotel part-time and the bar part-time."

"My schedule, Liam-"

"Excuses. Hotels are open to employees 24/7. You can find something that fits."

Liam's anger was starting to get the best of him and Theo knew it. He didn't want to see him spiral so he agreed. "Ok. I'll look into it."

"Don't just say that because of me. Mean it because you're worried about you." Liam was breathing heavy now. His fists clenched, ready to punch something. Theo took this in and made his mind up.

"I'll do it for me. Believe it or not, my decisions aren't based on what you feel I should do."

Liam's anger started to waver and dissipate. His breathing became more even. "Good."

They decided to watch a movie that night. Have a marathon of some sort. Liam couldn't tell you which one because he was constantly staring at Theo. Theo couldn't tell, or if he could, he didn't ask him about it. Not until halfway through their fourth movie.

"Liam. Please. Just tell me whatever it is you need to tell me or ask me and watch the movie."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please. You have been staring at me this entire time and fidgeting like you took ALL of Stiles's Adderall. Get it over with."

"It's nothing-"

"It's something."

Liam took a few minutes to think about it. Think about how he should ask.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again." He was a big ol' chicken. A weenie. A baby. Bravery, he doth lack.

"Now I know something's up." Theo said as he turned off the tv. "What's going on Liam?"

That sweet, sultry, kind voice. Liam couldn't even look at him. He was weak. How was he going to ask him about Josh? About sex with another man in general? How was he going to have all these questions and not sound like a total child. Or even worse. Jealous. He couldn't be jealous. He didn't even know if he liked men. He had a boy-crush on Theo, but did he really like him? Like that?

"Liam just tell me. You can tell me anything."

Anything. Theo had no idea how untrue that really was. If Liam exposed the fact that he maybe, possibly could have a minor crush on Theo... their whole friendship would change. He didn't want that.

"I just have... questions... it's no big deal..."

"Is this like last night?"

"Yeah..."

"Then it's definitely a big deal. Being aware of your sexuality is a huge deal. You could be rejecting your soulmate simply because you're afraid to accept the fact that it might be a man. Or a close friend."

Well look who it is. It's irony. Right on schedule. Here with it's date, awkwardness. Liam thought to himself.

"How do I know though? Like... I don't want to experiment and find out that I'm not attracted to men like that. Like... what if I don't like... the sex, but just the guy... or what if I do like the sex but I can't bring myself to see dating a guy? Is that a thing?"

"Yes. All of that is possible. There are plenty of bisexuals that only want the sex. There are plenty of men who are strictly tops, which means they penetrate the other person, or strictly bottoms, which are the ones who get penetrated. Then there's the switch. People who enjoy both. It's not that different from hetero sex."

"I don't know. It sounds more complicated."

"Well... think about it this way. If you like someone as just a friend, but you are attracted enough to them to have a friends with benefits situation, that's one scenario. However. You can also love someone without ever having sex with them. Sex isn't needed to know how you feel for someone. Plenty of people abstain."

Liam took in his words. You don't need to have sex to know... what a cruel joke.

"I mean. Nobody that I know but... to each his own" Theo was smacked yet again with a pillow like the night before. Both laughing and Theo was the one to say "child abuse" this time. However Liam had a counter-argument.

"This is a pretty grown-up topic for you to claim you're a child. I mean if we gotta pull out our

licenses to prove you're older than me we can. Thus, proving I'm completely within my right, as I am the younger child" Liam said with a smirk.

"Oh don't you go using logic on me. That's not the Liam I know. You must be a-" Theo tries to make his best imitation of the robot episode of Spongebob that he can as he says "-a robot."

"Spongebob? Really?"

"It seemed fitting."

A few more hours passed on until now it was 11:04 pm. They laid in Theo's bed laughing and carrying on, eating junk food, making fun of each other's taste in movies and music until all of a sudden:

Music*

Liam's phone was going off. Mason's name splayed across the screen.

"Hello"

"Hey! What's wrong?! Are you ok?"

"Umm... yeah why?"

"I came to pick you up from work and Erika said you called out for the day"

"Oh shit... I forgot to tell you..."

Theo sat up when he heard this.

"Look I'll talk to you about it later ok?"

"You're sure you're ok?"

"Yes! Bye!"

Liam hung up the phone and sat back on the bed. He tried to act casual, hoping Theo didn't hear Mason freaking out on the other line.

"You were supposed to work today?"

"What?"

"Liam. I heard Mason. You called out of work today. Why?"

Liam didn't answer. He just looked at the ceiling as he laid down. He wasn't ABOUT to admit to wanting to be here with Theo after everything. It would lead somewhere he wouldn't let himself go out loud.

Theo sighed. "Liam. I know you worry about me doing what I do, but I'm grown. I don't need a babysitter. I can deal with talking about Brett-"

"Then why don't you? You don't even tell your friends about him. You don't seem like it even bothers you that he's living in the hotel where you meet your... clients?... And you just avoid the

subject completely. I know that's why you have nightmares. What he did to you- it's gross. It's disturbing. You have a restraining order and don't report him? Why?"

"Liam- it's more complicated than-"

"NO!" Liam then noticed he was being a little too aggressive about this sensitive thing. "It isn't! It can't be... It-" Liam looked at Theo with sorrow in his eyes, almost crying he said "if you let it be like this, then he's winning..."

Theo couldn't believe Liam right now. He was completely out of line. But at the same time, Liam knew Theo's story. His whole story. Theo couldn't rationalize why he felt more sorry for how Liam felt about the situation than actually being the one in the situation. He scooped Liam up and held him in his arms in the bed.

"Shh. It's ok" he whispered. By now Liam had started crying. This man was so emotional. He wore his heart on his sleeve and to Theo, he was so brave for that. Theo couldn't imagine being able to just feel things in front of people like that. Not after what Brett put him through. He hoped that Liam would never experience that. The boy was too precious for it. Too tender. Too special.

Theo ran his fingers through Liam's hair and promised him that he'd never let Brett get to him. He just couldn't get authorities involved while he was doing what he was. He promised Liam that he was going to look for another part-time job so that he didn't have to do this anymore. He wouldn't let Brett think he'd won in any way.

Somewhere between all the whispered promises and slow, careful fingers playing at Liam's hair, Liam fell asleep shirtless and on top of Theo's midsection, the way Theo had fallen asleep the night before. Theo looked at Liam, taking in his peaceful state. What must it be like for him to be so completely vulnerable, yet so comfortable in another person's home? How does one get to be so damn secure? Liam of course wasn't a genius, but he wasn't an idiot either. He knew that his friendship with Theo hadn't been long, but how could he know he could trust Theo? So fully and completely...