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"Are we seriously doing this right now?" Liam asked, unable to keep the fond exasperation from his voice as he accepted the box of fries that Theo passed to him.
Theo smirked. "Why not? It'll pass the time."
Liam scoffed, stuffing a handful of fries into his mouth. He looked at Theo from the corner of his eye. The other man was looking pretty pleased with himself, taking a sip from his strawberry milkshake. The two of them were waiting on Scott, who was meeting with the Sheriff and a few other important people like Argent and that creepy vet dude that spoke in circles and made Liam's head hurt. They were just the lackeys that would get sent out once an action was decided on. But until then...
A female deputy walked past the window. She wasn't familiar to Liam, who didn't spend all that much time at the station. Her dark blonde hair was up in a tight bun, and her uniform was neatly pressed. Liam tilted his head slightly, considering, his nose wrinkling up.
Theo broke the silence first. "Hmmm, Williams? Pass," he said dismissively.
"You know her?" he asked, eyebrows raising.
Theo gave him a look. "I know everyone."
"Not all of us dance on the razor fine edge of the law like you do," Liam muttered, turning back to the window. "I mean, she looks fine, but I think pass as well."
Theo chuckled, but let the comment slide. Both of them continued watching the deputies walk around through the windows of the station, muttering comments to each other.
"Okay but Parrish though," Theo said, sprawling back in his chair, gesturing with his milkshake for emphasis. "His arms, first of all."
Liam looked through the window to where Parrish was sitting at his desk, looking vaguely frazzled as he flicked through some papers. He frowned, considering, as Theo continued.
"You can't tell me you haven't thought about it when he gets all hot and growly." He nudged Liam's arm, and Liam whirled to stare at him, mouth dropping and eyes widening.
"Parrish, seriously?"
Theo just shrugged, looking unconcerned and almost viciously amused. "Oh come on, don't give me that look. He's a definite smash once you get past the youth pastor goody-goody facade he has going on."
Liam felt his face heat up. Okay, he had to admit that he hadn't thought of it, but he was now. "You're ridiculous," he grumbled.
"Ridiculously good-looking, sure," Theo said with a cocky grin. "Okay so you're not into the good boys then. I hear you." Liam watched Theo as he turned back to the station, trying to keep his equilibrium. No, good boys definitely weren't his type. You only had to look at his dating history to see that. The brief hate-fueled hook-ups with Brett, the disastrous relationship with his childhood nemesis Hayden, and well, the person he had his eyes on now...
"What about Campbell?" Theo asked thoughtfully. "She definitely looks like she could kick your ass."
Liam followed Theo's line of sight to a petite brunette woman. The sleeves of her uniform were rolled up well past regulation height to show off the strong definition in her arms. She was currently standing and talking to another deputy who towered over her, and yet there was something about her that radiated danger. Her stance maybe, arms folded across her chest, legs exactly shoulder width apart, a tension to her that made it seem like she could spring into action at a moment's notice.
"Yeah, I mean, I guess," Liam said. She looked scary but it was definitely in a hot way.
Theo smirked. "Knew it."
Their attention was drawn to the Sheriff's door opening. Liam immediately looked at Scott, who had a deep frown on his face, his eyes distant.
"Daddy," Theo said, quieter now. "Absolutely a smash."
"What the fuck?" Liam hissed, whirling on him. "Scott?"
Theo scoffed. "Fuck off. No, I meant the Sheriff."
Liam gaped at him, his mind reeling as he struggled to compute what he was saying, completely floored. Theo just looked proud of himself for shutting Liam up for a change, cackling evilly at the look of horror on his face.
"Oh come on now," he murmured as Scott and the other's drew closer to the front door. "Have you seen the way he fills out that uniform? Damn."
"You're disgusting," Liam spluttered, "that's Stiles' dad!"
Theo shrugged. "No one's perfect."
Liam scowled at him, refusing to even entertain the idea. He knew that some people were into things like figures of authority or whatever, but a line had to be drawn somewhere! And Stiles' dad was absolutely and definitely a line! Not to be crossed! Never!
He resolutely ignored Theo as Scott approached Liam's window, giving them the instruction to go and patrol around the high school for a few hours before he walked away to jump in the car with Argent, but he could feel Theo's eyes on him the whole time, burning into the side of his face.
As soon as they were gone, Theo turned on his truck. "Scott, pass, but Argent..."
"Shut up and drive," Liam snapped, cheeks on fire.
Theo just laughed, pulling out onto the road.
***
Theo tortured Liam with the continuation of this stupid game for the entire next week and it was driving him absolutely insane. It was like one of those middle school 'tick yes if you want to go out with me' games when everyone was trying to figure out who liked who but somehow so much worse as Theo did his best to nail down 'Liam's type' like he didn't need to just look in the fucking mirror.
"Mason is my best friend," he said firmly. "I can respect that he's," and he made the quotes in the air with his fingers as he talked, "technically attractive, but that doesn't mean that I'm into him."
"You never know," Theo said with a dismissive shrug. "Sometimes best friends have that whole sexual tension thing going on, you know, like the 'we should practice kissing' thing when you're like 11."
Liam groaned, burying his face in his hands. "God, can you just let this go?"
"Wait," Theo said, sounding delighted. "Did you?"
He refused to answer, walking out of the room, but Theo just followed after him. "Oh come on, no need to be ashamed, Liam. Nothing wrong with kissing the homies."
"I regret ever showing you Tik Tok," Liam grumbled.
"I've gotta do something while you're at college all day," Theo shrugged, helping himself to an apple from the bowl on the kitchen counter.
"Oh please," Liam said with a roll of his eyes. "Don't even try and pretend like you're not already half-way through a course. I know for a fact that the community college has terrible security, and you're more than half decent at hacking if what Mason tells me is right."
Theo looked nonchalant all of a sudden. "I may have picked up a class or two," he admitted, buffing the apple on the front of his hoodie and pointedly not meeting Liam's knowing gaze.
A hint of pride unfurled in his chest. He'd suspected it, but it was good to know that Theo actually was putting some thought into the future.
"How about Professor Smith?" Theo asked him, back on the game already. "Half my class is in love with him."
"What is it with you and older guys?" Liam scowled.
Theo shrugged. "Maybe I have daddy issues," he said with an air of faux-contemplation, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully.
"Some kind of issues," Liam muttered under his breath, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and passing Theo. "Idiot."
***
"Are you seriously still on this shit?" Liam sighed. Now that the cat was officially out of the bag about Theo attending college, suddenly he was everywhere.
"What?" Theo asked, looking amused. "I'm just trying to get you laid, Dunbar." He gestured to a group of girls sitting near them in the cafeteria. "I know for a fact that Anna over there wants to, and I quote, climb you like a tree."
"I don't need your help," Liam said, rolling his eyes and resting his chin in his hand. He resolutely did not look over at the group of girls, who he could distinctly hear giggling and talking about them.
"You clearly do," Theo said, shooting him an unimpressed look. "You haven't hooked up with anyone since Hayden, and she's ancient history."
"How would you know?" Liam scoffed, feeling embarrassed. Okay, so maybe it had been awhile, but there was no way that Theo could know that.
Theo just looked at him. It was a look that spoke volumes, and Liam sunk down slightly in his chair. "I know," Theo said. "And I don't get it. You're a good looking dude, and there's heaps of horny teens and twenty-somethings on this campus. It's not like it would be hard."
"I'm just not interested," Liam said dismissively. He looked down at the notes he had open for his next class, determined to ignore Theo and try to study.
Theo didn't say anything more, but Liam could feel his eyes on him, weighing him up, considering.
A thought came to Liam's mind and he shot up, staring at Theo incredulously. "Wait, have you been hooking up with people on campus?" he hissed.
Theo leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, lips curling up into a cocky, amused smirk. "And so what if I have?"
Liam stared at him, searching his face, his mind racing. He just couldn't imagine Theo sleeping around like some kind of college Casanova, moving through and discarding people like used tissues. Maybe he might have been like that before Liam knew him, but he was far too calculated for that kind of thing now.
"No you haven't," he said resolutely, returning to his book.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Theo smile.
Theo followed him to class and sat next to him while he took notes. He didn't seem to be paying much attention, but no one else in the class questioned him being there, so Liam just ignored him as well. Thanks to his notes, he was able to contribute a few times throughout the tutorial, and the tutor had looked pleased as he took some notes down in her notebook after one of his comments. It left him feeling good as he walked out of the room an hour later, Theo trailing after him.
They walked out to Liam's car and got in. All of Theo's classes were early in the morning so he was done for the day, and so Liam drove them home, both of them remaining quiet through the short drive back to the student dorms.
It wasn't until Liam pulled into his parking spot that Theo finally spoke up. "You're really not interested in anyone?" he asked suddenly.
Liam paused, glancing at him and then away. "I didn't say that."
He jumped out of his car, waiting for Theo to get out so that he could lock it. Theo got out slowly, leaning on the top of his car and staring at him. "So you like someone?"
Liam sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose. "Yes, Theo. Can you shut your door please? I want to lock up and go inside."
"Who?" Theo demanded, looking scandalized. "I can't believe you haven't told me."
Liam rolled his eyes. "You," he said, furrowing his brows into a glare, "are the dumbest smart person I know."
And he turned on his heel, leaving the car. Who cared if someone stole it? It was a hunk of junk that barely worked half the time anyway.
He walked into the dorms, making his way over to the elevator. His room was on the third floor, and he couldn't be bothered with the stairs today. Theo made it just in time to stick his hand in the elevator door, forcing them to re-open and let him inside.
He stepped inside, eyes wide as he stared at Liam, the elevator doors closing behind him.
"Me?" he asked, voice barely a whisper.
Liam's chest tightened. God, here it was. The fucking rejection. The 'I've only ever seen you as an enemy/sort of acquaintance' speech.
"Yep," he said. "Stupid right?"
Theo's lips quirked up slightly, but he still looked kind of freaked out. "For how long?"
A series of memories immediately flashed in his mind. Theo, bodily dragging him into an elevator, staring at him and telling him he wouldn't die for him. The wry smile on his face when Liam said he would fight with him. The way that time and again that night, Theo had had his back. The sad, intense look on his face as he'd taken Gabe's pain.
"A while," he said with a shrug, grimacing as Theo looked away.
"Oh," Theo said quietly. "I didn't know."
"I didn't tell you," Liam sighed. "It's fine, Theo. I figured you probably didn't feel the same, it's why I never said anything. You were focused on getting your life on track. You didn't need my feelings to complicate things."
The elevator doors opened and Liam went to brush past Theo. But Theo moved, stepping into his way and grabbing his arm. He looked at him, and the doors closed again.
"That night," Theo said, "when we could've died, but I remember. I almost thought you were going to kiss me."
Somehow, he was thinking of the same night Liam was. It made his chest ache. "I thought about it," he admitted.
He watched Theo, who was dropping his gaze to stare at Liam's lips. His pulse jumped and his eyes widened as Theo used his grip on his arm to pull him in closer.
"I don't mind complicated," Theo said with a wry smile.
Liam blinked, his mind feeling like it was wading through thick molasses as he stared at Theo from up close, feeling his breath ghost against his lips, his thick eyelashes closing as he tilted his head to the side and moved in.
Liam froze. Theo's lips were warm against his, gentle as he coaxed him into returning his kiss. Liam shivered and buried his hands in Theo's hoodie, keeping him close as he tentatively kissed him back, barely able to believe that this was actually happening. Theo was kissing him. He and Theo were kissing. Liam Dunbar was kissing Theo Raeken. Holy shit.
Theo pulled away, biting at his lip nervously as Liam opened his eyes to look at him.
"Say something," Theo begged him, looking uncertain and vulnerable.
Liam's mind was blank. He blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"Smash."