Archive of Our Own ^beta

The thing is, Theo gets it. He did a lot of fucked up things in the span of his life, and his time in hell didn’t really erase it. He knows why the pack is weary of him standing in Scott McCall’s house, taking up space in his living room.

What he does not get, is Liam.

It starts exactly how Theo expects, with Stiles.

“Why the fuck is he here?” Stiles asks, which is a fair question. Like he said, he gets it.

“Because I wanted him here,” Liam answers as if that was supposed to be obvious when it was most decidedly not, “If you have a problem, you can shove it.”

Theo glances left towards Liam, his eyes just a bit wider than usual because what the fuck?

“Liam, you can’t seriously expect me to-“

“Shut up? Yeah, I know, you never do,” Liam bites out and Theo has to fight back a smile, a laugh threatening to break out with it, “He saved my life, more than once. He helped us even though he really didn’t have to. And he already went to hell, he had his punishment. Anything past that doesn’t matter, so save it. He’s protected me, and I will protect him, too.”

The tension in the room is thick, almost suffocating. Theo looks back to Stiles.

“He’s killed people, Liam! He tried to use you to kill Scott! You can’t trust him!”

“I already do.”

Theo couldn’t help but snap his head back to Liam then, eyes widening in surprise. No skip in his heartbeat, no hesitation.

“Liam-“

“You don’t know everything, Stiles. You haven’t been here, you haven’t seen it, I have. If you can’t knock it off, then stay away from him. I’m not kidding about protecting him, even from you,” Liam warns, and he’s not angry per se, just tired.

“Even from me?” Stiles asked, incredulously.

“Especially from you,” he clarifies, before turning to look at Scott, “If there’s nothing else you need from Theo or me, can we go?”

“You don’t have to leave,” Scott answers, because he seems to have misunderstood.

“I want to leave. I’m tired and Stiles is making my head hurt, and I’m pretty sure Theo still has a bullet in his shoulder he’s gonna fight me on removing,” Liam answers. Theo is still just staring at him, wondering how he could ever start to deserve him and the protection he offers.

“My mom can help with that,” Scott says.

“Like Theo would ever let her do that,” Liam argues back.

“Well, if you want us to trust him, maybe trusting us is a good start,” Scott continues. Theo has half a mind to speak up then, defend himself, but he also kinda wants to see where this goes.

Plus, Liam seems to have it covered.

“Okay, firstly, we sent him to hell for months, then I brought him back just to force him to help us by threating to send him back every five seconds. Why would he ever trust us? Secondly, I never asked you to trust him, I just told you I do. I don’t care if you trust him, it doesn’t change anything for me. You can spend the rest of your lives worried about what Theo could do, though that sounds fucking exhausting. I won’t let you send him away, to hell or anywhere else, so you’ll just have to trust him or not trust him from right next to me cause that’s where he’s staying.”

Theo doesn’t know what to feel.

Well, that’s a lie, he knows he should be happy or relieved, but he isn’t sure that is what he feels. As he glances away from Liam to look the around, he can see the varying looks of fear, confusion, and anger.

And he knows he’s not worth Liam losing everything over. He wishes he was, but he just isn’t.

“Liam,” Theo says, and Liam turns to look at him, frustration seemingly melting out of him as their eyes meet, “Maybe I should go.”

“Yeah, I already said we should go. I want a shower-“

“No, Liam, I should go,” Theo tries to clarify, trying to force himself into feeling the same numbness he felt for so long, the same numbness that let him survive years of torture. Liam raises his eyebrow, and then snorts.

“Good luck going somewhere I won’t follow,” he answers simply, like he just knows. Liam knows Theo wants to run, and Liam knows he will let him. Liam also knows he will follow behind him. His voice drops lower, almost a whisper when he speaks again, and even though he knows everyone can still hear it feels like it’s just for them anyway, “We’ll go in a second, okay?”

Theo almost argues again, but Liam is looking at him impossibly soft and there’s something there that Theo doesn’t totally understand but can’t help but follow.

“Okay,” Theo whispers back. Liam smiles at him before turning back to the room.

“Anything else?” Liam asks. Scott looks around the room uneasily then back at them.

“Well-“

“No? Good! Mase, I’ll call you tomorrow. Everyone else, we’ll see you at the next meeting unless you’re leaving town, then we’ll see you when we see you. Bye!”

Then he’s grabbing Theo’s hand and dragging them both out of the house. Theo doesn’t put up a fight, simply links their fingers and follows along until they reach the truck.

The ride to Liam’s house is quiet, but it doesn’t feel uncomfortable like Theo thought it might. Liam was just sitting there, singing along quietly to the almost indiscernible music he put on when they got in. He seems, for all intents and purposes, calm. Then, he looks over at Theo, and the scent of affection sort of bleeds into the air. It’s subtle, but it’s there.

Theo has half a mind to drive away after Liam gets out of the truck when they get to his house, but he looks back into the truck before he closes the door, eyes expectant, and Theo is turning off the truck before he fully thinks about what he’s doing.

He lets Liam grab his hand again, lets them interlace their fingers, let’s him pull them through the house and up into his room. He lets Liam push down on his shoulders to force him to sit on the bed. He lets Liam pull his shirt off. He lets him press his claw into the bullet wound, slicing to create a wider opening, and lets him pull the fucking bullet out.

Theo would let Liam do anything to him. The thought is terrifying.

“There, better,” Liam says quietly as he pulls the pain Theo had hardly started to feel yet, and it’s the first thing either of them have said in quite a long time, since they left Scott’s.

“Thank you,” Theo says back, rare moment of vulnerability taking over.

Thank you. Thank you for saving me, for protecting me, for caring. Thank you for the second chance, Theo wants to say, but he doesn’t.

Liam clearly knows what he’s trying to say because he doesn’t as for clarification. He just smiles, wiping a bit of blood that’s dripping from the steadily healing bullet wound with his thumb, “You’re welcome.”

It’s in that moment Theo realizes just how tired he truly is. Liam seems to realize it too, because he taps Theo’s knee and gestures for older boy to lie down with his head. Theo doesn’t even argue, just crawls further up the bed, allowing Liam to pull of his shoes on the way up. His eyes close when his head hits the pillow, and after a few seconds the bed dips next to him and Liam crawls up next to him.

Their hands touch, neither pull them away, and Theo falls asleep to the addictive sound of Liam’s steady heartbeat.

Theo leaves early in the morning. They drifted closer in the night, Liam pressed into Theo’s side in a way that is far too comforting. Theo can’t really think about how that makes him feel so he runs. Gets in his truck and makes about a mile down the road to the first stop sign, before he is abruptly stopped by Liam in front of his car.

He slams on the breaks, his eyes wide and panicked.

“Liam, what the hell?!” He shouts. Liam seems to think no response is necessary because he walks over the passenger door, tugs on the handle, and then looks expectantly at Theo when it doesn’t open. It probably says more about Theo than he would like to admit that he unlocks the door and lets Liam climb in without any argument.

“Good morning” Liam says, smiling softly. Theo, still a bit panicked from almost running the beta over, doesn’t really appreciate the greeting.

“I could have killed you,” Theo snaps despite that being highly unlikely.

“Not exactly the response to good morning I was looking for, but I suppose it’s the best I can hope for given the circumstances,” Liam replies easily, because he sucks apparently. “I need coffee, you drive, and I’ll pay for your stupid sweet cream cold brew.”

Theo is still sitting at the stop sign, staring at Liam like he has two heads, trying to process what is going on. It is 5:45 in the morning, Liam jumped in front of his truck like he had no regards for his own life, and he knows Theo’s coffee order.

“What?” Theo replies, dumbly.

“It’s early and we’re gonna have to move stuff in my room around so you have space for your things, so I need coffee. You drive us to coffee, I pay for coffee, then we have coffee. Easy solutions, T. Don’t overthink it.”

Theo thinks he may still be asleep, that this may be a dream, but he hasn’t had a single nice dream since coming up from hell. Then again, if he isn’t dreaming, he doesn’t remember having a nightmare last night either.

He counts his fingers as they rest on the steering wheel just to be sure and confirms there is in fact ten of them and he is in fact awake.

“Why would my stuff go in your room?” Theo asks after a moment when everything Liam has said finally sinks in.

“If you think I’m gonna just let you continue to be homeless you clearly weren’t listening very well last night. Even if there wasn’t still the threat of Monroe out there, in no way would I be okay with you sleeping in the back seat of your truck,” Liam clarifies, his voice a bit rougher than before, leaving no room for argument. “So, coffee, then moving clothes around, then buying you a desk and finding a place to put it. I’d say you could have the spare room but it’s my mom’s office and she’s in there way too much for that to be practical. Besides, I like having you in my room, harder for you to run away.”

Theo could argue, but he is so inherently selfish. He liked having somewhere to be, somewhere to sleep when the nightmares didn’t plague him so heavy, somewhere he doesn’t have to worry about being woken up and forced to leave at all hours of the night. Plus, he really likes that stupid cold brew and who is he to turn down free coffee?

So, he drives.

Liam’s mother is fucking wonderful. She is there when they get back, sitting at the island with papers in front of her. She smiles when they walk in the doors, and grins even wider when Liam sets a coffee down in front of her.

“Mom, this is Theo. He is currently living in his truck which is clearly not going to continue so needs a place to live. I said he could share my room. You think we could get him a desk?” Liam says as if it is the most normal thing in the world. Theo’s eyes are wide, looking at the beta as if he’s lost his fucking mind.

“Just a desk? He won’t need somewhere to put his clothes?” she replies easily, taking a sip of her coffee.

“I thought I could go through my stuff, get rid of whatever I don’t really wear and free up some space for him,” Liam answers.

“You’re gonna make him use the broken drawer, aren’t you?” his mother asks and Liam gasps in fake offence, laying a hand across his chest before turning his head and sliding the fourth and final coffee across the island just as another man makes his way into the room. He takes it graciously, taking a large swig from it and smiling.

“You are my favorite son,” he says.

“I am your only son,” Liam argues.

“Well, then I suppose that explains why you’re my favorite. Who’s this?”

“This is Theo, he lives here now,” Liam’s mother pipes up helpfully.

“Oh, lovely. Giving me options, maybe he will become my favorite son, ” he replies, smiling as he shifts his coffee to his other hand, holding his dominate hand out to shake, “I’m David.”

“Theo,” Theo replies as he takes it, before wincing a bit at that stupid and awkward response because David already knew that, and he isn’t sure why he said it or why this is so hard. Clearly this family is comfortable, full of jokes and laughter and Theo isn’t sure how to insert himself into that without wearing his old personality and faking charm.

“I thought I heard Jenna say something about the broken drawer, so I assume you’re moving into Liam’s room. Congratulations, I am sure he will totally be able to keep it clean now that you’re in there,” David says, looking over to his son.

“My room isn’t that bad!” Liam argues.

“If we’re talking about right now, that is true. If were talking about two weeks ago, then you’re a liar and that was a biohazard,” Jenna buts in, smiling too. They’re all smiling, actually.

“Science experiment,” Liam offers as explanation and his parents both laugh.

“Were you testing our reactions every time it somehow got worse in there or were you testing how long it took for your clothes to grow sentient and put themselves away?” David asks, taking a sip of his coffee.

“Both,” Liam answers easily, smiling far too bright. Theo feels his breath catch in his chest, suddenly uncomfortable because he doesn’t belong here.

Liam looks over, probably noticing the changes in his heartbeat or his scent or hearing his breathing basically stop. Jenna follows his line of view and looks over a subtly panicking Theo with soft concern.

“Theo, honey? Are you okay?” she asks. Theo shakes out of his shock and confusion.

“I’m fine,” Theo says, tighter than anticipated. Jenna glances at her husband, then at Liam, then at Theo again.

“I don’t want to freak you out, but you don’t have to hide anything here. We know who you are, and we know what you’ve done, good and bad,” Theo feels another spike of panic as she stands, moving over to him, hand outstretched without actually touching him. “It’s alright, love. You’re safe here. I promise.”

Theo doesn’t know what to say or do. He feels so incredibly lost, and he wants to run so badly it hurts. He wants to run and run until his legs give out and he can’t move anymore.

He doesn’t fucking belong here. Not where laughter comes easy and the world is bright.

Then there’s a hand lightly touching his arm, just the tips of fingers, and Liam is in his eyeline. He’s looking at Theo, soft and lovely, his lips moving as he presumably talks Theo back from the edge of the cliff he has walked himself to, though Theo cant fully hear it over the ringing in his ears. Then he’s taking Theo’s and pressing it to his chest so Theo can follow his steady heartbeat.

“There you are,” Liam says when Theo’s eyes stop looking so glazed over, “Lost you for a second there.”

He goes to pull his hand away, but Theo grabs at it before he can question what he’s doing, leaving them resting on Liam’s chest. Liam lets him, squeezing his hand as they’re clasped together. Liam smiles, shifts so they’re standing a bit closer, his mother still standing next to him.

“I’m sorry, maybe I should have phrased that better. I only wanted you to know that you never have to hide or pretend with us. We know what you did to Liam, yes, but we also know what you’ve done for him. We know all of it, and if he trusts you then so do we,” Jenna says, still not touching him which he appreciates. He can stand Liam’s hand in his, probably couldn’t breathe without it right now, but any more and he thinks he may burst out of his skin. “I mean it when I say you’re safe in this house.”

Theo breathes, looks at the people in the room as they look at him, and chooses to believe in something good for once, chooses to believe in this family who love and trust each other, choses to believe in Liam.

“How broken is the drawer?” he asks, and Jenna lets out a laugh. No one answers on account of them following in her light laughter but it’s fine, he knows he’s about to find out the answer for himself anyways.

For some reason, despite his fears, he smiles.

The drawer falls out if you pull it too far. You open it more than a few inches and it just slides right out onto your feet. Liam did not warn him of this, because he is a dick. Theo doesn’t break the drawer over his head, but it’s a close call.

Jenna takes them to the store after Liam gets all the old clothes he no longer wants out of the room, having them stop at the homeless shelter to drop them off on the way. Theo thought they were just going for a desk and doesn’t argue when Jenna asks if they can take the truck. He figures it’s easier to slide a desk and chair into the truck bed then fight to put it in her car somehow.

He quickly realizes this assumption is wrong.

See, Jenna is observant. She’s a psychologist, so this isn’t totally surprising, but it does become rather annoying when she pulls them to the clothing section and just starts shoving piece after piece into the cart after holding them up to Theo to make sure they’re the right size without acknowledging his protests. Liam just helps her, picking out different things and throwing them in, too.

“I don’t need any clothes,” he says.

“Four shirts, a pair of pants, a pair of shoes, and a jacket with holes do not a wardrobe make. What do you think of this?” She isn’t asking him because he refuses to answer that question. Liam gives his approval and then asks her the same question about a button down. Theo decides he is no longer a part of this and ignores that is happening, up until they shove him into the furniture section finally. They grab a simple desk that matches Liam’s already existing one along with a chair, a lamp, a few random little things to decorate with, and another dresser.

“That drawer has been broken for months, it’s time to replace the thing,” is her simple explanation and Theo simply nods because he doesn’t know what else to do.

She grabs a few packs of hangers, probably to hang the entire fucking wardrobe they’ve picked out, and a few toiletries for Theo, and then steers them to the checkouts. She makes Theo go get the truck and move it so they can load the furniture easier, and he knows immediately she’s doing it so he won’t see the total. He can’t begin to explain how thankful he is for that, because he already feels like he owes them and knowing the exact number would probably drive him back to panic.

The afternoon is spent building the desk and dresser, getting rid of the old one, and putting clothes away. When David gets home from his shift, he declares they’re going out for dinner, and Jenna says they have to stop by the mall first so they leave far before any normal person would eat.

Turns out they have to go to the mall because Jenna refuses to buy cheap shoes that will fall apart immediately, so they had to find a good pair of sneakers, or three or four. Liam laughs as Theo is forced to try on shoe after shoe, and every time he argues David finds another pair of shoes for him to try on. Eventually Theo realizes he isn’t going to win, so he picks two pairs of sneakers and a pair of boots and then lets Liam pull him out of the store while his parents pay.

He's quiet as they sit at dinner. He doesn’t know what he wants, and he tells Liam as such, so Liam picks something he thinks Theo will like and orders that for him.

“Why are you being so kind to me?” Theo asks before the food comes because he feel confused and kind of raw in that way he used to feel when he was a kid before the Dread Doctor’s got ahold of him.

“You missed out on an entire childhood of kindness. You deserve for someone to show you that,” Jenna answers easily, like it’s simple. Like he didn’t earn that childhood devoid of kindness. Like he didn’t earn all the bad things he went through.

Theo doesn’t know what to say, hasn’t really known what to say all day, so he just says nothing. None of them seem to expect a response and don’t seem bothered when he doesn’t say much at dinner. Liam does grab his hand after a while and just holds onto it.

Theo doesn’t know how to live this way, never lived in a family full of love and acceptance. He doesn’t know what it’s like to have a mother that kisses your scraped knees or a father who teaches you about the sports he’s interested in. Theo has never just had love and acceptance, but he wants it. He wants to use Tara’s heart for something other than destruction. Hell took the anger and destruction out of him and just left him broken.

He's never had anyone good to help put him back together, never had anyone good period. Theo has always been pulled apart, everyone trying to put him back together in their own image. He wants to be something different now, something that smiles and laughs and loves openly. He wants to be trusted. Theo wants to change.

And so, with the help of the three people sitting with him, he’s gonna do just that.

|||||

“Hey, how was your day?” Liam asks as he walks into the room. Theo looks away from his schoolwork at his desk with a mildly frustrated look. He chose to go back to school online, which Liam understood given how triggering school would probably end up being for him, but he looks like he may be regretting that now.

“I think hell might have made me stupid,” Theo says, and Liam lets out a sort of bewildered laugh because he’s never heard Theo openly joke, even slightly, about his time in hell. It’s sort of nice to hear, in a slightly morbid way. “I thought I understood calculus before but maybe I didn’t. Maybe I was just delusional.”

Liam laughs again, “I would love to help you but we both know my track record with math.”

“Yeah, whatever. I give up for now. I can’t look at this anymore,” Theo says.

“Right, a break is probably in order,” Liam replies, reaching into his bag for his homework so he can put it on his desk when he remembers why he was late home from school, “Hey, before I forget, here.”

He tosses the small object into the air and Theo catches it easily.

“What-“ he starts but stops short when he sees what it is.

“Car key,” Liam says, smiling and Theo can’t help but laugh as he flips the thing over his hand because it is most certainly not a car key, but rather a key to the house. One that Liam took the time going to the hardware store and making a copy of so Theo would have it. A house key that can sit on his key ring and can signify Theo has somewhere to go, has somewhere to live that welcomes him every time he returns.

Theo never thought he would be the type of person to get joy over a house key, or have inside jokes, but here he is.

He looks away from the key and up at Liam, only to finally realize in he has fallen completely in love. He’s in love, probably has been since Liam yanked him from hell and broke the sword and still trusted him to help, and it’s just taken him this long to figure it out.

The signs have been there for so long, every moment he’s saved Liam without really thinking of why, every time he’s followed Liam without argument. All the good and bad and in between. He loves Liam Dunbar, and he really has no clue what to do with that feeling now that he’s put a name to it.

So, predictably, he does nothing.

“Thanks,” he mutters, voice a bit tight.

“Course,” Liam replies easily like he hasn’t given Theo the world, walking over to look over Theo’s shoulder at his schoolwork before laughing. “Good luck with all of that.”

Theo tosses his pencil at Liam as the beta continues to laugh.

Theo and Liam are in the right place at the right time, technically. They’re driving home from mall after spending quite a bit of the day looking for birthday gifts for Jenna when they hear the sirens and see the smoke, recognizing the area as where Derek lives. Theo speeds to get there and arrives right about the same time Scott does.

Liam sees the scene in front of them, Stiles crying and begging for Derek in his father’s arms as the house is lit ablaze, Scott running into the flames. He goes to run inside after him, but Theo stops him, pushing his back running past while telling him to stay with Stiles. Liam wants to argue, wants to follow after, but he takes one look at Stiles on the ground crying and thinks the better of it.

He kneels down on the ground, taking Stiles’ chin in his fingers to look him over. Stiles looks devastated and Liam hasn’t spoken to him in weeks but the look in his eyes is gut wrenching and he can’t stand it.

“They’re gonna get him,” Liam says because he’s sure of it. He isn’t afraid despite knowing the three of them are in the house as it keeps burning, because they’re gonna make it out. Stiles doesn’t say thing, but Liam knows it.

And then, they do. They come out of the house carrying Derek in between them and despite being sure they were going to get out, Liam still lets out a breath of relief. Stiles runs to them and drops to the ground were they’re lowering Derek’s unconscious form, cupping his hands on the werewolf’s jaw.

Theo steps away, giving them space because he knows that’s what Stiles would want if he could think straight. Liam looks over at Theo as the chimera watches the scene, sees him step away but remain close enough to help at a moment’s notice, and it hits him.

Liam loves him.

He sees Theo standing there, covered in soot, and breathing a bit heavy from the exertion and the smoke, and Liam knows for a fact he loves Theo.

It was abstract before, in the back of his mind, but it isn’t now.

Stiles is talking, Scott is answering, the house collapses and they all move away, and all Liam can think of is how he has fallen for the one person he thought he would always hate. It isn’t the right moment for it, but for just a few seconds it’s all Liam can seem to focus on.

Then, suddenly his thoughts are drawn away when Stiles suddenly passes out and the realization falls to the back of his mind as Stiles and Derek become the main focus again.

Later that night, after everything ended and they’ve returned home and are getting ready for bed, Liam feels his previously unafraid exterior break down. Everything comes to a head, crashing down on him.

“Li?” Theo asks, sensing the change in his mood and stepping away from the laundry basket, towards Liam.

“You ran into fire today,” Liam mutters and Theo tenses a bit, seemingly expecting shouting to come next. Liam is far too tired for shouting so instead he crumbles.

The tears start and Theo rushes forward to pull the beta into his arms.

“I’m sorry,” Theo says, holding Liam up as he finally sobs the fear he held so close away. “I’m okay, we’re okay.”

Liam sobs until there’s nothing left. He allows Theo to pull them into bed and hold him until they both fall asleep. In the morning, he wakes up still in Theo’s arms, albeit slightly shifted so Theo is on his back while Liam is curled into his chest.

From that moment forward, they always seem to wake up curled into one another. Liam thought about bringing it up, seeing what Theo has to say about it, but he doesn’t want to ruin a good thing, so he just lets it be.

He’s never slept better in his life.

In the month since the fire things seem to have settled. Liam hasn’t seen much of the pack, mostly because he’s kinda avoiding them. No one has said anything about Theo outright since that night at Scott’s house but its stilted and awkward, so he just chooses to stay away.

Predictably, it’s Stiles who seems to hear that Theo has moved in first. His focus had been drawn away from the chimera for a while, with the fire and him leaving his job, but he falls right back into old habits when things calm down.

Apparently, Dr. Geyer mentioned Theo’s progress to Melissa, who mentioned it to Sheriff Stilinski, who told Stiles because he thought hearing Theo, along with saving Derek’s life, is also trying to do better would help. He should have known better, because he knows his son, but he didn’t so now it has become Liam’s problem.

Stiles has quite a bit to say about the situation.

Theo is gone, picking up food for dinner, when Stiles storms into the house without knocking. Liam had heard him coming, Derek on his heels, but made no moves to stop them from coming into the house with no warning.

“What the actual fuck?” Stiles grits out in greeting.

“Hi, Stiles,” Liam mutters, not really in the mood to deal with this. “Derek, nice to see you.”

“I’m here to make sure he doesn’t kill Theo and thus go to jail, otherwise, I am not a part of this,” Derek says, leaning against the kitchen island.

“Then your presence is unnecessary, Theo isn’t here at the moment,” Liam replies.

“But he will be soon because he lives here now! He lives here, in your room, sleeping next to you! A murderer sleeps right next to you!” Stiles shouts.

“What about our previous conversation regarding Theo gave you the impression I would care about your opinion on the matter?” Liam questions, moving to the fridge to grab some water.

“This is ridiculous Liam. You can’t seriously think that one short stint in hell has miraculously changed him!” Stiles cries. Liam would very much like to hit him, but he doesn’t. It takes quite a bit of him not to, anger steadily rising.

“He saved Derek’s life; do you think the Chimera of Death would have done that before?” Liam demands, “Do you even know what he went through down there?”

“Nothing he didn’t deserve, I’m sure,” Stiles bites out. “I don’t, for a single fucking second, believe he saved Derek without some ulterior motive. He killed people, Liam. He killed Scott-“

“Scott’s alive-“

“Tara isn’t,” Stiles snaps and Liam wants to shake him and scream.

“He was nine! He was nine, and sick, and he was manipulated! He killed Scott, but Scott’s alive now. He killed Tracy and Josh, but Deucalion practically talked him into it for Scott. He watched his sister die, but what exactly would you have done if you were him, huh? If you had been abused by your parents and neglected because they thought, you being sick meant you were worthless and then you’re finally told by someone they can fix you? Because that’s what the doctors did, they approached a scared and sick little boy and promised to fix him. And sure, he did some terrible things after all of that, after his years being stuck with them, but he’s paid for them. He played a rigged game of hide and seek for months! He was chased through hell by his sister so she could pull his heart from his chest over and over again. Eventually he just stopped running, let her take it willingly despite knowing how bad it hurt because he knew he didn’t have a chance of escape. He stopped counting after the 156th time she took his still beating heart from his chest with her bare hands,” Liam wants to cry and scream, and he really shouldn’t be saying all of this because it’s not his business to tell, but he’s just so angry, so tired of hearing people talk about what they don’t fully understand. “He saved my life. I pulled him from the ground and lorded that fucking sword over him like it was a game. Told him if he didn’t do what we wanted we would send him back, and even after he tried to so hard to prove himself, even after we told him we were gonna send him back, he never fought. He just looked defeated, like it was always gonna turn out that way. And then, even after everything, he still saved me anyway. Over and over again. He just kept saving me when he didn’t have to. He could have run, but he never did. He stayed and saved me, and I love him.”

God does Liam love him. Liam loves him more than he ever knew he could love someone. After everything, Liam loves Theo with his entire heart and soul.

“I love him,” Liam repeats, holding back the tears that are so close to the surface, “So please, I’m begging you Stiles, leave him alone. You don’t have to like him, you don’t have to understand, but leave him be. He’s paid with blood and sacrifice. He has suffered enough, and it hurts me knowing that. I really can’t stand to watch him suffer anymore, especially not by the hands of someone else I love.”

Stiles is staring, heart thundering in his chest, looking a bit worse for wear. It’s the first time he’s putting all the pieces together at once, getting the whole story, and Liam can’t really tell what he’s thinking.

Derek is still standing there, watching quietly. In his anger, Liam forgot he was ever there.

No one is speaking. Stiles is just staring, trying to put all the pieces together, trying to understand. It feels like hours before he says anything.

“You really love him?” Stiles asks after a lifetime, voice devoid of all emotion. His time with wolves has clearly taught him how to hide his thoughts because Liam really cannot tell where this is going.

But it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if Stiles takes it well or not. Liam doesn’t want to lose him, doesn’t want to leave Stiles behind forever, but he will. If he has to, for Theo, he’ll do it without a second thought.

“Yes.”

He does, he does, he does.

Stiles is quiet again, for a minute, and then he gives in.

“Okay,” Stiles says, and Liam takes a shuddering breath.

“Okay?” he asks with eyes full of tears, hopeful and terrified because he loves Stiles and losing him will hurt so bad, but he will give him up to keep Theo safe.

He will do anything to keep Theo safe.

“Okay,” Stiles repeats, walking forward to pull Liam into his arms and the fucking dam just breaks, tears flooding out of him. Stiles meant so much to him for so long and Liam truly thought he’d never get to have this again, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for how I treated you and how I’ve acted. I don’t know if I can ever get past it all, but for you I can try.”

Liam sobs into Stiles’ chest, and the older boy just grips him tighter.

“I love you, too,” Stiles whispers, and Liam hears it loud and clear. He feels it too, warm, and bright in his chest.

And for now, it’s enough.

Theo is surprised when Liam insists the go to the pack meetup after so long of them both avoiding it. He knows Liam and Stiles had talked, worked out some of the issues between them, but he wasn’t aware that meant he was going to be subjected to a room full of people who hate him again.

He tried to get out of it, arguing that Liam could go without him, but if he’s being honest, he didn’t fight it that hard. Liam asked him to go and so he sort of just accepted that he would.

Liam asked, and so here he is in Scott McCall’s living room again.

People don’t seem as adverse to his presence this time, but Stiles and Derek still aren’t here so Theo isn’t holding out much hope for an uneventful night.

A few people talk to him while he stands next to Liam, short, slightly stilted conversations but conversations nonetheless. It’s all fine. Liam seems happy to be with his pack again and Theo is happy that he’s happy.

Stiles and Derek pull in fifteen minutes late and they’re arguing, light heartedly and ironically, about Stiles’ inability to admit when he’s wrong when they walk through the door.

Everyone sort of stills because Stiles is here and so is Theo, and that’s usually a recipe for disaster. Stiles seemingly pretends not to notice, walking in and hugging Scott and then Melissa. He makes his rounds, and everyone seems to relax a bit until he makes his way to where Liam is talking to Alec, Theo right next to him.

“Hey,” Stiles says to Alec and Liam, pulling them into a hug one right after the other, then turning to Theo.

“Stiles,” Theo says, even toned.

“Theo, can we talk outside for a second?” He asks and Theo feels himself tense, glancing towards Liam, “I’ll be civil, I promise.”

Theo forces himself to calm down when Liam’s hand touches his arm, grounding him back in reality. He nods and follows Stiles outside. They walk out the back door and down the porch steps, further back towards the fence line presumably to get away from wandering ears.

“We’re moving forward,” Stiles states as soon as deems them far enough away.

Theo, entirely confused, says, “What?”

“I don’t want to start over. I don’t want to forget the things you’ve done wrong, and I don’t want you to either, but that also means I have to remember all the things you’ve done right,” Stiles answers and somehow Theo is even more lost now despite the explanation. “I don’t want to spend my time hating you, it’s exhausting. I don’t want to worry about what you could be doing, it’s ridiculous and I’ve done enough stalking in my life.”

Theo is still confused on where this could be coming from and really has no clue what to do, “Okay?”

“You saved Derek. You didn’t have to run into that fire, but you did. You’ve saved Liam more than once, which you didn’t have to do either. You didn’t have to stick around at all, there was nothing saying you couldn’t leave town and start over with people who had no clue what you’d done in the past, but you didn’t. You stayed, chose the hard route, saved Derek and seem to continue to save Liam,” Stiles continues, and Theo’s chest feels a little tight because this is starting to feel a lot like the start to acceptance he doesn’t deserve. “Liam trusts you, and I trust him. So, we aren’t starting over, but we’re moving forward. We aren’t forgetting, but we’re growing with all of it. And I forgive you for trying to ruin my life because you failed and you’re trying to do better.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Theo says quickly because it’s one thing to move forwards but it’s another thing entirely to be forgiven.

“No, I don’t, but I’m doing it anyway,” Stiles replies, “I am choosing to forgive you, to let go of all the anger. You’re growing and I am doing the same.”

Theo stands shocked for a minute before he lets out a breath, “Thank you.”

Stiles smiles, far kinder than Theo could ever deserve, “You’re welcome.”

He claps Theo on the shoulder and leads them back inside. Liam watches when they return and grins at the sight of Stiles’ hand on Theo’s shoulder, bright and wonderful as always. Theo knows every second in hell and beyond was worth it to reach this moment, to see that unbelievable fucking smile directed towards him.

He answers Liam’s blinding grin with one of his own and falls just a little more in love. Scott is standing there by the door, and he smiles at Theo, too, “Welcome to the pack, man.”

It takes him a bit by surprise at first before it all sort of makes sense. Stiles was always going to be the final hold out and if he’s given in, recognized all the progress Theo has made, then there is nothing left standing in his way from being one of them. He didn’t realize how much he wanted it until he had it, but now that he does Theo is never going to let it go, “Thank you.”

Scott nods at him, then gestures towards Liam with his head and Theo understands. He nods his head in response before he makes his way into the room towards the man he loves, lighter than he’s ever been before.

Liam grabs his hand and squeezes. Theo squeezes back.

Liam is sitting on one of the stools at the kitchen island when Theo walks through the door. The beta looks over and gives him a small smile before returning his attention back to his homework. Theo crosses the room silently and sets the key down on the book Liam is studying. The beta looks at it, then furrows his brows and looks at Theo.

“What’s this?” he asks.

“It’s the spare key to the truck,” Theo responds and realization dawns on Liam’s face, “I figured it was time. Our room, our truck. What’s mine is yours and all that shit.”

Liam picks up the key and flips it over in his hand, then looks back at Theo again.

“Theo, that truck is your baby,” Liam argues, eyes soft and lovely. Theo shakes his head at that.

“No,” he says, heart steady, because Liam needs to know how so very not true that is, “It’s not.”

There is so much he could say there, so many things he could tell Liam that the younger boy deserves to hear, but Liam doesn’t need it. He knows, because of course he does. Somehow, in ways Theo has never been able to understand, Liam always just knows.

Which is why he grabs the collar of Theo’s shirt and tugs him in so their lips meet.

Theo doesn’t hesitate, kisses back with all he’s got, and it feels just right. They slot together like they were made to, even though they both know that wasn’t always the case. Liam and Theo, they fit, but it’s because they chose to. They shaped themselves to fit, grew and changed to become better people and in the process, they also changed to puzzle themselves together as they should be.

Theo wants to change, to be good. He has fought so very hard in the last few months to do that, and he knows in this moment he’s moving in the right direction.

“I love you,” Theo whispers against Liam’s lips before he can stop himself.

“Yeah?” Liam asks, voice filled with joy and amazement.

“Yes.”

He does, he does, he does.

“I love you, too,” Liam whispers back, easy and simple, like there isn’t a single thing standing in their way. In this moment, Theo can believe that. He can believe in anything. As Liam’s lips are pressed to his he may even start to believe in God because there is no other way to explain the existence of the boy in his grasp.

“So does this mean I can take the truck to school?” Liam asks, lips still touching Theo’s even as he’s pulled back just a bit. Theo laughs lightly.

“Don’t push your luck,” he replies.

“I thought that was what the key was for, so your baby could drive your baby,” Liam continues, and Theo shakes his head as he fights back a laugh.

“You are insufferable,” Theo groans, dropping his head to Liam’s shoulder as the younger boy laughs brightly.

“And yet, you love me,” the beta says, still shiny with joy. It’s contagious, taking over Theo too, causing him to laugh despite how stupid the joke really was. Their eyes meet as Theo looks up again, and in Liam’s gaze, Theo feels like that new man he really wants to be.

He feels, and he wants to feel. He feels good and bad and everything in between. He feels changed and in love. He feels seventeen. Liam makes him feel those things, makes the numb he grew accustomed to for so long go away. Liam changed everything.

“Yeah. I really do.”

And he really, really does.