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Theo doesn’t know how it started. All he knows is that this is entirely Liam’s fault, like most things nowadays actually.
It was Liam’s fault they had to ride the bus because he convinced Theo to let him drive the truck. Now the truck was in the workshop because Liam didn’t use his 20/20 vision to park properly.
And it’s Liam’s fault that they are late, taking a bus that was filled with freshmen, instead of the nice and empty one that comes 15 minutes earlier.
Theo’s grip around the pole he is currently holding onto tightens just a little bit as another bag pack hits him in the stomach. Only 10 more minutes. Then he can escape the hell that is a packed bus before he had his coffee (and who’s fault is that? You guessed it: Liam’s).
Speaking of the little wolf, that ungrateful thing had somehow managed to find a seat.
Liam, who apparently feels whenever someone glared at him, lifts his head, an apologetic look in his eyes. Then he smiles knowingly and sits up straight. Holding eye contact with Theo his smile broadens to a grin as he claps his hands on his lap. Repeatedly. With an inviting look.
What? Theo mouths, his eyebrows already high up at Liam’s shenanigans.
Liam claps again. Come sit. He answers only receive a firm headshake from Theo.
“What the hell was that Liam?” Theo doesn’t even wait until they are a few steps away from the bus.
Liam shrugs, still a shiteating grin on his face “I just thought you wanted to sit down. You look tired, T.”
“Well, maybe if I would've had my coffee, I wouldn’t be tired now!” with that Theo stomps off towards their first class, leaving Liam behind to roll his eyes. He doesn’t see the beta doing it, but he know that he does it. Yes, snapping like that is pretty childish and normally Theo would stand above those reactions, but today he just doesn’t care.
The day gets a bit better when Liam trails into the class behind Corey and Mason, in his hands a jumbo cup of the school intern coffee shop. Accompanied by a sheepish smile Liam hands him the cup and Theo takes the peace offer with a small thanks and by letting Liam take a look at his biology homework.
When it happens the next time Theo has already forgotten all about Liam’s weird actions. This time they are out of town, in a train on their way to visit a part of David’s family in Bakersfield. Jenna and David himself were already there for a week and Theo and Liam would drive home with them on Sunday, but they wanted to spend at least one family weekend.
The train is not completely full, there are a few seats left when they get on at Beacon Hills Central Station. Theo vanishes to the toilet, leaving his bag with Liam, but when he comes back a few minutes later their seats are taken by an elderly woman and her friends. Liam waves at him from a corner seat a few steps away.
“I am sorry, but they asked very nicely and look how old and tiny they are...”
Theo sighs, he feels so tired at the possibility of having to stand for two hours. “Are there really no other seats in the whole train?”
A mischievous look appears on Liam’s face. “Well... there is one more...”
Oh no.
Liam claps on his thighs.
Theo grabs his bag and turns on his heels. He is already half way through the wagon as a hand on his arm stops him.
“Theo! Come on, it was only a joke. You can take the seat, I wanted to walk around a bit anyways.”
The next time it happens is just a few hours later, the same day on the subway, three stations before they are finally meant to arrive at David's family's house. Apparently it’s rush hour because not even one person more could have space in this train and when Liam, who squeezed himself on one of the tiny emergency seats in a corner, claps on his thighs again all Theo can do is stare at him with the absolute exhaustion of a whole day travelling. Liam’s innocent smile is probably meant to taunt him but somehow it does the opposite and soothes Theo’s spiking up irritability.
David’s sister and her wife are just as warm and welcoming to Theo as the man himself had been. The greeting is all friendly smiles and hugs and Liam doesn't let him out of his sight the whole evening and Theo’s wolf is at peace and so content like it only is when Liam is around.
Maybe this is a good day after all.
It becomes a game after that trip. Whenever they use a type of public transport or have to wait somewhere with a seating area, Liam would quickly sit down and then clap his hands on his lap throwing Theo an encouraging look. The places are ridiculous, soon they are not only limited in public areas with limited seating but also spread to the Geyer's house.
Theo tries his best to ignore him, but it is pretty hard to ignore the guy you have feelings for when said guy practically begs you to sit on his lap at every possibility he gets. No matter if it’s just a game for him, Theo’s brain starts to have hope. And a hopeful brain makes up scenarios, scenarios where Liam is as serious as he is, where they will get their happily ever after, where it’s really that easy for once.
But Theo knows, it’s never that easy for him and so he ignores Liam, keeping his feelings to himself.
Until one day he doesn’t.
It starts like it always does. Theo walks into the living room on a early Saturday afternoon, thinking about nothing special when he sees Liam sitting on the couch watching a movie. The beta's face lights up and a by now familiar mischievous smirk forms on his lips.
“Oh Theo...” he practically purrs, waiting for the Chimera to stop in his stride for the kitchen and turn towards him. And then he claps.
For a moment Theo just stands there, his mind is racing.
Nobody but them is home, David at the hospital and Jenna went to visit a friend for breakfast (they don’t expect her to be back before dinner).
Liam is doing this at every opportunity he gets. He has to expect a reaction at some time. It’s all Liam’s fault anyways. Always.
Satisfied with that thought Theo starts towards his new target. Liam’s eyes widen when he sees the change in Theo’s usual behaviour, but he has no time to react himself before the Chimera reaches him.
As Liam sits on the couch, Theo has to practically climb on top of the other boy. When he finally situated himself on top of Liam, one knee on either side of Liam’s legs he squats down while holding onto Liam’s shoulders for balance, the beta recovered from his shock.
“W-what are you doing?”
Now it’s Theo’s turn to be smug and, oh boy, he loves that.
“You wanted me to sit, didn’t you little wolf? I am just doing what you asked me to.”
Liam lets out a sound that is basically a whimper and he almost looses it at that, but then he smells it. Arousal. Seeping out of Liam’s pores in thick waves. Immediately Theo’s confidence is back.
With cat-like elegance his hands glide up from Liam’s shoulders to his neck, caressing the soft skin below his fingers. “Oh little beta... is there something you want to tell me?”
Liam’s heartbeat stutters before he catches himself once more. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Are you sure?” Theo let’s his fingers run over Liam’s neck, scratching his way along with blunt human nails.
The beta let’s out a moan. “You jerk, you know exactly what I want”, with those words he brings his own hands up to the back of Theo’s head, all but smashing their heads together in his eagerness to finally taste Theo’s lips.
But Theo shies away.
“What is it? I thought you wanted this too?” Liam’s kicked puppy look mixed with his still present smell of lust and excitement is almost enough for Theo to ignore his painfully beating heart and just give in this once, but he can’t. Not like this, not when he actually feels something, after all this time.
He places his hands on Liam’s chest again, taking in the firm warmth of muscles underneath again, before he's sorted out his thoughts enough to talk.
“I want this Liam. And I want you, but... all of you.”
This one sentence holds all his hopes and all his feelings and he prays that Liam understands what he means because it’s all he's got.
Liam smiles and it’s such a soft smile, so warm and full of love that Theo’s heart nearly beats out of his chest. The beta grabs Theo’s hand of off his chest and holds them in his own. His eyes search for Theo’s, the blue in them is so open and vulnerable, it almost hurts.
“For such a smart guy you are a real idiot sometimes, you know that, right? What do you think I was doing, making a fool out of myself just for the laughter? It may started as a joke but... somewhere along the lines I noticed that the real reason I wanted to get you to sit was because I want you close. It doesn’t matter if we’re at home or at school or on a frickin' train – I- I think I love you Theo.”
And then he leans in again, slower this time, giving Theo time to move away.
He doesn’t.