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Liam runs a hand through his already disheveled hair free from gel due to tugging on it all day and lets himself breathe before he has to enter through the double doors to the weight lifting room. God, does Theo really have to end up here of all places? Liam doesn’t think he’ll survive watching Theo work out while questioning his purpose and role in the pack. Not to mention when they almost got ran over by a car because he was freaking the fuck out when a repressed memory resurfaced. With all his buried trauma it’s a miracle Theo didn’t abandon him in the middle of the road.
Get yourself together. Liam tries to calm his racing heart and wipes his sweaty palms on his denim jeans before pushing the door open. He enters the weight lifting room and freezes in his tracks with his hand on the doorknob when he makes eye contact with Theo fucking shirtless and smirking at him. The smug bastard.
Liam lets the door shut behind him and stares at the mirror behind Theo. Trying to avert his gaze isn’t working when he can still see Theo in the mirror, and he can feel his face heating up. Is it hot in there? He tugs on the collar of his t-shirt and swallows with a dry mouth. In the mirror, he can see Theo’s back muscles flex with the extra weight of picking up the dumbbells to use them to work out his biceps.
Liam has to remind himself why he’s here multiple times, but it’s getting harder and harder to concentrate on something entirely that isn’t Theo’s bulging muscles. Liam wonders if Theo can carry him without breaking a sweat. He wants to test that theory.
Damnit concentrate. “Why didn’t you say anything?” Liam asks and gives himself a mental pat on the back for not letting his voice crack. That would be embarrassing.
“About what?” Theo asks a little breathlessly and Liam’s brain goes blank. He almost forgets his next words.
“My memories,” Liam reminds him while walking further into the room. “About my dad.” A flash of the intrusive memory pops into his mind and Liam visibly flinches from seeing his father’s face so full of rage and despair. “Why didn’t you tell Scott?” He wanted to avoid telling Scott because he knew how much his friend would worry, and he assumed Theo would run to tell him, but Scott hasn’t confronted him about the memories.
“Didn’t think you wanted me to,” Theo says, flicking his gaze to look at Liam through the mirror.
“I don’t,” Liam admits with a sigh. The silence stretches on between them and Liam awkwardly shuffles his feet. “Don’t you want to know why?”
Theo drops the dumbbells and looks over his shoulder with an unreadable expression that makes Liam burn with irritation. Theo strides up to him with slow and confident steps and Liam inhales deeply. “Only if you’re willing to tell me,” Theo says with the soft smile that leaves Liam a bit startled. It’s one of the rare smiles Theo gives him. Not the arrogant and smug one with his usual mask that’s devoid of emotion.
Theo sits down on one of the machines and curls his hands around the handles to pull them in front of him. Liam can see him working out the muscles on his arms and pecs, and he forgets how to breathe for several seconds. He watches Theo and bites his bottom lip, feeling his stomach turn in a really good way. The same feeling he gets whenever he’s in close proximity to Theo.
“What do you want?” Liam asks, trying to ignore the blooming blush on his face and hoping Theo hasn’t noticed.
Theo lets go of the handles and furrows his eyebrows in apparent confusion. “What?” He asks.
“You want something,” Liam points out. “No one is that nice and willing to keep a secret without running to tell the alpha.” He should know. That’s why he doesn’t tell Malia his secrets and dumb mistakes anymore. It comes with a lecture from Scott.
“I’m not nice,” Theo agrees, and thank God he isn’t lifting weights anymore. Now Liam can concentrate and have a serious talk with him, but it doesn’t deter him from staring at his pecs. “But I’m decent enough to say it’s not my secret to tell.”
“Are you doing this to be in Scott’s good graces?” Liam asks and lifts his gaze to make eye contact with Theo.
“Sort of,” Theo admits with a shrug. “I want in on the pack.”
“That’s not up to me,” Liam points out with a hint of disappointment.
“It’s not just the alpha I have to be best buddies with. I want the rest of the pack to accept me.” Theo looks over Liam and he has to suppress a shiver under his gaze. “I want you to accept me.”
“Why?” Liam whispers and can’t help the overwhelming feeling of hope.
Theo rises from his seat and walks closer to Liam until he’s invading his personal space. This close, Liam can feel his warmth and smell his masculine scent. It’s unnerving but so very good. “Because being in the pack isn’t the only thing I want,” Theo says, his voice deepening with unconcealed desire, and Liam does shiver this time.
Theo grins with a wicked gleam in his eye and ever so slowly leans in to brush his lips against Liam. All he can think about is Theo Theo Theo. Liam brings his hands to cup Theo’s face and smashes their lips together, eliciting a low moan from the older boy.
Liam breaks the kiss with a sigh. “Stiles is going to kill me,” he blurts out and his face heats up yet again. He hasn’t blushed this much since Scott and Stiles tried to teach him the importance of safe sex. He isn’t sure if it’s caused by the kiss or his wretched mouth for ruining the moment. He can’t help but worry Stiles will be disappointed in him for ‘falling into the bad boy’s trap’ as he puts it.
“Then don’t tell him,” Theo says and leans in to steal another kiss. “Don’t tell anyone. I like having you all to myself, Liam.”
Liam grins with a sense of giddiness and nods, not trusting his mouth to say some dumbass comment, and surges forward to kiss Theo because he can’t get enough of him.