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Theo leaned against the hood of his truck, staring at the horizon as the sun dipped low, casting everything in a golden glow. It had been one of those long days where the world felt heavy, and the silence between him and Liam was almost comforting. They’d spent the afternoon together, just hanging out, no major crises or supernatural threats to deal with for once. It was rare, these moments where things felt normal—whatever normal meant for them, anyway.
Liam was pacing in front of Theo, his brows furrowed in concentration as he worked through something in his head. Theo watched him silently, his eyes tracing the familiar lines of Liam’s face—the determination in his clenched jaw, the way his eyes flickered with frustration, and the way his lips pressed together in that way that always made Theo’s chest tighten. Liam had this intensity about him, this drive that Theo couldn’t get enough of, even when it drove him insane.
Liam stopped pacing, turning to Theo with a look that was both pleading and determined. “Can you do this for me?” he asked, voice low and tinged with something that Theo couldn’t quite place—maybe a hint of desperation, maybe just hope.
Theo didn’t hesitate. “Yeah,” he said, his voice calm, steady. He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to keep his expression neutral, but inside, his thoughts were anything but calm. Because the truth was, he didn’t even care what Liam was asking. The details didn’t matter. It could have been anything—a favor, a request, something stupid or dangerous or both. Theo would have said yes no matter what.
Because when it came to Liam, Theo was a lost cause. He’d do anything, go anywhere, burn down the world if that’s what Liam wanted. It was pathetic, really, how far gone he was, how deeply he’d fallen for the boy who still didn’t fully trust him, who still saw him as the guy who’d tried to tear everything apart. But none of that mattered. Liam could ask Theo to bring him the moon, and Theo would find a way. No questions, no second thoughts. Whatever Liam needed, Theo was already there.
Liam let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. “Thanks, Theo,” he said, his voice softening, and Theo could hear the relief in it, the gratitude. “I just… I don’t know who else to ask.”
Theo nodded, keeping his face carefully composed, but inside, his thoughts were spiraling. You don’t need to ask, he thought. Just tell me what to do. Whatever it is, I’ll do it. I’ll bring you the moon, I’ll tear down the stars, I’ll stand in front of anything that tries to hurt you. Just say the word, and it’s done.
But he didn’t say any of that out loud. He couldn’t. Theo had spent too long perfecting his mask, too long pretending that his feelings for Liam were something manageable, something he could keep under control. But the truth was, he’d crossed the line a long time ago. Theo was hopelessly, irrevocably in love with Liam, and it was the kind of love that scared him more than anything. It wasn’t the soft, gentle kind of love that could be ignored or tucked away; it was fierce and consuming, a fire that never went out. And every time Liam looked at him like that, like Theo was something more than just his past mistakes, Theo felt himself slipping further, sinking deeper into a feeling he couldn’t escape.
Theo watched as Liam turned away, talking again, something about the pack, about Scott needing them for some new plan. But Theo wasn’t really listening. His mind was stuck on the way Liam’s voice softened when he talked to him, the way Liam’s eyes lit up when Theo said yes without hesitation. Liam had no idea what it did to Theo, how every small interaction felt like another hook, another tether pulling Theo in, binding him closer.
Liam’s words faded into the background as Theo’s gaze drifted back to him. He was caught in the details—the curve of Liam’s shoulders, the way the fading sunlight hit his hair, turning it golden at the edges. Theo wanted to reach out, to touch, to pull Liam closer and tell him everything he was too afraid to say. But he didn’t. He couldn’t. So instead, he just nodded along, playing the part of the reliable ally, the guy who was always there when Liam needed him.
It was stupid, this charade they kept up. Theo knew Liam didn’t see him the way he saw Liam. To Liam, Theo was just an ally, a friend—sometimes annoying, sometimes useful, but never more than that. And yet, Theo kept showing up, kept saying yes, kept pretending it was enough just to be near Liam, even when every instinct was screaming at him to reach out, to say something, to do anything to bridge the distance between them.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” Liam asked suddenly, breaking through Theo’s thoughts. He looked at Theo with those earnest, concerned eyes, and Theo’s heart twisted painfully.
“Yeah,” Theo said again, his voice as steady as he could make it. But inside, his thoughts were anything but steady. God, Liam, don’t you get it? I’d do anything for you. I’d tear myself apart if it meant keeping you safe. I’d stand in the line of fire, I’d fight every demon in my past, I’d give up everything if you just asked. You don’t even need to ask. Just tell me, and it’s yours. I’m yours.
Liam smiled, a small, grateful smile, and Theo thought it was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He could feel the ache in his chest growing, that familiar mix of longing and helplessness that always seemed to hit him when Liam was this close. Theo wanted to tell him, wanted to spill everything that was clawing at his insides, but he bit his tongue, keeping the words locked away.
“Thanks, Theo,” Liam said again, and Theo just nodded, his throat too tight to speak. Liam turned away, moving to grab his bag from the truck bed, and Theo watched him, his heart feeling like it was being pulled in a hundred different directions.
When Liam looked back, Theo forced a smile, hoping it looked real. “Anytime,” Theo said, and he meant it. No matter what Liam asked, no matter how much it hurt, Theo would always be there. Because that was what you did when you were hopelessly in love with someone who didn’t know. You stayed. You fought. You gave them everything, even if they never asked for it.
Liam climbed into the truck, and they drove in silence, the unspoken words hanging heavy between them. Theo kept his eyes on the road, but his mind was elsewhere, lost in the endless cycle of what-ifs and could-have-beens. It was always like this—him and Liam, so close but never quite close enough. And Theo wondered, not for the first time, if he’d ever be brave enough to say what he was feeling. If he’d ever be able to tell Liam that he’d do anything, be anything, if it meant Liam would look at him and see what Theo saw every time he looked at Liam.
But until then, Theo would keep saying yes. He’d keep showing up, keep pretending it was enough just to be near Liam. Because that was all he could do. And if it meant he got to keep this—these stolen moments, these fleeting smiles—then it was worth it.
Theo pulled up to Liam’s house, and Liam glanced at him one last time, his smile soft and genuine. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” Theo said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Tomorrow.”
Liam got out, closing the door behind him, and Theo watched him go, his heart heavy but full in a way he couldn’t explain. Because for all the pain, for all the things he couldn’t say, Theo knew one thing for sure: whatever Liam needed, whatever he asked for, Theo would always say yes.