What if I Stayed? (Thiam Fic)

Chapter Thirteen

Theo was anxious. He wasn't going to be on the field which in some ways, made it even worse. He'd be helpless in the stands. Malia and Lydia were off at the sheriff's station now, trying to get some clue as to what was happening, everyone else was playing in the game and he was just here. Isaac just got back and he was playing. 

Turning the corner, he was blinded for a few seconds by the large spotlights. He had been walking through the bleachers and wasn't expecting the bright lights. Theo began looking around for his friends.

"Theo! Over here!" He heard Isaac shout, whipping his head around to see Stiles, Scott, Isaac and Kira getting geared up only ten feet away from him. 

"You guys ready for this?" Theo asked, rubbing his hands together in both a nervous and comforting habit.

"Ready to play lacrosse or ready to deal with a professional serial killer on the field?" Stiles asked briskly, clearly annoyed to having lost the argument.

"Both."

"We're ready." Scott puffed his chest out a bit, hyping himself up. "They won't know what hit them."

"It's weird to be back in gear." Isaac muttered, fiddling with his straps in a world of his own. "I haven't touched any lacrosse related in months."

"Yeah, you really haven't." Scott grumbled under his breath, turning away from him. Theo winced with the awkward tension that filled the air. Lacrosse was their thing for a lot of their relationship. Meeting up before and after practice, date nights after games, having one on one practice sessions that ended with dates and that was only the stuff Theo knew about. No wonder Scott was acting salty.

"What'd ya say?" Isaac asked, trying to seem like he hadn't heard but he saw the muscles in his neck tighten. He had definitely heard what Scott said. Stiles and Theo exchanged a look of complete despair and awkwardness. What do you do when two of your closest friends go through the most awkward breakup you'd ever seen in your life?

"Nothing. Doesn't matter." Scott smiled a very much pained smile plastered onto his face.

"How d'you think Liam's feeling?" Kira asked and Theo was very much grateful for her tension breaking abilities. "Playing against his old school and all."

"I can check in on him." Theo shrugged, like it was no big deal but to him, it was. He did really want to check up on Liam and make sure he was okay. Liam was a werewolf meaning he needed to stay in control of his anger. 

"I could do it-" Scott started but surprisingly, Kira cut him off.

"Let Theo do it. I was thinking we should talk strat for the field." Theo took that as his cue to leave, having spotted Liam talking to someone fifty feet away.

"I hate him. So much." Liam was complaining about Brett, the other team's captain who was currently shirtless while looking in Liam's direction. Theo was still walking, choosing that running would probably grab Coach's attention and he was definitely hiding from him after Coach saw him carry a whole person off the field like it was nothing.

"He's definitely something." The guy standing next to Liam said and Theo laughed. He was hearing this whole conversation using his powerful hearing. It was nice to see some of Liam's non serial killer friends.

"Oh my God, you're into Brett?" Liam hit the other guy's shoulder, "Mason!"

"What? Can you blame me? Look at him Li. He's hot as fuck." Theo began to question if he should be eavesdropping but it was entertaining to listen to.

"I can't blame you. But you still suck." Theo finally arrived and noticed the change in Liam's demeanour when he saw him.  "Theo."

"Hey Liam," Theo smiled before turning to Mason, "and you must be Mason. Good to meet you man."

"You know me?" Mason seemed confused, looking to Liam.

"Liam's talked about you."

"What's this about, Theo?" Liam spit out his name like it was poison. It stung him a bit, having his name said with such dislike but it wasn't the first time. 

"I have those old history books of mine you wanted to borrow in the back of my truck." Theo wasn't entirely lying. He did have some old history books in the back of his truck but that's not what he was here to talk about. "I was thinking we could run to my truck and you could grab the ones you wanted."

"Oh. Yeah, right. Sorry." Liam had been glaring at him before but he softened for a few seconds and Theo couldn't help but smile wider, "Bye Mason, see ya after the game."

They walked in silence until they were beside the now empty locker rooms, knowing that no one would be around. Liam was the first to speak up which surprised Theo as he didn't expect him to willingly talk to him.

"Are you gonna say it?" Liam asked accusingly, crossing his arms and glaring. Liam was a good five inches shorter which made it slightly more adorable to him.

"Say what?" Theo was also confused, leaning against the wall while looking down on Liam.

"That you were right. About Garrett." Liam hissed aggressively, poking his chest with one finger, "That I should've somehow trusted you even though you haven't told me why I should!"

"Look, I thought he was just a rat or something. Plus, finding out one of your friends is a killer? That's rough dude. I'm more worried about you. How are you feeling?" Theo asked, grabbing Liam's hand softly and removing it from his chest.

"It's none of your business." Liam growled, turning away from him. "Is this what you came down to talk about?"

"I came down to check in on you. You're playing a game against your old team and from the way you talked about them on Thursday, they sound like pieces of shit." Theo rolled his eyes at the beta. With anyone else, he'd be insulting them but Liam seemed to give him more patience.

"They are! They suck and Brett?" Liam scoffed, lost in his own rant as he paced back and forth, biting his nails and picking at skin. "He's the worst of them. A lying, manipulative peice of shit who doesn't care about people. Even when he tells them he does."

"Do you want to talk about?" Theo felt his heart ache as he saw how disstressed Liam was from the idea of Brett. "You don't have to play tonight Liam."

"If I don't, I'm off frontline." Liam shook his head as he kept pulling at his skin which quickly healed. "I don't have a choice."

"I'll be in the crowd, watching. If you need me, I'll be there." Theo gently grabbed Liam's shoulder as he heard the roars of the crowd outside. "Now let's get going, the game's about to start."