Growing Sideways

lessons in friendship

Eventually, Theo gets a job. Because this world waits for no one. Even if you were raised back to life after suffering what seemed like a neverending torture in hell by the hands of your own sister.

He's a barista at a small coffee shop right outside of their little town, it's barely on the outskirts of Beacon Hills. Just far enough outside of the city limits that he feels a weight being lifted off his chest, but still close enough that he doesn't feel like he's abandoning his memories.

His nightmares are few and far between these days, but his anger is not.

Between shifts and studying what he can to get into a half decent college, he finds himself running in the preserve again.

Oddly enough, it's where he finds what little semblance of peace he has left. He full shifts, welcoming the ache of his breaking bones, focusing on what he can control instead of what he can't.

He runs for hours, feeling the ground beneath his paws, insides going warm as the wind picks up around him and swishes through his fur. He feels free like this, feels more like himself than he probably has in his entire life. He tries to ignore the way that this town is a steady reminder of everything he's lost. Tries to ignore the fact that he has all the capabilities to leave, but refuses to do so.

It's only mildly upsetting when he shifts back, bones snapping back into place. Skin replacing fur, dull teeth replacing fangs. He sighs heavily, rolling his shoulders, making his way over to the pile of clothes he left next to his truck.

He's been doing this for months now. Trying to blow off steam in the form of literally running away from his problems instead of ripping someone's throat out. It's a weird development.

His phone dings from inside of his truck. He chances a glance through the trees, knows that if he ran in the opposite direction he would stumble across a bridge. Knows that in his current state he might be angry enough to rip the thing apart.

He clenches his jaw, turning his eyes away and climbs inside of his truck, ignoring the guilty feeling in his chest. Instead of harping on it, he grabs his phone, eyes squinting to adjust to the brightness of the screen in the dim lighting of his truck.

Liam, 12:45am: u up?

Speaking of weird developments.

Liam and Theo are friends now. At least, that's what Liam calls them. Theo doesn't correct him, doesn't think he can without explaining how he doesn't really understand any of it. Doesn't understand how he qualifies as Liam's friend, can't wrap his brain around how Liam considers him as such.

It's a difficult situation, he's so emotionally stunted and detached he can't even bring himself to understand what a friend is. He doesn't feel worthy of Liam's friendship. Doesn't feel worthy of Liam in general.

But, he can't put any of this into words without sounding insane, so he keeps his mouth shut and lets Liam do his thing.

He sends a single question mark, setting his phone onto the console as he starts the car and drives back to his apartment.

Because he has one of those now. No longer back-from-the-dead-living-in-his-truck-boy, but back-from-the-dead-working-living-in-an-apartment-boy. There's been a lot of odd developments these last few months.

He's pulling into his usual parking spot when his phone dings again. He throws his truck in park, picking up his phone from the console before sliding out of the vehicle and locking it behind him.

Liam, 12:57am: u r out of mac n cheese cups

He squints down at the small text, wildly irritated as the three little bubbles pop up again. Before he can come up with a vague threat, his phone is dinging again.