hey jealousy || Liam Dunbar

11

A/N: light mentions of homophobia in this chapter, third paragraph, in case you'd like to skip

Ryder wakes up the next morning, still exhausted and not willing to go to school today. "Someone doesn't wanna get up." Ryder hears, and isn't surprised, he smelled the boy before he saw him. "What do you want?" He asks, voice laced with faux annoyance, and Liam smiles shortly, walking farther into the room. "Well, just had to make sure you were okay. Lydia said you were great though." Ryder rolls his eyes. "In case you've forgotten, werewolf healing. I'm fine." Liam sits on the edge of Ryder's bed, and tilts his head, an adorable disapproving frown on his face. Ryder for one, approves of that look for him. "I didn't just mean physically, Canova." Liam slurs, causing Ryder to smirk. Without missing a beat he says in his most smug voice. "Oh, you meant sexually, eh babe?" Liam's cheeks go pink and he looks at his feet momentarily. Not that either." He eventually comes to the conclusion of. Ryder pretends to be confused. "Than what else is there?" He questions, and he swears Liam is this close to face palming. "I meant emotionally, dumb ass." Ryder fakes an expression of realization, and flops his head back onto his pillows. "I'm fine emotionally too." He shrugs, playing it off like that conversation between himself and Lydia wasn't even a thing. "I know you and Lydia talked last night. Do you feel better after it? I'm gonna be upset if you tell me you don't feel even a little better." Ryder almost laughs. "Then I won't tell you." He drawls, and Liam frowns again. Ryder's heart shrinks, because who gave him the right to look so fuckin' cute? "Y'know what, it's okay." Liam breathes out, shoulders slumping, and Ryder can tell it's not. He wants Ryder to be okay, and he's not. He's probably never going to be. Yet Ryder pastes on a small smile and hits Liam's shoulder with the back of his hand. "Dunbar, I'm fine.

He's not fine. Ryder is most definitely not fine. He takes a deep breath, and prepares for the worst to come, as he and Liam walk downstairs to find Katrina sitting at the kitchen table. "She let me in." Liam whispers into Ryder's ear, making him shiver from his hot breath ghosting over the shells of his ear, but he pushes his dirty thoughts away and frowns, taking a deep breath. "She shouldn't be here." Ryder whispers back, and begins walking into the kitchen. "Oh, what a horrible surprise." Ryder greets, a cheeky grin etched onto his face. "What can I do ya for?" He leans against the counter, while Liam stands behind him. Challenging the woman silently. "Well you've got a fine attitude this morning." She greets back, pushing a stray hair out of her face. "Why thank you, I suppose it's because your here. I love when mom comes to visit." He grounds out sarcastically, Katrina shrugs, not caring one bit about what Ryder likes or dislikes. "Where's my daughter?" Ryder smiles gently, a mischievous undertone to it. "What, Mother? Aren't I good enough?" Katrina seems to contemplate her answers for a moment, before deciding on "No." Liam's face morphs into something of disgust and horror, and Ryder smells the anger bubbling beneath the surface of fake calm. "Hey." He whispers behinds him, squeezing his arm gently, making Liam look at him, poorly concealed anger shows behind his baby blue eyes, and Ryder squeezes his wrist this time. "It's okay." Liam nods, and a little of the bitter smell of anger, fades away. yet there's still the faint lingering smell that Ryder knows he probably can't make disappear. 

"You have a very...Charming boyfriend, Ryder." Katrina teases, even though she knows nothing of his sexuality. Ryder feels Liam stiffen behind him, and hears him choke on his breathing pattern. "Thanks, we make an adorable pair, yeah?" Ryder rolls with it, and watches the shocked, disgusted look on her face. "I wasn't serious-I, you mean- I gave birth to a-" She chokes on her words, and Ryder internally shrinks in on himself, his heart almost cracking at the shocked and grossed out expression she's wearing. "I knew you were never going to be what I wanted, but you- you turned out worse than I thought." Ryder keeps up his amused smile, but his insides are falling apart, and his heart drops through the floor. He feels on the verge of tears, but smirks through them. He has an image to uphold. "I turned out gay you mean? I turned out, to be less than not good enough? Am I not good enough? Or not good enough for you?" Ryder seethes, and he feels Liam's hand grip his wrist, he smells the anger drifting off the boy behind him, and he turns to give him a reassuring smile, but it doesn't help. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Liam growls, and steps in front of Ryder. "What has Ryder ever done wrong to you? He was a kid. I remember it as he was six? When you first started cussing him out." Ryder's eyes widen that Liam even remembers the age he was, and that she cussed him out first. "And then started the hitting, physical, and verbal abuse. Isn't that right?" Liam's anger is well beyond the boys own control right now. Ryder knows this, and he tugs at Liam's arm. "It's okay. I can take it." Ryder reassures him, and Liam turns to fix him with an unbelievable expression. "No, you can't." He turns back to Katrina, murder written on his face. "You don't know what it's been doing to him!" Liam growls, stepping forward, and Katrina flinches at how close he's getting to her. "Liam, it's alright." Ryder coaxes, gently, pulling Liam back. "I'm okay. It's not hurting me." Liam frowns further, but a little of his anger goes away at the confirmation, and he steps back with Ryder. "You can go. You've upset him." Ryder points towards the exit, but Katrina looks unfazed by being kicked out. "I want her back. I want her away from you gays." Ryder scoffs, this is unbelievable. This time, it's Ryder who takes a menacing step forward, Liam on his heels. "You can't have her this time. Oh, for the record, she likes us gays. Thinks we're cool, I honestly cant blame her." He grounds out through his teeth, suddenly very angry, the hurt now only a full ache in his chest.  "Get out!" He yells at her, now leaning across the table, in her face. She stands, clearly startled, and walks towards the front door. "I'm going to call the police." She declares, making Ryder laugh. "And tell them what? That your ten year old daughter took a bus two towns away, to come stay with her father. All because her mother is a scumbag?" He opens the door for Katrina, and waves her off. Liam nudging her out the door. 

"I already hate her." Liam growls, and Ryder pulls him into a hug, silently thanking him for his help. He feels Liam bury his face in his neck, and rests his head on Liam's shoulder. Smelling the anger off Liam ebb away at the comforting act. 

By now their late for school, and Ryder and Liam sit on the couch, and explain to Brooke what happened. She had heard yelling, and arguing, and stayed in Ryder's room. "Oh." Is all she says after their finished. "So your gay?" She asks, and Ryder shrugs. "Something like that. I'm bi. I like both." Brooke nods, understanding, and then smiles. "Well bi people are the coolest." She grins, jumping forward to give Ryder a big hug. One which he returns happily. He looks at Liam over his shoulder, and Liam smiles at him, showing his perfect teeth. Ryder, almost dies.

By the time they actually get to school, it's lunch, and Ryder keeps sneaking glances at Liam even when the boy's not talking. Even after school, right before practice, when they have to explain to coach why they missed practice yesterday. Overall, coach doesn't believe them. Which, doesn't really shock anyone very much. Their story isn't all that believable anyway. Ryder finds it all funny though, the fact that they all are supernatural creatures, and fight other supernatural creatures, to keep ordinary people safe. It's cliche, and it's unbelievable, and Ryder finds it hilarious.