Consumed By Pressure (Thiam TW)

Chapter 3: There Is Something Wrong

TW: eating disorders

Theo sat up and went to the restroom to change and get ready for bed. When he came back, Liam was curled up under the covers, fast asleep once again. Theo settled in beside his boyfriend, his mind wandering over his condition. Once Theo fell asleep, his dreams were unpleasant.

Theo was still haunted by Tara, almost every night, his sister would haunt his dreams. Sometimes she would take back her own heart, sometimes he would relive her death, the worse ones were when she ripped Liam's heart out instead.

This time it was different, "Theoooo, Theoooo," Tara beckoned as she always did. Theo tried to run away from her calls, but it was no use. She came up from behind him, tripping him as she loomed above him. She pulled him up off the ground, dragging him to a hospital room.

"What are you doing?" Theo said fear gripping at his throat, trying to escape her grasp.

"Theo, little brother, you know it's my job to torture you in the worse possible ways," she smirked.

She threw him into a hospital room and slammed the door shut. Theo was confused, usually, she ripped out her heart multiple times at this point. He looked around and saw a body covered with a white sheet, a heart monitor showing a lifeless line. He worriedly pulled off the covers, and instantly his heart broke. It was Liam, lying there, not a light of life in his body. Tara creaked open the door and wrapped her hands around Theo's neck.

"See I didn't even have to do that one myself," she cackled. "With him gone, what do you need this for?" She reached over his body, ripping out her heart once again.

Theo awoke in a cold sweat, quickly looking at Liam wrapped in his arms. He saw his chest moving up and down, reassuring him it was a dream. Liam felt Theo shift positions and opened his eyes.

"Nightmare?" Liam asked Theo, knowing he usually has to comfort him when he is awoken.

Theo nodded, still shaking from the dream.

"What did Tara do this time?" Liam asked him.

"Just normal ripped her heart out of my chest."

"Theo, I know when you are lying."

"Go back to sleep, Little Wolf."

Liam pressed his entire body into Theo's to further comfort the chimera. Theo noticed that he could feel Liam's bones more than usual, his skin was cooler. He somehow fell back asleep, listening to Liam's breathing but still filled with worry.

Theo woke up to Liam's alarm going off at 5:45. Two days a week they had team lifting at 6:30, so the whole house got up for it. Theo went downstairs to let Liam get ready and started a pot of coffee. Nolan and Brett came down first like every morning because they got their stuff ready at night. No matter how many times Theo told Liam to do that too; he was stubborn and wouldn't listen. Nolan and Brett both made protein shakes and patiently waited for the other two. Corey and Mason would come down together, too wrapped up in each other to hurry up. Corey grabbed a protein bar as Mason took his usual seat beside Theo. Liam finally came down, basically running out the door like every morning. It took them fifteen minutes to walk to the gym, and their coach expected them to be ready and started at 6:30. A thought went across Theo's mind, Liam doesn't eat before lifting.

"Liam," Theo called him.

"What?" Liam looked at him as he was about to leave.

"Do you want something to eat before going?"

"What? I never eat before lifting I would throw up."

"Aren't you supposed to have something small in your system to help build muscle while lifting? You are an exercise science major here."

"Are you saying I need more muscle than fat as I have now?" Liam looked at him with all sincerity.

"Liam what? No, first off you have no fat on you, second I just don't want you passing out again."

"Nice save," Liam looked at him as he slammed the door.

Mason looked at the chimera as they left, "that was weird."

"Did I say something wrong?" Theo looked at him.

"I didn't think so."

"Mason, has Liam ever had an issue with food before?"

Mason looked down, "not since, we've been like eleven. He used to fight eating anything; Jenna had to take him to a nutritionist and everything. I mean he's fine now; Jenna always made sure he ate something."

"You don't think he would be losing weight on purpose do you?" Theo looked at him.

"I don't know why he would," Mason looked into his coffee unsure of what was going on with his best friend.

Liam, Brett, and Nolan headed towards the gym in silence. Liam was focusing on not falling over, his vision blurry.

"How are you feeling after yesterday?" Nolan asked Liam.

"Fine," Liam snapped at him. He just wished everyone would stop asking him about it. He knew he hadn't eaten all day that's probably why he did pass out, but he wasn't about to admit that.

Brett and Nolan looked at one another, showing a look of concern.

They arrived at the gym and listened to their coach as he gave them their lifts for their morning.

"Dunbar, come here," he beckoned him, as soon as the other players started their lifts. Liam headed over not knowing what was happening.

"Yes?" Liam questioned, worried he was losing his starting position.

"I heard you passed out in the locker room last night, are you okay?" he asked the boy.

Liam sighed a breath of relief, "yes, I just was dehydrated; I was an idiot I haven't been drinking enough water recently."

"Okay, just checking in," the coach sent Liam along his way. The coach knew Liam wasn't just dehydrated; he noticed his weight loss as well.

Liam went over with Brett and began lifting with the werewolf.

Liam benched his normal weight, but he noticed it was more difficult today than usual.

"I must be getting weak," Liam thought to himself. "I need to work harder."

Brett looked down at his friend who was shaking, "you okay, Liam?"

"Of course, I'm fine," Liam again barked back.

"Okay, you know you can take a break."

"I don't deserve a break," Liam thought, but instead nodded his head at Brett.

Lifting was over, and the rest of the team was headed towards the locker room to change.

"I'm going to run a few miles on the treadmill," Liam told the other three boys.

"You sure Liam? You look tired," Corey looked at him concerned for him.

"He just doesn't think you can do it," the thought rushed through Liam's head.

"What better way to wake up?" Liam looked at them, putting his headphones, ignoring them as they walked away.

"He does realize; we have practice this afternoon right?" Brett looked at Nolan and Corey.

"He does, and he doesn't care," Nolan replied.

"He hasn't been the same, since his mother died," Corey thought about it.

The boys shook their heads in agreements, worried about the alpha.