Consumed By Pressure (Thiam TW)

Chapter 4: IED Flare-Up?

TW: eating disorders, self-harm

Theo and Mason sat at the kitchen table in silence, before getting ready to leave. Theo's mind was racing around Liam, while Mason was thinking the same.

Mason finally spoke, "I mean I guess all we can do is watch him."

Theo nodded in agreement, grabbed some breakfast then headed upstairs to get ready. Mason and Theo started walking to the school, ready to meet the other boys after they came out of the locker room like they did every morning.

Brett, Nolan, and Corey were sitting outside the fitness center. Nolan on his phone, Brett trying to finish his stats homework before his 10 AM class, and Corey passed out on the bench. Mason slide on the bench beside Nolan, putting his head on his lap, while Theo looked around for Liam.

Nolan looked up and was watching Theo, "he's still in the gym; he wanted to run a few miles, before a day of classes, then practice, then walking home," he sighed.

"And you let him?" Theo glared at them.

"What did you want me to say no to Liam and expect him to listen?" Nolan looked at him.

Theo knew he was right and stormed into the gym himself.

Liam was still on the treadmill; his breath was heavy from exhaustion. Theo glanced at the machine, the werewolf had it as high as it would go, and he already went three miles. He walked over and held his hand on the speed dial slowly turning off the treadmill.

Liam glared at him, "what the hell are you doing?"

"I think you did enough this morning," Theo looked at his boyfriend.

"I was just going to do four miles."

"I think three is plenty; you realize you just lifted and have practice tonight."

"I can take care of myself."

"Sorry, Liam I care about you," Theo grabbed Liam's wrist.

"Let me go!" Liam glared at him, throwing his hand off of him. His IED was flaring up as he pushed Theo to the ground. At this point, other students in the gym were staring at them. Everyone on campus knew what they were; words of the supernatural flew around the country.

Liam snapped out of it when Theo hit the ground and realized what he just did. He quickly ran off.

"Liam, wait!" Theo called after him, but he was already gone. Theo had hit his head off the ground, and it was bleeding, but he knew it would heal anyways. He got up to go after Liam.

Another student came over to him, "you okay, man?"

"It will heal," Theo muttered as he left out the gym following his boyfriend.

"Dude, your bleeding!" the student called after him. "Werewolves," he shook his head as Theo ran off perfectly fine.

Theo followed Liam's scent to the locker room where the alpha was in the showers fully clothed.

"Liam?" Theo called out to him.

"Getaway! I don't want to hurt you again," Liam turned to him.

Theo could see blood dripping down Liam's arms where he clawed himself, eyes red. He walked over and turned off the water. He grabbed Liam's hand, the werewolf flinched, trying to pull his hand away. Theo flashed his yellow eyes, instantly calming Liam down. Liam gave in and collapsed in Theo's arms.

"Look at me, it's okay; I know you didn't mean it," Theo looked at his boyfriend.

"I'm sorry; I lost control."

"I know; come on we need to get you cleaned up."

Theo helped Liam wash the blood off his arms as they slowly began to heal. Theo washed the blood out of hair; the wound completely healed already. He tore off his sweatshirt, coated in blood and water, and fortunately, his shirt underneath was dried. Liam threw on his lacrosse hoodie and sweatpants for the school day.

Theo frowned after seeing the hoodie start to hang off the boy's frame.

"Why were you running?" Theo looked at him since he was calmed down now.

"I don't know; I felt like I needed to," Liam looked at the ground, avoiding eye contact with the chimera.

"You already will get plenty of exercise in today, Little Wolf."

Liam nodded his head as they walked out towards the table, where the other two couples were still sitting. Liam looked at his watch; it read 8:45. He had his first class in fifteen minutes.

"I got to go," Liam looked at Theo. "Love you."

"Take care of yourself today," Theo looked at him. "I love you too."

Corey stood up and walked with Liam because his first-class started at 9:00 as well.

Theo sat back down beside Mason.

"What took you two so long?" Mason looked at Theo's wet hoodie.

"IED episode, no big deal," Theo shut him down quickly.

"Your blood or his blood?" Brett looked up from his laptop. He could smell it on his hoodie.

"A mixture," Theo muttered, damn werewolf senses.

Brett went back to his work Theo didn't want to talk about it.

Theo opened his chemistry book, trying to read the chapter for the day, but his mind kept on wandering back to Liam.

Liam and Corey walked to the academics building.

"You okay?" Corey asked him.

"Oh ya, I'm fine," Liam replied.

"You're bleeding," Corey looked at Liam's hand, blood dripping off it.

"Accidently, scratched myself; it will heal."

"Okay," Corey said. He knew it was more than a scratch, if it was scratch it would have been healed by now.