Liam was able to successfully get the wolf out of the house before Isaac got home. He'd gotten up and ushered the wolf outside the second Isaac texted him that he was on his way. Although it was still technically summer, Liam found himself shivering slightly in the thin t-shirt he was wearing as he watched the wolf run into the old shed behind the house. Liam had thrown an old blanket that he found in the house on the floor of the shed, and started leaving the door just open enough that the animal could push it open with his nose.
There was a strange feeling in his chest as he looked out over the dark forest in front of him. The sun had just started to set, leaving the woods in a dark orange glow. He didn't see anything, and the feeling wasn't as strong as it had been before, but it still made him squirm, turning back into the house quickly.
He did his best to get all the hair off the coach before sitting down and watching tv as if it had been what he'd been doing all night. He turned when he heard the lock on the front door turn and Isaac stepped in.
"Hey, how was work?"
"Good, the usual, things are less awkward with Scott and I now so we were able to have an actual conversation for once." Isaac threw his bag on the ground and sat down at the other end of the coach.
"Does this mean I can't make fun of you two being awkward." Liam chuckled.
Isaac rolled his eyes but the sight dusting of pink on his cheeks was still obvious. Liam wasn't really sure if that would ever stop. "Shut up," he laughed, throwing a pillow at Liam. They were quiet for a few minutes. Both turning their attention to the tv, some old movie neither of them recognized playing. Liam had found the channel in the middle of it playing, and at this point he wasn't even trying to understand it.
"Hey listen, I know you said you were fine earlier, but I know you Li. I can tell something is bothering you. We don't have to talk about it, but we can if you want to." Isaac watched as Liam seemed to still at his words. His eyes went down to his hands, the familiar tremor seeming to speed up slightly. "Hey look we don't- I'm sorry if I said something-"
"No, you're right, I'm not fine. I just- Everything's been so great this past week I just don't wanna fuck it up with all my shit this early on."
"Liam, something upsetting you isn't going to ruin anything. If anything, knowing that you've been uncomfortable about whatever's going on since I left, is far worse than having to work through whatever's happening." Isaac moved closer to Liam on the coach, resting his hand on his shoulder. Liam nodded. "What's wrong Li?"
Liam was silent. His mind seemed to dart all over the place. He looked down at his shaking hands and tried to clasp them to make it slow down. Isaac just rubbed his shoulder, giving him time to process whatever it was. Liam took a deep breath, and when he spoke his words were nervous.
"We, uh, we have to change in the locker rooms. For PE, I mean."
Isaac's face twisted in confusion. He'd never known Liam to be the self conscious type. And even if he was he didn't think he'd panic this much. Liam was gay, but from what the other's had said when they talked at lunch, no one really seemed to care. Although he supposed there could be a few assholes out there.
He scanned his mind for any reason Liam would be uncomfortable, before a wave of realization passed over him.
"Oh Li," He squeezed Liam's shoulder.
"I just- I don't want people asking questions. It's all infuriating enough as it is."
"I mean you could lie, but I get it. There are ways to change your shirt without really taking the other one off. I'm sure you could figure it out. You could change in the bathroom, or just not at all."
'I guess so yeah," Liam sighed.
"We'll figure it out okay," Isaac gave Liam a reassuring smile, and he nodded, the corner of his mouth raising slightly.
"You hungry?" Isaac asked.
Liam was suddenly reminded that after he got home from school almost 4 ½ hours ago that he hadn't eaten anything. Too distracted by the ball of warm fluff that was keeping him from getting up off the coach.
"Oh yeah definitely,"
Both too tired from their first day and work to actually make food, they ordered a pizza from a place in town. They sat around aimlessly waiting. They tried to keep watching tv but they both knew they weren't paying attention. There was a clear tension in the air. They weren't uncomfortable about the conversation, but after all these years it became more and more difficult for them to talk about how they felt. Even with each other. Liam wanted to be as honest with Isaac as he could be. He told him when he had panic attacks, or nightmares, although Isaac usually found out about those on his own.
Liam couldn't help feeling like a burden. He was 16, Isaac was almost 18. If they had still been living with their father by then, Liam knows he wouldn't have left. No matter how much Liam might have lied and told him he would be fine. He felt so selfish for ever feeling that way. And now, here they are, Isaac getting home from the job that let them leave in the first place, and he's the one comforting Liam. Liam is the one complaining about something, that in the grand scheme of the problems in their lives, is so incredibly insignificant, that he shouldn't have even said anything about it in the first place.
That was the kind of thing he would never tell Isaac, because he knew him, and he knew what he would say. That it wasn't Liam's fault. That it was all their dad. He'd tell him his feelings were important, and that he loved him and wanted to be there for him. Liam wanted to believe him, and sometimes he did, but a lot of the time he didn't. And he would never tell him, which is why he always tried to change the subject to something that would cloud Isaac's judgment just enough to distract him from what they were originally talking about.
"Y'know, you really just need to ask Scott out." Isaac choked on the water he was drinking. "Oh don't act so surprised we all know you like each other. And don't give me that, 'what if he doesn't like me,' thing, because it's so blatantly obvious, even you could see it"
"I- I mean, I think he might. I just-I've never actually asked someone out before."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, I thought it was obvious. You know who I've dated. There's only two of them, and both times they asked me."
"I figured you've been rejected before but haven't wanted to talk about it."
"Okay, and how many people have you dated," Isaac said with a smirk.
"Oh shut up. That girl in my English class asked me out last year, not my fault I'm gay." Isaac laughed.
"Well, new school, new people, means new guys, maybe you'll find someone you like."
Liam laughed again, "Yeah I doubt it, plus even if I did they'd probably either be straight, or just not interested."
Isaac chuckled, "Yeah well, we'll see."
"Scott I will slap you," Stiles' voice rang through the room.
"Please don't," Scoot sat up on his bed, looking at Stiles who was seated in his desk chair. "I just don't know if it's a good idea. We already almost dragged Isaac and Liam into our shit with the whole wolf thing. I just don't want them to get hurt."
"Dude, the fact that you're thinking like this means you SHOULD. You obviously care about him. Plus, and I would like to make this very clear. Liam is now my child, I've known him for like 3 days, and I already like him more than I like you, and Isaac is Liam's brother, which makes him also my child. So if you hurt my son I will kill you."
"I'm a little concerned that I can't hear the sarcasm in your voice that I usually do," Scott raised an eyebrow.
"Who said I was joking?" Stiles got up and sat on the bed next to Scott, "I want to stop having this conversation please this is like the hundredth time I've had to convince you that this is a good thing, please start believing me, okay?"
"Fine, I'll ask him out!" Scott threw his hands in the air, looking at Stiles.
Stiles squinted his eyes, "No you won't."
"No, no I won't." Scott said, sounding defeated and resting his head in his hands with a groan. "Why am I like this?"
"'Cause your a dumb ass. Look, maybe he'll ask you first or something. I've been talking to Liam a lot. I'm not sure what the chances of him asking you first are, but we can hope."
Scott sighed, "Okay"
"I'd also like to point out, just in case it encourages you a little bit, I did see a couple of girl's eyeballing him in the halls."
Scott's eyes glowed and he growled.
"Holy shit, you do really like him. Fuck." Scott glared at him, "Oh. My. God."
"What?" Scott asked, slightly irritated.
"You could be my son in law!" Stiles smiled. Scott just rolled his eyes.
"I hate you sometimes, you know that?"
"Oh don't worry, I know. You annoy me too. That's why I've got Liam now. You can have Derek.
"I don't want Derek, why can't I have Liam?"
"You want to steal my son? Your future brother in law? Yeah no way"
Scott laughed, 'I don't know how I feel about this family you've created. I think you're a little ahead of yourself."
"Fine but let me dream."
"You found him?" A gravelly voice said.
"Yeah, I think so, but this isn't as cut and dry as he said it would be. What are we supposed to do?"
"Whatever it takes."