After getting kicked out of school Liam had made a promise to himself that he'd never get kicked out of anywhere again. Not another school, not a movie theatre or a restaurant or anything. He'd be good, he'd control himself and if he needed to leave then he would do it when it was his own choice, not being forced to.

He hadn't counted on going on a road trip with Theo and getting kicked out of two places in three days for fighting.

The thing was though, as embarrassing as it was to be escorted out of Walmart by a security guard after being caught wrestling on a pile of thoroughly squashed tampon boxes, it wasn't the same kind of embarrassing. It didn't leave Liam feeling sick and hating himself, it was more like getting told off by a teacher when you're a kid and say a rude word. The way they ducked their heads, accepting being scolded and then the moment the security guard turned his back, they looked to each other with cheeky grins that said 'ohhh you're in trouble'.

They'd scurried back into the truck silently under the disapproving glare from the security guard and stayed that way until the security guard had disappeared in the rearview mirror. Theo broke the silence, a soft chuckle coming from him, Liam joined in, grin stretching across his face and laughter fluttering from him as the warm wind rushed through the open windows and they fell into a companionable silence.

It could only last so long, how long was apparently the trip from the Walmart parking lot to the target parking lot.

"Attempt two." Liam said, moving to hop out of the car only to be stopped by Theo's hand on his shoulder hauling him back in the seat. Liam pushed himself flush against his chair when Theo leaned over him to slam the door closed again.

"Not yet, We need a list." Theo said, once he was back in his seat.

"Your list sucks." Liam said seriously.

"Then why don't you help me with a new one? That way we can get everything we want without you having a hissy fit and throwing tampons at-"

"You threw tampons first."

"That's not the point Liam!" Theo huffed. "Just. Help me with the list. Then we know what we're getting and how much it will cost and-"

"We have three grand, cost isn't really an issue."

"Okay. You know what-" Theo sighed. Liam watched as he dug money from his pocket and dropped jammed a small wad of cash into his face. "-You go buy what you need from there-" Theo jabbed his finger at the target they were parked outside of. "And I'll go to another shop so we don't get arrested for-"

"Fine we'll do your stupid list!" Liam grumbled, sinking in his seat.

"I just said I can go and get-"

"I said we're doing the dumb list so just find something to write it down on that's not a receipt would you?" Liam snapped.

"Okay." Theo said, yanking his phone out. "So what do we need?"

"I don't know, that's why we should be walking around the store not-" Liam muttered barely flinching when Theo backhanded his arm.

"Razors." Liam said. "I don't know, shower gel, toothpaste..uh..bottles of water? And like chips or something so we have food in the car?" Liam listed, mind reeling as he tried to think of everything he needed the past few days. "Socks, lots of socks and boxers. Oh and some pajamas." Liam paused when he noticed Theo's gaze had moved from his phone and settled firmly on him.

"Liam we're shopping for a couple of days on the road not filling your Christmas stocking so-"

"These are necessary things!"

"I agree, boxers and socks are very necessary but pajamas? Really?"

"It's more comfortable to sleep in."

"You've been wearing my pajamas for days!" Theo snapped, fingers picking at the fabric on Liam's thigh. "I haven't complained about being stuck in jeans for almost a week. You can deal with sweat-"

"Okay so we both need pajamas and a pair of jeans that actually fit me would be good. Maybe a couple of shirts would be nice too." Liam mused, slapping Theo's fingers away from his thigh and snatching the phone. He tapped out the new items on the small list.

"What, you have a problem with the rest of my clothes now?" Theo grumbled petulantly. "Do I smell?" He said, actually sounding fairly insulted.

"Oh my god dude, there's two of us sleeping in a damn car cycling the same like three outfits. You smell great but anyone sharing a space this small in heat this hot needs a few more outfits." Liam sighed.

"You think I smell great?" Theo drawled. Liam let out a groan, sliding down into his seat at Theo's smirk. "You gonna have me rub myself all over the new clothes before you wear them?"

"Okay one, that sounded way dirtier than you intended it too, either that or you're going to need to drop me at a police station so I can get a restraining order like right now-"

"You're the one who's sniffing me-"

"I'm not sniffing-" Liam started, voice loud enough to draw the attention of people walking past the car park. He took a deep breath in. "Just, think of what else we need on the list alright?" Theo let out a small sigh as if Liam had ruined all his fun by not arguing about sniffing him.

"Put swimming trunks down." Theo grumbled, turning to look out the window fingers tapping at the steering wheel. "We could get you a blanket as well. And maybe some of those nose strips that stop people snoring."

"I hate you."

"Can you swim? Or do we need to get some arm bands?"

"Of course I can swim."

"Whys it of course? Lots of people can't swim."

"Can you swim?"

"No, I thought it would be fun to go drown myself. I'm real fond of watery deaths." Theo said dryly. "Is this everything we need or-"

"I guess, We need to get something for Mason though." Liam said. Theo raised an eyebrow. "Like a souvenir."

"Are you five?"

"He's my best friend and I went on this trip without him. I need to bring him something back." Theo snatched his phone back out of Liam's hands.

"Fine. I'll put tacky fridge magnet on the list-" Liam snatched the phone back like they were playing a game of pass the parcel and he knew the music was about to stop.

"I'm not getting a fridge magnet." Liam grumbled deleting the last item from the list. "I'll get him something good. Something cool."

"You're such a child."

"Oh come on, like you're not going to get something for your best friend."

"I don't have friends Liam." Theo snorted, hopping out of the car. "Come on, let's get this over with and find a motel." Liam followed Theo out of the car, clutching Theo's phone in his hand and hurrying to keep up with him as he marched towards the store.

"Have you ever had friends?"

"You know I was friends with Scott and Sti-"

"I mean, since then."

"I didn't have time for friends." Theo said nonchalantly. He grabbed a basket and walked, slowing enough for Liam to catch up before he was snatching the phone from his hands. Liam let him take it. Eyeing him curiously.

"Like..Ever? That was it for your friends. Just Scott and Stiles?"

"You still trying to get to know me?" Theo asked, eyes never straying from the screen.

"Seriously Theo, have you only ever had two friends?" Theo's eyes finally moved up to meet Liam's. He felt vindicated for all of a second before he saw Theo's eyes narrowing defensively.

"I was eight. I didn't exactly have a whole lot of time to meet people."

"I get that I just.. I mean who did you talk to about girls and stuff?"

"What?"

"I mean, when you were with the dread doctors. Who did you talk to about general life stuff?"

"I didn't have general life stuff to talk about." Theo said, eyebrows drawn together as if talking to Liam was causing him physical pain. "What the hell do you think I was doing with the dread doctors?"

"I don't know. Like...going to school, having your how to be a dick lessons with them at night." Liam shrugged, fingers brushing across the shelves when he walked.

"You think I went to school?"

"You didn't?"

"Of course I didn't. The dread doctors weren't about to enroll me in school and bother transferring me every time we moved."

"So what did you do?"

"Whatever they told me to do."

"What does that mean?" Theo huffed, footsteps speeding up giving no reply. Liam caught up quickly. "You said you were an open book." He pointed out.

"I am."

"Apart from never really answering the hard questions." Liam said.

"I answer them." Theo snorted. "Just because you don't like the writing doesn't mean it's not the story."

"What?" Liam asked, lip curling and brow scrunching in confusion. Theo didn't answer, just marched off further into the shop basket swinging at his side, leaving Liam scurrying after him again. "So you won't answer my question?" Theo let out a childish groan.

"I answered your question." Theo sighed.

"No you evaded answering my question!" Liam said. Theo rolled his eyes, picking a box of disposable razors from the shelf and tossing them into the basket with a bit too much force. Liam huffed. "If I answer one of your questions will you answer one of mine?"

"What makes you think I want to ask you any questions?"

"You asked me why I was into history." Liam said. "Wouldn't be the first time you-"

"Liam, we're shopping not playing twenty questions." Theo huffed.

"Fine." Liam grumbled. Theo's lips tipped in a smile that left Liam narrowing his eyes. "Can I just ask one question?" Liam grinned smugly when Theo's eyes rolled up in his head, looking up at the ceiling as if searching for god to smite him to get him out of this conversation.

"Do you ever-"

"If you don't go to school and you don't have a job what do you do when there's no supernatural threat?" Liam asked before Theo could finish moaning. Theo stopped, turning to look back at Liam.

"Apparently cart annoying teens across the country." He snarked.

"I'm serious. I mean, how do you get money?" Theo sighed, running a hand through his hair. Liam tilted his chin up, trying to show that he was going to be a stubborn asshole and not stop until he got one good answer out of Theo. Theo seemed to understand, his shoulders deflating, eyes shifting to the floor as he gulped.

"I'm a drug dealer." Theo breathed. Liam reeled back. He knew he hadn't misheard but..still.

"What?" Liam gasped.

"I'm not qualified for anything, it was the only job I could get!" Theo hissed. "Well and the side prostitution job, it's why I got so angry when you tried to whore me out...I thought you knew, I was embarrassed." Liam was very aware of just how low his jaw was hanging and was at least ninety percent sure his heart had actually stopped. "Put both the salaries together it gets me by. And you know, my supplier lets me have some of the product. Drinking may not work on werewolves but crack does, you'd be surprised how easy it is to fuck someone for money when you're high as a kite."

"Theo-" Liam croaked, bile rising in his throat. Theo's lip twitched his phone clicked as he took a picture. Liam felt his heart drop from his throat back into its rightful place. "You're joking aren't you?"

"I am but that picture is definitely one for the scrapbook." Theo hummed looking at his screen with a bright grin that only made Liam angrier with the way it made his heart flutter in his chest. Theo spun on his heel, sweeping off down the aisle.

"You're a fucking asshole." Liam grumbled. Theo disappeared around the corner, head thrown back in laughter.

*

Liam hauled the shopping bags inside the motel room watching as Theo dropped his duffel and starfished across the bed closest to the door letting out a content little sigh.

"Don't worry. These aren't heavy or anything." Liam grumbled, hoisting the bags onto the creaky table in the corner.

"You're a werewolf Liam. I doubt a couple of bags of shopping are going to break you." Liam rolled his shoulder, disagreeing wholeheartedly, perhaps getting 22 bottles of water was a bit much.

"You mind if I shower first?"

"Please do. You stink." Theo said bluntly, rubbing his face against his pillow like a cat.

"I told you we needed some new clothes."

"Your clothes aren't the problem." Theo grinned. Liam huffed, digging through the bags for what he'd need. He moved off to the small bathroom. Theo curling himself further into the bed like a cat soaking up sun.

The bathroom wasn't exactly nice but it wasn't totally awful either. Sure the lock didn't work and there was an underlying smell of mold coming from somewhere but it looked clean enough if he ignored the stains beneath the sink. The water pressure was fairly weak, more of a sad trickle than the waterfall Liam wanted but it was warm and managed to wash the layer of grime his skin had apparently accumulated over the past few days. He waited for the red sand to wash off of his skin and down the drain before he bothered actually trying to wash with the soap that Liam recognised instantly as Theo's usual brand, a mix of citrus and fir tree's.

Liam also learned that he and Theo were at the level of acquaintanceship where Theo thought it was totally fine to barge into the bathroom without knocking to take a piss while Liam was showering. And no, he didn't care what Theo said, him being on the other side of the shower curtain did not mean they were basically in different rooms.

Liam walked out five minutes later, squeaky clean and face freshly shaved grumbling bitterly as he scrubbed a towel over his hair ready to start the argument again now he was actually wearing clothes about how that was not acceptable room-mate behaviour and that the least he could do would be to warn Liam before he came barging into the bathroom, only to find Theo a blink from sleep, curled beneath the ugly orange comforter on the bed. Liam's anger dissipated instantly as Theo's eyes met his, hazy and soft with sleep.

"Found a water park." Theo mumbled. "S'only half an hour away, we could go tomorrow if you wanted."

"Sounds good." Liam said. Theo gave a slow nod, lips twitching in a smile before he wiggled in the bed like a bird getting comfortable in its nest. "You comfy?" Liam snorted. Theo gave another small nod.

"I missed beds." Theo hummed. Liam wasn't exactly inclined to agree. Sure, the truck wasn't the most comfortable place he'd ever slept but it wasn't that bad and it had only been a few days. "I don't even care I can smell cum on these sheets." Theo sighed happily.

"Okay that's disgusting." Liam cringed. "Why are you even lying on it?"

"Because I'm pretty sure someone pissed on your bed at some point." He jabbed a finger towards Liams bed. "And cum or not it's comfortable." Liam could safely say that was not a sentence he ever thought he'd be around to hear Theo say.

"I'm not sleeping on a pee bed." Liam answered.

*

Liam peered through the darkness over to Theo's bed. The chimera was curled on his side eyes closed and breathing even. He glowered at his annoyingly peaceful looking face, nose wrinkling in distaste as he shifted slightly and the smells from the bed wafted up again.

He knew it was clean, the smell had simply leached into the mattress but it didn't make it any better. He'd tried burying his nose into the collar of his shirt but it just smelt like too many grabbing hands from the shop he'd bought it in earlier that night.

Theo had been asleep for almost an hour, curled in on himself looking dead to the world and Liam hated it. He wanted to kick him awake so he could suffer the smell along with Liam. He didn't, but only because the bags beneath Theo's eyes were painfully obviously thanks to the light seeping through the crappy curtains.

Liam shifted again only to clap his hand over his mouth and nose a second later when the smell once again assaulted him.

"Okay no." Liam grumbled, sliding out from beneath the blankets and inching towards Theo's bed. There was a moment where he eyed the spot next to Theo, eyebrows pulling together as he tried to figure out exactly how much shit he would get if he crawled in next to him. Probably a lot. If Liam could bitch up a storm over Theo walking in on him showering then Theo would have years of ammo if he woke up to Liam invading his bed.

Instead, Liam grabbed Theo's duffel bag, sifting through it until he found Theo's blanket. He padded back over to his own bed, inching into it, wincing at each and every creak of a spring before he was finally spread out again, comforter beneath him as he wrapped the blanket around him like it were Dracula's cape, he nosed the fabric, taking a deep breath of fir and citrus as he closed his eyes and forced himself to at least try to sleep.