Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at

http://download.archiveofourown.org/works/13687359.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: M/M
Fandom: Teen Wolf (TV)
Relationship: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Character: Theo Raeken, Liam Dunbar, Jenna Geyer, Liam Dunbar's Mother
Additional Tags: Getting Together, First Kiss, Love Confessions, pining theo,
Valentine's Day, Misunderstandings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Good
Theo Raeken, Post-Canon, Roommates, Fluff and Angst, Happy
Ending, Family Feels, Jenna is Amazing
Stats: Published: 2018-02-15 Words: 3186

Be Mine, Valentine
by tabbytabbytabby

Summary

Valentine’s Day is approaching and it’s putting Theo in a mood. He sees all the happy
couples and he wants to be happy with Liam but he doesn’t think he deserves it. To top it
off Liam has been acting strange and almost avoiding him. Theo thinks it’s because Liam
found out how he feels and is put off by it. That is, until he comes home one day to their
apartment decorated and Liam asking him to be his Valentine

Notes

Valentine’s gift for the amazing Sofia. Thank you for your neverending support. You are
truly wonderful. <3

Song used in the fic: Speechless by the Veronicas

See the end of the work for more notes

 Banner by E_wolfwisegirl

Theo hates Valentine’s Day. He’s only had a few years to actually be used to the holiday but he
knows he hates it. He hates all the pink hearts and the love songs and everything that goes along
with it. More than anything he hates seeing all the happy couples around, planning their perfect
dates, because it reminds him of what he doesn’t have. He sees it all and he wants. He wants to
have that, not just in a general sense, no. He wants it with the one person he knows he’ll never
have it with: Liam.

Liam fucking Dunbar. His best friend and roommate of the past 3 years. The man he has been in
love with for even longer than that but knows there’s no possible way Liam could love him back.
Theo accepted that a long time ago. He knows he doesn’t deserve to have Liam.

Liam is good and pure where Theo is broken and damaged. He might not be the same
manipulative asshole that he was but he’s nowhere the man that Liam deserves. Liam deserves to
be with someone that hasn’t hurt him the way Theo has. He deserves someone just as good as he
is.

Despite knowing he never has a chance with Liam Theo still can’t reign in his feeling so. At first
the thinks he does a pretty good job of hiding them. He covers them up with jabs and punches.
Then he starts spending more time with Liam, and the more he does the harder it is to keep himself
under control.

It gets even harder when they move in together. Now Theo sees Liam practically every day. Even
the days Liam has classes he’s usually home in time for dinner. Theo makes a point of being there
when he is so they can have dinner together. He doesn’t miss the look Liam gives him every time,
the look that tells him Liam’s at least caught on to something. Whether he actually knows what
remains to be seen.

The looks don’t stop at dinner. Liam gets this considering look on his face every time he sees
Theo now. It puts Theo on edge, making his stomach flip anxiously. Theo does his best to tamp
down on his feelings after that, or at least make them less noticeable. Granted, he’d been trying
that before and it apparently hadn’t been working.

He tries to tell himself that the looks could be over absolutely anything but deep down he knows
they’re not. His point is proven when the looks stop. With that so does most of his time spent with
Liam.

It’s not noticeable at first. Liam cancels a dinner to have dinner with his Mom. Theo can’t fault
him for wanting to spend time with Jenna. They don’t see each other as much as either would like
so he’s happy they’re getting some time together. He’s a little disappointed when Liam doesn’t ask
him to come like he normally would, but he figures Liam just wants some time alone with his
Mom.

That is until he gets a snap from Mason of him and Corey at dinner with Liam and Jenna. It stings
a bit. He tries not to let it get to him but he can’t help it. He can’t stop the places his mind wants to
go. He didn’t want to have dinner alone with his Mom. He just didn’t want you there. He knows,
he has to.
That last one has him clenching his fists at his sides as he fights to remain calm. There’s no proof
that Liam knows. For Theo to think he should have been invited to dinner is ridiculous. He’s not
family. Jenna and Liam shouldn’t be expected to invite him. He’s not owed a place at their dinner
table, or in their lives.

It gets worse after that. Liam is home a lot less, and missing dinner more and more frequently. He
misses so much that he just stops calling to let Theo know he won’t be there. The first time that
happens Theo goes through the trouble of preparing dinner for the two of them, thinking maybe
Liam will actually be home tonight. He’s not. Theo waits for over an hour for Liam before
standing up, throwing out his untouched food, and heading to his room.

He’s still awake when Liam comes home a few hours. He listens as Liam tosses his keys in the
bowel by the door, toes his shoes off, and then makes his way into the kitchen. There’s silence for
a few long moments before Liam mutters to himself, “Shit.”
Theo listens to the sound of Liam’s hurried footsteps moving down the hall until they stop outside
his bedroom door. Liam doesn’t say anything at first. The only sound is from his slow breathing
and the thudding of his heart. Theo normally loves the sound but right now it makes his own heart
ache. Especially when Liam finally speaks, voice barely above a whisper. “Theo? Are you
awake?”

Theo doesn’t say anything, just tries to keep his breathing under control. He knows he can’t see
Liam right now, afraid of what his face might reveal.

There’s a sigh outside the door, followed by the sound of something solid hitting the wood. Theo
figures it must be Liam’s head if the way the quiet words reverberating off the wood are anything
to go by. “Theo. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to miss dinner. I… I know I’ve been missing a lot and
haven’t been home. I wish I could explain but I can’t. It would ruin things. I am sorry though.”

Theo’s throat closes up at the words, barely containing the whine that wants to escape him at how
sad Liam sounds. He doesn’t want that. But he also can’t risk opening the door and exposing
himself when he’s like this. It’s bad enough that Liam has to know about his feelings. He can’t
have him figuring out just how bad it is.

If Liam needs time away, he’ll give it to him. He won’t force him to be around Theo if he doesn’t
want to be. It hurts but he’ll live with it. He doesn’t have a choice if he wants Liam in his life.

Time passes and the distance grows. He gives Liam the space he clearly wants. He fights off the
questions from Jenna about why he hasn’t been around as much. He hates it. He hates having to
come up with pitiful explanations other than the fact that he’s a pathetic excuse for a person who’s
hopelessly in love with her son.

Unfortunately, Jenna Geyer is a determined woman. When Theo fends off her call one time too
many she simply shows up. He’s in his room, Armor For Sleep filtering through his speakers as he
stares at the ceiling. He’s so wrapped up in his thoughts that he doesn’t hear the apartment door
open or the sound of footsteps until his bedroom door is opening. Theo doesn’t jump, he just lets
his eyes flick over to see a pissed off Jenna standing there.

“So this is what’s so important that you can’t spend time with me Theo Raeken?” Jenna asks,
crossing her arms across her chest as she frowns down at him.

Theo doesn’t have a good excuse so he just shrugs. Jenna sighs, moving to sit on the edge of the
bed. She moves her hand up to card through his hair, “What’s going on with you? Why do you
look like your hearts been broken?”

“Because it has,” Theo mumbles before he can think better of it. Another reason he didn’t want to
see Jenna in person: he can never lie to her when he’s around her. Not that he would ever dare lie
to her anyway. She’d skin him alive if she realized he had.

“What did my idiotic son do now?”

Theo just gapes at her for a moment, trying to remember a time he may have let it slip to Jenna that
he loves Liam, and what he could possibly say to steer her away. Mind blank, he can only squeak
out, “What?”

Jenna rolls her eyes, “Don’t look so surprised. You’re not exactly subtle.”

“I know,” Theo mumbles, “and that’s the problem.”

Jenna frowns, “What on earth are you talking about?”

Theo feels his throat close up with all the emotion he’s been keeping in, a sob escaping him as the
words leave his lips. “Liam knows and he’s been avoiding me because of it. If I’d just hidden it a
little better he wouldn’t… he would be here.”

“Oh sweetheart,” Jenna says, pulling Theo up and into a tight hug. He sags against her, allowing
her to run her hands down is back in a soothing gesture. “I’m sure this isn’t what you think. Liam
is just being an idiot right now. Maybe if you just talked to him…”

“I can’t. He’s never home. And when he is he can’t even look at me. Then he had dinner with you
and I thought he just wanted it to be the two of you but then Mason and Corey were there. So it
was just me he didn’t want there. Which is why I haven’t been by. I don’t want to impose.”

“You listen here Theo Raeken,” Jenna says, voice firm. “I don’t give a damn what happens
between you and Liam, you’re family. You will always be welcome in my home. You hear me?”

Theo nods, “Yeah I hear you.”

“Good. Then I expect to see you at dinner on Sunday. And as for Liam, try not to worry about it.
I’m going to give that son of mine a talking to. And don’t worry, I won’t tell him too much. He
just needs to know he’s being a shitty friend and I raised him better than that.”

Theo sighs, letting Jenna’s comforting presence wash over him. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Jenna says, placing a kiss to the top of his head.

When Jenna leaves Theo falls back into his pillows. His mind isn’t completely at ease, but he is
feeling a little better than he did before talking to Jenna. He’ll count that as a win.
He’s only a little surprised when Liam comes to him the next day and pulls him into a hug,
mumbling an apology against his shoulder. Theo can only hug him back, telling him it’s okay.
He’s not sure if it is, but he’s at a loss as to what else to say. And at least for now Liam is talking
to him again.

Things don’t go back to normal, Liam is still absent more than he was and he still acts shifty. But
Theo can tell he’s putting in an effort. He texts Theo on the nights he knows he’ll be home for
dinner just to give him a heads up. It’s not much, it for now it’ll have to be enough.

Theo is surprised when he walks into their apartment a few days later and finds Liam sitting on the
couch, guitar in hand. There are flowers placed strategically around the room, as well as a few
candles and some streamers. Hanging above the couch is a banner that reads Be Mine, Valentine?

Theo really has no idea how to process the scene in front of him. He puts his keys down in the
tray by the door and takes off his coat, aware of Liam’s eyes on him the whole time. When he’s
done he walks hesitantly into the room, eyes drifting to where Liam is watching him. His face is
serious, making it seem as if he’s perfectly calm and in control, but Theo can hear the way his
heart is beating a mile a minute.

When he opens his mouth to say something, maybe ask what’s going on, Liam shakes his head,
“No. Don’t say anything. Just… can you just sit down?”

Theo nods, moving to sit on the opposite end of the couch from Liam, allowing him to turn and
look at the nervous beta. Liam’s fingers tap on the guitar a few times before his eyes flick to
Theo’s. “I had this whole thing planned out, you know? That’s why I’ve been gone so often. I
wanted to do this right. But now that I’m here and you’re looking at me like that, I kind of feel like
I can’t breathe.”

Theo knows the feeling all too well. He’d tell Liam as much except Liam had made a point to tell
him not to say anything so he just nods. Liam’s fingers strum the strings, not really playing
anything, just moving across them distractedly. Theo wants to reach out and still them, tell him
that it’s okay and ease whatever nerves Liam is feeling. Except Theo is just as nervous. He has no
idea what’s happening here.

“I’m going to play you something,” Liam finally says, “and I just want want you to listen.”
Theo nods, breathing out a quiet “okay.”

Liam smiles shyly over at him before he starts singing, his hands moving slowly over the strings of
guitar. Theo feels his heart start beating erratically in his chest as the words of the song wash over
him. Liam’s eyes never leave Theo as he sings, making breathing become difficult. Theo’s eyes
widen when Jenna walks up next to Liam, singing the harmonies. It’s a little overwhelming. By
the time Liam reaches the last chorus he feels like he’s close to tears.

You leave me speechless

You leave me breathless
The way you look at me
You manage to disarm me
My soul is shining through
I can't help but surrender
My everything to you

When the song ends Theo and Liam just stare at each other, neither one knowing where to go
from here. Jenna sighs, placing a kiss to Liam’s and then Theo’s head. “I’ll leave you two to talk.”

Theo just sits there trying to process what happened. He takes in all the decorations and the the
flowers and candles again and suddenly he’s angry. He gets to his feet, hands clenched at his
sides. His back is to Liam, voice carefully controlled as he spits the words out, “Is this some sort
of fucking joke?”

“What?” Liam asks. Theo doesn’t have to turn around to know that Liam’s brows have probably
furrowed in confusion.

“Is this a joke?” Theo asks again, turning to face Liam again. He doesn’t let Liam’s look of shock
deter him. He needs to know. “It was bad enough when you were avoiding me but now you had
to throw my feelings in my face and use your own mother to mock me?”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Liam asks, rising to his feet. Theo can tell he’s angry now
as well. Theo would feel guilty if he wasn’t so pissed himself. “Do you really think I could do
something like that? I went through all this trouble trying to fucking woo you and your immediate
thought is that it’s a joke?”

A retort is on the tip of Theo’s tongue but he bites it back. He’s too tired to deal with this. So he
just sighs, “What do you want Liam?”

“What do I want?” Liam moves until he’s standing right in front of Theo, no sign of nervousness
or hesitation on him. Though the anger is still there simmering beneath the surface. “I want for you
to be mine. Not just tonight or for some bullshit holiday, but always. I want to know what I have
to do to make you believe me.”

“Kiss me.”

The words leave Theo’s lips before he can stop them. Once they’re out he realizes it might be the
only way. If this were a joke surely Liam wouldn’t go as far as to kiss Theo. If he means it and he
does kiss him Theo will know. At least that’s what he tells himself.
Liam stares at Theo, eyes flicking between Theo’s own as if he’s looking for something. Then
he’s rolling his eyes and stepping forward. He grabs Theo by the back of his neck and yanks him
forward. He doesn’t kiss him, stopping with his lips just a breath away from Theo’s own. All
 Theo would have to do is lean forward and then they’d be kissing. He doesn’t move though, he’s
almost afraid to.

This close he can see the different flecks of blue in Liam’s eyes, he never noticed it before but
now that he has he’s enraptured. At least until a tug on his hair drags him back to reality. Liam has
an amused tilt to his lips, “I never knew getting lost in someone’s eyes was really a thing but
apparently it is.”

Theo scowls, going to move away but Liam grips his hair again, preventing him from moving
away. Theo growls, “Liam.”

“No,” Liam says, shaking his head. “You need to stop. I… god I hadn’t expected this to be so
hard. I put so much thought into this. There was so much planning. I missed so many dinners and
moments with you and yet here you are, doubting me. Granted I probably did bring it on myself. It
just really pisses me off that you could think after everything we’ve been through that I would
purposefully hurt you or mock you like this. I love you for fucks sake! How could you not realize
that?”

Theo feels his breath leave him, not hearing a single lie in Liam’s words. He still can’t help the
barely audible “you love me?” that leaves his lips.
Liam growls using his hold on Theo’s hair to yank him forward and bring their lips together in a
frantic kiss. It’s full of years of pent up desperation and longing and Theo feels dizzy with it. He
can only groan and wrap his arms around Liam’s back in an attempt to pull him closer.

He pulls back when he feels Liam smiling against hips. “Do you believe me now?”

“Yeah I believe you,” Theo smiles, bumping their noses together. “And for the record, I love you
too.”

“Oh good,” Liam says, “It would have been really embarrassing if you didn’t.”

Theo just smiles and pulls Liam in for another kiss, this one much softer. They pull back when
Liam’s phone dings in his pocket. He pulls it out and smiles, showing Theo the text. “It’s from
Mom.”

Sure enough a message from Jenna is clear on the screen, “please tell me you two idiots figured it
out and I don’t have to come back there and literally knock some sense into you. Don’t think I
won’t.”

Liam smiles, tapping out a response to Jenna. He looks up at Theo as he does. “If I don’t answer
her right away you know she really will come back here. And well, I have plans for you that she
really doesn’t want to see.”

Theo feels his stomach swoop in anticipation. He really can’t wait.

End Notes

Thanks for reading! <3

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