— inside jokes

— favorite snacks

— someone waiting for him

— a future

liam gives him all four.

and theo secretly loves when liam drags him into normal teenage things because he never really got to have normal.

haven't seen any of them kissing yet

But what about Liam? Liam knows Theos life hasn't been easy or normal. He needs someone stable, unshakable. He needs a rock, a person to lean on. Liam isn't that. He knows he isn't that. He's messy, emotional, he's not someone you can always rely on all the time.

He comes with outbursts, meltdowns, episodes, medications, emergency therapy sessions. He's so far from what Theo needs it's fucking sad. He feels so much shame when he can't control himself, when Theo has to anchor him. After all he's been through doesn't Theo deserve a break? Doesn't he deserve the safety to fall apart on someone who won't crumble with him? He can't be that. Everyday he hopes Theo won't see it, while simultaneously hoping he will. And that he'll find someone better.

He doesn't see how they hold each other up. He doesn't recognize that for every time Theo picks him up he had picked Theo up. Nights before sitting with him after a nightmare. Not forcing him to talk about it, or move on from it, just being there with him. Calling Theo just to rant about some stupid thing that ticked him off not knowing Theo had been spiraling seconds before he'd called. Being one of the first people in a long time to handle Theo with comfort and care. He's helped Theo in so many ways and he doesn't know it.