spamalot } of almost boyfriend times and fatherly approval

[babybeta]

Liam: [ so yeah, study hall had taken on a new meaning for Liam. He wasn't always studying his schoolwork. Nope, he was totally studying the boy who liked to sit across from him and play footsie with him under the table when no one was looking. Who had the same lunch shift with him on Tuesdays and Thursdays and sat next to him and let him steal his pretzels. And who would keep him company on the field while he waited for his dad on his late night that may have spent more time under the bleachers continue to make sure that Liam was 100% gay and no turning back anytime soon. And Tuesday was a trifecta - study hall, lunch, and dad working late. It was going to be a great day, and Liam stood at his locker grinning like an idiot as he sorted his books so that he could grab them ones he needed today quickly between periods]

Landon: [sidles his way over, being the smarmy little jerk he always is and leaning against the lockers next to him] Hi.

Liam: Hi. [bright grin]

Landon: So what are you up to today?

Liam: I have a math test, and I think we're starting Midsummer's Night Dream in English, but otherwise same old same old.

Landon: Midsummer. Fun.

Liam: Dad said I was going to like it. It's one of the good comedies.

Landon: It is. Have you ever seen the movie?

Liam: [shakes his head] Dad says not until after I read it. Otherwise it's cheating.

Landon: [his brow furrows a bit] But Shakespeare is so much easier to understand when you see it.

Liam: I actually understood Romeo and Juliet really well. I think I was one of the few kids who read the actual Shakespearian side of the text and not coping out to read the translated side.

Landon: And your dad is also the English teacher. Some people may think that you were cheating by just being naturally talented.

Liam: [bites his lip a moment, then shrugs] Well, it doesn't come naturally.

Landon: So you do the whole actually working hard thing?

Liam: Yeah. I have to keep my grades up to stay on the team. And when both your dad and aunt, and future uncle all work here... I actually don't really get a chance to slip.

Landon: The illusion is shattered. I don't know if I can adjust to that worldview.

Liam: [he looks down the hall a moment, then leans closer] You um... you probably haven't heard it yet, but Derek isn’t my biological dad. I'm adopted.

Landon: [blinks] Oh. I just figured with ... him being a wolf and you being a wolf.

Liam: [nods] Yeah, no that's kinda one of the reasons he did adopt me. [and the class bell rings] Crap, um, see you at study hall?

Landon: [nods a bit before turning to head on his way] Yeah. See you later.

Liam: [and he will have two periods of work and test and then study hall where he was at the table already with two books on World War I.]

Landon: [will sliiiiiiiide his way in, only this time he has math. bleh, math.]

Liam: [gives him a small smile, then sympathetic chuckle] I'm done with math for the day. Keep your math cooties away from me.

Landon: [looks up at him and rolls his eyes. He then flips the book open and starts to study, but every so often he will nudge it into Liam's arm]

Liam: [and when he does, Liam will whimper and hiss "cooooooties" at him]

Landon: [smirks but will continue to do it repeatedly, because they're silly and adorable that way]

Liam: [after a bit, his mind will revisit that conversation in the hallway] My real parents died. A few years ago. My mom, Fiona, she found me and brought me home. Dad sometimes jokes that mom has a thing for lost puppies.

Landon: [looks up and his eyes soften] I'm sorry.

Liam: [nods] Thanks. That was when I lived in San Francisco. They moved me to Beacon Hills. My little sister Lucy is also adopted from a wolf mom who couldn't keep her.

Landon: So your parents are just opening a home for wayward supernaturals?

Liam: Pretty much. They both come from big families so they probably want one too.

Landon: So you basically have a lot of people around, all the time.

Liam: Yeah. It's kinda overwhelming sometimes, but it's nice having that many people around who care about you, you know? Especially after what happened, I kinda needed that security for a while.

Landon: [nods slowly before shrugging] You don't really get that with my family. I mean, we care about each other, but it's more in terms of ... in some ways mutually assured destruction. In others, safety in numbers.

Liam: [okay, he has to ask] Why does it have to be like that for you?

Landon: Oh, it probably doesn't have to be. But they are the only succubi and incubi I've ever met. And I don't think we're really ... built for love and support.

Liam: Oh.

Landon: [shrugs] I don't know. I just know what I've seen and what I've seen says ... we manipulate and screw our way into getting what we want, and if things go sideways in the process, we bail. I don't want to be like that, but until I turn eighteen, I'm sort of stuck with it.

Liam: [thinks for a moment, and then reaches under the table to hold his hand] You don't have to be that way with me.

Landon: [he looks up at him as he takes his hand, giving it a slight squeeze under the table] Thanks.

Liam: I mean, I prefer not to be manipulated and screwed over for the most part... [small smirk]

Landon: [laughs a bit] I wasn't really planning on it.

Liam: [laughs as well] Good. Then we're on the same page.

Landon: [nods] Yeah, we are.

Liam: [and he's going to go back to work for a bit, but he's going to keep holding Landon's hand. Because yup, he likes that]

Landon: [given it's not the hand he writes with, Landon doesn't mind. He'll stay there with him, letting his thumb stroke gently against the back of his hand]

Liam: [and being the puppy that he is, the affection, even that small, just makes his smile grow as he's reading up on the topic he has to write a paper on]

Landon: [notices that, and there's a bit of a smirk, but he keeps his eyes on his math textbook for now]

Liam: [and yup, they can stay like that until the period bell rings. Liam will close the books, but holds up one] I need to go check this one out before I go.

Landon: [nods, pulling his hand back reluctantly] Okay. I'll see you later?

Liam: Where do you want to meet for lunch?

Landon: The soda machine?

Liam: [nods] I'll see you then.

Landon: [and off he goes, and will meet up with him at lunch later]

Liam: [and he's grabbing his tray and then going to meet him at the machine] So where should we sit?

Landon: [takes a bite of his apple as he scans the room] Back wall? [he points towards the open table there]

Liam: Works for me. [and goes to sit with him] So Dad's got a staff meeting to talk procedure for the PSAT he's monitoring on Saturday. I've got about two hours to kill after school.

Landon: [he can't help but grin a bit at that] Awesome.

Liam: So what do you want to do?

Landon: [there's a look that says there are a lot of things he may want to do, but he isn't sure he should say them. Yet.]

Liam: [no, Liam is learning what that look means and he blushes a bit, looking at his food]

Landon: [and that makes him grin] I may not be very helpful in that department.

Liam: I could ask Dad if we could go to the bowling alley and hang out at the arcade side? I mean, there's no point at sticking around the school for that long.

Landon: [nods] Sure. That sounds like fun.

Jock #1: [walking by with his tray] Oh look, it's little Liam with his new girlfriend.

Landon: [rolls his eyes without skipping a beat] I understand that you personally enjoy losing brain cells, but could you please spare the rest of us? I prefer to keep mine.

Jock #2: Oh isn't that cute. It talks, defending him. What's the matter, Liam? Need your girl to speak for you?

Liam: I can speak fine. Just haven't heard anything worth listening to.

Jock #1: You know, Liam, you're probably not going to want to try out for the team this year. You're so tiny and all... you'll probably just get hurt. [such a veiled threat]

Landon: [yeah, he can see that and there's a protective instinct that flares and his face goes from completely indifferent to something a little colder, a slow smirk crossing his face as he leans forward] You know what I just love about lacrosse? All of that ... physicality. [there's a little extra emphasis on the word that belies the subtext underneath, and the two jocks probably start to feel a bit hotter under the collar] All those big burly men, charging at each other. getting in each others faces ... [with each word he ups the ante, just a little, waiting until he can just about see them squirm before finishing] You sure that's never turned you boys on? Because ... whooo. [makes a show of fanning himself teasingly]

Jock #2: [yeah, totally uncomfortable and taking a step away from his friend] Fucken weirdo.

Jock #1: [may actually be a bit inticed but so not admitting it. Shakes his head] Yeah, whatever.

Landon: [smirks a bit before shaking his head] Get lost. [or he might push #1 a little bit further, but they didn't know that the threat was there]

Jock #2: [sees Jock 1 and pushes him as he glares at the two of them as they head for a table where they start to laugh loudly]

Liam: [has been watching silently] What did you do?

Landon: [watches them go before shaking his head] I got rid of them. [it's not anything he hasn't done before]

Liam: Well, I can see that. [he watches Landon a moment longer, then just nods. He's not going to press it] Thank you.

Landon: [he relaxes a bit when he doesn't press it and nods with a small smile. At least Liam isn't mad, which is why he had been worried about]

Liam: You're a lot better at using words than I am.

Landon: I've had a lot of practice. And violence has never really been my first impulse. [persuasion has always had much better results] You'll get the hang of it eventually. After a while you hear so much bullshit that you almost want to dare them to try something new, just so it'll be less boring.

Liam: It didn't used to be mine either. [he's been working with the guidance counselor on that] But I'm technically a predator so I guess it's easier.

Landon: [nods] It gets easier if you find out where the words come from. Like fag? Originally came in existence to mean a bundle of twigs.

Liam: Seriously?

Landon: Yep. So if anyone ever calls you that, just remember that they're essentially calling you the lamest insult ever, and you're fine.

Liam: [chuckles] Yeah... yeah that's true. It's kinda lame now that you think of it.

Landon: [grins] Words have power, true. But they only have power over you if you let them. I'm not saying it's right for them to say it, and you can't control that, but you can control how you react to them.

Liam: [nods] This is really the first year I've had to deal with it. I can handle the short jokes.... but yeah.

Landon: It's because it's new. Once you get used to it, it'll get easier.

Liam: That's what my uncle says.

Landon: He's gay too?

Liam: [nods] Yeah. He's my mom's brother.

Landon: You're lucky, that you have someone like that. A lot of people don't.

Liam: I know. My folks are very supportive, but I don't know if my Dad would know how to help me with some of this.

Landon: Yeah, my family ... we're all pretty much the same in that we like anything that moves.

Liam: So you have a lot of people you can talk to about it.

Landon: [. . . .] Kind of?

Liam: And that's going back in the talking about your family territory that's not all that comfortable for you.

Landon: [he shrugs] It's kind of hard to explain unless you've met them. And ... I don't mean this in a bad way but I hope you never meet them.

Liam: Yeah, I figured. I just... I want to know you better. Understand you more. You know?

Landon: Yeah, I know. [he wants that too, but he's so used to keeping things to himself]

Liam: [looks at him] You aren't used to that, are you?

Landon: [shakes his head] Not really.

Liam: Well, I'll get used to words, and you can get used to someone caring about you. Deal?

Landon: [glances up at him, watching his face for a moment, before nodding] Yeah. Deal.

Liam: Good. [and he would totally kiss him, but they were in public. VERY public and he's not at that point of comfortable yet]

Landon: [which is fine. He doesn't really need it. The words are enough, because he at least knows that Liam means them]

Liam: [yup. Liam's one downfall - he sucks at lying since he's usually very truthful.]

Landon: [which Landon really appreciates. also he totally knows that he's not going to be able to avoid Liam meeting his family forever but he will at least try for as long as he can]

Liam: [probably better for Landon to meet his family first then. Which is easier since 2 of them work at the school] So what do you have left for today?

Landon: Choir and your dad. [aka English]

Liam: .......... Good luck.

Landon: [he shrugs. it's English. Then there's a beat] ... Is there something I should know?

Liam: [smirks] Did you read your homework last night?

Landon: ... Yeah?

Liam: Read it over again just before class. Then you'll be good. [Derek was totally talking about pop quiz at dinner]

Landon: [he's been in Derek's class at this point long enough to read between the lines. He groans, before nodding his agreement] Fine.

Liam: You didn't hear it from me. [innocent smile]

Landon: Never do.

Liam: [and he smiles and goes back to finishing his lunch]

Landon: [will do the same, but also pull out the book they're reading for English]

Liam: [and once he's done, he may just scootch a bit closer and read as well]

Landon: [you shouldn't do things like that because that makes just Landon want to kiss you, Liam. But he doesn't mind the proximity so he won't say anything.]

Liam: [oh, he totally wants Landon to kiss him. It's not like half the couples in the cafeteria don't do it openly. he's just not really there yet in his personal comfort]

Landon: [he knows that. And he respects that. but he's still very tempted]

Liam: [and of course the bell is eventually going to ring, and Liam sighs] Meet me at the bleachers after school, and I'll tell you if my dad is okay with the arcade idea.

Landon: [nods before getting up to head to the choir room] See you then.

Liam: [and he's going to book it for his father's office first to check and make sure it's okay with those PLEASE DAD DON'T MAKE ME TELL HIM I CAN'T eyes that Derek just gives in, and hands him a twenty and that he will call when he's leaving to pick him up. Which leaves Liam all giddy for the rest of the day because OMG sorta date but not]

Landon: [and he will be waiting out by the bleachers after that pop quiz, leaning back against one of the beams and flipping through the chapters he was supposed to read to make sure he got the answers right]

Liam: [he left his backpack with Derek and is heading over after changing back post gym.] We're golden. Dad even gave me cash for us to get something to eat and a few games.

Landon: [glances up and grins] Sweet.

Liam: Shall we go then?

Landon: [nods] We shall.

Liam: [and he's going to hesitate for a moment, and then he'll hold his hand out. Because he's working up to PDA and hand holding is totally the first step, right?]

Landon: [smirks a bit at that before reaching out and taking his hand firmly] Lead the way.

Liam: [big happy grin and yup, totally going to walk with him the three blocks to the bowling alley] So tell me you've played Fruit Ninja before.

Landon: My partner back in New York used to. Obsessively.

Liam: Well, then I may just have to challenge you to a game. [good luck. werewolf speed makes him the top scorer. Behind Scott. And Isaac. Because they suck, okay?]

Landon: [...] Wait that's a two person thing?

Liam: Yup. They have two screens side by side that you can challenge the other player.

Landon: Huh.

Liam: There's usually a long line to play, though. But we may be able to have an advantage if there's a football game tonight.

Landon: If there is a line, we can play other things while we wait for it to clear out.

Liam: Plus we need to get something to eat. I'm starving.

Landon: Even better.

Liam: They have the best fries here in town.

Landon: Oh really?

Liam: Yup. Even better than the curly fries at the diner.

Landon: That is a high expectation to set.

Liam: They suck at pretty much everything else, but the fries are great. I think they do the chicken fingers and onion rings in the same oil so the flavors mesh.

Landon: So it's just a greasy piece of heaven?

Liam: Totally. [grins]

Liam: Totally. [grins]

Liam: [and look, there they are! And there are seats over by the cafe] I'll get the food. Want something to drink?

Landon: Coke?

Liam: Got it. [and he's going to order the largest order of fries he can and two cokes. it'll cost him half his money, but it's $10 well spent and a few minutes later he's carrying the tray back]

Landon: [is watching someone out the window, and when Liam comes back he looks a little startled] Are these portable?

Liam: Yeah....... why? [confused puppy face]

Landon: I've just been sitting all day. I think I'd rather walk around.

Liam: ... Okay. Let me just go get a Styrofoam thing. [and he's going to wander off if he's not stopped]

Landon: [yeah, he's going to go with them and try and hurry them away from the window but that's not fast enough for ...]

Marcus: DONNY! [and his hands are coming down on his little brother's shoulders] I didn't know you went trolling around here.

Liam: [and yup, from everything that Landon has been hinting at, and how he's been pushing them to leave, he knows this isn't a good thing. But they are right next to each other so it's not like he can't pretend he doesn't know Landon.] Donny? [almost amused]

Landon: [tenses before shoving Marcus off] I'm not trolling.

Marcus: [just grins shamelessly at Liam] Nah, it looks like you already caught something. [he holds out his hand] I'm Marcus, I'm Landon's brother.

Liam: I'm Liam. We go to school together. [he can play it cool.... he hoped. but he did reach to shake Marcus' hand]

Marcus: Ahh, so you have been making friends. Landon's been pretty mum about anything school.

Landon: Because it's none of your business.

Liam: [and this would be why Liam didn't give his last name] We're just hanging out until I get picked up to go home. Parents, you know.

Marcus: [still smiling] Alright, alright. Sounds like fun.

Liam: [looks at Landon] So we were going to head back to school now that we got something to eat, right? [he's getting you out of there and somewhere safe. aka somewhere his dad was]

Landon: [looks up at him gratefully and nods] Yeah. I'll see you later, Marcus.

Marcus: Aww, c'mon. You guys wanna hang out I could give you a ride home, no big deal.

Landon: No. It's fine. [and he's going to head forward and grab Liam's hand to pull him away] Later, Marcus.

Liam: Nice meeting you. [and he will go with Landon easily, not saying anything until they were out of the arcade]

Landon: [isn't going to say anything until they're about halfway back to school before ...] I'm sorry.

Liam: Sorry for what?

Landon: Just ... that.

Liam: For what, your brother being a bit nosy in your life? You haven’t met my family yet.

Landon: For cutting the arcade short?

Liam: We still got the fries, that's all that matters. I'll just text my dad the change of location.

Landon: Okay.

Liam: [and he walks a moment] Are you worried about your family finding out you have friends?

Landon: [a beat] A little.

Liam: ... Do you think they'll hurt me?

Landon: I ... I think they'll use you.

Liam: ..... To get at my grandmother?

Landon: Maybe?

Liam: Wouldn't be the first time.

Landon: Well, I don't want it to be the next time.

Liam: Neither do I. It's kinda put a kink in this.

Landon: And I don't want to do that.

Liam: Neither do I. [he turned to look at him] I like what we have.

Landon: [nods] Me too. I don't want to lose it.

Liam: Good. [and they are back at the bleachers and he's going to text his dad quickly] So do you want to hang out here, or should we go inside?

Landon: [thinks for a moment, before shrugging] Depends. What do you want to do?

Liam: [thinks a moment, then just goes to look over Landon's shoulder to see if they were being followed at all but Marcus]

Landon: [nope, no big brother. Just him and Landon alone at the lacrosse field.]

Liam: [good. Then he's going to head to straddle bleacher and put the fries between them] Hopefully they aren't that cold.

Landon: [shrugs as he goes to straddle as well] I think I can live.

Liam: So I have to ask... what do your powers do? I mean, you have powers, right?

Landon: [nods and he munches a few fries before] I can manipulate someone's hormones. Make them want me.

Liam: Were you doing that to the jocks?

Landon: Sort of, yeah. But I wasn't giving them direction I was just turning them on.

Liam: Well it worked. I think Jerry isn't as straight as he acts. [snorts]

Landon: [laughs] Oh, he's totally in the closet.

Liam: Well, he's going to have to find his own boyfriend then.

Landon: [glances up at him curiously] So does this mean I'm your boyfriend.

Liam: ..... [lipbite] Um... do you want to be?

Landon: [gives a bit of a shrug] I definitely wouldn't be opposed to kissing you all the time.

Liam: So you want to kiss me, but you're shrugging away the idea of being a boyfriend? [eyebrow raised]

Landon: I've never really ... had a boyfriend before?

Liam: Well, neither have I.

Landon: I'm pretty sure kissing is a big part of it though.

Liam: Well yeah. And hand holding. And dates.

Landon: I'm still good with all of these things.

Liam: Then we can figure the rest out together.

Landon: Good.

Liam: [eats a few fries] So you want to kiss me, huh?

Landon: [looks up with a bit of a skeptical look] Given the amount of kissing we've done, I haven't made that abundantly clear?

Liam: I meant right now.

Landon: Pretty much all the time.

Liam: [grins, blushing a bit] Well, yeah. Me too.

Landon: [grins] Well, you are free to do it whenever you want.

Liam: I'm still working on it. [building up the courage]

Landon: Take your time. I'm not going anywhere.

Liam: I wish people weren't so stupid. I mean, you see them basically making out in the cafeteria and no one bats an eye. I sit too close to you and the jocks make a show of it.

Landon: Just because people are stupid doesn't mean it should stop you.

Liam: I know, I know. [nibbles on a fry]

Landon: [nods and reaches for some fries of his own]

Liam: [on impulse, he puts his hand on Landon's to stop him, and then leans in to kiss the other boy]

Landon: [stops when he's stopped and makes a bit of a pleased noise at the kiss, leaning in to kiss her more]

Liam: [yup, so much better than fries is fries flavored Landon kisses. He's going to move the box to the next step and just slide into it's spot so he can be closer]

Landon: [reaches up to pull him in closer, one hand coming to rest against his neck]

Liam: [knees touching, he's stretching up a bit to be a bit longer so Landon isn't stretching over him, knees touching as he puts one hand on Landon's leg, leaning in for more]

Landon: [will take that invitation and push for more, trying to get as close as he can without knocking them both off the bleachers]

Liam: [he's willing to give a bit more, whimpering when he can only straddle the bleacher so far before his legs just won't open any wider, making it harder for him to get closer]

Landon: [breaks the kiss after a moment, before pulling back and glancing around. Then he takes Liam's hand to pull him off the bleachers] Come with me.

Liam: [bites his lip, but nods and gets up to go with him]

Landon [he leads them around to the other side of the bleachers so that they were moving more under it. Once there, he backs Liam up against one of the support pillars and leans in to kiss him again]

Liam: [there's a bit of a squeak at the shock of it, and then his hands slid up around Landon's neck, pulling him closer]

Landon: [leans in closer eagerly, his hands moving to his sides to steady him, and just sinking into the moment]

Liam: [and he is good with this. So good. Completely good and just soaking it all up]

Landon: [yep, so they're going to basically keep doing this until they have a reason to stop.]

Derek: [is going to clear his throat. Boys, you actually managed to be that distracted that he was able to get all the way to where you were]

Landon: [blinks and pulls back and has the decency to look a little sheepish when he sees him] Mr. Hale.

Liam: [blushing furiously, looking at the ground] Hi Dad.

Derek: Landon. [his eyes are trying to be stern, but there is a hint of amusement there as he looks at Liam] If you two are done, it's time to go home, Liam.

Landon: [nods a bit] Yeah. I should ... [points back over his shoulder] I'll see you tomorrow?

Liam: Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow.

Derek: [thinks a moment, putting a hand on Liam's shoulder] Fridays tend to be pizza nights. If you ever feel like joining us, Landon, you're welcome to. [because he would like to know this boy a bit better, after all]

Landon: [looks up and blinks and ...] Uh. Okay. If I can make it, sure.

Liam: [grins a bit because wow, that wasn't something he expected and he nods at Landon]

Derek: Good. We'll see you tomorrow, then. [and he's going to lead Liam away]

Landon: [and he'll just ... turn and head off towards his house]