One more step. Theo can take one more step. Sure, the pain in his arm is making his head buzz, but what's a few more steps? Just a few more towards his truck. He can even see it from where he is.
So why does he feel like it's getting further and further away from him?
(Oh, you know, just the delirium.)
His arm hurts, his head hurts, his face hurts. Theo's whole body feels sore and untouchable. If he could, he wouldn't even let his clothes touch his skin right now, but he doesn't think he can shift right now (not in this headspace since he prefers to be more level headed).
The chimera snaps his head up from where he was staring at the ground, head feeling so heavy that he didn't lift it.
What in the actual hell was Scott doing here?
Scott was standing in front of Theo's truck in clothes that looked like maybe his pajamas. Like maybe he had just woken up and came straight here. The chimera didn't see his bike anywhere, so the alpha must have walked all the way here (more like ran...).
"Woah, Theo, you're bleeding," Scott says, stepping forward and grabbing both of Theo's forearms.
"Mm-hmm," was all Theo could get past his lips in the state he was in.
The warmth of Scott's fingers on his skin and just knowing his alpha was there soothed Theo. To the point that his legs turned to mush and he slumped forward onto Scott.
"Woah, woah, woah," the alpha panicks, quickly wrapping his arms more securely around the chimera.
It's terrifyingly easy for Scott to keep up Theo's weight, no sign of straining just yet in his posture.
Because they're so close to Theo's truck, it doesn't take long for Scott to gently manhandle Theo into the passenger seat.
It kinda hurts to even talk (he was screaming so much in that basement), but Scott seems to get the message that the truck keys are in his pocket. The alpha reaches into his jean pocket and carefully extracts the object.
Once they're in his palm, Scott grabs the seat belt and crosses it over Theo's body before clicking it into place. His hand lingers on the seat belt for a moment too much.
Theo's eyes are almost closed, so he can only see a sliver of his surroundings. He doesn't really see Scott's face, only his hands. But Scott's hands are hovering over his, as if he's unsure if he can touch him or check over him.
In the time that Theo has been somewhat part of the McCall pack (a few members deem Theo as part of it, like the puppy pack, while others see him as more of an ally. Theo isn't sure which group Scott resides, but it doesn't stop the chimera from referring to Scott as his alpha — only in his mind, though, never out loud), he rarely lets anyone touch him. Liam tends to touch him the most, but it's because they've grown rather close in the past few years.
They're each other's anchors at the end of the day, and with Theo living at the Dunbar-Geyer's house (even when Liam is at college), it feels more and more that they're like family.
Besides Liam, it's so very rare for anyone to touch him.
A huge reason is because Theo isn't used to someone wanting to touch him without hurting him. But another reason is Theo doesn't believe anyone from the McCall pack owes him anything. They don't owe him a touch to take away his pain. They don't owe him a friendly touch, signaling that they care about him. Not after what he did.
Even though Scott must know that Theo is iffy about touch, he grabs his wrist. He feels the pain leak out of him slowly. His mind looses some of the buzzing.
Theo can't help but sigh in relief.
After Scott took some more pain away, he lets go and hurriedly closes the passenger door before sliding into the driver's side after going around.
"I'm going to take you to my house, okay? I know you live with Liam, but I want to make sure you're okay first," the alpha announced as he started driving Theo's truck.
(This is quite the feat for someone else to drive Theo's car. He honestly hates driving, but it's his truck. It's where he used to live and sleep in and try to feel some sort of comfort in. His truck is something irrevocably his own. Letting Scott drive doesn't raise any alarm bells. If anything, Theo sinks into his seat knowing he can trust the alpha to get them somewhere safe.)
All Theo does is hum before closing his eyes.
Gentle hands guided Theo to the living room couch and pushed him down to sit on the comfortable cushions. A lot of Theo felt tired and ready to lay down, but in the back of his mind, he also felt safe. It's similar to how he feels at Liam's house. Knowing there was someone in close vicinity that would protect him and care for him. Not because they had to, but because they actually wanted to.
Scott's house makes him feel the same way.
Theo opened his eyes to see Scott kneeled down in front of him. His eyes look worried, they're darting around his face and the rest of his body; his gaze hardens when he spots the blood-soaked spots of his shirt and jeans.
But, it takes a few minutes for Scott to see the marks around his neck. The chimera had his head so lowered that his neck wasn't really visible, but when Scott delicately lifts his chin with his fingers, he gasps.
Scott doesn't dare try to touch his neck, but his eyes roam all around.
He has to swallow before he answers his alpha. Theo's voice is shaky as he speaks, "They didn't tie the rope correctly. The more I struggled, the looser it got."
The chimera feels weak beneath his alpha's gaze. It's not frequently where Theo gets hurt this badly by hunters, so his pride is in definite need of soothing. Theo tries to be an ally of the McCall pack where Scott can believe that Theo can handle anything. That he is someone to rely on. It's something Theo tries to project because if he can't have Scott the way he wants, he at least wants to be seen as useful.
It's quiet as Theo watches Scott lower his head and breathe in deeply. Anger and guilt swirl around the room with so much pressure that Theo wants to whine, try to get Scott's attention away from whatever thoughts are clouding his brain and causing such strong feelings (Theo doesn't put two and two together to understand that Scott is angry because someone hurt him).
It's something that's been on his mind this whole time. When he first saw Scott, he couldn't believe it. That Scott was right in front of his eyes when he needed him most.
"Instinct, I think. I just felt that I had to be there," Scott answers cryptically. "I'm glad I was. If I wasn't there—"
The alpha doesn't finish his sentence before he cuts himself off. His jaw is clenched tightly, so tightly Theo can see it.
It makes the chimera want to smooth it all way with his fingertips.
Scott physically shakes himself before he relaxes, letting his soft gaze focus once more on Theo. He takes a few more breaths before speaking. "Can I wipe your face? Before you take a shower?"
The chimera bites his lip and stays quiet for a moment. Having Scott's absolute and complete attention on him while he's cleaning his face makes him nervous. It makes him flustered. Scott isn't even touching him, and Theo feels as if he's sweating (maybe that's not just from Scott... and maybe it has to do with how exhausted Theo is but alright...).
His pulse may be fluttering; he can't quite tell because he's just too bone tired to try to keep it under control. Loosing control is something he hates to do, but he'll let it go just for now. Just until he's slightly better when it doesn't feel as if he could sink to the ground.
He's been quiet for too long.
"Sure," Theo manages to croak out. His neck hurts, hurts, hurts.
"Okay," Scott breathes out before quickly getting a washcloth. It's a pretty fuzzy cloth when Scott presses it against his cheek. The material is also damp with warm water, and Theo cannot help but close his eyes again.
Theo feels as if he can trust Scott enough to close his eyes even when sometimes he doesn't sleep for a few days besides a couple hours of sleep because of how paranoid he is.
But with Scott, the chimera knows, absolutely knows, he can relax in his presence.
The alpha moves from his cheek to his chin and then to the other side of his face (at this point, Theo is leaning forward, almost falling against Scott's chest).
The motions are almost soothing even though there's tiny cuts across his face from when Theo was running through the woods. He didn't want to risk using his eyes to alert any hunters his locations. The yellow glow would give him away instantly in the dark forest. Low tree branches smacked him in the face as he ran.
He remembers it stinging a lot, but Theo didn't have the luxury to stop. All he could do, the only choice he had, was to keep running despite the pain.
"All done," Scott murmurs, voice low. "Let's get you to my bed. I need to make some calls to Argent and Stilinski, but you need to shower and then sleep."
Before he knows it, Theo spouts out a question, "You'll sleep with me in your bed, right?"
It's too late to take it back... but Theo, deep down in the cracks of his heart and chest, wouldn't want to. This is something he's been craving for, longing for: Scott.
"Um, I mean — I was going to sleep on the floor," Scott stutters his way through his reply.
Theo shakes his head. "Don't. Please. I'll feel... better with you close."
"Okay, yeah, I can do that," the alpha breathed.
All Theo does is nod once before slowly heading towards the stairs to go take that relaxing shower he knows will do loads to help him feel better.
Before he can get far, Scott calls out to him, voice a little rough, "You'll be safe here, Theo. I'll keep you safe."
"I know," Theo instantly replies.
Because Theo does know Scott can and will be able to keep him safe. In all honesty, Theo has been the one constant person that has kept himself safe, mostly out of harms way (not all the time, but you get the point). He's had to do everything in his power to make sure he makes it day after day.
But, Theo has been trying to learn that he can't do it all alone. There will be people, like Scott, who want to help and who can help him make it through the day.
With Scott, it's not solely the physical attributes of him being a True Alpha that make Theo feel secure, but also his presence.
Pretty much, everything about Scott.
It feels nice to have him close, within arms reach.
