"Take a picture, it'll last longer," Theo teased when he saw how Stiles was staring at him.

Stiles' gaze didn't falter. Instead, he continued to look at the chimera as if he were a complex physics problem, analyzing him in a way that made Theo grow increasingly uncomfortable. He shook his head slightly.

"I️ don't get you," Stiles admitted. "I️ mean, you've managed to take everything I've ever thought about you and prove me wrong."

Theo shrugged.

"I️ guess I️'m just full of surprises," he replied with a smirk, continuing to act coy.

Stiles rolled his eyes, walking closer to Theo.

"I'm serious. Why you?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Theo countered.

He felt like he was going to melt under Stiles' gaze. He found himself feeling physically flushed and emotionally vulnerable. He and Stiles had established their feelings for one another, but that didn't mean that Theo was suddenly ready to fully let him in. He didn't even know if he was capable of letting anyone in.

"When I️ lost control, it was you that brought me back. Of all the people in the world, you're the one that keeps me from falling off the edge. And I️ spent so much time trying to figure out your masterplan: your ulterior motive only to find that you actually care," Stiles explained.

Theo tried to shrug it off, ignoring the tightness in his throat.

"So what if I️ do?" he retorted.

"So then why don't we just..I don't know, do this?" Stiles asked.

"Do what?" Theo utterly softly as Stiles came closer.

Stiles swallowed, clenching his hands into fists and then flexing his fingers as grew more and more nervous about what he was about to say.

"This: us. I️ know it's complicated and the timing is probably all wrong and neither of us ever could have imagined that anything could ever possibly happen between but...at this point why not just make whatever this is official?" he asked.

It felt as if his words were too powerful, immediately sucking all of the air out of the atmosphere around them. Having the "what are we" discussion was terrifying enough, and having it with Theo was even scarier.

Before Theo could even respond, Stiles found himself talking once again.

"You know what? It's stupid. I️-I️ shouldn't've even brought it up I️ don't know what I️ was thinking I️ just-" he began.

"Stiles," Theo cut off, his voice the stillness that made the room stop spinning. But now everything felt like it was almost too still and Stiles could hardly take it.

That was when Theo took Stiles' hand in his, a gesture of comfort: just what needed in that moment.

"It's not stupid," Theo continued, his tone surprisingly sincere.

Stiles nodded, processing.

"So, uh, I️ mean...what do you say?" he asked.

And just like that, Theo went back to being a coy asshole. He shrugged.

"What do I️ say to what?" he asked, playing dumb.

"To what I️ just asked you," Stiles replied annoyed.

Theo smirked.

"Well, I️ don't really know, since technically you haven't asked me anything yet," he said.

Stiles rolled his eyes.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"Completely," Theo replied.

Stiles sighed.

"You're an asshole," he said.

Theo gasped sarcastically and put a hand over his heart.

"Ouch. That's definitely not going to make me want to say yes," he teased.

Stiles grunted.

"Ugh, okay, fine," he caved. He then cleared his throat. "Theo, will you be my boyfriend?"

Theo nodded.

"Yes," he replied before gently kissing Stiles.