Moe and Eric were fairly unmissable, if the plumes of smoke clouding around them as Moe puffed on a cigarette like a chimney didn't draw your attention then Eric would with the bright multicolored hoodie he was wearing and the way he was sat on the table, feet resting on the seat and tapping out a tune that Moe seemed to be nodding along too quite happily.

The chain smoker was the first to notice them arriving, head snapping up to attention like a particularly excited meerkat.

"Finally" Moe shouted, tossing the cigarette into a nearby drain as it reached the filter. "Thought you'd stood us up."

"You were meant to be meeting us at work shithead." Sara said. Hoping the fence and rushing to meet them at the table. "S'not our fault it took us time to walk." She grabbed Eric, yanking him down off of the table and onto the bench. "show a little respect, shithead."

"Says the woman manhandling me." Eric scoffed scrambling off the bench as Liam and Theo reached the table. Moe sunk into the newly vacated seat throwing Liam a grin. "Theo! Oh, Man, I missed you!" Eric said. Theo's eyebrows twitched in a small furrow.

"You did?" He said.

"Yeah, dude." Eric grinned. Theo's lips curled into a disbelieving smile as he let himself be pulled in for a quick hug. "And Liam! My man!" Liam yelped gracelessly when Eric just shoved Theo away and launched himself into Liam. "It's so good to see you guys."

"Uh, yeah, you too." Liam said, looking at the still smiling Theo over Eric's shoulder.

"Yes, we're all very glad to see each other." Guns groaned. "now can we go order some food I'm freaking starving."

"But I want to hear about Disney-" Eric started.

"Food now. Talking later." Guns ordered.

*

Moe insisted they sit outside so he could smoke, after orders were placed the six of them made their way back to the picnic table outside. Moe tapped a cigarette out of his pack as Guns fiddled with the table's umbrella, cranking it up to block the tepid sun and then reeling it back down again, rinse and repeat.

"So, dude. Disney World, how was-" Eric begun.

"Screw Disney world." Moe snorted. "I want to know how the ball of twine was."

"You told them about that?"

"Oh, we got a three-hour text rant about it." Guns said. "It was great."

"That's what you were doing on your phone? You said you were looking for directions!"

"I was looking for directions out of this relationship." Theo muttered. Liam, unfortunately, was stopped from letting out any cutting retort as their food arrived, successfully silencing the table until everyone had at least half a burger and handful of fries shoved down their throats.

"Speaking of relationships." Guns said, picking up the conversation as if they hadn't been quiet for five minutes thanks to the allure of food. "How is that going?" She gestured with a fry between the two of them. Theo let out a grunt past a mouthful of food that Liam assumed meant 'it's going great, we're very happy together' but could have just easily meant 'I'm choking someone help me'.

"No offense dude, but if you hadn't managed to pull your heads out of your asses and figure out you wanted to bone I definitely wouldn't have come out today." Moe said. "It was like watching two birds doing a mating ritual last time, it's like, we get it, you wanna fuck, now please stop puffing up your feathers long enough to do something about it so we don't have to watch the awkward feather dance."

"Isn't it weird? Like basically living together when you've just started dating?" Sara hummed. "I mean when do you know when a dates over?"

"THANK YOU!" Liam cheered. "See I told you-"

"It's over when it's over." Theo scoffed, grimacing as he swallowed the no doubt too large bite of food. "and it's not like it's any different to before we were...you know-" Theo waved a fry between them like Guns had done. "-just now nosey hermits feel the need to ask personal questions."

"That's what happens when you make friends." Liam said. "They want to know about your life." he pushed his empty plate away from him and rested his elbows on the table.

"Exactly." Eric exclaimed. "So what's been happening in your life, lives, you two-"

"Liam got a tattoo." Guns said.

"You got a tattoo?" Eric asked. "How'd that go?"

"Good?" Liam said uncertainly. "I mean, I like it so-"

"No I mean, how much did you scream?"

"He didn't scream at all actually." Sara said.

"No, just passed out." Guns said with a small snort.

"I think fainted is a better term." Theo hummed thoughtfully.

"For real?" Eric asked with a bright laugh.

"For real." Guns echoed. "It was like Moe when he sees a spider-"

"I've never fainted because of a spider." Moe scoffed.

"Oh no. You just scream, cry and one time actually vomited." Sara listed.

"I was hungover!" Moe hissed. "And spiders are dangerous okay, if you grew up in Australia you'd get it."

"You lived in Australia?" Liam asked curiously.

"Yes." Moe said.

"No." Three voices chorused unanimously.

"I did!"

"Please!" Sara scoffed. "He went there once when he was eight and stayed for three weeks."

"And you count that as living there?" Theo asked, brow pinched in confusion. Liam shared the sentiment.

"Dude that's a vacation." Liam said.

"You can't vacation in hell." Moe said darkly. Theo made a soft unhappy sound like he disagreed.

"Dude-" Eric snorted.

"You don't get it!" Moe hissed. "There were spiders the size of my head. The day I got there a snake was in the toilet. I think I lost twenty pounds just from sweating. You don't get to just visit. You fucking live there and if you're lucky you survive." Sara and the others rolled their eyes as if they'd heard it all a thousand times before. "I'm just saying that you grow up in Australia-"

"Take a fucking day trip." Guns mumbled.

"You learn that spiders are bad news. They can kill you and-"

"You're a werewolf." Theo said. "You can't...You'd heal."

"Not to mention you spend a ton of time in the woods. Where you know, there are spiders." Sara pointed out.

"That's different!" Moe snapped. "That's where they live. I'm fine with them outdoors it's just when they're where I live! Even Vampires wait for a fucking invitation but spiders don't."

"So you're totally fine with them when you're outdoors?" Guns asked.

"Yeah, totally." Moe said.

"So you don't mind about the one crawling up your-" Eric's voice was cut off by a shrill scream as Moe leaped off of the bench, or more, tried to, but only succeeded in throwing himself backwards, body hitting the floor with a loud slap as Eric and the others howled with laughter.

Moe groaned from his place on the floor, feet propped up on the bench like birthing stirrups.

"There was no spider was there?"

"Nope."

"You're all fucking assholes." Moe grumbled, fighting his cigarettes out of his pocket and lighting one. The others turned back to the table as if Moe lying half on the floor half on the bench was completely normal.

"So what'd you get?" Eric asked.

"Oh uh, A plane."

"Oh cool. That because you like to travel?" He pondered.

"Yes." Theo said quickly. Guns and Sara ducked their heads, soft chuckles rising from them. "So what's the plan for the rest of the day?"

"You trying to change the subject?"

"Yes." Theo said bluntly.

"Alright, Well I think mini gol-" Eric started

"No." Theo said, far too quickly. Liam snorted, the memory of a golf ball ricocheting into Scott's face fluttering into his mind.

"I'm definitely voting for golf." Liam grinned.

"You don't get a vote." Theo said.

"Okay?...So no golf." Eric tried, Theo nodded emphatically. "Well, then we've got the cinema, or uh bowling...We could take a day trip to Casa Del Cool have a swim?"

"Laser tag." Moe shouted.

"Okay, so Moe's voting for laser-" Eric started.

"Dibs on Theo and Guns!" He called. Flicking his cigarette out as he finally stood up. "Let's go." The five of them watched as Moe marched off.

"I guess we're playing laser tag." Sara hummed. "That okay with yo-"

"LETS GO!" Moe bellowed tone so alike to Liam's Mom whenever he'd forgotten to do his chores that he was diving off of the bench after him before he could even think about it. Theo, of course, scuttled after him and the others followed Theo.

Eric elbowed his way through the group to stand at Liam's side.

"Should we be insulted he doesn't want us?"

"Guns is better than you-" Sara said, appearing beside them to slap the back of Eric's head. "-And Theo's killed people which gives the impression he'll be beautiful brutal, whereas you-" She ruffled Liam's hair. "-Well, your nicknames Pumpkin, doesn't exactly strike fear into the heart of our enemies."

"What the hell kind of laser tag is it that murder will help him?"

"Sara. Explain the rules." Moe said, slowing his pace enough to rejoin the group.

"Number one, No using kids as shields. It will get all of us thrown out" Sara said. Guns whistled oh so innocently. "Number two no punching."

"You got that Liam?" Theo asked, Liam raised his middle finger silently.

"Three, Limit swearing. Or at least, do it quietly. There are children there."

"Children swear." Theo said.

"Adults like to pretend they've never heard the word butt before though so-" Sara broke off with a 'what you gonna do' expression. "And our final rule, and the most important one. No werewolf powers."

"No scent, no hearing, no speed. We're normal humans when we play." Eric listed.

"We break things otherwise." Guns said helpfully. "but if you ever want to get fucked up we do Werewolf paintball sometimes with the pack and, man, it's freaking awesome! Last time Sara knocked down a tree."

"It was in my way." Sara said bitterly.

"Why does your pack never do anything cool like that?" Theo asked.

"Because we're busy saving lives."

"Lame." Eric and Guns groaned dramatically.

*

It was no more than half an hour later that Liam found himself walking the narrow maze-like passages to the Laser tag arena excitement bubbling through him as he span round corners, bulky gun poised to shoot as he caught sight of his next target. His finger twitched on the trigger, ready to strike only for the action to be halted instantly as a heartbreaking little sniffle filtered through the room.

His gaze locked onto the shaking shoulders of a child, hunched in the center of the small clearing Liam had found himself in flinching every time the lights flashed off.

"Hey," Liam said softly, inching closer. "Are you okay?" The girls head bopped up, wide eyes landing on him as tears spilled freely down her cheeks.

"I don't like it." The girl sniffled. "It's...it's dark and I can't find anyone and-" She broke off with a sob. "-and I'm all alone and-"

"Whoa, hey hey, it's okay." Liam breathed, dropping his gun as he rushed closer, dropping to his knee's in front of her. "you found me right? So you're not alone." He said.

"you'll stay with me?" She whimpered.

"Yeah. Yes, of course! And you know I can see pretty great in the dark so we can find your Mommy, or whoever you're here with too and then you'll have loads of people with you."

"Thanks Liam."

"No problem...Wait, how-"

"Theo sends his regards." The kid said, it was the only warning Liam got before he was flinching back. His chest plate rung out as the child raised her gun in a lightning-fast movement and shot him point blank. Liam blinked dumbly at her, watching the vicious curl of her lip as she smirked. She twirled, hair slapping him in the face before she disappeared and ran off, disappearing amongst the flashing neon lights. Her words echoed in his mind. Even through the slight lisp and the shake of crocodile tears, the message rang loud and clear.

"You fucking asshole!" Liam growled. In the distance, amongst the screams of Eric and Sarah and the ringing as their targets were no doubt hit, he heard the quiet rumble of Theo's laughter.

*

It wasn't that Liam cared that a kid shot him, it was fine. It was just a game, Liam was absolutely fine and not at all annoyed that he'd been screwed over for being an actual decent human being who cared about things like sad children. Even if they did turn out to be evil little shits...But really, he wasn't mad.

Or even slightly upset. It was fine.

But, just because it was fine didn't mean that Theo didn't deserve to be shot mercilessly with a harmless laser beam. He'd cheated, maybe Liam wasn't entirely sure how he cheated because technically there were no rules against tricking one impressionable kid over to the dark side. surely, morally, it was wrong. As such it was Liam's duty to show Theo that tricking a kid into doing his dirty work for him wouldn't stop him from being shot.

So it was only really fair that Liam cheated back once. And really, It's not like following a scent was going to get them kicked out. It wasn't like he was going to use his strength or jump over or through any walls. Theo wouldn't even know that Liam found him the werewolf way rather than the human 'stumble through the dark in the hopes to find something to shoot' way.

It was a perfect crime, only committed to shame the real criminal and completely untraceable. He'd look innocently bemused when he stumbled into Theo and quickly shoot him and-

"Oh come on!" Liam gaped looking down at the kid wrapped in Theo's hoodie gun pointing up at him and a death glare in place. The scuttle of little feet came and Liam turned to see himself surrounded by five children, all guns pointed at him, he flinched as his target rang with the telltale sign of him getting shot.

"Theo says it's not nice to cheat, Pumpkin." The boy in Theo's hoodie said threateningly before all of them scurried away. Liam bit his tongue to keep the loud string of curses from flying out as he turned to stomp back towards his 'base'. It was fine, he was fine. It would go better next time, Liam would just have to take out the kids before he could get to Theo. It would be easy.

*

It was not easy. Nor did it go any better the next round, or the next five.

Liam was fairly sure it wasn't normal to be so terrified of a bunch of children half his age but with Theo, and Guns leading them it seemed they'd turned into a bunch of demons. Each time Liam thought he was getting close to finally tracking one of the teens down a hoard of children would emerge and he'd be left stomping away, his chest plate singing out mockingly.

He only solace was that Eric and Sarah were fairing no better than he was. The kids had split into a tag team. Taking down him, Sarah and Eric while Guns and Theo would mercilessly take down the kids from Liam's team. He'd neither seen nor heard Moe yet but the children in his team sniffling as they spoke about 'the man in the walls' told him that he was probably hiding out somewhere ready to snipe anyone who came past him. The few times Liam had been shot when no one was in sight gave that impression too.

It was safe to say he was getting desperate for some payback. So when Liam stumbled round a corner, ducking away from the searching eyes of the brats that had been screwing with him for the past hour and came face to face with Theo his first thought was finally only to see Theo's gun already on it's journey up, face impassive like he wasn't about to shoot his boyfriend without hesitation.

"Wait!" Liam screamed. Covering his chest plate frantically. His chance couldn't be snuffed out like this, without him even being able to raise his gun. He'd waited too long to finally best Theo for it to be over so quickly."Please?" Liam begged, Theo dropped his gun, only about a centimeter but enough to let Liam know he had a chance to say what he wanted.

Which would have been a nice gesture if Liam had anything to say and hadn't just been trying to stall for time. He knew if he tried to move his hand and take a shot Theo would have killed him five times over before he'd even finished extending his gun arm. He could feel his hands shaking at his sides, nervous energy running through him. He was definitely getting far too into the stupid game.

"What?" Theo prompted, gun inching another millimeter up as he decided Liam had been quiet for too long.

"You haven't kissed me today!" Liam blurted. Theo's eyebrows flew up, the gun dropped another centimeter but his finger lingered on the trigger.

"What?"

"You haven't kissed me today." Liam said more slowly, mind reeling as he tried to figure out a way to make it work, to let Theo let his guard down enough that he could finally shoot the bastard. "Are you upset with me?

"What?" Theo said again, a small laugh bursting from his lips, the gun continued it's journey down to his side, slowly, like a feather caught in a breeze. "No, Liam."

"Then why haven't you kissed me?" The idea was forming.

"I just...haven't? I mean we were driving and then we've been with people so-"

"We're not with anyone right now." Liam said coyly. He was a genius, he had a plan. He was going to out-manipulate the manipulator. Theo's eyes widened, lips parting as the gun dropped another half inch. Eyes tracking Liam as he sauntered closer. Theo's gun finally fell to his side as Liam stopped in front of him a smile that hopefully looked innocent and besotted adorning his face as he waited for Theo to meet his eyes. When he did Liam swayed forwards, tilting his head closer. Theo followed like being drawn by a magnet.

Now he just needed to raise his gu-

Liam hit the floor with a surprised scream that was only partly covered with his target suddenly giving a shrill whistle to say he'd been shot. His head snapped up. Theo stood tall over him, gun poised at his side finger releasing the trigger.

"Goddammit!" Liam hissed as Theo stalked closer, crouching down over Liam, brows furrowed and lips pursed.

"Is it bad that I find it really hot that you just tried to screw me over?" Theo asked.

"Yes. You're a psychopath." Liam grumbled.

"I'm going to destroy you." Theo said calmly. Liam was saved from trying and failing to make a snappy comeback as Theo dipped forwards, pressing a fleeting - if rough - kiss to his lips before quite literally backflipping out of the little clearing.

"I'm breaking up with you." Liam said to the ceiling.

*

Liam stalked back towards his teams base head bowed in defeat anger bubbling as he listened to the laughter of the kids who'd just shot him again running off. He'd been so close to getting Theo. Had been raising the stupid gun when the kids had descended like the demons they were.

"Theo." Liam called.

"Yes." Theo's voice replied, echoing through the maze instantly like he'd just been waiting for Liam to call out to him. "Call your minions off. We only go for each other from now on. No one else is allowed to shoot us."

"How'd one on one go for you last time?"

"Theo." Liam said, growl reverberating in his chest. Theo's laugh echoed back.

"You really think you can beat me?" Liam could practically see the smug asshole smirking.

"Oh I know I can." Liam hissed.

"If we're doing this I'm not holding back. The Hermit rules don't apply."

"You sure about that Dorko?"