airplanes(Thiam)

chapter 6: Summer lovin'

"This is a terrible surprise." Liam grumbled. Theo snorted a laugh, nudging Liam into the laundrette.

"It's necessary." Theo said setting down his duffel bag on top of a machine and beginning to toss the clothes from it inside.

"Aren't you meant to split whites and colors?" Liam asked.

"They've been washed together so many times it doesn't matter any more." Theo said. Dropping the blanket into the machine next to the rest.

"But the blanket warrants it's own machine?"

"It's delicate." Theo said stiffly. "And the only one we have, I'm not ruining it." He pulled a packet of detergent out of the duffel.

"Seriously are you Mary poppins? Why do you even-"

"Shut up and strip Liam." Theo snorted, dropping a pod of detergent in with the blanket and shutting the lid.

"Wait what?" Liam asked, Theo set the blanket on a quick wash, waiting for the machine to whir to life before he bothered to look at Liam again.

"You heard. Strip."

"But-"

"Your clothes are filthy." Theo huffed, pulling his own top over his head and dropping it into the machine as if it were totally normal to strip off in a laundrette. Liam blinked at Theo's suddenly exposed skin, mouth going strangely dry as his eyes trailed over tanned skin and rippling muscles, Theo then moved to toe off his shoes. He ducked, yanking his socks off and tossed them in after the t-shirt. Liam had the very weird thought that he'd never seen Theo barefoot before, his eyes settling on Theo's toes, poking out from the edges of his jeans.

"Seriously? You're actually stripping in a-" Liam started.

"Yes, We're actually stripping. I'm not having you stinking out my truck, or my clothes any more than you already have." Theo said. Liam's eyes jumped away from Theo's toes as he heard a zipper tug. Theo yanked his jeans down unceremoniously leaving Liam gaping, when Theo stood calm as anything in a pair of tight boxers.

A wolf whistle sounded, Liam dragged his gaze away from the mostly naked Theo, round to a group of teens sat in the back corner watching Theo with cheers. "Come on, hurry up." Theo said. Liam forced himself to look at Theo's face, not his chest, or thighs, or his bare feet which made him look strangely vulnerable. Bare feet were something you did at home, when you felt safe. Not when you were standing in a random laundrette in the middle of Arizona. Or maybe Liam had more preconceptions about what wearing shoes and socks meant than Theo did.

"I am not stripping." Liam said stiffly. Theo tossed his jeans into the dryer, eyes snapping up to Liam in an annoyed glare.

"Either you do it or I'll pin you down and do it for you." Theo said. Liam laughed, Theo raised an eyebrow.

"You have to be kidding." Liam hissed. Theo moved forwards, hands snatching at Liam's top. "Okay okay!" Liam shrieked, slapping Theo's groping hands away. "Okay! I'll do it stop!" Liam grumbled. Theo stopped, crossing his arms over his chest and staring. "Are you going to stand there and watch me?"

"Yes." Theo said bluntly. Liam shifted, eyes darting around the laundrette, everyone in the place was looking right back at him. Liam felt his cheeks heating up.

"Fuck it." He grumbled, shrugging his top over his head, ignoring the way he could feel the blush beginning to creep down his chest as he tossed it into the open dryer. He hooked his thumbs in the waist of the sweatpants, pulling them down. Theo wolf whistled, loudly. "I hate you." Liam felt ready to combust with the heat flushing over him as people in the corner giggled when he hopped around trying to get the pants over his shoes. He didn't manage to do a very good job, Theo's hand suddenly slamming against his chest sending him toppling back into one of the few seats dotted around the laundrette.