airplanes(Thiam)

chapter 15: Ten pin betting

"This was way less gross before I was a werewolf." Liam mumbled, nose wrinkling as he glared at the shoes in front of him.

"Just put them on." Theo snorted, slipping into his own rental shoes without a fuss.

"They smell." Liam said, poking a socked toe against the squishy carpet.

"Do you ever stop complaining?"

"I would if people stopped leaving bodily fluids on things I have to use." Liam said.

"It's just sweat, Liam."

"It's foot sweat." Liam said. "That's the worst kind of sweat." Theo didn't grace that with a reply, just moved to eye the people wandering around the alley's arcade. Liam sighed and shoved his feet into the stupid sweat-scented rental shoes. "I'm going to need to wash my feet in bleach."

"Just drink some instead. Then you won't care about the foot sweat." Theo hummed, eyes shifting to the bowling alley's little restaurant."You want to get something to eat before or after we play?"

"I'd be dead." Liam grumbled.

"Doesn't disprove my point." Theo said hopping off of the stool. Liam moved to tie his laces. "So food or-"

"After, if that's cool. I want to play." Liam said, eyes moving to the lanes behind them, the sound of pins crashing and families laugher echoed throughout the place. It was a sound that somehow, despite his general aversion to bowling, made him smile. It sounded like childhood, like parties and time spent with relatives. Theo grabbed Liam's arm the moment he'd finished tying the laces, yanking him up and towards the lanes. Liam's bowling shoes slid across the carpet easily, leaving Theo dragging him along like a dog on a leash.

"What lane were we on?" Liam asked, finally beginning to move with Theo. Theo's grip let up on his arm. His hands going into his pockets as his eyes scuttled across the numbers above each lane.

"Fifteen." Theo said, turning onto the correct lane. Liam slipped down the small steps behind him, shoes clacking as they met the shiny floors. "Do you want to start or-"

"We need to set it up." Liam said, shoving past Theo and moving to the small console. He began tapping away, adding in Theo as the first bowler. Liam stifled a laugh, apparently not well enough as Theo was suddenly behind him. Peering over his shoulder at the small screen. Liam felt his annoyed huff brushing over the nape of his neck.

"Theodork, really?"

"It's like Theodore but-"

"Yes. I got that. It's not exactly clever." Theo said. "Change it."

"Can't, already saved it." Liam said happily. Theo's hands settled on his waist, spinning him out of the way quickly. By the time Liam turned back Theo's fingers were already moving at the controls. Liam's eyes flickered to the screen above them.

"Don't-"

"Too late." Theo sang. "It's saved now." Liam grit his teeth. Looking up at the scoreboard.

"Are you ever going to let that drop?" Liam groaned.

"Dream on pumpkin." Theo cooed. Liam eyed the scoreboard with a frown. Theodork versus pumpkin. It sounded like a terrible Disney channel original movie. He looked back to Theo who was dropping into a cheap plastic seat, before he could settle properly Liam was hauling him back up.

"It's your go first idiot."

"I know." Theo scoffed, stalking past Liam to the ball dispenser. He grabbed the first one he walked past, a sparkly pink one Liam was sure was meant for children. "So..What are the rules again?" He asked calmly, tossing the ball up and down in one hand like it were a tennis ball.