YOUTH || Liam Dunbar [1]

TWENTY THREE

"I already feel super sweaty and disgusting," Katherine grumbled as she followed Scott towards the bonfire, her arms folded over her chest.

She didn't have bandages on her stomach anymore, so the newly formed scars were on full display. Whenever anyone asked — it was hard to miss them, seeing as they were large, angry and red and all — she told them it was from a bear attack while she was out hiking a while back.

It was from something that was made out of a bear, so she wasn't technically lying.

"Don't be so dramatic," Scott rolled his eyes, giving her shoulder a gentle punch.

Katherine looked around the mass crowd of students, her eyes focusing on the multiple Beacon Hills Lacrosse team jerseys. "I think you forgot something," she snorted. She tugged gently on the sleeve of his shirt, then pointed to the other players on the team.

Scott grabbed the front of his black button up shirt and looked down. His cheeks puffed slightly, a frown forming on his face. He looked around again, then started walking. Katherine followed him through the crowd towards something — or someone — she couldn't see.

When she did, her eyes widened. "Malia?" She breathed. She picked up her pace so she was slightly in front of Scott, then threw her arms around Malia and hugged her.

"Hey, Kat," Malia beamed, still holding onto the silver flask in her hand.

"Hey!" Scott smiled, finally looking away from a very happy Katherine. "What are you doing here?"

Malia's smiled faded slightly when she saw him, but she answered all the same. "Gettin' drunk!" She shrugged casually. "What are you doin'?" Malia gently grabbed Katherine's hand and encouraged her to dance too, earning a loud laugh and gracefully flailing limbs.

"Trying to make sure no one gets hurt," Scott answered quietly, a small smile tugging at his lips as he watched Katherine trip over her own two feet and fall over, laughing hysterically.

"That sounds fun too," Malia nodded, taking a swig from her flask.

"I don't want to ruin your night or anything," Scott continued. "But we, uh, we kind of can't get drunk." Katherine gently patted Malia's arm comfortingly after she'd sobered up and climbed back onto her feet. She moved back to Scott's side, an easy going and relaxed

"What?" Malia frowned, her dancing slowing down a fraction.

"I think it's got something to do with our healing," Scott shrugged. "But believe me; I've tried. You're not going to feel anythinng."

"Maybe you should tell him that," Malia chuckled, moving herself out of the way so they could see who she was talking about.

Katherine's eyes momentairly found Liam, who was pouring what looked like beer into a bottle of Coke. He then proceeded to drink half of it. "I'll see you later," Katherine grinned.

"I promised Stiles I'd keep an eye on you," Scott groaned, setting his hands down on her shoulders to keep her from moving.

"She'll be safe with me," Malia shrugged, taking yet another swig from her flask. "Besides, we can see her from here."

"And this is why I love Malia," Katherine beamed.

Then she pressed a kiss to Scott's cheek and skipped over her friends.

"You're not going to tell me to slow down?" She heard Liam ask Mason as she neared them.

"Actually, I was going to say keep drinking," Mason shrugged. He waved at Katherine before he kept talking. "I think you should get drunk. And I mean stumbling down, fall on your ass, passed out with your face in the toilet drunk."

Liam let out a small laugh through his nose. "Why?" Katherine moved to the empty space between them and sat down, angling her body so she was leaning against Liam's leg.

"Maybe then when I ask you to tell me what's going on, you'll be too drunk to lie," Mason shrugged, looking somewhat hurt. Liam shared a look with Katherine before looking down at his feet. "I'm not asking because I want to know," Mason continued. "I'm asking because I want to help."

Liam turned his head in the other direction, and Katherine gently patted his knee. They sat in silence for a moment, Liam's attention focused on Scott — who was still talking to Malia — until he let out a sigh.

"I'm going to get another drink," Liam commented as he stood up. He held out his hand to Katherine, who took it. He easily pulled her off the ground, but he kept a tight grip on her hand. "And yeah," he smiled. "I'm gettin' drunk."

"We're gettin' drunk," Katherine corrected him, smiling lightly over at Mason.

She watched as Liam tossed his empty plastic bottle to the ground before moving through the crowd, keeping his grip on Katherine's hand. She sent Scott a quick text to tell him where she was before tucking her phone back in her pocket and continuing to follow Liam through the crowd.

His warm grip on her hand disappeared, and she frowned. Katherine began looking around, doing her best to peak over people's shoulders without unintentionally inviting them to dance with her.

Then something cold was pressed to the back of her neck, and Katherine let out a short yelp. She spun around on the toe of her shoe — one hand cupping the cold spot on her neck — with wide eyes. She was met with Liam staring down at her, lips pulled back into a dorky grin. He handed her a can, then hung an arm around her shoulders.

"It's Pepsi," he snickered, taking a swig from whatever form of alcohol he'd grabbed for himself. "I think Stiles would probably kill us all if you woke up with a hangover tomorrow."

"Very true," Katherine snorted, making a face. She opened the can as they walked, and they quickly reached Mason. After she sent Scott a quick text saying she was back at the bench they'd been at previously, she pocketed her phone.

Katherine climbed onto the bench so her feet were on the seat, her back straight and she was supported by her outstretched arms resting on the table. Liam sat next to her, using her knee as an arm rest for the hand holding his drink. Mason eyed the two of them skeptically, though he didn't say anything.

They laughed, and they bickered, and they drank for what felt like hours. Katherine had gone through three cans of Pepsi, Liam hadn't gotten a third drink — the taste hadn't grown on him yet — and Mason was still on his first drink when they'd all managed to calm their laughter.

"I need to pee," Katherine managed to announce through her giggles.

Liam stood up, grinning widely as well. "I'll go with you," he promised. He took a step forward but stumbled into Katherine, who furrowed her brows and frowned.

She looked over at Scott, who was dealing with a very giggly and stumbling Malia. Katherine returned her attention to Liam, the crease in her brows deepening.

As Scott had said earlier in the evening; were-wolves can't get drunk.

A/N
Oh my god you guys have no idea how sorry I am. It's literally been a month since I last updated.

Feel free to sue me or whatever else (but don't actually because I'm broke).

Hopefully publishing this chapter and the next one will make up for it!

H.