#actually speaking of which while i was watching s2e2 the other day i was thinking like damn | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ellewritesathing · 4 years

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So Close - S.S. XIII

Summary: The universe has a funny way of putting the things you want right in front of you, but just out of reach. Stiles and Y/N have been best friends ever since Scott brought him home, but when Stiles realizes that he might want to be something other than best friends, she leaves to go to some fancy private school up North. Now that she’s back though … maybe he’s got a shot? A Teen Wolf AU in which the reader has always been so close to Stiles and yet so far.

Prologue - S2E1 Part 1 - S2E2 + S2E3 Part 2 - S2E4 + S2E5 + S2E6 Part 3 - S2E7 +S2E8 Part 4 - S2E9 + S2E10 Part 5 - S2E11 + S2E12 Part 6 Part 7 - S3AE1 Part 8 - S3AE2 + S3AE3 Part 9 - S3AE4 Part 10 - S3AE5 + S3AE6 Part 11 - S3AE7 + S3AE8 Part 12 - S3AE9 + S3AE10 + S3AE11 Part 13 - S3AE11 + S3AE12

Word-count: 3.7k+

A/N: I’m starting to feel like three seasons of slow burn is getting a bit much but I’m super excited for you guys to experience the angst that is 3B. For now though, I really hope you guys like how I wrapped up 3A!! Let me know what you think :)

Oh and there’s like one swearword in this part if you guys need a warning

When the alarm woke you up, Stiles had already left. He left a post-it note on your phone with his reason; that he had to go tell Lydia what was going on before school. He found your mom’s keys and left them on the bedside table for you so you could drive yourself to school. How chivalrous.

The rest of the day wasn’t much better. You didn’t have the same classes as your friends, so you only saw them when the lunch bell rang and you found them in the hallway. You were on the phone with Isaac when you did and he was telling you that Blake had taken Chris in the bank vault. You weren’t really focused on what he was saying anymore because you were watching Lydia drag Stiles into the bathroom.

“Allison and I are heading to school now so-”

“Uh, Isaac? Don’t come to school. I’ll grab the others and meet you at Deaton’s. I’ll call you back once we’re on your way.” You hung up before he had the opportunity to argue with you and shoved your phone into your pocket. Something didn’t feel right.

Ignoring the pit in your stomach, you pushed the door open and went inside. It took you a second to find them, and it felt like your heart was being ripped out once you did. They were kissing. In your hurried attempt to leave, you knocked over a trash can. Stumbling out an apology, you rushed out and ignored their calls after you.

“Hey, Y/N! Y/N, will you please slow down?” Stiles caught your wrist and pulled you back. “That wasn’t- it wasn’t what it looked like.”

“So, what, Lydia was just helping you out with your algebra homework?” you asked, shaking your head. “Stiles, it’s not like we’re dating. If you wanna make out with Lydia, that’s your own-”

“I wasn't making out with Lydia.”

“So what were you doing?”

“I was-” Stiles sighed. “Look, she kissed me, okay? I didn't kiss her back.”

“You didn’t exactly pull away either.” You pulled your hand back and got ready to start walking again, but Lydia made you stop. She had that weird look on her face again.

“Has anyone seen Ms. Morrell today?” she asked.

---

You filed away your anger as you, Lydia, and Stiles rushed to Morrell’s office. When Danielle said she didn’t know why Morrell was late, you all agreed that if she wasn’t on time for a session, then she was probably missing. Stiles started digging through her desk for clues.

“Those files are private,” Danielle told him.

“Yeah, she’s kind of right,” Lydia said. She looked uncomfortable, but her discomfort faded as soon as Stiles started handing out files.

You’d been seeing Morrell when you transferred to Beacon Hills, and when Stiles dug out your file, your curiosity got the better of you. You only managed to skim a few phrases - problems expressing your emotions, defensive, in a sense of denial of why you’d been kicked out of Willow Creek - before Stiles and Lydia started talking again. Lydia’s file was full of her tree drawings.

“It’s the same one I always see you drawing in class,” Stiles argued.

“It’s a tree. I like drawing trees,” Lydia said simply.

“No, but it’s the exact same one.” Stiles came closer and you closed your file so you could be more involved. Stiles grabbed Lydia’s notebook and started flipping through the pages - they were all littered with drawings of the exact same tree. It reminded you of when you used to draw the wolves.

“Okay, you can have my session! You’ve got bigger issues,” Danielle said as she gathered her things and headed for the door. You would’ve laughed if the situation hadn’t been so eerie.

Lydia was breathing heavily with tears in her eyes as she stared at the pages in front of her. “What is this?” she choked out.

Stiles flipped the book around slowly. What you all thought had been the top of the tree, from this perspective, was now a dense root system. Like the one in the woods that Cora told you about.

“I know where they are,” he said.

“Well, are you gonna tell us where they are?” Lydia asked.

You and Stiles shared a look before each grabbing one side of her and beginning to walk outside. “It’s the nemeton,” you explained. “That’s where they are.”

You barely made it ten feet before you heard someone yelling for Stiles. This time it was your dad.

“Alright, look, go to Derek, okay?” Stiles told you and Lydia. “He and Peter have been there before. They’ll know where it is.”

“I’m not leaving you with him,” you said. “Lydia, tell them it’s the root cellar, okay?”

Lydia nodded and walked away quickly, which left you and Stiles just enough time to plaster some smiles on your faces and turn to face your dad.

Rafael nodded at you before turning his attention to Stiles. “Did you know your dad’s car is in the school parking lot and has been since last night?”

“No,” Stiles lied. “What does that mean?”

“It means he’s officially missing.” Rafael looked down and sighed. “Can I talk to you in private for a minute?”

“Actually-” you put on the sweetest smile you could muster and reached for Stiles’ hand “-I have this really big geometry test Monday and Stiles said he’d tutor me, so we’re just gonna head out if that’s okay with you.”

“Actually, Y/N, no. No, it’s not,” Rafael said. He sounded like he hadn’t slept in a few days. He looked like it too. “I’m going to talk to Stiles, and you’re going to wait in the hallway until I come out to get you.”

You started protesting but Stiles said it was alright. He shook you off and went to speak to your dad. Alone. In private. You mumbled a good few profanities before slumping down in a chair outside the classroom they were in.

You almost didn’t see Deaton through the haze of annoyance you were in, but you stood up as soon as he opened the classroom door.

“Fine,” Rafael said. “But I don’t want you going home alone. Do you have someone you can stay with tonight? Someone who’s not my daughter.”

“He’s with me,” Deaton said.

---

When you and Stiles got to the animal clinic, pretty much everyone who wasn’t kidnapped or playing secret agent with the Alpha Pack was already there. You sat on one of the countertops and bounced your leg while Stiles spoke.

“It has to be on one of the telluric currents - or maybe even at the axis of two,” he explained. “Or where they all intersect.”

“It’s where Derek took Paige when she was bitten,” you added.

“My dad and Gerard were there once. But Gerard said it was years ago and he couldn’t remember where it was,” Allison said. She ran a hand through her hair. “And my dad obviously isn’t here to tell us now.”

“Yeah, mine either,” Stiles said softly.

“Then how do we find this place?” Isaac asked, always asking the relevant (if un-answerable) questions.

“There might be a way,” Deaton said after a moment. “But it’s dangerous.”

“When is it not?” you asked, pushing yourself off the counter.

“And we’re gonna need Scott.”

“Why?” you asked. “We’ve been trying to find him since he left and he’s not answering any of us.”

“This is important. He’ll be here,” Allison insisted.

“And what if he’s not?” you asked. “Then what? We just let our parents die?”

“Actually, Y/N,” Deaton’s gentle tone and thoughtful expression sliced through your angry exterior. “Now that I think about it, you should work just as well.”

---

Deaton explained what you’d be doing beforehand: you’d be surrogate sacrifices for your parents. If it went right, you would only be dead for a few seconds. By doing so, you’d give power back to the nemeton - which would make it a beacon for the supernatural again - and the darkness around your hearts would follow you for the rest of your lives. And if it went wrong …

As cheery as the explanation left you feeling, your heart somehow managed to drop further when you stared at the ice baths in front of you. You clutched onto the necklace in your hands as you watched Isaac empty out another bag of ice into the tubs.

“Alright,” Deaton said, “What did you bring?”

Stiles brought Noah’s badge. It looked pretty banged up, but Deaton assured him that it would work fine as long as it meant something. Allison brought a ceremonial silver bullet that her dad made.

“Y/N?”

“My mom, uh, got this necklace from my gran when she turned sixteen. Said it was the nicest thing she ever got growing up. She just about cried when I spilled nail polish on it one day when I was little,” you explained quietly. “But, um, looks don’t matter, right?”

“No, they don’t,” Deaton smiled. “Now, the three of you will get in and each of us will hold you down until you’re essentially … well, dead. But it’s not just someone who will hold you under. It needs to be someone who can pull you back. Someone that has a strong connection to you. A kind of emotional tether.”

You and Stiles looked at each other while Deaton was talking, but you looked away quickly. You were still upset with him, and you both had to go under so it wouldn’t matter anyway. You hoped.

“Isaac?” you asked softly. He nodded and put an arm around you. Lydia and Allison were already holding hands in a corner.

“Well, Doc, I guess that means it’s you and me,” Stiles sighed. “And Scott, you know, if he ever shows up.”

Stiles was the first one to stand in front of the tubs, and Allison was the first one to get in. Judging by her reaction, the ice bath was going to be - unsurprisingly - absolutely freezing. You took a breath and then stepped in, slowly descending into the icy water. Your feet were the first to go numb, and then your hands even though they were still above the water. Were you shaking? You couldn’t tell.

You looked over to find Stiles sitting in a pretty similar position to you, except he was staring at you. You couldn’t help but laugh. “What?” you asked when you were done.

“Nothing. You just look …” he didn’t finish.

“Yeah, well, I know this is serious and all but I just-” you looked down. Your anger felt silly now. “Are either of you surprised by just how fucking cold this is?”

“Yes!” Allison laughed. “Like I get that it’s an ice bath but-”

“Are you ready?” Deaton asked. “If we’re doing this, we should really get started.”

The laughter died down and the three of you nodded gravely. You felt Isaac’s hands on your shoulders and took a deep breath. He asked you something, but you didn’t hear it properly. You just nodded. You were ready. You had to be.

The cold was smothering as he held you under and you thrashed to the surface, even though you knew you had to be still. The ice swirled around your head and you watched the last few bubbles of air in your lungs float to the surface. One … Two … Was that three? Should you be counting the groups of bubbles? Did any of it really matter?

You guessed you were a stronger fighter than you thought, because the next thing you knew you were crashing through the surface, gasping for air. Only, you weren’t in Deaton’s clinic anymore. You were in a big, white room with Stiles and Allison. None of you spoke as you got up and out of the water.

You were the first to go to the big tree stump that felt like an eternity away. The nemeton. The eerie silence only added tension to the situation, but none of you were brave enough to break it. Stiles was the first one to reach for the roots, and the sound of you begging for him to stop was deafening. He didn’t answer. Allison reached out next. Now it was your turn.

You kneeled in front of the tree, closed your eyes, and touched one of the roots. Taking deep breaths, you counted how long you could stay still before waking up. You stopped as soon as the silence broke.

Water was running nearby in a steady stream you could hear the birds in the distance. But what really shocked you into opening your eyes wasn’t the feel of the breeze or the smell of the damp leaves, it was the sound of laughter. Children’s laughter.

“Guys,” you heard a little voice whine. “It’s getting dark. How much longer are we gonna be out here?”

The kid in front of you looked about nine years old, definitely not older than ten. He had the same goofy haircut that Scott had at that age. And his ears were also slightly too big for his face. And the same little-

“Well, we would’ve been out of here an hour ago if you knew your lines.” The little girl rolled her eyes. She was in a tiny white, flowered dress. You had the same one when you were little. She was holding hands with another boy, who could barely contain his laughter.

That was you, Scott, and Stiles. Getting married on top of the nemeton.

“Okay, fine! By the power vested in me-”

Everything went black and you clawed at your throat. Air. You needed air. You reached up and pulled yourself to your feet, ignoring the pounding in your head as you gasped for air.

“I know- I know where it is!” You looked around desperately, needing someone to hear you. You were back in Deaton’s clinic. Scott stood up and rushed over. He picked you up, out of the tub, and wrapped you in a towel. “When did you get here?” you asked.

Stiles and Allison were busy telling the others about what they saw and where the nemeton was, but no one was answering. They all looked like they knew something you didn’t.

“What?” Allison asked. “What’s wrong?”

“You guys were out a long time,” Isaac said.

“How long is a long time?” Stiles asked.

“Sixteen hours,” Deaton answered.

“If we’ve been out sixteen hours then-” you looked at Scott desperately. “The full moon rises in like three hours. Scotty, she has to still be alive. She has to.”

“I know, I-” Scott took a breath. “We need a plan.”

---

“No!” Stiles argued. He was mostly dry now but you knew he was still cold in his bones. “Dude, you are not going back with them.”

“I made a deal with Deucalion,” Scott said.

“Does anyone else think that sounds a lot like ‘a deal with the devil’?” Stiles asked.

“What does it matter, anyway?” Isaac asked.

“He doesn’t think we can win without them,” you said. “Right? I mean, they killed our friends but it’s whatever so long as they kill her too, right?”

“Y/N, it’s not like that.” Scott sounded so defeated and you knew you were wrong to snap at him like that. He didn’t like them any more than you did.

“Circumstances like this,” Deaton started wearily, “Sometimes require that you align yourself with people you’d normally consider enemies.”

“So we’re gonna trust him?” Isaac asked. “The guy that calls himself Death, Destroyer of Worlds? We’re gonna trust that guy?”

“I wouldn’t trust him, no,” Deaton answered. “But you could use him to your advantage. Deucalion may be the enemy, but he could also be the bait.”

It was quiet enough for you all to hear the sound of the door creaking in the entryway. You heard one of the twins asking Deaton if they could speak to Lydia.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“I need your help,” he said.

Stiles stuck his head out to glare at him. You felt Isaac squeeze your hand lightly to distract from the overwhelming feeling of jealousy that spiked. “With what?”

“Stopping my brother and Kali from killing Derek.”

---

The plan that formed after that was arguably not your best plan, but it was the plan you were going with nonetheless. Lydia and Ethan went to the loft (Hale Duty); Allison, Isaac, and Scott went to her apartment (Weapons and Cavalry Duty); and you and Stiles went to find your parents (Rescue Duty).

“Will you cut that out?” Stiles asked, annoyance in his voice.

“Stop what?” you asked, still sounding annoyed.

“Bouncing your leg like that and ripping apart my seatbelt,” Stiles answered. “I get you’re mad at me for the Lydia thing but-”

“You think this about you and Lydia?” you asked and rolled your eyes. “Stiles, we are driving through one of the biggest wind storms I have ever seen to save our parents from getting ritually sacrificed. Sorry that I’m a little jumpy.”

Stiles sighed and slowed down slightly. “I’m sorry, alright?” You didn’t answer. “I didn’t know she was going to kiss me. You’ve gotta believe that I- that I wouldn’t-”

“Tree branch!” you yelled. In the time it took Stiles to look back to the road and swerve, you’d already been hit. And when he swerved, he lost traction underneath and the Jeep crashed into the tree in front.

You recovered quicker than he did, but you could feel the blood running down your forehead. As long as you could still move, you didn’t really care about the other injuries you might have. “Stiles?” No answer. You struggled to unbuckle and moved his head off the steering wheel, laying him back in his seat. “Stiles, I need you to wake up.”

You got out of the car and rushed to his side when he didn’t respond. You threw open the door and laid the seat down. “Stiles, can you hear me?” Nothing. You cursed and climbed on top of him, checking to see that his throat was clear. Time for CPR, you guessed. You didn’t know what else to do.

“Okay, listen to me, you little-” you bent down to give him air “-I don’t care that you made out with my best friend. I just-” air “-Need you to wake up. Okay?” Air. “I can’t lose you. Stiles, I- I love you-” air “-and if you die, I’m gonna kick your ass. Alright?” Air. It wasn’t working. “Come on, Stiles, please. I need you to-”

“Ow,” he groaned. “What the hell are you doing on top-”

“Oh, my god. There’s no time!” You pulled him up so he was sitting. You were still in his lap. “Can you see? How many fingers am I holding up?”

“Uh, three?”

You looked at your two fingers that were up in a peace sign and sucked in a breath. “Good enough. We need to go.”

The two of you started stumbling, rather messily, to where you thought the nemeton stood. Stiles made you stop to get his bat out of the car and you grabbed your baton from your bag. The ground was collapsing around the nemeton, and it took you guys a minute to find your way inside. Isaac was struggling under the weight of it all. Stiles shoved the bat into the space to give some support, and you did the same with your nightstick.

“I always said aluminum was better than wood,” Noah said. Stiles pulled him into a hug, but their celebration was short-lived. The rubble was quickly filling what was left of the cellar around you.

Melissa pulled you close before you had the opportunity to say anything, and you felt the tears fall on your cheeks. Your mom was whispering all these things about how you were together now and that everything would be okay, but you weren’t listening.

“We need to get out of here,” you said. “Isaac, can you-”

“The eclipse’s started,” he said. “I can’t do anything.”

Turns out, he didn’t need to. In a few seconds, the wind slowed to a stop. The rubble wasn’t encroaching your space.

“Is it over?” Allison asked.

You all slowly took your hands off what was left of the roof, and Stiles reached for the phone in his pocket. “Scott? Yeah, we’re okay. We’re all okay.” He smiled at you, and for the first time all day, you smiled back. “How about you, you okay?” He paused, listening for an answer. “You think you can come get us? Oh, and, uh, bring a ladder. Please.”

---

“Listen, uh-” you looked up to find to Cora standing in front of you. Even though the world as you knew it had pretty much changed forever last night, Cora coming into the library to find you was the most surprising thing today. “Derek says you and Stiles are the only reasons I’m still alive and, um, I don’t know how much of a help he was so I, uh, just wanted to say thank you.”

You moved your bag over so she could sit. “Well, I mean I was the one that technically saved your life. He just kept us from being mauled by the twins so …”

Cora gave you a small smile and sat down. “I’m not really good at this,” she confessed. “Making friends, I mean. But you seem like a good first time.”

You were going to make a joke about promising to be gentle, but you didn’t think she’d find it funny so you kept quiet.

“I know this is sudden but Derek and Peter are going away for a little while.” She looked down. “I was wondering if I could stay with you until they get back. I- I can stay on my own, if it’s a problem, but I didn’t really want to be alone again.”

“It’s not a problem,” you promised. “But we are going to have to ask my mom.” Cora nodded. “And she’s going to make you go to school.” She paled. “But I’ll help you! Seriously, anything you have a problem with.”

“I guess-” she took a deep breath. “That’s a part of being normal. And the only reason I’m not going with them is that I want to be normal so … when can we talk to your mom?”

Part 14

#stiles stilinski #stiles stilinksi x reader #stiles slow burn #stiles stilinksi imagine #mccall!reader #so close #teen wolf #teen wolf au #teen wolf rewrite

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shutterbug-12 · 5 years

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Succession S2E2 Thoughts

Overall:

Much better than the terrible agony that was the first episode.

I still want to wrap Kendall up in a hug and transmit some life into him by osmosis. Shiv...I’m sorry, but I know a lot of you really love her, but I...really don’t. I have some sympathy for her, because she is the person made by a very hostile father and a very hostile world. And there is an element of me being biased towards Tom (although I will admit--will list--all his horrible qualities; I’m just glad he has a decent handful of redeeming ones), but Shiv is a pretty cold person (and yes, I would say that about Logan as well, and Roman--them especially--so I’m not calling her cold simply because she is a strategic, smart woman. But I feel like she has the capacity to be a decent person, with a decent heart, but she will never allow herself to be that kind of person. And that’s the tragedy of her for me.

Her and Tom’s relationship is, in my view, incredibly unhealthy and fucked up. It’s a one-way street, and they could really be so much better, but...I don’t think they ever will be, unless Tom somehow...takes over, but *snort*. Talk about a clown running the circus. Whew. But yeah, as long as Shiv has so much power skewed in her direction and she doesn’t hesitate to use it and hold it over him, theirs will not be a relationship composed of equals, but Tom will continue to think, in his demented brain, that somehow they mostly are? King and Queen? No, no, Tom. Nice try. But you’re not on that level. It’s true that I see very small, slivers of moments when they need each other, but I...have seen...honestly, I can’t remember seeing one moment where it was clear that Shiv really loved him, just that she needed him. And those are very different things, at least for me. My dream scenario is that Tom can work up the nerve to leave her and be with someone who actually deserves him, but...that’s a different show, certainly not this one. So I suppose I’ll have to sit back and watch this trainwreck.

Actually, I find it interesting to see the relationship between Logan and Kendall, and Shiv and Tom. They are very parallel in some big ways. Logan and Shiv are both very dominant, both dictate the terms of the relationship, both steer it, manipulate the other person at will, are both strong-willed and strategic but can be cruel, and both place their own interests above everyone else’s. They’re the controllers. Kendall and Tom, at least in this season so far (Tom has always been), are the submissive ones, the yes-men, acting at the behest of their counterparts, both very insecure about their relationships with those counterparts, although, granted, Kendall has passed over into dead-eye territory, where Tom has some life left. I can see how being in their position might be at times comforting, not having pressure on them, kind of enjoying the freedom that being submissive and simply obeying offers. And, really, in the dynamics of both relationships, I really feel for Tom and Kendall. Shiv is, of all the children, most like her father, and was from the beginning, but I think she’s leaning more and more that way, which...is a bad way to lean if you want to cling to some part of your soul. So I...am a bit worried about both Kendall and Tom, but I know something’s going to give at some point. In some way. So I’m...interested.

One last thing: what made this episode so much better than the first one, for me, is the attention paid to the absurdity of the characters and their lives. That is the glory of the show for me. When it tries to get me to truly sympathize too hard with characters who, by and large, are not very sympathetic, I...am very turned off. Because we’re talking about uber-rich douche-bags who only care about themselves and their power. The only sympathetic characters (and even the moments when sympathetic characters have sympathetic moments and aspects) are ones who show motivations other than power grabs and greed. BUT, when the show highlights the absurd nature of...this entire palace drama? It’s at its height. Its at its best. This episode had a ton of that, and I was very grateful for it. The Vaulter dude was always a great vehicle to highlight some absurdity, and he came through here. Greg, of course, highlights the absurd aspects of Tom and the Roys in general. Connor himself. Amazing. The absurdity bouncing around in this episode made it so, so much better than the first one.

Overall, B+ episode.

As I watched:

Oh, yay, the theme park! Been looking forward to seeing these parts.

Beavis and Crackhead. Nice.

Aww, MM, you’re getting gray and it’s so...weirdly cute. Damn it. Also I can watch you try to get popcorn out from between your teeth with your tongue all. day. long.

Hmm, Logan listening to Shiv. Roman sees what’s happening. He’s not as stupid as he seems. Which we knew, but it’s nice to see.

Mondale! And the Mondale voice is back! Tom & Mondale might be my favorite friendship on the show.

The amount of time Shiv spends looking at her phone instead of talking to and listening to her husband is...pretty fucking sad. She LITERALLY walks away from him when he’s talking. Cool.

“It’s not really a thing.” UM. WUT. No it’s a huge thing. One partner wanting to fuck other people, while the other one clearly doesn’t really want to is...a huge thing. And not talking about it is going to make everything worse, but sure, okay, continue thinking it’s not really a thing.

Oh god, it’s kind of painful, how hard he’s trying to...rationalize that he’s okay with everything about their relationship. And trying to like...show he’s ready all the time, always down to fuck, just in case she was wondering. Heh. You can see the insecurity just coming off him in waves.

Ha. I’m sorry, writers, but...an American wouldn’t say “cheeky” like that. Someone needs to check the British-isms. But it’s nice to see even a show like this mess up. ;)

I mean, yes, this is a drool-worthy penthouse, but settle down Tom, or I’m worried you’re literally going to start fucking the sofa.

One of these days, Tom is going to actually...not roll over like a submissive dog. Maybe.

*sings* Tom and Greg, together again, wheee! Tom and his punching bag. Tom, you better watch out, because at some point the bag is going to punch back.

Um. Tom. I’d go easy on the creepy sexual metaphors. You can’t quite speak with the...disgustingness of Roman. Please stop trying.

LOL Name me one principle. Although, god, this is the ugliest side of Tom. How willing he is to compromise himself for advancement. He’s honestly...kind of a whore sometimes. And it’s his least appealing aspect of his character (his most appealing, of course, being his handsome, handsome cute face).

By the way, non-Americans, real Americans don’t throw around this many “fucks.” And we don’t constantly speak in sexual metaphors. Granted, I’ve never been among these kinds of...terrible people, but still.

OMG, her name is actually CYD PEACH?! Wow. No wonder you’re a badass bitch. With a name like that, who wouldn’t be?

I kind of like this news lady, talking to Tom like the moronic asshole he is. Her sarcasm is just oozing out of her and I love it. This was such a great scene.

Rough first day, Tom. But, hot damn, is he actually motivated to do...real work? Color me interested to see how this goes.

Gerry, you’re amazing. You might be one of my favorite characters.

IPAs that looks like run-off at the car wash. Ahahahahahha. Great line.

OF COURSE CONNOR HAS AN EMAIL BULLETIN. Actually, Connor might be one of my favorites, too. He represents the most what I like about the show. The absurdity of it. It’s when the show strays too far away from pointing out absurdity that it gets...not nearly as enjoyable.

Another great example of the absurdity: The conversation between Roman and Connor about the president.

Ha, yes, Roman invited you to dinner because he’s learning your game, Shiv. He’s learning, against all odds, how to

You did a thing. Mazel Tov. Another great scene with Roman and Tabitha.

Oh, Tom, baby, you’re so nervous to...talk to your wife. Heh. That’s kind of sad. And ahahahhaah, you still think you’ve even in the uh, line of succession (too on point?) for CEO. Oh, Tom. You idiot. And, Shiv, you are...you don’t think Tom should get the big job, please. Come on. I wish she’d...be truthful about how much she wants it, at least with Tom, JFC. But honestly isn’t really in her vocabulary, so... ALSO, RAWR. Let me say how SHOCKED I AM that Shiv gets turned on when she thinks about herself being powerful. She gets off when she literally has Tom by the balls. Shocker. Shocker.

AHAHAHAH, GREG’S APARTMENT SHOPPING. YES. LOL. THIS IS GREAT. Greg is the best. AWW, DID KENDALL JUST GIVE GREG AN APARTMENT? AWWWW, KENDALL! Aww, that awkward hug was probably the most physical affection Kendall’s had in...a long time. LOL. OMG KENDALL WANTS TO BE BUDDIES WITH GREG. YES.

Oh boy. The most awkward dinner in history. Tabitha is so chill. OH NO, TOM AND TABITHA ALONE IN A ROOM. YOU SHOULD TRY SWALLOWING SOMETHING. OMG JKFDL;AJFKLAFJKSA;KJFDL. AHAHAHAHA. YEEEESSSSS. I like when the relatively powerless characters make a cutting power move.

NOTHING IS WRONG WITH HIS BODY. DON’T YOU, EVEN.

Okay, seriously, y’all stop making fun of Tom so hard. Jfc. My heart is going out to him here, honestly. Tom can be a dick sometimes, but this is cruel stuff.

OMG OMG OMIG OGMD OSALJFSAL;FJSK TOM I’M SO PROUD OF YOU. I’M SO, SO PROUD OF YOU. FOR TELLING SHIV TO FUCK OFF. YES. I’M SO DAMN PROUD OF YOU. DKFLS;FJDKSAOMGGGGGGG. It’s nice to see the tiniest hint of backbone.

Oof, this is what Tom and Shiv call “talking”? Meh, yeah, Shiv, you need him. You need a stable presence. You need a loyal sounding board. You need a yes man. Their relationship is so fucked up. Yiiiiiikes. They’re pretty much the WORST at open, real communication.

Oh, boy, oh, boy. Poor Greg. Kendall, you dick. Making this your drug party. Ugh. I’m so fucking disappointed in you. (I’m still pulling for you, though.)

Guh, yeah, the scene in the car with Shiv and Gil...these kinds of scenes really show Shiv’s ugly side. (And Gil’s for that matter.) People needing the upper hand. People shitting all over each other. People needing to be right.

Logaaaaaan, you’re such a dickheeeaaaad. A manipulative, awful dickheeeaaaad. Although, what a great line: make yourself at home. In...daddy’s office.

Jesus, Kendall, you need a real car, man.

AAAAH, IT LOOKS LIKE THE HUNTING EPISODE IS NEXT. AWESOME.

#succession #succession hbo #tom wambsgans #greg hirsch #shiv roy #roman roy #kendall roy #logan roy

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ellewritesathing · 5 years

Text

So Close - S.S II

Prologue - S2E1

Part 1 - S2E2 + S2E3

Part 2 - S2E4 + S2E5 + S2E6

Wordcount: 4k+

A/N: I’m trying to flesh out my writing a bit more and try a new style in this one. Let me know what you think :) Feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome. Hope you guys like it!

In the past two days, you’d done the most physical activity in months. Any spare time was spent either training with Derek and the others or practicing what you’d learned in your bedroom. It was no surprise that by now you’d burnt out and were curled up in your bed with a heat pack and half a pint of ice cream. What was a surprise, however, was Scott calling you. You frowned and answered the call.

“Something happened to Stiles,” he rushed out before you could say anything. “I’m driving past the house now, do you want me to pick you up?”

“Yeah, definitely,” you told him, pushing yourself up and shutting down your pity party. Your heart was racing. “What happened to him?”

“I’ll tell you in the car,” he sighed and hung up, which only made you more anxious. When he picked you up, after the momentary surprise of seeing you in your pajamas, he told you that Stiles was getting the Jeep fixed when something killed the mechanic. He promised you that Stiles was fine but needed a ride home.

You were quiet on the drive there, twisting and folding your seatbelt over itself mindlessly. You stopped as soon as Scott pulled into the parking lot and you saw the flashing lights, and you dashed out to find Stiles as soon as the car had stopped moving. He was sitting in the back of an ambulance with his dad when you interrupted their conversation by wrapping your arms around him, your momentum knocking the two of you onto the floor of the ambulance.

“Ouch,” Stiles whined. “I think you did more damage than what happened in there.” You were apologizing and laughing slightly, but then you realized how close the two of you were and pushed yourself up to standing. You coughed slightly, trying to hide the embarrassment that came over you.

“But you’re okay?” you asked hesitantly, helping him back up.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he exhaled, pulling himself straight. “Really. So the both of you can calm down now.”

You looked over at Noah and smiled awkwardly. He was giving you that knowing, cheesy smile he always did when you and Stiles did something stupid. “Hey, Noah,” you said, brushing some hair behind your ear.

“Hi, Y/N,” he smiled. “Didn’t know you were back in town.”

“Yeah, I’ve been getting a lot of that lately,” you chuckled, folding your arms around yourself. The conversation died out and you didn’t know where to go from there.

“Well, I’m gonna go talk to Scott,” Stiles drawled out, pushing himself to his feet and sliding past you. “You guys catch up. I’m just gonna-” he made some hand motion while walking away without ending his sentence.

“So, uh,” you took a breath. “Come here often?”

---

You barely saw Scott or Stiles the next day; they weren’t just keeping secrets anymore, but now they were avoiding you. Isaac had said it was because something attacked Stiles and the mechanic, something not entirely human. He didn’t explain any more than that. When lunch rolled around, you’d given up on seeing either of your idiots, opting to sit outside in the sun instead of tracking them down or spending another lunch with Lydia. She was sweet but just not what you needed right now.

When Stiles raced down the stairs to Allison, almost tripping over your bag in the process, you had to blink a few times to make sure you were seeing things clearly. You were, and you watched him exchange some words with her, take a deep breath, and come running back in the direction that he came from. You waved, hoping he’d stop and say something, but he gave you a half-hearted wave and dashed past.

The process repeated itself a few times, each time had Stiles looking more and more haggard, until eventually you stood and blocked his path, holding your arms out to steady him. “Hey, slow down,” you cautioned teasingly. “What’s up with you? You avoiding me now?”

Stiles shook his head, breathing deep. “I’m just …” he waved his hand towards Allison and the inside of the building. “Scott and Allison …” he took a deep breath, hunching over now. “God, I hate running. You got any water?”

You rolled your eyes and bent down to grab your bottle from your bag. “You’re on the lacrosse team,” you started, handing him the water as you stood up, “Isn’t it kind of your job to run?”

He pulled a face while drinking. “I never said I was any good at it,” he said defensively.

“Weird, but okay,” you sighed. “But seriously, Stilinski, will you talk to me? What’s going on with everyone? Are you even okay after last night?”

“Look, Y/N,” Stiles said and handed you your now-empty water bottle. “There’s so much I wanna tell you that I can’t get into right now because I’ve really gotta do this for Scott but … I’m fine, okay? Promise.”

You folded your arms over your chest and looked at him. He was about to ramble about something else when you mustered up a smile for him. “Okay. Whatever you say, Stiles.”

He tapped your shoulder and moved past you so that he could carry on being the messenger for Scott and Allison. You shook your head as you watched him argue with her over something. You bit your lip and pulled out your phone, greeted by a new message from Isaac.

‘So is school as horrible as you thought it’d be?’

You smiled slightly before typing your response, not noticing the look Stiles gave you as he ran past.

‘Pretty much. Don’t suppose I could convince you and Erica to join me in a little prison break?’

---

You blamed the pain your muscles were in for your sloppy performance at training, but you knew it was something else. “You’re letting your anger get in the way,” Derek pointed out while he dodged another one of your clumsy punches. “Focus. Straighten your wrist.” Another dodge. You weren’t listening. “You’re going to snap your wrist … that is if you ever actually land a hit.”

That made you listen. You did as he suggested, but your odds didn’t improve much. Eventually, Derek grabbed your forearm when you jabbed and pulled you forward. You fell to the ground and cried out softly. It hurt.

“Use your opponent’s momentum against them,” he explained, not moving to help you up. “You need to fight smarter to survive, not harder.”

“Fight smarter,” you mumbled, rolling your eyes. You rolled over and kicked at his shin, but clearly your threat was more an annoyance than anything because he laughed.

“Nice try though.” You mimicked him again but this time it was significantly less funny and his eyes flashed red in retaliation. You watched him skulk away before sitting up to get a better look at your hands. They were pretty scratched up but you weren’t injured at least.

“So are you gonna talk about it or should I get in guard?” Isaac asked as he knelt down beside you. You smiled slightly but didn’t speak as you let him take your hands in his to assess the damage.

“It’s just Scott and Stiles,” you confessed, shaking your head. “They don’t trust me. And I get that I left but it never used to be like this. Those dummies told me whatever thought popped into their heads, the moment they thought of it. And now … now it’s like they don’t even know how to ask me how I’m doing.”

“You’ve just gotta give them some more time,” Isaac said gently. “They’re trying to protect from this the best they can, but they don’t know how.”

“Mm, and you do?” you teased. It made him blush and that made you laugh softly.

“Maybe,” he smiled and leaned in slightly to move some hair out of your face. But his hand stayed by your cheek even after he was done. It made your heart race, and you knew that you should say something before anything else happened, but it was nice to be a semi-normal girl again. Kissing your childhood best friend-turned werewolf was normal, right?

After a few seconds of mental freaking out, you pulled away. The kiss was cloying and sweet, but you knew you were playing with fire here. “I have to go,” you rushed out. Isaac immediately took his hand off your face and held it by his side. Your heart panged with guilt.

“Uh, yeah, you’re right,” he exhaled shakily, looking down. “I’m sorry.”

“No, no, no,” you stammered. “Not because of- because of that.” You took a breath and stood to gather your things. “Scott’s got a lacrosse game and my mom thinks I’m waiting at the house. I’ve gotta shower and change before we go and-” you stopped and looked at him as he stood up, hand nervously raising to the back of his neck. “I’ll call you?”

Isaac offered you one last smile before replying, “Sure. Have fun at the game.”

---

The lacrosse game was almost exactly how you thought it would be: pretty boring. Except Scott was pretty good at it, which shouldn’t have surprised you given his new-found talents, but still. Melissa tried to explain the game as best she could, but she was distracted by the other team constantly pummelling Scott.

The two of you watched as one of the Beacon Hills players was hauled off the field on a gurney. You were about to say something about how Scott’s been playing for a while and there’s no way he’d get that hurt, when a guy strode up by the bleachers and took a few shots on his camera.

“He belong to you?” he asked your mom, vaguely signaling to the injured player. Matt, you thought his name was.

“No, no,” she sighed in relief. “Mine’s still on the field. While I’m here, really wishing he’d stuck with tennis.” Her voice pitched higher at the end as another collision happened on the field.

Matt chuckled in response and snapped a few more photos, looking down to assess his work.

“So are you the yearbook photographer?” you asked. “I’ve always wanted to get into photography but I missed the club deadline.”

“No, I just take pictures of anything that catches my eye,” he answered offhandedly, zooming in on one of the photos he’d taken. It looked like Allison from where you sat.

“Right,” you drew the word out. You shuddered slightly as he left.

“He seems nice,” Melissa smiled and nudged you. “Maybe you should hang out with him sometime.”

“Yeah, sometime,” you lied. You stopped dwelling on your white lie when you saw Boyd had joined the team. You grinned and cheered him on, even if you could feel Erica’s anger radiating through the stands. Not too long after this, Scott got hit by the other team’s player. You flinched as he fell to the ground, but you knew he’d be fine in a few minutes. Melissa didn’t share your confidence though, and you raced after her as she ran onto the field.

“Scott-” your mom started, moving forward to help Allison support him.

“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Scott breathed, trying to keep his distance from everyone. “I’m fine, I’m fine.”

“I could have sworn I literally heard bone breaking from where I sat,” Melissa argued in disbelief.

“Heard it? I felt it,” Coach corrected.

“That might’ve been me,” you interjected. “I kind of jumped when it happened and kicked the stand. It made a pretty big noise.”

Scott gave you a quizzical look but kept talking. “Seriously, guys, I’m fine,” he promised. He set his injured leg down slowly and put some of his weight on it. “See? I’m all good.”

“Well, alright,” Melissa said hesitantly. “If you’re sure …”

“I’m sure,” Scott smiled at her. He looked over at you again like he was going to ask to talk to you, but Allison’s grandfather swooped in before he got the chance. You’d never been so thankful for anyone in Allison’s family.

---

You were asleep by the time Scott got home after dinner with the Argents, and you didn’t speak to him the next morning. You let your mind drift as you packed and unpacked things into your locker. When you closed your locker and saw Erica standing there, you jumped right out of your peaceful oblivious state. “Jesus, Erica,” you exclaimed. “Any particular reason you’re trying to give me a heart attack or were you just bored?”

“Easy, Y/N,” she laughed. “I’m here because I’m trying to give you good news, so if you could maybe chill out-”

“Yeah, okay,” you rolled your eyes. “I’m nothing but expectation, babe. What’s up?” She faltered slightly when you teased her, and it made you laugh. She motioned for you to turn around, and when you did you found Isaac waiting with a smile on his face. You grinned and pulled him into a hug. “They cleared you? You’re officially innocent?”

“Officially no longer a person of interest,” Erica corrected, clearly recovered from her momentary shock. “Innocent’s a bit of a stretch.” You laughed at her joke but Isaac rolled his eyes. They explained to you that they still had to keep a low-profile with you and that they had a test to figure out if Lydia was the kanima. If she was, they’d need your help to help her.

“Go easy on him, okay?” you asked when they were done. Reluctantly, they agreed to play nice and left before the bell rang.

---

“Isaac, you’re sure that it’s her?” you questioned, closing the door of your room and heading to the window. Apparently, the kanima test was the first test she’d failed (or the millionth she’d passed, depending on how you wanted to look at it).

“Yeah, we’re sure,” Isaac answered. “Just leave your window open for me and I’ll handle the rest.”

“Saving her is still the plan, right?”

He sighed. “Yeah, definitely.”

“Then just be careful,” you told him. You slid open the window and looked around. Whether you liked it or not, your whole world was about to change again. You shook your head and went back downstairs, stopping by the kitchen to grab the drinks you’d promised Allison and Stiles. When you got close, you heard that they were arguing about something, but they stopped when they saw you and Stiles mumbled something about calling Scott.

“Thanks,” Allison smiled and took a big sip of the juice. She looked anxious.

“Yeah, it’s no problem,” you smiled and took a breath. “So are we studying or are you guys gonna stand in the entryway for a few hours?”

They exchanged a look but Scott must have answered his phone because Stiles walked away a bit and started yelling at him as quietly as he could. You looked at Allison expectantly.

“Uh, why don’t you get us set up in the dining room and then check on Lydia and Jackson?” she asked. “I just have to talk to Stiles about Chemistry.”

“Right,” you nodded. She was a pretty good liar. “Sure thing.”

Setting things up to study was a quick process and then you went upstairs to find your friend. You wondered if she knew that she was killing people or if it was some primal drive for her kind. Maybe it was like a spidey sense for murderers. Your window was closed which meant Isaac was inside somewhere, but you were so busy that you walked straight into Lydia.

“Sorry,” you blurted out. She looked scared. “Woah, Lyd, you okay?”

Before she could answer, Allison popped her head up and told you guys to hide. Lydia pulled you into your room and you started trying to calm her down. “Do you know what’s going on down there?” she whispered frantically.

“No,” you confessed. Not a total lie but you still felt guilty. You looked out your window to avoid her gaze but almost screamed when you saw the kanima slithering away. It couldn’t be Lydia. It was Jackson. “We have to go,” you rushed out, pulling her into the hallway. She looked over her shoulder though and screamed, practically dragging you down the stairs to find the others.

“Does someone want to tell me what the hell is going on?” Lydia yelled at the group when you found them. Derek and the pack were across the road and you made eye contact and nodded faintly at them before they disappeared. You noticed Stiles looking at you - which meant he saw your interaction.

“Well?” Lydia pushed, sounding more agitated by the second. “Is anyone gonna say anything? Where is Jackson? What was that thing?”

“Look,” Allison snapped before Lydia could get out more questions. She took a deep breath. “Why don’t I drive you home and we can talk about it?”

“No. I want-”

“Lydia, would you please just go with us on this?” Stiles asked. The two of them held eye contact for a few seconds.

“Fine. But I better get a damn good explanation.” And with that, she stomped into the house to get her things and out again to Allison’s car. Honestly, you wished you could have just thrown a fit like that and moved on with your life.

Pretty much the second that the two of them were out of sight, Scott and Stiles started rushing to the Jeep. “Oh no,” you laughed bitterly and grabbed the back of Scott’s shirt. “You’re not going anywhere until you talk to me.”

“Y/N,” Scott begged. “I really have to go.”

“You always have to go!” you yelled. Scott shifted to put his hand around your forearm.

“I have to go,” he repeated.

“Scott, I’ve been really patient with you and Stiles keeping me out of the loop but not anymore,” your voice shook slightly. Even though you had all the information from the pack, you were still scared. “What was that thing? Just tell me what’s going on.”

“I can’t,” Scott spoke the words like they were each their own sentence. His grip on your arm tightened and you winced. His claws were starting to come in as he pulled you off of his shirt. “Stay here.”

“Fine,” you forced the word out and pulled your arm into your chest. You couldn’t look at him.

“Y/N, I’m so sorry,” he rushed out, his voice full of concern. He reached out for your arm again but you took a step back. “I didn’t-”

“I don’t care anymore,” you shook your head. “Just leave me alone, Scott.” You ignored his protests as you ran back into the house, slamming the door behind you.

---

Not talking to Scott was a significantly easier feat than you’d thought because he hadn’t been home since he took off after Jackson the night before. You’d lied to Melissa and said you didn’t feel well, so you didn’t even see him at school. You were still so hurt and angry as you shoved clothing into a bag so you could stay with the pack until Scott decided to get his head out of his ass and talk to you.

The doorbell rang and broke you out of your pity party. You gave Isaac a hug as soon as you opened the door and the two of you stayed like that for a minute. You just needed to listen to his heartbeat. “Are you okay?” you asked when you finally pulled away. “I was worried that you got hurt last night.”

“I’m all good now,” he smiled and shouldered your bag before reaching for your hand. “Ready to go?”

“Definitely,” you smiled and locked up. The two of you were walking to Derek’s borrowed car when Scott and Stiles pulled up in the Jeep. “Let’s just get out of here,” you said quietly. “I don’t really feel like dealing with-”

“Get away from her!” Scott yelled. Isaac didn’t seem to mind the threat though, but he did walking.

“Scott, drop it,” you told him, doing your best to look intimidating. “It’s fine.”

“Uh, no, actually. No, it’s not,” Stiles chimed in, maneuvering around the Jeep. You rolled your eyes and told Isaac to keep walking.

“Seriously, Y/N,” Scott warned. “There’s a lot about him that you don’t know. You can’t trust him.”

“Really, Scott? Why not?” you questioned. “Is it because he’s a werewolf? Because then I don’t think I should trust you either.”

“You- you know?”

“Well, you can trust me,” Stiles said, recovering much faster than Scott from your dramatic reveal. “Come on, Y/N. You know you can trust me. This guy- he and all his little wolf pals were gonna kill Lydia.” You looked over at Isaac and couldn’t help the frown that fell on your face.

“We should get going,” Isaac whispered to you, squeezing your hand lightly. Even if you had your doubts, you didn’t want to spend another second with Scott and Stiles. You nodded.

“Seriously, Y/N,” Stiles drew your attention back to himself. He was right next to you now. “You should’ve heard the stuff he was saying about her. It wasn’t gonna be some mercy killing, okay? They were gonna kill her. And they were going to enjoy it.” He put his hand around your forearm - the exact spot Scott had the night before. “You can’t go with him.”

“Let go of me,” you pleaded. You would stay if he just let go. If he didn’t treat you like some shiny plaything to bring out when he wanted to ice skating and pack away when things got real. He didn’t let go, only try to pull you closer to him. You stepped into it before twisting your arm and getting a grip on his wrist. You pulled him down and put your other hand on his shoulder. “You guys don’t get to tell me what to do,” you told them. You pushed Stiles forward when you let him go and he stumbled forward. “Derek taught me that.”

---

Derek’s car was the most comfortable one you’d ever been in, but that didn’t keep you from having one very uncomfortable conversation with Isaac. “So how much of that was true?” you asked after the two of you had driven a few blocks away.

“How much of what?” he replied, making you narrow your eyes. You’d spent too much time with him to know when he was playing dumb.

“Were you going to kill her?” you persisted. You might not have werewolf senses to let you know when someone was lying, but you didn’t need them to see how uncomfortable he was.

“Derek said it was the only way. We were just following orders.”

“Following orders?” you scoffed. “You were just going to kill my friend and lie to me about it? I’m curious, Isaac, what was the plan there? Lie to me forever?” It was quiet. He didn’t know how to respond. “Pull over.”

“Right now?” He actually turned to look at you briefly to make sure you were serious.

“Yes, right now,” you told him. When the car stopped, you shifted to look him in the eyes. “You knew - more than anyone else - how much it tore me apart that Scott wasn’t honest with me. You knew. And you still lied to me.” The last part came out like a question, despite your best efforts to be tough.

“I was just doing what I was told, Y/N,” Isaac exhaled. He was upset. “Not everyone has a great family environment where everyone gets a say, okay? I was just-”

“Following orders,” you finished. “So if Derek told you to kill me, you’d do it?”

“You know it’s not that simple,” Isaac whispered. He looked at you with pleading eyes. He wanted you to know he wasn’t a bad guy. But you weren’t so sure anymore.

“Actually, it is,” you told him, unbuckling your seatbelt and picking up the bag at your feet. “I care about you, Isaac. A lot. But I can’t do this. You guys were going to kill a teenager without so much as a second thought.” You took a deep breath. “I’m done.”

“Just like that?” he whispered. He started reaching for your hand so you opened your door and got out.

“Yeah,” you said softly. “Just like that.”

Part 3

#stiles stilinski #stiles stilinksi x reader #stiles slow burn #stiles stilinksi imagine #mccall!reader #so close #teen wolf #teen wolf au #teen wolf rewrite

168 notes · View notes

ellewritesathing · 5 years

Text

So Close - S.S V

Prologue - S2E1 Part 1 - S2E2 + S2E3 Part 2 - S2E4 + S2E5 + S2E6 Part 3 - S2E7 +S2E8 Part 4 - S2E9 + S2E10 Part 5 - S2E11 + S2E12

Word-count: 4.9k+

A/N: Aaaannnddd that’s a wrap on Season 2!! I’ve had so much fun writing this series and I’m looking forward to Season 3!! Let me know if you have any requests or critiques :) Enjoy!!

To say Melissa had been distant since that night was an understatement. When the three of you got home, there had been yelling and crying, and scratchy voices pleading for forgiveness. You weren’t sure if anyone actually slept after everything you’d all been through; you hadn’t. And you didn’t the next night either. On the third night, you’d just about given up.

You pushed your covers aside and changed into running clothes. Your lungs were on fire and your legs were aching as you pushed forward. You still weren’t where you needed to be, but as soon as you stopped in front of the Stilinski household, you knew. You made your way to the back of the house and started climbing the trellis next to Stiles’ room. He was still up. You tapped the window and watched him make his way over.

“Hey.” He sounded breathless and he looked confused. “What are you doing here?” He was frowning, but reached his arms out and helped you inside nonetheless.

“I couldn’t sleep after…” You trailed off and took a breath before clarifying, “I can’t sleep.” You shook your head and put a hand to your temple. “I shouldn’t have come. This is stupid. I'm sorry. I-”

“Hey, stop talking.” You looked up at Stiles, confused. He opened his arms and pulled you into a hug. “Come here. This isn’t stupid.” You started breathing deeply, trying to focus on anything other than the panic building in your chest. His room smelled like old books and too many half-eaten midnight snacks, and you guessed Stiles’ had just showered because he and his clothes smelled like rain and fabric softener.

“You know I- I close my eyes and start sleeping and I just- I can feel his claws wrapping around my neck. And I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe, Stiles.” The words started tumbling out and you couldn't stop. “I know it’s overdramatic, but I can’t stop it. And I’m so tired of trying. I’m so-”

“Shhh. It’s okay. I’ve got you. You can breathe.” Stiles held you a little tighter for a moment before guiding you to the bed. He sat next to you and held your hand, moving his thumb gently back and forth over the top. You didn’t realize you were shaking until he kept still. “Y/N, how long has it been since you slept?”

“Not that long.”

“Alright, how long is ‘not that long?’”

“This is the third night that I can’t sleep.” Your voice was so quiet, but once you admitted it, you felt lighter. And you knew Stiles would understand, because you used to stay up with him when he couldn’t sleep.

Stiles took a deep breath, seemingly mulling over his options. “If you stay here, can I give you some sleeping pills?” You were about to protest when he went on. “You know it’s the only way I can let you stay. Otherwise, your mom will kick my ass.”

You smiled sadly and dropped your gaze to where your hands interlaced with his. “She hasn’t been doing much ass-kicking lately.”

“Yeah, I know.” He sighed and then tried again. “Stay so I can take care of you? Please?”

You turned to look at him and, after a few seconds, you nodded. You pressed your forehead to his temple and rested your chin on his shoulder. You’re not sure if the lack of sleep was making you honest, but before you could stop it, the words tumbled out in a sleepy haze. “I think I love you, Stiles.”

“Woah, easy there, McCall,” he teased. You moved so you weren’t facing him so directly anymore. “People might think you have feelings.” You smiled but your heart panged. He didn’t love you.

At some point, Stiles got up and came back with medicine and water. You don’t remember taking it, and you can barely remember when Stiles got into the bed and you wrapped your arms around him. You can’t remember when you put your hand to Stiles jaw and pulled your face into his neck. Or when he had his hand in your hair and kissed your forehead. Or even when, long after you’d both been lying there for an hour, Stiles took a deep breath and told you he loved you, too.

---

You sat cross-legged on the floor of your bedroom, books muddled around you like a tornado had gone through your backpack. Isaac laid across your bed, reading a book for English class - why he was doing that when he and the others were in hiding, you weren’t entirely sure. Maybe it was a coping mechanism. Regardless, you were just happy he was back in your life.

“Erica and Boyd are leaving tonight,” he said casually, flipping to the next page. He looked at you cautiously but he’d shied away by the time you looked up at him with a frown on your face.

“Where are they going?” you asked and capped your highlighter. “Are you going with?”

Isaac sighed and closed the book. He looked at you before answering, “I don’t know. They said they found a new pack, but I … I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” You nodded and looked down at your study notes. All the studying in the world couldn’t distract from the danger that surrounded your friends. “What do you think I should do?”

You looked up with a small smile. “Honestly? I think you should talk to Scott. I’m too close to this to tell you what you need to hear … but, for what it’s worth, I think you should stay.”

He nodded and went back to his book. You looked at him for a bit longer before returning to your notes. The two of you sat in silence for a while longer before Isaac started shifting around on your bed, eventually clearing his throat to get your attention.

“Yes?” you arched an eyebrow at him. When he sang out that it was nothing you rolled your eyes. “Isaac, you’ve been squirming for like fifteen minutes. What’s up?”

He sighed and laid his head back dramatically. “It’s just … why do you smell like Stiles?”

You blinked a few times and pulled your legs into your chest. “I do not,” you said defensively, pushing your books away.

Isaac laughed and looked at you. “Yeah, you do,” he said with an annoying smirk.

“No. I don’t,” you told him and stood up. He wasn’t speaking but he was giving you an annoying, knowing look. So you threw a pen at him. “Shut up.”

“Mm-hmm.” He’d caught your pen and was twirling it around in his fingers. He took a few dramatic sniffs of the air and hummed, “Definitely doesn’t smell like old lacrosse gear and teenage angst in here.”

“You’re a real jerk, you know that?” you narrowed your eyes and pulled him to his feet. “Go harass my brother and leave me alone.” Isaac laughed as you used your entire body weight to push him out the door.

“Oh, one more thing,” he added, leaning his weight back and almost arching over you. You huffed in response. “If I can smell it, I can almost guarantee Scott and the others can too.” Mortified, you slammed the door in his face and leaned against it to gather yourself. You listened to him laugh as he walked down the hallway and out of your house. Damn werewolf senses.

---

With everything that was going, you hardly felt like sitting through a lacrosse game, but this was the first contact between Melissa and Scott that she’d initiated since that night, so you wanted to be supportive. And since you and Stiles had basically moved in together at night, you figured you had to start being there for him during the day too.

“Oh no.” You looked up when you heard Noah’s voice. He looked dazed as he stared out at the field. “Why is my son running on the field?”

“Because he’s on the team…?” Melissa’s answer sounded like a question, but you’d gathered from the few lacrosse games you’d seen that Stiles was largely the team bench-warmer. However, the unsure answer was all the confirmation Noah needed.

“He’s on the team. He- he’s on the field,” he nodded as he spoke and then stood up. “My son is on the field!” he cheered. You laughed lightly at his display of pride but the game hadn’t started yet, so you and Melissa were the only other people in the stands who cared.

You’d zoned out for most of the game, but you looked up when you noticed someone standing next to you. “This seat taken?” Lydia smiled, pointing to the empty spot next to you.

“I was hoping you’d show,” you said as you pulled her into a hug. The two of you had grown a lot closer since her party; all the whispered conversations about what was going on and the ice cream shared over her breakup had added up. The two of you talked for a while until Stiles managed to get the ball. He got tackled almost immediately and you winced.

“He’s probably just warming up,” Melissa offered hopefully. You looked over and Noah didn’t seem to buy it, so you and Lydia echoed similar agreements to boost his confidence.

The next time he fumbled for the ball, two other players hit him. All four of you seemed to feel that one. “Oh, he’s just a little nervous.” Lydia waved it off. “Plenty of time to turn it around.” Although that was true, you felt your confidence slipping when he got hit in the head by the ball and the crowd started booing him.

You saw Isaac striding onto the field and lifted your head. He talked to Scott before joining the rest of the team on the field game, and they’d clearly come up with some kind of plan because Isaac started taking out the other Beacon Hills players. Were they trying to get him off the bench? Whatever it was, you hoped Isaac would at least go easy on Stiles.

Your fears didn’t add up to much, because once Scott was on the field Isaac went down. Jackson must have gotten him; he’d have healed otherwise. You were going to go with when they put him on the gurney, but Lydia reached for your hand. “Where are you going?” she frowned.

“Uh,” you glanced at them wheeling Isaac away and decided that Scott would have signaled you if he was in any danger. “Nowhere.” You smiled and shifted your attention to the field, sitting back down. It was a good thing you stayed too, otherwise, you’d have missed Stiles actually making a goal. Or three.

Everyone cheered when the buzzer rang out. Beacon Hills had won! And it was because of Stiles! The victory was short-lived once the lights cut out and the field was plunged into darkness, screaming, and the sound of running. You broke free of Lydia’s grip and went to find Stiles. When the lights came on and they found a body, you raced over, wedging yourself between Scott and Isaac. It was Jackson, thank God.

“Scott, I can’t find Stiles,” you breathed, pulling on his uniform to get his attention.

“I’m sure he’s fine,” Scott said, brushing you off. “Jackson’s the one we need to worry about right now.” You reluctantly nodded, but when Noah started wandering around the field calling for his son, you knew you shouldn’t have.

---

You waited outside the boys’ locker room for Scott and Isaac, but when Noah came out your heart sank. You went inside hesitantly, covering your eyes until the sound of crunching metal met your ears. You pulled your hand away and stared at Scott, who had ripped Stiles’ locker off its hinges. “Jesus, Scott,” you exhaled as you made your way closer to the pair. “How are you gonna explain that one?”

“We’ll figure something out,” he mumbled and started digging through the locker, moving things out of the way until he found some clothes.

“You’re gonna find him by scent?” Isaac asked doubtfully.

“Yeah, we both are.” Scott handed Isaac a shoe before turning to face the group.

“But how come you get a shirt and I get a shoe?” Isaac questioned. They were both squinting at their items when you looked over their shoulders to find Derek standing there with someone.

You tapped their shoulders and pointed to the new members. “Uh, guys … I think we’ve got bigger problems.” They both turned to look at what you were gesturing to.

“We need to talk,” Derek told them.

“All of us,” the new person added. He had an annoyingly smug face and Scott seemed tense. You looked over at Isaac for context, but he seemed as confused as you were about who the new guy was.

“Holy shit,” Scott breathed. He started moving closer to Derek and you hurried to get between them. They wouldn’t hurt you. Probably. “What the hell is this?”

“You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the Sheriff’s Station.” Derek’s voice was snippy and you could tell he was upset, too. You hadn’t known that Scott and Gerard were talking, but you assumed he knew what he was doing.

“Okay, hold on,” Scott started, still moving closer. You held a hand out to keep him in place. “He- he threatened to kill my mom. And I had to get close to him. What was I supposed to do?”

“I’m gonna go with Scott on this one,” the stranger piped in. You narrowed your eyes at him. “Have you seen his mom?” he asked Isaac. Isaac gaped at him. “She’s gorgeous.”

“Shut up!” you yelled in unison with Scott and Derek. “Who is this guy?” you waved your hand in his direction.

“He’s Peter. Derek’s uncle,” Scott explained. “Little while back, he tried to kill us all, and then we set him on fire and Derek slashed his throat.”

“Hi,” Peter waved. You and Isaac shared an apprehensive look that best friends know all too well.

“Good to know,” Isaac responded and smiled at him. You rolled your eyes.

“Then shouldn’t he be dead?” you asked, looking back at Derek for confirmation.

“Look, the short version is: He knows how to stop Jackson,” Derek told Scott, completely ignoring your question. You cocked your head to the side when he ignored you - he’d never done that before. “And maybe how to save him.”

“Well, that’s very helpful. Except that Jackson’s dead,” Isaac replied.

“What?”

“Yeah, Jackson’s dead. It just happened on the field.” Scott confirmed Isaac’s story. You felt a bit sick when it actually clicked in your mind. You’d been too worried about Stiles to realize that your friend was dead.

“Okay, why is no one taking this as good news?” Isaac broke the new-found silence.

“Because if Jackson is dead,” Peter started explaining like it was the most obvious thing, “It didn’t just happen. Gerard wanted it to happen.”

“But why?” Derek asked.

“Well, that’s exactly what we need to figure out,” Peter said with a smile. You wanted to punch him as he walked closer to your brother. “And something tells me the window of opportunity is closing. Quickly.”

---

Even though you wanted to be out looking for Stiles, Isaac convinced you that, with Jackson dead, he was probably safer wherever he was. That’s how you ended up at the Hale house looking for information about what to do with all of them. The place gave you the creeps but you visibly relaxed when Scott told you they’d found Stiles.

“Look, I told you, I looked everywhere.” Derek’s voice snapped you out of your momentary comfort.

“You didn’t look here.” Peter removed one of the side panels of the stairs and took out a dusty old box.

“What is that? A book?” Derek seemed surprisingly defensive when he realized there were parts of the house he hadn’t searched.

“No,” Peter scoffed. “It’s a laptop. What century are you living in?” Derek looked like he was going to put him through the stairs, but Peter kept talking so he didn’t have the chance. “A few days after I got out of the coma, I transferred everything that we had. Fortunately, the Argents aren’t the only ones that keep records.”

---

“What’s happening to him?” Scott asked. The four of you were peering over at Jackson’s weird goop.

“I don’t know!” Melissa yelled quietly. “I thought that you were gonna tell me! Is it bad?” She turned to face Scott, panic evident on her face.

“Well, it doesn’t look good,” Isaac mumbled and you hit his arm lightly and gave him a look.

“It’s like he’s cocooning. You know, like a caterpillar,” you offered, shrugging your shoulders slightly.

“You’re saying he’s gonna have wings?” Isaac asked.

“I don’t know!” you snapped. Jackson started moving and you all moved back, making various noises of surprise.

“Um, Mom, could you zip it up, please?” Scott asked and you stared at him.

“What the big bad werewolf can’t zip it up?” you whisper-yelled at him. Melissa agreed to do it and moved closer to the body again. The bag got stuck right underneath his chin. Scott’s eyes widened and you grabbed his hand reflexively, but when Jackson’s mouth opened and he started hissing, you ran forward to help your mom.

“Mom. Zip,” Scott begged. You helped her zip it up, all the while fearing you’d lose a hand. The four of you shared a terrified look when it was over, and Isaac was the first one to laugh. Soon all four of you were laughing at the absurdity of the situation, but you all fell silent when Jackson started moving again.

Scott called Derek as you all huddled in the corner. Jackson was waking up and you pocketed some of the sharpest medical equipment you saw when no one was looking. They came to the agreement to meet up halfway and you, Scott, and Isaac hurried to move the body before he woke up.

---

Chris ended up driving you to the warehouse that you guessed represented halfway. Why there were so many empty buildings in Beacon Hills was beyond you. “I think he stopped moving,” Isaac said once everyone was out of the car. You shuddered at the phantom feeling of the body bag moving between the two of you in the backseat.

“Where’s Derek?” Chris asked. He must have been waiting for you guys because no sooner than when the question was out could Derek be seen making arguably the most dramatic entrance you’d ever seen. After exchanging words with Chris, he told you to get Jackson inside.

Scott asked where Peter and Lydia were once everything was set, but Derek either didn’t seem to understand or he didn’t care. He told him that we were past saving Jackson. Scott started protesting but Derek snapped at him.

“Think about Scott!” he yelled. “Alright? Gerard controls him now. He’s turned Jackson into his own personal guard dog. And he set all of this in motion so that Jackson could get even bigger and more powerful!”

“No,” Chris shook his head. “No, he wouldn’t do that. If Jackson’s a dog, he’s turning rabid. And my father wouldn’t let a rabid dog live.”

“Of course not.” Gerard’s voice rang out through the warehouse. “Anything that dangerous, that out of control … is better off dead.”

Derek didn’t hesitate once he saw Gerard. He moved to slash Jackson’s throat, but Jackson woke up and put his claws through Derek’s stomach. He held Derek up as he stood and tossed him to the other side of the warehouse.

“Well done to the last, Scott,” Gerard praised as he sauntered over. “Like the concerned friend you are, you brought Jackson to Derek to save him. You just didn’t realize that you were also bringing Derek to me.”

Scott ducked as an arrow flew out and hit Isaac in the shoulder. You caught him as he fell and dragged him to a safer place. “It’s okay,” you whispered. He was groaning. “This is gonna hurt,” you told him and pulled the arrow out of his chest. He cried out but at least he’d be able to heal now. Gunshots rang out in the other section of the warehouse and you could hear glass shattering and Jackson hissing.

You smiled at Isaac and kept pressure on his wound. You had no idea what else to do; you were the human knife at a supernatural gunfight. “Is it healing?” you asked. He nodded in response and moved to get up. When Derek roared, he started turning and he was quick to his feet.

“Stay out of this,” he warned. You were going to argue but he was already headed to the fight. The werewolves still frightened, but you didn’t exactly feel like being strangled by Jackson again, so you went to find a new hiding spot.

You didn’t expect to find Allison though. You shared a look before she raised her bow at you. “What? You’re gonna shoot me too?” you scoffed, moving slowly for the hospital blade in your pocket without her realizing.

“If I have to,” she answered. She was so cold. So distant. What happened to her?

“Allison, I’m your friend,” you said, inching closer once your hand was around the handle of whatever medical knife you’d stolen. “I’m human.”

“Not when you’re with them.” She turned and shot another arrow at Isaac. She kept shooting as she moved closer and you threw your blade at her. You watched it slice through the air, only to ricochet off Jackson’s reptilian back. He grabbed Allison and stopped her from killing Isaac. You would’ve been thankful under different circumstances.

“Not yet, sweetheart,” Gerard told her as he emerged from the darkness. Allison was gasping for air as Jackson’s hand snaked around her neck. You recoiled at the all too familiar feeling.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“He’s doing what he came here to do,” Scott told her. You slowly made your way closer to the group.

“Then you know,” Gerard looked at Scott.

“What’s he talking about?” Allison asked her grandfather. Her voice was quiet but frantic.

“It was the night outside the hospital, wasn’t it?” Gerard speculated, ignoring Allison. “When I threatened your mother? I knew I saw something in your eyes. You could just smell it, couldn’t you?”

“He’s dying,” Isaac said simply. He was human and kneeling now. You crouched beside him and put an arm around him, trying to get him away from this.

“I am,” Gerard said. “I have been for a while now. Unfortunately, science doesn’t have a cure for cancer yet. But the supernatural does.”

Allison gasped and Jackson tightened his grip around her throat. “You monster,” Chris spat.

“Not yet,” Gerard replied. Like he’d made a joke.

“What are you doing?” Allison yelled, trying desperately to get out without Jackson killing her.

“You’ll kill her too?” Chris cried.

“When it comes to survival, I’d kill my own son.” Gerard turned his attention to your brother and nodded, like he’d given him an order. “Scott.”

Scott moved closer to where Derek had collapsed on the floor during the fight. He was still mostly paralyzed but he was begging Scott not to do it. Gerard was manipulating the conversation and you watched as Scott pried open Derek’s mouth and made him bite Gerard. But the wound wasn’t healing - it was dripping black blood.

“What did you do?” Gerard asked, venom dripping in his voice.

“Everyone said Gerard always had a plan,” Scott explained with all eyes on him. “I had a plan too.”

Gerard checked his pills and crushed them in his hand. “Mountain Ash!” he yelled. The black blood started dripping from his nose and eyes as he fell to his knees. You gagged and hid your face in Isaac’s shoulder to block it out, but you could still hear him choking on it. When his body fell to the floor, the warehouse was silent except for Derek asking why Scott hadn’t told him. Scott told him that just because he was an alpha, it didn’t make him his alpha.

Gerard started crawling and sputtering again and your eyes drifted to him. “Kill them,” he told Jackson. “Kill them all!”

Jackson loosened his grip on Allison as he tried to adjust to his new order, and she used that moment to elbow him in the face before running away. Something barrelled through the walls of the warehouse and you pulled Isaac to his feet and out of the way. It was the Jeep. It was Stiles.

He hit Jackson with his car and slammed on the brakes. That didn’t keep him down though, and he jumped on the hood of the car and hissed at them. Stiles got out and raced towards the group, but Lydia got out and stood in front of Jackson, holding a key out to him. He paused and looked at it, recognizing something. The scales started to fade and reveal his face. He took the key and started backing away from her, which left him open to an attack from Derek. You watched as he and Peter held Jackson up by their claws and then as Jackson collapsed when the two released him.

Lydia rushed forward and held onto him as he fell to the floor, but she didn’t make it in time. It looked like Jackson was dead. You looked over and saw Scott and Allison interlace their hands. A glance at Stiles showed that he was crying. Gerard had fled. Isaac was moving closer to Derek. And then Jackson started waking up and turned into a werewolf. Lydia darted closer and wrapped her arms around him. The beauty of this moment was kind of crushed when Stiles started skulking over to his Jeep, mumbling something about it being scratched.

---

You’d try to scrub off the image of Gerard spraying black blood everywhere and the feeling of the kanima choking you when you showered, but all that resulted in was some very red, very angry skin. Afterwards, you curled in bed with a Netflix series to calm down and take your mind off things. With the way you were feeling, you could tell it would be a long while until you’d be able to sleep.

After about an hour, you went down to grab some water and padded back up to your room. You could hear something inside but you knew Scott was in his room and Melissa was asleep. You swapped your glass for the baseball bat in the hallway and gingerly made your way over, raising the bat as you got closer. Someone was leaning over your desk, looking through your things.

“Hey, these are actually pretty good.” You blinked as you registered that it was just Stiles snooping through your old books and not an actual threat.

“Any reason for breaking and entering tonight?” you asked, lowering the bat and leaning it against your bedside table.

“Yeah, I was-” Stiles turned and scoffed when he saw the baseball bat. “The bat? Seriously? Does anyone in this house even play baseball?”

“Softball. I won the family game at the Sheriff’s department for your dad. Remember?” You folded your arms over your chest. “Your turn to answer a question.”

“No, I don’t remember.” When you didn’t respond to his joke, Stiles sighed and looked away. “You didn’t come over … It got late and I was worried.” That made you soften slightly, and you took a breath and closed your door. After a week of sneaking into his room at night - and considering how you’d shown up the first time - it wasn’t hard to believe that he got worried when you didn’t show.

“I just thought…” You grasped for the words. How could you explain that you didn’t want to spend the night with him anymore because it gave you hope that you’d be something other than friends? And how it hurt to see him pining over Lydia when they saved Jackson? “I thought maybe we could use some time apart.”

“Oh.” Stiles took a breath and sat on your desk. He looked confused and you didn’t know what to say to make it better without telling him how you felt about him. The confusion gave way to something a bit harsher. “Yeah, okay. I get how the whole setup - a setup that, uh, you created, by the way - could be weird.”

“That I created?” you echoed.

“Well, you showed up at my house. Remember?”

“Yeah, kind of like you did now.” You were unnecessarily defensive, and clearly Stiles caught onto that.

“Look, I didn’t mean-” he sighed and rubbed the side of his face. “I’m just gonna let myself out. Wouldn’t want to spend too much time with my best friend or anything.” He pushed himself off the desk and started making his way to the door. Which you were blocking.

“Stiles, that’s not what I meant. I-”

“It’s fine, okay? I get it. I’ll see you around, Y/N,” Stiles said as he moved around you, very careful not to make any physical contact as he did. You didn’t turn when you heard him open the door to leave or when it closed behind him, not even when the tears started spilling down your cheeks or when it felt like your heart splintered into a million tiny pieces.

Part 6

#stiles stilinski #stiles stilinksi x reader #stiles slow burn #stiles stilinksi imagine #mccall!reader #so close #teen wolf #teen wolf au #teen wolf rewrite

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