#(which is just my old lacrosse stick w/ a shoe on the end)

[thatone-churro]

just lost a huge-ass roach under my nightstand and it’s 3 am so guess who’s not gonna sleep tonight lol

[screamxqueenx94]

Second Chance at First Line Part 1/ Teen Wolf Series

A/N: Officially the beginning of episode 2! This one may be shorter than the first episode, but I still hope you guys like it!

Warnings: Mild cursing

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

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I sit and watch lacrosse practice, which will probably be a daily routine now. I talk to Stiles for a bit before practice officially starts.

“So Scott apologized to Allison, she forgave him, and then he seen her father, who was the Hunter that shot him with the crossbow that went through his arm, and she doesn't know about any of it?” I repeated, making sure I got everything right.

“Yep. That pretty much sums it up.” Stiles confirms.

“And her dad didn't recognize him?”

“Apparently not.”

I thought for a minute. “So… what's he gonna do?” I ask.

“Not sure, he's focusing on lacrosse right now and then I guess figure it out after that.” Stiles explains.

I just nod my head trying to process everything. Scott comes out and coach calls everyone to the field. I go and sit in the bleachers again to watch like I have been for the past week.

“Jackson! Take a long stick today!” Coach Finstock calls out. I literally want to vomit anytime I hear that guy’s name.

I watch as the players take turns practicing and not getting passed Jackson. Then it's Scott's turn. He runs towards Jackson, but instead of passing him, Jackson lifts him completely off the ground and slams him to the ground. Making me cover my eyes. That was painful just to watch.

Finstock is trash talking Scott, making Scott angry. “McCall's gonna do it again! McCall's gonna do it again!” Coach chants. I sit there, biting on my thumbnail as I watch Scott go again, praying he doesn't wolf out.

Scott charges towards Jackson, this time with his elbow up and ready to defend. He pushes into Jackson, sweeping him off his feet and makes him land hard on the ground, grabbing his right shoulder. Scott falls to the ground, Stiles runs over to him to make sure he doesn't change while others check on Jackson.

I follow Stiles and Scott into the school and into the locker room.

“What are you doing? This is the boys locker room.” Stiles exclaims.

I push passed him and try to calm Scott down. Stiles is behind me, trying to help as well when Scott looks at us with golden eyes and fangs showing.

“Get away from me!” he hollers, pushing Stiles and I down.

We crawl separate ways. Scott follows Stiles and I crawl to the nearest lacrosse stick and chase after Scott, who is still chasing Stiles. When Scott jumps off the top of the lockers, I get behind him and swing as hard as I can to hit him in the head. Which only angers him more and dents the stick. He turns around and faces me. My eyes widen, my mouth gaps and I drop the stick. He starts stepping towards me.

“Stiles, get outta here!” I scream.

Scott pounces and I start running the opposite way, my converse making me slip, but I quickly pick myself back up and run again. Scott jumps from lockers to ceiling beams, trying to block off every exit until I'm cornered. Instead of cowering, I get into an attack stance. Prepared to pounce, just as I'm about to attack, a cloud of white foam starts forming in Scott's direction. I look over and Stiles jumps in front of me and continues spraying Scott with the fire extinguisher, distracting him. He grabs my hand and pulls me out of the locker room and has us pressed up against the wall. Both of us panting heavily. Afraid to look back in.

“Stiles…” Scott calls weakly. Stiles and I look at each other and peek around the corner. “What happened?” Scott asks.

“You tried to kill me… then you tried to kill, Charli.” He answers, slightly out of breath.

“It's like I told you before…” I walk in behind Stiles and sit next to Scott, putting my hand on his shoulder. “... it's the anger. It's your pulse rising. It's a trigger.” I continue to explain as Stiles sits in front of us.

“But that's lacrosse, it's a pretty violent game if you haven't noticed.” Scott remarks.

“Well, it's gonna be a lot more violent if you end up killing someone on the field… you can't play Saturday. You're gonna have to get out of the game.” Stiles affirms.

“But I'm first line…” Scott reminds us.

“Not anymore…” Stiles barks.

~

I'm sitting in my room, getting some homework done when my Skype call notification starts going off. I click the answer button and it's Scott and Stiles doing a three way chat.

“Can this wait? I got an algebra test to study for plus a book report on The Maze Runner due next week and I'm not even halfway through with the book.” I complain.

“Not really.” Stiles answers, as he points a toy gun at the camera and shoots it so it lights up and makes noises. I roll my eyes and plug my headphones into the computer so my father can't hear anything we're talking about.

“Well first of all, Jackson has a separated shoulder.” He continues.

“Because of me?” Scott asks with guilt lacing his voice.

“No, Scott, it's because Jackson is a fucking tool.” I sass. Making the boys chuckle. “So I assume that means he's not playing, right?” I quizz.

“Well, they're not sure yet, but now they're counting on Scott to play Saturday.” Stiles answers.

Scott puts his head down and I turn to lean down to grab a book out of my desk drawer that I had read from on Friday. When I look back up, Stiles is looking at something suspiciously. I first look in my room, but then when I don't see anything, I look back at the computer and see something in Scott's, just like Stiles did.

“What?” Scott questions, annoyed. Stiles and I look up, fear on Stiles’ face. Stiles and I both start typing, but my keyboard locks up and won't type, then I look up and see that Stiles’ message hasn't fully sent. Dammit! C'mon stupid piece of junk keyboard!

The computer buffers, with just the words “it looks like…” in bubble above Stiles’ head.

Then another bubble pops up. “someone's behind you.” I scream, “It's Derek!” then Scott turns around and is quickly snatched away.

Stiles and I call out Scott's name, but get no answer. I get up and grab my jacket and run to Stiles’ house and he comes running out. We hop into his jeep and speed down to Scott's house. We get there and Scott is sitting on his bed with his head down. We slowly approach him.

“Scott? Scott are you okay?” I ask quietly, making sure not to startle him.

“Derek threatened to kill me…” he answered in a hush tone.

“What?” Stiles asks concerned.

“He said if I play Saturday, he'll kill me himself because I risk exposing myself and Derek…” he continued.  

Stiles and I look at each other and nod in agreement.

“So what are you gonna to do?” I ask.

“I'm gonna have to back out.” He answers.

“This is what's best, Scott. It keeps everyone safe and no one gets exposed.” Stiles notes.

“Stiles is right, Scott. It's safer for you and everyone else… just until you can get it under control.” I assure.

Scott keeps his head down, but he nods in agreement. “Okay, I'm out. I'm not playing Saturday night.” He finally speaks up.

I give him a sympathetic smile and pat his knee. Stiles gives him a sympathetic pat on his shoulder. We all know this is hard for him, but it's his best option, and we all want what's best.

~

I'm just finishing my book report when my phone starts ringing. I look at the screen and it has Stiles’ name with a goofy picture of me, him and Scott as the contact picture.  

“Hello?” I answer.

“Hey it's me, I'm leaving Scott's house right now and I'm coming to get you.” He says, talking a mile a minute.

“W--wait what?” I ask confused.

“Just get some shoes on and come wait outside.” he barks and hangs up.

I look at my phone and then roll my eyes and get changed into black skinny jeans with a gray Vans hoodie and my old converse sneakers. I call to my dad that I'm leaving and sit and wait for Stiles and Scott. When he pulls up, I get in and before I can finish buckling up, he's already driving off.

“So what's so important that I had to be taken away from my book report? I'm literally almost done.” I huffed.

“Scott knows where to find the other half of the body.” Stiles announces.

I just freeze. My eyes grow wide and I look at both of them.

“Is this the same body you guys were talking about on my first day?” I ask.

“Yes.” Scott answers.

I'm still in shock. I lean back and stay quiet for awhile. Then I look at Stiles. “Where is it?”

“At Derek's house.”

I'm sorry, it's where?! “So I assume we're just gonna waltz right up to his house and take it? Do you guys even have a plan?” I start off sassy, but then start freaking out.

“I already thought of one.” Stiles answers proudly. That's what I'm afraid of...

We arrive at the hospital, Stiles parks then we get out. “I thought it was at Derek's house?” I ask.

“It is, we just gotta make a stop here first so I can get a scent.” Scott says as we walk in.

Stiles spots the morgue and Scott goes in. Stiles wishes him good luck and we start walking through the hospital.

“Scott's not even sure that the body is there, is he?” I ask, knowing I was tricked.

“He smelled blood when he went to Derek's, he just wants make sure that it belongs to the right body.” He answers, looking around the hallways, never looking in my direction.

“And what if it's not? What if it's just a dead animal?” I question him.

He stops and I bump into him. I go to say something, but then I look over and see Lydia sitting in a waiting room chair. I roll my eyes and hit his back. He walks over to her and I lean on the wall with my arms crossed to watch the disaster unravel itself.

“Hey, Lydia!” he exclaims, making her actually look at him for once. “ You probably don't remember me um-- I sit behind you in biology.” Clearly she doesn't remember you, Stiles.

“Uh anyway, I always thought that we had this kind of connection-- y'know, unspoken of course…” this is so excruciating to watch.

“... Maybe it'd be kinda cool to uh, get to know each other a little better.”

“Hold on, give me a second.” She says as she pulls a Bluetooth earpiece off her ear and I try so hard not to laugh as I watch what's about to happen. “Yeah, I didn't get any of what you just said, was it worth repeating?” she's more of a bitch than I thought.

“Uh-- no, sorry.” He says, clearly defeated and turns towards me and he sits on the other side of the wall from her and I slink into the seat next to him, grabbing a magazine from the other table.

“You didn't actually think that would work did you?” I ask, not looking up.

“No, no I didn't.” He answered, burying his face into a menstruation pamphlet. I lay my magazine down in my lap and pat his shoulder.

Stiles and I watch as Lydia and Jackson start talking. When they start making out,I want to just stab my eyes out. Poor Stiles has to witness this.

I look away and see Scott coming. Scott grabs the pamphlet out of Stiles’ hand, scaring him and making him whip his head around.

“The scent was the same.” Scott states. Stiles and I both get up from our seats at the same time.

“Are you sure?” I ask.

“Yes.” Scott says.

“So he did bury that other half of the body on his property.” Stiles concludes.

“Which means we have proof he killed the girl.” I add.

“I say we use it.” Stiles declares

“How?” Scott questions.

“Tell me something first; are you doing this because you wanna stop Derek or because you wanna play in the game when he said you couldn't?” I look between both of them as they talk.

“There were bitemarks in the legs, Stiles. Bitemarks!” Scott answers.

Stiles purses his lips and nods, “Okay, then we're gonna need a shovel.” He states.

We walk out of the hospital, and I finally ask. “Can't we get in trouble for this?”

“Only if we get caught.” Stiles answers, not even looking back.

~

We pull up to Derek's house as soon as he leaves. I can feel my palms getting clammy. My legs are trembling. I'm so dead if the cops catch us…

The jeep stops. We all get out and are carrying shovels. Scott hands Stiles a flashlight and we walk to the side of the house.

“Something's different.” Scott states.

“Different how?” Stiles asks.

“ I don't know…” Scott trails off.

“Maybe it's a sign that we shouldn't be here.” I comment.

“Let's just get this over with.” Scott complains.

We start digging in the spot Scott led us to. It feels like it's going on forever, you'd think it go faster with three of us digging.

“This is taking way too long.” Scott complains.

“Just keep going.” Stiles retorts.

“What if he comes back?” Scott asks.

“Then we get the hell out here.” I retort.

“What if he catches us?” Scott continues.

“I have a plan for that.” Stiles claims.

“Which is?” Scott asks.

“We all run different ways and whoever he catches first, too bad.” Stiles continues.

“I hate that plan.” Scott and I repeat simultaneously.

We continue to dig until Scott hits something with his shovel. Stiles and I stop him and we all brush away the dirt to see a bag.

“Hurry!” Scott cries.

“I'm trying, but did he have to tie the thing in like nine hundred knots?” Stiles remarks as he and I try to untie the knots. Scott helps us untie them. We open the bag and see the head of a dead wolf, making Stiles scream and all of us jump out and I start brushing myself off and shaking my hair out as I repeatedly cry ‘ew.’

“What the hell is that?” Stiles yells.

“It's a wolf!” Scott states, confused.

“Yeah! I can see that!”

“I thought you smelled blood? As in human blood?” I interrogate.

“I told you something was different.” Scott answers.

“This doesn't make sense.” Stiles states.

“We gotta get out of here.” I say.

“Yeah… Okay, help me cover this up.” Stiles says to Scott and I. We start covering it up until Stiles stops.

“Hey, guys.” Scott and I look up. “Do you see that flower?” He asks. We look at it.

“What about it?” Scott asks.

“I think it's wolfsbane…” I state. “Yeah, me too.” Stiles adds.

“What's that?” Scott asks.

“Haven't you ever seen The Wolfman?” Stiles asks shocked that Scott didn't know what it was. Scott shakes his head.

“ Lon Chaney Jr.? Claude Rains? The original, classic werewolf movie!” I exclaim.

“You've seen it?” Stiles asks, amazed.

“Yeah, my mom loved classic horror movies…” I point out.

I get up and pick the flower up from the ground. Stiles starts following the rope as it gets closer to the wolf head we dug up, revealing a swirl on the ground.

“Stiles.” Scott calls. Stiles and I get closer and it makes us both jump back a bit. We see what was once the head of a wolf, was now the upper half of a woman. The smell of human blood is so strong that I cover my mouth and nose, trying not to give into the temptation. I start to shake. Finally I can't take it anymore and run off. The boys watch and Stiles gets ready to chase me, but Scott grabs his shoulder.

“I'll get her. You call your dad. Let him know what we found.” He tells Stiles. Stiles nods and calls his dad.

Scott comes after me. I'm sitting with my back to a tree, deep in the woods, digging my nails into my legs, trying to push away the want of human blood.

“Charli?” Scott asks softly.

“Go away, Scott.” I growl. I dig harder, making myself bleed.

“Charli, it's okay. I'm here for you.” He tries to comfort.

“Scott, for your own safety you'd get away.” I warn.

“No… you didn't leave when I wolfed out, I'm not gonna leave you when you vamp out.” He tells me sternly. “We're friends, Charli, friends don't abandon each other.” He continues. I look up and he's standing in front of me. I start to cry. He gets down on my level and hugs me tight. I hug him back as I continue to cry into his hoodie.

“You'll get through this, Charli. Even if I have to chain you up and pour deer blood down your throat.” He states, making me chuckle since I had just said the same thing to him.

“Do you want me to make up an excuse to Stiles for you?” He asks sweetly. I just nod my head. “Okay.” He answers, patting my knee and heading back over to where Stiles was. I wipe my eyes and put my legs cross legged and take some deep breaths. I finally get myself relaxed and then I hear Stiles.

“Charli? Are you okay?” He asks concerned. I swallow hard and slowly nod. “I'm so sorry, I didn't realize you had a sensitivity to this kind of stuff.” He adds.

“It's just really hard when you pretty much watched your mom die in front of you and then going to see another dead body just makes your stomach turn.” I tell him as I start to cry again. That wasn't a lie. I did have to watch my mom die.

He pulls me into a hug and holds me close as I cry some more. He doesn't question anything. He just lets me cry as he gently caresses my back and lays his head on mine. I hold on tighter, afraid that this is just in my imagination and that it isn't real. When I grip him tighter, he plants a soft kiss on the top of my head, making my heart flutter like the butterflies in my stomach. Stiles helps me up and takes me back to my house to get cleaned up so we can be back at Derek's when the cops arrive.

We get there just seconds before the officers do, but seconds after Derek has gotten back. Scott and I stayed by the jeep, making sure I wasn't close enough to the body to be triggered. We watched Derek get thrown into the police cruiser and the forensic team take photos and look for clues. Scott looks at me with sympathetic eyes.

“You okay?” He asks.

“I will be. I'm just glad we found the killer and don't have to worry anymore.” Scott nods in agreement. We look over and see Stiles coming out of the woods. He's walking over to the cruiser. Scott and I both rapidly shake our heads, knowing damn well what's about to happen. He opens the cruiser passenger door and Scott and I quickly turn away, trying to pretend we don't see anything.

“What the hell is wrong with him?” I whisper angrily.

“A lot...” Scott whispers back.

A few moments later, we look back and see his dad yank him out. We watched him talk to his dad for a bit. I couldn't hear much, but the all I knew was that the hand motions were hilarious and hard not to laugh at. We're about to hop into the jeep when his dad walks over to us. “Hang on a minute.” He calls out. We stop and turn towards him.

“You must be Charlotte. I'm Stiles’ father.” He introduces in a friendly tone, extending his hand. I take it and shake it.

“Charli actually, but yes, sir.” I answer back respectively.

“My apologies. When you're father spoke of you he called you Charlotte.”

“Y--you spoke to my dad?” I ask nervously.

“Yeah, I spoke to him last night just before the call came in. He spoke very highly of you.” He informed me, smiling.

“H--he did?”

“Yeah. He even invited Stiles and I for dinner tomorrow.”

I try to swallow the lump in my throat. What is my dad up to? This isn't good.

“Well, I won't keep you any longer. I just wanted to come over and introduce myself. It was nice meeting you, Charli.” He closes and starts walking away.

“Y--yeah. Uh, it was nice to meet you too…” I trail off. Scott and Stiles get into the jeep and I crawl into the back. I'm quiet as Stiles and Scott talk about the wolfsbane. Why would he invite the Stilinskis over? He doesn't even like Stiles…

“Okay stop it!” Scott yells. I break from my train of thought.

“Stop what?” Stiles asks.

“Stop saying werewolf! Stop enjoying this so much!” Scott shouts back painfully.

“Scott, are you okay?” I ask concerned.

“No! No, I'm not! I'm so far from okay!” he answers loudly with his face twisted in pain.

“Y'know you're gonna have to accept this, Scott. Sooner or later .You're gonna have to.” Stiles nags.

“No! I can't breathe!” Scott grits. He slams his hand on the roof of the jeep, making Stiles freak out and swerve a bit.

“Pullover!” I demand as Scott hunches over in pain.

“Why what's happening?” Stiles asks.

Scott opens up Stiles’ backpack. I look in and see what Scott sees. It's the wolfsbane rope!

“You kept it?” Scott snarled.

“What was I supposed to do with it?” Stiles freaks.

“Stop the car!” Scott demands, his eyes glowing yellow.

Stiles quickly pulls over, coming a harsh stop, slamming him into the steering wheel and my face smashing against the seat in front of me. I rub my nose as Stiles jumps out and runs with the bag, then tossing it. I look over and see that Scott is gone.

“Stiles!” I call out. He looks back and sees Scott is gone too. I hope into the front seat and look out the windows for Scott as Stiles calls the Sheriff's department.

“Stiles, you know you can't call on this patchline when I'm on duty.” the woman says.

“I just need to know if you've gotten any odd calls.”

“Odd how?”

“Like an odd person or dog like individual roaming the streets.” Oh my God…

“I'm hanging up on you now.”

“No no no--” she hangs up. He slams the phone down.

“So now what?” I ask.

“Well now we look for him ourselves.” He answers.

I try calling Scott's phone. Then I remember, I have the find my phone app. I click on it and type in Scott's number.

“What are you doing?” Stiles asks.

“I'm tracking him. That way, we can find him via find my phone app.” I answer as I finish typing and hold up my phone to show him. He smiles at me and drives faster. We get to where his phone led us. I hop out and run, following the GPS until I reach a tree. The phone was laying as if it had fallen out of a tree. Must've fallen out when he was jumping around.

I pick it up and walk back to the jeep. I get in, close the door and sigh.

“Where is he?” Stiles asks. Without making eye contact, I hold the phone up and hand it to Stiles.

“Looks like it fell out of his pocket when he was jumping around.” I answer.

Stiles lays his head back on the headrest and sighs.

“We'll find him.” I reassure, taking Stiles big hand into my own smaller one. He looks at me and we just keep our eyes on each other until he finally snaps out of it and starts driving again.

~

It's late. We're about to give up, until I notice someone in a gray hoodie walking down the street. I lean closer and realize it's Scott. I tap Stiles’ shoulder and point at Scott. He gets closer and pulls up to Scott and stops. I let Scott in and we start driving again. I look back and examine him. No blood. No rips in his clothes. No cuts or scratches on him. He's good, no harm was done.

“What happened to you?” I ask.

“I don't know, but I ended up at Allison's.” Scott answers.

Stiles slams the breaks and now we're both looking at him.

“What happened?” Stiles asks concerned.

“Nothing happened. I saw my wolf reflection, freaked out and tried to run home. I got hit by Allison's dad's car and before I knew it, they were telling me they were both going to be at the game tonight.” He explains.

“But I thought you weren't playing…” I remind him.

“Well I have to now. Plus my mom is gonna be there.” He cried back.

Stiles and I look at each other and sigh and face the road again. He starts up the car and heads to my house. I get out, wave bye to Stiles and Scott as he climbs into the front seat. I go inside and change my clothes for the cold weather. I put on a band short, a purple zip up hoodie, a leather jacket with some faded skinny jeans and my doc martens and put my anti social beanie back on. I start heading out the door until my father stops me.

“You just got home ten minutes ago, where are you going now?” My father questions.

“The lacrosse game. Scott's playing first line.” I answer, shoving my hands in my pockets.

“Oh great! I'll go with you.” He answers, heading for the coat closet.

“No, that's okay. I'm meeting up with Allison and Lydia anyways.” I answered a little too quickly. I barely know Allison and I can't stand Lydia.

“Who are they?” He quizzes.

“Just a couple of girls from school.” I answer with no hesitation.

“Well, I won't get in the way of ‘girl time’ then, but I would like to go to one of those games eventually.” He states.

“I'll see you later! Love you!” I call back as I leave. I hop in my car and drive to the school to watch the game. I take a seat in the bleachers, waiting for the game to start. The seats start filling up and the Mrs. McCall sits next to me. Should I introduce myself? I should right? Yeah I'm going to.

“Hi, Mrs. McCall, I--I'm Charli, I'm a friend of Scott's.” I introduce friendly, holding my hand out for her to shake.

“Oh, hi! Yeah I heard about you. Scott said you helped him get a date with Allison.” She replied sweetly. Did I really? … Huh, maybe I did.

“Yeah, he's a good kid.” I smile.

“Has he been acting strange to you lately?” she asks. Shit! I should've kept my mouth shut.

“Nope. He seems okay to me.” I lie. “I think he just really likes Allison and it gets to him a bit, but, no, h--he seems okay to me.” I continue.

“Maybe it's just me being paranoid.” She says quietly.

“He's a teenager. Most of the time we don't share everything with our parents…” I say, reassuringly. “He'll share with you when he's ready.” I finish.

She smiles at me and I smile back. “Popcorn?” she tilts the small box my way and I take a small piece. We look at the field, waiting for the game to start. A few minutes later, Mr. Stilinski comes and joins us, greeting both of us before he sits down.

The game begins and we watch as Scott gets passed up for the ball. I see him dart for the ball, but then get pushed over by Jackson. Mrs. McCall, Mr. Stilinski stand up. She puts her hands over mouth and I yell.

“Jackson, what are you doing? He's on your team you numbskull!” I look over and Mrs. McCall and Mr. Stilinski are just starting at me. I adjust my jacket and quickly chirp. “I'm a big fan of lacrosse.”

I look back to the field, trying to stay calm, but then I look over and see that Lydia and Allison are holding up a sign the says ‘We Luv U Jackson is #1’ and I just sneer. I can see Scott's demeanor from where and I am and I know things are not gonna end well. He's hunched over, panting. I can tell he's trying to hold back, let's hope he can.

The ball gets passed. Scott jumps for it off an opposing player's head and catches it. Shocking everyone. He dodges pass everyone and I can see his mom jumping up and down, clapping, so proud of him. I just clap too so I don't look suspicious. He makes a goal and everyone cheers. Mrs. McCall and I jump up and down, cheering and hug each other.

“Pass to McCall!” I hear Coach call out. Oh no…

An opposing player looks at Scott when the ball is passed again. He's shaking and just throws it to him. I can see that he's got his fangs out and his eyes are yellow for the second time today… Son of a bitch…

Scott makes another goal. Ripping a hole through the netting in the goalies stick. Everyone cheers and I just start to sweat. They make another pass. Scott catches it again and runs for the goal. Two players are getting closer, the clock is counting down and then all of a sudden, he looks at them, making them back up and charge at him. I bite my nails again and bounce my leg. He makes the throw, going right pass the goalie and into the net. Everyone cheers the loudest that they have all night, including me and everyone starts running from the stands, cheering on the winning team, our team. I got to Stiles and we run to each other and hug, he lifts me off the ground and spins me around and sets me back down. I look into his eyes, he looks into mine. This is it, Charli. This is the moment of your first kiss.

I take his face in my hands, he leans down to me and I get on my tippy toes to get to him, only for the moment to be ruined by other lacrosse players. They surround Stiles and start cheering and celebrating and I just land on my heels and back up. He eventually gets rid of them, only for his dad to come over to us and put a hand on each of our shoulders closest to him.

“Man, what a great game, huh kids?” he asks, smiling.

“Yes sir” I reply, trying to sound defeated. I smile at him and he pulls us closer to him.

“How about we get a couple burgers, on me?” He offers. Stiles is about to decline, but I won't let him.

I smile and look at Mr. Stilinski again. “Y'know, a burger sounds great.” I accept.

“Great! I'll--” he's cut off by his phone. He excuses himself and answers. I sit on the bench with Stiles, waiting on his dad.

“What made you say yes?” Stiles asks as he packs up his bag.

“Well he seems really nice and I'd hate to say no to him.” He smiles and continues shoving stuff into his gym bag. “Plus I told my dad I was going out with Lydia and Allison after so he wouldn't come.” I add, making him chuckle.

He looks over at his dad who looks concerned.  “Dad? What's wrong?” He asks. His dad looks at him and puts a finger up. Stiles look back at me and then we look at his dad again. He hangs up.

“The medical examiner looked at the other half of the body you guys found… and he determined it was animal hair, not human hair…” Stiles and I look at each other with wide eyes. “Which means Derek Hale has been found not guilty and is being released.” He continues. “Oh and the dead girl? Her name is Laura Hale… Derek's sister.” He adds...

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

@mummybear @ficus-fig @music-magic-mayhem @zenawa @stiles-o-dylan24 @cry-btch @maaariiiooo13 @thekingofselfloathing @sporadiccookiebagel @bewarethebees @inschi @awesomeandromedablack @wil2space @bansheeintuition @mrs-mitch-rapp93 @nicole-lynne

[bramlouisgreenfeld]

57 + andreil?

from this list of prompts - please don’t send more!

The first time Neil meets Andrew, there isn’t any intention behind it. Or rather, there’s no intent to go out and meet new people. Neil doesn’t intend to catch someone’s eye and share a joke from across a room. And he definitely doesn’t intend to be rescued from his own drunk self by the same stranger.

Matt seems kind of alarmed to see Neil with a stranger - probably because Neil openly resisted getting to know Matt, the least threatening person in the world, probably, and now he’s in a decidedly angry-looking stranger’s lap on a curb. “Neil, I left you alone for five minutes, how did you make everything go wrong in that time?”

Neil doesn’t groan. He doesn’t. “Bad luck follows me?”

The blonde guy doesn’t laugh. Neil’s not sure he said anything. Neil really doesn’t know why he’s the one to follow Neil out of the bar when the world started spinning.

Matt laughs, a little. “Not entirely unlucky. You’ve made a friend?” Neil’s sure he’s sizing the other guy up, making sure he has no untoward intentions with Neil, but he doesn’t see it. All he sees is cement and surprisingly nice shoes (not his own). 

“Andrew,” the guy offers, not unkindly. In fact, there’s not much of anything in his tone.

“Right,” Matt says, sounding somehow unsure. “Well, thanks for helping Neil. He’s kind of a danger magnet. I should, uh, get him back home.” Matt’s voice is hesitant, and even through the fog in Neil’s mind, he knows why.

“It’s Dan’s night,” he protests weakly. “Go back in. I’m fine.”

“Neil,” Matt says, and his voice is as hard as it always gets when Neil lies. “You freak out when I pat your shoulder and you’re in this guy’s lap. Can you even stand up? Don’t- don’t try it, man.”

Neil tries it. The world shakes, and he ends up back in Andrew’s lap, with only the addition of a hand on his back that might be for stability or maybe just for ease. Andrew seems nonplussed by all of these events. Any other time, Neil would be full of questions for Andrew. Any less drunk, and he’d ask them. Maybe it’s good you met this way, some self-preservation instinct suggests, but Neil isn’t sure this state is good for anything.

“Dan won’t mind,” Matt says, and Neil knows he’s right. “It’s part of parenthood, eh?”

So Matt starts to pull Neil up, and wraps an arm securely around his waist despite the height difference. 

Neil was never really taught manners, but something sticks out anyway. He looks at Andrew with all the focus he can muster, trying to commit his face to memory, and says, “Thank you,” carefully. Andrew doesn’t respond, or maybe Neil just doesn’t notice, and then he’s gone.

It’s months before the second meeting. Some part of Neil just denied that his recollection of the night was correct, and Matt clearly decided that any kind of joke about Neil’s lack of alcohol tolerance wouldn’t be funny, so Andrew had faded into a type of story to Neil.

It wasn’t rare, when he was younger, to imagine a bad situation had happened even slightly nicer, and the influence of alcohol gave everything a softer edge. It wasn’t easy to believe in the kindness of strangers. (And Andrew had been so hard to place; his mannerisms didn’t seem quite human in a way Neil associates with the people he’s been meeting recently.)

Then Neil’s meeting up with an old acquaintance, Kevin - “You must repair old grudges,” his therapist insisted - and his heart is rising into his throat in a way that feels like it might trigger his gag reflex and he can’t stop tapping strange patterns into his thigh. But of course Kevin wanted to meet at the stadium, some type of neutral ground, and they’re not alone which is almost comforting until Kevin isn’t the only familiar face.

It’s a reprieve in the awkward conversation when Neil places the face immediately and says, “Andrew,” incapable of thinking of something else to say.

“Neil,” Andrew responds, almost mockingly.

“You know each other?” Kevin says, looking between them, and there’s more interest in his eyes than at anything Neil had said previously. Andrew might be an angel in sweaty sports gear.

“No,” Neil says, because they don’t.

Andrew shrugs and moves on, presumably to the showers. 

Neil thinks this might be the fates’ way of saying he should know Andrew. (He’s never been sure if he trusts the fates.)

Neil isn’t good at interpreting what constitutes friendship, and Kevin’s definitions of friendship are unorthodox at best. Neil suddenly realises, after two months of awkward conversations over bad smoothies and attempts at learning lacrosse, that he might be the closest thing Kevin has to a best friend.

(His long-suffering therapist asks him to define what a friend has to be, again. Neil’s never been sure. The definition seems to be different for everyone. “Someone who wants to spend time with you?” He guesses.)

Andrew’s nearby in most of their meetings, at least at the beginning or end of them, but he doesn’t so much as make eye contact with Neil, so he doesn’t count any of them as the third time he meets Andrew.

Then he goes to meet Kevin, revelling in how it’s comfortable, somehow, and he finds Andrew tossing his keys up and down instead of Kevin.

“Andrew,” Neil says, surprised enough not to thing of a more apt greeting. He’s not sure if he’s ever said a word to Andrew that isn’t his name.

“Neil,” Andrew replies, mockingly. “Get in.”

“I think you’re supposed to offer me candy first,” Neil says after a beat. He supposes you should accept help from your guardian angel, but if Neil Josten has a guardian angel, they’ve been spectacularly bad at their job thus far. “Where’s Kevin?”

Andrew looks around dramatically. “He’s not here?”

“It’s hard to miss the 6″4 human incarnation of a lacrosse stick,” Neil replies, trying to match Andrew’s bland tone. Andrew doesn’t seem impressed by it. He doesn’t seem impressed by much.

“He’s 6″2,” Andrew says. Neil shrugs.

There’s silence. Neil settles in to wait for Andrew to answer; he doubts he’s actually more stubborn than Andrew, and he’s certainly worse at silence, but Andrew has motivation for getting Neil in the car and he’s counting on that outweighing his contrary nature.

“Kevin can’t make it. I’m his replacement.” Andrew gets in the car, somehow expecting that answer to suffice.

Neil doesn’t want to let it slide, but Andrew’s intriguing enough that he gets in the car anyway. “You’re going to teach me lacrosse?”

Andrew scoffs. “One-track minds, both of you.”

Neil isn’t sure he cares about lacrosse at all, except as a way to get to Kevin, who’s the closest thing he has to a childhood friend, but it doesn’t seem like the time to bring that up. “What did you mean then?”

“You’re here because you had one friend you could call your own, no? Kevin makes that number a lovely, even two,” Andrew holds up two fingers in a shadow of Kevin’s tattoo. “He thinks three might suit you better.”

Neil blinks. “He’s… matchmaking?”

“Apparently,” Andrew says, starting the car. Neil understands that this is supposed to end the conversation.

“You let him?”

Andrew looks at Neil for a long second before pulling out. “Kevin doesn’t have as much influence over my decisions as he’d like to think.”

Neil isn’t sure what to make of that. But he thinks he has time to figure it out.

The next times he meets Andrew aren’t significant, Neil supposes. Sometimes it’s with Kevin, sometimes it’s Andrew seeking him out, and sometimes Neil seeks Andrew out. Sometimes they don’t talk at all. Sometimes Neil asks questions, and sometimes Andrew answers them. Most times, every second of eye contact feels like an exchange of secrets.

Matt convinces Neil to invite his ‘new friends’ to their Thanksgiving dinner. “Okay, dad,” Neil replies, but he sends them texts anyway. It’s not a bad idea.

“None of that lip,” Matt says with a point and an affected tone, but Neil isn’t sure who he’s trying to emulate.

Andrew says Thanksgiving isn’t his thing, which isn’t a surprise, and Kevin won’t come if Andrew doesn’t. Neil types and deletes a few answers to that, and Andrew must get tired of the three dots on his screen, because he types a second message: penny for your thoughts?

It’s amazing how well Andrew can construe sarcasm through text. But it gives Neil an idea.

Can I bargain for you to come?

There’s no response for a few minutes, though Neil knows Andrew’s seen the message, and he can practically hear Andrew’s interest pique. what will you offer me?

Neil still isn’t sure what makes Andrew tick, even though he’s apparently the only one so far to do it. He holds his breath as he sends, What do you want?

Three dots. I’ll decide later. we’ll come.

And they do. Matt doesn’t know them enough to know that Neil’s managed a minor miracle in achieving this. Kevin does, but he’s almost used to it, now. “Damn it, Josten,” he says, still. “I was counting on getting wasted on seasonal spirits in front of the TV like normal. You know, follow my traditions.”

“You’re welcome,” Neil replies. “Someone needs to save you from yourself.”

Kevin snorts and leaves Neil to greet Matt. Neil blinks. “Kevin knows manners?”

“Doubtful,” Andrew says. “But in theory, I suppose so.”

Matt corners Neil after a while. “I didn’t realise Andrew was- Andrew.”

Neil frowns. “I told you.”

“You told me you’d met Kevin’s friend, Andrew. It’s not an uncommon name.”

Neil shrugs. He’d thought it had been obvious enough.

Matt snorts in response. “Yeah, of course, this would seem normal to you. Whatever, I can’t stay mad at you.”

Their small apartment is full of Matt’s friends, mostly, but it’s still no surprise that he gets separated from Andrew and Kevin. Matt and Dan joke that they’re Neil’s parents, but Neil often feels as though their whole group had adopted him. It’s not an unpleasant feeling.

His eyes still seek Andrew out, who talks to Kevin or no one at all. He doesn’t seem to resent his time here, or the decision to acquiesce to Neil’s request, but Neil thinks his original statement that Thanksgiving wasn’t his thing was probably accurate.

After their dinner - “The traditional Thanksgiving pizza assortment!” Matt proclaimed - Neil waits for everyone to collapse on a sofa, their attentions diverted, before he slowly wraps his hand around Andrew’s wrist. It’s slow in an attempt to ask permission without words, but still firm enough that Andrew can feel it through the layers.

Andrew’s eyes meet Neil’s. There’s no question in the eyes, but there’s the familiar interest. Neil tugs slightly, and Andrew follows him out of their apartment and up in silence.

He doesn’t talk when they reach the roof, but Neil hadn’t expected him to. Andrew settles himself on the edge, and now that Neil’s extracted the party guest who most clearly didn’t want to be there, he’s not sure on the etiquette. He should probably go back to the party, but something in Andrew tugs him closer. He won’t be missed this soon, he thinks, and settles down next to Andrew.

Andrew doesn’t react. He smokes a cigarette almost down to the filter in the cold air and doesn’t look at Neil.

Finally, he turns to study Neil. He doesn’t meet Neil’s eyes; his stare is intense and searching, but he seems to find what he’s looking for when they finally make eye contact. “Why did you bring me up here?”

“You didn’t want to be there.”

“And I want to be here?” Andrew asks. 

Neil shrugs. He wasn’t sure Andrew would follow him until he did. The point was to offer Andrew the choice.

Andrew lets out a long breath of smoke, and says without turning his head, “Ask me again.”

Neil blinks. He knows if he asked for clarification, he wouldn’t get any, so he lets the question hang until he figures it out - “What do you want?” Maybe he’ll get the three dots answer rather than the second option Andrew eventually sent.

Andrew nods once, but it’s not in approval of Neil asking the right question. He flicks the cigarette off the side. “I see the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”

It’s a different conversation. Maybe. It’s best to wait until Andrew gets to his point.

(Neil wants to tell him he’s wrong. He doesn’t think Andrew misses anything.) 

Andrew places a palm on the left side of Neil’s fact, covering where a 3 might have been, in a different lifetime. “Tell me this isn’t what you were offering.”

Neil isn’t sure what he’s referring to, but he says the truth, “Anything you’d ask.”

(It’s not smart, he’s sure. But Andrew- there’s a backbone to him, a rigidity that suggests a strong moral code, even if it’s one that’s not the normal one. He’s fair, and he’ll hold to his word and his friends, no matter what. Neil thinks he’s the latter.)

(Even if Andrew doesn’t trust himself, Neil will.)

Andrew grips tighter, his hold becoming firm instead of barely there. “Don’t.”

“Don’t ask me to lie,” Neil says, feeling the slight upturn to his lips, an ugly smirk starting to form.

“Don’t give me free rein,” Andrew says, spite curling his voice. “There’s a trail of people who’d rush to assure you that’s a bad idea.”

“You won’t take something I’m not willing to give,” Neil says. Andrew’s eyes narrow slightly, picking up that the emphasis is on him not taking rather than Neil being willing to give.

“You are insufferable,” Andrew says, and leans in.

“Where’d you go?” Matt whispers, when Neil fits into his space next to him on the couch. “You missed the first half of the film.”

“Smoke break,” Neil answers, looking to Andrew at Kevin’s side. He’s pretty sure that no one will notice that Andrew’s hair is messier than it was a half hour ago, but he knows the cause and he smiles.