The first time it happened, Scott was caught off guard. He shouldn't have been. Of course, he didn't realize that until later, but it was still new and he didn't know if Stiles remembered. He wasn't even sure if it was Stiles at work or the last gasp of the nogitsune messing with him. But after it happened, things changed.
Maybe Stiles wasn't able to face himself or the others after everything he had done while possessed. He avoided both Scott and Kira. Kira didn't seem to mind, since Scott was the only one who actually talked to her, but Scott was hurt by the rebuff. There were even a few times he tried to talk to Stiles at his home or in the locker room but was dodged with weak excuses.
But when Stiles started dating that girl, Malia, he seemed to loosen up a bit. He stopped isolating himself from everyone else and actually talked to Scott again. Things were still tense, there was still a wall between them, but Scott took it as a positive. He was grateful his friend was at least starting to move past the trauma of being possessed.
Then, a second occurrence happened. It was their Junior Homecoming and Stiles was picking Scott up before they got their dates. Kira had insisted that she would not show up to the dance in a nice dress while riding on the back of a motorbike. Malia, shockingly, didn't seem turned off by the idea. She even cornered Scott later and asked if she could borrow it to pick up Stiles until Scott pointed out that she didn't know how to safely operate it. Then she pouted and skulked away.
But Stiles had arrived with Malia in the jeep and was trying to sneak Scott out before his mother stopped them for pictures. It was when they were sliding out Scott's bedroom window and Stiles almost fell that it happened. The gangly boy grabbed onto Scott's jacket, tearing the seam at the shoulder and almost pulling Scott out with him. After they were back in Scott's bedroom and their feet were planted firmly on the floor, it happened.
Scott remembered the smell of it, the taste of it. He remembered Stiles throwing arms around him and lifting Scott up just enough that he had to stand on the tips of his toes. Stiles lips were dry and chapped and Scott licked his own self-consciously when they broke apart. He then wiped them dry and looked at his sleeve before looking at Stiles.
His best friend was pale as a ghost. He was as pale as he was while possessed and for a moment Scott was scared that the nogitsune had returned. He took a step back and then immediately decided it was the exact wrong thing to do. Stiles tore off out of the room and Scott ran after him, calling his friend's name. His mom stopped Scott long enough for Stiles to get out the door and bolt for his car.
Concern on her face, Melissa McCall asked her son what was wrong, looking out the open front door to watch Stiles back out of the drive and leave without her son. Scott couldn't tell. He didn't think it was his place to tell her. So he asked his mom to stitch the sleeve back on properly and called Kira to let her know he would be late and that he would be using the bike after all since his mom needed her car for work and his dad was an asshole.
Isaac interrupted the phone call long enough to tell Scott that Allison would be picking him up and that they could all go together. It would be awkward, but Kira had heard and insisted Scott accept.
They never saw Stiles or Malia at the dance, and the next day she informed everyone that they had broken up and she walked away on Greenberg's arm. Scott ditched school after lunch to go to Stiles' house and make sure his friend was okay since he wasn't in school. Stiles didn't want to let him in the house, and Scott was hurt that a mountain ash barrier had been placed at Stiles' bedroom window.
The next day, and every day for the following week, Scott tried to see Stiles when he wasn't at school or work, but it was no use. When Stiles wasn't shut up in the house, he's disappear without a trace. Eventually, Scott found out where he had been.
Everyone was a little shocked to find out Stiles and Danny had become a thing, especially so soon after Malia. It wasn't because Stiles was suddenly out of the closet. Everyone had kind of figured it out, but nobody had expected Danny to actually be interested.
Stiles spent his free time with Danny during school, and he got a job at some fast food place. Scott never got to talk to him anymore. Lydia would hear from Danny about how things were with Stiles, but Scott never saw his friend anymore. And he knew it was his fault. If he'd told Stiles that it was okay, that he was flattered... If he'd never stepped back Stiles would still be in his life.
Even though things had been calm, Kira could sense that Scott was pulling away. She'd asked more than once what had happened with Stiles, why their friendship had suddenly seemed to end. He didn't know what to tell her so he told her that he didn't know. It was a lie.
Then, finally, Scott managed to catch a moment alone with Stiles after cross country practice when everyone else had left. Scott was dressing while Stiles was leaving the shower.
"Hey," Scott said as he tied his shoes. Stiles didn't reply, so Scott looked up and saw that he looked uncomfortable. "What am I doing? Whatever it is, I'm sorry. I miss you!"
"Calm down." Ears and face both turning red, Stiles looked around the empty locker room. "Listen, I have a date with Danny and he's waiting on me so I can't talk now."
Even though he only had one shoe on, Scott stepped over the bench and up to Stiles. "Listen, I'm not kidding. I miss you. You're my best friend and we haven't talked in weeks. Not since Homecoming."
"You know why." Stiles stepped away from Scott and slipped on his boxers. "Don't act like you don't."
"So you're gay or bisexual or whatever. I don't care about that. Do you think so little of me?" Scott was hurt again. He put a hand to his heart, and pressed the other to the nearest locker. "Stiles, I still love you."
Crossing his arms over his bare chest, Stiles sat on the nearest bench and stared straight ahead. Scott was confused. He sat next to Stiles and tried to put an arm around his shoulder, but the other boy cringed away from his touch.
"Stiles, I don't get it. Didn't you hear me? I don't care. Nobody cares. We're all fine with you being with Danny. To be honest, I'm shocked it took this long for you to come out."
"That's the problem. You don't care." Stiles' voice cracked and he looked away from Scott. "Danny's waiting. I need to finish getting dressed."
Scott instinctively reached out to touch Stiles, but retracted his hand. His friend was clearly hurting. And Scott did know why; he just didn't want to say it. It made him feel like a coward.
"I do care, Stiles. It was a poor choice of words. I do, but..."
"But not like I do." Stiles was crying, he wiped his eyes and turned his head just enough to look at Scott. "When I... You acted like nothing happened the first time. I was fine with that. Really, I was. But then Homecoming happened. You couldn't pretend anymore. And I can't look at you without it hurting. You don't mean to do it. You don't even try. There's nothing you can do to make it stop.
"When I was with Malia, it hurt a little less. But, again, Homecoming. And Danny is great. I'm his rebound from Ethan and I get that. I'm fine with it, because when I'm with him I don't think as much about you."
"Stiles..." Scott sat there and watched as his friend finished getting dressed. "What do you want me to do? What do you want me to say?"
"I want you to leave Kira and tell me that you're in love with me, but we both know it's not happening. Plenty of guys like me have fallen in love with their straight best friends before. I've read all kinds of stories and stuff online. And you've been better about it than most of those guys. Hell, this right now? It's bloody fantastic and I'm not even British. Do you know how many people would kill to have someone as awesome and supportive as you in their corner?"
Biting his lip, Scott looked at one set of lockers, then the other. "Stiles, you know I can't... I love you like a brother. I always will. But I can't leave Kira. You know that. I won't. But that doesn't mean you and I have to stop being friends."
"Yes it does! Scott, I was possessed by a thing that tortured you. Physically and emotionally. Yet, here you are, still being a great guy and not even caring about that. And yeah, you're a little slow sometimes, but it's endearing. And for all of those reasons, I can't be your friend. I just can't. Maybe later, maybe after I've moved on, but right now I can't. This isn't like when you and Allison broke up."
"I'm sorry," Scott whispered as Stiles put his shoes on and grabbed his jacket. "You know I..."
For a moment, Stiles smiled through the tears. "Yeah, Scott, I know. But you can't. Like I said, Danny's waiting."
Scott watched as his best friend left. Then he cried.