Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf.
Read on, oh faithful ones...
...
When they arrive in Paris, Isaac flinches at every loud noise, bright light, and overwhelming sound constantly. It's not like he thought it would be, leaving his pack, leaving Beacon Hills, leaving the memories of Allison, Boyd, Erica. He doesn't know what he'd do if Chris wasn't here, a firm hand on his back guiding him through the streets, flawless French rolling off his tongue to get them past the tourist traps and other shit that the travel books just don't fucking tell you about.
They end up in an Argent stronghold, and Isaac shrinks back at the sight of the other hunters. Chris doesn't stop, doesn't introduce him, doesn't give him a chance to completely freak out and shift. He ends up in a plain bedroom before he's really had a chance to process anything, and he hugs a pillow to his chest, trying to control his breathing. Chris murmurs something that's probably comforting, but Isaac doesn't hear it, and soon he's alone in the simple room. He just wants to go home. He misses Derek, Scott, even Stiles. Isaac's exhausted from the flight and curls up on the bed, falling asleep fitfully. He dreams of Allison.
When he wakes, Isaac finds he's starving, and since the house is quiet, he follows his nose to the kitchen, padding along the carpeted floor softly. He's halfway through making three sandwiches when Chris appears in the doorway, looking as dishevelled and unkempt as Isaac's ever seen him, even though he's only in pyjama pants. Isaac offers him a tuna sandwich. Chris stares at him for a long moment, then nods and sits across from him at the kitchen island. They don't talk while Isaac makes another sandwich, nor while they're eating, but it's the most comfortable silence Isaac's been in for weeks, and that's saying something. An hour later, his stomach full and curled up in his oversized shirt, Isaac falls asleep again, this time with no dreams to haunt him.
Isaac finds a pack by accident. He's out at the park while Chris is doing something with the French contingent of Argents, and it seems that even though he arrived with Chris, they don't trust Isaac enough to let him stay. It's not like he understands enough French to betray their stupid secrets anyway... He can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance, and Isaac's trying to work out how long it would take for him to climb to the very top of the structure when someone quite literally jumps over him to catch a Frisbee. There's some surprised laughter from onlookers, but Isaac's heart's pounding at the sudden shock, his body curling in to protect himself on instinct, rather than growling and letting claws out. Apparently, the shock was enough to let his eyes glow gold though, and the man that jumped over him raises an eyebrow, golden eyes filtering through the natural green before he gives a wink. Isaac just stares, heart slowly calming, and then he scrambles up to run after the man, calling in broken French and stammered English. The group are all werewolves, and if Isaac hadn't been so focused on the Eiffel Tower and Chris Argent, he would have realised about them sooner. They know about as much English as he does French, but they've all got phones with translating software, and enough hand gestures that they can communicate effectively enough. They take Isaac through the park, running faster when the human hikers fall behind, and it's the first time he's felt light enough to laugh since before Allison's death.
That night, Chris receives a text from Scott, and Isaac perks up at his Alpha-friend-thing's name, but Chris looks worried more than anything else. He doesn't tell Isaac what the text said, and Isaac hangs his head, wishing he hadn't hoped that Scott would ask about him. It's a full moon that night, and Isaac hears the bedroom door lock after he retires for the night. He can hear the howls of the others in the pack, and wants to be out there running with them. Instead, he blocks his ears, thinks of the time his father bought him an ice cream and actually smiled at him, back when his mother was alive and brother was still around, and Isaac makes himself go to sleep. He dreams of the moon.
The text has obviously worried Chris because when Isaac makes his way out of the unlocked bedroom in the morning, he's already packing his things, checking his guns, a bow sitting on his bed beside the suitcase. He swallows hard as the sight makes him think of Allison - Chris has obviously compartmentalised his emotions again, because his face is blank as he looks over. Isaac asks if he's going to be left behind, and Chris shakes his head, telling him they've got tickets back to California that night. He'll take him back to Beacon Hills and deal with the problem Scott needs help with, then they'll talk before deciding to come back to France or not. Isaac nods in response; just because he's found a pack doesn't mean that he's going to join them.
They leave for the airport the next morning, three suitcases between them. One and a half are full of Chris' weapons, and he gets through customs after a lot of paperwork. The plane has to land in the UK to refuel before going on to the US, and the amount of people in the airport makes Isaac whine softly, crowding in against Chris. He doesn't say anything, just leads him through the airport, and Isaac probably would have clung to him for the rest of the day if he hadn't smelled someone familiar. He breaks out in a wide grin when he sees the person the scent belongs to, and breaks free from Chris to run, jumping onto Jackson with a cry of laughter. Jackson, of course, pushes him off immediately and glares at Isaac, straightening his clothes and surreptitiously hiding his claws.
Since their layover between flights is a few hours, and Jackson's just arrived back to London from a trip to Germany, they all converge in one of the small, overpriced, and overcrowded cafés in the airport. Jackson pays for their food without a word, and Isaac picks his way through his food when the subject of Allison's brought up. Jackson had been told - Lydia, Danny, someone at Beacon Hills, obviously - but he still looks sick and pale at the fact that Allison's really dead. Chris excuses himself, and Isaac wonders if the compartments are starting to crumble, feeling the wave of sadness that's washing off the older man.
Jackson still looks ill, so Isaac talks about France, how he accidentally met a pack there, how he's still not sure if he can go back to Beacon Hills, but wants to finish his schooling. Jackson doesn't even look like he's listening, but when Isaac finishes talking, he mentions his own pack in London, the private school he's in and hates with every fibre of his being, how he misses everyone - even Stiles, for god's sake - and wishes the school here played lacrosse. It's all soccer - football, whatever they fucking call it - and it's not the best sport to get his aggression out, so he started hockey instead. It's the closest alternative that he'd accept, and he's already Captain of the team. He's planning on attending the University of St. Andrew's so he can play lacrosse again. Jackson asks about Lydia, Scott, Stiles, Derek, and Isaac tells him as much as he can, trying not to growl when he mentions the twins. Jackson's surprisingly sympathetic about them, but looks disinterested again when Chris returns, eyes red but neither mentions it.
All too soon, their flight's being called, and Isaac suddenly realises that he doesn't want to leave; he's not ready to go back to Beacon Hills. He's actually starting to understand Jackson, his little glances and looks of disinterest, and Isaac recalls that night in the club, Jackson's breath warm on his skin, Erica pressed between them, and fights back a blush. Jackson is giving his 'don't care but I actually do' expression, and Isaac grabs his hand, eyes wide as he asks if he can stay with Jackson. He's got no money, no family, he's sixteen and can't afford that fancy private school that Jackson goes to, but he doesn't want to leave. Jackson's hard expression falls away and he looks so fucking relieved that Isaac wants to hug him, so he does, briefly and acutely aware of crumpling Jackson's outfit. Jackson actually clings to him a bit tighter, and Isaac presses his face against the crook of Jackson's neck, breathing in his scent, even as Jackson does the same to him a little more discreetly.
Chris blinks as he looks between them, asking what the hell Isaac's going to do as a minor with no money. Jackson scowls at Chris, Isaac fitted slightly behind him as he tells him that his parents have enough money to send him to his private school six times over, and Isaac will be fine without a hunter's help, especially an Argent's. Chris obviously looks surprised at the amount of venom in Jackson's voice, but they all think of Gerard a second later and it makes sense. Isaac winces, wondering how Jackson's managed to sit here for all this time without even trying to swipe a claw at Chris. He clings to Jackson's hand tightly, hoping that he won't do it now, and Jackson squeezes back briefly but doesn't look at him.
Chris sighs, rubbing a hand over his face as his name's called over the airport's speaker again. He gives Isaac a hug with one arm, careful not to dislodge him from Jackson's grip, and promises to send his things back to London, as well as his paperwork for Jackson's parents. Isaac thanks him, tells him softly to take care, and to visit Allison's grave for him. Chris' face closes off a little at that, he nods firmly, and then with a final look at the both of them, disappears into the crowd of people.
Jackson doesn't let go of Isaac's hand, even when they're outside of the airport, and Isaac just slides across the car's backseat, nodding to the driver as Jackson tells the chauffeur to take them home once his bags are in the trunk. Home sounds like a good place right about now, Isaac thinks to himself, curling up against Jackson's warm and solid body. Jackson rolls his eyes, but it's in an affectionate way, Isaac can tell that now, and he grins a little in response. His curls stroke against Jackson's cheek as Jackson moves his head to press a quick kiss to Isaac's forehead, squeezing his hand gently. Whatever happens, Isaac knows that they'll work it out together. They're pack, after all.
...
The end.
Thanks for reading!
