When Scott sees Stiles one week after the events, he feels that it is his job as a bro to help his best friend to move on.
Sure thing, he has not moved on from Allison himself, but Stiles looks like he hasn't been sleeping at all, and as a friend and an alpha, Scott wants to be selfless and help his pack instead of himself as usual. Stiles looks like he really could use some help, or some company at least, so Scott decides to do something about it. He talks with his mother about a sleepover he wants to have with Stiles, and she looks excited because Scott's girlfriend has just passed away and she is worried about his son. So the next morning, when Scott goes to school, the first thing he does is to find Stiles, who is standing still in front of his locker and staring dully, as if he has not slept at all. Scott can't help but feel bad for him, after all, he is his best friend and he could not have survived all of this stuff without him. He walks towards him and slowly taps his shoulder. Stiles jumps.
"Dude, calm down!" Scott smiles. Stiles turns to him and visibly relieves when he sees that the owner of the voice is Scott and no one else. He tries for a smile, but terribly fails. Scott notices the big dark bags under his eyes, along with the more-visible cheekbones of his. His friend has clearly lost weight, and it worries him.
"'Sup?" Stiles asks. Scott shrugs. "Not much," he says nonchalantly. "i was just wondering if you would like to stay over at my place tonight. Mom said it is okay, and today is Friday so…" Stiles looks as if something made him nervous, but snaps out of it immediately. "Sure thing," he says a little bit too excited, and Scott can't help but wonder what is up and before he can ask, the bell rings.
Throughout the day, Scott does not have the chance to have a real chat with Stiles, but eventually his worries pass away as the day goes on and crazy stuff happens. When the time comes, they get to Stiles' jeep, put the motorcycle back of the car and start moving towards Scott's house.
"Man, I can't even remember what we used to do at sleepovers! A lot has passed!" Stiles says excitedly as he stops at a red light.
"I don't really remember, either," Scott says. "I guess we will discover that." Stiles laughs softly, and Scott relaxes a bit, because his friend doesn't look as nervous as he looked earlier that day. The light turns to green, and they continue the silent journey.
When they get to the house, Scott's mom, for one time, is at home and opens the door for them, makes some food for the boys. After she makes sure that they're all right, she leaves for work, leaving Stiles and Scott alone.
After some hours passed with playing Monopoly, Scott decides to do something else and asks.
"Can I ask you something?" Stiles looks surprised, because Scott usually don't ask permission when he's asking something, and shrugs.
"You know you can ask me anything, Scottie." The nickname wasn't meant no be used, but as the words came out of Stiles' mouth, he decides that it is okay.
"Are you all right?" Scott asks, and then sees Stiles flinch visibly. "Of course I'm all right. why would you ask such thing?" Stiles answers, but they both know that he is not really all right.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Scott asks and when he sees Stiles shake his head harshly, he decides not to push.
The night goes on and on, and when they both start to feel hungry, they decide to eat. Some kind of soup and pudding as desert is what they eat, and as they eat, Scott can't help but think that something is driving them apart, since this night was going on really, really quiet. He involuntarily stares at Stiles' eyes, and Stiles looks almost immediately away, and Scott understands what is going on. Stiles looks guilty.
"Why are you feeling guilty?" Scott blurts out. Stiles' eyes open widely, and he starts taking shorter breaths.
"I am not feeling guilty," he says, but Scott can hear his heartbeats and knows that he is lying. They don't talk about it, anyway. They just continue eating.
After the meal is over, they watch an old movie they are showing on TV and eat some popcorn. They're leaning side to side, shoulders touching, and Scott can feel Stiles shaking slightly. He suddenly stands up and gets a blanket from the other couch. He covers Stiles up, who looks surprised.
"You look cold," he explains. Stiles gives a thankful smile, and when the film is over, they get upstairs and get ready for bed.
"I'll set up another bed," Stiles starts, but Scott objects.
"No need, man," he says, because they've been sleeping in the same bed whenever they have sleepovers since they were five, and that is the only thing he remembers about their sleepovers. Stiles looks like something is bothering him, but shrugs and hesitantly gets into the bed.
Scott cuddles Stiles, who is still hesitating and lying uncomfortably besides him. "What is going on, Stiles?" he asks. Stiles doesn't answer. They lay quiet for a while, and eventually, both of them fall asleep.
oOo
Some hours later, in the middle of the night, Scott wakes up to a horrible scream that pierces his ears next to him. Stiles is shifting from side to side, all sweaty, gripping the sheets like he's holding to dear life. Scott sits up quickly, and hugs his friend until he wakes up.
"No, don't, please… No!" Stiles wakes up in a rush, panting and holding Scott's hand so tight that it hurts like hell.
"It's okay," Scott comforts him, because even after a few seconds, Stiles doesn't calm down; instead he's started sobbing uncontrollably.
"Stiles, it was just a dream. You're okay now." But moments pass and Stiles is still crying. It takes Scott time to figure it out, but when he finally understand why Stiles is still crying, most of his sheets are already wet.
"Oh," Scott says, not knowing what else to say. Stiles is still crying, and Scott wants to comfort him, wants to tell him that it's okay, he's okay, and Scott will not judge. Scott hugs him tighter, and they stay there for a while, ignoring the fact that they're wet with pee. After a while, Stiles finally snaps out of it.
"I'm sorry," he says. "I'll clean it up. I-I'm sorry…" He tries to move, but his hands are trembling and he cannot grip anything.
"It's okay," Scott finally lets out. "You don't have to do anything-let's get you cleaned up." Scott stands up and drags Stiles onto the bathroom, both soaked. He waits for Stiles to take off his pants, but after seeing that he won't be able to, Scott decides to do something. He slowly strips Stiles, and it's not weird because it's not like Scott has never seen him naked, and it's a time that his friend is in need.
Stiles is clearly embarassed, and Scott wants to comfort him. But he can't, and it frustates him to a level he didn'y know that existed.
"I'm sorry that I messed your bed up," Stiles repeats. "I can pay for-"
"Stiles, you don't have to," Scott cuts him. "It is okay. It was an accident, it's not like you could help it!" Stiles still doesn't look sure, but he shuts up anyway. The look in his face reminds Scott of the times when his mother died, the times when Stiles didn't want to stay over at his house. The times no matter how late his father would come and get him, and Scott understands now. He didn't know when it started again, probably after the Nogitsune, but he definitaly understands now-why Stiles looked nervous, why he wanted to set another bed… Scott thought his friend needed company, but it is way more than that. His friend needs assurance that everything was going to be okay, that no one would judge him. Scott can make sure of that.
"It started a week ago, after Allison died," Stiles says, out of the blue. "I was having nightmares, and I guess guilt didn't help. I ca-I can clean if you…"
"You just shower," Scott says. "I'll take care of it. Do you need help? I can clean you up, you know, if you want." Stiles really wants to decline, he really does, but his hands are still trembling and he's afraid that he won't be able to stand up alone. He suddenly feels very naked, probably because he is, but cannot help it. He just looks at Scott, who gets the hint in a milisecond.
"Let's carry you, then," Scott mumbles and help Stiles up to the tub. Stiles is clearly embarassed. "No need to be embarassed, Stiles. I have seen you worse, and definitaly you have seen me worse. I think I don't need to remind you my first full moon?" Stiles looks a little more relaxed now, which makes Scott happier, and he turns on the water. He slowly cleans his best friend up, and then himself. After it's done, Scott gives Stiles a towel, and they put on some clothes.
"Go to the living room," he says. "Turn on the movie, make some drinks. I'll be up in a minute." Then he goes to his bedroom and replaces the sheets with clean ones. When he gets back, he sees Stiles, careful not to touch anything, as if the house is a museum. "Hey," he says. "You don't have to be this jumpy, I told you it is okay!"
"It's not," Stiles says in a croaked voice. "I'm not okay. We're nearly finishing high school, Scott, I'm not supposed to be wetting my-your-bed!" Scott puts his hand on Stiles' shoulder.
"Like you always tell me when something is wrong, we'll figure it out. We always do. It really is no big deal, what happened, and plus, I'm your best friend, I should be there for you!" Stiles shrugs and they start the movie. He knows that he now doesn't feel secure, but he also knows that he will after some time.
He knows that he's not okay, but he will be, eventually.
oOo
The next morning, Melissa McCall finds her son and his best friend asleep on the couch, cuddling and stuff. She smiles, with no idea what is going on, and thinks to herself how good these two are as friends. Suddenly, she's no longer worried about her son's girlfriend being dead and her son being depressed, because she knows Stiles and Scott will figure it out.
After all, his son may not be okay now, but he will be soon enough.