Chapter 1: Week 1: I'm pretty sure Scott is my anchor.
Chapter Text
Friday, 1st February, 2013.
Somehow, -and this is the strangest part-, Isaac knew Scott was in trouble. Yes, the Alpha had made it clear the day before that he was missing school today so coming to a Scott-free school had been expected but what he didn't expect was for his gut to keep clentching every minute out of fear and that insane desire -not the sexual kind- to find Scott. He turned his head sharply, eyes locking on Stiles' who just furrowed his brows in that typically "Dude, are you ok?" gesture he did and Isaac just shrugged in response, turning around to face the maths teacher... what was her name again? Oh who cares?
His eyes darted to his phone screen, worrying his lower lip between his teeth as he debated his odds. To be a stalker or to ignore his feelings of anxiety but considering he couldn't ignore the feelings, it seemed that choice was already made for him. "Stalker it is." he mumbled to himself, catching movement from up ahead and guessing it was Malia wondering what it was he was referring to but paid no heed to that as he typed in a simple - Hey. -
30 whole minutes later and there was still no reply from scott and his neurotic anxiety was turning pretty realistic. The class ended sometime after that but his eyes remained on the screen as if glaring at it would make it produce a reply from Scott.
Stiles frowned from his seat two rows behind Isaac, guessing that Scott is the only reason the other wolf would be glaring at the phone like he wished it dead or something. Hell, with the way Isaac's emotions have been going haywire in the last month, it was a whole surprise that the beta hasn't already burst into flames.
"Isaac." he called from his seat in a normal voice as the rest of the class shuffled out around them, knowing the other teen would hear him anyway and watched as Isaac tore his gaze reluctantly away from the phone's screen before turning towards him, no preamble, just a straightforward
"It's Scott. I think there's something wrong with him."
"And you're building this fact on what hypothesis?"
"He didn't answer my text. He was also very vague about what he was going to be doing today and I think he's in trouble because if he wasn't, he would have answered my text. Maybe we should call Melissa... Perhaps he told her where he was going?"
Stiles would like so much to laugh at Isaac and tease him about his feelings turning him into a mother wolf but the more the taller wolf spoke, the more convinced he was that Isaac was right. It was just not normal Scott behaviour to be anything "uncourteous" even when he was angry.
"Or maybe Derek." he heard himself saying even before he did, and Isaac frowned, causing Stiles to shrug, going for an air of nonchalance and not really succeeding. "He, i mean Derek, has always been secretive. Especially when it came to pack business. He tells us nothing until it is absolutely necessary and he realizes he can't handle the shit anymore."
"And Scott likes to bear the whole world's pain on his shoulders..." Isaac added, his frown deepening. "Do you see a recipe for disaster here? Because I do."
Stiles could do nothing but sigh, reaching for his phone to call Derek just as Isaac's ringtone sounded, both of their gazes falling on it as Isaac pulled it up to check the caller ID. "It's Scott." he mumbled before answering it. "hey Scott, you scared the sh-"
"Isaac it's me." Deaton's voice rang clear from the other end of the line, loud enough for Stiles to hear before it returned to normal.
"We have one more class... I don't care about that... I'll be there in a few minutes. You'll fail so i advice against it." Isaac says with a lighter tone than he has had the entire conversation and must Stiles stress on it again? He hated it when he only hears one side of a conversation.
Isaac lowered his phone, mouth working to tell Stiles something but the other guy just rolled his eyes, pulling his keys out of his pocket and heading out of the room and through the corridors with the longest strides that Isaac had to hurry to catch up with. "I don't know what you were thinking but i'm going to hope for your sake, you weren't thinking that i would stay here while you zoom off to wherever because just in case you forgot, Scott McCall is *my* best friend and has been my responsibility since we were kids. That won't change just because his body chemistry changed and now some pack of strangers owe allegiance to him okay? Scott would do anything for me and so will I. Now if you've got the basis, do you mind telling me what the fuck that was about?" his arms swung at his side for emphasis, causing the wolf to roll his eyes at his back, following after him.
"Deaton said Scott came to the place with a bloodied shirt and he wasn't healing so he had to.. I have no idea what he said after that but it's probably not good." he added as he caught up with the shorter boy's strides.
"Dude.. you don't get emotional when something like that happens. You listen to the whole thing *before* the panic starts." he berated, stepping into the parking lot and locating his jeep pretty easily.
They were hardly parked, twenty minutes later in front of the animal clinic when Isaac went flying -yes, flying- out of the jeep and into the animal clinic, leaving the door open for Stiles to close. [ Okay, yeah, mental note, Isaac Lahey must be coerced into washing the jeep one of these days as punishment. ]
"Where is- ?" Isaac asked the moment he entered just as his eyes fell on Scott's immobile form on the work bench, moving towards him to start fussing over him.
"I told you it was nothing serious. He wasn't healing but i administered some drugs and although the process is a slow one, he's going to heal by nightfall. Hopefully." Deaton explained from his spot at the sink, pulling his gloves off and sanitizing his hands.
"Did he say anything before he turned pale and... well, the way he is now?" Stiles asked from the doorway of the backroom.
"Not much. He just kept murmuring 'fast' and then that was it. It was almost like he was delusional but i couldn't really tell what was going on. His scars were uneven. Like someone used a jagged, blunt and strangely thick metal to cut at his skin at an odd angle and although there a hard time healing. He bled a lot but at least the wound is healing now."
Isaac just gave a relieved sigh, pulling out a chair and sitting by Scott's stationary body, his anxiety calming down with every minute as he heard Scott's calm breaths, eyes locked on the alpha's wounds as they healed slowly.
Stiles just shrugged his shoulders at Deaton when the man quirked a brow at him, both deciding to not comment about Isaac's actions.
When Scott woke up, it was to people shifting him around and the scent of Isaac wrapped around him. The feeling of strong arms registered later but he felt too tired to even care about anything. Not when Isaac was so close because he knew he could always count on the beta. "I'll stay in the backseat with him then." he heard Isaac's distinct voice, followed by Stiles'.
"yeah i get it. I'll drive you guys home then go to the loft and get the truth out of Derek."
That was all he heard before he slipped back into oblivion although he could have sworn he felt Isaac's lips in his hair, palms rubbing up and down his arms till they tingled and talking to him... although he heard none of the words spoken.
Scott woke up to a feeling of familiarity the next morning.
Yes, it was his room.
He knew that by the scent -no matter how odd it smelled today- and also by the feel of the covers on his skin. He took a while to stay right there in bed, not breathing, or at least not in the way he would if his werewolf super senses were turned on but he just lay there, flat on his back, eyes closed and savoring the peaceful feeling as well as the familiar scent which was in his room yet somehow managed to elude him as to where he recognized that one from.
He felt a shift at his side and his eyes snapped open out of curiosity and shock, head whisking around to look at what had caused - curls.
It was the only thing his brain could provide and really, that was all the clue he needed because no one had curls like Isaac Lahey. No one wore it the way Isaac did and uuh... did he sound gay or something?
Because he wasn't.
He was very straight. He was a virile man and he likes women who are soft and warm and tender and... and why the hell was he thinking about this now? While staring at Isaac? He scoffed at himself, shaking his head incredulously at his own ability to make mountains out of molehills.
The sound of the scoff and shifting around woke Isaac up from his slumber although he kept his head right there on the bed, not looking up as he stalled for time to face Scott.
He had almost lost it last night, watching the boy slipping in and out of conciousness, grabbing desperately at his hand a few time as if he was lost in a bad dream and that had unsettled the curly haired boy way too much.
He had memories of a time in the past, before he left for France, when he had woken up many a time with Scott holding onto him, both their bodies drenched in his sweat while the alpha muttered words he hadn't heard, to him.
All in an attempt to get him to calm down from his vicious nightmares and he had been grateful, yes he has, but he never understood what it meant till last night.
Last night he had felt helpless. Like there was nothing he could do and there hadn't been anything he could do except hold onto Scott's hand, which he realized he was still holding onto.
Scott knew it the moment Isaac woke up because seriously, if the escalated heartbeats didn't give him away, then for sure, his uneven breaths, or the way he held his back taut as though he was afraid of the slightest mevement, would do just that.
He smelled something fishy with Isaac's behaviour but did not comment of it, just decided to let the teen snap out of his own haze at his own pace but when it started to seem like Isaac had no intentions of doing that, he sighed deeply, a little exaggerated though.
"Isaac..." he mumbled then when the other still made no signs of replying, he nudged at him and tried again. "Isaac i know you're awake, come on..." that did it as Isaac pulled up slowly, rubbing at his eyes in what looked like a genuine gesture before releasing their joined hands -which Scott was now noticing- and standing up.
He stretched and against his will, Scott's eyes followed the movement of his t-shirt as it rode up on his body, lifting up to reveal skin... hard skin which he had seen so many times before yet...
He blinked, then blinked again, squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to get his thoughts straight.
He was straight. He liked girls. Something is fatally wrong with him for him to be thinking about Isaac's torso and finding it attractive. Scott McCall is a straight dude and he likes pussy. End of fucking story.
Isaac cleared his throat just in time, making Scott wonder if perhaps he has unlocked another level in the werewolf super powers like maybe telepathy? that no one knew of. But just for a while as he caught the concerned look on the other's face, pushing up and moving to a sitting possition. "I'm fine. Really."
"just wait here. I'll get you breakfast."
"Isaac really, you don't -"
"I know... but your mom made breakfast before leaving this morning and i intend to make you eat it whether or not you want to." and then he was out of the room, leaving Scott alone.
Scott frowned down at his body a few minutes after Isaac left, realizing through the haze that this were not the same clothes he had been wearing the day before. Someone had stripped him down and for some reason, he was certain that it had not been his mom. When Isaac stepped back into view again, he couldn't help the light stain of blood in his cheeks. He didn't blush as excessively as Stiles did which he was really finding that he appreciated more than anything right now. Isaac set down the food in his lap and pulled his chair away from the bed as if now that Scott was awake, he wasn't allowed near the alpha. Scott chose not to comment on it as the aroma from the toast and omelettes wafted into his nostrils, his fork digging in immediately and he began to eat heartily. He had no memory of the last time he ate but he was starving... which... "how did you know my mom made breakfast if you were also asleep?" Isaac didn't reply immediately which had him frowning, his head spinning "what time did you sleep, Isaac?"
"Early."
"and by early, do you mean last night's early, or this morning's early?"
"last night."
"I don't believe you."
"well i'm telling you the truth so start believing.. I better get to showering and eating myself. See you later" and just like that, he was out of the room, leaving a banboozled Scott behind.
-
"why did you stay with me last night? You could have just gone to your room when i fell asleep." Scott asked, leaning against the kitchen's door frame, legs crossed at the ankle as Isaac worked
on their dinner.
"you won't happen to know what it was that hurt you, would you? You didn't say much yesterday except mutterings about "fast" and "strong" and that's it?"
"and why do you keep avoiding my question? I asked you-"
"I know what you asked me. I also know that why i stayed with you isn't life threatening but whatever it is that did that to you is and that worries me because you're strong... What if that happened to someone *very* mortal? How do they heal from that and just in case you didn't notice, *you* barely survived that." and then he slammed the turner down on the counter, sighing deeply but not saying anything.
He remained silent for a while after that... a long while because Scott, unable to stand it any longer, asked somewhat cautiously. "something you wanna say to me?"
"a lot." was the clipped reply he got from Isaac
and he nodded although he knew the other teen
wouldn't see it.
"you uhmm... you going to?"
Isaac turned to him, butt leaning against the counter, food forgotten and arms crossed on his chest. "that thing.. The one that did that to you, did you know what it was before you confronted it alone? Did you tell Derek? Did the two of you go to face that thing alone? If you knew what it was, did Lydia help you study it enough to know it's weaknesses to help you take it down? Did Malia know? How about Kira because Stiles and I sure as hell had no fucking idea about all this." when Scott said nothing, Isaac just sighed.
"I'm just gonna assume from the look on your face that it's a no for every freaking thing i asked you. I don't think you get it yet. Being the alpha of a pack may mean sacrifice and taking care of your pack but it also means realizing that without you, the pack is nothing and without the pack, you're nothing. You're just an alpha... And we're just a bunch of kids with gifts. You want to get yourself killed? Have you ever thought what would happen to the rest of us after you have gone, enjoying matyrdom in whatever alternate universe out there? No? Well, next time you decide to go on a foolhardy mission, think about that."
He pushed away from the counter, walking towards Scott in purposeful strides that had the alpha holding his breath guiltily till Isaac just tilted his body and walked past him with a mumbled. "check the food" and then that was it. Just like that, Isaac Lahey was out of the house and headed to god knows where.
Stiles Stilinski, best friend extraordinaire, got down from his beloved jeep and climbed up the stairs of the McCall house slowly and somewhat reluctantly. Okay maybe the hopeless romantic in him had suggested that he let Isaac and Scott be alone in the house all day yesterday so that maybe in the midst of "are you okay"s and "lemme get that for you"s, they'll realize that.. okay point of correction, *Scott* would realize that Isaac is such a great guy and he adores him and they can be together and ride around naked on Scott's dirt bike all across Beacon Hills but of course a part of him realized the unrealistic nature of that dream and it had nothing to do with the two teens not being nudists because he was certain with a little nudge, that would do that, but more because of the nature of the specimen in question. Scot McCall -slightly internally homophobic and dense as fucking crude oil and Isaac Lahey, stubborn as fuck idiot.
God, it was like watching dumb and dumber except you get to actually be dragged into the scenes occassionally. He sighed exasperatedly, thinking how this situation would drive him to his early grave and how he'll watch as Isaac and Scott continued living like the idiots they are.
The door was open, obviously. They had either heard him coming, one of them had left without telling the other or they just don't care. Security in Beacon Hills really needed and upgrade because burglary is starting to look like a really profitable business venture. He pushed the door open, looking around the sitting room -nope, no signs of kisses or discarded clothes signalling wild sex at some point and *he* was feeling sexually frustrated on their behalf. He moved up the stairs, moving past Isaac's door which was cracked slightly open to reveal the taller wolf slouched in bed reading a book that looked like a chemistry book and { Isaac Lahey really makes the rest of us feel bad. } he just moved on to Scott's room, the other boy was just lying in bed playing a game on his phone. { now that's more like it. } "Scotty.. Don't tell me you didn't hear me coming up..?"
"I heard you." Scott says in an offhanded way that was not much like him and Stiles couldn't help but frown.
"So what, you don't care for the company? Because i could always go to the loft y'know? There's food there, sex, and people who actually want to see me."
Scott didn't reply to him and Stiles just sighed again, whatever hole his best friend has dug for himself this time, it seemed it was quite deep. With a muttered "fine" be turned to leave only for his phone to beep with a text message from Scott. Scotty (14:16) - sorry about friday. I really am. I didn't mean to worry you and I wasn't thinking or maybe I was overthinking. I just didn't mean to put you in a bad place. Bros? -
Stiles finished reading the message and looked up at Scott who was now sitting up in his bed with a goofy pout on his face. He couldn't help the chuckle that slipped past his lips but at the same time, he wore a questioning look as he wondered why he had texted it instead of just out and saying it but before he could ask, Scott was pointing at the wall which seperated his room from Isaac's and Stiles wasn't dumb. He got an idea what his best friend meant but his curiosity just had to be quenched. He moved quickly to the desk and pulled out a jotter, starting to write.
[ what's wrong with you guys? And what's wrong with him hearing you apologizing to me? ] he finished and passed the book to Scott who read it and wrote a reply.
Scott- [ yesternight, he snapped at me and then afterwards, he just left the house. He came late. Waaaay after my mom came back and you know she gets home pretty late. I think he was really pissed. ] Scott chewed at the butt of his pen as he pushed it to Stiles.
The other boy's brows furrowed in concern, eyes darting between the wall which seperated them from Isaac and his best friend, sitting nervously in his bed before writing. [ okay what was he mad about? ]
[ what happened on friday. He pretty much called me irresponsible and inconsiderate.]
[ Isaac called you that? ]
[ you don't believe me? I'm telling you he was REALLY angry. When he walked past me, i feared he was going to choke me to death or something. ]
[ you're kidding. ]
[ Look at me. Do I wear the look of someone who is joking or finding humor in this? Isaac told me off last night and i don't even know how to talk to him about it. I mean where do I start? ]
Stiles read the the note and looked up at Scott's innocent face and dear lord he feels like wrecking havoc. [ well for starters, tell him you love him and don't wanna lose him over something like this. ]
Scott frowned when he read it, replying immediately. [ I don't know man.. Doesn't it sound a little too gay? ]
[ Of course not. Just because i'm gay you think i'll give you gay advice? ] he even had the impetus to look offended.
[ No of course not! And btw, you're bi. What i mean is well.. y'know? ]
[ Isaac is asexual. I'm sure he won't think much into it but take it in wolf terms. ]
[ Are you sure? ]
[ No. But when ever am i sure about anything? Don't be so down about it. Isaac was really worried that's why he had an outburst. ]
[ yeah i know. He stayed through the night. ]
[ That has never happened? ]
[ Well of course not. And he's just generally acting weird. ]
[ Why? ]
[ He locked himself up in his room. I haven't seen him all day. ]
[ Have you looked? Because i've been here all but fifteen minutes and he was the first one i saw. His door had a crack in it. Maybe it's his subtle way of telling you he's not mad anymore and you can come to him. ]
[ Yeah i'll do that later. ] Stiles finished reading the note and dropped the book onto the desk, staring at his best friend from opposite him and smiled wryly. "just calm down, it'll be alright.
In the next room, Isaac was torn between smiling to himself at the silliness of the two boys in the other room, and curiosity about what it was they were talking about although he was pretty certain that he was the main topic of discussion. Scott's anxiety and confusion has been assaulting his senses since he came home last night and honestly, he didn't know if to apologize or leave it be and as much as he wanted to, craved to apologize to the alpha for being crude, he didn't want to apologize for his words, and that was the real dilemma.
Stiles, after spending all day in the McCall house the previous day without running into Isaac even once, started to feel the tension in his bones and that was what drove him to the loft right after school to talk to his boyfriends in what he termed as an emergency situation.
"Derek.. That guy is like your illegitimate son. You care about him... sometimes i think he's the one person you care most about, see? You must do something." Stiles says sternly from his place on the sofa. He was curled up with blankets tucked around him that Peter had put there only moments ago and was rubbing his palms to keep them warm.
"I won't say he's the most-" Derek started to say only to be cut in by Peter who emerged from the kitchen with a cup of coffee balanced on a saucer.
"I believe Stiles is right in saying that."
Derek turned around to give him a shocked look to which the older man just shrugged his shoulders. "I'm a werewolf, Derek. If Stiles is just assuming how you feel about that boy, I am more than certain how you feel. You love him. Whether as a brother or a son but you still love him and I think..." he hands the coffee to Stiles and takes a seat at the other end end of the couch. "I think it has something to do with.. everything. You relate to him somehow."
"Just in case you haven't noticed, Isaac is broken. His own father tortured him and that's why I get affected by him."
"And you're not? Your whole family burnt down when you were barely legal and since then, it's one tragedy after another." Peter reasoned, more like intellectualized, because he absolutely said that as if *his* family hadn't burnt down too.
"I think it's more than that." Stiles mumbled into his coffee, bristling when Derek quirked his brows at him and he groaned. "of course you heard me."
"What Stiles means is that.. Well, what we both mean is that, yes you love Scott..you're loyal to Scott. He's like a brother to you and watching you and him, is almost as annoying as watching him and Stiles but-"
"I never said that." Stiles chimed from his spot, hot coffee gurgling in his mouth as he spoke, causing worried looks from both wolves and he swallowed quickly. "come on guys.. I'm still a teenager. I'm allowed to do certain things."
"Teenagers do that?"
"I don't remember doing that as a teenager." both Derek and Peter say at the same time.
"We're not changing subjects here." he recovered quickly, a deep crimson blush staining his cheeks. "The subject here is that Scott, my best friend and extremely dense true alpha, is straight. Or at least that's what he says... While Isaac Lahey, the one person who brings out all my emotions from cuddly to strangulation, homicide to suicide, hate and tolerance and occassionally I even love him, claims to be asexual when we know he really truly loves true alpha extraordinaire, Scott McCall and it's tearing him apart."
"Maybe you should let them-"
"Sort it out themselves? That's out of the question since i've waited a whole fucking year waiting for Isaac to make a move, give a hint.. .a loud one too since Scott won't see anything till it's in his face. I mean, I spend ninety persent of my time with Isaac and Scott. I'm choking from all the tension going on in there and Isaac is too stubborn to be helped. He nearly bit my arm off for trying in the beginning which is why you should talk to him."
"Isaac has not been my beta in a long while and even back then.." Derek said with a sigh.
"Back then, Isaac was the first person you bit. The first person you promised to take care of because he needed it. He was the only family you had for a while before the other packmates joined in and even if things have gone sour between you two -which it hasn't- Isaac still won't forget that there was a time when you gave him something... something to hold onto. Besides, don't sit there and get pouty at me.. That boy is the only one you listen to. I can tell you the same thing he does and you'll forget mine in an hour but Isaac speaks or criticizes you in any way and the next weeks, you mope around the loft and smell like a general failure." Peter says with a roll of his eyes, causing Derek to growl.
"Look, Stiles needs you to talk to Isaac... Or Scott. Just do something to help the boy even though I still think he wants me dead. I know you'll think of something." He leaned in to kiss Derek briefly on the lips. "You always do." and that was enough to have Derek go silent, starting to think of a way to help Isaac because in as much as he hated being understood like that, Stiles and Peter were...
Stiles and Peter...
Why the hell are they grinning like idiots at each other? "feeling rather achieved, are we?" he questioned and both men laughed lightly, Stiles kicking his feet out till his toe was trailing on Derek's naked chest, his lids dropped in a seductive manner, teeth biting lightly into his bottom lip as he whispers. "maybe we can compromise... share the feeling." Derek caught his foot in his hand, massaging it absentmindedly as his lips trailed softly against his toes, kissing them systematically, eyes locked on Stiles' before he started to suck on the toes then kiss the insides of his feet, his ankle, calf, and soon he was kneeling between Stiles' legs, his large palms on the boy's waist and pulled him in for a rough kiss. Stiles' free hand found its way to Derek's hair and tugged on it, wanting to hold onto something.
Peter moaned -or hummed, but who cares?- from beside them, causing them to snap out of the lustful haze.
"No no, fuck don't stop. I was enjoying myself. We can-"
"Cora." was all Stiles said and the older wolf nodded. "Right."
"You can come to my place later tonight though.." Stiles offered after a while, causing both wolves to nod. Yes, Cora was a thrill to have around but to her, and everyone else, Stiles was just with Derek and not both of them. And the very few who know that he's with both Hales, like Lydia, don't know yet that Derek and Peter are together. All except Isaac because Isaac doesn't judge and Isaac is just a beautiful puppy ok?
Cora's presence means some time limitations on how many times and in what places they have sex. They don't want to incur her wrath. At least not yet and besides, with a promise like that, Derek and Peter were waiting in his room by the time he got home and even his "show offs" comment came out huskier than intended.
Scott heard the door chime and frowned as he recognized the scent of the person who had just walked into the animal clinic. It wasn't really a weird thing for Isaac to come to the animal clinic but after what happened a few days ago when the usually aloof wolf had totally lost it, they had heardly spoken at all.
Truthfully, he felt like an idiot. A little child with no sense of direction and was embarrassed by the prospect that this was how Isaac pictured him. No wonder Stiles had said he had performance issues. He sighed, not bothering to meet the teen upfront like he usually did, knowing that Deaton was out there anyway and well, who knows, perhaps Isaac hadn't come to see him but instead speak to Deaton and who could blame him?
Scott was in the process of realizing that he was a twat and that was already hard on his-
"Penny for your thoughts." It was Isaac. It was Isaac but Isaac was standing so close to him there was hardly an inch between then and for some weird reason, his pulse picked up, perhaps out of fear that Isaac has finally decided to snap his neck... and yep, he was over-reacting so he let out a deep breath, hoping that it'll calm him down some.
It didn't. "Isaac, I-" he started to say, turning to face the boy ...who was smiling? at him.
"I just came to help you at work. Don't make me feel bad for coming." He says, looking down at Scott and the alpha never felt so *small* in his life. Especially with his eyes locked on the genuinness of the smile and he chuckled, instinctively wrapping his arms around the taller teen's midsection, causing Isaac to freeze.
"I'm sorry. For the other time I really am. I promise I won't do it again just don't ever be mad at me like that again okay? It felt terrible."
After a while, Isaac loosened up, his palms moving to Scott's shoulders to pull the boy away from him in order to see his face clearly. "I thought i told you not to make me feel bad.?"
Scott just shrugged lightly, turning around to the vaccine box he had been rummaging through before the taller boy came. "I said my apology to make me feel better. You can call me selfish but now that I feel better, not much else matters."
And Isaac couldn't help chuckling, lightly shoving at Scott before he leaned against the cabunet.
"Although... now that we're on the topic, did you get a good look at whoever it was that did that to you?"
"If I did, i would have gone after-" he cut that trail short, lifting his eyes up to Isaac's, a goofy grin on his face. "sorry."
"You don't need to apologize to me. Just keep your promise and we won't have to be faced with our worst case scenarios."
"What's the worst case scenarios? Wait, there's more than one?"
"Well, someone could kill you, *I* could kill you, I could die trying to save your ass, and I may just get fed up of excessively worrying about you and leave."
Scott flinched with every scenario he painted, but on the last one, his eyes shot up to Isaac's face, looking intently as if to be sure if Isaac meant what he said and what he saw there terrified him. "I don't wanna lose you." he heard himself saying."
"And I don't wanna lose you either but i'd rather that than worrying all the time about what other shit you've gotten yourself into. Just give me your word and i'll give you mine."
"I won't do anything without telling you. I promise." he mumbled a little half-hearted, a part of him knowing that the temptation to take a blow for the pack was a real and very imminent one but the other part acknowledged the look on Isaac's face and after weighing his odds, chose the lesser of two evils.
Isaac gave him a half smile, realizing what a challenge it would be for the alpha yet knowing that it needed to be done. He needed Scott alive. Too many people needed Scott alive because Beacon Hills needed an alpha and neither of them were in the mood to battle for supremacy of steal anyone's power in a situation where they were to lose their true alpha so what has to be done must be done. He intended to keep a really short leash on the guy. A tight one.
Out front, Deaton found himself to be an unwilling eavesdropper to the conversation between the boys, a small smile playing on his lips. When he was done with the book keeping for the day, he moverd to the half door between the two rooms only to stop short in his tracks.
The scene before him was overwhelming in a way that he found disturbing. Isaac was openly staring at Scott with undisquised emotions while the alpha just went ahead with his duties, oblivious to his surroundings and definitely oblivious to Isaac's feelings.
He found himself wondering how long it has been since Isaac developed such feelings for Scott and how he had managed to conceal them for this long.
"Isaac, can I talk to you for a moment?" Deaton says from the doorway. He had been heading out for the night and had told Scott to lock up after he was done with the few things he had to do. Isaac had promised to help as he had come over again and that was what got Deaton wondering all over again.
Initially, he had just told himself that he may have misread the sighs from the previous day but no. He wasn't wrong in what he had assumed and well, he usually didn't meddle in such matters but this time, his curiousity won out.
Well it was a weird request. At least for Scott and Isaac who both thought -silently, of course- that whatever Deaton wanted to tell Isaac, Scott could be present without any trouble but the way the ebony skinned man had said those words brooked no argument. Besides, try talking to the air he left behind when he stepped out of the clinic.
At Scott's concerned look, Isaac shrugged in a gesture he hoped to be a little bit calming to the alpha and stepped out to meet Deaton, who was standing farther away from where his car -which was already started- was, something the tall teen found trmendously suspicious.
Deaton knew this was bound to be a sensitive matter and well, with Scott only a few feet away with super sensitive hearing, he had to ensure a little bit of Isaac's privacy.
The little bit of it that he can, after asking him what he was going to... which... how does he phrase such a question again? He had no idea so he busied himself with setting distractions in place so that at least Scott would have a hard time catching some of the words.
After moving a safe distance away, he stood patiently, waiting for Isaac to join him. Which he did, after a few minutes.
Without preamble, he asked: "are you alright?"
Isaac, surprised by the question, nodded in reply, adding a moment later. "Why? I mean, why do you ask that?"
"You have dark circles under your eyes, your lids look puffy and you talk as if you really won't mind sleeping right now."
Isaac had to give props to the man for his ability to read a person even without the additional help that wolves had.
"I'm fine. Just a little tired."
"have you been getting sleep? Dies it have to do with Scott?" whoa... Okay. What did Deaton mean by that? But obviously, he didn't ask that.
Instead, he nodded, deciding to give an explanation just in case aside all the precautions the veterinarian had taken, Scott still manages to hear them. "I'm just worried about him. So much so that I have this theory that whatever or whoever attacked him might have seen him and is going to come for him so i have to watch him. And Melissac because if something happened to Melissa, Scott would be crushed and if something happened to Scott, i might lose it completely."
"Why?" Deaton asked so calmly, Isaac was starting to think that he was under some mini hypnosis because before he could even think about it, he was replying the man.
"Because I'm pretty sure that Scott is my anchor. When i went under, there were several people with me so i couldn't make a concrete decision regarding that but I also know that my emotions... *all* of my emotions, are just somehow, intuned with Scott's. I don't know how much more to explain that." he finished, shuffling nervously on his feet.
"You don't need to. I was just curious about your relationship with him. I mean, I was there when you came in the day he got hurt. You hardly acknowledged my presence and when I called on the phone, I noticed too but yesterday was when it hit me. I'll just tell you something you probably already know..."
"That unrequited love is a bitch?" Isaac mumbled bitterly.
"something like that but more precisely, getting attached to someone who does not return such feelings is close to disasterous. Having an anchor is similar to -but not the same as- having a mate. Imagine having a natural pull towards someone only for them to reject you. What I want you to know is that you should start making up your mind where Scott is concerned. The longer you keep holding on to a broken dream, the more unhinged it would leave you afterwards and Scott may never forgive himself for that. This might set off a chain of events that may not all be pleasant." when Isaac nodded somberly, Deaton ventured another question. "Does Scott know about this? About how you feel?"
"No. No he doesn't need to."
"Actually, he does. You may be responsible for your feelings but in the end, the things he does affect those feelings so either tell him, or start working on finding a new anchor. Think about it." He gave the boy's shoulder a gentle squeeze before stepping away and heading back to his car.
Isaac waited a while longer when he was certain he had his emotions in control, before heading into the animal clinic and to a curious Scott who had heard his name mentioned a more than few times.
Scott knew something was wrong but he hoped that whatever it was, Isaac would confide in him.
"I swear sometimes i want to grab Scott's head and dip his face in acid, maybe he'll notice that." Malia mumbled from where she was standing with Kira right outside the door of the school canteen and the foxy brunette turned her head sharply to look at her girlfriend. "Malia!"
"What? You don't know the ammount of torture we weres have to go through because of Isaac's stench. It's getting worse these days.. I mean look at him." She points outside the glass window at Isaac who had found a secluded spot right outside the school -which was the weirdest thing because Isaac *never* left Scott alone until the alpha demands it.- and it was very obvious that this was his way of avoiding the boy. -which, was pretty much useless considering they live in the same house.
She knew Isaac didn't like her much because of what had happened with Stiles and her and she understood that she deserved it. Even found it refreshing that there was one person who wasn't willing to just 'sweep it under the rug' and pretend that nothing had happened but she had cheated on Stiles.
With Kira.. Who was by then, single so Kira wasn't so much at fault as she was but she had broken her promise to Stiles and yes, that always felt like a dark cloud over her and Kira's relationship but that was beside the point. The point was that, Scott was heartily eating in the canteen with no care in the world -except maybe the care that the next threat to the town may already be in the town, which thay all bore on their shoulders- while Isaac was sulking outside, no doubt listening in on Scott to see if the alpha would have need of him.
Kira sighed beside her, seemingly getting the picture now about why Malia was turning homicidal on Scott all of a sudden.
"Scott's smart. A little slow sometimes but he's smart. Besides, you should realize that just because Isaac likes him doesn't mean he'll like Isaac back. I think Isaac realizes that, and that's why he has been quiet about his feelings. Let them sort it out, Malia.." Kira mumbled beside her, kissing her shoulder to get her to pull her eyes away from Scott who was sitting with Lydia, Mason and Liam... and not Stiles?
"I know that.. Looks like i have to train myself to keep my nose out of the scisaac business."
"Scisaac? What's-"
"well it's a code name for Scott and Isaac. I had to so that they have no idea-" She didn't finish what she was saying when she heard a distinct laugh above all the noise. She knew that laughter.. She'd heard it so many times before and now she realized how much she missed it.
"I really wonder why I put up with you two. You're like giant elementary school kids... Yes, you're hot.. The hottest in the class. Isn't Peter around? Oh he is? Why is he allowing you to be silly? Well because that's what Peter is for. You guys must cook for me. I want Italian cuisine tonight. I think my dad would be working late today so I can hang at the loft for a while after school. I do *not* want to stay one more minute with Scott and Isaac. I feel like such a betweener and the last time i tried cooking using a recipe book, you can ask Peter the end result of that one. What's the use of having tw-?" Stiles' words were cut short when he rounded the corner, nearly running into Malia who was looking too curious and made the spastic boy realize that his conversation had been heard.
Fucking werewolves and werecoyotes with no respect for one's privacy! And Kira looked so confused, Stiles' heart went out to her. "I'l call you back. Remember what I said. Italliano." he ended the call and smiled at the pair. "Hi Kira, Malia. Aren't you guys eating?"
"We were going to.." Malia replied instantly then pointed behind them where Scott was happily enjoying lunch, then outside where Isaac was sulking. "...but it's just disturbing to watch." Stiles groans, rubbing his hair vigorously.
"I swear i feel like killing Scott." he grumbled. "see you guys later ok?" he made to enter the canteen when Malia called after him.
"oh and it's scisaac."
"what?"
"code name fore Scott and Isaac"
"oh cool. Better find one with only a bit of Isaac's name in it and not the whole thing though." he answered with a smile, stalking off to the table.
Malia turned to see Kira looking sullen. "hey what's-"
"were you listening to Stiles' conversation? Is that why i kept talking to you and you didn't even hear me?"
"Look it was something importan-"
"So i'm not important, it's that it?" Kira asked with a shake of her head and stomped off. She hated feeling weak but for 2 months now, after Isaac had told Malia to reassess her feelings for Stiles if it bothers her that he's dating, Kira has had all these instances flaring up in her head and having Malia literally stuttering whenever Stiles was around didn't help with her complex.
"No wait.. Kira." She grabbed her girlfriend's hand and swivelled her around, letting out a deep breath. "hear me out, will you?" when Kira made no move to leave or pry her hand away, Malia started: "Okay. This happened on that New Year's eve meet we had, remember?Derek is very possessive of Stiles we all know that. And you saw how he reacted when anyone at all went near Stiles.. Anyone, that is, except Peter. And then when we all went out and I asked Isaac if he liked Stiles, he said he wasn't stupid enough to like someone who has been claimed and then claimed again. That got me thinking that Stiles is with Derek *and* Peter at the same time and they know about it because his conversation earlier...the one I accidentally overheard, just proved that."
Kira did pull her hand out this time. "Your explanation just serves to concrete the fact that you'll just keep picking Stiles over me all the time."
"Kira this is not just about Stiles. This is about my *father*! My family and I thought you of all people would understand me. If your father were to start dating Scott, would you be alright about that? Should I tell you that you're not okay because you still have feelings for Scott? I admit, Stiles was my first in many ways but just in case it slipped your mind, I left *him* for *you*!" She huffed, stalking off in the direction of her locker to pick up her books for the next class, leaving Kira -who was wondering just when she had turned into the 'bad guy' in this situation- standing in the same spot, feeling terrible.
Liam walked out of the canteen with about ten minutes to spare till the lunch break was over, a burger and smoothie in hand and walked out the school to the small bench outside the compound, under the tree where Isaac had chosen to be his sulk spot for the day. Admittedly, in the beginning when Isaac came back, he had been jealous of him. Because the taller beta had made Stiles -who was hard to please- blush like a virgin, Derek had laughed -something he had never though he would witness- and Peter, calm, collected Peter with the sharp tongue, had been frustrated because of the beta's wittiness but the killer of it all had been when Scott had introduced Isaac as his "... Isaac Lahey, my first beta. Isaac was my beta long before I was alpha. Even though we've had our differences, and I wasn't the one who bit him, he's like a brother to me." but over the past year, he's grown to understand why everybody liked the wolf.
He fought like he had nothing to lose -which, technically, he hasn't- especially where Scott was concerned. He made Scott-centered decisions and Scott-centered decisions are subsequencially, Pack-centered too.
In fact, he's grown to admire him although he'd die first with a flaming torch in his ass than tell the boy that. He held the food out to him, standing before him and Isaac looked up with disinterested eyes. "I'm not hungry."
"I know. And i'm not feeling necessarily generous but here I am doing the unthinkable." Liam quipped and sat down beside the taller wolf who just went back to leaning his head back against the back of the bench.
"besides, if you're avoiding someone you live with, it's best if you don't have to eat with them so eating out before you get home so you can go straight to bed is the ultimate thing to do."
If Isaac heard him, he made no indication of it and Liam couldn't help smiling. "Eat your food. Lunch break is almost over." and then he was up and gone, just like that.
A while later, Isaac took the food, craddling it in his hands and resolving to eat that as supper instead... locked up in his room. Alone.
Lydia was no fool. She may not have the super senses of the others but she had her brains which apparently, Scott had none of. Or he was in some sort of denial. She stood up two minutes to the end of lunch, Scott following suit and the alpha frowned immediately, seeing Isaac now coming into the school, his burger and smoothie in hand. "What's Isaac doing out there?"
"Maybe he was avoiding someone in here." she replied with an air of nonchalance, calling over her shoulder at Scott. "see you later, Scott."
Scott waved at her retreating back, looking around to see who Isaac could be avoiding. He gave up after a while and sighed. Maybe Isaac would talk to him when or if it became necessary.