"What about the nightmares, Stiles? Have there been any recently?"
Stiles sat in the counselor's office at school during his usual Monday morning appointment. It was early, half an hour before school actual started.
"None, not for a few weeks actually. They usually only come when I stay up too late," he said.
'Or if I've been threatened by a werewolf that day,' he thought.
She nodded and scribbled on her board, seemingly satisfied with that answer.
"And how are your friends? Are you getting along with everyone okay?"
Stiles shrugged, he was never comfortable with this topic, he knew better than to let anything slip about, but it was still too dangerous topic to navigate.
"They're fine I guess, I haven't really been hanging out with anyone lately. I'm more focused on school and my dad."
She looked at him, unable to hide the concern.
"Focusing on those things are important Stiles, but cutting off social interaction with friends isn't a healthy way to do it."
"Yeah, well…"
"Look, we'll end here the bells about to ring. But make sure you talk to your friends. You have to consider how they feel too. They've probably noticed something's wrong."
"Okay, thanks. You know what teach? You should probably consider getting some comfty chairs in here. I really think it'll help speed up the healing process."
The woman smiled, "thank you Stiles I'll bring that up at the next staff meeting."
Stiles grabbed his bag and let himself out of the office, failing to notice Lydia across the hall.
The living room in the dilapidated house Derek was staying in was slowly becoming crowded with unruly teenagers that afternoon. Werewolf or not, hormones and angst made up the majority of their personalities.
"You really need to get more chairs in this dump," Jackson said loudly enough for Derek to hear, he knew better than to say something like that to his face.
Derek made no response over at the wall he was leaning on, only glared at the muscular teen, his eyebrows furrowed together in frustration. The Alpha problem remained unresolved and he could barely handle the task of training the fools in front of him. He was waiting now for his uncle to arrive, he was bringing fresh meat. Maybe the wolves would learn better if they had a treat at the end of each lesson.
Lydia was one of the last to arrive as she walked in, hair bouncing and confidence filling each step, and went straight Jackson to give him a greeting kiss. As she settled in his arms she turned to Scott who was sitting on the floor, arm wrestling with Boyd.
"Do you know why Stiles is in counseling?" she asked.
The silence in the room was abrupt as everyone turned to look at her, confusion filling their faces. Derek looked over too, he noticed recently that the reckless teen wasn't around nearly as much as he used to be. Not that he was complaining of course, but Stiles had managed to carve out his own niche within the pack before he suddenly became absent. At meetings, training sessions, everything really.
Scott sat up shaking his head, "What? Stiles isn't in counseling."
Lydia raised an eyebrow, translation: are you telling me I'm wrong? "I saw him leaving the counselors office this morning."
"He has been a little weird lately," Isaac added from his spot next to Erica.
Erica shrugged, "He's always weird."
"No, like quiet weird," Isaac retorted.
"Even at lunch he doesn't say much," Boyd added. It seemed everyone had noticed the change in Stiles recently, it just wasn't drastic enough to mention before today.
"So? There are tons of reasons why he could've been in there. Trust me Lydia, if Stiles was in counseling I would know," Scott insisted. With that the conversation was dropped.
Lydia shrugged her shoulders, appearing to let it go. She was planning on having a talk with Stiles in the very near future, his distant behavior had not escaped her notice. He was calmer yes, but lonely, even amongst friends.
Scott looked troubled as he settled back on the floor. Lately, he wasn't sure what was normal for Stiles, their friendship had been strained even before the Kamina situation months ago.
Derek was worried, what if Stiles had been…over-sharing with this counselor. Telling her things about the pack and his various near-death experiences that were better kept to himself? Way too many people in Beacon Hills knew the pack's little secret as it was. He sighed and slipped out of the room, his uncle could handle the meeting today. He had to pay Stiles Stilinski a visit.