AN: So, as you know, Stiles is in a band. I was looking for a (real) band with catchy music, but deep lyrics and then I thought of Twenty One Pilots. I think a few of their songs fit perfectly for Stiles, so I'm going to use them for his band. I named them Twenty One Packs to mix it up a little. Anyway, just to clarify, I don't own any of the songs or the lyrics or whatever you might thing of.
And I know, this took me forever, but at least it's a long chapter. Hope you enjoy it.
When Stiles came home after practice, he found his dad and Melissa in the kitchen. Music played in the background, while they were cooking together. It seemed like they had fun together and Stiles thought it was nice seeing his dad happy like that, even though the sight had shocked him at first. He still had to get used to Melissa in the house. Seeing her doing all the stuff his mother had done was weird and some times it hurt, but his dad was happy and he loved Melissa, so he would try to make it work. That didn't mean he had to watch all that though, so he went unnoticed out of the doorway and to the stairs.
He found Scott in his room, lying on the mattress on the floor, while typing something on his phone. He didn't even notice him at first, way to focused on whatever he was doing at the moment. It wasn't until Stiles let his backpack fall down beside his desk, that Scott gasped and sat himself up with his phone pressed to his chest. Stiles shot him a weird look, before flopping down on the chair.
"So, how was practice?" Scott asked to bring his hammering pulse down. He had been texting with Allison and even though he'd decided to not let himself be intimidated by Stiles, he was quiet nervous how he would react as soon as he found out Scott had an interest in Allison.
"Good." Stiles answered in a nonchalant voice.
Scott had been on Stiles' band twitter site, well he had been on everyone's site for that matter. He'd found them all on Allison's one and he had been curious, so he used the opportunity to check all their profiles. In the end he had send everyone a follow, too. He hadn't been sure about how Isaac and Stiles would react, but it would have been strange to only follow the girls, so he swallowed his pride and connected with everyone. Isaac even followed him back, just as Kira and Lydia. It was weird, how social networks could say more about people, than those people themselves, because he found out so much about his new friends by only looking over their profile. He felt a bit like a creep.
Anyway, he had found out, that Stiles' band was called Twenty One Packs and they had quite the fan-base for such a young band. Probably because of all the high school girls. Scott had followed them, too. He was actually really curious about their music, but sooner or later he would find out, he was sure of it.
"Mine was good, too. Coach and Isaac helped me a lot." Scott continued, as if Stiles had asked him the same question in return.
"Yeah, Coach's cool."
Stiles hadn't talked to Scott since his almost-panic-attack. He didn't really know what to say, but Scott did all the talking anyway, so it wasn't that much of a struggle. He was glad though, Lydia would be sleeping over tonight. Maybe that would make conversation easier.
"Our stuff is now here, too. Mom got it, while we were at school."
"All by herself?"
Scott was surprised about the question. It almost sounded like he was really interested in what he had said.
"Yeah, she always does that. It's terrible. She wants to take care of everyone and everything. I think it comes from her job." Stiles only nodded, because that was something he really could imagine. Melissa appeared to be that kind of a mother, who always made sure their kids had everything they needed, without spoiling them too much though.
When Stiles didn't answer him more than just a nod, Scott turned his attention back to his phone, replying to another text message from Allison. As soon as they had started to tweet each other, they had decided to exchange numbers, so they could text more privately. And since then neither of them had stopped texting. Scott was so excited about this girl. He'd never felt a connection to someone like he did with Allison.
"Um, Stiles?" Scott started again. Stiles was hunched over his desk and had started to scribble something down on a notepad. He made a humming sound, but didn't turn around.
"So.. Allison and I, we're partners for a school project." Scott stated and swallowed afterwards. He still could remember Stiles' reaction, when he had asked for Allison's name the other day. He knew it was a touchy subject, but he didn't want any surprises either, so he'd decided to tell Stiles right away.
Stiles stopped writing and looked to Scott from over his shoulder. He raised a brow and held one hand up in question, as if he wanted to say 'so what?'.
Scott cleared his throat in an awkward manner and scratched his head. "I just.. I don't know, I wanted to let you know, because she's your best friend. I don't want you to think, I do something behind your back."
Which was the truth. Scott knew, Stiles had some fear of losing people or something, which he thought was kinda reasonable after his mother's death. The last thing he wanted to do, was upset Stiles. So he would try and make everything as open and clear as he could. He didn't want for Stiles to find anything out from another person. Not that there was anything to find out. But as soon as Scott would find the courage to ask Allison on a date, he would tell Stiles as well. Because things like that never ended well, if they got kept a secret.
Stiles was suspicious and reassured at the same time. On one hand it was really good to know, Scott would tell him such things, on the other hand was his uneasiness he always felt in such situations. It had been Scott's first day at school, his first day with his friends and he was already so close to everyone, especially Allison. Stiles really had to get used to that, but at the moment he felt okay, his little breakdown at lunch almost forgotten. So he answered Scott with a simple 'okay', because he didn't know what else to say.
Scott was a bit confused, because he had thought Stiles would react a different way. He wanted to ask why Stiles was so calm about it, but in the end decided against it. He didn't want to give Stiles a reason to distrust him. He wanted to say something else though, but got interrupted by his mother's voice calling from downstairs.
"Boys, dinner's ready."
Stiles' heart clenched. He didn't like the sound of it, like they were a big happy family, like Melissa would be his mom. He noticed, this would get way harder than he had thought. He wanted to do this for his dad so badly and it felt good to see him happy like that, but that didn't change the other feeling he had. The bad feeling, which overwhelmed him, whenever he saw Melissa smiling at him. He hated this. He hated his dysfunctional mind, his fucking fears, his constant distrust.
With a sigh he got up from his desk and shoved his notepad under some of his school books. He and Scott went down the stairs. That was something, that felt foreign, but was kinda okay. It was easier to get used to a new brother than a new mom, even though Melissa had said she didn't want to replace his mom, it wouldn't change the fact, she would be the mother of this household.
Scott went into the kitchen and just as Stiles set his first step into the room as well, the door bell ran. His head whipped around and a smile formed on his lips. His chest felt instantly lighter. With quick steps, he went to the front door to open it.
Lydia greeted him with a grin on her face. She let out a surprised giggle, when Stiles pulled her into his arms. Whenever he greeted her with a hug instead of a kiss, she knew he needed comfort. She slung only one of her arms around his middle, because in the other she held her little dog Prada. Lydia buried her face in his chest, while mouthing a quiet 'Hi'. He replied, before letting go of her and placing his lips over hers for a quick kiss. Lydia smiled up to him, which sent butterflies right through his belly.
He invited her in and she let Prada down. The dog knew her way around the house, because Lydia often brought her along, especially when she planned to stay longer at Stiles'. Lydia dropped her purse down beside the door and shrugged off her jacket simultaneously. She hung it beside the others and then slipped off her shoes, making her a few inches smaller. Lydia felt so comfortable in this house, even more than in her own. And she was always welcome here, too. The Sheriff was glad Stiles had Lydia by his side, so he didn't care if she wanted to sleep over or even stay here for a few days. She had a good influence on him and that was all that mattered for Noah. He and Stiles once had a quick 'please use protection and don't knock her up' conversation and since then he put his trust into both of them, without regretting it so far.
Stiles lead Lydia to the kitchen, telling her they just wanted to start eating. He was so glad, she came before dinner, he had a feeling she would make it a lot less awkward. His thoughts got confirmed, when they both went into the kitchen. The sight of Melissa, his dad and Scott sitting at the table like a family frightened him to death, but with Lydia by his side he felt somehow calmer, as if he could go through this without wanting to stab his eyes out.
Melissa looked a bit surprised at the girl's sight, but instantly stood up to greet her. "Hi, I'm Melissa." She said. She was almost sure, this was Lydia. She had never met her, but Noah had told her a bit about her. And even though she had never seen a picture of her or got an other description than 'well, she is kinda small, I don't know' (she scolded Noah silently for that lousy description, because this girl was gorgeous), she instantly knew this could only be Stiles' girlfriend. There was just something between them you couldn't see, but therefore strongly feel.
"Nice to finally meet you, I'm Lydia, Stiles' girlfriend." The girl answered politely in her natural husky voice. She had been just as curious to meet Melissa as the woman had been to meet Lydia. But thanks to Stiles' habit of sneaking out of the house to drive to Lydia's, whenever Melissa had stayed over, they had never gotten the chance of meeting.
"Come sit with us, we were just about to eat." Melissa said with a smile, before walking over to the cupboards with the plates in it. She knew her way around the kitchen, because she had already cooked dinner for Noah and herself before.
Lydia thanked her and then sat down on the chair she usually sat on and which was surprisingly free. Stiles flopped down beside her.
"Hey Scott, good evening Sheriff." She greeted the others, who said hello in return with smiles on their faces. Melissa came to her side and put the plate and flatware on the table in front of her. She said her thanks a second time, before looking over the food Melissa had cooked.
"That smells delicious. I haven't eaten since lunch." Scott choked on the coke, he was currently sipping on at Lydia's words. No one but Lydia and Stiles seemed to notice his little slip gratefully, though he wasn't speared of a cocky smirk of Stiles and a grin on Lydia's face. His first day at school had been more adventurous than any day at his old school. Sneaking off during break to have a quick fuck in the bathroom was something he never had experienced before. His life had been quite boring so far. He had a feeling that would change now.
"I made chicken parmesan. Noah said it's one of Stiles favorite food and I'm trying to make points with him, so.." Melissa ended her sentence with a waving hand gesture, before sitting down at the table again. Lydia laughed at her words, before saying, that food would be a good way to impress him, because he loved nothing more except for music. And sex, but that she didn't say out loud. Stiles just ignored them both.
They all put food on their plates and started to eat. When Stiles didn't say anything, Noah gave him a light kick with his foot under the table. Stiles twitched at the unexpected nudge and hit his knee on the table. He growled lowly and rubbed his knee, while glaring at his dad. The Sheriff pointed at Melissa with his head, giving Stiles the hint, he should finally say something to her. Stiles muttered something under his breath, but raised his eyes to Melissa's.
"It's good, I like it.. thanks." Even though it sounded a bit forced, he meant it. The food was good, definitely better than what they had eaten, when they were alone. Melissa thanked him and that's all that got said for a while. The joyful mood at the beginning quickly turned into an awkward and uncomfortable silence. Everyone occupied themselves with eating, so the silence got filled with clicking noises of forks and knives.
At some point though, Lydia couldn't take the silence anymore. She never liked strange moods like that, so she tried to think of a good topic to start a conversation with. Lydia was good at talking. If someone could change the awkward moment, then it would be her.
"Hey, Ms. McCall." She said to get the woman's attention. Melissa shook her head with a smile and told Lydia to call her 'Melissa'. The girl nodded with a grin, before continuing.
"Thanks Melissa. So I was wondering, if you heard of the small fundraiser party tomorrow?"
"Mhm." Melissa confirmed with a hum, while swallowing a bite of chicken. "I saw a few posters about it today. I actually wanted to suggest going there." She glanced at Stiles and looked for a reaction after her words. She could imagine, he wasn't so keen of spending time as a family, but his face didn't show any of his thoughts. Melissa guessed no reaction at all was better than a bad one.
"We definitely should go together. My mom's managing the whole thing, so I don't know if she'll be able to hang out with us, but you're surely gonna meet Allison's and Isaac's dad. Oh and the Sheriff always needs to attend those kind of things anyway, so you better get used to it, Sheriff Lady." Lydia was actually really excited about all this. It was kinda strange sitting like a family at the table, eating and talking together. She had never experienced something like that herself. Her parents were divorced, so it was only her and her mom alone or herself and her dad, when she visited him. It felt nice though, to see a family building in the Stilinski house. She was sure it would help Stiles as well, even if he wasn't so happy about the situation right now.
"Okay, it's settled then. It's gonna be nice to get to know some people in my age around here. I don't think it's normal I only met teenagers so far." Melissa joked with a smile in her voice.
"Well, you definitely met the coolest teenagers, if that's any comfort." Lydia grinned at the woman in front of her, before putting another fork full of noodles between her lips. She pointed down on her plate and added. "Food's really good."
"Thanks, Lydia." Melissa said gratefully. She really liked Lydia so far. She was witty and talk-active, and she could imagine, the girl kept Stiles on his toes. Thinking of her kind-of-stepson, she turned her gaze in his direction again, before speaking. "I hope you're coming too, Stiles."
"Mhm." He muttered in confirmation without looking up, his eyes trained on the food on his plate, the fork stuck in his mouth. Lydia rolled her eyes beside him, but laid a calming hand on his neck. She stroked over his curling hair and over the skin with her fingertips. Stiles loved whenever she did that, so it didn't surprise her, when she felt him relax beside her. Melissa couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of her. These two were adorable.
"He's gonna be there anyway." Lydia clarified. "Twenty One Packs will be playing there. I'm so excited, I love watching them on stage."
"Your band? Hey, that's great. Then I finally get to hear your songs." Melissa was truly excited about this new information. She had been curious about their music since Noah had told her about Stiles' band. She had always been really into music, had loved to dance to it back in her teens and she even had taught Scott how to play the bass, when he had been younger. But Scott had found his passion more in sports and that was okay with her too, as long as he was happy.
Stiles didn't reply as usual and that's how it went for the rest of their dinner. Mostly Lydia and Melissa were talking about every possible topic they could think of, Scott quipped in every now and then and both Stilinskis stayed silent most of the time. Stiles, because he didn't want to talk and Noah, because he simply enjoyed this new constellation of them being a family. He liked the sight of Melissa and Scott sitting with them at the table, it looked right.
After dinner, the three teenagers went to Stiles' room to work on their homework, while the parents cleaned up. Lydia laid on her stomach on Stiles' bed, a book in front of her as well as a few papers, she wrote something on every now and then. Stiles sat at his desk, all kinds of books were lying open and he read alternately through each one of them and then wrote something down. For Scott, it looked like he had his own chaotic organization, because as messy the desk looked and as strange it was for Scott to watch someone work on four different homework at the same time, Stiles clearly didn't mix anything up or got confused. Which Scott found really impressive.
Because Scott was already struggling with only one of his homework. He sat on his makeshift bed and pondered over his chemistry work. Lydia helped him out every time she caught him with furrowed brows or a helpless expression. Scott was happy about Lydia's presence. At first he had thought, he would get ignored or even kicked out of the room, so the couple could be for themselves, but Lydia had been nothing but nice to him the whole time.
At some point Prada joined them and Scott let out a perplexed sounding noise. He hadn't seen the dog before, but Lydia quickly explained to him that Prada was hers and she often brought her along, when she slept over. The dog barked once and wiggled her fluffy tail, while standing in the doorway and that's when Lydia realized Prada needed a walk. Neither of the three had noticed how quickly time went by.
They stopped their work to take Prada for a walk and after that they made themselves comfortable in their beds. Scott was snuggled in his blankets on the floor, while Lydia and Stiles fought for the pillows until Stiles finally lost. Lydia giggled, but took mercy on her boyfriend and gave him his 'special' pillow back, the one he always needed, otherwise he couldn't sleep. Scott heard a smooching noise, when Stiles pressed his lips on Lydia's for a goodnight kiss and Scott wondered if he and Allison would ever get to the point of cuddling together under a blanket and kissing each other to sleep. His lips formed into a smile, because yes, he would make sure of it. With that thought in mind he closed his eyes and dozed of into a world where he and Allison were already together and loved the living hell out of each other.
The next morning began relaxed, but ended up rather stressful. Stiles woke up with his face pressed into Lydia's breast and moaned in agony at the loud beeping noise of the alarm. He slung his arms tightly around his girlfriend, not ready to get up yet, so he ignored the annoying sound and shoved his face deeper into the cleavage of Lydia's breasts.
Scott on the other hand couldn't take the blaring sound of the alarm anymore and sat up to turn it of. When his gaze fell onto the couple on the bed and he instantly woke up from his foggy mind. Would he ever wake up normally in this room? Sure, it wasn't so bad as waking up to someone falling on you, but the sight of Stiles burying his face in Lydia's boobs wasn't something he wanted to see. Not because he was prude or anything, but simply because it was so hard not to look at Lydia's exposed skin, where the neckline of her top had slipped down. If it wouldn't have been for Stiles' head covering her, he was sure he would have seen more than he should have. And Stiles wouldn't have liked that one bit. Scott sighed. He had a feeling, he would get into trouble with Stiles at some point, simply because of innocent things like that.
It didn't make it better, that Lydia walked practically naked, in nothing, not even panties, but one of Stiles' shirts, into the room, forgetting about Stiles' new roommate, after her shower. She shrieked loudly, Scott cried out as if someone had startled him to death, before covering his eyes and Stiles yelled at Lydia to 'cover the fuck up'.
After that the tension between them was thick and sour, even Melissa and the Sheriff were noticing it, but for once didn't ask about it. Stiles stayed mad for the whole way to school, but at some point calmed himself down, after Lydia explained to him – for the sixth time- that it had been an accident and she simply forgot about Scott being in the room as well.
The school day went by smoothly. Scott and Stiles met up after every class, just like the day before, so Scott wouldn't get lost, though he already knew the halls of the school better and didn't feel quite as helpless as before. Allison joined them whenever she could. She wanted to spent more time with Scott, and Stiles couldn't really say something against it, when they were at school, so she totally took advantage of the situation.
At lunch the group talked about the fundraiser party. In fact, everybody talked about it. Everyone was happy and excited whenever something like that got organized. Beacon Hills was a small town and there wasn't much teenagers could do, so they took every opportunity to go to events like that. But it wasn't just the younger ones, the adults were just as excited about it. It was always nice to spent time with the whole family at these fests.
After school, the group split up. Kira, Isaac and Stiles were practicing their songs one last time, before they would play on the party later. Afterwards they made sure everything was set up. Isaac and Stiles were packing their stuff into the Jeep, while Kira posted on their band's twitter profile, that they would be playing during the fundraiser party.
Allison, Lydia and Scott drove back to the Stilinski house. Scott felt kinda strange driving home without Stiles. It felt like going over to a friend's house, while said friend wasn't even home. But Scott lived there now too, he needed to get used to that. Allison had brought some of her clothes with her and decided with Lydia what she should wear, while Lydia worked with the stuff, she had already at Stiles'. In the end, Allison wore one of Lydia's tops and a plaid shirt from Stiles over it. She didn't feel like dressing up much and just wanted to be comfortable. Lydia felt the same way, so she wore a short cut floral dress with her usual heels, which was Lydia's interpretation of comfortable.
Scott had been downstairs the whole time, letting the girls be for themselves for a while and waited for his mom and Noah to come home. Noah actually needed to be present as the Sheriff, but he said it would be totally okay, if he stayed with them the whole time, because it was more of a image thing, than actually working and looking after everyone. When he came home, he even changed his working clothes into casual ones, so Scott figured those town parties went by rather calmly and peacefully.
In the afternoon, all five of them made their way out of the house to attend the party. Scott told Allison, that he thought she looked really pretty, even in Stiles' clothes and she blushed in return and thanked him with a beautiful smile. Allison normally wasn't a girl, who blushed at boys or was speechless around them, but Scott was just so.. different. She felt really nervous around him, but not a bad kind of nervous, more like thousand of butterflies were flying in her stomach. She felt the same way, Stiles had described his feelings for Lydia when he fell in love with her back then. Allison knew, she didn't fall in love with Scott yet, but there was much potential of getting there as soon as they would spent more time together.
When they got to the party, there were already a lot of people with drinks or food in their hands. There were many booths, a few where kids could play games at, others where you could buy sweets and some simply for food and drinks. It looked similar to a funfair, though there weren't much rides except for a rather small Ferris Wheel. The stage, where Stiles would be playing on later, stood central, so you had a good few on it wherever you stood. At the moment there was a DJ playing his music to fill the whole place with melodic sounds.
Melissa liked the atmosphere of this place. Everyone was in a good mood, there were people dancing, kids were running around and laughing together and others were just talking to each other. It looked like a happy scene out of a movie, only that Melissa was right in there with everybody else. She guessed, that's how it felt like finally finding the place where you belong to.
They walked along the streets, Allison and Scott trailing slightly behind, while Lydia, Melissa and Noah were going ahead, looking over every booths and greeting people the Sheriff knew, but Melissa had never seen. She kinda felt like being in High School all over again. Some people were only looking after them, but others actually asked, if Melissa really moved in with Noah.
She liked small towns, but gossip and the fact, that everybody knew exactly what was going on in her life, was the downside of it. But she stayed friendly anyway. Telling the people, who asked, that yes, she lived now with the Stilinskis, yes, they were doing great and yes, Stiles was getting along too. It was kinda annoying, because she really just wanted to have a great time with her new family, but she was sure the whole situation was even harder for Noah and Stiles, so she didn't complain.
Melissa suppressed a sigh as another man came in their direction, she was already preparing for another round of 20 questions, but as soon as he greeted Allison with a kiss on the cheek, Melissa quickly understood, that this was the girl's father. They introduced each other and Scott shook Mr. Argent's hand as well in a polite and respectful manner.
Allison's dad looked like a total badass. He may not had the biggest muscles, but the hard features on his face were enough to make Scott gulp. Plus Allison had said he was the head of their archery club, so he totally could kick Scott's ass, if he didn't like the sight of him and his daughter together. But for now, it seemed like he was save.
Allison smirked at him, as if she knew exactly what was running through his mind and just to provoke him, she slung her arm around one of Scott's and then called for her dad, just so he would turn around and see them like that. Scott nearly had a heart attack, but when Mr. Argent didn't comment their closeness, he could finally relax and actually enjoy Allison on his arm.
At some point later on, Kira, Isaac and Stiles were joining them again, as well as Kira's parents. Lydia and Stiles greeted each other with a kiss like they always did, but that was all Stiles managed to do. He was so nervous and excited about their gig. It wasn't their first one, they often played at town parties like this one or in bars, but the nervousness never lessened. Stiles walked in front of his dad and Melissa, but facing both of them and walking backwards, while babbling constantly about random stuff, just so he would get rid of all the energy, that had build up during the day.
Noah was always happy, whenever Stiles got like that, because it reminded him of the Stiles he had been, before his wife had passed away. His son had never sat still for even a second and had always been a bundle full of energy, but after his mother's death, he got calmer, but more in a depressing way, than in a healthier way. But on occasions like this, Stiles' ADHD always managed to come to surface and though it was exhausting to put up with Stiles, the Sheriff liked this side of his son better.
Melissa was surprised about Stiles' behavior, because she had only ever seen him as a moody teenager. It was really nice seeing him with a constant smile on his face, and it was also really entertaining, whenever Stiles was about to bump into someone or trip over his own feet, because he was still walking backwards to look at his dad. Noah always patiently guided him around people or put a hand on Stiles' arm, when he stumbled, and all these were so simple gestures, but they warmed Melissa's heart.
Allison and Scott still stayed more in the background, so they could talk to each other more privately. It wasn't like they talked about things no one was allowed to hear, but it was nicer to get to know each when your parents weren't listening in.
They spent the whole afternoon chatting and at some point eating something together. The adults talked about every kind of stuff to get to know Melissa better, while the teens stuck in their own conversation. It was nice they all had kids the same age. They all knew what kind of a struggle it was to raise a moody teenager and meeting up on parties like this one was easier as well with their kids being friends.
Later in the evening, Kira, Isaac and Stiles needed to head back to the stage to get ready for their gig, after Stiles got a good luck kiss from Lydia on his bruised cheek, Isaac a tight hug from Allison and Kira a thumbs up from her parents.
Another girl from school had entertained the crowd with her singing and playing guitar, so they were already a few people in front of the stage, which didn't really calm Kira's anxiety down. She was always nervous before playing in front of people, but Isaac and Stiles knew how to handle her nervousness by now.
The others made their way to the stage, too. The parents of the three of them would never miss a chance to hear them play, just as Allison and Lydia always wanted to support them by just being on every single one of their concerts as well. Melissa and Scott didn't know what to expect, but they were both curious, so they absolutely didn't complain, when the Sheriff directed them into the little crowd.
„Hey guys, so were Twenty One Packs and we're gonna play some for you now." Stiles greeted with a charming smirk on his lips and earned loud applause for it. Technically everyone in Beacon Hills knew them, because yeah, small town and all. So it was usually the same audience they were playing in front and though Stiles really liked knowing who he was playing for, he would like to get out of Beacon Hills more often for a gig. They had played two times out of town and both times it had been a complete other experience, than here where everyone knew the other.
Stiles looked over the familiar crowd until his eyes locked with Melissa's. He had almost forgotten, she was there, too. She smiled up at him and he didn't know, if that made everything worse or better. He took a deep breath, a panic attack was the last thing he wanted to have on stage right now. His gaze wandered further to his dad, who gave him a thumbs up, but it was Lydia's smile, that calmed his nerves down. Everything felt like in slow motion as her full lips curled into a lovely smile, that was only for him. He smiled back and nodded once, before raising his gaze to the whole crowd again.
Isaac clapped his sticks three times together and Stiles tightened his grip on the guitar and waited for Kira to play the first chords. After that, his thoughts stopped running. His mouth opened and he sang the first verse of his song 'The Run and Go' without having to think about it. That's what he loved about music, he could just get lost in the sounds of it.
I can't take them on my own, my own
Oh, I'm not the one you know, you know
I have killed a man and all I know
Is I am on the run and go
Lydia smiled, when she heard the first chords of the song. She couldn't help but to sing along right away. Allison felt the same, she instantly moved her head along the music. Stiles' dad had a proud smile on his face. Sometimes the lyrics of some songs pulled at the strings of his heart, but he was always so happy to see his son play.
Don't wanna call you in the nighttime
Don't wanna give you all my pieces
Don't wanna hand you all my trouble
Don't wanna give you all my demons
Melissa had her arm slung around Noah's back, as she heard Stiles sing for the first time. His voice was soft and rough at the same time and while the sounds of the instruments were delightful, Stiles sounded vulnerable and sincere. Scott was surprised to hear Stiles' voice like that, too. The guy, who intimidated him constantly with his possessiveness, stood now there and opened up through his lyrics more than he did in a normal conversation.
You'll have to watch me struggle
From several rooms away
But tonight I'll need you to stay
Isaac drummed along the song, loving nothing more than to close his eyes and play with his band mates. He often could relate to the songs Stiles wrote. He had had a rough start in life as well and though he would never wish anyone such a struggle, it helped him to know, there were other people going through hard times as well.
I am up against the wall, the wall
Oh, I hear them coming down the hall
I have killed a man and all I know
Is I am on the run and go
Melissa couldn't hide her feelings, while she listening to the first song of Twenty One Packs. She had never thought, a teenage band could stir such emotions within her, but there she was, clinging to every meaningful word Stiles sang.
Cold nights under siege from accusations
Cerebral thunder in one-way conversations
Don't wanna call you in the nighttime
Don't wanna give you all my pieces
Don't wanna hand you all my trouble
Don't wanna give you all my demons
You'll have to watch me struggle
From several rooms away
But tonight I'll need you to stay
Stiles repeated the last sentence a few times more and then ended the first song with Isaac hitting one last time on his drums. The little crowd of Beacon County applauded in front of them, which did things to Stiles' ego, he couldn't even think of. There was just no better feeling, than having people stand in front of you and cheering and singing along your own written songs.
They started right away with the next song and all three of them enjoyed their time on stage. There was absolutely nothing, that freed their mind more than music and they were all grateful for every opportunity they could share their music with other people.
Melissa's heart filled with pride, while she listened to her stepson's music. It was the same with Scott, whenever she watched him play on the field. Maybe Stiles and her didn't have the best relationship yet, but that didn't change her motherly feelings towards him. At the very first time she had met Noah's boy, she had wanted to pull him into her arms to smooth his pain away. She just couldn't bare hurt souls, especially when they were so young.
After over an hour, Stiles announced their last song, which was called 'We Don't Believe What's On TV'. It had turned dark and neither of the three on stage could make out any of the faces in front of them. But that didn't matter, as long as they could hear them singing along, they would be happy.
Stiles switched his guitar with an ukulele. He liked the happy sound of it, so at some point he had learned how to play the ukulele and then started to use it for a few songs, just like this one. He sang the first verse, while playing the instrument.
We don't believe what's on TV
Because it's what we want to see
And what we want we know we can't believe
We have all learned to kill our dreams
Every single one of his songs meant much to Stiles, but this was one of the many he had written with Lydia in his mind, so it was always something special, whenever he played the song. And though he couldn't see Lydia right know, he knew she felt the same. She usually sang along to every song, but whenever he played one he had written for her, the look on her face told him how proud she was of him. And that's all what he ever wanted, to make his dad and Lydia proud.
I need to know
That when I fail you'll still be here
Cause if you stick around, I'll sing you pretty sounds
And we'll make money selling your hair
Melissa's heart clenched at the lyrics of the song and that not for the first time this evening. Stiles had such a special way to express himself, like purposely using 'when I fail' instead of 'if'. It was as if he only waited for making another mistake or disappointing the people he loved, like he knew he would fail.
I don't care what's in you hair
I just wanna know what's on your mind
I used to say I wanna die before I'm old
But because of you I might think twice
Noah pulled Melissa closer to him. He could clearly see the emotions crossing over her face and he understood her completely. When he heard Stiles' songs for the first time, it felt like his heart broke into pieces. His son had barely talked about his feelings that time and hearing him sing so sadly about it, had been a hard pill to swallow. Now though, he knew what kinda songs he wrote, so he was prepared for every new one.
What if my dream does not happen?
Would I just change what I've told my friends
Don't wanna know who I would be
When I wake up from a dreamer's sleep
I need to know
That when I fail you'll still be here
Cause if you stick around, I'll sing you pretty sounds
And we'll make money selling your hair
Kira didn't had a part in the song, but she sang quietly along, while Isaac let all his energy out on the drums and Stiles' sang his voice raw. She loved playing with them, it was nice though, to just watch every now and then too. Stiles sang the chorus one more time, before gesturing to the crowd to sing with him and that's what they did.
I don't care what's in your hair
I just wanna know what's on your mind
I used to say I wanna die before I'm old
But because of you I might think twice
Louder than ever, the crowd sang together with Stiles the end of the song, all their family and friends included. That kind of support meant so much to them, they couldn't even express it in words. Stiles tried it, though. After they finished their last song, he told all the people in front of them how lucky they were to have them all here and getting the opportunity to play for them. Beacon Hills replied with cheering and applause and that's when all three of them said their goodbyes, before leaving the stage.
The crowd cleared up, when the stage went dark. Noah and the rest of the group were going to the side of the stage to meet up with the other three. Kira squeaked happily as she saw her parents and then run to them for a hug. They were both really proud of her and to see how happy Kira was with playing in the band, warmed their hearts.
Isaac got a broad grin and a brofist from Chris, while Allison pulled him into an embrace. They lived together since Isaac was ten and Allison couldn't be any prouder to have such a talented little brother. There were still many downs, but moments like this proved how much better he was doing.
Stiles' dad was just as proud as the other parents. He ruffled his sons sweaty messy hair, before pulling him into a hug with one arm. Lydia came to his other side and kissed his upper arm, while beaming up to him. She knew how much his band meant to Stiles and to see him getting lost in the music on stage, spread always happiness in her chest.
"Dude, that was totally awesome. You guys are like so good." Scott smiled at the three band members in awe. He couldn't help, but share his thoughts with them. Never had he thought they were this good. After all they were just a school band. But the music was really good and the lyrics deeper than in some songs from professional artists.
"Thanks, man." Stiles was the one who answered and that was enough for everyone to be surprised. Stiles felt really good after their performance, his whole appearance screamed happiness and satisfaction, and for once he didn't see a reason to hide his feelings behind a sarcastic remark or brooding.
Later the teens sat all together around one of the few fireplaces. Lydia sat on Stiles' lap, one arm around his neck and shoulders, the other resting upon one of his arms, which were both wrapped around her small figure. His beer bottle stuck between Lydia's thighs, because he had both of his hands on her.
Allison and Scott weren't that obvious, but they sat close beside each other. They had both rested their hands on the wooden bank they sat on and as soon as they accidentally brushed their hands together, they intertwined their pinky fingers. Kira, who sat beside a stoned Isaac, had noticed the little gesture immediately and had winked at Allison with a playful smile on her lips, just as Lydia had wiggled her eyebrows at them. Allison had only rolled her eyes at them, but couldn't hide her happy smile.
Sure, she and Scott barely knew each other and she definitely didn't want to rush anything, but the alcohol in their systems made them a little braver and they were only -sort of- holding hands. It was nice, so they both went with the situation without putting too much thought into it.
"This is so nice. We never had these kinda fests, where I lived before." Scott shared with a little smile on his face. Everyone, except of Isaac, who was way too occupied to stare into the flames of their little campfire, turned their attention to Scott.
Stiles didn't really want to know about Scott's old life.. well, he was curious, that was just in his nature, but as always the little back and forth game between not wanting to get too close and satisfy his curiosity crept into his mind again. But the alcohol actually relaxed him, so he decided to reply to Scott, before all his doubts would overtake again.
"Sounds kinda boring." He answered simply.
Scott huffed a little laugh and nodded. "It was. Nothing ever happened there, so I'm actually grateful for moving here."
"Well, we're happy to have a new face around us." Allison grinned up to Scott, who in return smiled softly at her.
"Yeah, we can all see how happy you are, Ali." Lydia giggled quietly, while Allison rolled her eyes at her. Stiles murmured soundlessly, but Lydia reassured him with a kiss to his bruised cheek. Scott didn't miss the reaction, but he was way too happy about Lydia saying out loud what he had thought the whole evening; that Allison liked him and enjoyed his company.
But it wasn't just Allison, the rest of the group got quickly used to Scott being around. Of course Stiles still struggled a bit, but all in all everyone liked Scott and didn't mind him hanging out with them. He was good company and his happy aura made it hard to not like him.
"I'm soooo huuuungry." Isaac complaint suddenly and slung his arms around Kira. He buried his face in his friend's shoulder and made a sobbing noise.
"Yeah, because you're stoned again. Dad will rip your head off." Allison remarked with a scrunched up nose. She never liked it whenever Isaac decided to smoke weed. Of course she knew it was a bad habit of his, but she knew as well, that he could do way better if he really wanted.
"Nooo, I need my head."
Stiles pressed his lips tightly together to suppress a laugh. He thought, Isaac was actually really adorable when he was drunk or stoned. Maybe that's why he was usually his partner in crime, when it came to partying and having a fun night out. Though not all of their nights had ended in a fun way, because both of them didn't know their limit, especially when it came to harder things than just alcohol. But Stiles had promised Lydia to take a step back. She had reasoned with him, it wouldn't do anything good to his dad, if he kept partying all night and took drugs with Isaac. Stiles knew she was right and with a little help from her, he managed to get himself together on that matter.
And as soon as Stiles had decided to stop, Isaac went with it, too – mostly. He smoked weed every now and then, but it wasn't as bad as it used to be. The thing with his dad had thrown him off really badly and as most people, he thought he could get rid of his problems by doing drugs and drowning himself in alcohol. He'd been lucky to have his friends, cause if it weren't for them, he probably still would live the same lifestyle as before.
"Isaac!" Chris Argent's voice roared from behind them. Isaac's head whipped around and he clung himself tighter to Kira, who couldn't do anything other than sigh. She petted his arm, before pushing him softly away from her. He would have to get through this by himself.
"No, save me, Kira!"
"Told you so." Allison sang, when she saw her father approaching them.
Chris was followed by Melissa and Noah, who were walking hand in hand behind the furious father. Noah only shook his head with a sigh, because this wasn't really something new. They weren't naive, they knew whenever their kids went to parties, they would be drinking, even though they're underage. But Noah always thought that was something every teenager had to experience, so he never was too strict about it. It was only when Stiles had crossed the line by starting doing drugs and coming home after midnight within the week, that he had kept Stiles on a short leash. And Chris Argent saw it the same way. He didn't accept, Isaac leashing out like that. Troubled past or not.
"Get up." He said shortly, while taking a hold of Isaac's upper arm to pull him to his feet. He swayed a bit, but quickly found his balance again. Chris loosened his grip as soon as Isaac stood. Chris once had triggered a panic attack, when he and Isaac had fought and when the boy had turned to leave, Chris had pulled him back a bit too roughly, which had Isaac instantly triggered into an attack. That was something, the father never wanted to repeat again. He still hadn't forgiven himself.
"Chris.. Dad, I'm really not that-" Isaac started. He didn't always call Chris 'dad'. Not because he didn't see him like that, but more because his actual dad had been a total bastard and Isaac didn't really connect good memories with the simple term 'dad'. He had explained that to Chris at some time and had gotten nothing more than complete understanding. Now though, he couldn't hope for much understanding, especially because that wasn't the first time they had the don't-do-drugs conversation.
"Stop it, right now. We're not gonna discuss this here. Allison, come on, we're going home." Chris did a waving hand gesture to amplify his words, while Isaac stood beside him, letting his head hang low.
"But dad, I wanna stay a bit longer. I'm sure I can crash over at Stiles'. Lydia's staying there, too."
"No. Not with Scott being there, too. Don't think I haven't seen the two of you making eyes at each other the whole night."
"Oh my god, way to go, dad." Allison buried her face in her hands and battled hard against her upcoming blush. What was her dad thinking?! Scott and her barely knew each other and even if it wouldn't be that way, it wasn't like they would be alone. Lydia and Stiles would be there, too and even more important, Melissa and the Sheriff as well.
Allison sighed, but stood up. "I thought you would think better of me."
"You know I do. Now take your brother to the car, I'm gonna be there in a sec."
Though she wanted to complain, Allison did as she was told. She knew it wasn't easy for her dad. He and her mom were divorced and both her and Isaac were living with their father, so he had to take care of them all by himself. It wasn't like Allison did much trouble, but she knew Isaac alone made problems for the both of them.
Chris turned to face Melissa and reached a hand out for her to take. He shook it shortly, before pointing with his head in Scott's direction. "I didn't mean to offend you or your son. I just don't want them.. getting close, when they only met each other." He explained.
Melissa laughed it off and made a fitting hand gesture. "Don't worry. I get it and I'm totally on your side."
"Alright then, it was nice meeting you, Melissa." Chris turned to Noah after his words and shook hands with him as well. "You should keep her, Sheriff."
"I'm planning on it." Noah replied with a big smile on his lips, while shaking hands with Chris. After they said their goodbyes, the couple went to the rest of the teens. The Sheriff looked over to Stiles with Lydia in his lap. She was already halfway sleeping on his shoulder, playing lazily with the collar of his shirt.
"We should head home, too. Come on, boys." Noah gestured for them to stand up. Scott stood up and went over to his mom's side, who petted him lovingly his back. She was really happy, he found some friends here to hang out with. It would have totally broken her heart, if he would've sit here all by himself. But Stiles seemed to slowly accept the fact, that Scott was now a part of his family and let him therefore be a part of his group of friends, too.
Stiles took the beer bottle out between Lydia's thighs and drowned the rest of the now way too warm liquid, before dumping the bottle in a trashcan beside them. He waited for Lydia to climb off his lap and then stood up as well. They laced their fingers together and Lydia rested her head tiredly on her boyfriends upper arm, while yawing.
"Hey Kira, you want us to drive you home? Your mom left already, but your dad, well you know him." The Sheriff said to the girl with an amused smile. Kira sighed and rolled her eyes, because yeah, she knew her dad. He was always overly excited to meet up with people and on occasion like this one, he was unstoppable. He talked to half of the town and enjoyed everyone's company. Of course that wasn't something bad, but for a teenager, who easily got bored by seemingly never ending conversations, it was just annoying sometimes.
"Thanks, Sheriff." Kira started, while standing up. "But I think I better go looking for him or he won't come home until late the night, because talks to god knows who."
Kira said her goodbyes to her friends, before walking away from the group to go looking for her dad. The others made their way to the Sheriff's car. Stiles let his Jeep there, because his dad never liked it, when he drove, even if it was just a short ride like this one. Though it was already the second time he drove with Noah, Scott still thought it was kinda cool driving in a police car. He felt like a kid all over again.
When they were home, Lydia and Scott head straight up to Stiles' room, while Stiles himself quickly walked the dog. Lydia could barely hold her eyes open, while she made herself ready in the bathroom. She lazily brushed her teeth and washed her face, before putting her hair in a messy bun and exchanged her clothes into one of Stiles' shirts. She liked sleeping in his clothes, but guessed it was a girlfriend-thing to do. Stiles told her once though, that he liked seeing her in his shirts as well and as soon as she knew he absolutely didn't mind she wore his clothes, she couldn't stop doing so. Whether it was a shirt for simply sleeping or wearing one of his hoodies for school.
She crawled into Stiles' bed and fell asleep right away, while Scott made his way into the bathroom. It had been a really good day for him, even though it had started a bit roughly. But the party this afternoon and evening had them all cheered up. And, the most important thing, he had spent the whole day with Allison. They finally had the chance to really share a few things about each other in a comfortable place, even when their parents had been present as well, but they didn't mind that at all. Well at least until Mr. Argent had said no to a sleep over. Though Scott guessed it really was a bit too soon for that, even if they wouldn't have done anything anyway.
Scott was all tucked in in his blankets, when Stiles came back from his walk with Prada. He had gone straight to the bathroom to brush his teeth, before walking in his room. He saw Lydia already fast asleep in his bed and couldn't help but smile at her, until he noticed Scott watching him. Stiles cleared his throat and turned to his closet. He stripped down to his boxers and only slipped another shirt on. He felt way too warm to sleep in his usual pajama pants, so he stayed in his boxers and slid in bed beside his girlfriend.
"Night." Stiles muttered quietly, so he wouldn't wake Lydia, after turning off the lamp on his nightstand.
"G'night." Scott returned and smiled, because it was the first time Stiles actually wished him a good night first.
Scott fell rather quickly in a deep slumber. He had wished to stay up a little longer to think back of his day with Allison and what they had talked about. His tiredness came over him though, so he buried his face deeper into his pillow and surrendered.
Stiles on the other hand couldn't stop his thoughts from running. Sleeping was an issue he had always had. As a kid it was his ADHD, that kept him restless at nights. The disorder wasn't so bad anymore as it used to be, but the constantly running thoughts hadn't stopped. Especially in situations like that.
He had accepted, that Melissa and Scott were living here now, that his dad probably would marry Melissa some day and that Scott was a part of his group of friends. But that didn't mean he wasn't thinking about it or that it was easier for him now.
Half an hour long, he laid in bed, turning from one side to the other, but just couldn't find any sleep. He sighed deeply into the darkness of the room, before pushing the blanket off his body, carefully so he wouldn't wake Lydia.
He opened the drawer on his nightstand and grabbed his last pack of cigarettes. He pulled one out and stuffed it between his lips. Taking the lighter and his phone, he made his way out of the room and down the stairs. He tried to be as quiet as he could. The last thing he needed now, was his dad waking up and finding him smoking again.
Stiles patted along the hardwood floor to the front door, but stumbled on his way over a rug. He caught himself on the couch and knocked his foot on the coffee table beside it. He hissed out a 'fuck!' and wiggled his foot, as if he could shake away the pain. Prada raised her little head from the cushion on the sofa and looked to Stiles, seemingly interested in what he was doing.
The room was dark, the only light shining through the window was the moon, but he still could make out the edges of the rug, he had never seen before. He stroked his foot over the fluffy material, while frowning down at it. Melissa must have put it there some time, after he went up to sleep. What he didn't know was why Melissa would start to decorate the house with her things this late in the night.
Prada hopped down from the couch and walked with a wiggling tail over to Stiles' foot on the rug. He sighed over his cigarette, which was still stuck between his lips and bent down to sling his free hand under her tiny torso to lift her up in his arms. He walked over to the front door, deciding to ignore the visual changes, that would slowly but surely happen in this house bit by bit.
What Stiles didn't notice, was Melissa standing in the kitchen, making herself a tea. She couldn't sleep, the events of the day still running through her head, so she had decided to go down to drink a tea, because she could always sleep better afterwards. And when she was downstairs her glance fell on one of her moving-boxes and she had decided to unpack it a little, while waiting for the water to boil.
Melissa did notice Stiles, after she heard a tumbling sound in the living room. She had checked through the open door, what had caused the sound and saw Stiles figure standing there. When he went outside, she walked over to the window to check, if he left for a walk, but she found sitting outside. She turned around from the window and went over the sofa to grab the blanket lying over the back of the couch, before making her way to the front door as well.
Stiles sat on the porch swing, the cigarette between his pale and bony fingers. He was still in his boxers and the air around him got a little colder, but he actually enjoyed the slight breeze. His bare feet on the ground were swinging him gently back and forth. Prada was curled around herself on his lap, halfway sleeping and enjoying Stiles' other hand, which was stroking through her soft black and white fur behind her ears. He starred into distance, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
Melissa closed the door softly behind her, before putting the blanket around her shoulders and stepping up beside the porch swing. She had thought about letting Stiles alone, but truthfully she didn't want to. It was a good opportunity to talk to him or maybe just enjoy each others company. And if he didn't want that, he could still ask her to go.
"Does your dad know?" Melissa asked quietly. A little smile formed on her lips, when Stiles head whipped startled around. It seemed, he didn't notice her before.
"Just so I won't accidentally tell him, you know." She added with a friendly tone in her voice. Melissa wouldn't tell Noah, if he didn't know already. She didn't like the sight of Stiles smoking, but it wasn't her business. Not really. As much as she wanted to take care of him, she couldn't forbid him anything. There weren't there yet, he wouldn't take her seriously. She had a feeling, Stiles would do what he wanted anyway, no matter who tried to talk sense into him.
Stiles firstly frowned at her words, but then figured Melissa probably didn't want to get on his bad side and therefore tried to be nice to him. He averted his gaze again and starred into the darkness at nothing peculiar. Alt-J's 'Dancing In The Moonlight' played softly out of the speakers of his phone, filling the silence along side the chirping noises of crickets in the distance.
"He thinks I quit." Stiles finally answered. "Just like Lydia. And just like I thought myself."
Melissa hummed in understanding, before replying. "Bad habits die hard."
When Stiles didn't say anything else, she stepped closer and silently asked, if she could sit with him. At first he didn't respond, but Melissa soon had learned, Stiles sometimes needed a bit longer to make up his mind and find his answer. And just as she had thought, he finally nodded and shrugged simultaneously after a few more seconds of waiting. Melissa sat down beside him, not too close though, but enough so she could reach Prada's little head to pet it. The dog's eyes opened for a moment to observe who joined them, before closing her eyes again and burying her face between Stiles' thighs and her own tail. Melissa took her hand to herself again to snuggle deeper into the blanket.
Stiles took a drag of his cigarette, holding the smoke inside until his lungs started to burn. He let the smoke out, causing it to whirl around in the air. Neither he or Melissa said anything for a while, both listening to the music in silence, while letting their thoughts running freely through their minds.
"I really enjoyed listening to your music. The songs were so catchy, I still have some of them stuck in my head." Melissa told him after a long moment of silence with a quiet chuckle in her voice. She quickly turned serious again though. "You wrote all those songs by yourself, didn't you?"
"Yeah." Stiles answered right away with the cigarette between his lips as he was about to take another drag. Melissa nodded knowingly and pulled her legs up on the swing to cross them underneath her. Her bones were cracking under the effort, but she managed to sit comfortable though, while Stiles was still swinging the bench.
"They sound like you, kinda catchy and happy, but with deep and dark lyrics. Yeah, that fits you." Melissa was smiling again after her words, but it was more of a sad smile. She had never met such a broken soul as Stiles. And she worked at the hospital, where she saw many hurt people, but never like that. "And you looked happy on stage as well, but every word you sang sounded genuine and like it meant so much to you. You're just like your songs. Or your songs are just like you."
Stiles didn't know what to say. He had never liked it, when people behaved like they knew everything about him, even though they didn't know him. But right now, it didn't change, that Melissa was right. He was happy on the outside most of the times, but on the inside he was constantly fighting with himself. He was on his way better though. There were times, where his chest felt light again, where he forgot all the heaviness. Mostly when he was with Lydia or his band or when he and his dad spent the evening together, doing random things.
"I wanted to ask you something." Melissa spoke up again, after another moment of silence. "I was unpacking a few of our boxes yesterday and actually just now, and I found our pictures in one of them.. I didn't know what to do. Would it be okay, if I hang them on the wall next to yours? I wouldn't touch any of the other photos."
"Yeah, that's okay." Stiles answered instantly. Melissa lived with them now, he couldn't forbid her to set up properly in their house. That wouldn't be fair, even if the changes weren't easy for Stiles.
The soft sounds of the music filled the silence again. This time it wasn't an uncomfortable silence though. It was actually nice talking to Melissa and he didn't want to admit it, but he liked her, he really liked her and that was something he absolutely didn't want. But both McCalls were slowly creeping into his life and he just knew at some point he couldn't imagine living without them anymore and then he would be fucked.
With a sigh he let his head drop in his neck. He closed his eyes and took another puff of his cigarette. He didn't know why he was damaged like that. Isaac had lost so many people, too and he wasn't as bad as Stiles. Sure, he had his problems as well, but he seemed to get along with his mess. Maybe he should ask his friend for advice, because Stiles didn't like living like that. He wanted to enjoy every day of his life like he used to.
"You know, I know you don't want to act like you're my second chance to have a mother again." This time it was Stiles, who started talking, which caught Melissa slightly of guard, but she quickly recovered from her shock and listened to the boy beside her. "But I'm afraid you actually could be."
Melissa looked over Stiles' face. His eyes were still closed and he looked almost relaxed like that. But she knew better. He had just admit to her, he was afraid of might getting used to her as his mother. No, Stiles couldn't be relaxed after those words.
"I can't lose another mom. It's bad enough to know my dad's a cop and he could die any day at work without me even knowing."
Noah had told her, Stiles rarely talked about his feelings and thoughts like that. She absolutely didn't know why he had decided to tell her all this, but she definitely would try to show him, it was okay to open up to her.
"Everyone could die any day, Stiles."
"Yeah, I know, but that doesn't make me feel better." He replied dryly, while opening his eyes, just so he could roll them at her. Melissa actually had to suppress a laugh. Stiles maybe didn't share much of his feelings, but he definitely spoke out loud what he thought. She liked that.
"What I wanted to say is, you can't calculate life. You love Lydia right?"
"Yeah, I do." The third answer he gave right away without thinking about it this night. Melissa couldn't believe she was actually counting.
"And you enjoy every moment with her, don't you?" Stiles frowned, but nodded. "So tell me, if you could go back to the time you both got closer to each other, would you change your decision? Would you rather be without her, so you wouldn't have to worry about losing her?"
This time Stiles didn't answer immediately. Not because he wasn't sure if he should answer, but because he wanted to think about how he should answer. Even though he knew, he wouldn't want to live without Lydia, he considered Melissa's words. But in the end he told her what he had known right away anyway, that no, he would never decide against Lydia. Melissa had expected such a reply, so she continued.
"See? Every moment you enjoy with people you love are so much more worth than giving up on them. Having good memories with loved ones is so important, because the people we have lost continue living through those memories. Your endless love for your mom keeps her alive."
Stiles starred at her openly. One thing was sure, she had his complete attention. His eyes looked tired and sad, but there was a new glint in his eyes, which gave her hope he actually took her words to heart. With a smile she shrugged off the blanket and instead laid it around Stiles' shoulders. He watched her closely with a vulnerable expression. A few strands of hair were falling into his eyes and she resisted stroking them aside.
"Having people you love in your life shouldn't be a burden to you. It should be an honor. And if you should lose them some day, believe me, it's better to feel pain than nothing at all." She added softly and gave him one last genuine smile, before standing up and going to the front door. She took a last glance at Stiles and then went into the house. She had given him enough stuff to think about, so she would let him be for himself now. Maybe he would even take the next step and talk to her and if he didn't, she would wait for the next opportunity. For now though, she was happy with the talk and could enjoy her tea, which was probably cold by now.
Stiles stayed outside for a little longer. He thought about what Melissa had just said to him and of course, she was right. He shouldn't let himself get controlled by his fears. Life was way too precious for wasting it to negative thoughts and unreasonable fears. Life was about having joyful moments with people you loved and taking as much out of it as you could. And as much as he agreed with Melissa on those things, it wasn't so easy to just change his own point of view. He wanted to get his normal life back again, but how could he do that, if he was constantly surrounded by his fears. That wasn't something he could just forget about.
God, Stiles just hated this constant feeling of back and forth. Whenever he felt like actually taking a step forward and change some things in his life, something bad came up in his mind and he was instantly confronted with his weariness again and let himself get overcome by it.
Sighing loudly, Stiles dropped his cigarette, which had been burned down for a while now, into the ashtray beside him and then slung his arms around Prada to carry her. He stood up, the blanket around his shoulders making him look like a hero in a cape, but he knew he wasn't a hero.
As soon as he was in the house again, he went over the sofa and let Prada down. She immediately circled a few times around herself, before laying down and closing her eyes again. Stiles watched her, until she finally made herself comfortable and then shrugged off the blanket. He fold it together and laid it over the back of the sofa, before turning to the stairs and walking up to get to his room. Stiles smiled lightly at the sight of Lydia in his bed. That was something, he would never get tired of seeing. Slowly he went over and crawled under the covers beside her. His arm curled around his girlfriend's little form, while he pushed his face in her strawberry-blonde mane. She smelled so good, it was a scent that always managed to calm him down.
Lydia stirred beside him and opened her eyes to little slits. She looked over her shoulder, even though the room was pitch black and she couldn't see anything.
"Where've you been?" She mumbled sleepily. She had woken up at some time in the night and had found the spot beside her empty. Lydia had wanted to go looking for him, but sleep had overcome her so quickly, she'd fallen asleep again.
"Couldn't sleep, so I went downstairs. But I didn't want to stay out of bed any longer." He whispered back to her, while shoving his hand under her over-sized shirt, just so he could feel her warm skin on his rough palms.
"'Cause I don't want to be alone anymore." Stiles added to his sentence.
And it meant so much more, than it sounded like.
AN:I'm sorry it takes me so long to update, but I'm often struggling with plot or simply have a hard time finding the right words. My study courses did start in February too, so I don't have as much time to write as I used to have, but I'm still trying to do my best. Just please be patient with me.
I've also got a request for you:
Do you have any ideas or suggestions what our lovely group (or couples) could do together? I've already planned a few things like road trips and parties and stuff, but maybe you can think of something special as well. The same goes for the plot. I want to fill the story with a cool plot, so if you have any special thoughts of what could happen (even if it's about angsty stuff), please let me know and if it fits the story I've planned so far I could write it in :) xx