As it turns out, Stiles can't sleep through Isaac's nightmares, and he doesn't try very hard, either.
It's only about an hour after Isaac gets settled in the guest room that he wakes Stiles with his screaming, and without second thought, Stiles tears down the hallways.
"No, please! I'll try harder!" Isaac shouts, sniffling, and it doesn't take a genius to guess what he's dreaming about.
Stiles gently pushes the door open, and bites his lip as he takes in the sight before his eyes, not sure of how to proceed. Isaac is on the bed, thrashing about, and his face is twisted in pain. Stiles knows he can't just let him live this out, but a part of him is scared. Isaac is bigger than Stiles, and he's asleep and upset. Stiles knows that if he approaches, he could get hurt.
"Isaac?" He tries, timidly approaching the bed.
Nothing changes. Isaac is still trapped in the prison of his nightmare, and Stiles bites his lip, trying to think of what to do.
He lunges forwards and grabs Isaac's hand, just his hand, squeezing it gently, and it's enough to jar Isaac awake.
"What...where am I?" Isaac asks, tears and sweat mingling in a salty combination on his face as he looks around, panicked, trying to place the room.
"You're at my house," Stiles says softly. "You're at my house. You're safe. Isaac, you're safe here. Come on, look at me."
"Stiles?" He gulps. "Stiles, I'm sorry."
"No, Isaac, why are you sorry?" Stiles asks.
"I woke you up. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."
"Hey, it's okay," Stiles smiles at him. "I'm fine. I'll go right back to sleep, what about you?"
Isaac shrugs.
"Okay." Stiles nods. "Hold on."
Stiles disappears, and Isaac finds himself wanting to call after him, to beg him to come back, because if nothing else, Stiles is immensely comforting to him, but before he even really gets much thought, Stiles returns, carrying a pillow.
Isaac stated at him blankly, and Stiles just shrugs. "Can't sleep without my pillow."
He puts the pillow on the bed and then moves around, fixing the blankets that Isaac tossed all about during his nightmare, before crawling into the bed next to Isaac.
"What are you doing?" Isaac asks.
"Protecting you," Stiles says with a smile. "From bad dreams."
"What?"
"I know you feel safe around me, Isaac," Stiles says softly. "If you didn't, you wouldn't be alone with me so much, so I'm gonna sleep right here with you, and make you feel safe."
Something in Isaac's chest loosens when he realizes that this means Stiles won't leave the room again, that he'll be right there. He feels less stressed, less scared, but is that weird? Wanting Stiles to stay that badly?
"You don't have to do that," Isaac mutters.
"I know." Stiles smiles. "I want to. Come on, lie down." He pats the pillow next to him. "Scott and I used to do this all the time after my mom died. It's the best way to curb nightmares, I mean, unless it makes you uncomfortable," Stiles bites his lip.
"No, I...it doesn't." Isaac slowly sinks down onto the bed, Stiles' presence, his heat, so obvious and detectable, despite the fact that they're not actually touching in any way.
"Try and get some sleep," Stiles says with a yawn, closing his eyes.
Isaac nods, and with the exhaustion caused by the nightmare, and the comfort of knowing that he's not alone, he falls asleep pretty quickly.
It's a few hours before Isaac wakes up again. A car backfires outside, and Isaac starts awake, though Stiles remains fast asleep...only somehow, during the past few hours, they've shifted, and Stiles' right arm is slung over Isaac's waist.
It's careless enough that it's pretty clear it was done with zero intention, but that doesn't prevent Isaac's breath from catching in his throat, his heart speeding up just a little bit with the realization.
It's comforting, because everything Stiles does seems to be comforting to Isaac, and without even really thinking, Isaac leans into the arm, snuggling up against Stiles. When he does, Stiles shifts, and Isaac fears that he'll wake, and it will be drama, but he doesn't wake. The arm around Isaac's waist tightens, however, pulling Isaac closer, just a little, holding him.
Isaac rests his head on the pillow, comfortable in the accidental embrace.
Stiles is right. Isaac really does feel safe around him, and that feeling, of course, is magnified when Stiles' arms are around him.
Isaac doesn't go back to sleep. The clock on the bedside table says that it's 5:12 AM, they have to get up less than an hour anyways, and he would rather just lie here in the comfort of something he's likely never to experience again.
Dr. Jacobsen told him to lean on the strength of others, and Isaac is pretty sure that that is exactly what he's doing. Stiles is there for him, and no one can deny that. Sure, he doesn't really know why Stiles would be so invested in this, but he is, and he's been taking care of Isaac since they started hanging out. He makes Isaac feel safe, comfortable, and those are feelings that Isaac is still getting used to.
Isaac can mess up around Stiles, wake him with a screaming nightmare, and Stiles doesn't get mad. He's still kind, still gentle, still caring.
When Stiles shifts again, Isaac debates extracting himself from the embrace, just in case Stiles wakes up, but again, he doesn't, and Isaac stays. He wants this comfort, this sense of stability, and he wants it in a little over a week when he's facing his father in a cold courtroom.
He wants Stiles to be there, but he doesn't know how to ask him that.
As soon as it's 6, the alarm on Isaac's phone goes off, and Stiles wakes up.
"Oh, god...I'm so sorry." Stiles laughs as he realizes that he's entangled around Isaac.
"Hmmmm?" Isaac asks.
"I totally forgot to warn you...I hold on to stuff when I sleep. Usually it's a pillow, but I guess..." He trails off, gesturing at Isaac, who is already extracting himself from Stiles' arms.
"It's fine." Isaac shrugs it off, because what else is he supposed to do? Tell Stiles he liked it? That he wants to snuggle up to him again? That he was more comfortable like that than he had been in a long time?
"Okay, cool." Stiles nods, because he's a pretty laid back guy, and if Isaac isn't freaking out, he's not the sort to. "So, there is a shower just through there, if you go first I think we'll still have plenty of time, I shower pretty quickly."
Isaac nods, though he showers pretty quickly too, especially today, since he doesn't want to deprive Stiles of hot water. He gets out of the shower, makes the bed up as best he can, because he feels bad about thrashing the thing into oblivion the night before, and goes downstairs, where Stiles' dad is already standing in front of the stove, scrambling some eggs.
"Morning, Isaac," he states, dumping them onto three plates and handing one to Isaac.
"Good morning, sir," Isaac says, not really sure how else he's supposed to address a sheriff.
"Oh goodness." He shakes his head. "Mr. Stilinski is fine, or even John, if you're comfortable with that."
"Thank you, Mr. Stilinski." Isaac nods, because calling adults by their first name? That's still something he has to get used to. His father commanded respect, and he expects other adults to behave the same for some reason, despite knowing that's not the case.
"Look, if you're nervous about testifying - and you have every right to be - and you want me to talk you through it, I've taken the stand more than a few times myself, and I've coached others. I'd be happy to meet with you and Mr. Whittemore and go through your testimony."
"Oh, I...that's really nice of you." Isaac smiles at him slightly, because it really is, but before he can say anything else, Stiles comes bounding into the room, grabbing eggs and making a beeline for the coffee.
"One cup," his father warns.
"Egg whites," Stiles shoots back, dumping the eggs from the third plate that was clearly for the Sheriff onto his own.
Isaac is a little taken aback, because he can't imagine anyone getting away with doing something like that to their father, and his chest tightens, because a part of him is waiting for the Sheriff to backhand Stiles into the next millenium for something like that, but he doesn't. He rolls his eyes, and goes back to the fridge, whipping up some egg whites and scrambling them while Stiles sits down next to Isaac.
"He's got high cholesterol, and heart stuff," Stiles says in a whisper. "He sometimes forgets what he is and isn't supposed to eat."
And of course, that makes sense. Of course Stiles would be looking after his father, too.
"Isaac, think about what I said, and if you decide you want to, give me a call. Stiles has my number, or you can always just call the station."
"Thank you, si- Mr. Stilinski."
Stiles shoots him a questioning look, and his dad just looks at Stiles, nodding, and Stiles forms an 'o' of understanding with his mouth and, well, clearly they'd talked about this together before the Sheriff had presented it to Isaac, and Isaac honestly wouldn't be surprised if he learned that it had been Stiles' idea from the get go.
"Alright boys, time to get to school," John states. "Stiles, I'll see you tonight, Isaac, you're welcome here anytime."
"Thank you," Isaac mutters softly, going right to the sink to rinse off his dirty dish.
"Leave it," John says. "I don't have to leave for another 20 minutes."
"Oh...are...are you sure?" Isaac asks.
"Positive." John smiles, and hesitantly, Isaac puts the dish in the sink, and backs away, thanking the Sheriff one more time, and following Stiles out the door.
"Are you nervous?" Stiles asks as they drive.
"Yes." Isaac nods, and his stomach is in knots, his chest is tight, and he's very much regretting having eaten those eggs, because he does not feel anywhere near capable of keeping them down right now.
"Just take deep breaths," Stiles says softly. "And remember that I'm right there. If I'm not in class with you, I'm never that far away."
"Thank you," Isaac mumbles, and while he knows that will be comforting to him in part, he's not sure that it will completely take away what he's feeling.
"You ready?" Stiles asks, parking the car.
"Not even a little bit," Isaac admits.
"Perfect." Stiles smiles. "Let's do this."
A/N First off, thank you for ALL of the WONDERFUL and kind comments on the previous chapter! - I have been having trouble replying to reviews on this site, I go to reply and it says "the review you want to reply to is not there," so if you have not gotten a reply, that is the reason, and I am so sorry! I really hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter, as I promised, it's a teensy bit shippier, so I hope that you liked it! Thanks again for sticking with the story!