Iron Claws and Fragile Hearts

Chapter 38: Every Breath You Take

Things were awkward after the rest of the pack left and Isaac, Stiles, and Melissa settled in to watch TV. Isaac couldn't stop thinking about how he had almost kissed Stiles. In the moment it had felt completely mutual. Yet now that Isaac had more time to think about it, he realized that he had been about to make a fool of himself, or worse, force himself on Stiles. And Stiles knew it too. That's why he was sitting on the far opposite end of the couch, staring intently at the TV and not acknowledging Isaac in the slightest. The scent of their combined anxiety hung thickly in the air between them. Did Stiles think Isaac was going to try to make a move again the next time they were alone? Should Isaac apologize? Would it even help? Had he ruined their friendship?

Isaac and Stiles both jumped when Stiles' phone rang about halfway through the second episode of whatever show was on. Isaac wasn't sure what it was, just something on Melissa's DVR that she was catching up on and that he and Stiles were pretending to watch.

"It's my dad." Stiles' voice was too tight and too high and his heart was racing. If Isaac hadn't specifically been making it a point to keep his hands to himself he would have touched Stiles' back or shoulder to reassure him.

"Well answer it," Melissa remarked, giving them both curious looks from her chair by the couch.

Stiles nodded. "He probably just wants to check on me." He accepted the call and stood up, strolling out of the room as he chatted with his dad.

"How about we go fix some hot chocolate and popcorn?" Melissa suggested as she rose to her feet.

Isaac wasn't fooled by her casual tone. The tense set of her shoulders told him she wanted to talk to him about something. Crap. Had she noticed what was going on between him and Stiles?

Sure enough, while Isaac was getting the popcorn out of the pantry she spoke up.

"I'm worried about the pack," she said, pulling mugs out of the cabinet.

You mean about me tearing it apart by trying to sexually assault Stiles?

Isaac knew he was being a little over-dramatic, but it didn't change how he felt.

"I know you're upset about the situation with Stiles. I am too."

Isaac flinched and shut the pantry door. "You are?"

"Of course. But I feel like I could handle Stiles if you weren't here."

Isaac's stomach lurched and he almost spilled the bag of popcorn kernels as he set it on the counter. "You think I should leave?"

Melissa frowned and shrugged as she set a kettle of water on the stove to heat for their hot chocolate. "I don't want you to be in danger, but I would feel better if you were with Scott."

"What?" Isaac's hand stilled on the handle of the refrigerator.

Anxiety rolled off Melissa's shoulders, joining the lingering clouds of nervousness left by Isaac and Stiles.

"I know he helped you save Malia, and I know he was on your side in the Iron Claw battle, but...I don't like Ethan. I don't like that you've been spending time with him, and I hate that he's with Scott tonight while Scott's basically helpless. And as for Aiden" –she poured the popcorn into the pan with overt irritation– "I had to lie to Dr. Geyer on the phone this evening. I had to tell him Liam would be fine spending another night in the woods alone with Aiden. I don't know if that's true, and I find it harder to believe that it is than that it isn't."

Isaac yanked open the refrigerator and grabbed the tub of butter. He handed it to her without making eye contact. "You don't like Ethan?"

"Do you?" Her tone was deceptively neutral.

"Yeah, I do." Isaac folded his arms as he raised his eyes to her face. He didn't want to come off as defensive, but he felt...defensive. "He wouldn'thurt me or Scott. I promise. I don't like Liam being with Aiden either, but I trust Ethan when he says he's making sure Aiden won't do anything to him."

Melissa set the lid on the popcorn pan and turned back to face Isaac, brow raised in an appraising look.

"I trust him," Isaac repeated, trying to keep the hostile whine out of his voice. "I wouldn't leave Scott alone with him if I didn't," Isaac added softly.

Melissa sighed and relaxed against the counter with visible effort. "Okay. I trust you and Scott's judgment."

Isaac gave her a small smile, happy with the way this discussion had gone. He couldn't have imagined reaching such a peaceful resolution with his dad. Actually, he couldn't have imagined even standing his ground and defending his position with his dad. Melissa rubbed his back as she stepped past him to get the hot chocolate out of the pantry, and Isaac spoke up on an impulse.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Of course." She passed him a packet of hot chocolate and pulled two more out of the box.

"I'm bisexual."

Her eyes widened for a moment and she did a brief double take. Then she was smiling and nodding. "That makes sense."

Isaac laughed. "It does?"

"Yeah. I thought you had a crush on Scott, but then you started dating Allison." She laughed too as she set the hot chocolate on the counter by the mugs. "Now all the pieces fit."

Isaac chuckled as they exchanged a hug.

"Thank you for tell me," she said as the embrace ended. She held eye contact. "Are you comfortable with it? Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Isaac shrugged and shook his head. "I'm good."

She smiled and patted his arm as she returned to the stove to turn off the kettle just as it started to hiss. "Okay, let me know if you ever need help finding resources or just want to talk." She shook the popcorn pan, then turned and gave him a meaningful look. "About this or anything else."

Isaac nodded in understanding. She meant his abuse. He was grateful for the offer and even more grateful that she hadn't mentioned it outright. He had enough to think about tonight without going down that rabbit hole.

Stiles joined them in the kitchen a little while later, and once again Isaac felt like a fraud for keeping the information about his sexuality a secret from his friend and packmate.

Stiles was more relaxed than before as they returned to the living room with their snacks. He sat on the middle cushion of the couch next to Isaac.

"Ugh, do we have to watch this?" Stiles complained as Melissa restarted the show, which turned out to be The Bachelor.

Melissa huffed in mock outrage. "You were riveted to the last episode."

"I'm over it now." Stiles grinned and took a slurping sip of his hot chocolate. He nudged Isaac with his elbow. "Back me up, man."

"I'm over it too," Isaac confirmed with a smirk.

"Yeah, it's completely unrealistic," Stiles said, waving his arm.

"I know right?" Isaac shook his head at the screen. "A guy getting to have his pick of multiple attractive people who wanna be with him? As if."

"Alright, alright. What did you two TV critics have in mind?"

Then ended up watching Daredevil so that Isaac and Melissa could pick up where they had left off last week. Stiles had already watched the whole season by himself, but he didn't mind re-watching and insisted it was preferable to the love triangle bullshit.

As they watched the show, Isaac and Stiles gradually got cozier. Isaac almost jumped when Stiles leaned his shoulder against him, but as the evening progressed and Stiles increased the pressure and leaned closer, Isaac eventually succumbed to temptation and wrapped his arm around Stiles' body, reveling in the warm firmness beneath his fingers and the rich, soothing scent caressing his lungs.

Did this mean Stiles had forgiven him? Was this his way of letting Isaac know that he didn't want to put the brakes on all the cuddling they had been doing recently? Maybe Isaac really had over-reacted. Yes, he had almost kiss Stiles mid-sentence – he still didn't know what Stiles had been about to ask him – but perhaps it wasn't as big a deal as he thought.

By the time the second episode had started, Stiles was practically lying across Isaac's chest, and Isaac had turned too, shifting sideways so that Stiles had more room and winding his arm around Stiles' lean stomach. Soon Stiles' head was resting on Isaac's shoulder, and a little while later when Stiles grabbed the throw blanket from the back of the couch and covered them, Isaac worked up the nerve to move his leg so that it too was around Stiles, and they were fully lying on the couch cuddling.

Isaac couldn't see Melissa from this angle, but he had been monitoring her scent and listening for any sign of distress or disapproval. She didn't seem to care. When the third episode ended she announced that she was going to bed and told them not to stay up too late. Tomorrow was Friday and apparently since they were home for the full moon, they were expected to go to school, even though the others weren't.

They turned off Netflix and channel surfed for a bit, eventually landing on a rerun of The Simpsons.

Stiles wanted to move again to get more comfortable, so Isaac sprawled out on his side and Stiles pressed in tight against his body in front of him. Both boys propped themselves up on their elbows and Isaac wrapped his other arm around Stiles' chest. Minutes later they tangled their legs together too and in doing so Stiles rocked and shifted back and forth, his ass grinding against Isaac's crotch.

Isaac bit back a whimper and tried unsuccessfully to scoot back. It was no use. He didn't have the room to escape the contact. He was fully hard in seconds and all he could do, short of leaping off the couch, was wedge the blanket between them and hope for the best. Stiles grumbled at the intrusion and suddenly Isaac realized that he was practically groping Stiles' ass as he tried to stuff the fabric in place.

"Sorry, I got hot," Isaac mumbled, inwardly laughing at his double entendre.

"Well let's just take it off."

Stiles grabbed the blanket; Isaac grabbed his hand.

"Uh no, I– Uh, it's soft. So let's leave it."

Stiles elbowed Isaac's side. "Are you saying I have a bony ass?"

"Definitely not!" Smooth, Isaac, smooth.

Stiles snickered and wiggled back against Isaac but didn't say anything else.

Asshole!

No wait, Isaac shouldn't be thinking about assholes right now.

Dick!

That wasn't any better.

Jerk!

Holy fuck, were all insults sexual?

Jerk dick in your asshole!

Isaac sighed and frowned. He was so horny.

"You're really good at controlling yourself."

Isaac almost choked.

"What do you mean?"

Stiles muted the TV and tilted his head back so that he could look up at Isaac upside down. Damn it was cute.

"It's the full moon, but you're so calm." Stiles rolled over and Isaac had to tighten his grip to keep him from falling off the couch.

Fuck. The front of their bodies were pressed together now, and even with the blanket running interference, it might not be enough.

Stiles licked his lips and their eyes met, sending sparks of energy shooting through Isaac's body – and okay yes, most of the sparks pulsed in his cock, but some of them also made his stomach tangle in knots and his chest flutter.

"I feel so safe with you," Stiles whispered, his brown eyes soft and warm. His hand drifted from Isaac's side to the small of his back. "Not safe from you," –Stiles shifted closer. God, did he want to whisper his words directly into Isaac's mouth?– "But safe from myself."

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked, hand on Stiles' hip. He wasn't sure if his cock was throbbing harder by this point or if his heart was, but either way Stiles had to feel it.

Stiles drew back, his eyes darkening and his muscles tensing. "The darach isn't gone...he's getting stronger."

Isaac's mouth went dry. "Are you sure?"

Stiles nodded. "The whole time..." He clenched his eyes shut and trembled against Isaac.

Isaac pulled him closer. "It's okay. I gotcha." He ran his hands up and down Stiles' back and leaned their foreheads together. "We can talk about it or not, whatever you need," Isaac whispered almost against Stiles' lips. It should have felt dangerous, but it didn't.

"I need..." Stiles licked his lips and the tip of his tongue grazed against the corner of Isaac's mouth.

Stiles whimpered and pulled back, eyes wide. "Sorry."

Isaac leaned forward, reclosing the distance. "Stiles, whatever you need."

Stiles drew closer again, their bodies sliding together from their chests down to their toes. They both moaned under their breaths, and hands tightened around backs. When Stiles closed his eyes and tilted his head sideways, there was only one thing he could possibly be about to do.

"I need to think." Stiles ducked under Isaac's chin and nuzzled his throat.

"Th-think?"

"Yeah." The word was a breath against Isaac's Adam's apple.

Isaac exhaled softly and stroked Stiles' spine. His eyes were glowing with heat and his wolf was bucking against the edges of his consciousness, not at all pleased at being denied.

Fuck the wolf.

Isaac tamped down his animal instincts and held Stile gently as he rolled them over, repositioning so that Stiles was on his back beneath Isaac. Stiles felt safe with him, and dammit he wanted Stiles to feel safe.

"The darach tortured me." Stiles' tone was incongruous, relaxed.

"What?" Isaac trembled against Stiles as surprise turned to cold horror.

"While I was in my coma, he...he was there. It was like a dream but more...cohesive."

"What did he do?"

"He...He um..." Stiles closed his eyes and shook his head. "I-I can't..."

"No, hey," –Isaac squeezed Stiles' side and brushed their foreheads together– "we don't have to talk about it."

"I want to. I want to tell you, but I-I just..." Stiles let out a long shaky breath and clung to Isaac's back. "I'm not ready."

"Yeah, of course."

The anguish eased from Stiles' face and he gave Isaac a tender look.

"Isaac, you're" –Stiles licked his lips again– "You're so..."

"So?"

Stiles sighed, his breath gusting against Isaac's mouth. "So Isaac."

Isaac huffed out a laugh against Stiles' face. "Well, I've been practicing for a really long time."

Stiles giggled and his hand was light against Isaac's shoulder, indicating he wanted to get up.

They sat together on the couch, the television still muted, colorful animations flickering across the screen as Stiles clung to Isaac and pressed his face against Isaac's chest.

"It was so fucked up. He looks just like me, and he could make it seem like anyone was in the dream with us. Sometimes I watched him do stuff to you guys...sometimes he made me do it."

"Stiles, I–"

Stiles shook his head and kept talking. "Sometimes he made you guys do stuff to me, or each other. But sometimes it was just me and him. The things he did then...they were the most physically painful, but...easier to cope with."

"You're safe now."

"He did this too," Stiles whispered. "He knows how I...uh...feel about you. Sometimes we cuddled and then suddenly I was stabbing you, or you were...disembowling me."

"I would never do that in real life."

"No shit." Stiles laughed and slapped Isaac's chest.

Isaac chuckled and pressed his face against the top of Stiles' head, rubbing his cheek against his short hair, and drawing Stiles' scent as deeply into his lungs as he could, trying to tuck it away in a permanent corner.

"Is this real?" Stiles whispered the question at werewolf levels, probably inaudible to his own ears.

"Yeah, it is," Isaac murmured back, mouth against the side of Stiles' head. "I promise. This is real and we're both safe."

Stiles laughed, sharp and bitter. "It would feel so normal if you suddenly gutted me."

Isaac's blood ran cold and he didn't respond.

"When we go to sleep, I'm probably gonna dream about killing Liam. That hasn't happened yet so..." Stiles shrugged. "On the other hand, he might save it a few nights to surprise me with it." Stiles raised his head and glared into the distance. "Give it your best shot, fucker! I barely know the kid. I can watch him die all night long!"

Isaac cringed and drew Stiles' head back against his chest.

"I-I know that was a fucked up thing to say," Stiles mumbled.

"No, I get it. I'm sure it would be easier with Liam than, like, Scott, or your dad, or Lydia."

"Or you."

Isaac swallowed and nodded. He was shaken, and not just about Stiles' declaration.

"Speaking of Liam dying..."

Stiles sat up and arched an eyebrow at Isaac.

"Something happened that I haven't told anyone." Isaac hadn't planned to tell Stiles either, but Stiles was being so candid with him, and Isaac desperately wanted to get this off his chest.

"The darach can hear."

"Huh?"

"Whatever it is." Stiles shrugged one shoulder and frowned. "I won't say anything, but you shouldn't tell me unless you're okay with the darach knowing too."

"Oh." Isaac raked his fingers through his hair. He certainly didn't want some random, evil druid to hear his confession...but on the other hand Iron Claw already knew things he'd rather only Scott know. It had taken Isaac years to reach the point of wanting to open up to people. Now that he had made it, he couldn't stop talking to his two best friends just because they were possessed by demonic spirits. No relationship was perfect. "It happened two nights ago when Liam was attacked."

"What happened?"

Isaac took a breath and blurted it out before he could change his mind. "I almost killed him."

"What?!" Stiles crossed his legs under him and turned to fully face Isaac on the couch. "I thought Iron Claw...?"

"He did, but when I was taking him to the hospital he almost didn't make it, and..."

Isaac hung his head as a raw, quivering ache throbbed in his chest around his packbond with Liam. Their bond felt so fucking special and important. He'd die to protect Liam now, but two nights ago...Isaac could barely cope with the knowledge of what he had almost done.

"And?" Stiles face was void of judgment, showing only patient sympathy.

"It was the full moon, and I was in a lot of pain and really fucked in the head from everything that had happened, and Liam was so...broken and vulnerable." Isaac dropped his eyes and stared at the floor. "I wanted to kill him."

"That's not so bad. Just wanting to–"

"I had my fangs on his throat."

Stiles shook his head and rubbed Isaac's arm. "I know that's a big deal. I know you must feel like shit about it, and I'm so sorry that happened but...my perspective is kinda skewed right now. I just spent the last three days watching you and the rest of the pack kill and torture each other, and me. And I mean I know real life versus nightmare and all, but you didn't do it. So maybe go easy on yourself?"

"You're not disappointed in me?"

"For doing the right thing in a difficult moment?" Stiles scoffed and shoved Isaac's shoulder. "Um, no, try proud of you."

"Seriously?" Isaac looked up and gave Stiles a small smile. How much of that did he mean, and how much was just him trying to be supportive? "But I almost lost control in the worst possible way."

"But you didn't and that's what counts."

Isaac wanted to believe that, but he knew no one but Liam could absolve him of his guilt.

"I need to tell him."

Stiles' lips parted and he stared at Isaac before rolling his eyes. "Yeah, that's a real good idea. I'm sure hearing his mentor almost murdered him won't upset the new werewolf with anger issues."

"Mentor?"

"Well obviously." Stiles shook his head and smirked. "He looks at you like you used to look at Scott."

Isaac's guilt deepened and anxiety twisted his stomach. "He should look at Scott that way. Not me."

"I have a theory on why he doesn't."

Isaac motioned with his hand for Stiles to continue.

"Because Scott almost killed him!" Stiles shifted in his seat and gave Isaac a serious look. "I know you feel bad, and you can talk to me about it all you want, but Liam needs a packmate he can trust right now."

"And lying to him is good for that trust?"

"A lie by omission sure. Look think about this way, how would you feel if you found out that eight months ago in a desperate moment, before we were packmates or even friends, I almost killed you? Would it change anything between us now?"

"Well I wouldn't love it but...no I guess not."

"Same here. I don't hold your crazy early days in Derek's pack against you. We've moved on and we're fine. Wait till you get to a point like that with Liam, then if you need to tell him, tell him."

Isaac nodded. He could see the logic in what Stiles was saying. Besides, it wasn't like Liam was in any danger from Isaac anymore. Telling him what happened would only serve to unburden Isaac...and maybe Isaac deserved to carry this guilt around for awhile for what he had nearly done. Either way he needed to think about what was best for Liam right now, not himself.

Isaac pulled Stiles into a hug and scented his neck. How had he coped without him the last few days?

"I wish Scott would react like this when I try to convince him to lie about something," Stiles remarked with a snicker as he held the back of Isaac's head and bared his throat, giving Isaac greater access.

"I'm way more devious than Scott."

"That's true."

Isaac growled against Stiles' skin, but it soon turned into a quaking laugh.

"Come on, wild thing, let's go to bed." Stiles stood and held out his hand for Isaac, and it was weirdly intimate, but Isaac didn't hesitate to accept the gesture and let Stiles haul him to his feet.

Isaac turned off the television with his free hand, then pulled Stiles closer so he could guide him through the dark room. Stiles wrapped his arms around Isaac's torso, and the way he brushed his leg against Isaac's shin made it clear what he had in mind.

Okay sure.

Isaac picked Stiles up with one arm and cradled him against his body as he finished getting the living room in order then ascended the stairs.

Twenty minutes later, Stiles was sound asleep in Isaac's bed, sprawled across his chest and breathing slow, warm breaths against Isaac's bare skin. They were shirtless and the body contact felt really good. Isaac couldn't help but think how much better it would feel if they were naked from the waist down too.

Geez, I am so fucking horny!

Isaac laughed to himself and rubbed Stiles' shoulder. It seemed like he was always horny when Stiles was in his bed, and he knew that wasn't exactly a coincidence. The full moon and the fact that it had been an absurdly long time since Isaac had gotten off, at least by his standards, didn't help. He couldn't manage another day like this, so he set an alarm on his phone. He'd get up twenty minutes early and jerk off in the shower before school since having a lucid wet dream with Stiles in his bed wasn't an option.

Since he was going to sleep, and since Stiles was already out cold, Isaac let himself shamelessly inhale Stiles' scent, even going so far as to focus on the unspeakably delicious pheromones circling his crotch. Stiles' balls smelled incredible, and the composition of the scent, fresh but with a denser, needier musk, told Isaac Stiles probably hadn't cum since he awoke from his coma the night before. Just two half-naked, sexually frustrated guys lying in each other's arms, no big deal, nothing to see here.

Isaac was hard as steel and high out of his mind by the time he slipped into unconsciousness, and maybe he'd regret it in the morning, but right now he was just too happy and tingly with Stiles draped all over him to care.

Hours later, Isaac was disoriented but enthusiastic when he awoke to the ringing of his phone. It would suck getting out of the warm bed and leaving Stiles, but it was definitely time to go get some relief!

Isaac grumbled and blinked when he opened his eyes. It wasn't morning. Why was his alarm going off? Wait, that wasn't his alarm, it was the regular ring tone. Someone was calling him...in the middle of the night...on a full moon...oh god.

Having Stiles tangled around him impeded his movements, and by the time Isaac grabbed his phone it had quit ringing. The missed call was from Ethan, and when he tried to call back it went straight to voicemail. Before Isaac could panic, he got a text.

Ethan: I have to go back downstairs, but this just happened...

A picture message arrived moments later. It took Isaac a few seconds to figure out what he was looking at. It was the basement of the Argent compound in weird lighting, a result of the flash on Ethan's phone glinting off the steel of Scott's cage, which was bent and mangled but unbroken. Scott was in the picture, the real Scott based on his human eyes and general posture. He was sitting on the floor of the cage, clutching his hand to his stomach as he looked through the bars at something shiny in front of the cage. Isaac expanded the picture and zoomed in, trying to mentally picture what it would look like without the glare.

Isaac gasped and sat up, sending Stiles sliding off his chest and into his lap. The shiny object was a long, iron claw, one end of which was covered in blood and skin.

-000-

End Notes: I'm so excited for the next several chapters! I hate to spoil the 'surprise' but Isaac and Stiles are really close to getting official (not next chapter, but soon). In fact, as with Isaac and Ethan's first time, it's probably about time we start discussing what you guys would like to see with Isaac and Stiles' first time. Unlike with Isaac/Ethan, I'm pretty set on how I want the dynamic between Isaac/Stiles to go the first time, but specifically if you're interested, I'm open to naughty input about how you'd like Stiles' private bits to be since Isaac hasn't explored real-life Stiles naked yet (there was that sex dream in chapter 11, but that was just his imagination). So yeah, what are you thinking for cock size and shape? Cut or uncut? Cum and precum production? Does Stiles keep things natural or smooth down there? What about his ass? Do you guys imagine any particular kinks or fetishes he might have? Any other peculiarities? Like maybe he enjoys humming Abba songs during sex, I'm not judging. (I feel like that might get on Isaac's nerves though.)

LOL, anyway, I know such a discussion could get a bit lewd, and definitely I want the plot and romance of the story to stand on it own, but this is supposed to be a smutty, erotic story too, so I'm open to hearing opinions/suggestions about what would make it hotter for readers, if you're comfortable making them.

General feedback on the chapter or story as a whole is always greatly appreciated too!