Chapter 8: Friends

The first pack member to show up was Lydia. Stiles noticed she held herself a little tenser and the slight bags under her eyes and her pale face told him she hadn't slept. Hinting that the deaths last night hadn't been unnoticed by the banshee.

She didn't say much after he opened the door. Just pushed her way past him and sat down on his couch next to Malia. The Coyote must have sensed something because she scooted closer to her friend and rested her head on Lydia's shoulder. He gave Malia a smile, telling her she did the right thing and moved to sit on the other side of the red head. He didn't cuddle close like Malia, but he did brush his shoulder against her to let her know he was there for her.

She gave a weak smile.

About ten minutes later, there was a knock at the door and Stiles hoped whoever this was, was in a good mood, because the feeling in his living room was depressing. He got up and was about to open the door, when Malia caught his wrist.

"Not pack." She whispered, her eyes blue.

He nodded and pulled his wrist free. Malia stayed close, but out of sight has he opened his front door.

A young man about his age, with short dark hair, stood there. A worried look on his face and his hand around the handle of a small duffle bag.

'Oh, shit.' Stiles, mind flew, as he remembered he had invited a friend to come stay with him, a friend he hadn't actually met face to face before and who was here now. And he had no idea what to do..

"Jeremy?" He asked.

"Stiles?" The other replied and Stiles smiled.

"Yep." He let out a laugh and felt Malia relax next to him. She would know the name, Stiles talked about him enough.

"Hi." Stiles said, sounded awkward and he heard two exasperated sighs from inside his house.

But Jeremy just laughed, "Hey." And stuck out his hand. Stiles quickly took a hold and shock it and then with a what the fuck thought, pulled his friend into a hug.

"Stiles are you going to invite him in or leave him on to porch all night?" Lydia shouted from the couch.

"Shit, sorry," He said letting Jeremy go, "Come in."

He couldn't believe he had forgotten that he was coming today. With everything that had been happening in town it had totally slipped his mind

He had met Jeremy in an online chat room, a couple years ago, just after Scott has been bit. He had been desperate to find any information to help his friend and entered a few shady sites. On one he found another person seeking out similar information and they had started talking. Of course, when he found out it was all real and that people who went digging into the supernatural tended to end up dead.

He was more careful about the information he shared with his new friend. Though from time to time he made jokes about wolves or witches, anything he could pull off as a joke. Jeremy didn't seem to mind that change in their conversations and eventually they started telling each other about their lives. They had been talking ever since.

Finally, Stiles had invited him to come visit, which now he was regretting. Because as excited as he was to finally meet and talk to Jeremy face to face. He didn't want his friend to get hurt.

He quickly reached out and took the bag from Jeremy showing him into the house, "Jeremy, these are two of my best friends, Malia and Lydia, guys this is my friend Jeremy. He is staying here for a couple weeks." He a silent pleading look to Lydia hoping she would know what do, this would be weird if the rest of the pack showed up right now. She gave him an eye roll and taped her phone with her figure. He let out a relieved breath, she had already messaged everyone.

"You want anything to drink?" He asked Jeremy turning to look at him.

"Yeah sure, soda?" Jeremy asked looking first at him but then slowing around the rest of the room, taking it in.

"I'll get it." Lydia said, "You should probably put his bag upstairs, show him his room, you know, before you both get talking and forget about it." Both him and Jeremy chucked.

"Come on." Stiles said, leading his friend up the stairs. "So, we set up the guest room for you. Its right across from mine. I hope it's okay." He finished as he opened the door. He tossed the duffle bag on the bed.

"It's great. Thanks." Jeremy said following him in.

"So," Jeremy said giving him a smile, "That's Lydia?" There was hint of amusement in the dark-haired boy's eyes that caused Stiles to groan.

"Where just friends!" He said in defense, knowing he had told Jeremy about his old crush. Jeremy laughed.

"I'm serious," He said with his own chuckle, "She has a thing for one of my dad's deputies."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, he's trying to keep his distance." Stiles rolled his eyes, "You know, the whole you're younger than me thing. But we have all seen how he looks at her and the way they migrate towards each other when they are in the same room. So, we are all just waiting for her to wear him down."

"You think she will?" Jeremy asked about to sit on the bed, but Stiles grabbed his arm, pulling him out of the room and back towards the stairs to join the other two.

"Oh, yeah. The thing about Lydia is she always gets what she wants."

Jeremy laughed.

They were half way down the stairs before Stiles realized what he had done. He was so used to Scott, who he just dragged along anywhere and who always followed him that he hadn't even hesitated to do the same to Jeremy. He looked down at the arm he was still holding.

"Oh, sorry." He said and let go.

Jeremy just shook his head amused, "It's all good."

They entered the living room to find Lydia alone on the couch. "Where's Malia?"

He asked even though he was sure she had taken off to Scotts for the pack meeting.

"Oh, she had to head home. In fact, so do I." She said grabbing her purse.

She was fast to walk across the room, "It was a pleasure meeting you Jeremy." She offered her hand, "I hope next time we have more time."

She gave him a charming smile and Stiles watched them shake hands.

"I look forward to it." Jeremy said in return.

Then she gave Stiles a hug. 'I'll text you updates." She whispered in his ear.

Then she was gone. Not even waiting for Stiles to walk her out.

"So, did you have a party planned?" Jeremy asked, when they were alone in the living room.

"Huh?" Stiles asked.

"Dude you have enough sneaks to feed an army laying on your coffee table." Jeremy said with a chuckle.

"Oh," Stiles said, embarrassed he had forgotten, "Some friends were supposed to come over. But

ended up going to Scott's instead."

Jeremy looked him in the eye, "Did I mess up your plans?"

"No." Stiles said walking with Jeremy to the couch, "Really, it was my fault. We were all out hanging out and I invited them over, forgetting you got in tonight."

"You can invite them over?" Jeremy said.

"Dude, no. My friends are a lot to handle. I'm introducing you to them in small doses, so they don't scare you away." He kept his face as straight as possible but when Jeremy burst out laughing he did too.

"Anyways," Stiles said as they sat on the couch, "How was your flight?"

"Boring." Jeremy said, grabbing one of the two unopened sodas on the coffee table.

"The guy next to me kept trying to talk to me about his garden. It was strange." After that the conversation was easier. They talked about their families and school. Stiles got the impression that Jeremy was mad about something back home but didn't question his friend. Then they broke out the video games and played for hours. Only stopping when his dad came home, lecturing about rotting their brains with the tv.