Croatoan

Chapter 4: Close Encounter

Stiles awoke unrested and uncomfortable, his own groans of discomfort waking him. He wasn't hungover, which was a blessing; but his shoulders were tensed and rock-hard, his muscles in knots, a twig was caught in his shirt jabbing him in the ribs and his scalp itched from the dirt in his hair. He slid out of the sheets, wincing as his feet hit the floor, the tender undersides throbbing and sore.

He popped into the bathroom and took a quick shower, getting dressed and wandering out into the hall, met with silence as the rest of the house slumbered on. He fiddled with his cell as he went downstairs and made himself breakfast; toast, glass of orange juice, and a banana. When he finished he swept his crumbs off the counter and into the sink, pulling open the slider and heading outside into the early morning sun, letting the light bath his skin in its warmth.

He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, the country air clear and clean in his lungs. He stretched by the pool, twisting his torso and extending his arms, pulling out all the kinks in his joints. He fished his earbuds out of his pocket and hooked them up to his phone, setting up a playlist and tucking his phone back into his pocket as he bent over to tighten the laces of his sneakers.

He set out in a jog, taking a leisurely lap around the property to wake himself up before heading out into the woods. The foliage was similar to Beacon Hills Preserve; although the trees were a little taller, the trunks thicker, clustered closer together. He picked up the pace as his music sped up and the tension eased from his limbs, stomping out his aches and pains to the beat with each footfall in the forest. Once he had traveled a ways from the house he found himself a good tree and launched himself at a thick, low-lying branch, hauling himself up and clamboring up the trunk. Once he reached the top he gave himself a second to enjoy the view and wasted no time scurrying back down, he didn't want his heartrate to drop. He moved to the sturdier branches near the bottom and hooked his knees around one, swinging upside-down to do his curl-ups, blood rushing to his head.

The scent of the earth was rich out here; all dirt and dead leaves and crisp air blowing in from the mountains. As much as he loved his hometown it had been getting so populated, floods of people relocating and moving in, drawn by the nemeton, neighborhoods and stripmalls beginning to pop up on the outskirts of town. Out here he could hear himself think, let himself breath, he had always felt more at home amongst nature.

As he lowered himself from a curl he found himself level with a denim crotch; he squawked and panicked, dropping from the branch to the ground, landing on his face. He spat out a mouthful of leaves and scrambled backwards, yanking his headphones out of his ears and glaring up at Scott.

"What the hell man, you trying to give me fucking heart attack?" he gasped, clutching his chest, longing for the days Scott was an asthmatic and carried an inhaler. Scott's head was tilted, eyes dancing with amusement.

"Getting buff out here?" he laughed, Stiles glowered as he stood, brushing off his pants.

"Yeah man, remember all that business with how I'm still just a human? Gotta keep up with all you freaks somehow. This way I can take twice the beatings."

Scott rolled his eyes and shook his head; his hair had been growing out again, climbing down into his eyes. He hooked a thumb over his shoulder, back in the general direction of the house. "Derek sent me to look for you, no one knew where you went."

Stiles pulled his phone out of his pocket to pause his music, squinting up at him against the sun. "Yeah, no one was up when I headed out. I figured I'd just let everyone sleep. I'm about finished up anyway."

He tucked the phone back in his pocket and they headed back towards the house, they hadn't walked more than two minutes before Stiles couldn't keep his mouth shut anymore. "So you gotta level with me man, what's going on with Allison?"

His brown eyes were wide as he looked over at him, shooting him a nervous smile. "What? Nothing. I mean, nothing like that. We're just trying to be friends."

"Ohh spare me." Stiles drawled, whacking him in the shoulder with the back of his hand. "You can drop all that diplomatic, altruistic 'good for the pack' bull. It's me dude, that's what I'm here for. Vent."

Scott's pace slowed, he hung his head with a frustrated moan. "Oh god, I have no idea what I'm doing."

Stiles laughed, patting him on the shoulder sympathetically. "Do you ever?"

"I'm totally screwing up my life."

"Aren't you always?"

"I don't know why I'm messing this up! I mean, it was all going great, you know? Like me and Kira were doing great, her and Isaac were doing great, and we were all getting along.. And now we come here and I'm around her again and god dude she smells so good-"

"Woah, woah there Romeo. Go easy." Stiles stopped him with a hand on his chest, they paused on the trail. "Are you saying you want back with Allison? What about Kira?"

Scott threw his head back and groaned up at the sky. "I don't know! I mean, I like Kira, you know that." he looked Stiles for confirmation; he shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged.

"Sure."

"I mean, how could I not? She's gorgeous and sweet and silly and way too nice.." he trailed off, looking out at the treeline, "She's great."

"Just not Allison?"

Scott hung his head again, "Yeah." he muttered.

Stiles sighed and put an arm around him, turning them back down the path and starting off again. "Listen man, there's no shame in not being over her."

"God dude, I'm such an idiot."

"Yes, yes you are. But a loveable idiot."

"I just forgot how intense it was to be around Allison, you know? She's just so strong, and confident, and smart.. Kira's awesome and everything but it's just not the same as it was with her."

"To be fair, Allison was your first love. I don't think anything's supposed to compare to that, but yeah, I get it. Damn it, you know I was just starting to like her?"

Scott raised an eyebrow, "You like everyone."

"That's not true. Jackson. I don't like Jackson. Or the dick-twins."

"Well, mostly everyone. You know, I think the problem with Kira is that I like her too much. Like we're such good friends already I feel like getting in a relationship would just mess that up."

Stiles glanced back at him in disbelief, shaking his head sadly. "Do yourself a favor buddy? Don't use that line when you break it off with her."

"It's true!" Scott insisted, "She's like, one of the best friends I've ever had and we barely know each other. I don't want to jeopardize that. To be honest, she kind of reminds me of you."

"There are so many disturbing implications that brings to mind I hardly know where to begin." Stiles shivered dramatically, Scott whacked him in the back.

"Oh shut up. I hope Derek really does tear you limb from limb for wandering off."

Stiles whirled on him, eyes wide. "Shit, did he say that?" he asked, a note of panic in his voice; Scott smirked at him smugly.

"Yup."

"God, why didn't you tell me? You're like the worst friend ever!" he cried in frustration, breaking off into a jog back towards the house.

"Hey, I thought you were supposed to be here for me! Stiles, I have problems!" Scott's laughter chased after him, Stiles cursed him under his breath as his feet pounded the earth. He was going to kill Scott, if Derek didn't kill him first.

Derek's POV:

Derek hauled himself out of the pool onto the warm cement, the sun had barely climbed over the treetops and already the air was hot and stagnant. He shook his head, droplets spraying in an arc around him; he grabbed the towel he'd tossed onto a lawnchair, wiping it over his face and chest. It was loud with activity in the backyard, the open space echoing with the sounds of his pack, all early risers filled with the energy of youth.

Allison had taken paper targets and pinned them up along the treeline, dashing around and firing at them with her crossbow, practicing her shots while running and mid-somersault. Lydia wasn't dressed for such nonsense in her sandals, short summer dress and expensive sunglasses; dragging a chair from the pool into the grass to lay in the sun and read a book. Jackson had brought free-weights outside from his uncle's workout room in the basement, setting them up by the doors to the living room. He did arm curls with them in the shade of the cabin, watching the girls in the yard out of the corner of his eye, peeling off his shirt when they failed to notice how much weight he was lifting.

Kira and Isaac suddenly came tearing around the side of the house; Isaac in the lead, plucking leaves off the trees and throwing them back at Kira, taunting her over his shoulder. Kira shrieked and dodged the leaves, laughing and cursing and chasing after him. They raced through the center of the yard, giving Allison a wide berth as not to get shot; they disappeared around the other side of the house, voices echoing after them. Scott had originally started the race, abandoning his position in the rear when Derek had called him aside to go look for Stiles, who he hadn't seen since last night.

He hung his towel off the back of the chair to dry, bending over to twist at the mesh fabric of his black swim shorts, wringing out the excess moisture. He reached over and picked up his discarded shirt, shaking it out to find the correct holes when there was a disturbance from the opposite end of the yard.

His head shot up as his ears localized the sounds of something crashing through the brush from the woods, approaching from the west where Allison was practicing her archery. He recognized the intrusion as Stiles before he saw him; heard the familiar rabbiting heartbeat, the same wheezing gasps as he ran. Derek furrowed his eyebrows, surprised at how fast Stiles was running, hazel eyes darting over to Allison as she lined up a shot, his mouth falling open to late to warn her to stop.

Stiles broke through the treeline as her fingers slipped from the bowstring, the arrow slicing through the air as Stiles' head lined up with the target; his eyes widening at the arrow, falling backwards with a yell. He fell heavily to the ground on his back, flailing arms and legs churning up a cloud of dirt and dead leaves as the tip of Allison's arrow sank into the wood behind the bullseye. Her hand shot to her mouth and she gasped, dropping her bow as Lydia scrambled out of her chair, both of them running forward.

"Jesus Stiles, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you!" Allison wailed, Derek jogged over to them as Lydia fell to her knees to help Stiles up.

He grimaced up at her, a hand on his back as he rolled to one side to try to rise, "No, no, it's okay. Nothing wakes you up in the morning like an arrow in the face." He held on to Lydia's forearm as he got on his feet, shooting her a thankful smile.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry." Allison rambled, looking like she might cry as she helped Lydia dust him off; Stiles looked embarrassed from all the attention. Scott came jogging out of the woods from the same direction Stiles came in, looking perplexed at the scene.

"What's going on?" he asked with a quirk of his head as he trotted up to them, Allison grabbed on to his arm desperately with wild eyes.

"I didn't see him, I swear, he came out of nowhere!"

"Hey, calm down, I'm fine." Stiles rubbed at the back of his neck sheepishly.

Lydia tutted and plucked a stick out of his hair. "Why were you in such a rush?"

He glanced up at Derek guiltily, "I uh, didn't mean to make you worry. I just went for a run, I know I shoulda left a note or something."

Derek crossed his arms at him, more out of self-consciousness than disapproval as his eyes flicked down to his bare chest. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I wasn't worried. I just sent Scott out to see if you were alright."

Stiles' mouth parted as he glanced back at Scott in bewilderment. "What? You said he was pissed."

Scott grinned at him, a dimple appearing in one cheek, shrugging. Stiles' clenched his jaw, balling his hands into fists. "Man, you are such an asshole."

Derek grunted, finished with his pack's antics. "Well I guess you're fine." he said, turning to head back towards the pool. "Just don't put your face in front of any more targets."

Isaac and Kira had rounded the house again, approaching the group as Derek walked away.

"Hey, what's going on?" Kira asked, the pleasant smile frozen on her face as she glanced at Allison's hand on Scott's arm. Scott cleared his throat, shrugging her hand off and approaching Kira, "Oh hey! Uh, nothing, we just got back."

"And almost murdered." Stiles grumbled, pushing past them. Allison winced at his words, Isaac cocked an eyebrow at her over Kira's head. Lydia clapped her hands together for everyone's attention as she followed Stiles out into the yard.

"Alright everybody, I think we could use a group activity. How about we go into town and see what's around here or something?"

Jackson had finally set his weights aside to join them, wandering over with a smirk on his face. "Really? The point of coming out here is to get away from civilization, it hasn't even been a day."

She scoffed at him, putting her hands on her waist and jutting out a hip. "Oh really? Then how about you come up with an idea."

"Why don't we go for a hike?" Kira piped up, looking at Scott beside her for backup. "I mean, it's gorgeous out here, I'd love to see more of it."

"See that?" Lydia patted the girl fondly on the shoulder, "Making suggestions? That's how to be helpful."

"I wouldn't say no to that," Isaac agreed, glancing over at Derek by the pool, watching them stonily. He shook his head when everyone else followed his gaze, scowling at the teenagers.

"Don't look at me. I'm not making any decisions."

Scott rolled his eyes, winding an arm around Kira's waist that Stiles stared at pointedly. "Well, I think it's a good idea," he smiled at her, turning to the rest of the group. "Everyone else up for it?"

No one dissented, Stiles watched the prolonged eye contact between Scott and Allison, fighting the urge to shake his head in disgust. This was a slow motion disaster.

"Okay, so why don't we meet back here in like, 5 minutes?" Allison tucked her hair behind her ear, nudging Lydia. "I have an extra pair of sneakers you can borrow if you want."

The redhead sighed in relief, "Oh good."

The two of them headed into the house, Kira stood on her tiptoes to kiss Scott on the cheek before breaking away to follow them. "I'm just going to go pee real quick and I'll be ready."

Isaac wandered away to talk to Derek as he retrieved his shirt on the opposite side of the pool, and Jackson had long since abandoned everyone to go back to lifting weights; once they were alone, Stiles turned and smacked Scott soundly upside the head.

"Ow, hey! Sorry man, why are you so mad?" he ducked away from him and held his hands up to fend him off, "You should be happy Derek's not pissed."

"Happy? Happy? I nearly burst a lung sprinting back here, under the distinct impression that a certain alpha with anger problems wanted to 'rip me limb from limb'." he punctuated his point with whack to his ribs. Scott scowled at him and he sighed, glancing at Kira flouncing across the yard to the sliding glass door, shining black hair flowing after her. "But that wasn't what the smack was for."

Scott followed his gaze, face falling when he saw her, hanging his head. "I know."

"Scott-"

"I know. It's just too late. I'm in too deep."

"Only if you keep going." Stiles pushed his hands into his pockets, winding the cord of his earbuds around his finger. "I mean, she's not even your girlfriend yet, right? So just, call it off." he glanced over at his best friend, the slack look on his face at his words. "Or, if you're too much of a chicken for that, you can at least not encourage it. Put some space between you guys, don't lead her on so much."

"This is the worst vacation ever." Scott groaned, Stiles hummed back at him, wandering back to the tree he'd almost been leveled in front of. He reached up and grabbed the arrow, yanking it out of the wood and tossing it beside Allison's discarded crossbow on the grass.

His thumb throbbed and he glanced down at it; he had nicked it on the arrowhead, a pinprick of blood forming on the pad of his thumb. Figures.

"You might not be wrong about that, Scotty-boy." he shot him a thin-lipped smile, doing his best not to let anything get to him. He was still determined to have a good time on this trip despite his near-death experience, and god damn it, his idiot friends and their tumultuous love lives were not going to ruin this for him.

And if they did ruin this for him, he would drag everyone down with him.

End Chapter 4.

Trying to get things moving along, focusing on the whole Isaac/Allison/Scott/Kira situation is more of a space-filler than actual plot. xoxoQuinn