SCOTT:
The world didn't feel real. How could it be? He…. He was strong, he was…. He was Stiles…. He was always ok…. So why? Why?
His feet felt like led as he moved closer, shuffling loudly moving towards the fallen body of his friend, of his brother.
His mother sat near the boy, eyes red, and hand in her mouth, biting down to keep the sound from escaping. She loved him like a son. He imagined her face would look no different if it were him lying on that floor.
But his eyes shifted to glance at the Sheriff and had to take back his earlier thought…. That would be the look on his mother's face. The look of a person who has nothing left to live for.
Finally he looked at that pale face and felt himself drop to his knees in front of the fallen boy, reaching out a trembling hand. He never made contact because of a large hand slapping his away. Large arms wrapped around the pale body and pulled him close, sobbing into that small chest…
Small?
"Since when was he so small?" The worlds tumbled from his lips without warning. This caused Lydia to let out a strangled cry and those arms to tighten around his brother.
Had Stiles always been so small? He had always seemed to take up so much room, arms flailing in an exaggerated manner. Even in his sleep those limbs were flying everywhere, never staying still for too long… He just… He always seemed so much… Larger.
Looking at him now Scott wondered how he had missed his friend losing weight? How had he not noticed the bags under his eyes? The darkness clashed with his too pale skin.
When did he start taking advantage of his friend? When had he started just to assume that Stiles would always just… Just be there?
People looked to him, thinking everything he did was always right, that all his plans worked. But it was never him, not really. Stiles was always there, cleaning up and making sure all the pieces fell into place. While he took the credit Stiles hid in the background, getting things done properly.
When did he stop acknowledging his work? His effort?
He tried to be so strong, and when he faltered, Stiles gave him strength.
They had always had that feeling of closeness, but when Stiles saved him in that hotel was the first time the words were ever really said. Stiles called him his brother. Had been willing to die for him.
Even his own mother had flinched away from him when she found out what he was, but not Stiles… No, the boy spent that first full moon watching out for him, staying out all night in hopes to find his werewolf best friend. Even after losing it and attacking Stiles in the locker room , the boy had never flinched away, had never called him a monster.
"I always said how much I needed you…." The tears finally came to his eyes, his throat going dry.
"But I didn't notice… I didn't notice you needed me more…"
Losing his father had hurt, seeing some of his friends killed was painful, breaking up with Allison was heart-wrenching… This… This feeling… This was worse than pain. It was a feeling that seemed to sap the warmth from the inside out, making his whole body numb.
Throwing his head back he let out a howl louder than any before.
For miles that sound was heard, and each could clearly understand that the sound was one of a creature in immense pain.
Isaac:
He had always been jealous… That skinny human always seemed to capture Scott's attention. No matter what he had done Scott had always turned to Stiles for the final decision. He trusted Stiles more than anyone, and always went to him for help of any kind.
Scott didn't seem to realize that Stiles was his anchor.
Isaac wanted it to be him. He wanted to be Scott's second in command.
Even before turning into a wolf he had always envied the relationship those two boys shared. They were nobodies, and yet… And yet they smiled and laughed together, stood up for one another. Neither boy ever seemed to be willing to fight when the insult was directed at them, but the moment their friend's name was mentioned they lost it.
He had always wanted that, wanted to be Stiles.
And now, looking at the pain etched into not only Scott's face, but Lydia's and Derek's he realized how stupid he had been.
More than sadness, he felt regret.
Looking at the way Lydia was sobbing he realized that it was never Stiles he was jealous of. It was Scott. Because, no matter what happened, Stiles was always there. He never wavered, but more importantly. He was strong.
He was strong enough to love these people around him even though he knew their faults. To be strong enough to know these things and truly accept them… That was love on a different level.
His eyes landed on Derek and his heart almost broke in two. The man always seemed so strong, even when Boyd died he didn't shed a tear. But now his head was to the ground and he wasn't even attempting to hide his sadness.
He was such an idiot.
Stiles didn't only give his all to Scott, he gave it to everyone. If he had reached out, taking his head out of his ass. He could have had that too… That friendship that buried itself so deeply that you didn't even realize it until…
Scott's words hit him hard.
The wolves had treated Stiles like he wasn't breakable. They forgot that he was so fragile.
The howl shook him to the core, and he fell to his knees.
He felt a hand grip onto his sleeve and instinctively put an arm around the crying Allison.
He wished he could cry for the boy, he wished he had allowed himself the joy of being his friend… But at the same time he was grateful that he never had that friendship; because that would mean he would never know the pain of losing it.
Aiden & Ethan:
Aiden didn't care much for the loud brat. He had always seemed to be there, hovering by Scott and Derek. Never minding his own damned business.
Ethan held onto his brother's hand, squeezing it tightly.
Ethan had never really paid much attention to the kid, not until that hotel.
Both had thought that it was stupid, the way the kid jumped in and saved Ethan.
They had been the enemy. Allowing Ethan's death would have made their lives easier… But that brat didn't think that way.
They had thought Scott was a good guy, a hero… But Stiles was the real hero.
He wasn't thanked for his deeds. He wasn't acknowledged by anyone. And yet, without fail, he would be there.
He was the type of person who would give everything to save someone, even if that someone was a stranger.
The boy had a strength that they didn't have. Once that they didn't think they were capable of.
Derek had asked them if they were willing to die for Scott. Neither had answered because they didn't think anyone would be willing to give their life for another.
But, looking at the body cradled in the Sheriff's arms, they realized that they were wrong.
The boy was strong because he could give himself completely to another. To love them so much that his own life meant nothing.
Their linked hands tightened.
They were never going to be good enough for Scott. How could they be?
When Scott's second in command was so selfless? When he was so willing to go above and beyond for the man.
They would never be good enough. And as Scott's cry brought them to their knees, they couldn't help but think that they wanted to be enough. That they wanted to be like that annoying brat. For the first time, they actually wanted to be good people… Not just for the sake of joining Scott's pack, but because seeing Stiles made them want to try.
Lydia:
It would be a lie if she said she never noticed him. She had always loved his attention. He noticed things that she did that no one else did. Like when she had been trying out a new hair style, or when she tried out a new lipstick or perfume.
It was nice to know that someone cared enough notice her efforts.
But it was more than that. He noticed her intelligence, the thing she tried to hide for Jackson's sake. Instead of being intimidated he had enjoyed the challenge. She was just a smidge higher than him in terms of grades and it made him try harder.
But then things went kind of crazy.
And even though she knew it was breaking his heart, she asked him to help save Jackson. And he did. The man loved her so much that he was willing to give it all up for her happiness.
After that she had grown close to him. It was saddening to see his feelings for her shift slightly. He didn't look at her with the same type of love, but it seemed stronger now.
It was the same look he would give Scott. She was important to him, they grew closer. They understood one another on another level.
The pain she felt was intense. She had always thought Jackson was the only one who could hurt her. But somehow Stiles had entered her heart and caused her pain that was incomparable.
She wished she could love him the way that he deserved. She wished so desperately that she could have let him know how much he meant to her. She wished she had the chance to do something so simple… She just wanted to thank him…
She had been sobbing softly to the Sheriff's side, eyes ever leaving the fallen boy.
Stiles had become her safe place. It was selfish, but she couldn't help but wonder what she would do without him.