Keep Walking
unless you can't
Of course all good feelings Stiles might be having about this weird relationship with Jackson come to an end the very next day.
Because this is not only Stiles's life. It's Jackson's too. And together they seem to have the bad luck of at least half the world population.
Stiles spent the day with his dad – the Sheriff had the day off, and their lives had been hectic these past couple of weeks, so he wanted to spend some time with his son, and Stiles obliged. He even sent a text to Jackson telling him he'd be with his dad till three, and asked if he wanted to do anything later.
Jackson had called him back, demanding and needy, but Stiles was handling it. He truly was. So they arranged to meet at about three thirty – their night would be spent separated because it was, finally, the full moon. And Stiles didn't want to think about that, because that moment Peter had said something about Jackson's wolf coming after him? That'd haunt him forever and a day. So, of course, he was just lazing about his room a little before three when his doorbell rang.
"Hey!" says Jackson, standing there with a huge smirk, pulling him for a kiss.
"Hey" Stiles answers with a little less enthusiasm, "I thought we weren't meeting for another half hour."
"Oh, I saw your dad leaving about ten minutes ago, so I thought I come by early" he answers, shrugging and getting in.
Okay, that wasn't creepy at all.
"How did you know my dad left?" he questions further while they walk slowly to his room, and he can practically feel Jackson rolling his eyes.
"I was nearby and saw it, ok?"
"You're lying."
"You can't tell when I'm lying, you're not a werewolf" Jackson remarks, sitting on his bed, and trying to get Stiles on his lap, but the other teen takes a few steps away from him.
"I can tell you're lying because you're the worst liar ever. I do not need to be a werewolf to do that, ok?" Stiles replies, getting angry, "Were you watching my house?"
Jackson looks down, not in shame, but clearly trying to reign in his temper, taking deep breaths, and Stiles tries to control his fear.
It's a bit hard for him to always keep in mind that an angry Jackson now means a dangerous Jackson. Which brings up another whole can of worms, because he's absolutely sure Jackson would never harm him physically. He wouldn't hit Stiles, rip him to pieces or tear his throat out with his teeth or anything.
What would he do, though?
He doesn't want to find out first hand, but he does want to know.
"I was nervous and anxious because I didn't know where you were" comes as a reply after a good three minute wait, "You told me you'd hang out with your dad, and I had no idea if you'd go out, or stay in, or maybe get out of town, and…" he stops talking, but the ending is clear.
Get out of town and leave Jackson behind.
"I'm not leaving you, Jackson" he answers without thinking much about how that sounds, because thinking these things through is very, very bad, "I thought we were making progress yesterday. I'm not running on you, I just watched bad TV and we ate junk food, which he'll pay with veggie feedings all week, and we talked a bit about things. School, mostly. That's it. I didn't even get out of the house."
This felt so… wrong. So invasive. Why? Why should he explain himself to Jackson, and yet he was doing it? Why? What right did Jackson have to look so relieved hearing him talk, looking at peace, a tenseness around him that Stiles hadn't even noticed before suddenly disappearing as if by magic when he listened to Stiles speak.
He shouldn't have to explain his day with his dad to Jackson, and yet here he was.
This was all kinds of stupid and screwed up.
And it's when he looks ready to get on a tirade about how wrong this all is that Jackson smiles – truly smiles, open and unbroken and beautiful – and pulls him by the hand again, gently this time, to sit by his side on the bed.
"Thanks" he says softly, "I know how crazy all of this is, but it helps that you… let me in, I guess." He shrugs when he finishes speaking, and Stiles feels his heart break a bit.
This is so… he doesn't even have words.
"Just…" he can't think of anything to say, so he sighs and shakes his head, "It'll get better, right? When your wolfish instincts or whatever are sure I'm not leaving you, or going away, when you feel we're safe, it'll get better" he says, to reassure Jackson just as much as himself, and Jackson's smile wavers.
"Yeah, it will" he answers, but he doesn't seem convinced.
Stiles swallows hard and has no idea about how to dissipate the awkwardness in the room.
"So… what do you want to do for the day?" he asks instead, with forced cheerfulness and he sees Jackson almost scoff at him, but he doesn't comment on it.
"We're going to Derek's. It's the full moon and he wants the whole pack there early for some reason. There's a surprise for you there." The smirk is back, and Stiles curiosity is picked.
"What surprise?" he looks at Jackson and shakes his finger at him, "And don't tell me that if you tell me it's not a surprise, I know that, that's why I'm asking."
"It's good, I promise. You'll love it" Jackson really does try to sound reassuring but he's not doing a very good job with it, "Let's go, okay? The sooner we get there, the sooner you'll find out" he says getting up, and pulling Stiles to his feet, pulling him downstairs again.
"How are we doing this? I'll follow you there?" he inquires, and Jackson stares at him as if he's crazy.
"What do you mean? I've got the Porsche."
"Yeah, but you're staying there, and I'm sure as hell not spending the night. My dad might actually put one of his deputies tailing me night and day if I do that, and he's spending the night home tonight."
"Derek told me you shouldn't stay anyway, because we don't know how good my control will be. But I thought we'd just take the Porsche; you drive it back here and pick me up tomorrow morning?"
Stiles stares at Jackson open mouthed for a moment, because Jackson is leaving his Porsche with him for the night?
"What if it gets stolen?!" he asks in a squeak, flailing his hands about, and Jackson snorts, pulling Stiles against him and holding him by the waist.
"Your dad is the Sheriff, Stiles. Who'd steal something from his driveway, are you serious?" Jackson replies, before leaning in for a kiss, pushing Stiles against the wall.
It's a real kiss this time, Jackson's tongue in his mouth, searching, marking – a small bite on his lower lip which makes him groan, a bit in pain, a lot in appreciation. The hands around his waist tighten again, and one of Jackson's knees get in between his legs, and he's lost in the kiss, because gods, Jackson is good at this.
Finally, the blond lets go of his mouth, and moves to his neck, biting and sucking on it, as if to leave a mark – as if no, he is leaving a mark, and Stiles wants to shake his head and complain, but he can't quite find his voice, because it's just so good, he wants to bite Jackson too, just a tiny bit…
And when he's getting ready to attack the blonde's neck, the door opens and in comes his dad.
When the Sheriff clears his throat they both pull apart so fast the man smirks at them and the raises an eyebrow at Stiles, who is blushing like mad.
So, so many things are wrong with the picture of his dad catching him necking away with Jackson against his living room wall.
"Hey, dad! So we were just leaving, be back later, love you, bye!" he says in a rush, pulling Jackson by the hand towards the door. The other boy is a bit pale, but he's trying to contain a smirk, Stiles just knows it. He nods at Stiles's dad as they pass him.
"I want you home by ten, Stiles!" he hears his father scream, and Stiles waves at him, without turning around, to let him know he's heard.
"Oh my God" Stiles says once they are safely inside the car, burying his head in his hands, "I think I might just die of embarrassment."
"It wasn't that bad" Jackson replies, waiting for Stiles to put on the seatbelt to start driving.
Stiles looks at him from behind his hands.
"Are you kidding me? My dad caught us kissing, and, oh God, he'll never let me live this down" he finishes miserably, and Jackson laughs – truly and openly laughs, kissing him on the cheek and finally pulls away from his house.
"Don't worry about it, he'll get over it" Jackson replies and Stiles just groans, burning with embarrassment.
They get to Derek's in record time, because better reflexes make for a Jackson that does not care about traffic laws, and when he gets out of the car, just a bit less embarrassed than before, he's surprised to see Scott sitting on the grass outside the house.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he asks before he can stop himself and Scott smiles at him, all dopey and cute like a puppy.
"I'm pack now!" his best friend replies, smiling away like it's Christmas.
"What? But what about…" then Stiles stops and looks at Scott, and oh my God.
Allison was not Scott's mate.
He starts hitting the werewolf on the head, and Jackson laughs heartily behind him, even if the laugh is a bit mean.
"Ow, OW, what the hell is this for? I become part of the pack because of you, and you hit me?" Scott says indignantly getting away from Stiles, but the boy glares at him.
"What the hell, dude! You let me think Allison was your mate. We didn't even… I can't believe you!" He throws his hands up and shakes his head, and Scott looks down.
"Sorry, ok? It was just… I was… Oh, man" he finishes, as if he can't explain, and Stiles gets it.
He's known Scott for years. He gets it.
"You're a moron" he ends up saying, giving him a pat on the back, and Scott's smile is back full force.
"Yeah?" he asks, and Stiles shakes his head, fondly this time.
"Yeah" he confirms.
When they look around is to see Derek, Isaac and Peter looking at the two of them as if they're crazy, because that wasn't a conversation – but they got each other, and it was cool.
That's how they work, anyway.
Jackson, apparently, has had enough of being ignored and goes to Stiles's side, pulling the boy against him, arm around his waist, and Stiles is starting to think that Jackson is oddly fond of this position. He looks at the other wolves, and feels a bit awkward, but, well, he'll deal.
He has to.
This is his life now, right?
"Soooooo, what are the plans for tonight? You guys going hunting for squirrels? Am I going to wake up to find a dead deer on my doorstep as a courting gift from Jackson?" he asks playfully, and his joke is met by several glares in varying degrees. He smiles at all of them while Scott laughs quietly, and Jackson shakes his head, looking upwards, as if he's questioning the heavens about their choice for his mate.
Ha. He deserves it for his lack of sympathy with his dad-situation.
"Let's get inside, we need to talk" Derek orders, looking broody and moody and gloomy, so everything is just the same on that front.
They follow their fearless leader into the house, and Stiles has to shake his head, because "house" is such a kind term for this place, but okay.
Derek has them all sit around a weird table that looks out of place in the blackened walls and floor – it's light wood, with six chairs around it, and clearly new. Stiles has to contain his amusement at the thought of Derek furniture-shopping, but he bites his lip and keeps it down. No need to anger Derek on the day of the full moon.
Once they are all seated, Derek, at the head of the table, of course, breathes in deeply and sits back, staring at all of them for a bit.
"I think you noticed Erica and Boyd are still missing" he begins, and Stiles starts to get worried – he thought they ran away.
Running away doesn't equal missing. Running away means they have gone away on their own volition. This is not what it sounds like now, though.
"Didn't they run away?" Scott asks before Stiles has a chance to, "The night of the game, they ran away" he continues, as if they wouldn't remember that small fact – the day two Betas abandoned his Alpha.
Derek looks like he swallowed a whole lemon tree and all the dirt around it too.
"Yes. That's what they told me" the Alpha admits, as if the words are hurting him, "We went looking in the woods after that, though. We were looking for Gerard" he says, and Stiles shivers a bit.
Kanima? Fine. Crazy werewolves? He can deal.
But that old man gives him the creeps like nothing else. Jackson seems to feel his discomfort and puts an arm around him – Stiles looks at him, but the blonde is still staring at his Alpha.
"We found no trace of Argent, but we did find Erica's and Boyd's things. Their jackets and cellphones – things they clearly had when Gerard had them. We didn't find them, though, or any trace of where they could have gone."
The "something is very, very wrong with this situation" needn't be said.
"Are you going after them tonight, then?" Stiles asks, "It's the full moon, your senses will be at their best, and they'll be less under control, because they can't quite control themselves yet" he continues, and Derek nods briefly.
"I and Isaac will. Peter will stay here to take care of Jackson, and make sure he won't escape, though for a wolf with a marked mate it's easier to find an anchor, I don't think Jackson will be much trouble. Scott will be with you, in case Jackson does escape" Derek explains, and Stiles nods.
It's a good plan. A solid plan. Except for the part that he wouldn't trust the care of a dead goldfish to Peter, but hey, he isn't the Alpha here.
"You should just get bitten."
The statement comes so completely out of the blue that Stiles almost falls off his chair.
"What?" he asks, at the same time as Scott yells "NO!"
"What what? You should, Stiles!" Jackson argues, turning so he would stare at him, "This would be so much easier if you were a werewolf like the rest of us! Hell, this has been your pack before it was mine! You're smart and driven, you could help us all. You could be better."
"I don't want to be better, I want to be human" he says coldly, and he's ready for a fight.
There are few things that'll set him off like this, but this is something he won't let go.
"What good is it for you to still be human now? I'm your mate, you have me and the pack, and you don't have to think of the future with anyone else. You should become one of us."
"He is one of us" Peter says, staring at Jackson carefully – and is that anger Stiles is detecting on his blue eyes? On Stiles's behalf? "If nothing else, he is pack through you, Jackson. But this is not what this is about. You don't think that much about anyone else to think about that right now. You're saying this because you know that if Stiles is bitten, he'll have the same instincts you have, and he won't fight you anymore. Instead of trying to make him fall in love with you, you're taking the easy way out" the way Peter speaks makes it sound like an accusation.
Jackson sets his jaw tightly, and his claws are starting to show. Stiles isn't afraid, though, he's pissed.
"It's not the easy way out, it's the logical step to take. To even the ground."
"Even the ground? With a fifty-fifty chance that I'll die?" Stiles says, finally getting up. Jackson is standing not a second later and they stare at each other angrily, "Have you thought about that in your brilliant plan? That I may not live after the bite? Hell, Derek's bitten four people and Peter has bitten two, and none of them are dead, do you really think the odds will continue to hold like that? Chances are that I am the one who's going to die!"
"You won't die!"
"Just because you say it, it doesn't make it happen, Jackson! Some things can't be demanded! And if I die, you die too, big guy. How about that? Are you sure you want to test this still?"
"You are not going to die!" Stiles ignores his stupid sentence, because he won't deign to call that an argument.
"And I don't want to, can you get that? I'm the only thing my dad has left. He knows nothing about this shit!"
"Then tell him!" Jackson shouts back, but Stiles ignores him again.
"I'm not becoming a werewolf because you don't want to work for something! It's not happening!"
Jackson makes a sound that it's a lot like a roar, taking a step forward, and just like that all the other wolves are standing too. The blonde glares, but doesn't move anymore.
"Then you won't be helping in this. You won't be involved in this at all, never! I won't have you taking risks when you're so fragile and weak."
"I AM NOT WEAK!" he shouts, and this time he's the one who takes a step towards Jackson, glaring all the time, "And you can't tell me what to do or what not to do, because you don't own me. You're my mate, and I accept that, and we have to make this work, and we will. When you're acting like a decent human being we actually get along, but I WON'T have you telling me what to do, Jackson! You don't have that right!"
"You could get hurt!" the blonde shouts at him.
"Then I'll heal! Not as fast as you, but I will. You said so yourself, I was a part of this way before you were, you don't get to make these decisions for me!"
"Why can't you just stay away then, if you don't want to be a wolf? Why can't you just do what I'm telling you to do?!" Jackson's voice is not a shout, but it's a close thing.
"Because I'm not Anastasia Steele, Jackson! I don't have an inner goddess who gets giddy with a strong male ordering me around!"
"As a werewolf you'd be stronger! But you don't want that? Fine! Don't get bitten, but don't get in the middle of this mess, then! I'm saying this for your own good!"
"No, you're doing it because you're a control freak" Stiles points out, actually jabbing a finger at Jackson's chest, who in turn grabs his wrist and pulls him close, his eyes flashing electric blue for a moment.
"I'm trying to keep you safe. Why won't you just DO what you're TOLD?" he hisses fiercely, glaring, and Stiles glares and hisses right back.
"Because I'm not Bella Swan either. Stop acting as if I can't protect myself."
"YOU CAN'T!" Jackson finally says, letting go of Stiles.
"ENOUGH!" Derek shouts and both of them stop screaming.
Stiles is breathing hard, and he's so mad he can't see straight. Jackson is a bit cowered by his Alpha's shout, and is looking down, but the glare is still there.
How are they supposed to make this work? They don't have a chance.
"I'm not getting bitten. I'm not putting my dad through that. I'm not staying out of this either because I'm already in this, whatever this is. And now, I'm leaving" Stiles finally says, turning around.
"You don't even have a car here" Jackson points out, voice still angry.
"Then give me your keys or I'm walking" he hisses back and he's fully expecting Jackson to just tell him to walk all the way home, but the keys come flying in his direction. He lets them fall, picks them up, and leaves.
"He's always been my favorite" he hears Peter say when he's out of the house, and snorts, getting to the car and going home.
When he gets there, his dad is still out, and Stiles is fuming. Stupid, idiotic, controlling werewolf! It's not even the species, he's sure, it's just… Jackson.
He grabs his pillow and throws it against the wall, and then frowns at it, because it had no effect whatsoever to calm him down. He's still mad, and angry, and he thinks about calling Lydia, but it's too soon, too raw. She might kill him if he calls her asking for relationship advice.
He boots up his computer and stares at the screen, not quite knowing what to do. He starts playing a game, just to take his mind off of this horrible day. Some time later, he hears someone knocking on his door – it's getting late, and the sun is almost down.
"You there, Stiles?" comes his dad's voice, and Stiles breathes in deeply.
"Yeah, come in" he answers, and his dad opens the door, frowning at him.
"I was joking about the curfew, you know. It's summer and it's the weekend. Why aren't you out with Jackson?"
"Because he's a jerk" Stiles answers, glaring at the wall behind his dad's head.
It's partly true.
"Did you two have a fight?" his dad sounds amused, "The first fight is always good. Although it usually takes more than four days for it to happen."
Stiles snorts.
"It's hardly our first fight either" he mutters, and his dad stares at him strangely.
"Is there anything wrong with this thing, Stiles? This... you and Jackson thing? Because you seemed just as surprised as me when his parents announced you were together. Is this a prank he's playing on you?"
"You saw us before" he says, blushing again, and looking again, "Did it look like a prank?"
His dad chuckles.
"Not really, no. What happened then?"
"He was being a control freak, and overprotective, and I got mad. Then I drove his Porsche home because I was otherwise on foot, and I intend on freezing him out at least until tomorrow night."
His dad nods a bit, looking impressed.
"Sounds like a great plan."
"It is. He'll miss me so much he'll agree to whatever I say afterwards" he finishes with a grin, and his dad shakes his head.
"So you're doing nothing tonight?"
"Scott is coming over. Moral support and all that."
"Sure" his dad tries to sound serious, "Just make sure Melissa knows" he says, leaving Stiles's room.
Oh, she knows. She knows a whole lot.
Scott gets to his place about an hour after that, looking sheepish.
"So… how mad are you?" he asks when he sees Stiles, and the boy closes the door behind him.
"About you letting me think Allison was your mate? Not as mad as I was before Jackson trying to pull a Christian Grey on me."
Scott looks really confused.
"Who's Christian Grey?" he asks, but Stiles doesn't answer that.
"I mean, I can't believe his nerve! Demanding I take the bite, demanding I stay out of it! He doesn't control my life!"
Scott is quiet, and Stiles stares at him, waiting.
"I'm waiting for some support here, Scott."
"It's just…"
"No! There's no it's just in this! He's wrong!"
"Dude, chill, I know he is! It's just that he's crap at dealing with stuff. I mean, he became the Kanima because he couldn't deal with things, and he's not good at dealing with you in danger. It's the instinct to protect, I guess. If you were a wolf, you'd have it too. Only you won't become one, unless you want it, or I'll rip out Jackson's throat myself" Scott says, frowning angrily, and Stiles smiles.
He may be an idiot sometimes, but Scott sure is a good friend.
They spend the night playing video games, and aren't bothered by stray mates. The night goes by calmly.
The next morning they have breakfast with the Sheriff and head out to Scott's, spending a good part of the day there – at about four in the afternoon, Stiles gets a text from his dad.
Come home.
That's weird.
He tells Scott he has to go, and leaves.
He gets to his house, opens the door, and hears voices in the kitchen.
When he gets there, The Whittemores are there, and with them, Jackson.
A wolfed out Jackson.
The blonde smirks at him, all pointy fangs, and Stiles feels his heart stop beating.
Jackson has told his dad about werewolves.
That complete asshole.
I started writing this story because of that dialogue with the references from 50 shades of grey and twilight. Hahahaha I'm really not funny. Hehehe. Sorry.
So, what do you think? Can they fix this? Also, just so I know – it won't change the plot, though, because I have it all planned, I'm just curious – do you think Stiles should agree to the bite?
Let me know what you think!
REVIEW!