Chapter 7: Marvel has a Better Deadpool

Stiles and I hopped out of his jeep and headed into his house. It was quiet between the two of us the whole way home, but I think Stiles was just tired after the events of tonight. I was far from tired, my mind was currently whirring with thoughts about what he told Malia. I was on autopilot as I went through my nightly routine of washing my face, brushing my teeth, and brushing my hair.

I had pulled on my Stanford sweatshirt and had one leg in my pajama shorts when I figured I'd just buck up and go talk to him about it. I finished putting on my shorts when I treaded outside of the guest room and down the hall to Stiles' room. His door was open and I stopped in the doorway. I smiled to myself as I saw him biting down on a toothbrush as he glanced down at his phone. He was clad in sweatpants, and I bit my lip when I realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt.

I cleared my throat and Stiles looked up in surprise. Spittle from his toothbrush dripped down onto his phone, and I smiled affectionately. He quickly realized that he was in a compromising situation, and held up a finger as a one-minute kind of gesture. He went into his en-suite bathroom, and I heard water run, as well as several clatters. He was back in his room in no time, and pulled on the tee shirt that was sitting on his bed.

"Sorry," I began, "I totally could have knocked or something."

"Don't worry about it, it's fine. Uh – do you want to come in?" I nodded at him, and walked into his bedroom. I sat down on the edge of his bed. He slowly sat down beside me and I stared down at my hands. I started fiddling with my thumbs, and looked around his room. I started looking around anywhere but him.

"I - um – I guess that murder board was a good idea, huh?" I said quietly. I saw Stiles turn his head and look at the board. The same board that he kissed me for getting him. I glanced back down at my hands, and started bouncing my feet as well as fiddled with my hands. I stilled when I saw Stiles' hands cover my own.

"What's going on June?"

I stood up quickly and started pacing in front of him, "I don't – I don't really know. Just what you were saying to Malia tonight got me thinking."

"Okay - um – that's never really a good sign, is it?" I gave him a pointed look. "Sorry, not the time for jokes. What were you thinking about?"

"When you were talking about the nogitsune."

"About how I liked having that power?" I stopped pacing and looked over to him. His gaze was cast down this time. He stared at the floor in a manner that reflected the obvious shame he felt with that confession.

"No," I told him, and he looked up at me, "Funnily enough, you being possessed by a trickster spirit and liking the power you felt is not what confuses me."

"Then what does?"

"Right before you were saying all that, you told Malia you remembered it all. You remembered being possessed. And also right after we separated you from the nogitsune, you said you remembered everything."

"Yeah, I do."

"So you remember right before we split the two of you then? When Peter came over?" I said hesitantly.

Stiles, as clueless as ever, nodded.

I shut my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose, "So then you remember Peter basically telling everyone how I was in love with you?"

I peeked an eye open, and I saw Stiles' rigid posture. His face was flooded with remembrance, and overall he looked like a deer in the headlights.

"Stiles," I said his name again, and he broke out of his trance.

He scratched his temple, "Uh – y-yes, I remember that."

I laughed in disbelief and hurt, "Alright. Goodnight, Stiles."

I made to leave the room, but Stiles was already off the bed and grabbing my arm back. "June- "

"I don't get it!" I all but yelled in his face. "Did you revel in it? Or were you trying to save me from the embarrassment of you not reciprocating my feelings? Was that not a big enough deal for you to mention it again? I mean, why didn't you – "

I was cut off by hands on the back of my neck and lips covering my own. I stumbled back into the doorway of Stiles' bedroom as my lips quickly molded to his. Spearmint toothpaste was still fresh on his lips as I ran my tongue along them. Stiles opened his mouth and he kissed me deeper. I slid my arms under his and tangled my fingers in his hair. His hands moved down and settled themselves under my sweatshirt and on my waist.

Before anything else could happen, Stiles pulled away. He was still close enough to me that I could feel his breath against my lips.

"I'm sorry, June."

"Why didn't you say anything, Stiles?" I asked quietly, hands stroking the back of his neck. He parted from me entirely, and backed off a bit.

"I don't know, really. I just – to be totally honest, it was totally selfish. I wanted you to tell me yourself."

My eyes widened, "You wanted me to tell you?"

"Well, yeah. I also didn't know if it was something that I could believe, because Peter was the one to say it, and not you. Honestly, there were just a lot of reasons, and self-doubt had a lot to do with it."

"Self-doubt?"

"Well yeah. To be frank, I'm not really used to the girl I have feelings for reciprocating said feelings."

"You have feelings for me?" I asked him, hopeful.

He froze, realizing what he just said, "Well – um – yes. Yeah, I have for a while."

"How long is a while?" I pressed.

"Since we first kissed."

My jaw dropped to the floor, "When you had a panic attack? When Jennifer took your dad and prepared to ritually sacrifice him?"

"Thank you for reminding me – OW!" He exclaimed as I punched his arm. "June, what the – "

"That was in October! Literally months ago, and you didn't want to talk to me about this?"

He looked disbelieving, and a little frightened, "Things came up, if you didn't notice!"

"Were you ever going to talk to me about this?"

"Yes!"

"When?"

"The same day your parents came into town." I froze.

"Oh."

"Yeah. I was –" He sighed, "I was going to tell you under better circumstances."

"You should know that our lives won't ever have better circumstances," I said in a calmed voice. I looked over at Stiles, and I smiled at him.

"Yeah I guess not."

"So go ahead," I told him.

He locked eyes with me, "Go – go ahead? What do you mean?"

"Tell me what you've wanted to tell me since I kissed you, you dummy," I teased, grinning now.

"Oh – um – wow you – you sure know how to put a guy on the spot – "

I rolled my eyes, "Do you want me to start?"

He nodded fervently, "Yeah, I do. Please."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Okay, here we go," I said, rubbing my hands together.

"Here we go." I looked back up at him, and his eyes were eager, a smile about to break out on his face.

I put my hands on my hips, "Well I'm not going to tell you if you're just going to laugh at me –" Once again, I was shut up by Stiles putting his lips on mine. A firm kiss, with no movement. He pulled away and backed up the foot of his bed, and that was all the courage I needed.

"I love you, Stiles Stilinski. I love you, and I have for a while now, but I guess you knew that."

He grinned at me, "Knew it, but didn't really believe it."

I waited in silence. When he just continued to stare at me and not say anything, I prompted him. "Well?"

"Well? Well, what?"

"Don't bullshit me. Say it, Stilinski."

"So demanding, Jesus," I glared pointedly at him. "Alright, alright! June Child, I love you. I love you, and I want you to be with me, like – labels and all. Will you be with me?"

"I am with you," I teased.

Stiles rolled his eyes and huffed, "Will you be my girlfriend?"

I smiled, and nodded, "Yes. Yes, I will be your girlfriend."

He breathed out a sigh of relief, "Oh thank god."

I laughed, "Did you think I was gonna say no?"

"Self-doubt, remember?"

"You're ridiculous," I told him, walking closer to him again.

Stiles smirked, "Yeah, but you love me."

I nodded, "That I do. I love you." I then reached up on my tippy toes and kissed him. The force of our collision buckled Stiles' knees against his bed, and he sat down. I pushed him down onto his bed, and climbed on top of him, smiling as I straddled him. I looked down at him, then kissed him again. It was electrifying, how we moved together. I loved how he tangled his hands in my hair to further the kiss as my hands gripped at his sides.

I removed my lips from his and began to explore other things to kiss. I planted feathery kisses from the corner of his mouth all the way up along his jaw. The closer I got to his earlobe, the more open mouthed my kisses grew. I could hear Stiles' breathing quicken, and I gently bit down on his earlobe. His breathing hitched all together, and before he could even process what I had done, I started kissing down his neck.

As I did so, I slid my hands to the hem of his tee shirt and tugged. Getting the memo, Stiles quickly slid the shirt right off. I removed his hands from my neck and settled them low on my hips, and I resumed kissing down his neck, following an artery. Under my lips, I could feel his pulse skyrocket, and it took all I had not to smile. I had barely made it to his collarbones when Stiles removed one of his hands that had sunk lower than my hips and slipped his fingers under my chin. He reconnected our lips, and our tongues danced once again.

We stayed there for a while just kissing until I decided to call it a night. I made sure to give him a lasting kiss before I swiftly got off him and planted my feet on solid ground. Ignoring the whines of protest coming from him, I started stretching, and as I turned around to face Stiles, I nearly laughed at the sight of him. His lips were delectably swollen, and parted in surprise. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and his neck was smattered with red patches that my lips ached to trace all over again.

"Good night, Stilinski." I told him, and headed to the door.

"What – are you serious?" His voice was an octave higher than normal.

I turned around in the doorway, "Deadly serious. You haven't even taken me on a date yet. Sleep tight!" I paused right outside his door, and turned back around. I ran back in and planted another kiss on his lips. He barely had time to react before I pulled away. Hovering over his face, I looked in his amber-colored eyes and whispered, "I love you."

Walking out, I headed back to my room. I grinned like the Cheshire cat when I heard a winded "Holy shit," behind me. Closing the door to the guest room, I climbed back in bed, and fell asleep with the same dopey smile on my face. I slept better that night than I had in weeks.

"You're cooking in my kitchen," I heard the sheriff say from behind me.

"Good morning, and technically your kitchen is cooking things, not me," I chirped, gesturing to all of the kitchen utensils floating about as they helped me cook up the large meal, "There's coffee already in the pot."

I heard shuffling behind me, "I didn't even know we had breakfast foods in the house," Stilinski commented as he ducked under a flying tub of butter and gazed at the large amount of food scattered on the counter.

"You didn't," I said, sliding the perfectly cooked bacon onto a plate and moving over to the pancakes, "I had to run to the store to get some."

Sheriff Stilinski checked his watch, "It's seven in the morning, how long have you been up?"

"Only two hours," I said before using my magic to pour him a cup of coffee and telekinetically setting it down at the breakfast table. The sheriff shrugged and sat down.

"What is all of this for then?"

I set down his plate in front of him before throwing some more bacon into the pan, and reciting a spell to keep the spatula on top of cooking it. I sat down across from him and sighed.

"Is that bacon I smell?" Stilinski and I looked over to the kitchen doorway and saw a tired-looking Stiles shuffle in. I smiled at him, recalling last night, and by the way he looked at me, I'd say he was doing the same thing.

"Are you getting a rash or something?" I looked over at Stiles' dad with scrunched eyebrows.

"What do you mean?" Stiles asked him. The sheriff gestured to his neck in between bites of pancakes.

"Your neck, it's all red, are you getting a rash?"

Stiles' cheeks flushed and I grinned at him. "No, he's not," I said before returning to the skillet and gripping onto the floating spatula and putting the bacon onto a plate. I put together some pancakes and eggs on the plate as well and set it in front of Stiles. Before I sat back down, I reached up to get a mug, realizing I was too short. I snapped my fingers, and a mug from the top shelf floated its way down to the counter, and I poured myself some coffee.

"So is there a reason you're up and dressed and ready for the day on a Saturday?" Stilinski asked me. I reached in to the fridge to grab some creamer I had bought at the store and adding a copious amount.

"Uh, yeah, I'm doing this as a thank you," I said, putting the creamer back in the fridge and letting the egg carton squeeze itself back in the fridge as well. "For letting me stay, I didn't really know how else to do it except cook you guys a nice meal."

"You mean getting your magic to cook us a meal," Stiles snipped and I stuck my tongue out playfully.

"It's my recipes, this just expedites the process," I explained before leaning against the counter. "Anyways, my parents are headed back to New York today and I promised Ginny I'd be there to see them off. They're leaving for the airport in about five minutes so I really can't stay long. But I'm glad you're both awake, I wanted to do this properly," I straightened up, "Thank you. Thank you both so much for letting me stay here as long as you did. I don't know what would have happened had I not been able to escape what I thought was in my past, and-"

"June, that seems like a very well-rehearsed speech and all, but we get the gist. You're welcome here anytime," Stilinski said, and he looked around the kitchen in confusion, "Is there any way I could get seconds, or are they kind of just - doing their own thing?"

I smiled, chugging down the rest of my coffee and setting the mug in the sink, "Just ask for seconds, and then say 'I'm done' when you're finished. They'll put stuff where it needs to go."

My phone beeped at me and I checked the message from Ginny, "That's Gin, I best be off. If you need me today, I'm just doing laundry. See you later, thanks again!" I walked out of the kitchen and was picking up my bags before I remembered what I was going to do.

I walked back into the kitchen and saw Stiles look up at me. Grinning, I placed a chaste kiss on his lips and said "I love you," before turning around and walking back to the front door. I gathered my bags and stifled my laughter when I heard Sheriff Stilinski say, "Well you need to tell me something."

My father was already putting luggage in the car as I stepped outside in the crisp morning air. I looked over at the Range Rover and sighed, wishing I didn't have to leave the Stilinski house and face my parents again. I trudged over to my house when I saw my father head back inside. I opened the door and made my way upstairs to dump my bags into my room. I smiled when I saw that everything was exactly the way I had left it and quickly turned around, eager to get things over with.

I heard my mother talking to Ginny about the design of the house when I headed down the stairs. Rounding into the kitchen, I saw Ginny and my parents standing on both sides of the kitchen island. My foot creaked on a bit of the wood floor, and three pairs of eyes snapped to me.

"June, my it's been so long."

"Hmm, not long enough," I mumble, moving over to the fridge to distract myself from the awkward stares of my parents.

"I haven't even seen you these past couple of weeks, it's like you were avoiding us." She said sarcastically and I rolled my eyes.

"Ah, an ingenious thought, mother. But don't worry, I was just busy," I replied to the oranges that were in my face. I grabbed one and shut the fridge before attempting to peel it a slowly as possible.

"Yes, driving to Mexico with all of your friends and sleeping at your friend's house. Tell me, are all your friends supernatural creatures?"

I nodded, not taking my eyes off of the orange, "Save for Stiles."

"Oh right, that awkward boy who kept looking at you like he was in love with you," I sighed in despair when the orange became fully peeled.

"That's because he does love me, mom," I said casually, popping an orange slice into my mouth. From the corner of my vision, I saw Ginny's eyes widen.

My mother quirked an eyebrow, "Is that right?"

I nodded, "Yep, and I love him," I said with my mouth full, gaining satisfaction from the look of distaste on my mother's face.

Shaking his head, my father interjected on our conversation, "Back to your friends, Ginny says that one of them is a werewolf. A true alpha no less."

Swallowing, I nodded, "That would be Scott."

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but being in Scott's friend circle could mean you're a part of his pack. A witch in a wolf pack."

I was silent, chewing on another slice of orange.

"June?"

"Oh you were right, so I didn't need to correct you."

My father huffed, "So you are in a wolf pack. And not just any wolf pack, a true alpha's pack."

"Along with a banshee, a werecoyote, a kitsune, a human, and a beta werewolf."

"A beta werewolf?" I turned around to see Ginny's confused expression.

"It's a newer development," I told her before my father cleared his throat, and I spun around to him again.

"Anyway, you're in a true alpha's pack."

"My answer has not changed from the first two times you asked me," I told him, setting the orange down on the counter. "Why?"

"Well does it in any way affect your magic? I mean, does it heighten any ability, make you more susceptible to weaknesses-?"

I rolled my eyes and wasted no time in interrupting my father, "Honestly, don't you two have an airport to get to?"

Sadness flashed across my mother's face before becoming impassive once more, "So I take it you've not changed your mind about coming to New York?"

"I don't know why you'd think I would," I said, tightly gripping the counter.

"We're your family, I thought that would've been enough incentive-"

"Evelyn, you gave up being my mother when you two suggested I be cast out to the High Priestess. I hope you two realize we'll never have the same relationship because of what you've done." My parents looked genuinely hurt at what I said.

"Moony-"

"Look, when you get back, tell your High Priestess that Ginny and I have kept up our end of the bargain by staying out of New York City and away from all of you. I'd appreciate it if she upheld the same courtesy by leaving us alone and not sending anyone out here again on 'Council business,' research or not."

My mother nodded, a stoic expression on her face as she pursed her lips, "Well just in case, I've left a phone number to reach us by. We had to change the last one after - well, after you. Offer still would stand if you decide to pick up the phone," She explained in a business-like tone before shifting her bag onto her other arm.

"Well June," She said, the both of them looking over my face, "It's been nice to see you. Ginny, lovely to see you as well."

"Pleasure," Ginny scoffed.

My parents nodded and shuffled over to the doorway. Ginny and I walked behind them to the front door. My father opened the door and the two of them looked back at me. Robert cleared his throat and ushered my mother outside. I slowly shut the door and locked it before turning around to Ginny.

I was quick to envelop her in a hug and sigh. We stood there for about five minutes just enjoying being in each other's presence before I spoke up.

"Was that as awful for you as it was for me?"

Ginny sighed, "Worse, they made me sit in the living room for an hour every night and talk about life here in Beacon Hills?"

"Did you lie to them?"

"Mostly. If I told them some of the stuff you got up to they'd drag you back to New York before you could even blink."

I sighed, still hugging Ginny, "At least you guys had food."

"It was rough in that department, then?"

"I'm seriously considering grocery shopping for them at least biweekly. I mean these guys eat out practically every night. I'm worried about them."

"I'll be sure to whip up a few things that can last a few days as a means of thank you," Ginny said, turning to head to the kitchen. I watched her go before she froze, slowly spinning to face me. I immediately grew uncomfortable when I saw the large grin on her face.

"What?"

"You said you loved Stiles, that's what."

My cheeks grew hot and I scratched my temple, "So?"

"You said he said it back."

I shifted on my feet, "Yeah he did."

"June-"

"Okay, so he's my boyfriend," I said with a bashful smile on my face. I quickly rushed up the stairs, "I have laundry to do."

"June Child, come back here, I want details!"

"Can't. I'm suddenly very busy with all this laundry I have to do," I yelled from my room, smile growing larger at Ginny's laugh.

"Well that's too bad, I just bought some cookie dough ice cream..." I heard Ginny taunt. I leapt out of my room and peeked my head around the top of the stairs. I noticed she hadn't moved from where I left her.

"In a mug?" I asked her.

"How else?" She replied. "Get down here."

I narrowed my eyes, "It's eight in the morning."

"Who cares what time it is, you have a boyfriend. I want details," Ginny told me, walking into the kitchen. I giddily ran down the stairs and joined her.

"So the Walcott's were the first," Stiles explained, "At least the first that we know about. Four murders: Sean, his brother, and their parents. They were killed by a professional assassin called The Mute."

"Weapon of choice, a military tomahawk," I continued, looking down at the grisly photos of the murders on the table, "But then The Mute was killed by Peter Hale after he tried to blow up Derek with a Claymore mine."

"Next was Demarco," Stiles took over, "He delivered a keg to the party at Lydia's lake house, and got decapitated outside his car. And then last night, twenty-three-year-old Carrie Hudson," Stiles went down the list and then pointed to the pictures of the poor blonde with the many stab wounds in her body.

"It's a deadpool," Scott told the sheriff, who was on my right and Stiles' left, "A hit list of supernatural creatures. This is only part of it, the rest still has to be decoded."

"Who found this list?" Stilinski asked, staring at the names on the list.

"Lydia," I answered.

The sheriff glanced up at me, "How?"

"She wrote it. Actually, she transcribed it without realizing it," Stiles detailed.

Stilinski looked back over to me, "Banshee?"

I nodded, "Banshee."

He grimaced, "Beautiful. Alright, what are these numbers next to the names?"

"We're getting to that," Stiles assured, "First, you need to know that the code was broken by a cipher key."

"Wait a minute - you mean like a keyword?"

"It was actually a name," I answered.

"Allison," Scott said quietly, and the sheriff looked concerned.

"Her name broke a third of the list," Stiles broke the sad silence.

"And now we think there's two other cipher keys," Scott went on.

"Which will give us the rest of the names," Stiles' dad concluded and we all nodded. "Okay. So how do we get the cipher keys?"

"Same way we got the code," Stiles said.

"Lydia. She's been at the lake house all weekend trying to find the other two keywords," Scott explained.

The sheriff rummaged through the pictures on the desk, "You didn't know about Demarco or Carrie, hmm? And what about these other two names on the list? Uh, Kayleen Bettcher and Elias Town. Are they werewolves too?"

"I don't know," Scott told him, "But June and Deaton both said that the nemeton would draw supernatural creatures here."

"Here being Beacon Hills or Beacon County?" All three looked to me.

"I don't actually know that for sure," I said.

"Well that's a first," Stiles said and I sighed.

"The population of Beacon Hills is just under thirty thousand-"

"And dropping," Stiles commented.

"Wow, let's steal Isaac's former role of not helping," I said sarcastically and Stiles rolled his eyes.

The sheriff went on, "But if we're talking Beacon County, then you're looking at closer to five hundred thousand." When no one said anything, Stilinski sat down in his chair, "Look, how many werewolves, banshees, kitsunes, witches, and whatever the hell else is out there are we talking about? And what happens if the next cipher key uncovers not - not twelve names but one hundred?"

"We don't think there would be that many," Stiles responded, "There's a limit."

"Because of the numbers," I inferred, "We think that once we decode the names, the numbers will add up to one hundred and seventeen."

"A hundred and seventeen what?"

"Million," Scott interpreted as I collected a pen and proceeded to write K's and M's down next to the appropriate names on the list. Once I was finished, I handed it over to the sheriff.

"One hundred and seventeen million dollars, dad. Stolen from the Hale vault and is being used by someone to finance all these murders."

"Someone who wants every supernatural in Beacon Hills dead."

"So, this coded list goes out, and somehow these professional assassins get that list," Stilinski was catching up still.

"And a cipher key," Stiles interjected.

"And then they go after the names on that list. They being killers with no mouths, tomahawks, thermo-cut wires that can take your head off."

"Let me see, Carrie was also stabbed," Stiles trailed off, looking at wounds on poor Carrie's body. Pointing at a peculiar hexagonal wound, he asked, "What's this mark?"

"We're not sure yet, we're still waiting on the M.E.'s report. There's one other thing I don't get: How did the new assassin know that Demarco was gonna be at the lake house?"

"Everyone knows he delivers kegs to teenagers for a little extra cash," Scott outed to Stilinski. His face was stuck in one of disbelief before moving on.

"So whoever ordered that keg killed Demarco," Stilinski ventured.

"Yeah, it was someone at the party," Stiles confirmed.

"A student."