It's been almost a full two weeks since the Miss Mystic Falls pageant and Stiles has been feeling great. He had almost a full week without any nightmares and Stiles had honestly forgotten what that felt like.
He has more energy than he has had since the nogitsune possessed him, and he needed an outlet fast, so he badgered Tyler into having daily morning runs around the Lockwood property. It helped Stiles a lot as it helped him from shaking out of his skin and it also gave his mind something else to focus on.
During his runs with Tyler, they have been talking about how much Mystic Falls has changed recently...
"It's just weird you know. We go from this small quiet town to suddenly having to deal with a sudden influx of animal deaths." Tyler says causing Stiles to raise his eyebrow. "What?"
"Nothing. I just didn't realise you knew words like influx." Stiles jokes while his brain pictures the two vampires he has bumped into.
"Shut up dude.
...or Stiles has been questioning why a small town needs to have so many events back-to-back...
"I'm just confused is all. I've lived in Beacon Hill's my whole life and not once have we celebrated its founders. Granted that may be because the family that founded our small ass town died in a house fire." Stiles explains.
"That's because Mystic Falls was founded in the 1800's by a bunch of idiots that wanted their names memorialised. Plus, I very vaguely remember you telling me when we were younger that Beacon Hills was actually founded earlier. But what I really want to know is how a whole family died in one fire? I mean there must have been...like cousins, right? That could take over from the main family." Tyler says.
"Nope. The family was like really close with each other and they were all at the house to celebrate something and this psycho decided trap them in the house and then burn the whole place to the ground and boom 22 dead with only 4 survivors, 3 of which weren't in the house when the fire started." Stiles says while thinking back to the police files he swiped from his father's desk a year ago. That brings Stiles up short had it really only been a year since he first was introduced to the supernatural.
"Dude, you, okay?" Tyler stopped running when he realised that Stiles had stopped running.
"Yeah sorry...I just... doesn't matter." Stiles decides.
"Okay, shall we keep going?" Tyler asks causing Stiles to nod his head and then take off running again.
...Tyler has also been talking about his friends and how things have changed recently.
"I don't know what to say man but ever since those Salvatore brothers have come to Mystic Falls all of my friends have formed these weird secretive groups." Tyler says.
"Matt and Caroline dating isn't a secretive group. They are in a relationship. That is completely different." Stiles disagrees.
"Okay, fine. So, Matt and Caroline haven't formed a secretive group but Bonnie, Elena, Stefan and Damon absolutely have and there is nothing you can say to make me change my mind on that." Tyler announces.
"I'm not going to disagree with you there because from what you've said it does sound like they are keeping secrets." Stiles agrees with Tyler. It probably has something to do with the supernatural.
"Isn't it weird that a twenty-year-old is hanging out with a bunch of teenagers?" Tyler asks.
"It's not that weird. I have a friend who's in his twenties that me and other teenage friends would hang out with." Stiles explains while thinking of Derek.
Tyler stops running at that and looks at Stiles. "That's the first time that you've spoken of friends from Beacon Hills. I was beginning to think you didn't have any." Tyler says.
Stiles immediately feels panic shoot through him. This was not something Stiles wanted to talk about. One of the main reasons Stiles needed these running sessions was to get his brain to stop thinking about how he hasn't spoken to any of his friends in a month. Not one of them has texted him. To be fair he hasn't texted them either but that didn't mean it doesn't hurt.
"I guess that's because I kind of don't anymore." Stiles admits quietly. When Tyler doesn't say anything, Stiles continues, "The stuff that happened to me, back in Beacon Hills, my friends were involved with it too. But none of them...none of them went through what I did and instead of rallying around me like I did for them whenever they got hurt, they stopped speaking to me."
Admitting that out loud made something deep within Stiles break.
"I'm sorry dude." Tyler says sounding sympathetic. "Believe it or not I know how it feels when the trust you feel with someone gets broken, I know how much it can hurt."
Stiles thinks that Tyler is talking about his father but decides to not call him out on it.
"Thanks..." Stiles tries to say more but he can't quite find the words to explain how much the morning runs with Tyler have been helping him.
"Come on let's keep going and I can tell you about my latest fuck up. Who knows you might be able to help me fix it." Tyler says jokingly.
"You don't need to tell me about your latest fuck up. I already got all the information from Caroline. I can't believe you kissed your best friend's mom."
Tyler groans before he starts picking up the pace.
Flicker.
One of the things that have been happening ever since he bumped into the first vampire is that Stiles has been seeing people's auras more and more. They constantly flicker in and out. With humans Stiles is able to tell their basic emotions with them but for supernatural being Stiles can just see a colour denoting what type of supernatural species they are.
When Stiles was in school last week Stiles saw a dark-skinned girl that Tyler later pointed out as Bonnie, who's aura was this gorgeous green colour. It reminded Stiles of nature. The nogitsunes memories informed him that it meant she was a witch.
Flicker.
Stiles was able to read Tyler's aura like he could read humans auras but every now and again his aura would flicker. And not in the way that all auras flickered in and out of existence for Stiles but in a way that made it seem that Tyler was something supernatural. A beautiful mix of yellow, amber and green would suddenly overtake Tyler's aura and then be gone just as quickly.
Flicker.
It usually flickered when Tyler was getting particularly worked up or when he was working out. The only similar factor in both of those situations would be an increased heart rate. Which reminded Stiles of werewolves.
Stiles remembers Peter telling Stiles about a different breed of wolves that could turn into werewolves only on the full moon and only after they had triggered the curse. How they triggered it Stiles wasn't sure as Derek interrupted Peter before he could get to that part. But Stiles did know that it was considered a curse because turning into an actual wolf was supposedly one of the most painful things someone could go through.
Flicker.
Stiles just hoped he was wrong about what he thought Tyler was and if he wasn't then Stiles hoped that Tyler would never trigger it.
After their run Tyler and Stiles showered, changed and then headed to school after eating breakfast with Carol.
Today, while a school day, would be exceptionally different than a normal school day. As instead of being in lessons and learning, the students would be helping build the floats that would be paraded around the town square for founders day.
Which was how Stiles found himself sitting in the canteen and listening to Mr Saltzman.
"So, these are the specs for the history department. For the founders' Day float, we'll be recreating the battle of Willow Creek. Tyler has been nominated as the head of the production design." Mr Saltzman announces.
"By Whom?" Tyler asks looking ready to argue that he shouldn't be the person in charge.
"By me. I've seen your sketches and they're good." Mr Saltzman states.
"I'm not really into the..." Tyler starts but is interrupted by their teacher.
"Well, you just pick you team, be creative and..." Mr Saltzman trails off momentarily, "Don't screw up." Their teacher then walks away towards who Stiles now knows as Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore.
"Great!" Tyler exclaims sarcastically before looking at Matt, "You want to help me out with this?"
"Not really, no." Matt says before standing up and walking away.
Tyler sighs before turning and looking at Stiles, "How do I get him to forgive me?"
"I would probably start by actually apologising first." Stiles informs him causing Tyler to groan.
"He would have to stop avoiding me first." Tyler states.
"Just give him some time to calm down first." Stiles says.
"It's been 2 weeks, surely he should have calmed down by now." Tyler huffs out.
"Everyone takes their own time to calm down. Now, how do you want to design the float mister manager sir." Stiles jokes.
"Haha." Tyler says sarcastically. "I barely even remember anything about the battle of Willow Creek. We learnt about it at the start of the year when we still had Tanner as our history teacher." Tyler bemoaned.
"Well then, I guess it's a good thing that I'm here then isn't it." Stiles states smugly.
"What? Why?" Tyler questions.
"Because my dear padawan, I have been keeping up with my catch-up work and one of the things that I have been going through is the battle of Willow Creek." Stiles explains.
"What the hell is a padawan?" Tyler asks causing Stiles to look at him like he was looking at an alien.
"Star Wars, Tyler. Please tell me that you have seen Star Wars Tyler." Stiles begs.
Tyler just looks at him blankly before shaking his head, no.
Stiles sigh before saying, "It's okay I can fix your glaring hole in cinema history some other time but for now let's focus. I will give you information about the war and then you can use your creative arts to come up with some ideas for the float."
"Creative arts?" Tyler asks incredulous.
"Yes, now shut up and listen."
Stiles is helping Tyler wrangle enough people to help with the Founder's Day historical float when Stiles suddenly hears a worried shout.
"No!" Stiles turns to look at where he heard to voice from and realises that the girl, Elena is on the other side of the field and there is no way Stiles should have heard her.
Before the Stiles has the chance to freak out about having supernaturally enhanced hearing, he hears a loud crash followed by a scream behind him. Turning around Stiles sees Matt underneath a trailer with his hand being crushed by it.
"Get this trailer! Come on guys help me!" Matt yells out in pain.
Tyler and several of the guys from the football team run over to lift up the trailer. Stiles can see that they aren't getting very far so he rushes over and helps lift the trailer just as Stefan gets there to help. The group seems to be able to lift the trailer easily now and Matt slides his hand out from underneath it.
"Caroline, call an ambulance." Stefan orders Caroline.
Stiles is having trouble breathing. He has just proven to himself that he not only has enhanced hearing but that he has enhanced strength too.
No. NO! Stiles can't handle this. He isn't the nogitsune. HE ISN'T THE NOGITSUNE. Stiles continues to breath erratically before he looks down and starts trying to count his fingers. The tears in his eyes are making him see double which sends him further into his panic attack.
"Dude, I'm fine!" Matt yells from somewhere to the side of him, "I think you should be more worried about your cousin. He isn't looking good."
"What?" Tyler says before turning around to look at Stiles. "Dude are you okay?"
Stiles doesn't say anything as he tries to find 5 things that he can see. Grass, Tyler, Matt, Caroline, and the school. Four things he can touch. He can feel his toes in his socks, his shirt, his...his hair and the wind hitting his face. Three things he can hear, Tyler asking if he is okay, the sound of people talking around him and Mr Saltzman telling people to back up. Two thing he can smell, his body wash and Tyler's cologne. Finally, one thing he can taste, his saliva.
Stiles can finally breath and when he looks down at his fingers, he can count all ten of them. No more and no less. Not a nightmare then.
"Dude, are you okay?" Stiles looks up when he hears Tyler's voice.
"Yeah." God Stiles voice sounds wrecked. "Sorry, it was just a panic attack."
"Do you need help standing up?" Mr Saltzman asks causing Stiles to realise that he is sitting on the floor and a lot of students are looking at him.
"No, I'm fine." Stiles says standing up and putting on a strong face as if he didn't just have a panic attack were everyone could see.
"Are you sure? I can take you to the nurse." Mr Saltzman asks.
"Yeah, it was just a small panic attack. I've had them before. It was nothing." Stiles says trying to calm the panicked teacher.
"If that was nothing to you kid then I truly don't want to think about what you think is something." Mr Saltzman says before he pauses like he is going to say something else, then decides otherwise and walks away.
"The ambulance is saying in 15-20 minutes." Caroline suddenly says from beside him causing Stiles to remember that Matt is injured.
"I have my car. I can take him to the hospital." Tyler says immediately.
"Caroline can take me." Matt says tersely.
"I didn't drive." Caroline states.
"I'll wait. Its fine." Matt then says obviously not wanting to be near Tyler.
"You will not wait, okay?! You need to see a doctor; Tyler is driving, and Stiles is coming with you. End of story." Caroline orders.
"Fine!" Matt yells.
"Go!" Caroline yells back at all three boys.
"I'll bring my car around." Tyler says before walking off and leaving Stiles to stand next to the fighting couple.
"I don't need to go to the hospital." Stiles says before getting glared at by Caroline and deciding that arguing with the blonde was not worth it.
After going to the hospital where Stiles gets diagnosed with anxiety, which was pretty fucking obvious, and then given a prescription of anti-anxiety meds. Tyler dropped Matt off back at his house before driving them back to the Lockwood mansion.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Tyler asks.
"Not really." Stiles denies.
"Well, you're going to have to come up with some sort of explanation seeing as you used the debit card my parents gave you to pay for the visit." Tyler explains.
"Then I will tell them the truth, that I had a small panic attack and the hospital staff overreacted." Stiles was interrupted.
"They were not overreacting Stiles. I had to watch you go through that panic attack and if I didn't already know that you had them then I would have thought you were having a heart attack."
Stiles exhales a big breath before saying, "I don't need medication...okay...I don't. I'm fine."
"Well, I hope your more convincing when you tell my mother that or you're going to end up having to talk to a therapist." Tyler says causing Stiles to groan which made both boy's giggle.
"How did you get so strong?" Tyler asks.
"What?" Stiles asks confused.
"That trailer wasn't moving, and it wasn't until you started lifting that the trailer moved." Tyler explains.
"Stefan helped as I was..." Tyler interrupts Stiles again.
"No, Stefan didn't touch the trailer until after you had already started lifting the trailer."
"Maybe I'm just stronger than I look. Or maybe I'm secretly this overpowered supernatural creature with super strength." Stiles says.
Tyler looks at Stiles for a second before guffawing, "Fine keep your secrets."