( audio & action 16 )

[studmuffin]

Stop, stop --. [ There's a bird sitting on the hood of Stiles' jeep. The boy who owns it is currently trying to wave the thing off with his bag full of groceries. ] Please be quiet, c'mon, just quit it.

[ The birds wings ruffle but it doesn't take off, just opens it's beak to speak in a voice that is exactly Stiles, couldn't be anyone else's. ] His ass is amazing. That should be why they tell you not to go into the woods. But he has these teeth too and usually that means being eaten and not in a fun, sexy way.

No no no no. Stop talking, stop right this instant. [ Panicking. ] I was cursed, it doesn't count, it was totally a curse.

[ Of course, the only way this could be worse is if his device was broadcasting to the whole City ]

... I'm just going to go kill myself now.

Comments

[bettercallit]

Yeah. It's her, but it's not. Still, experienced worse head-fucks.

[ Eyeing him. ] Good try at changing the subject.

[studmuffin]

[ Burying his face in Fury's fur. ]

It's not even worth talking about.

[bettercallit]

Spit it out. If you're sticking around here, you're not moping. It'll bring the cheerful atmosphere down a notch.

[studmuffin]

What's there to spill? Derek heard the bird and kicked me out. End of story.

[bettercallit]

Just like that, no explanation? [ He's going to kill him. ]

[studmuffin]

Okay so we argued and then he told me to get out.

[bettercallit]

If you keep telling me all the specifics like this, I might actually get a better picture of what happened.

[studmuffin]

I don't know, man. It's not like Derek actually ever explains his weird issues to me. He just got really quiet about it, and maybe kind of angry.

[bettercallit]

Quiet and angry. [ He takes a minute, hating himself for what it is he's thinking quietly, so he'll build up to it. ] Derek's not an every day kinda guy, is he?

[studmuffin]

Nope.

[ Fiddling with the ring pull on his can. ] He's kind of ... I don't know. He's crazy.

[bettercallit]

Yeah, it hadn't slipped my notice. The guy's got anger issues that'd put Banner to shame.

He dangerous?

[studmuffin]

No.

[ Yes. So very much yes. ]

He wouldn't, I mean the guys a douchebag but usually he's putting himself between me and other stuff.

[bettercallit]

Let's rephrase. Does he think he's dangerous?

[ He's going to try to not think about Stiles being in dangerous situations beyond Derek himself. For now. ]

[studmuffin]

[ Stiles needs to lie. He needs to because Derek would kill him if he knew he wasn't covering their tracks. But Stiles doesn't have Scott here and he's floundering. He needs someone to help him out. ]

Yeah.

[bettercallit]

[ He watches Stiles for a long moment, taking a drink of his beer, and he already hates himself for this. ]

Well, putting the pieces together, it kinda seems like the guy's trying to protect you. Get too close to someone like that and they push you back twice as far.

[studmuffin]

I think I preferred the belief that he was using me to get to Scott. [ Fury butts up against Stiles hand when he stops petting him. ]

At least then I didn't have to try and guess what his deal was.

[bettercallit]

Why would he need to use you to get to your friend?

[ He tries not to think about the fact Derek probably has feelings for Stiles; it explains it better than anything else he can think of. ] Did you ask him?

[studmuffin]

Remember the kind of gang thing? Well, Derek needs Scott and Scott's always with me. I kind of figured that's why Derek made me stick around.

[ Looking up. ] Ask him what?

[bettercallit]

Scott's not here. He still took you in and hung around in the woods with you. It's gotta mean something.

[ Shrugging like it's obvious. ] What the deal is.

[studmuffin]

[ He called Stiles Pack except Stiles doesn't really get what that means for him. ]

He's ahead of me, y'know? And he's like really twisted up about what happens in the future, my future, his past. And it's like, I'm not there yet but I know it's bad because it's always bad and Derek's keeping me around because he's lost other people and I don't --.

I'm not like him and Isaac. I'm not one of them. So why does he keep messing with my head? [ Hands scrubbing through his hair. It's getting longer. ] It's like - like I don't even have anyone I can go, hey so Derek did this thing because the people that know what I mean aren't here and I feel ... suffocated.

[bettercallit]

[ He can be patient when he wants to be, but he doesn't even fidget as he listens to him let everything out, and he's at least okay with being able to do that. But he still doesn't get what Stiles means when he claims not to be like them. Like what? He doesn't ask. ]

Well, the way I see it, you might not have the rest of your friends here with you, but you've got people. [ You've got me, he thinks, but doesn't push. ] And somehow you've got insight into my world, so you know secrets are something I'm not half bad at. Talking to a stranger might not get you answers, but it's good to bounce thoughts off someone else occasionally.

[ He shrugs, putting down his empty bottle. ] Could help.

[studmuffin]

He knows when people lie.

[ Stiles wants to tell Clint, is the thing. He's never been able to tell his own father because the sharp protective urge he feels has closed over his throat and made him desperate the more Beacon Hills is under attack. So he's never been able to just get it out.

Scott was the one who changed. Since then Stiles hasn't told a soul about Derek Hale and his gang of awkward werewolves. ] Besides, you don't need to get caught up in my life.

[bettercallit]

[ Forcing any and all expressions to stay wiped from his face, Clint leans forward on the couch cushions, elbows resting on his knees. ]

Hate to break it to you, kid, but it's a little late for that. You can stay here as long as you need to, whenever you need to, and if he ever crosses a line then I'm gonna be there.

[studmuffin]

Yeah. [ Breathing out. ]

Yeah, okay. It's okay. I'm totally okay.

[bettercallit]

[ He looks as if he's going to make a comment to that, but thinks better of it. ]

You wanna help me work through an unhealthy amount of ice-cream and chips?