Mischief in Starling [Stackson]

05 - Friends

Stiles wakes up to the smell of coffee. Jackson is standing in the kitchen dressed only in his shirt from last night and his boxers. Stiles has to steady himself for a moment. His attraction definitely doesn't stem only from the leather. For a moment he allows himself to acknowledge the beauty he has seen from the beginning but decided to ignore. Then he pushes into the room and clears his throat. 'You don't have to clear your throat with me. I knew the second you entered the room, Sti.' Stiles blushes. 'What do they call you when you run around with your bow and arrow anyway?' 'What do you mean?' A chuckle escapes Stiles' throat. 'Well, there's the Green Arrow, right? What is your code name?' 'Arsenal', Jackson responds shyly.

Stiles grins. 'I like it.' Jackson shrugs. 'It's alright. There is something else though.' 'What is it?' 'When I moved here, I wanted to leave everything behind. So I changed my name. To make sure no one would find me. I never would have guessed that I would run into someone on accident.' Worry overcomes Stiles. 'You're not telling me that you never want to see me again, are you?' Jackson's eyes widen at the panic in his voice and he rushes over to Stiles to grab him by the shoulders. 'No, no. You're the only good part of my past. I'm happy I ran into you. Don't you ever doubt that, Sti. I was just telling you that the people I work with, they don't know me the way you do. They have no idea what I am and where I come from.' Stiles' heart tightens. 'That has to be lonely.' 'I hate that you can see me like that. But, yeah, it is. And now you're here.' 'I am', Stiles smiles.

They hug for the second time in as many days. 'I missed you, Jax.' 'I missed you too, Sti.' They never used those nick names in Beacon Hills. At least not out loud. But now it feels right. Stiles is the only connection Jackson has to his old life and Stiles has Jackson and his father. But with Jackson it's different. He actually knows what it feels like. They understand each other in a way no one else does. And in that moment, Stiles knows that this friendship is meant to last.

When they pull away again, the coffee is done and they settle down onto the couch. 'You want to hear how I joined the Green Arrow, don't you?', Jackson asks. Stiles nods shyly. 'I won't press you if you don't want to talk about it though.' 'I kind of do. He watched me save my girlfriend at the time using supernatural strength. He saw that I was lost in a way. Then I was kidnapped by a lunatic who got off on people begging for their lives. He asked me to beg, to tell him all the reasons why he shouldn't kill me. But I had none. I told him to go ahead and pull the trigger. I was ready to die. But the Arrow saved me. He gave me a second chance at life, something to live for. I will never be able to repay that.'

Stiles is stunned. He doesn't feel the tears running down his cheeks until Jackson wipes them away. 'But you have people now?' Jackson nods. 'I need you to know that you have me too, okay? I'm here to stay. Whatever you need, I'm here. You can come over whenever you want. I can't stand the thought of you being alone, Jax. You're not alone. Not as long as I'm alive, you got that?' 'I've got it, Sti. You have me too. Always. I can help you figure out whatever that thing in the alley was. I have a feeling you were about as surprised as me.'

'You can say that again. I have no idea what that was to be honest with you. I woke up on my birthday with this weird feeling that everything was just that little bit different. My heart beats stronger, I can see better and then I threw a guy across an alley. A werewolf no less. By the way, did you see that? I can't remember how that happened. Did I even touch him?' Jackson shakes his head. 'I don't think so. From what I could tell, there was a flash and suddenly the guy slammed into the wall. The next thing I knew, you were standing right in front of me. I barely managed to lower my bow.'

Stiles quizzically scrunches his eyebrows together. 'I don't remember a flash. There is the wolf slamming into the wall and then your arrow where the guy was just standing. For some reason I knew I could get onto that roof. I can't explain it. On the way down, it was gone. It took me ages to get to the ground. Oh fuck!' 'What?' 'I just left the guy there. I don't even know if he's still alive. What if I killed him, Jax?' Jackson grabs onto Stiles' thigh and squeezes it tight. 'You didn't kill him. I sent Lance a quick text right after I left and he arrested the perp. I told him about the enhanced strength too, so there is nothing to worry about, okay? You were defending yourself. Even if you had killed him, it would have been self defense. But you didn't. And we'll figure this out. Together.'

With those words, Jackson pulls Stiles into his chest and wraps his arms around him. Stiles is a little overwhelmed at the pure emotions between them after all the months of pushing everything down. It feels like a weight is lifted off his heart and with Jackson by his side, he feels like he can get through anything. And Jackson seems to feel an equal release. It's not weird that they are cuddling on the couch. They aren't broken, they are hurting. Running from a past they will never truly escape, because it's a part of them now. But they are not alone, so it will all be okay. Stiles knows it will.