Blood Runs Cold

Chapter Six

Stiles wondered if it was possible for werewolves to take mental pain away the same way they took away physical pain. It was the only explanation he had that made even a scrap of sense as Stiles got through the majority of the school day without anxiety clawing at his skin.

"I'm going to not ask why you smell so much like Peter," Malia slid into her seat behind him for last period. "And instead I'm going to ask if you wanted to help me study tonight."

"I like the plan of not talking about it," Stiles said. He felt strangely relieved that Malia wasn't treating him like he had a third head or like he betrayed her. "And sure, dad'll be home tonight so we can probably rope him into ordering pizza for us."

Malia grinned and he could still see the half feral creature in it. It had been almost a year since Scott brought her back to human form yet Stiles could still feel her unease in furless skin. "I'm game for that."

"Should we invite whoever's assigned to spy on me tonight as well or let them freeze outside?" Stiles surprised himself with his laugh at that. It was surprisingly free of bitterness.

"You know it's because Scott cares. But no, Liam can stay outside, it'll be a da—" Malia cut herself off.

"Yeah guess those won't be happening anymore," Stiles murmured to himself. He had royally fucked up his chances with one of the only girls that ever showed an interest in him thanks to his lie. Great.

"Listen, people break up all the time and can still be friends. I'm pretty sure sleeping with their ex's dad isn't the most common thing to ever happen, but we're not the most normal people." Malia lightly punched his shoulder. Lightly for her at least, if it had been from anyone else Stiles would have classified the force of the punch as fight starting. From Malia, it was playful.

"You know, things happen." Stiles winced and rubbed at the spot where she punched. God, he wanted to tell her that he wasn't actually sleeping with Peter.

Well, technically he and Peter slept together. It was just the type of sleeping together where they didn't touch each other's naked bodies or actually have sex. They literally slept together. That happened because Stiles was having nightmares about a gigantic evil horse and he, Peter, Chris, and Lydia were working together behind Scott's back to kill the person who made the horse dark and evil. Oh! And Lydia was having dreams that people she loved were being killed by it.

Yeah, explaining that would be easy. It would go over so well that it made Stiles question why he wasn't screaming it to the world.

"Can I catch a ride with you back to your place tonight then?" Malia asked, completely oblivious to the despair spiral Stiles was falling down.

Stiles froze. His Jeep was still sitting in his driveway. " Shit ," he swore quietly. "Peter drove me in today. Fuck, my dad's going to kill me."

"Just lie and say Lydia picked you up." Malia's brows furrowed.

"I'm pretty sure Scott's told him about the Peter thing and dad's gonna be so pissed." Stiles threw his head down onto his hands and groaned. "Malia I'm so fucking stupid."

"Nah, you just think with your dick. I guess we won't be getting pizza tonight though." Another one of her painful-playful punches that knocked the breath out of Stiles' lungs. "Just have Peter pick us up, he owes me at least that."

Stiles winced, "Can we not?"

"Do you really want to explain to Allison or Scott why you'd need a ride home from either of them?" Malia cocked a brow.

"I could ask Lydia?" Stiles offered.

Malia shook her head as the teacher walked into the classroom. "She's got plans tonight— I already asked her if she'd help me study earlier today and she had to turn me down."