A Question Of Roomates

Ch. 19

Laura found her way back down stairs much more upright than before and with a groan. At first I thought it to be a groan of pain, perhaps her many drinks hadn't been sitting right with her. But came to see she'd taken one look at the game being set up on the grand dining room table and was anything but amused "No mom not this"

"What?" Stiles asked curiously. He didn't mind board games, in fact found them stimulating. Especially a game like Pictionary where he could shine.

"Mom would make us play board games all the time as kids so we were 'always bonding' so we didn't 'grow up and grow apart' whatever that means" Cora began to explain, removing the pieces from the game with a mastery I didn't think you could have in something like unpacking a box. But it was so much of a routine to us she made it look like nothing "All it did I was turn Derek and Laura into competitive monsters instead" she tried to whisper the last part but I had heard it all the same.

"Here babe you'll be on my team" In attempts to get the ball rolling I wrapped a hand through Stiles' chair sliding his body to mine and tossing a pencil his way. He thought nothing of it, taking the stick with a smile.

Laura, with two hands and what drunken strength she could find, pulled Stiles right over to her side. Before I could register what was happening she had a possessive arm thrown tightly over his shoulder, her forrest green eyes blown wide "Oh no baby bro I see what you're doing. Just because you're dating a hot Picasso does not automatically put him on your team. If anything he should be with the worst artist"

"Which, again, would be me" she was easily over powered as I slid him right back to where to began.

"Nope, I won't allow it. Stiles get over here" she protested with the shake of her head, slapping Stiles square in the face with her thick brown strands of hair.

"Laura, shut up. You can stay here Sti. She just has a tendency to throw tantrums when she loses, and my boyfriend will not be your meal ticket to a victory" I pulled that card, kissing his cheek in the process. I was actually in fear of losing him to the likes of Laura. I loved him but he was easily swayed, and all my sister really needed was something shiny to draw him in.

"And Derek's competitive ass has won every single family game but Pictionary. He's just using you to further his own agenda" Like kids fighting over the last toy we each had a grip ready to rip the seat apart if we needed to. The chair shook in her effort to drag him back over. She growled a warning out through gritted teeth "Derek"

"Laura"

I'm hopes of settling  things she released the grip slowly keeping a shard eyes on me. It wasn't until her hand was firmly by her side that I did the same. A wicked smile splayed across her face and she spoke lovingly "Fine, why don't we just let him choose. Stiles, pick a partner. Gross Derek who, let's face, probably sucks as a boyfriend. Or, your lovely, smart, hot, future sister-in-law with whom you've grown so close too?"

Then Stiles was noticing the youngest Hale sitting back and watching with delight "Cora, for sure"

"See what you did?!" Laura groaned tossing a chip into my hair. It killed her to be stuck as my partner and as far as I am concerned she purposefully sabotaged our changes of winning.

In the end, Laura and I were stuck together, arguing half of the time while Cora and Stiles racked up the points with ever turn. Weirdly enough, despite the fighting, despite the pulsing feeling that I'd inevitably lose no matter how hard we tried, I found a fondness in the moment.

The whole night was becoming a memory I'd keep stored in my head forever. Cora staring intently as Stiles drew trying to contain his laugh. The boy stayed true to his mission, concentrating on his masterpiece and not on my father mumbling rib tickling heckles to throw him off. All the while Laura was beside me whispering nonsense strategies in my ear just to argue with me ten minutes later. The blossoming chaos was home, my family, it was a picture that seemed complete. Beauty and love all filling up inside of me everywhere I looked.

Stiles took his victory in strides, smiling big and wide as his partner held on to his side with a hug. Cora grinned just a large with a promise to frame their game winning portrait. The easiness on Stiles' face had been a upgrade from the anxious mess he was when he had first entertained the thought of meeting the rest of the Hales.

We laid in bed after that, our game lasting well into the night keeping us up past midnight. Late enough for the quietness throughout the streets outside to become eerie and the night sky to be beautifully clear. Stiles lay beside me, his skinny body generating an immense amount of heat as he wind down "You're sleepy" I laughed tiredly. His nimble fingers lazily traced the tattoo on my back, a new found side effect of him being exhausted.

"Am not" he scoffed. It was easy to prove my point when all I had to do was move slightly out of his reach. His ministrations stopped suddenly and his eyes started to droop shut. Almost as if the small action was the source keeping him awake a while longer. A chuckle loudly escaped me and his lids flew open again, looking at me with accusing eyes "That proves nothing" he didn't falter as he puckered his lips and was instantly demanding "Kiss me"

"Is that how you ask?"

"Now?" It was lazy and nothing more than a peck. He hummed contently as I pulled away, suddenly wrapping himself around me, holding on tight as he spoke tiredly into the dark room "We go home tomorrow "

"Yeah. Excited?"

"I miss my bed, but it's nice here. You're family is nice" Burying a kiss within his brown bushy hair I held on just as tight, finding my own eyes had become to sag and fall as a yawn escaped me. I fell asleep with the thought that Stiles didn't have much of a family, and that it warmed my heart to think perhaps he had found one in me.