not the same

a really unwanted visit

noah's POV

it felt like my world was crashing into a pile of rubble and pure pain as stiles explained everything. my sweet baby boy had been through so much and what hurt was he felt he couldn't tell me. he said he was protecting me from himself and i almost laughed bitterly. wasn't it my job to protect him from the dangers of the world? and he was my child he didn't need to protect me let alone from himself.

he introduced me to all his friends, he described them as family, he never even described the pack as that. it was clear how much newt meant to him. i can't even imagine the pain he felt when he almost lost the kid. i watched as they smiled and talked softly to one another, i don't think i've seen stiles genuinely content in a while..

the group was now sitting round our kitchen table. most with their eyes closed. i'd given them all paracetamol to ease their hangovers but it can only do so much. hopefully into enough punishment for drinking. i still don't know about the blatant vandalism though.
i set down a large pot of coffee on the table and was greeted with grateful sighs of relief as they sipped away at the beverage.

after giving them all some well needed pancakes i sat down across from them and asked them questions. trying not to delve too deep into the sensitive topics.

"so how's school"
i started with. it was a little awkward and in all honesty what do you say to a bunch of traumatised kids. many of them chuckled and stiles went a little red, i should probably call him thomas. well put in the effort at least. he seemed happier with that name.

"most of us don't go. in fact all of us don't go exept tommy"
newt piped up nudging him.

"what- but your educations?"

"yeah nah, we already know everything thanks to WICKED the only good thing about them really"
gally cut in. i found out his real name was gally not patrick and newt was newt not frog. although i did think they were joking for a while,

"so why does sti- thomas go?"
stiles/thomas gave me a thankful look for correcting his name.
at my question a few went silent, i guess they didn't know either

"it made me seem normal. i would have had to explain everything otherwise. i mean, i have now but at least it was on my own terms you know"
thomas said quietly. god how long had he been sad for? how long has he been a different person from the bubbly kid? even before he was taken. i'll admit i was never the best father when it came to mental health issues, i just couldn't understand it, and he was so good at hiding his emotions but...

before my thoughts could travel onwards i heard a sharp rapping of knuckles on our door. i shot an apologetic glance at my son and hurried off to answer it.

thomas's POV

noah looked deep in thought, worry clouding his eyes. i was about to offer him some comfort - as in a way his son had passed and replaced by me, almost polar opposite except the sarcasm-
but a loud knocking on our door rang through the house, he gave me a quick glance and walked over to it. the rest of us began to talk within ourselves.

i already knew who it was, the same person who hit newt, same person who isolated me, same person who had a very punchable face. i knew he'd show up at some point. i just prayed he didn't bring the rest of his pack.

"hel- ah scott, how are you?"
i heard from the door. gotta hand it to my dad he's pretty damn good at being polite to someone he hates (my fault he does but still)

without even a greeting scott launched into a classic interrogation.

"what's up with stiles? he's been acting different, he won't come to pack meetings. he won't even speak to us. if you know anything please tell me we all are so worried for him, he's like a brother and we miss him so much"

worried for me? he had done nothing for me long before i disappeared. the nerve of this stuck up wolf. not to mention the 'brother part'
the coffee cup smashed under my grip.
"shuck" i whisper as i frantically picked up the shards.

the conversation by the door halted.

"what was that?"

(that was possession anyone can do that in less than one lesson. sorry love beetle juice)

scott questioned agitated

"nothing, like i told you stiles isn't here. i'll let you know if he turns up, i thought he was with you"

"you're lying. tell me what you know"
scott threatened

"really i don't-"

noah's words were cut short and  a sudden slam echoed in the house. what the hell? we all got to our feet, assuming the worst. like in the maze i signed a formation, gally took out a gun tucked under his shirt, newt held two dangerous looking knives, frypan had a bat. heaven knows where he hid that, brenda was clutching a pistol in her right hand, a mag in her left. i kept my hand hovered over my gun as we moved silently towards the door. me at the front the others in a makeshift diamond.

as soon as i saw the scene i felt my blood boil. scott had my father against the door, his arm pressing into his throat as my dad tried to pry it away. when did scott get so aggressive? wasn't he pretty much a pacifist?  he hadn't noticed us, so much for a cute wolf sense of smell if it was any good he would be able to smell his own bullshit whenever he speaks.

i got closer, we still kept quiet, moving to every sturdy floorboard. once close enoughi tapped his shoulder and he turned round, his eyes were glowing and if looks could kill, i'd be six feet under. but they can't so i sent my jaw into his face, a satisfying crack followed. i'd broken his nose.

the punch sent him reeling back and onto my porch. the rest of my group stood behind me. fury blazing in their eyes.  i shook my hand a little, it was aching slightly from the force i put into that hit.

"don't shucking touch my dad."
i spat.

he heaved himself off the ground and once again attacked me with  a question not even an 'ow that hurt'

"what's so sad about your past that you can't share? we've been through infinitely worse than you,   we are the ones risking our lives to protect weak humans like you. you've been exaggerating this sob story of yours and keeping secrets. we were your family and you chose to abandon us over some... incident. and literally replaced us with a worse version"

he growled eyeing the pack as he spoke of a worse version, im not about to trust a guy who probably couldn't tell the difference of a pickle from a cucumber

"i just don't get it"

what. the fuck. never have i wanted to beat someone senseless so bad since ratman... and a few others but i still want to kill scott right now, what's there to get. letting a breath out i took a moment to calm down before stepping closer to him.

"no. scott. what I don't get  is your insatiable yearning to know every little thing about me, I don't get  how someone who never cared about me now decides to claim entitlement to my past with the pretence of caring when you don't know what i've been through, I don't get  how you could be so short sighted and prioritise YOUR feelings and YOUR  knowledge over anyone around you to  the point where you abandon any type of basic human emotion in hopes of waiting me out like i'm a rabbit in a hole. I don't get how you left me completely alone just to get information that doesn't concern you in the slightest. I don't get the arrogance you walk with and the nerve you have to threaten my father. now, kindly fuck off before i do more than bruise your ego."

when scott didn't move frypan pushed past me lightly, towered over him  and in a calm voice stated

"leave"

that seemed to do the trick, scott took off running, he tripped a few times but didn't look back. i slammed the door and my shoulders sagged. i never thought he'd ever go as far as to interrogate my dad.

i turned to my family behind me.

"we need a plan. to get them off our cases"

they nodded in agreement. stony faced.

enjoy. took me so long to write cuz i was watching brooklyn 99 again and got distracted all the time.