spark

Chapter 8 : Buck, Actually

"Hell no! I won't come down until Norman sees me!" a blonde woman yells, standing on top of a highway sign in her bathrobe. There was a crude sign made from a loose bed sheet and black paint, displaying the words See Me Norman. "And don't you try to force me down!"

"This is a new kind of stupid that I just don't wanna deal with." Stiles grumbles, standing next to Athena and their shop. Stiles had his hands crossed over his chest, glowering up at the crazy woman through his eye bags.

"Long night?" Athena questioned, a teasing smile on her lips.

"Alex was having a nightmare, and he didn't get back to sleep until the sun came up. I let him stay home from school with Carla watching him since I knew he wasn't going to wake up until after lunch hour at Durand." Stiles explained, the teasing smile leaving Athena.

"Oh, I'm sorry, boot. Is it about what happened to Malia?" Athena asks, her tone gentle this time.

"It could be, he just wanted me to hold him through most of the night, and Alex was asleep before I headed to work. I'll have to ask him when I get home." Stiles tells her, lying right through his teeth. Last night was the full moon, and Stiles had taken Alex down into the basement, where he kept everything supernatural related, and had locked the two of them into a werewolf-proof room that he'd made, though in this case, it was for a werecoyote, since Alex was able to shift entirely into one. It was initially meant to keep werewolves out of it, but it worked both ways, so Stiles littered the floor and walls with mattresses. There was also a tv behind bulletproof glass for the better nights. "Buck's also been pretty good about helping Alex with his nightmares when I'm not there. I think Buck's childish behavior comforts Alex a lot more than other things."

"That checks out." Athena mused, before holding up the radio to speak through the loudspeaker, directing her words to the blonde on the sign. "Nobody's gonna force you to do anything. We're just gonna talk. What's your name?"

"Lola!" she responds, her pacing continuing it same speed.

"Lola, my name's Athena. What's the problem?"

Movement caught Stiles' attention as he saw Buck standing near the railing of the overpass after strapping on a helmet and harness, Eddie right beside him with a harness on to act as an anchoring weight.

"The problem? The problem is, after 30 years of marriage, I can't get 30 seconds of attention from my husband!" Lola shouts, stopping her pacing and waving her hands sporadically. "It's like I'm invisible. But I'm-I'm not invisible! I am here, damn it! See me, Norman!"

The moment Lola opened her robe, Stiles turned away, groaning. The crowd was cheering and whooping for the woman, while Stiles just wished he had a straight jacket to put her in. "Oh for God's sake." Athena being the one to grumble this time.

"Definitely not invisible." Bobby states, the Fire Captain having joined them silently. Stiles walked away from the shop and over to Jackson and his T.O., a white man with black hair combed to the side.

"Can someone please find us this Norman before she does something crazy...er?" he requests, directing the question to them and the other members of the LAPD present.

"Why don't you do it, boot?" the man asks, a face of pure condescension distorting his features. Stiles narrowed his eyes at the man, noting the name Stanton for later.

"Listen to him! I don't want us to be here any longer than we need to! There are other crimes we could be stopping!" Athena snapped at the man, who pinched out a smile.

"Yes, Sergeant. Right away." Stanton replies through gritted teeth, marching off towards the officers in the barricade.

"Okay, what is that guy's deal?" Stiles inquired, looking to Jackson as the legacy officer just sighed.