spark

Chapter 25 : Fallout

Eddie winced in pain as Stiles applied more pressure to his back. "God, do you have to put that much pressure on my back?! You're gonna tear the marks open again!" Eddie whined, a scoff leaving Stiles at that.

"They got torn open again because you thought it would be smart to deadlift ninety pounds while you're only a month into recovery." Stiles countered, adding salt to the wounds by smacking an open palm to Eddie's bare back. A yelp left the man at that, while Stiles just rolled his eyes at the man's antics. "Jesus, put your shirt on and feed the crows, before I feed you to them."

Eddie gave Stiles a mock laugh at the empty threat, standing up from where he sat on the kitchen island stools. Throughout the last month of the Diaz boys staying with Buck and Stiles, the two men would take turns returning to the house during their respective shifts to change Eddie's bandages. Suffice to say, the house was very packed with Eddie and Christopher there. The injured firefighter had been shunted to the guest room after Buck and Chimney had brought the man's bed to the house, while Christopher bunked in Alex's room. Both boys had been elated at the idea of such a prolonged sleepover, but the joy of it had worn out a week in, with both boys bickering every now and again. Luckily, if any major argument broke out between them, the two boys were able to make up by the end of the day, or risk mortal peril at Stiles and Eddie's collective wrath. And if all else failed, Maddie would make the boys beg to have their fathers perform the lecture.

As for the Buckley woman, she figured it was time to find her own place, having begun the search for a new apartment within the first week of the Diaz boys residing within the household. It was another part of her therapist's plans to help Maddie move on from the events earlier that year and become whole enough to return to her job. A gorgeous two bedroom apartment had become available in a gated building, so she sprung into action and was able to land it easily.

"Stiles! Get out here!" Eddie called, the phoenix running out to the back porch at the man's panicked tone. Coming to a stop at where Eddie stood over a collapsed figure, Stiles' eyes widened at the sight of a passed out Liam Dunbar in the man's arms. "He just stumbled out of the tree line. He was muttering yours and Scott's names."

"Liam, hey, Liam." Stiles says, taking the Beta into his own arms and slapping the younger man's face gently. "Wake up, runt." Stiles placed an ear to Liam's chest, breathing a sigh of relief when he heard it beating steadily. "He's just passed out, must be pretty exhausted."

"Liam? As in Liam Liam? Scott's Beta?" Eddie asks, following after Stiles as the phoenix picked the younger man up by the collar of his jacket, carrying him into the house like a mama lion would her cub.

"Yeah, Liam Dunbar. I'm a little surprised to see him, last I knew, he was studying abroad in Japan." Stiles responds, laying the werewolf down on the couch, placing one of the throw pillows underneath his head to support it. "I don't even recall giving him this address. So I'm curious as to how he ended up here."

Stiles left Eddie in the living room with the passed out Beta, retreating to the downstairs bathroom and grabbing the medical bag they kept on hand. Bringing it back into the living room, Eddie looked at Stiles with sheer confusion as he placed it on the coffee table and unzipped it. Rummaging around for a second, Stiles pulled out a respirator, strapping it around his airways before taking out an item that looked like a Tootsie Roll. It only took Eddie a few seconds to realize what it was before Stiles was snapping the smelling salts under Liam's nostrils, plugging his own nose as the Beta lurched forward, coughing violently at the horrid smell. "What the fuck, Stiles?!" Liam demanded, tears streaming down his face as his coughing fit subsided. "I haven't slept in a week!"

"Yeah, yeah. Tell me what chased you here, and I'll let you sleep for that long." Stiles sassed, crossing his arms as he spoke through the respirator, his voice slightly muffled.