RENT { teen wolf AU }

Rent

AN: the words in italics are songs. Please read them, as otherwise you'll miss out vital story lines :) enjoy

We begin on Christmas Eve with Scott, and his roommate, Stiles. They live in an industrial loft on the corner of 11th street and Avenue B, the top floor of what was once a music publishing factory. Old rock 'n' roll posters hang on the walls. They have Stiles' picture advertising gigs at CBGB's and the Pyramid Club. They have an illegal wood burning stove; its exhaust pipe crawls up to a skylight. All of their electrical appliances are plugged into one thick extension cord which snakes its way out a window. Outside, a small tent city has sprung up in the lot next to the building. Inside, the two are freezing because they have no heat.

"Smile!" Scott turns the camera to his best friend (brother) and he rolls his eyes. "December 24th, Nine PM. Now I'm shooting without a script, to see if anything comes of it. First shot -- Stiles! Tuning the Fender guitar he hasn't played in a year."

"This won't tune" Stiles groans, plucking the strings on his guitar in annoyance.

"So we hear." Scott says, still filming. "He's just coming back from half a year of withdrawal."

"Are you talking to me?"

"Nope." Scott scurries round him to get a new angle.  "you ready? Hold that focus -- steady. Tell the folks at home what you're doing Stiles"

"I'm writing one great song," Stiles starts to ramble, but the phone ring cuts through his words.

"Speak." Their joint ringtone drones. Scott's Mom's voice chirps from the other end.

"That was a very loud beep!  don't even know if this is working. Scott? -- are you there?  We wanted to call and say we love you. And we'll miss you tomorrow. and Scotty we're sorry to hear that Kira dumped you, I say c'est la vie."

Stiles' dad cuts into the phone causing the boys to groan. "You know what I say son? Let her be a lesbian!" He yells and it sounds like the phone is grabbed from him.

Melissa is back on the line. "Just ignore John...There are other fishies in the sea... Love you! Send Stiles our love."

They both gag as the call ends. "So!" Scott starts again, "Tell the folks at home what you're doing Stiles."

"I'm writing one great song-"

The phone rings again, and Stiles nearly dropped his guitar as he punched the air in victory. "Saved by the ring!" Scott huffs and shuts off his camera.

"Speak"

"Chestnuts roasting--" A voice sings. The two boys race to pick up the phone. Scott grabs it.

"Liam!" They both yell.

"Wassup lads, I'm downstairs." Liam stands outside the apartment, in a rusty phone booth, looking up at the shabby loft. "Throw down your keys?"

Scott hangs up and throws a small leather pouch down onto the street. Liam catches it and grins into the phone.

"Be up in a sec!" He calls, on the phone with Stiles now. "Oh shit... Might be held up..."

"Liam?" Stiles asks, confused. The line goes dead and he shrugs it off.

On the street, a group of thugs chase Liam out of the phone booth and down into an alleyway. They take his wallet and coat, leaving him beaten and bloody.