Out of Mind - A Teen Wolf Fanfiction - Stallison

5: Brothers

The new morning light gently squeezed through the gap between the two curtains hanging above Scott's stirring head. His body had enjoyed enough sleep for now and his supernatural anatomy was growing restless, in need of stimulation. He was eager to find out why Stiles was acting so strangely and why he never saw Allison at the party. Just the thought of her was enough to fully wake him up; he turned over to his side and swiftly picked up his mobile phone. No text from Allison (to his disappointment) but a message from his mum, informing him that she was working double shifts all week. Scott's heart sank at his mother's text - he constantly worried about her overworking and becoming consumed by stress and work just to make ends meet. He let out a heavy hearted sigh as he put down his phone and rolled out of bed to get ready for meeting his best friend.

It was half past ten in the morning by the time Stiles was roused from his slumber by the sound of his notifications lighting up his phone. He was lying face up with his eyes open, his profile calm and showing that he was ready to confess. Breathing deeply, accepting the day, he reached over to see his phone and his heart skipped a beat as he saw Allison's name in his text messages. "A good morning text..." he muttered, a smile inching onto his face. Even Lydia had sent him a message; asking him to meet her in the library to go over some points for a new topic they were learning about at school. His smile widened slightly as he replied to her, knowing that he at least had Lydia if he and Scott didn't work out. But a dark, nagging voice in the back of his mind reminded him that nobody could ever be as a close a friend as Scott was to him. They say that blood is thicker than water but in this case, there was no blood - he and Scott only had each other.

The Stilinski doorbell sounded and it was almost as if he was being called into a wrestling ring; he could only hope that the fight wouldn't be fatal. Stiles rose from his desk chair and hastily made his way to the front door, clenching his fingers together and releasing them just as fast. With no hesitation, he swung the door open to find a sincere looking Scott with motorbike helmet in hand. For a tight, awkward moment of silence, the two teenagers stood, looking each other in the eye - Scott wondering if Stiles would let him in, Stiles thinking about whether to close the door on him.

"Hey, bro." Scott smiled, his slightly uneven jawline now more prominent.
"Sup." Stiles said with a forced smile, his heart quickening in pace as he invited Scott into his home. Mr. Stilinski, Beacon Hills' beloved sheriff, was at work at the station so the boys had the house to themselves.
"Okay. Scott I just want to get this explanation out of the way. It's about when we were at the party, y'know looking for Allison," Stiles rambled, not giving Scott a chance to interrupt as he was determined to let it all out. "Well when you got swooped up and away by the lacrosse team, I found Allison but I didn't tell you." He stopped, reading Scott's face to try to infer how deep in trouble he was; Scott stared back plainly.
"Yeah. So?" He replied, unbothered by the revelation.
"Well don't you want to know why I didn't tell you? Stiles said, using hand motions, clearly irritated.
"Well if you want to tell me, go ahead... It won't really make a difference to me, Stiles." Scott said earnestly. Stiles sighed and dropped his body to the armchair beneath him.
"The thing is, Scott. I like Allison. A lot. I know you like her too, you never stop going on about her. But -" he paused and closed his eyes to recollect his thoughts. "That evening I found her and I stayed with her - alone - before I left...because I really really like her, Scott." He looked up from his fixed gaze on the floor to see his friend with a stern look on his face, his eyebrows knitted together in deep thought as he began to put the jigsaw pieces together in his mind.

"I think I love her," He locked eyes with Scott as he said with cracks in his voice, "and I've been beating myself up over it. What sort of a friend am I, going after the girl you like? How could I? But the thing is, Scott - I can't help it. I feel her pulling me in deeper and it's like gravity. I just can't stop it." He slowed down and took a breath. "But if leaving her for you would keep us as brothers forever, I swear I'd try my best. Scott, I never want to lose you. Especially not like this." Stiles stopped talking and silence filled the room, finding its way into every corner. They sat there for what seemed like hours, absorbing what was said.

Scotts now husky voice broke through the silence. "I don't blame you. Actually, I'm kinda impressed. I know that my transformation into a werewolf has put the spotlight on me...a lot." He put his head down, almost shamefully. "I'm pleased that you have finally found something that you can say is your thing and I'm not going to take it from you, Stiles.  It wouldn't be fair." He said calmly, looking up at Stiles' apprehensive expression. "But -" Scott began, his friend's face dropping in disappointment. He had almost thought that it was all over. That they'd still be friends at least, maybe even just classmates. Scott carried on, his own eyes staring intesely into Stiles'. "Don't you ever think that anything would tear us apart, Stiles. We're brothers without question, okay? Through it all." He reached out and took Stiles' hand, gripping it tight and squeezed it for his brother's reassurance. Stiles' eyes glassed over until he blinked and a tiny tear was revealed, though he wiped it away as soon as it had appeared. Scott laughed gently and wiped away his own; Stiles glanced up and chuckled at him in return.

Both of their hearts were lifted and their faces bright with pure joy. Scott didn't get the girl but was that such a bad thing? He had been in love before and he knew what it could do; it was enough to kill you. The two boys rose and embraced one another, each feeling safe in the arms of his brother. In Beacon Hills there was no telling of when you'd be left with the last of your family. They broke apart and left the home to meet Lydia at the library. And as Scott went to sit in the Jeep, he watched as Stiles paused at the front door and looked around the living room with a smile on his face - adding this event to his book of memories.

Thanks for reading!
- purefantasies ( Kimberly )