CORRUPTION || Teen Wolf

A(VOID).

AVOIDING questions had become, somewhat, of a talent for Stiles Stilinski.

Liam and Scott asked questions and he answered them with such conviction, I'm fine, that he almost fooled himself. Liam worried and Stiles quenched them with a reminder of the impending lacrosse match and the Deadpool. Scott offered his help and Stiles rejected it with a reminder of Liam; he needed Scott's help more than crazy little Stiles. 

So, they dropped the matter.

Stiles pretended, just like he always did. He pretended he didn't see the bandaged hand instead of his own, he pretended he didn't hear Void's voice, and he pretended he was still himself - still, Stiles Stilinski, even though he wasn't, he would never be.

"I think I'll sit this match out."

And Scott nodded, patting Stiles' shoulder, "I think it's a good idea, man." 

Stiles nodded and Scott continued, watching him with worried eyes and a pained heart. Stiles was in pain and Scott could see it, but no black veins appeared and Scott's heart dropped further.

"You look tired, you sleeping fine?"

"Honestly, with this Deadpool... I can't sleep without thinking of Lydia."

And Scott screwed up his face, "Isn't that normal for you?"

Stiles laughed sarcastically, making Scott finally smile, "Ha. Ha. Not like that, I keep wondering if she's unlocked another part yet." At Scott's goofy look, Stiles slapped his shoulder, narrowing his eyes, "I'm dating Malia, dude!"

"Yeah, you are, now." Scott enunciated, "Lydia's a possibility."

"An impossible possibility."

Scott threw up his hands in exasperation, "What happened to the plan?"

It went under when I did. "I'm with Malia, Scott. I love her."

"Everyone can see the way you look at Lydia, dude."

She's too good for me. "Everyone looks at her like that."

"Not like you."

"I'm not doing this anymore," Stiles huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Turning away from Scott and walking down the hallway, he stopped once to shout over his shoulder, "Once you're done behaving like a fangirl, get your head out of your ass and copy down the homework I sent you!"

"You know I'm right!"

"And I'm Superman!"

Stiles found himself at Deaton's after a long day at school and his phone switched off because he knew something was going to happen at the match, and for the first time in a long time, he would have to trust Scott to handle it alone. 

If Deaton was surprised by Stiles' appearance, he didn't show it, just taking it in stride, as he did with everything, as he bustled around his clinic, tending to the inflamed paw of a street pup.

"What brings you here, Stiles?"

"I..." I think I'm becoming Void again, "I'm having dreams again."

Deaton's movements stilled, and the pup watched the two of them quietly, no longer in pain now that Deaton had given him an ointment, "... What dreams are those?"

"Nightmares... really."

Deaton's movements began, slowly and carefully wrapping gauze around the pup's paw, ruffling its fur when it let out a low whine, "And what happens in them...?"

"He appears," Stiles said, looking down at his hands, pressing his thumb squarely to the center of his palm, "And he... tells me that he'll come back, and... and take over me again to finish what he had started..."