Be the hero

Don't Give Me a Nervous Breakdown

   Always accompanied by my faithful and eternal red sweater that makes me look like Little Red Riding Hood, I was found in the woods. On a full moon night. Alone.

   "How did I get in here ?!", I spit in a whisper trying to warm my arms, as if it was the only place that was icy. The cold was gnawing at my bones and I could barely distinguish the horizon. I looked up and saw the full moon without difficulty.

   I could die slaughtered in the forest by a werewolf who's having his period if I didn't move. While hopping, I then travelled a short distance in the woods. My thoughts could not help but imagining all sorts of morbid scenarios in which I ended up dead in all ways possible, torn apart by any clawed animal. Knowing that there are huge ones. Well, not necessarily in Beacon Hills, eh, all over the world, I mean. Cheetah, coyote, caracal, lynx, ocelot, puma. Thanks to all those hours lost on Wikipedia that now allow me to freaking out in the woods, miles away from the city and any help I could get. My heart was speeding up more than anything and I was convinced that if any animal passed by, it would feel my deep fear and anguish for miles.

   In a vain hope, I looked for my Jeep before hearing a branch break in total silence. Ah no, it was me, my bad, ahah I'm stupid. I froze, totally paralyzed by the horror of the smell that reached my poor nostrils. The smell of blood. A smell that should be usual to me now, you could tell me, but let me tell you one thing : we never get used to it, to that damn smell. No matter how many times we've felt it or seen it.

   "I have to get out of here," I breathed and regained consciousness of my body, "and quickly..."

Sparkling red eyes stuck in mine, it was only at that precise moment that I rushed in the opposite direction. I'm not saying I'm the unluckiest, but I'm not the luckiest either. How many percent of a chance was there for it to fall on me right during the full moon, hmm?! I was running at full speed, with my heart rapidly approaching the stage of a heart attack, and my feet already in compote. I would speed up my run as I could when I felt the hot, jerky breath of my predator in my neck. The poor little human, the prey, hunted by the powerful and dangerous predator. Grunts were added the time of my futile inner reflection.

Oh fuck, I'm gonna die.

   "On the ground!", had shouted a familiar voice to me. I didn't even have to do it that a root had already done it for me. My face hit the muddy ground hard, I was sure to broke a hand or even a whole arm. I screamed in pain while still rolling to the ground as I saw two shadows fighting in fierce screams and grunts.

I felt a bit of a loss of consciousness, but the pain that pervaded my entire arm kept me awake. A few minutes had passed when I felt two big hands carrying me until I suppose was a trunk lying horizontally.

   "Stiles, keep your eyes open!" had whispered Derek's deep voice as I wiggled my head.

   "I am conscious." I murmured trying to actually keep my eyes open with all my remaining strength. A whisper that had apparently not reached the super hears of the Alpha.

   "Open your eyes, you stupid human!", pissed Derek off by dangerously raising his hand.

   "Wow-wow! I'm conscious, you psychopath! Don't try to kill me!"

Derek sighed and dropped his hand on my shoulder. I stretched out under his touch and kept myself from screaming my guts of agony, "It's not against you, little wolf, but it would be great if you could get off your hand of my shoulder." He seemed to see his mistake and pulled his hand away which apparently vomiting blood.

   "How did you do that, Stiles ?"

An exasperated laugh strangled my throat, "I don't know, maybe it's the magic that's going on and I might turn into a unicorn or a fairy soon or later. No, I fell, are you dumb?!"

Derek started at me for a minute. I was almost certain to see the cogs of his brain finally snapping to understand all my words. The Alpha sighed heavily, squeezing my shoulder and elbow into his hands.

   "You're crazy, don't squeeze like that, I don't want to die!", he ignored me and despite the heavy penumbra I saw his red eyes staring hard at me. My heart which had slowly recovered from it cardiac arrest resumed its tirade, "Whatever. I've had a good life, you know, but I'd rather die of old age or by Scott's hand if you know what I mean!" He grumbled while tightening his grip and I howled with pain. The feeling that every cell in my body exploded to regenerate immediately invaded me.

   "Stop moving."

   "Then stop torturing me!" His grip let go my arm and I felt myself fainting, exhausted by the pain and the gentle healing that passed through my arm from my shoulder to my wrist. I fell asleep, rocked by regular heartbeats that had magically soothed me.

.

.

   I was exhilarating, panting and drizzling with perspiration. My t-shirt stuck to my skin, but it was not me first occupation. The acute pain passed through my entire left arm and I repressed a moan. I was doing as well as I could to take a shower and dress myself before going down to the ground floor in the idea of seeing my father who will help me to put on this idiot vest who obviously hated my handicapped arm. I had to admit that the pain was less persistent than in the evening but it was still there and came back.

   My father was not there. He had nevertheless left a message to me indicating that he would probably return late in the evening.

   I went out, my sleeve still not put on, and my car keys in hand. As I closed the door, I dropped them and locked the house door.

   "Here's the irony of the spell," I set out to pick them up but it was my sleeve's turn to fall as well, "Shit-uh!", I grabbed my keys and shove them in my pocket and lift me up while I sat down to put my sleeve back on.

I staggered turning on myself until I crushed on a concrete wall. Who breathed. It doesn't happen every day, I've never met a talking wall. Just imagine the scenario, walls that testify to their lived. I'll become rich.

   "What are you doing ?" I was surprised to recognize Derek's voice. I stood up and stared at him, pretending to be confident.

   "Well, I'm trying to dress myself. Can't you see that?" I would sigh as I wiggled my arm from where my sleep hung carelessly and tried as best as I could to get my arm up into the damn sleeve.

   "Wait...", Derek grabbed my sleeve and helped me put it on. It took less than three seconds for me to be fully dressed.

   "Thank you very much. I'm less likely to get cold now," I smiled quietly and went off towards my Jeep, the heart pounding from my chest. I didn't want any closer physical contact with that guy for the day, same for the month.

   "Aren't you going to thank me ?" asked Derek when I was halfway to my Jeep.

   "I beg your pardon ?"

   "Thank me. You're not going to do it ?"

   "Listen. You've saved my life dozens of times over the last years, Derek, and I've never thanked you for that. You're not gonna give me a nervous breakdown about this now, though, right?"

   "Yes, but this time was exceptional."

   "Oh yes, that's for sure. It's true that I was never found in the forest, lost, during the full moon, so I'm sure it's exceptional for this time."

   "Stiles, don't get mad like that."

   "I'm not mad."

   "I was trying to save your life !"

   "And you did, congratulations! But you almost died to do it! Do you think I didn't notice you limping last night after the fight with the other Alpha ? You can't always be the hero, Derek! And I don't want you to hurt yourself for me."

Without even giving him a second to replied, I run to my Jeep and head for high school. Even when I found myself in peace, this sourwolf manages to play the hero, no but-oh !