[FOR REASONS UNKNOWN TO STILES AS OF YET, Peter is just gonna laugh really hard at that question.]
I was in someone else's hell, fortunately, and fire isn't what scares her. But it'd be rude to say any more about that.
Sit tight, Stiles, the cavalry will come. Of course, let me just take this opportunity to remind you that if you had accepted my offer, this might not be happening.
[... probably something WORSE would be happening but shh.]
[ Seriously, what is it with Hale men vacillating between the extreme ends of creepiness? Is this a thing?
Your laughing isn't making him feel any better about the general state of affairs, either. ]
Her. Well, now that's just wrong.
[ Notice his not addressing that last part. Yeah, no, he's not having that conversation again. (Even if his doubts find firmer ground. No. The answer still has to be no.) ]
[ The appeal of that lessens intensely when you're the son of the Sheriff and Derek still has the suspected serial killer stigma.
Either choice just ends badly in general. ]
You're gonna hold on to that, aren't you? Despite the fact that you kidnapped a minor, inflicted grave physical injury on another, and pretty much started your own happy kill trail, a little spark on your fur is what gets you.
[ And if he remembers how you ended up the way you are, well, that's not his schtick. Derek's got that fire covered. ]
Being helpless isn't the same as being victimized, it's a pretty big distinction.
It's good thing I don't have to lie on that one, because the answer's nothing.
[ There are few things in life that Stiles can answer with a hardness like does now, but they've survived his mother's death, and they're still mostly intact.
Everything else pales in comparison to that. ]
And that line you're really worried about me being confused about? Don't worry about it. Stopping at nothing doesn't mean killing everyone in my way.
But who knows, right? You're probably pretty sore about that second death, that's understandable, you have feelings you need to deal with. If I were you I'd probably be really bummed out too.
[Blandly] That's a very good thing to know. Thank you for sharing it with me.
As for my feelings, well, it's kind of you to be so considerate. But in all honesty, I got to know a lot of people I wouldn't have otherwise. It's funny, the sheer depth of people. You look at them and you just don't know what's going on in their head, unless you get right up in there and have a look around. Like Lydia, for example. That's a girl with a lot going on. And almost nobody notices at all.
Actually, you know what the worst thing that happened to her was? It wasn't me. It was the way her entire circle of friends shut her out in the cold. For her own protection, but she didn't know that. She didn't know what was going on at all. Something big, something frightening, and they wouldn't tell her anything, and she had to deal with something very awful all by herself. Did you know that, Stiles?
[ It's not like she was coping well even without knowing, as it was. It wasn't time to tell her. It wasn't safe for her to know, not with the Argents breathing down their necks and the threat of the Kanima literally paralyzing how far they can go with anything they do or say.
No, he got that from his entire family being burnt to death by the woman who seduced him when he was a teenager. Hate to be pedantic about that point, but it's a whole thing with him, the house, the survivor's guilt, blah blah buy some curtains, Derek. You would not believe his baby pictures. The difference is so funny it's sad.
[He's just going to enjoy this whole refusing to tell Stiles what's going on thing for as long as he can. When you've been semi-comatose for seven years and then dead on the astral plane you make your own fun.]
[ And none of that are things Derek ever let on. Okay, maybe the fire, but no one had to ask about that when the still-shaking husk of the Hale house still stands, and Stiles may have never quite been in it, familiar as he is with the taste of grief; he doesn't need to be a werewolf to know it.
But this, it's personal. It feels worse than lying because what you just said sounds a lot like the truth, and they're not even entirely yours. ]
I bet he was such a riot. And his sister too, right? Not that we'll ever know about her because someone killed her, and that's not on Derek's hands.
Dude, I thought you said you weren't gonna play the victim card.
How am I playing it? Maybe I should have said "so sad it's funny." Can you see Scott turning out like that? I can't. But then, like I said, you never really know about people. Even when you think you're close to them, you don't know. You make hard decisions about what you tell them, and without knowing it, set an entire chain of events into play.
You have a head for patterns, don't you, Stiles? Do you see yet?
Basically it's damned if you, damned if you don't, huh?
[ Patterns. Yeah, sure, he sees them; sometimes he doesn't want to. Sometimes it's like he just wants to not care about all this supernatural mess, if just for a day. Just focus on his dad, on fixing this thing that's digging deep between them and pulling them apart.
The problem with thinking faster than you can keep up with is that everything flies by you too quickly to realize it's time to stop moving. ]
I can't say for sure what would've happened. It might have been a different damnation, that's all. Or maybe if Lydia hadn't been so isolated, she could have helped Jackson on her own steam. Who knows? Don't let it keep you up at night, Stiles.
Yes. [But he's currently toying with the idea that maybe he, Derek, Boyd, Jackson, Erica, Peter and Scott can put everything aside and unite against the new threat in Beacon Hills.
[ That's supposed to be comforting? Did you get your members-only jacket from the Derek Hale School of Human Interaction this morning? Have you been talking to Scott? ]
Dude, we're going to die. We've always been sort of dying, but this time, it's—
Could you be anymore negative? [He's not exactly Mr. Positive himself but he can at least feign confidence if it'll prevent him from being alpha chow.]
We defeated the Kanima and Gerard. We can do this.
You've obviously not hung out with Scott and I for an extended period of time. [ Scott is blindingly optimistic until he isn't, and Stiles is constantly flipping between bad news boss and told-you-so. They're deceptively chipper until you realize how depressing(ly stupid) they can get. ] So we beat out a cancer-stricken grandpa and an over-sized lizard with an identity crisis, is that supposed to make us feel accomplished?
Way I see it is that you can either choose to focus on the bad or just look at the good and celebrate. We won. Okay, so we haven't won the war, but we could. We've just got to take everything one step at a time and hope for the best.
[ ...You really remind him of Scott with that. This is so wrong, and he's really missing his best friend like right now. ]
Someone's gotta look for the bad stuff, though. Because if we don't, then we're not gonna be ready for it, and if we're not then we might as well be dead.
no subject
no subject
Coming from you, that compliment feels like an insult.
So was hell really full of fire or was that just for the mental image?
no subject
I was in someone else's hell, fortunately, and fire isn't what scares her. But it'd be rude to say any more about that.
Sit tight, Stiles, the cavalry will come. Of course, let me just take this opportunity to remind you that if you had accepted my offer, this might not be happening.
[... probably something WORSE would be happening but shh.]
no subject
Your laughing isn't making him feel any better about the general state of affairs, either. ]
Her. Well, now that's just wrong.
[ Notice his not addressing that last part. Yeah, no, he's not having that conversation again. (Even if his doubts find firmer ground. No. The answer still has to be no.) ]
no subject
It was very bad of me, but you killed me, Stiles. You set me on fire and Derek cut my throat. Do you ever wonder what that's like?
[He's still smiling when he says that though, like he's not mad at all.]
Not that I'm playing the victim card, here. Apparently that role is allotted to you.
no subject
Either choice just ends badly in general. ]
You're gonna hold on to that, aren't you? Despite the fact that you kidnapped a minor, inflicted grave physical injury on another, and pretty much started your own happy kill trail, a little spark on your fur is what gets you.
[ And if he remembers how you ended up the way you are, well, that's not his schtick. Derek's got that fire covered. ]
Being helpless isn't the same as being victimized, it's a pretty big distinction.
no subject
Let's say I killed your dad. What would you stop at, Stiles?
I bet you don't know for sure. I bet if you tell me you know where the line is, I'll hear your heart going fast again.
But you're right, you're not the real victim here. I was just kidding. You haven't suffered yet. I hope it never happens, I really do.
no subject
[ There are few things in life that Stiles can answer with a hardness like does now, but they've survived his mother's death, and they're still mostly intact.
Everything else pales in comparison to that. ]
And that line you're really worried about me being confused about? Don't worry about it. Stopping at nothing doesn't mean killing everyone in my way.
But who knows, right? You're probably pretty sore about that second death, that's understandable, you have feelings you need to deal with. If I were you I'd probably be really bummed out too.
no subject
As for my feelings, well, it's kind of you to be so considerate. But in all honesty, I got to know a lot of people I wouldn't have otherwise. It's funny, the sheer depth of people. You look at them and you just don't know what's going on in their head, unless you get right up in there and have a look around. Like Lydia, for example. That's a girl with a lot going on. And almost nobody notices at all.
no subject
You've done more than enough the first time around, you leave her alone.
no subject
no subject
[ It's not like she was coping well even without knowing, as it was. It wasn't time to tell her. It wasn't safe for her to know, not with the Argents breathing down their necks and the threat of the Kanima literally paralyzing how far they can go with anything they do or say.
It wasn't just his call. ]
What's your point.
no subject
But you'll find out soon.
no subject
[ 147 pounds of fragile bone - is it worth it to shake an answer out of you yet? A molotov cocktail isn't gonna cut it this time. ]
no subject
[He's just going to enjoy this whole refusing to tell Stiles what's going on thing for as long as he can. When you've been semi-comatose for seven years and then dead on the astral plane you make your own fun.]
no subject
But this, it's personal. It feels worse than lying because what you just said sounds a lot like the truth, and they're not even entirely yours. ]
I bet he was such a riot. And his sister too, right? Not that we'll ever know about her because someone killed her, and that's not on Derek's hands.
Dude, I thought you said you weren't gonna play the victim card.
no subject
You have a head for patterns, don't you, Stiles? Do you see yet?
no subject
[ Patterns. Yeah, sure, he sees them; sometimes he doesn't want to. Sometimes it's like he just wants to not care about all this supernatural mess, if just for a day. Just focus on his dad, on fixing this thing that's digging deep between them and pulling them apart.
The problem with thinking faster than you can keep up with is that everything flies by you too quickly to realize it's time to stop moving. ]
no subject
no subject
What doesn't kill you, right?]
no subject
This really sucks. ]
Man, I can't even snark at you.
no subject
Then something definitely is wrong here.
no subject
Dude, we're going to die. We've always been sort of dying, but this time, it's—
We're out of league on this one.
no subject
Could you be anymore negative? [He's not exactly Mr. Positive himself but he can at least feign confidence if it'll prevent him from being alpha chow.]
We defeated the Kanima and Gerard. We can do this.
no subject
You've obviously not hung out with Scott and I for an extended period of time. [ Scott is blindingly optimistic until he isn't, and Stiles is constantly flipping between bad news boss and told-you-so. They're deceptively chipper until you realize how depressing(ly stupid) they can get. ] So we beat out a cancer-stricken grandpa and an over-sized lizard with an identity crisis, is that supposed to make us feel accomplished?
Dude.
no subject
no subject
Someone's gotta look for the bad stuff, though. Because if we don't, then we're not gonna be ready for it, and if we're not then we might as well be dead.
Not everyone's gonna heal, Isaac.
no subject
no subject
[ So he's a little bummed about Peter goddamn Hale, it's no big thing. ]
I mean, no hard feelings, but it's getting ridiculous.