"Secrets don't destroy things. Suspicion does."

    Indigo's POV

         I gasped as I woke up, my head shooting up. I looked down to see I had fallen asleep on my arms at my desk. My lamp was still on from the night before, and I knew I had fallen asleep. I yawned and tucked my hair behind my ears, raising my arms as I looked down to the multiple papers on my desk. 

     The applications haunted me. Each paper full of information I had to guess and estimate, my handwriting as neat as possible. Each word written to impress the names at the top of the papers. Grocery stores, gas stations─ anything to earn money

     . If Kate wasn't enough on our plate, a few nights ago I had discovered Melissa budgeting. The numbers crunched until she counted down the days that we would lose the house. Last week, Stiles confided in me that the envelopes with the bills for Eichen House now came with red notices. Seems storing your possessed son for safety costed quite a bit.

     I flinched at a knock on my door as I hurried the papers into a pile, flipping them over. I turned around and watched Scott open my door, dressed in athletic clothes.

     "You ready?" Scott raised his eyebrows. I paused, before giving a quick nod. 

   "Just let me get dressed." I smiled. Scott nodded and walked down the hallway. I let out a deep breath and looked to the papers.

    I was going to help. All of them. 

 ╪

        I squinted from the sun as I walked in-between Scott and Stiles towards their morning practice. Stiles' hand gripped mine while the other held his duffle bag.

     "Scott, of course you're still team captain. You got your grades up, just like Coach told you to, right?" 

     Scott sighed anxiously. "Yeah, but he never told me I was back on the team. He just told me to show up for try-outs today." 

    "We've got bigger things to deal with anyway." I waved off. Stiles nodded as we stopped next to the bleachers, turning to Scott. 

      "Did you tell Argent yet?" He asked. Scott shrugged. 

   "I texted him but he didn't get back to me." 

       Stiles furrowed his eyebrows. "You told him his sister Kate came back from the dead over a text?" 

      Scott frowned. "I didn't have the money to call France."

   "Yeah, you think you got money problems? Try paying for an MRI and a visit to Eichen House." Stiles sighed. I bit my lip and gave his hand a small squeeze. He glanced down to me and gave me a small smile, returning the gesture. 

      "Another notice?" Scott raised an eyebrow.

   "Yeah, this one said "Final"." Stiles scoffed, before glancing to the field. "Now, what the hell are we doing here anyway? We've got like, 117 million problems and worrying about our status on the lacrosse team is not one of them." 

      Scott looked behind us and I watched his eyes widen in the slightest. He nodded and nudged his head in the direction of the field. "It is now." 

     Both me and Stiles spun around, spotting where Scott was looking. Two guys on the team pelted lacrosse balls to the goal where someone decked in goalie padding caught them. Every. Single. One. I nodded, impressed. 

     "Who the hell is that?" Stiles gaped, narrowing his eyes. I watched the goalie pause when the throwing stop and take off his helmet. He looked a bit younger, his brown hair spiked up. The two guys cheered him and I listened in just enough to hear his name. 

     "Liam." I spoke up. "A freshman." 

    Scott and Stiles looked to me strangely, Stiles mostly. I froze and shrugged. "What?" 

      "Okay─" Stiles pointed at me. "New rule, no looking at the field." 

   I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "How about, instead of worrying about him, you two actually go and practice?" 

      Stiles almost spoke, before looking back over to Liam. He tilted his head, before nodding.

     "Yeah, maybe we should practice a little─" 

 ╪

          I peered up and down the busy hallway for Stiles outside the math class. Kids walked past me into the room, groaning. I agreed; walking into this class was dreadful.

     I met eyes with Malia as she began to enter. We exchanged a small smile before she walked past me to the door. I watched her pause and my eyebrows furrowed.

     She began to turn around and I sighed, grabbing her shoulders as I pulled her into the classroom. 

       "I hate math." She huffed. "It's pointless."

   I shrugged, pushing her to her seat. "Welcome to school. It's, sort of essential." 

      She sat down aggressively and I took place behind her. I looked up to see Stiles walk in, his eyes searching the room momentarily, before he grinned when he found me and an empty seat behind me. He rushed over, sliding in to the desk after giving my cheek a small kiss.

     "What could this possibly be essential for?" Malia snapped. 

   "Oh, tipping." Stiles nodded. I heard a sigh next to us, Lydia turning to face us. 

      "And, you know, less important things like medicine, economics, and engineering." 

      Stiles nodded again. "Tipping."

  "All right─" The teacher called out, turning to the class. "Volunteers to the board. Lydia, Diego, and. . . Malia."

       Lydia and Diego had already stood up and made their way to the board with the math problem, as Malia froze. 

      "Uh, I didn't volunteer." She responded. The teacher shrugged, tilting her head. 

    "You did now. To the board." She pointed. 

          Malia stood up with a growl, snatching the chalk from the board. I looked down to my papers, reading over my application for a fourth time. I had to make sure everything was good before turning it in. 

     "Hey." I turned around seeing Stiles with a curious look. "What's that?" 

   I froze, before shaking my head. "Oh, nothing. Nothing. Just- some notes." 

       He kept his gaze on me for a bit, but I turned around before he could say anything else. I winced at the feeling I had, knowing Stiles hadn't really bought that line. But I didn't want him to know. If he knew I was working to get money to help pay for the notices, he would refuse. But I wasn't going to stand to the side and just let it happen. I loved Stiles and if he needed help, I was going to give it. Even if he didn't know he needed it.

 ╪

     "An axe murderer?"

   I rushed down the hall next to Scott, Kira and Stiles as he spouted on about some homicide he was notified about. He was sworn to the fact that we should investigate it. 

     "A family murdering axe murderer." Stiles corrected Scott. 

 "I already heard about it." Scott nodded. Stiles froze next to the lockers, stopping us all. 

     "Wait, what? You did? How?" 

  "My mom called me." Scott shrugged. "She knew we'd see it on the news." 

        "Perfect." Stiles nodded, waving his arms. "Let's go." 

    "Whoa, whoa." Scott shook his head, pointing down the hall. "We've got Econ in five minutes."

        "All right." Stiles responded, like it was nothing. "Did you forget about the part about the family murdering axe murderer?" 

    "Did you forget that your dad's the Sheriff?" Scott raised his eyebrows. "They want us to stay out of it." 

        Stiles narrowed his eyes at us, exhaling through his nose. "Are you guys kidding me? There's a family murdering axe murderer and we're not going to do anything about it?"

      "Maybe. . . we should let the adults handle it." I shrugged. Stiles' shoulders dropped at my response. 

     "So, the three of you, you just want to stay here─ school─ go to class. . .?" 

   Kira, Scott and I all shared a glance, softly nodding. Stiles scoffed, turning around. 

       "Never heard of anything so irresponsible in my life."

     He began to walk off, making me groan as I followed. "Stiles─" 

  He waved me off, shaking his head as he turned the hallway, leaving us. I bit my lip nervously and turned back to Scott and Kira. They both gave me apologetic looks. I couldn't tell if Stiles walking away meant anything, but the tearing feeling in my eyes was enough for me. 

 ╪

         My elbows on my knees, I watched as the team ran around the field for afternoon practice. I held my chin in my hands, simply staring as Stiles trekked a few feet behind the whole team.

      I heard footsteps on the bleachers next to me, seeing Kira and Malia sit next to me. I gave them a small smile as they settled down, Kira resting her chin on a lacrosse stick. 

  Malia pouted for a second as she turned to Kira. "What's wrong with you?"

      "Me?" Kira wondered. "Nothing." 

  "You reek of anxiety. And it's distracting." Malia huffed. Kira gave in with a sigh.

        "Scott and I─ we sort of had this thing happen. But, it wasn't much of a thing. And I'm starting to think it never was anything. At all." She frowned.

     "What do you want it to be?" Malia shrugged. Kira stared off to the field.

       "More."

  I smiled and nudged her shoulder, making her look to me. I gave her a reassuring grin and she returned it, looking back to the field. 

        The team lined up in the center, one of them in goal as Coach blew the whistle. Stiles, front in line, crouched as he attempted to roll the lacrosse ball into the stick. I sighed as he struggled, until he snatched it with his hand and stuff it. He stood up and licked his lips, before putting the lacrosse stick behind him. Stiles threw it over his shoulder and I turned to watch it go right into the goalies stick. I winced as some of the team began to laugh, Stiles making his way begrudgingly to the back of the line. Liam smirked at him, making Stiles glare.

     A few more went and then it was Scott's turn. He did the same, and I bounced my legs nervously, until I watched it fly right passed the goal. The team broke out in laughter again.

     "Nice, McCall." A guy chuckled. 

   "Hey, Garrett─" Stiles snapped with a smirk. "Shut up." 

          Kira looked to me. "Isn't the captain supposed to be one of the best players on the team? Or, good?" 

      Sadly, I nodded. I watched as Stiles waved his arms as he talked to Scott, shaking his head. I could only imagine him arguing to Scott about how this freshman was going to take them over. I noticed Scott's eyes flash their ruby red, and I knew what was happening. 

      Coach blew the whistle and they all gathered around, jogging before coming to a stop.

   "Alright, hustle!" He yelled. "McCall and Stilinski, grab the long sticks. You're covering goal for two-on-ones. Let's go! Line it up!" 

     Stiles and Scott glanced to each other, and did as told, grabbing two longer lacrosse sticks as they made their way in front of the goal. The rest lined up, preparing for the drill. 

      Coach blew the whistle once more and Garret, the one who had made the comment earlier, took off. He slowed in front of Scott and Stiles, before Stiles made the first move towards him. Garret dodged, but Scott swiped around and smacked his lacrosse stick, which let the ball hit the ground.

       Coach cheered. "That's my boys! Those two are like sons to me." 

   "Yes!" Kira cheered on from beside me and I smiled, excited to see the two achieving something at this practice. 

      Another whistle blow and the next player was running, as Scott and Stiles charged at him at the same time. Using their shoulder, they knocked him to the ground and I nodded in impressment. 

     Setting back up, Scott and Stiles went back to the goal and I watched Stiles turn his head. Barely through the helmet, I saw his eyes meet mine with a wink and I instantly felt my cheeks go warm. 

      The whistle blew and the same thing happened to the next player. I saw Coach pump his fist, before pointing to the two.  

    "That's how you do it!" He yelled. "That's how it's done!" 

           Scott and Stiles jumped, bumping their chests together, which sent Stiles to the dirt. I sighed and smiled, but nonetheless there was a smile on my face as he scrambled back up as if nothing had happened. 

     Next, was Liam. 

         The whistle was blown and Scott and Stiles charged, once more. Stiles dove to Liam, who simple jumped around him. Scott went to knock the stick out of his hands, but Liam twisted the stick behind his back and wove around Scott, before shooting into the goal with ease. I huffed, propping my chin with my hands. 

       "That was luck!" 

     My eyes widened and I turned my head, seeing Malia standing up. My head shot back to the field to see Stiles shake his head and drop it. He looked back to me and gestured to Malia but I shrugged, shaking my head. 

      "Do over!" She shouted again. I reached around Kira and smacked her calf, but Coach had already turned around. 

      "Sweetheart, there's no do-overs. This is a practice." He shook his head. I sighed in relief. 

   "Ten bucks on Scott and Stiles." Malia retorted. My mouth dropped as I looked up to her, then back to Scott and Stiles who seemed even less enthusiastic.

      "I'll take that action." Coach chuckled, before looking back to the field. "Hey! Get back in there, Liam!" 

       They reset and I watched Scott and Stiles, nervously, this time. All three of their chests heaved before the whistle blew. Liam shot off, faster this time, and Stiles swung his lacrosse stick again, but nothing. Scott ducked his head and went straight for Liam, sending him flying over his back. When Liam landing he cried out, and I could hear the crunch of his leg. I winced and Scott and Stiles instantly took off their helmets. Liam stood up, but one leg was bending slightly the wrong way. 

        "Don't move!" Coach shouted, running over. "Don't touch him!" 

     "I think I'm okay Coach-" Liam began to stand. "I think it's my- AH!" 

            He began to fall, but Scott and Stiles swept under and put his arms over their shoulders. He sighed heavily. 

       "I think it's my leg." 

    "We should probably get him to the nurse's office." Stiles nodded. Coach nodded and Stiles' eyes met mine, nodding. I hopped down from the bleachers and jogged over, following them. I matched Stiles' pace, shaking my head. 

       "Next time you guys do a do-over, try not to break someone's leg." I nodded. Stiles' head turned to me, narrowing his eyes at me.

 ╪

             I rocked back and forth on my heels in front of the hospital lobby desk, awaiting Scott and I's mom to show up. Stiles was still holding up Liam, along with Scott. I heard footsteps and watched the familiar woman walk up, her face falling when she saw us.

      "Hi mom." I sheepishly spoke up. She sighed and pulled out a wheelchair, moving it over so that Liam could sit in it. Carefully, Scott and Stiles put him into it, easing his leg down. 

      Melissa grabbed the handles and looked to us. "Don't worry. We'll get him fixed up."

   We nodded and she gave us a small smile, before wheeling him off. 

         I sighed and turned to face the two, my eyes falling to the automatic entrance doors. It was dark outside and I jumped in place, a small gasp escaping. 

      "What time is it?" I rushed, shoving my hair behind my ears and diving my hand into Stiles' back pocket of his jeans, where he kept his phone. Stiles raised his hands in the air, a series of surprised gapes and coughs of breath leaving his lips as I fished his phone out. I dismissed them and pressed the power button, displaying the lock screen that showed me it was almost seven thirty.

       I sighed, "Stiles and I need to head out. I promised Malia I'd help her with Math, and Stiles is better at it than I am."

      I placed his phone in his hand, which was still in the air. He blinked a few times, while Scott simply nodded. 

      "Hold on, wait a minute─" Stiles shook his head, screwing his eyes shut, before reopening them. "We're spending our only time alone in the day helping Malia study? W-why?"

     I quirked an eyebrow at him. It took a few seconds, before he sighed in defeat and nodded, shoving his phone in his pocket. "I guess we're going then."

     I saw Scott chuckle a bit, before he patted the front desk with his hand. "I'll be here. I'm gonna check on Liam in a bit, so I might as well get comfortable."

      I almost walked away, about to reach for Stiles' hand, before seeing Scott's eyes drop to the floor. I met my gaze with Stiles, who was seeing Scott the same way I was. 

          "Hey," Stiles spoke up, catching Scott's attention. "I don't need to say it wasn't your fault right?" 

      Scott let out a deep breath through his nose, looking down the hallway Melissa had wheeled Liam. "I don't know." 

          "Scott, if you had used any wolf power, that kid wouldn't be limping, he'd be crawling to the other half of his body." Stiles scoffed. Scott just started shaking his head.

        "If I hadn't been so worried about being captain, he wouldn't be hurt, either." Scott pointed out. I bit my lip and looked to Stiles, who licked his nervously. 

          "You know, it's okay to want something for yourself every once in a while." He nodded. "Team captain, Alpha werewolf─" 

         "Kira." I added, giving Scott a small smile. He looked to me and I watched the blush creep up. 

         "You're still only human." Stiles nodded.

      Scott gave us both a smile and nod. Proud of our success, I returned the smile and finally grabbed Stiles' hand, heading out towards the door. Our hands slightly swung as we walked and I grinned down at them, feeling the small sparks jump in my skin every time our hands slightly adjusted against each other.

 ╪

             "─ and that should be. . . the answer." I nodded, circling the end number on Malia's sheet. She chewed her lip with furrowed eyebrows, before slowly nodding. She scribbled it on another sheet, before moving on to the next problem.

       I looked over in yearning, seeing Stiles' scrolling on his computer, since we were in his room. It seemed most efficient because I was staying over tonight anyway.

      I began to roll off the bed to walk over to him, before I felt a grip on my forearm. I looked back to see Malia, staring up at me accusingly.

       "Hey, we're not finished yet."

      I frowned and fell back lazily onto the bed. I heard a squeak as Stiles spun in his chair again, facing us. He smirked at me, making me roll my eyes.

      Malia clicked one of her highlighters I gave her and made an entire sentence red, before skipping a sentence, and then painting the next one red as well. 

      "What's with all the highlighters anyway?" I heard Stiles say, until I watched him gesture with his pointer finger to the mess of colored highlighters strewn in front of us. Malia scooped them up and displayed them. 

      "Indigo made it up, to make it easier for me to understand the problems. Green, is for things I understand. Yellow, is for 'I'm working on it'. And red means, I have no clue." 

    I winced. "It's rough around the edges. We─ mostly use red." 

        Stiles sat still for a moment, before he turned in his chair a little to his bulletin board. A small smile etched on his lips, as I watched him stand from his chair. From my spot on the bed, lying on my stomach, I looked up, until he kneeled next to the bed. I raised my eyebrows, before my eyes shut as Stiles' pressed his lips to mine. I hummed in satisfaction, until his lips abruptly left mine and I caught a glimpse of Malia's arm retreating. I chuckled at the fact that she had in fact pushed him, sending him from his crouched position, to sitting completely on the floor with raised eyebrows, himself.

       "We're studying first, remember?" Malia accused him, pointing at him. Stiles raised his hands in surrender, before returning to his chair. I smiled and shook my head, before returning to the work. 

       "So, what's the secret?" Malia asked aloud. Both Stiles and I looked to her. "Why is math impossible for me, and easy for you guys?" 

      "I use Stiles." I nudged my thumb in his direction. Stiles chuckled. 

   "Usually, we use Lydia's notes." He answered. Malia groaned and shoveled out a pink notebook from under a bunch of papers. 

       "Then somebody needs to give me notes on Lydia's notes, because I don't understand any of this." 

       I nodded, "Okay." Taking the notebook from her hands, I flipped to a few pages, seeing math. At first. Towards the end of the notes, I found just continuous lines of symbols and numbers.

        "You said Lydia wrote these?" I raised an eyebrow. Malia nodded at my innocently. I heard another creak and soon, Stiles was at my side. His hands grasped the notebook and he began to flip through, a confused expression finding his face too.

       "What are they?" I asked. Stiles shook his head.

              "They're not math."

   [a/n]::

  im such a hoe im sorry

 heres a sad filler update, but there was some kissing so hooray? and aw, scott knows his sister has his best friend whipped...

   also, hello liam! you cute bean.

  and oo, indigo is hiding her job applications? how well do you think THAts going to go?

   love you guys! and sorry for the reall really late update, wattpad was being a hoe too and wouldn't save any of my work so i had to keep re-typing it which is a chore ):