C.H.⠀012⠀۵⠀Lunatic

❝ I think both of us dating her is
better than neither of us dating her. ❞

⠀

⠀

⠀

"WHERE ARE WE GOING?" Brietta calls out as she and Scott follow Stiles boundlessly through the Preserve.

⠀⠀⠀"You'll see," Stiles vaguely provides, causing Brietta and Scott to share a look. It was clear that they didn't exactly trust Stiles' ideas that involved the Preserve, considering that they were in this mess because of his idea.

⠀⠀⠀"We really shouldn't be out here," Scott blurts out, glancing around warily, "My mom is in a constant state of freak-out from what happened at the school."

⠀⠀⠀"My grandma is, too," Brietta chimes in, "One more missed curfew and she'll ground me until I'm married."

⠀⠀⠀"Well, your mom and your grandma aren't the Sheriff, okay?" Stiles scoffs, turning around for a second to point to Scott and Brietta, "There's no comparison, trust me."

⠀⠀⠀"Can you at least just tell us what we're doing out here?" Scott asks, holding his arms out exasperatedly as he stares at Stiles' back.

⠀⠀⠀"Yes," Stiles scoffs under his breath as if it were obvious what they were doing, "When you and your best friends almost die," Stiles pauses and turns around, pulling a bottle of bourbon out from his jacket pocket, "you get your best friends drunk."

⠀⠀⠀Brietta eyes the bottle and Stiles' pocket, "How did that even fit in there?"

⋅ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ ⚔ ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ─── ⋅

STILES PUTS THE ALMOST-EMPTY BOTTLE OF JACK ON THE GROUND AND LEANS BACK ON THE ROCKY GROUND, exhaling a heavy breath. To Stiles' right, Scott sat on a rock near Stiles' head, a lazy smile on the Werewolf's lips. To Stiles' left, Brietta's eyes are closed as she lies on a rock, her head rocking side to side as she listens to music with her headphones.

⠀⠀⠀"I love girls," Stiles drunkenly blurts out, his eyes darting to Brietta, but she couldn't hear him with her headphones plugged in. "I love 'em," He attests, looking back over at Scott, "I love..." He trails off before smiling lazily, "Especially ones with brown hair that looks red in the sun, light blue eyes, five-foot-three—."

⠀⠀⠀"Like Brie?" Scott deducts, a small laugh leaving him.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, exactly!" Stiles grins before frowning, "Hey, how did you know I was talking about...about..." Stiles trails off and tilts his head at Scott, small giggles leaving him, "What was I talking about?"

⠀⠀⠀"Brie," Scott reminds, nodding with a small smile, "like you always do."

⠀⠀⠀Stiles looks up at Scott, and he notices that Scott looks levelheaded, "You're not drunk?"

⠀⠀⠀Scott's smile fades and he shakes his head, and Stiles gives Scott a drunk, thoughtful look, "Hey, maybe it's like...maybe it's like not needing your inhaler anymore, you know? Maybe you can't get drunk as a wolf?"

⠀⠀⠀After a second, Stiles frowns, "Am I drunk?"

⠀⠀⠀"You're wasted," Scott chuckles, and Stiles nods with a toothy grin.

⠀⠀⠀All of a sudden, Stiles sobers up for a moment, his eyes darting to Brietta for a moment before he looks over at Scott, "Do you know what polyamorous relationships are?"

⠀⠀⠀Scott thinks for a moment before shaking his head, "No."

⠀⠀⠀"Well," Stiles purses his lips before looking back up at the almost full moon in the sky, "it's when you have multiple partners."

⠀⠀⠀Scott's eyebrows furrow, "How do you know that?"

⠀⠀⠀"I looked it up," Stiles shrugs, his eyes trained on the night sky, "do you...do you think Brie would be into that?"

⠀⠀⠀Scott freezes and looks down at Stiles, "Why would she think about it?"

⠀⠀⠀Stiles shrugs again, his head swaying, "You like her. I like her. I think she likes us," Stiles blows out a heavy breath, "I think both of us dating her is better than neither of us dating her."

⠀⠀⠀After a second, Stiles breaks out into laughter, "...That didn't make any sense. I need a drink."

⠀⠀⠀Maybe to Stiles, in his drunken state, it doesn't make sense, but to Scott, it does, and he can't say that he doesn't like the idea.

⠀⠀⠀When Stiles reaches for the bottle of Jack, someone else reaches for it. Someone they don't know.

⠀⠀⠀Spotting sudden movement as she opens her eyes, Brietta rips out her headphones and looks over at their new company with a racing heart. She doesn't know who these men are, but there are two of them—one in plaid and one of them in a crewneck.

⠀⠀⠀"Well, look at the two little bitches and their bitch getting their drink on," Plaid smugly smiles at the trio, dangling their bottle of alcohol teasingly. The easy-going smile on Scott's lips instantly vanishes and his eyes narrow on the two seemingly older men, "Don't call her that," Scott's voice is menacingly low and it ignites goosebumps along Brietta and Stiles' spines. Scott nods his head to the drink that Plaid had taken, "Give it back."

⠀⠀⠀The smug look on Plaid's face fades and he puffs out his chest slightly, sizing Scott up, "What's that, little man?"

⠀⠀⠀Before Scott can say anything, Crewneck butts in, "I think he wants a drink."

⠀⠀⠀"I want the bottle," Scott insists firmly, unflinching and fearless.

⠀⠀⠀"Scott," Brietta's voice was small and wary as she staggers to her feet, grasping at Scott's arm, "we should just go." As soon as the words come out, her eyes flicker up to the waxing gibbous moon in the distance. From what Brietta's gathered about how a full moon affects Werewolves, a pulse-rising situation is the last thing Scott needs.

⠀⠀⠀Scott turns to Brietta slightly, his eyes softening when he lands on her, "We're out here to get drunk," Scott turns back to Plaid and Crewneck, his eyes narrowing when Brietta is out of his sight, "I'm not drunk yet."

⠀⠀⠀Scott rises from the rock and walks ominously towards to two men, "Give me the bottle."

⠀⠀⠀Plaid smirks and shakes his head.

⠀⠀⠀Scott lowers his head as his heart beats faster in his chest. In a second, his vision changes, and outwardly his eyes fade from brown to bright yellow. In an animalistic, distorted tone, Scott says, "Give me the bottle of Jack."

⠀⠀⠀"Scott," Stiles breathes out in worry as he watches Scott's nails extend into claws.

⠀⠀⠀Scott, on the other hand, keeps his gaze fixed on Plaid as the older guy cautiously holds the bottle out. Scott snatches it back from him and his friend. Scott hurls the bottle toward the trees behind Plaid and Crewneck without another word or breaking eye contact. When the bottle collides with a tree trunk, it shatters, unleashing a shower of glass and honey-brown liquid down to the ground.

⠀⠀⠀Brietta moves over to Scott, sobering up for a moment while Plaid and Crewneck stagger back several feet. She grabs Scott's bicep and pulls him closer to her and Stiles. "We have to go," she says into Scott's ear, and he turns to face her. When Brietta realizes how close she and Scott are, she lets out an involuntary gasp. Her lips feel his breath.

⠀⠀⠀She clears her throat and takes a step back before grabbing Stiles. Brietta pulls Stiles and Scott along with her back in the direction Stiles had parked his car.

⋅ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ ⚔ ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ─── ⋅

BRIETTA LETS OUT A STREAM OF FRUSTRATED SOUNDS AS SHE RUBS HER FACE, trying to fight off her exhaustion. As she does so, she trips on the last few steps of the staircase, almost face-planting on the ground, but she catches herself on the railing.

⠀⠀⠀"Jesus," She whispers sharply, pressing a hand to her chest, feeling her rapid heart pulsing against her ribcage.

⠀⠀⠀She walks into the open kitchen/living room, and heads to the fridge as the kitchen radio whirs on the way it always does when the clock strikes 7 A.M. "Beautiful Monday morning!" The radio announcer's voice is vibrant, putting a small smile on Brietta's face as she reaches for the box of Eggos she had left in the fridge last night.

⠀⠀⠀"Beacon Hills High School is back open after being closed Thursday and Friday. Police search continues for alleged killer Derek Hale—." Brietta's smile fades, but, luckily, she doesn't have to listen to the announcer anymore as someone clicks off the radio. She grabs the box of Eggos and gently nudges the fridge door shut with her foot as she turns to see her grandmother by the radio.

⠀⠀⠀"How are you feeling, baby?" Agnes asks, shuffling over to Brietta in her long nightgown.

⠀⠀⠀Brietta smiles softly at her grandmother and nods, "I'm alright." Agnes then cups Brietta's face with her soft, wrinkly hands and Brietta leans into them, her smile still in place.

⠀⠀⠀"And Ellington?" Just like that, Brietta's smile fades at her grandmother's question. Brietta shakes her head, inhaling sharply, "He's still trying to process the breakup."

⠀⠀⠀After the Alpha had run off and all the teenagers were left standing around outside while the police asked questions, Allison broke up with Ellington. What Brietta had gathered from Ellington——which was difficult considering his voice was thick with emotion——is that Allison felt as if Ellington had been hiding something from her and that she didn't want to be with someone who kept things from her.

⠀⠀⠀Agnes tuts slightly. "At least Isaac was here yesterday to cheer him up for a while."

⠀⠀⠀Brietta nods and motions to the box of Eggos in her hands, "Hopefully, fake waffles will cheer him up," After a second, she snorts lightly, "I hope they give me luck, too. I hate taking tests."

⋅ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ ⚔ ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ─── ⋅

WHEN MONDAY CAME AROUND, following the police-enforced four-day weekend, being inside the lit school building felt unsettling. The small scar on Brietta's cheek tingles a bit, and she has the strongest urge to touch it, but she doesn't. Instead, she simply rests her head against the wall outside of the main office, turning her head to face Stiles, whose legs are sprawled out.

⠀⠀⠀"Stiles," Brietta starts, her voice too soft——which signals small alarms in Stiles' head, "I know we need to warn your dad, but the bell'll go off in any second now, so—."

⠀⠀⠀"No," Stiles interrupts softly, "They can't fail us for being two minutes late for a standardized test, alright? I just need a minute to warn my dad before he goes looking for the Alpha."

⠀⠀⠀She sighs, knowing that, while the school would probably fail them, she wants Stilinski to be safe. The bell signaling the end of the fifteen-minute morning break rings loudly in the hallway and Brietta frowns, looking at Stiles nervously for just a second before the office door opens. As they step into the hall, Noah Stilinski murmurs softly to the principal and the two officers with him.

⠀⠀⠀Stiles awkwardly rises to his feet, hauling Brietta up by her bicep to stand alongside him. Noah fixes a displeased look on them, dismissing the two officers as the teenagers position themselves in front of him.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't you two have a test to get to?" the Sheriff asks, arms crossed and eyebrows raised as he scans between them. Brietta nods subtly as Stiles eagerly inquires, "What's going on? Did you find Derek yet?"

⠀⠀⠀"I'm working on it," Noah tells his son. He shifts his gaze to Brietta, who steals a glance at the hallway clock before returning focus to Stilinski, "You go take your test."

⠀⠀⠀"Alright, but dad, listen to me—." Stiles attempts, but his father isn't receptive.

⠀⠀⠀"Go," Noah insists.

⠀⠀⠀"This is really important," Stiles urgently insists. Noah glances between the two teenagers, sighing when Brietta nods, encouraging Stilinski to pay attention. "You have to be careful tonight, okay?" Stiles pleads, his brown eyes narrowing with a warning.

⠀⠀⠀"Especially tonight," Brietta emphasizes.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm always careful," Sheriff Stilinski reassures them earnestly.

⠀⠀⠀Stiles inhales sharply, frowning, "Dad, you've never dealt with this kind of thing before, okay? At least not like this."

⠀⠀⠀"I know. Which is why I've brought in people who have," Noah informs them. Brietta and Stiles exchange confused glances before he gestures toward the principal and two officers. They both look over and notice one of the officers wearing a different badge. "State detective," Noah adds, acknowledging their puzzled expressions. "Now, go. Both of you. Go take your test."

⠀⠀⠀With a resigned sigh, Stiles adjusts his grip on his backpack and reluctantly pulls Brietta down the hallway with him.

⋅ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ ⚔ ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ─── ⋅

AS THEY ENTER THE CLASSROOM FOR THE TEST, still among the first to arrive, a sigh of relief escapes Brietta as she settles into an empty desk. She swiftly pulls a pencil from her bag as Stiles tosses his backpack to the ground, taking his place behind her.

⠀⠀⠀The gentle tap of her pencil eraser against the desk reveals her anxious anticipation as they await the arrival of the rest of their classmates. Scott walks in, and Brietta can't help but notice the slight sway in his steps as he moves to the desk in front of her.

⠀⠀⠀Mr. Harris drops test booklets on each row, directing stragglers to sit and for students sitting in the front rows to pass the booklets back. With a reassuring smile, Scott hands the stack of test booklets back to Brietta, his fingers brushing softly over hers.

⠀⠀⠀Maintaining her focus on the impending test, Brietta turns her attention to the booklets in her hands and takes one to pass the rest back to Stiles, who gives her a subtle thumbs-up.

⠀⠀⠀Despite thorough preparation, a sense of nervousness lingers, causing her to absentmindedly wipe her clammy hands on her denim pants beneath the desk.

⠀⠀⠀Mr. Harris's voice cuts through the room, announcing the commencement of the test, "You have forty-five minutes to complete the test. Twenty-five percent of your grade can be earned right now simply by writing your name on the cover of the blue book. However, as happens every year, one of you will inexplicably fail to put your name on the cover," Mr. Harris eyes Stiles, who shrinks in his seat and glances around the room to see if anyone has noticed the interaction, "and I'll be left yet again questioning my decision to ever become a teacher."

⠀⠀⠀Mr. Harris picks up his timer and glances around the room dejectedly, "So, let's get the disappointment over with. Begin."

⠀⠀⠀Brietta writes her name, flips open the booklet, and swiftly navigates through the questions. Recognizing familiar questions from her practice tests, she circles answers with practiced ease, her lower lip caught between her teeth.

⠀⠀⠀As the test progresses smoothly, Brietta is left with only a handful of unanswered questions when Scott abruptly stands from his desk. He abandons his open test, grabs his backpack, and hurries toward the door.

⠀⠀⠀"Mr. McCall!" Mr. Harris calls out, but Scott pays no mind, exiting the classroom. Concern etches Brietta's expression as she glances back at Stiles, who, in solidarity, rises from his seat and follows Scott.

⠀⠀⠀"Mr. Stilinski!" their teacher shouts after Stiles, but he leaves the room without looking back. Brietta, caught between the unfolding situation and her unfinished test, receives a sharp look from Mr. Harris when she tries to stand up.

⠀⠀⠀Reluctantly, she plops down in her seat, quickly completing the remaining questions, and stands. Grabbing Stiles' backpack and her own, she hurries to the front of the room.

⠀⠀⠀"Miss Chastener, unless you promptly return to your seat and complete your test, I am incredibly compelled to give you detention for the next-."

⠀⠀⠀Swiftly, Brietta places her completed booklet atop his desk. "I'm finished," she declares, her eyes darting towards the door, a subtle undercurrent of concern in her gaze.

⠀⠀⠀Mr. Harris narrows his eyes, scrutinizing the pages to ascertain the truth. Satisfied, he scrunches his face in annoyance and gives a dismissive nod, granting her leave.

⠀⠀⠀With a firmer hold on Stiles' bag, Brietta exits the room. She hurries down the hallway, following the trail Scott and Stiles had left mere moments ago, scanning her surroundings for any hint of their whereabouts.

⠀⠀⠀"Guys," she whisper-shouts, the urgency evident in her voice, echoing down the hall like a fleeting secret.

⠀⠀⠀Neither Scott nor Stiles responds, but the familiar ringtone of Scott's cellphone echoes from the next hallway before abruptly silencing.

⠀⠀⠀Brietta quickens her pace down the hall, a disquiet settling in her stomach as she realizes she's heading towards the boy's locker room. Upon reaching the doorway, she inhales shakily. Where a door should be, there is none. It had been covered in the janitor's blood just nights before, now removed from its hinges. She steps through the opening, suppressing thoughts of the unsettling past.

⠀⠀⠀"—I can't. I can't breathe—." Scott's gasps reach her ears, and she rushes towards the source.

⠀⠀⠀"Scott?" she calls out, sprinting to the back of the room, her heart pounding in her chest.

⠀⠀⠀Turning a corner toward the showers, she collides into Stiles' back. There, she finds Scott hyperventilating, shirtless, and soaked. Stiles frantically sifts through Scott's backpack, pulling out Scott's inhaler and extending it towards their friend.

⠀⠀⠀"Here, use this," Stiles urges, shaking the inhaler. Brietta and Scott exchange confused glances. Stiles shakes it again, emphatic, "Come on. Do it."

⠀⠀⠀"Just try it, Scott," Brietta insists, not fully comprehending Stiles' plan but trusting him implicitly. Taking the inhaler, she moves to Scott with careful steps. Removing the cap from the mouthpiece, she offers it to him as he continues gasping for air.

⠀⠀⠀Scott takes the inhaler, his hands shaking, and presses the canister. He inhales the medicine deeply, leaning over for a few moments before gradually calming down. A collective sigh of relief escapes Brietta and Stiles.

⠀⠀⠀Scott's breathing steadies, confusion in his eyes as he looks up, "Wh—. I was having an asthma attack?"

⠀⠀⠀"No. You were having a panic attack. But, thinking you were having an asthma attack actually stopped the panic attack," Stiles explains slowly, "Irony."

⠀⠀⠀"How—. How did you know to do that?" Scott asks, his voice still shaky.

⠀⠀⠀Stiles briefly glances at Brietta with a somber expression before refocusing on Scott, "I used to get them after my mom died. And—and then Brie did too when her mom died," he trails off. Scott frowns, resembling a kicked puppy.

⠀⠀⠀Brietta fidgets beside Stiles, memories flooding back of the times he'd calmed her down or distracted her from her own panic attacks and vice versa. "Why didn't..." Scott uses the wall for support, standing straighter, "why didn't you guys ever tell me?"

⠀⠀⠀Brietta shrugs slightly, a sad smile playing on her lips, her eyes conveying downcast warmth, "We didn't want you to worry. You know? You were going through your parents' divorce, switching houses every weekend. We just didn't want you to have too much on your plate."

⠀⠀⠀Scott shakes his head at his friends sadly, taking a slow breath, "You guys didn't have to do that. Remember that we all promised? No secrets, remember?"

⠀⠀⠀"Listen up!" Nine-year-old Brietta declares to her best friends, Scott McCall, Stiles Stilinski, and Theodore Raeken.

⠀⠀⠀"As new best friends, we have to make best friend rules," Brietta announces, distributing small notebooks and pens to the boys gathered around a circular table outside Beacon Hills Elementary.

⠀⠀⠀"Any suggestions?" She opens the floor to her friends, settling into the spot between Scott and Theo.

⠀⠀⠀"How about," Stiles pipes up, hovering his pen over his notebook, "sharing all snacks?"

⠀⠀⠀Theo scoffs out a laugh beside Brietta, "You already poach all of our snacks, Stiles."

⠀⠀⠀Stiles rolls his eyes, "Which is why we should make it a rule, dummy."

⠀⠀⠀Just as Theo opens his mouth to argue, Scott cuts in, preventing the impending dispute, "Alright. All in favor, say I?"

⠀⠀⠀While Theo and Stiles grumble out small "I"'s, Brietta tilts her head curiously, "Did you start watching Judge Judy without me?"

⠀⠀⠀Scott's cheeks heat, "Maybe..."

⠀⠀⠀Brietta gasps wildly and playfully hits Scott over the head with her notebook, "How could you?"

⠀⠀⠀"Okay," Theo interjects, playing mediator for a moment, "how about we make a rule about not keeping secrets?"

⠀⠀⠀Everyone at the table nods, but Brietta keeps her amused glare fixed on Scott, who avoids eye contact with her.

⠀⠀⠀"Great!" Stiles grins, his small teeth showing, "Let's move on to another rule. I personally think we should have Stiles Saturdays, where you all have to be nice to me and never say no."

⠀⠀⠀"No," Scott, Brietta, and Theo instantly say.

⠀⠀⠀"We did, didn't we?" Stiles fondly smiles before dimming it slightly to focus on Scott. "What happened?"

⠀⠀⠀Scott leans his head back against the shower wall, "It's like I could feel everything in the room. Everyone else's emotions."

⠀⠀⠀"Like, everyone else's stress and anxiety about the test," Brietta realizes, looking at him with newfound understanding.

⠀⠀⠀"It's gotta be the full moon," Stiles says, seemingly deep in thought. He shakes his head as he refocuses and looks between his best friends. "So, Brietta and I'll lock you in your room later like we planned. That way, you'll be contained, and the Alpha—who's your boss," He reminds Scott, giving him a pointed look, "Can't get to you either."

⠀⠀⠀"I think you guys need to do a lot more than lock me in my room," Scott tells them honestly.

⠀⠀⠀"What, are you worried about the Alpha or—or the hunters?" Brietta asks him, tilting her head.

⠀⠀⠀Scott shakes his head, steps out of the shower stall, and comes closer to his friends, "No. Because if I get out...I think I might kill someone."

⋅ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ ⚔ ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ─── ⋅

STILES MANEUVERS OVER THE CHANGING BENCH IN THE LOCKER ROOM, lacrosse stick in hand, securing a spot beside Scott just as Coach Finstock emerges from his office.

⠀⠀⠀"All right, geniuses!" Coach bellows, seizing the team's attention. They huddle around him at the back of the locker room. "Listen up! Due to the recent pink-eye epidemic—thank you, Greenberg." Coach side-eyes Dominic, who's leaning on his locker.

⠀⠀⠀Dominic rolls his eyes and throws his hands up, "I tried to tell you, but you said it was just allergies."

⠀⠀⠀Coach ignores Dominic and continues his speech, "The following people have made first line on a probationary basis. Emphasis on the word 'probationary.'"

⠀⠀⠀Wide-eyed, Stiles scans the room, glancing at Scott, who seems disinterested in the team meeting. Stiles straightens up, focusing on Coach.

⠀⠀⠀Finstock lifts the small sticky note in his hands to inspect the list of player names, "Rodriguez," he reads off slowly, "Welcome to the first line. Taylor... And, uh—." The Coach pauses, squinting at the paper, "Oh, for the love of crap. I can't even read my own writing. What is that? An 'S'?" He questions aloud.

⠀⠀⠀Stiles barely contain his eagerness, rising to hover above his seat, shaking in anticipation, silently hoping for his last name to be called. Stilinski...Stilinski.

⠀⠀⠀"No, no, wait." Coach immediately backtracks. Stiles deflates and falls back onto the bench as Coach Finstock continues, "That's not an 'S', that's a—That's a 'B'. That's a 'B'! It's definitely a 'B.'" He announces, "Uh, Rodriguez, Taylor, and, uh...Bilinski!"

⠀⠀⠀Stiles' head snaps up in excitement, "Ha! Aha!" He yells enthusiastically, rising to his feet, and lifting his arms above his head in triumph. He whoops and cheers, looking around the room with wide eyes, but he seems to be the only one affected by the incredible news.

⠀⠀⠀"Bilinski!" Coach Finstock yells at him with an unimpressed glare.

⠀⠀⠀"Yes?" Stiles asks quickly.

⠀⠀⠀"Shut up," Coach tells him.

⠀⠀⠀"Yes, sir," Stiles winces, sitting back down beside Scott as a couple of their teammates laugh.

⠀⠀⠀"Stiles—." Scott says to him quietly.

⠀⠀⠀"It's Biles," Stiles corrects quickly, "Call me Biles, or I swear to God, I'll kill you."

⠀⠀⠀"And another thing," Coach calls out, "from here on out, immediately, we're switching to co-captains. Congratulations McCall."

⠀⠀⠀Stiles looks at Scott in surprise and finds a similar look of astonishment on his face. Stiles nudges his knee against his best friend's excitedly as Jackson steps forward to stand beside Coach.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Jackson asks quietly.

⠀⠀⠀"What do you mean, 'What?'" Coach asks him, "Jackson, this takes nothing away from you. This is about combining separate strengths into one unit. This is about taking your unit, McCall's unit, and- We're making one big unit," Coach tells him assuredly, "McCall. It's you and Jackson now. Everybody else, asses on the field!"

⠀⠀⠀Coach blows his whistle in emphasis, and Stiles quickly grabs his duffle bag, standing up with Scott to walk to the front of the locker room.

⠀⠀⠀"Dude, can you believe this?" Stiles asks, "You're captain, I'm first line...I'm first freaking line!" He chuckles excitedly.

⠀⠀⠀They make their way out into the hallway, and Scott still hasn't spoken, so Stiles turns to his friend in confusion, readjusting his bag over his shoulder as they walk. "Are you not freaking out?" Stiles asks, still in disbelief at the events of the last two minutes. "I'm freaking out!"

⠀⠀⠀"What's the point?" Scott asks blankly, "It's just a stupid title. And—I could practically smell the jealousy in there."

⠀⠀⠀Stiles stops abruptly, pulling Scott to stop alongside him. "Wait. You can smell jealousy?" he asks, eyebrows knit in confusion.

⠀⠀⠀Scott nonchalantly shrugs, "Yeah. It's like the full moon's turned everything up to ten."

⠀⠀⠀"Oh," Stiles muses, veering off into a different thought, "Can you sense other things too? Like," he shrugs in an attempt at nonchalance, "I don't know...desire?"

⠀⠀⠀"What do you mean 'desire'?" Scott inquires.

⠀⠀⠀"Like...sexual desire," Stiles clarifies, punctuating his words with another shrug.

⠀⠀⠀"Sexual desire?" Scott repeats, his expression blank.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, sexual desire," Stiles repeats briskly, "Lust, passion, arousal."

⠀⠀⠀Scott heaves a sigh and casts his gaze down the hallway. Stiles follows suit after a beat, seeing Brietta exiting the girl's bathroom. She walks down the hall toward her locker, radiating a transcendental beauty as always. "From Brie?"

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Stiles scoffs a bit too quickly, "No. In a broad, general sense. Can you determine sexual desire?"

⠀⠀⠀"From Brie to you?" Scott raises his eyebrows in an unimpressed manner.

⠀⠀⠀"No, from Brie to us," Stiles corrects, a hint of frustration in his voice. After a moment's contemplation, Scott asks, "Are you talking about what you said the other day in the woods?"

⠀⠀⠀"Look," Stiles sighs, "I need to know if we actually have a chance, okay? We've been obsessing over her since we've known her, and if we say anything and she doesn't like us back—." Stiles inhales sharply and frowns, "We can't risk jeopardizing our friendship for nothing, dude."

⠀⠀⠀Scott nods slowly, a multitude of thoughts racing through his mind as Stiles continues, "Okay? So, please, can you just go up and drop some hints about us? See if her heartbeat rises, pheromones come out—."

⠀⠀⠀"Alright. Fine," Scott concedes, leaving to find Brietta.

⠀⠀⠀Stiles' mouth hangs open momentarily, "I love you," he calls out to Scott, "I love you. You're my best friend in the whole world!"

⠀⠀⠀Suppressing a smile, he bounces on his toes before dashing toward the lacrosse field, where practice awaits.

⠀⠀⠀Because he's on the first frickin' line.

⋅ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ ⚔ ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ─── ⋅

BRIETTA BLOWS OUT A HEAVY BREATH, tucking her hair behind her ears and eyeing herself in the school bathroom's mirror. Her gaze drops to her lips, noticing that her tinted lip balm has faded. She grumbles slightly before pulling it out of her pocket and reapplying it.

⠀⠀⠀Deciding not to linger in the girl's room any longer, she makes her way back into the hallway, heading to her locker to grab her jacket and backpack. Just a few yards from her locker, she hears Scott's voice calling out to her. "Hey, Brie! Can we talk for a second?"

⠀⠀⠀Turning around, she catches sight of Scott approaching her locker, clad in the maroon bulk of his practice jersey and lacrosse padding. "Yeah, of course," she agrees easily as he leads her into an empty office before softly closing the door behind them. "Coach had a team meeting, right? What happened?"

⠀⠀⠀Scott waves her off, "I made co-captain, and Stiles is starting. That's not—."

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, shit!" she yells excitedly, a laugh of surprise escaping her, "Are you serious? That's amazing, Scott! Where's Stiles? I need to—."

⠀⠀⠀"Just wait. That's not what I wanted to talk about," Scott interjects, guiding her back a few steps further into the room. Once he's pushed her to lean back against the teacher's desk at the front of the class, he releases her arm.

⠀⠀⠀"Okay, what? What's going on?" she asks immediately in concern, eyes raking over his face for some sort of clue. "Is this about earlier?"

⠀⠀⠀"Do you, uh...do you think the others are still mad at me for the other night?" He asks sadly.

⠀⠀⠀"Scott," she says softly, reaching out a hand to take his, "They'll get over it. You were a hero."

⠀⠀⠀"Really?" The look of hope on Scott's face makes her heart race, and she rubs her thumb softly along the back of Scott's hand.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," Brietta nods, "I mean, they may not realize it, but they will. You left to protect us, remember? Maybe they're not grateful, but—."

⠀⠀⠀"Are you grateful?" He asks, his voice lower than normal while the expression on his face changes into something Brietta can't quite decipher.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Brietta squeaks slightly, her head tilting slightly.

⠀⠀⠀"You," Scott repeats, "Are you grateful?"

⠀⠀⠀"Are you seriously asking me that?" Brietta asks, her soft smile returning, "You went out knowing that the Alpha was out there, just so you could get a key that would've saved us all," She shoves him lightly on his shoulder, "Of course I'm grateful."

⠀⠀⠀Before she can comprehend what's happening, Scott leans down into her space and brings his mouth down against hers.

⠀⠀⠀Brietta squeaks and pulls back slightly in surprise, but Scott steps closer and presses her more firmly against the desk. He brings a hand up to grip the hair at the base of her neck to keep their mouths pressed together.

⠀⠀⠀Before this moment, Brietta had only kissed one other boy. Theo Raeken. It was the night that he left Beacon Hills. Scott and Stiles had said their goodbyes, and Brietta had stayed to help Theo finish packing. One thing led to another, and he kissed her.

⠀⠀⠀Their kiss was a chaste one. This, however, was very much not.

⠀⠀⠀The second Brietta kisses Scott back is the same second that she feels a twisting feeling in her gut. She doesn't know how something can feel so right and so wrong synchronously, but this kiss was it.

⠀⠀⠀A little voice in her head whispers, "Stiles."

⠀⠀⠀Where would this leave her and Stiles? Where would this leave her and Scott? Where would this leave all of them?

⠀⠀⠀Brietta pries her head away and takes in a breath, "Scott—." She begins, but Scott's lips cover hers again before she can finish.

⠀⠀⠀Her heart begins to beat harder in her chest with adrenaline as the wood of the desk presses uncomfortably against the tops of her thighs. She pushes at Scott's shoulders, but with his newly acquired supernatural strength, he doesn't budge so much as an inch.

⠀⠀⠀She breaks the seal of their lips once more, but she only manages a shaky breath before he guides his mouth back over hers with the hand on the back of her neck. She pushes harder at his shoulders, leaning back over the desk as she does so in an attempt to put more space between them.

⠀⠀⠀When Scott's free hand brushes against the hem of her shirt, her stomach churns.

⠀⠀⠀Brietta tightens her shaking right hand into a fist as his fingers curl around her waist. Leaning back a few more inches, she breaks the seal of their mouths once again and swings her arm with as much force as she can muster in the limited space between their bodies. When her fist makes contact with Scott's jaw, he takes an immediate step back from her in surprise.

⠀⠀⠀"What the hell!?" he yells angrily, his hand rubbing at the spot where she'd hit him.

⠀⠀⠀"Me?" Brietta's eyes bulge incredulously, "Scott, what the fuck was that?" She yells back, her voice hitching as she pulls a deep breath into her lungs.

⠀⠀⠀In a fleeting moment, Brietta swears she glimpses a hint of remorse in Scott's eyes. But like a passing shadow, it disappears. "God, Brietta. You're a tease, you know that?" he glares at her, and her eyes fixate on the subtle trace of her lip balm coating his lips with a rosy hue.

⠀⠀⠀"Excuse me?" she asks in a hushed tone, her hands trembling, and as the residual surge of adrenaline fades, she registers a sharp ache in the knuckles of her right hand.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't act so innocent," Scott scoffs, his hand falling from his jaw, "You're always touching me. My arms, my neck? Have you forgotten all of the times we've nearly kissed? Oh," Scott chuckles with a venomous edge, "and don't even get me started on how many times you've done it to Stiles."

⠀⠀⠀Drawing an angered breath, Scott's eyes harbor an incomprehensible rage. A genuine fury directed at her.

⠀⠀⠀"Scott..." She begins, her voice wavering, but a sudden realization washes over her, "It—It's the full moon, isn't it? The moon's affecting you," She nods slowly, lifting her hand to delicately wipe at her lips, "We—We'll figure this out, okay? We just need to—."

⠀⠀⠀Before she can continue, he turns and storms out of the office.

⠀⠀⠀The ensuing silence leaves her ears ringing as she remains unmoving, leaning against the desk at the front of the room. Her gaze lingers on the door for a full minute, half expecting Scott to come back with an apology, but he never returns.

⠀⠀⠀Her hands still tremble as she lifts her right hand to inspect her sore knuckles. The joints redden and begin to swell, and as she clenches her fingers into a tight fist, a sharp pain radiates through her hand.

⠀⠀⠀Taking a couple of slow, tentative steps forward, she pushes out of the classroom. Despite people milling about in the hallway, their murmurs and footsteps are drowned by the heavy rush of blood filling her ears, her heart pounding relentlessly.

⠀⠀⠀Her backpack and jacket await in her locker, drawing her towards it.

⠀⠀⠀Arriving at her locker, her hands fumble with the lock, the metal slipping repeatedly from between her shaking fingers. A frustrated exhale escapes through her nose as she wills herself to calm down.

⠀⠀⠀The moon's influence over Scott is escalating, and she needs to compose herself if she plans to help him.

⠀⠀⠀After the padlock resists for the third time, she finds herself pulling and tugging at it hopelessly. When the lock remains obstinate, a sensation of heat prickles at her eyes as if she's on the verge of tears.

⠀⠀⠀"What, did you forget your combination?" A voice sounds beside her.

⠀⠀⠀She exhales sharply and looks up to find Dominic standing by her locker. As their eyes meet, his face twists with concern, and he extends a comforting hand.

⠀⠀⠀Brietta flinches away from Dominic's outstretched hand, her lips pursing to muffle a small whimper. Pressing her hand hard against her locker, her next few breaths are shallow, her lungs struggling for air.

⠀⠀⠀The sounds around her distort, and Brietta feels uncomfortably warm as if she might melt into nothingness.

⠀⠀⠀Her breathing becomes ragged, and her surroundings blur until darkness envelops her. Unsure of the passage of time, when her breathing eventually slows, she feels cold water against her cheeks and flinches slightly in a mix of surprise and fear.

⠀⠀⠀"Hey," Dominic's gentle voice murmurs in Brietta's ears, and he soothes her cheeks with a cool, damp paper towel once more, "You're coming back. Just stay with my voice, Brie."

⠀⠀⠀Brietta nods slowly, taking in her surroundings. At some point, Dominic brought her into the boys' bathroom. He kneels in front of her as she leans against the wall beside the row of sinks. The nearest tap runs with cold water, and Dominic periodically runs a paper towel beneath the rush before patting it against the flushed skin of Brietta's face.

⠀⠀⠀After a moment, Dominic watches Brietta's eyes fixate on him. Tilting his head with a soft, inquisitive smile, he asks, "You okay?"

⠀⠀⠀Expecting a simple 'yes,' Dominic is caught off guard as Brietta's response takes a different route. She breaks into tears, sobs filling the quiet space.

⠀⠀⠀Caught in an uncomfortable moment, Dominic pats away her tears, his hand moving to provide a comforting rub on her arm.

⠀⠀⠀As Brietta regains composure, she wipes her tear-streaked eyes, tucking her disheveled hair behind her ears with a sharp inhalation. "God," she murmurs softly, catching a shaky breath, "I don't know why I'm so emotional today."

⠀⠀⠀"Must be the full moon," Dominic suggests casually, causing Brietta's eyebrows to shoot up. "Excuse me?" Does he know something that he isn't supposed to?

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, you know, the word lunatic?" Dominic explains, waiting for Brietta's small nod of acknowledgment. "It comes from the word luna. Some people think that the full moon makes people crazy or—."

⠀⠀⠀"Or emotional," Brietta interjects, sniffling slightly.

⠀⠀⠀"Exactly," Dominic chuckles with a lightness that contrasts the heavy emotions, tearing off a piece of paper towel to dry her hands before delicately patting away the remaining dampness on Brietta's cheeks.

⠀⠀⠀As he withdraws, Brietta adopts a facade of nonchalance, saying, "But that's a myth."

⠀⠀⠀"Doesn't everything start out as a myth?" Dominic muses, rising from his kneeled position to turn off the tap. Surprising Brietta, he casually sits on the floor in front of her.

⠀⠀⠀"You have a point," Brietta concedes, a small, genuine smile gracing her lips.

⠀⠀⠀"You know..." Dominic begins, fidgeting with the damp paper towel, "I thought you still hated me," His words evoke a furrow in Brietta's brows. To clarify, Dominic adds, "For the, uh, ditching you after asking you on a date."

⠀⠀⠀"Oh," Brietta mumbles, her slightly red eyes widening slightly, "I did, but, um, I realized that I had other things to worry about. So, in hindsight, hating you is kind of pointless, especially since we were only fourteen."

⠀⠀⠀"So, you're basically saying that I'm irrelevant?" Dominic teases, a playful glint in his eye accompanied by a lazy smile that dispels any hint of seriousness.

⠀⠀⠀A laugh escapes Brietta's chest, and she playfully responds, "Basically, yeah."

⠀⠀⠀With a firm grip on the sink's edge, Brietta pulls herself to her feet, turning on the tap. She places her right hand under the cold water, sighing in relief as it washes over her swollen knuckles. Rising alongside her, Dominic stands beside her, offering silent support.

⠀⠀⠀"You're a good guy, you know that?" Brietta remarks, looking over at Dominic. A fleeting expression of doubt passes through his eyes, a familiar dubiety. He doesn't entirely buy her words.

⠀⠀⠀After a beat, Dominic shrugs, wearing a small smile. "It doesn't hurt to remind me."

⠀⠀⠀Observing him for a moment, Brietta pulls her hands from the water and dries them on a fresh strip of paper towel. "Well," she exhales a small breath, "we should get out on the field. Practice should be starting soon."

⋅ ─── ･ ｡ﾟ⟡ ⚔ ⟡ ˚｡ ･ ─── ⋅

STILES PRACTICALLY OOZES WITH ANXIETY AS HE WAITS OUTSIDE ON THE PLAYERS' BENCH, scanning the field for any sign of Scott or Brietta. His knee jerks up and down violently, and his heart beats hard beneath his ribs as his nerves intensify.

⠀⠀⠀After several minutes of anxiously waiting, he catches sight of Scott, and he can barely contain the urge to wait until Scott is sitting on the bench before bombarding him with questions. "Hey! What happened?" Stiles asks in nervous excitement, his lips threatening to pull up into a smile.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Scott responds distractedly, readjusting the Velcro on his glove and tightening it around his wrist.

⠀⠀⠀"What do you mean, 'what?'" Stiles asks incredulously, his eyes bulging slightly, "Did you ask her? Did she say anything? Did she express interest? Did she imply anything? Did she smell like she liked us?"

⠀⠀⠀"Uh, yeah, sure," Scott tells him unconvincingly, keeping his eyes on the field.

⠀⠀⠀The answer doesn't instill much confidence, and Stiles frowns at the lack of confirmation. He's about to ask Scott to clarify when the whistle blows for the start of practice, and Stiles sighs, pulling on his helmet as he rises from his seat and grabs his lacrosse stick.

⠀⠀⠀They step onto the field to begin drills, an offensive player charging at a couple of defenders and shooting on goal. Stiles stands behind Scott in the line of offensive players, waiting their turn to run through the drill.

⠀⠀⠀Scott seems to be breathing heavily already, shoulders rising and falling with excessive movements. Stiles frowns in confusion, leaning forward to speak over Scott's shoulder, "Dude, you okay? Look, I know we just got good news and all, but there's still seven hours until the full moon, okay? So—."

⠀⠀⠀The whistle pierces the air, signaling Scott to take his turn. He sprints forward, but his advance is abruptly stopped as the two defensive players forcefully send him crashing to the ground. Stiles winces, observing his friend rise to his feet with evident anger.

⠀⠀⠀Coach blows his whistle again, turning toward Stiles, "Who's next? Let's go!" He gestures for Stiles to step up, "You got a problem with that, Bilinski?"

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Stiles asks in surprise, readjusting his grip on his stick, "Uh, no—."

⠀⠀⠀"Alright! You're up, big boy. Let's go!" Coach commands Stiles.

⠀⠀⠀Stiles swallows, preparing to charge forward, but Scott reappears at the front of the line, aggressively thrusting his lacrosse stick into Stiles' chest. Stiles stumbles backward as Scott retrieves another ball, gearing up for his turn in the drill.

⠀⠀⠀"That's it, McCall!" Coach exclaims, "That's the spirit! You gotta earn it! Earn it, McCall!" Coach Finstock's whistle emits a soft sound, and Scott charges forward once more, heading toward the defenders.

⠀⠀⠀Scott forcefully shoulder-checks both defensive players, toppling them to the ground. Undeterred, he barrels toward Danny, the goalie. With a violent collision, Scott swings his stick at Danny's helmet, knocking him to the grass before effortlessly shooting the ball into the goal.

⠀⠀⠀Danny hits the ground hard, prompting everyone to rush over, anxiously calling out his name. Stiles watches as Scott tears off his helmet, taking a few steps to the side. Stiles follows suit, removing his own helmet and shaking his head in disbelief at his friend's ruthless behavior.

⠀⠀⠀"Dude," Stiles calls out as he approaches Scott, "What the hell are you doing?"

⠀⠀⠀Scott scoffs, "What? He's twice my size."

⠀⠀⠀Stiles glances over to where the sports paramedic is attending to their goalie's bleeding face before looking back at Scott beside him, "Well, yeah, but everybody likes Danny," Stiles reminds him, "Now everybody's gonna hate you."

⠀⠀⠀"I don't care," Scott huffs in annoyance before storming away to stand at the back of their teammates.

⠀⠀⠀Stiles stands stunned for a second before following Scott and joining the crowd of people clustered around Danny. Lydia and Brietta have both rushed into the crowd at some time.

⠀⠀⠀"What happened? Is he okay?" Brietta questions, standing between Lydia and Jackson.

⠀⠀⠀"Looks like he just has a bloody nose—." Jackson starts before trailing off, staring at the girl beside him with an amused look of confusion.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Brietta questions, looking up at him.

⠀⠀⠀"Chastener," Jackson chuckles quietly, motioning to his own lips, "Your lipstick's smudged."

⠀⠀⠀Stiles closes the final steps of the distance between himself and the group, and his eyes immediately gravitate to Brietta.

⠀⠀⠀When he discovers the subtle red tint that usually graces her lips smeared about her mouth, the glossy sheen smudged in a way that implies she's been kissed, his chest tightens. His stomach sinks sharply.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh," Brietta reaches up to blindly wipe at her mouth with the back of her jacket sleeve. Her wide eyes flicker over to where Scott is walking up to stand beside her, "I, um...I don't know how—."

⠀⠀⠀Stiles, though, is no longer paying attention to her nervous stuttering.

⠀⠀⠀Instead, his gaze is drawn to the gleaming red smudges that cover Scott's mouth. Stiles watches Brietta desperately try to remove the makeup from her mouth with a searing agony of betrayal as Scott's lips pull into a smirk.

⠀⠀⠀Stiles looks between the two of them with a growing pit in his stomach. His jaw clenches, forcing him to take a little step back as his mind rushes with fury he's never felt before, his pulse hammering violently in his chest.

⠀⠀⠀Just seven hours until the full moon is at its peak, Stiles tells himself. Then everything will go back to normal.

⠀⠀⠀But his heart crumbling in his chest suggests otherwise.

𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄

I personally think that I devoured with this chapter.

How do we feel about Theo being included in the flashbacks? I only just remembered that Theo was friends with them in the fourth grade, which is when Brietta meets Stiles and Scott.

I did change Brietta's grandma's name from Vera to Agnes (it was always supposed to be Agnes, but I forgot and used the old version's name 😑)

▍PUBLISHED . . 12/17/23 — ♡︎ ୫
© POETICLULLS, 2023