Stiles & Peter PSL

[made_up_names]

Spoilers for NWH here.

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[threeisapattern]

I, uh. [He thought he was prepared to talk about this when he came here, but he also thought it would be necessary for saving Peter's life. Now he's... not really sure what's happening, and it's starting to feel like there's something constricting his breath just talking about this.] Yeah. I did.

[made_up_names]

[ Past tense AND a miserable face, huh. Peter's expression softens. ]

Someone you were close to, huh.

[threeisapattern]

Something like that.

[He swallows. Clears his throat. Tries to change the subject because this was supposed to be about Peter, not him:] So, uh - what happened with you?

[made_up_names]

[ Right, him. Oof. Where does he start?

... That raises a question, doesn't it. ]

I'm definitely going to answer that but um. How do you know me? Do you remember - um - a big mess recently?

[threeisapattern]

I kinda knew you from Midtown, but you mean the whole... media circus thing, I remember that, too. [He's just not going to say the specifics out loud, out of politeness.]

[made_up_names]

[ Peter REALLY appreciates that, Stiles. And he gets your meaning immediately. Which raises more questions, but first-- ]

-- Yeah, we were in AP classes together, right? I mean, as much as I could concentrate on class and. Stuff.

[threeisapattern]

Yeah, a couple. I didn't really... make a lot of friends there, so I don't think we talked much. [Much more of this conversation is now based on lightly stepping around some serious bullshit than he was thinking, so this is fun.]

[made_up_names]

Yeah, no, I. I was busy too.

[ Peter gulps in a breath. ]

I was trying to undo that. My name getting out. I mean, if it was just me? I could have coped with that. But MJ and Ned were getting dragged in too.

[threeisapattern]

Was this the only way? [He doesn't mean to sound judgy - he hopes he doesn't sound judgy - he's just kind of still horrified by the concept of doing this to yourself intentionally.]

[made_up_names]

[ Peter winces a little anyway. ]

At first? Probably not. I kind of - I mean, it had been months of that stuff, I wasn't thinking straight.

... I asked for too many modifications. It caused a ton of problems. And to fix them, Strange had to recast it flat. No exceptions.

[threeisapattern]

Wow. Okay. [This absolutely did not go the way Stiles expected it to. He doesn't really know much about the Strange Peter's talking about - the sorcerer guy, he thinks? In another life, he probably would've been absolutely crazy about superheroes, but after Scott was bit by a feral werewolf, he thinks some of the charm went away.] I don't... really know why I would be the exception, then.

[made_up_names]

I don't know either, man. No offense, but you really didn't make my short list.

[ A beat. And something more vulnerable softens his face. ]

I'm glad you do remember, though. That somebody does.

[threeisapattern]

[The thing about Stiles is that he has a habit of just deciding that someone is His Person, come hell or high water. He did that with Scott, and Lydia, and the pack, and now even though they're still his in some way, they're also not. And consciously or not, he's been avoiding letting that happen again because he's not sure how he could handle it.

Right now, seeing that look on Peter's face, he's pretty sure Peter just became one of His People.] Yeah. Sorry it's me, and not someone who actually knew you, but - [He kind of shrugs helplessly.]

[made_up_names]

No, it's - I'll take it? Um, I mean that in the nicest way possible. I swear.

[ He really does mean it. That flicker of relief is small, but it is bright. ]

[threeisapattern]

Okay. So.

[This feels very backwards, but he holds out his hand for Peter to shake.] It's Stiles. Stilinski. If you didn't know or didn't remember or whatever.

[made_up_names]

[ Peter brightens with recognition as he shakes Stiles' hand. (Firm grip.) ]

Stiles! I knew it started with an S. I just couldn't remember what it was.

[threeisapattern]

Yeah, it's cool. It's not that common a name. [Particularly given that it's not really a name so much as a nickname. Anyway.] So, uh, what were you up to? Before I barged in.

[made_up_names]

Um -

[ He pulls his arm back, showing Stiles the GED prep book. ]

Well. You know. Everyone and everything forgot me, so. No more high school, I guess.

[threeisapattern]

[...Huh. So this is what would've happened if he'd come back from the Wild Hunt with no one's memories intact somehow.] - Right. Cause your school records disappeared. Crap.

[made_up_names]

Yeah. I mean, at least there's resources for people disappearing like this? With the Blip and all. So they're helping me get things like my social security number and birth certificate worked out.

[threeisapattern]

Okay. Good. Cool. [Because his brain was absolutely heading towards oh shit, Peter doesn't exist at all and wondering if he was, like, completely undocumented now.] That's... going okay?

[made_up_names]

[ Peter hesitates at that. Because of course it isn't going okay, but he's had no one to talk to about it, and - hell, what does he expect Stiles to do here? It's great someone remembers him, but... ]

I mean - yeah? I'm making it work. I'm getting better at food delivery stuff for sure. A-and FEAST has a food bank, and they got me a solid winter coat, so I can leave my heat off and probably squeak by on rent this month.

[threeisapattern]

Do you... need help? [Stiles doesn't really know what he can do about this, given that him and his dad are not really in great shape either. Half the world is broke and struggling to reclaim their lives still, and Stiles and his dad aren't really the exception.]

[made_up_names]

[ Honestly? Yes. Yes he does. There is SO much unsaid even in that small admission.

But, you know. Half the world IS still broke and struggling to reclaim their lives; Peter has seen that up close and personal now. He hesitates for a long moment. ]

Yeah. No. I'm fine. I mean, it's not easy, but I'm figuring it out.

[threeisapattern]

You sure? I don't really now what I could do, but that doesn't sound... great. [He and his dad weren't in amazing financial shape before the blip, but they never had to wear heavy winter coats indoors to save money on heating.]