Chapter Text
“You're not going.”
“Pam.”
“No.”The woman says sharply, almost slamming her mug next to the sink. Her back turned to him.
“I've been off for a week, Pam, and I have an exam.” Theo stalks over to the sink, grabbing the mug to rinse it. “Isn’t it illegal to keep your kid away from school?” He doesn’t look back at her. But he can feel the tension leave the room.
“One more day? I’ll call in.”
He finally looks back. “Pam.”
“I worry!” she replies, looking scandalised.
“I’m fine, everyone says I’m fine.” The sheriff's department was super confused, though that was common.
She’s silent for a moment, staring up at him sadly, in a pair of scrubs that Theo was sure hadn’t been washed yet. There was a small yellow stain on the shoulder. He didn’t want to know what that was.
“Fine.” She mumbles.
Theo sets the mug onto the drying rack. “You’re late for work.”
Pam frowns, “No, I’m not.”
Theo points over to the microwave, bright neon numbers flash back at them obnoxiously.
Pam frowns more. “Yes, I am.” She sighs, her shoulders slumping. “Have a good day at school.” She says quietly, her voice lacking its usual joy.
“Have a good day at work.”
“Be careful, Theo.” She reached up and touched his cheek.
“I will.” He mumbled back to her, watching as she picked up her bag and walked out of the kitchen, waving softly at him on the way out. It’s a short trek from the kitchen back to his room. The curtains pulled shut over his window, dimming the space.
Theo was glad he hadn’t worn his jacket to school last week; it was his favourite. It hung in the same place it always did, over his desk chair. He swung the jacket over his shoulders, picked up his bag and walked out of his room.
Contrary to what Pam now thought, Theo did not think he was going to have a good day at school, or any for the foreseeable future.
_______________________
The Sheriff's department was watching the school, not surprisingly. But irritating. Everyone, students and staff, was on edge. The air smelled stale with the lingering scent of anxiety.
Theo wasn’t getting any weird looks, save for the usual. Thank god for the protection of minors, he thought. Though his lack of a locker door drew a few nosey stares. The legitimate lack of privacy was staggering—the thought of being attached to a door, a weird concept.
Though most of his peers learned long ago that lingering was a bad idea. So Theo thought it wouldn’t be that bad. He just wanted to get through the day without interacting with Scott and Stiles. And then get through the rest of the school year without talking to them ever again.
Last week had been enough excitement.
Unfortunately, Theo’s hopes for exclusion were dashed when he entered the exam room. The classroom was taken up by all of the people he didn’t want to see. Including Harris. He could scream. He’d trotted in behind a large group of students, catching a rather lucky break that neither Scott nor Stiiles had seen him.
Harris had, but the man in all his stoic cruelty granted Theo a kindness and ignored him. He sat at a table rather close to the door, only because there were hardly any other seats left.
He situated himself and hoped that Stiles went blind over the week he’d been gone. He was a larger problem than Scott.
“You have 45 minutes to complete the test.” Harris drolled on with his usual leer. “25% of your grade can be earned right now simply by writing your name on the cover of the blue book.” Theo did so.
“However, as happens every year, one of you will inexplicably fail to put your name on the cover, and I’ll be left yet again questioning my decision to ever become a teacher.” Harris continued, idly leaning against the lectern in front of him.
“So let’s get the disappointment over with.” Harris held up a stopwatch, clicking on a button, causing an audible beep. It was that quiet. “Begin.” The only sound to be heard was the rustling of paper and Harris sitting in his chair. That and the ever-present erratic heartbeat of every anxiety-ridden student taking the exam. Though Theo was actively going to ignore that going forward.
Theo spent his time absentmindedly reading through and answering the multiple-choice questions. Ignoring Stiles, as every few minutes the boy would send Theo a side eye so aggressive, he could feel it on the side of his face. Instead of engaging, Theo focused on being a good student and the ticking clock hanging over the blackboard.
Theo noticed Scott abruptly leaving the classroom. As did all the other occupants of the classroom who, like him, watched Scott leave. “Mr. McCall?” Harris called out after him, but made no move from his desk otherwise.
Stiles swiftly moved to follow him, though leaving his bag behind. “Mr. Stilinksi!” Harris called after Stiles.
Theo very quickly returned to his paper. Not my problem.
___________________________
As weird as it was to think about a table being ‘his rightful place,’ Theo was glad to be sitting across from Boyd at their table—his rightful place. With Boyd quietly picking off his tray and Theo reading through a random textbook he’d pulled from his bag.
No Scott and Stiles in sight, just the natural noise of a high school cafeteria.
“So what happened to you?” Boyd’s mumbling pulled him away from his book.
Theo looked up. Boyd was still picking at the food on his tray, “What?”
The larger boy glanced at him ‘You don’t usually skip,” he clarified, his face passive as always.
“Uh, medical thing,” Theo answered carefully.
“Same as last time?” Boyd asked quietly, a slight lilt to his voice. Theo caught the familiar scent of worry.
“Sort of, doctor wasn’t worried.” They were, they’d been worried since his episodes had started happening. But nowadays it was more Pam than anything. Boyds scent cleared at his answer, though.
“And your locker?”
“No idea, dude.” Theo’s face draws into a small smile. Shaking his head in feigned disbelief.
Boyd smiles back in a way that only Boyd really does.“That really sucks, man.”
“So does, I feel like my neighbours are reiving down my neck.” Theo slumps back into his chair.
The two boys fall into a steady rhythm of conversation. One that lasts for the remainder of lunch. Even though it had only been a week, Theo missed talking to Boyd.
______________________
Contrary to what Theo had believed this morning, that day had actually been good. He’d successfully avoided Scott and Stiles. Aced his test–in his opinion– and had a pretty good conversation with a peer. His life at its most normal. School had let out some time ago, and he had briefly heard the lacrosse team head out for practice.
Theo decided to spend his free time in the library instead of going home. He'd spent too much time cooped up in his room in the past week, so it made the library feel like a sanctuary.
He had picked up a random book on biology and was happily situated against a wall in clear sight of the main desk. He was halfway through a chapter on Evolution when he heard it. An erratic heartbeat that, at this point in the day, he’d given up on listening for. Figuring with the sky darkening and the other boys' status on the lacrosse team, he would have left by now.
He had only seconds of reaction time. Those of which he used to look up to the doorway. Stiles’ face now peaking out from the side. Staring right at him. They held each other's gaze for a moment unblinking. The other boy was red in the face and huffing in the way he usually did when he exercised.
Theo chose to ignore the boy's presence and return to his book. With a fragile hope that Stiles would just leave him alone. Theo knew that was futile, but he hoped.
Stiles came to a stop in front of him. “I need your help.”
Theo didn’t look up from his book. “No.”
Stiles made an idescript sound, and Theo wasn’t going to try to decipher it.
“Scott did something.”
“Uh huh.”
“I want you to help me lock him up.” Stiles said way too loudly.
Theo finally looks up. “No.”
Stiles shrugs, “Or we could talk about last week.”
“I mean, we should really talk about it.” Theo just stares.
“I mean, I got some things from my dad, but he was on the phone, and I couldn’t really get anything other than the naked thing—”
Theo slams his book shut. “Stiles, shut up. Fine.” He stands up, shouldering his bag and walking back over to the shelf where he found his book, returning it.
“Yay.” Stiles does a little dance. His face looked way too happy for Theo’s taste.
So he shoved the other boy. Not lightly. “Shut up, Stiles,” Theo mumbles irritably, stalking past the boy, who was now on the ground. Walking out of the library, a peaceful afternoon now thoroughly out the window.
The drive to the McCall house, as Theo had only figured out when they got there, was mostly quiet, thank god. Theo sat in a more agitated silence, while Stiles seemed more physically buzzing. Theo caught a more lingering scent of anger. Becoming less and less amused about having to watch Scott and Stiles argue again.
“You know you left this a bit late.”
“What?” Stiles asks, pulling a bag from the back seat that clanked as he handed it to Theo.
“It's his second full moon.” Theo pushes the door shut. “You probably should have locked him up yesterday.” He said almost sarcastically, following behind Stiles.
Theo wasn’t all that surprised when Stiles pulled out a key to the McCall house. More interested in listening to the steady heartbeat of whom he assumed was Melissa McCall waiting for them inside the house. Whether Stiles knew she was there or not, Theo wasn’t going to say anything.
Stiles unlocked the door, pushing it open to most of the lights in the room being on. Theo followed behind him, grabbing the bag Stiles had been holding so that the other boy could lock the door. Situating himself against the wall between the front door and the living room, where he could hear Melissa.
“Scott?” Melissa came around the corner dressed in scrubs. Shouldering her handbag, holding her hospital nametag.
“Stiles,” Stiles said with a stupid grin on his face.
“And Theo.” Theo waved slightly.
Melissa smiled lightly in his direction, though wholly confused. Looking down at Stiles hand, still holding the house key. “Key!” She pointed to it.
Stiles holds it up. “Yeah. I had one made, so…”
Theo looks over at him, bewildered. “Oh, my god.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” She turns away from Stiles. “It scares me, but it doesn’t surprise me.”
Melissa looks over at Theo, looking as if she’s going to speak to him before noticing the bag he’s holding. “What is that?” She points at it, but is looking at him. Theo just looks at her. Pursing his lips, not really caring to think of an answer.
“Uh, school project. ” Stiles answers.
“Yeah, group project,” Theo says quietly, looking over to Stiles.
Melissa nods. “Hmm.” She looks between the two of them. “Stiles, he’s okay, right?”
“Who? Scott? Yeah. totally.”
“He just doesn’t talk to me much anymore, not like he used to” Theo's senses are overwhelmed with melancholy and sadness.
Stiles pulls a weird face that makes Theo want to slap his forehead. Well, he’s had a bit of a rough week.”
“I mean, his girlfriend broke up with him.” Theo cuts in bluntly. Prompting Stiles to swat at him, missing terribly.
Melissa shakes her head lightly. Smiling softly at the two of them, the melancholic scent lifted slightly. “Yeah, yeah, I get it. Yeah.”
She nodded, looking away from them. “Um, okay. Be careful tonight,” she says, putting her nametag into her bag.
“You, too.” Stiles shoots finger guns.
Theo nods lightly. “Yeah.”
Melissa pulls out her car keys. “Full moon.” It drops abruptly like a bomb.
“What?” Stiles looks bewildered.
“There's a full moon tonight.” Melissa huffs, “You should see how the ER gets. Brings out all the nut jobs”
“Yeah, Pam’s mentioned something about that,” Theo says casually in reply.
Melissa laughs, smiling wider at Theo, “It’s why she likes day shifts so much.”
Stiles looks between them, “Okay, right. Yeah.” He laughs uncomfortably.
Melissa walks closer to Stiles. “Y’know it’s actually where they came up with the word ‘lunatic.” The look on Stiles' face as she walked by him was wildly entertaining.
“Hey, Theo.” She stops just before opening the door, looking over to him.
He doesn’t answer outright, just looks at her. She’s smiling at him in a similar way that Pam does, warmly. “It's good to see you're okay.” She waves at him before opening the door and leaving. Theo listens to her walk down the steps. Deciding not to dwell on the interaction, slowly turning back to Stiles. Who seems to be staring at the stairs.
“Y’know, you never actually told me what Scott did,” Theo says, smirking. Picking up on an erratically beating heart lurking upstairs. Choosing not to tell Stiles that the best friend he was hoping to lock up was currently sitting upstairs and knew they were there.
“Oh, now you're having fun.” Quips Stiles sarcastically as he rips the bag from Theo's grip. “Shut up, Theo,”
“Hurry up, Stiles,” Theo says as they slowly make their way up the stairs. “ You have no idea when Scott's gonna get home.”
Stiles pushes open the door to the room that Theo assumed to be Scott's. As the boy was currently inside it. Much to Theo’s amusement, Stiles drops the bag and turns on the light. Spotting Scott sitting in a chair across the room, glaring.
Stiles yelps loudly. “Oh, my god!” Theo snickers behind him and continues to linger outside the threshold of the bedroom.
“Dude. You scared the hell out of me.”
Theo stops snickering as Scott continues to glare. The blank stare on Scott's face morphed Theo's lighthearted amusement into mild concern. Theo leaned forward more in an attempt to catch onto Scott's emotions, finding nothing.
“Your mom said you weren’t home yet” Stiles picks up the bag and walks towards Scott, dropping the bag at his feet. The clinking of the chain echoes through Theo's ears as he moves forward after Stiles. Scott's eyes remain on him, ignoring Theo.
“I came in through the window.” Scott's voice was devoid of emotion; the hair on the back of Theo's neck stood. Sliding his hands into his pockets, a chill ran down his spine.
“Okay.” Stiles drawled, clearly creeped out.
“Uh, well, Let get this set up.” Stiles started unzipping the bag, “I want to see what I bought.”
“I’m fine.” Scott all but spits out.
“You’re really not,” Theo spoke up. Drawing Scott's glare to him briefly.
“Im gonna lock the door and go to bed early tonight.”
“That's a stupid idea.” Theo shoots back. Moving forward more, putting himself just to the side of Stiles, who was still squatting in front of the bag.
“Yeah, you sure about that? ‘Cause you’ve got kind of serial killer look going on in your eyes,” Stiles gestures at his own eyes, “and I'm hoping it's the full moon taking effect 'cause it's really starting to freak me out."
“Y’know, should be,” Theo says, looking down at Stiles, more in a way to irritate Scott. “But, you can never be too sure.” He looks back at Scott, smiling wryly, who turns his blank stare on Theo.
“I'm fine,” Scott says blankly. “ You two should go now.”
Stiles is silent for a moment. “ All right, we’ll leave.”
Stiles sighs, slapping his hand onto the bag. “Well, look would you just at least look in the bag and see what I bought?”
“You know, maybe you use it maybe you don’t” He shrugs. “Sound good?”
Scott continues to stare for a moment before leaning forward out of the chair, finally. Standing up and glaring at Stiles as he approaches the bag. Theo silently pulls his hands out of his pockets.
Theo stood over Stiles, who was still on the ground near the bag. Scott squats down opposite him, reaching into the bag, pulling out the chains. Holding them up in his fist.
“You think I'm gonna let you put these on and chain me up like a dog?” Scott smears, letting the chains drop back into the bag.
“Actually, no.” Stiles yanks a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and attaches Scott to the radiator under the window. Scurrying away back toward the door. Theo snickers at the boy's predicament.
“What the hell are you doing?” Scott grunts. Pulling at his cuffed wrist.
“Protecting you from yourself and giving you some payback.” Stiles looks down at Scott, who glares up at him. “For making out with Lydia.”
Theo pulls a face beside him, grimacing. “What?” he mumbles more to himself than anyone else.
Scott's glare turns to him, scathing and unlike anything Theo had ever seen on the other boy's face. It turns outright evil as the other boy seems to contemplate something.
“It's not like you haven't thought about it.” Scott spits out with a chuckle. His eyes were dazed, and his movements almost manic. Pulling harshly at his wrist. Theo isn’t entirely sure who Scott is speaking to.
Theo could smell sadness begin to replace the anger in Stiles. Neither boy says anything in reply to Scott.
“Let me out.” Scott pleads wettly.
Stiles and Theo continue to stare.
“Let me out!” He yells, pulling again, and Theo sees Stiles flinch back, at the corner of his eyes. The sound of the handcuffs creaking rang through Theo's ears.
Abruptly, Theo strode forward and punched Scott in the face. Whose head flung back with a crunch, before he slunk down with a thunk noise.
The two boys are silent for a moment, save for Stiles heavy breathing and erratic heartbeat.
“Did you just knock him out?” Stiles almost stumbles forward to look at the downed boy.
“Yep,” Theo answers quietly, his fist still held up beside him.
Stiles squints and brings himself closer to Scott. “I think you broke his nose.”
“Probably.” Theo shrugs. Turning around and sitting down on Scott's bed.
“Man. I was really hoping to show him this.” Stiles reaches down into the bag and pulls out a dog bowl. Theo raises an eyebrow, leaning back on his arms. Stiles turns the bowl around and holds it out in Theo's direction, showing him Scott's name crudely written on the white plastic.
Theo felt the laugh bubble up his throat, but it was louder than he expected it to be. Not full-bodied but louder than he’d laughed in a while, to his memory. Shaking his head, Theo leans forward with his hands over his knees, folded over. Looking up at Stiles, who had this dopey, proud look on his face.
“You should just leave it there.” Theo nodded over at Scott, “He’ll wake up soon.”
Stiles nods, the dopey look turning to a smile. Putting the bowl down in front of Scott's limp body, pouring water into it giddily. “Hey,” Stiles says after a moment. “How come this isn’t affecting you?”
“I’ve been doing this for a lot longer.” Theo drolls. His head lolling slightly, any amusement he’d had prior seemed to drain from him instantaneously. “Got turned a lot younger.” He continues quietly.
“That happened when you were—”
“Nine, Stiles.” Theo interrupts. “I was nine years old.” He looks back over at Stiles.
“So after your—” Stiles suggestively waves his hands.
‘You can say it, Stiles. It's a name.” Theo smiles without warmth, “After, Tara.”
“And your parents?”
“Dead Stiles.” Theo straightened, sitting stiffly.
“What about your alpha?” A look of confusion crossed Stiles' face as he looked past Theo, who was struggling with the urge to punch Stiles.
“Dead. Stiles, very dead.” Theo speaks slowly, beforending up and slapping the side of Stiles' head.
“Ow dude, come on.” Stiles rubs his head, glaring at him.
“Common sense, dude, come on.” Theo deadpans. Both boys moving closer to the door of Scott's room.
“So who taught you?” Stiles asks, still rubbing his head.
“Taught me?” Theo raises an eyebrow.
“To y’know, not do this.” Stiles gestures wildly in Scott's direction.
Standing in the doorway now, Theo could see the genuine curiosity stirring in Stiles' expression. “Other werewolves, I guess,” Theo says softly, looking down the hallway at a window. “I guess, I've never really had that much of—”
Theo and Stiles are suddenly struck with water, “I'm gonna kill you!” The dog bowl clattered loudly on the floor. Theo slowly shakes the water from his sleeve, moving to clap Stiles on the shoulder, “Payback, right?” Theo saunters into the hallway.
“I'm gonna plug my ears or something.” He mumbles to himself, though entirely serious, as he continues and walks down the stairs. He wasn’t gonna deal with an argument between a scorned Stiles and an essentially drunk Scott.
Not happening.
“Anything!” Theo heard Scott almost roar. It reverberated through his ears like it was going through a loudspeaker, and Theo decided to sit at the bottom of the stairs. Tried his best to ignore Scott's ongoing pleas, the screaming as the moon came out from behind the clouds.
It wasn’t like Theo couldn’t feel the full moon; he’d just learned to get a handle on it. Been forced to handle it. If something went wrong, he didn’t have someone like Stiles. He’d never had anyone for that. The first few months after Theo returned to Beacon Hills were the worst of his life.
He’d try his hardest, but more times than he could count, he’d wake up in random places around Beacon Hills and not remember how he’d gotten there. So is the influence of the full moon on a werewolf. Even one like him.
Theo was okay with that now. The lull of the full moon pulling at the back of his head, always lurking. He’d learnt to live with it.
Theo could hear Scott growling from downstairs, but beneath that, he could just pick up on the rattling of the handcuff keeping him there. He could smell the blood of where Scott must have begun to tear up his wrist in a frantic attempt to escape. Theo pushes himself to his feet.
Too slow to do anything to stop Scott from jumping out the window, but quick enough to chase him out the front door. Briefly hearing Stiles call for Scott as he darts off into the woods.
The woods are mostly silent, save for Scott's breathing and any animals darting to avoid him. Theo thinks he sees Scott almost trip over a tree on the way to wherever he seems to be going, and Theo doesn’t think he’ll catch up until Scott stops. In the distance, he can smell oil, and talking, he isn't bothered to decipher as he sees Scott go onto all fours.
Theo finally catches up to Scott when they reach a car park. But the sight of Allison and Jackson sitting in a car stops him from approaching. Scott is some distance in front of him, shifted from what Theo can see from behind. “Scott!” Theo grits out, though is ignored as Scott launches forward, towards the car.
Theo moves to follow him, but is stopped when he’s grabbed by the back of the neck. He’s shoved back against another car harshly and given little time to see Derek running at Scott. Takling Scott of the roof and back into the woods. Theo moves quickly to follow. Weaving around the cars and following the sound of the ongoing fight.
Or more accurately, Scott is getting thrown around by Derek, as Theo comes to see. He rests behind a tree, choosing to witness the fight rather than participate. It ends when Derek roars in Scott's face. Loud enough that Theo worried the two fleeing teenagers may still be close enough to hear it.
Theo moves closer as Scott skurries away from Derek, frantic and fearful. Seeming to have come back to his senses, staring down at his clawed hands with newfound clarity.
“What’s happening to me?”
“Exactly what he wants to happen.” Derek looks down at Scott, then looks at Theo with a look he can't decipher.
He looks back at Scott, “Get up.” Derek starts walking away. Back in the direction they'd come from. Grabbing Theo by the arm to tug along too.
“I can walk,” Theo grunts, looking at the now normal puppy face of Scott.
“Then walk,” Derek grunts right back.
_______________________________
“Sit.” Derek pointed to the McCalls' living room.
“I’m not a dog.” Theo retorted, through gritted teeth, narrowing his eyes at the older man and at Scott, who was standing at the bottom of the staircase, almost dazed.
Derek levelled a glare at Theo “Sit.”
Theo, having to listen to Derek lie to Scott about a cure for lycanthropy, had to be some sort of highlight for Theo. Because Derek was a good liar. Not that Theo thought Scott would actually notice an irregular heartbeat unprompted.
“You are such a liar.’ Theo whispered under his breath before Derek could even make it downstairs. Which only ended with Theo being dragged out of the house, onto the street.
“This isn’t nearly far enough,” Theo taunts gravely. “What happens when Scott finally wises up and starts listening?”
“Who’s the Alpha?”
“I don’t know.” Theo looks lopsidedly at Derek, “Why would I know?” He almost laughs.
“How are you still alive?” Derek was holding him up by his jacket, “It left you alive” To Theo, it seemed almost desperate.
“I don't know, I don't remember,” Theo shrugs, as much as he can in his position.
“Tried to rip my leg off or something.” Theo kicks his left leg out, “I had to hide that for a few days.” He grimaces at the reminder. "That's it, though." Theo looks Derek in the eyes. He could see the man's brain turning behind his eyes.
Derek lets him go, leaving Theo to straighten out his jacket. “Go home.” Derek glares at him in a way that Theo was sadly getting used to.
“That's it?” Theo grunt.
“Go. Home.” Theo holds up his hands in mock surrender but doesn’t argue. Anything to avoid a continued conversation with Derek Hale.
Theo walks away from Derek, pulling out his phone, seeing an abundance of texts and missed calls from Pam. Sighing in despair.
She’s gonna kill me.