Work Text:
It took Scott just over two months to finally reach out to Stiles.
Stiles thought it was disingenuous of Scott to track Stiles down to his dad's house on a night he was alone, preparing dinner for the Sheriff and Derek.
John had taken Derek with him to look at a case to see if there might have been anything supernatural involved. Stiles figured he'd reward them both by making dinner while they were out working.
The only good thing was that the wards Stiles had set up let him know Scott was on the property. Scott walked into the Sheriff's house without knocking, like he had when they were in school. As if the past few years had not happened.
"Hey!" Stiles said without turning around from the stove. "Take a seat. Let me finish what I'm doing here."
"Umm... sure..." Scott replied.
Stiles heard Scott settle at the kitchen table.
Stiles took his time working on the ragout, stirring the beef and vegetables together and making sure the sauce had the right spices. He ladled the contents into a casserole dish and then scraped the pan to get all of the sauce. Stiles put a cover on the dish and slid it into the oven.
He turned to face his boyhood friend. "So. What's up?"
Scott shrugged. "Just thought I'd check in. See how things are going."
"Going okay, I guess," Stiles replied easily. "Nothing special going on right now. Dad and Derek are out working, so I figured I would start dinner."
"Nothing happening? Like, around town?" Scott asked.
"Pretty quiet, really."
"That's good!" Scott nodded.
Stiles just waited in silence.
Scott finally asked, "Do you... like see anyone from my Pack?"
"Some," Stiles said.
"It's just... well, I don't get to see anyone anymore," Scott sighed.
"Anyone in particular?"
"Oh... maybe... Lydia. Or... Alex and Cherry," Scott replied. "And you, too." He rubbed a hand over his mouth. "Like... I miss my friends!"
"Huh."
"Yeah. See... Deaton thinks... well, he's not sure, but anyway. Maybe if I could be around some of the Pack, I could become a 'wolf again."
"Oh?"
Scott nodded earnestly. "Yeah! Even better, since I was a True Alpha, that maybe being around the Pack would help me become a True Alpha again."
"Deaton says?" Stiles asked calmly.
More nodding. "Yeah. I haven't seen anyone since... well, in a while and it's been hard. All my friends were in the Pack and without them, well, it's kind of lonely."
Stiles waited some more. Waited for Scott to start shifting uncomfortably in place.
"Scott. It's been two months since you've made any effort to even contact me," Stiles said. "Not a call or a text. Nothing."
"I've been busy!" Scott protested. "Going to school and working at Deaton's!"
"And seeing Jessie Starr," Stiles added softly.
Scott reddened. "Well, yeah! Why not?"
"No reason, just you can't have it both ways, Scott. You can't complain about not seeing anyone yet you have a new girlfriend that you've spent all of your free time with."
"But we have classes together!" Scott defended himself. "We study together and she sometimes helps out at Deaton's."
"But you don't have two minutes to send a simple text?" Stiles asked.
"I just... I thought it would be easier to see you in person and that we could hang out for a bit. Like we used to!"
"Scott. Even before... you and I haven't hung out for over a year and a half!" Stiles pointed out.
"No! We... over Christmas... we got together!" Scott replied.
"Scott. You never came over here," Stiles replied. "Dad and I came to see you and your mom the day after Christmas and you left the second that dinner was over. You had 'pack things' that you needed to do that night. I spent more time with your mom over Christmas than with you."
Scott wriggled in place. "But it was important!"
Stiles shrugged. "I guess it was. Whatever. But you haven't made any effort." He took a breath. "You're my oldest friend but, well, you're not my best friend anymore."
"Stiles!"
"Scott."
Scott looked miserable for a moment. "Deaton says he can't do anything for me. Whatever you did that night, he can't undo it."
"It was what you wanted."
"But you can undo it!" Scott said firmly.
"I don't even know what I did," Stiles admitted. "That night was kind of like the night you became the True Alpha. We have no idea what happened then to make you the True Alpha and I have no idea what really happened to take away your Alpha spark. There is no going back."
"Deaton says..."
"Deaton doesn't know anything, does he?" Stiles asked softly.
Scott shook his head.
"You really, really wanted to be human again, Scott. You got your wish. You even had your asthma cured. Why did you come here?"
"I liked being in charge, okay?" Scott admitted. "I liked being the Alpha, the one everyone looked up to! I never was that before and now... now I'm nothing!"
"You are Scott McCall," Stiles replied firmly. "You have a great mom. Your dad may be a douche but you still have him. You have a girlfriend who likes you. You're well on your way to be a good vet. Your life is pretty drama free. What's wrong with that?"
"I'M NOT THE ALPHA!" Scott shouted, standing up from the chair.
Stiles let that echo in the room for a moment.
"You're right. You're not."
Scott stared, wide-eyed. "Fix it!"
"I can't."
"You won't."
"I can't."
Scott huffed in frustration.
"What's Cherry's usual drink?" Stiles asked.
"What? How should I know?" Scott looked puzzled.
"Why do you call him Alex?" Stiles persisted.
"It's his name!" Scott replied.
"Cherry likes diet Coke best but she'll never say no to a cappuccino," Stiles replied. "And her boyfriend hates being called Alex and wants to be called Alexander."
"So?"
"So. You're telling me you miss your 'friends' yet you don't know basic things about them," Stiles said carefully. "The Pack you hung out with were Pack mates but I'm not sure they were friends. Oh, they were friendly but it was mostly because they needed an Alpha."
"I was a great Alpha!" Scott protested.
"Maybe. Maybe not." Stiles waved a hand. "You're not their Alpha anymore and you've made no effort to be their friend. Or anyone's friend."
"I told you, I don't have time. I'm busy," Scott replied.
"Okay then. It's your choice," Stiles said easily. "Friends and Pack take time. It's more than being in charge. You have to get to know your Pack, take care of them, spend time with them. And, you're not the Alpha. So it's no longer your responsibility to do that. If you want to be friends with members of the Pack, you can do that. Call them. Spend time with them. We're not stopping you from doing that."
Stiles had heard the cars but Scott evidently did not.
"Scott! Didn't know you were coming over!" John said cheerfully as he came into the kitchen. Derek stood in the hall behind John.
"Hey! How are you?" Scott asked.
"Good," John replied. "Stiles! Smells good in here. Let me get washed up and changed."
"Not a problem!" Stiles replied. "Figured you'd need time to do that. Dinner won't be ready for at least half an hour."
John went up the stairs.
Derek nodded at Scott and came into the kitchen.
"Hey, you!" Stiles said softly. He leaned in and gave Derek a soft kiss. "You need to clean up or anything?"
Derek nodded. "Yeah. Just a quick cleanup."
"Plenty of time," Stiles nodded. As Derek started to turn away, Stiles snagged his hand and stole another kiss. "I did laundry, there are sweats in the bathroom you can wear."
Derek went down to the bathroom they had added to the basement. Stiles watched as Scott frowned -- Scott didn't know about the second bathroom and seemed frustrated at that.
"Scott. I don't know what to tell you," Stiles said. "I can't help you. You need to help yourself."
"But.."
"Go home. Talk to your mom. She'll tell you the same thing but maybe you'll believe her, even if you won't believe me," Stiles said. Stiles and Derek had spent several evenings talking with Melissa, explaining what they knew about what had happened.
"Stiles!" The tone was frustrated but at least it wasn't demanding.
"When you have time, give me a call and we can talk some more," Stiles said.
Scott looked at his watch. "Damn. I have to be to work shortly!"
"Have a good night," Stiles said as he walked Scott to the door. He watched as Scott pulled out and drove off down the street.
Derek came up behind him and wrapped his arms around Stiles' waist. He nuzzled into Stiles' neck.
"You okay?" Derek asked softly.
Stiles sighed. "Yeah. I guess."
"Surprised he hasn't come around before this," Derek said.
"Scott's finally noticed he doesn't have any friends," Stiles said. "Well, outside of Jessie."
"Scott's always been single-minded," Derek replied. "Although I'm amazed it took him this long to come around to see you."
"Yeah."
"Come on," Derek pulled him back toward the kitchen. "Dinner smells great and your dad's just about ready to come back down."
Stiles turned around and wrapped his arms around Derek. Derek held on for an extended hug.
"Thanks, big guy. I needed that! Let's go eat!"