puppy love } { of sibling forgiveness and accidental sleepovers

[impetere]

Derek: [and he will be quiet for awhile before looking at the window] I'm sorry I'm such a horrible brother to you.

Cora: [she glances over at him] You're not horrible. You're just a giant ass sometimes. [though the way she says it is not intended to make him feel better. it's just more a statement of fact]

Derek: I know. I shouldn't have taken things about Allison out on you. I really shouldn't have.

Cora: [she doesn't say anything right away, but some of the tension leaves as she does] Thank you.

Derek: You don't have to thank me. I was the asshole.

Cora: Not for that. For the apology.

Derek: I've been wanting to for a while, but I didn't know how.

Cora: I'm sorry is usually a good place to start.

Derek: I wanted to make sure you knew I meant it. Anyone can say they're sorry.

Cora: Do you mean it?

Derek: Yeah.

Cora: Good.

Derek: [and he growls, trying to breathe through the pain of the shift]

Cora: [sighs, before reaching for his hand gently] You're overthinking it.

Derek: [he squeezes her hand tightly, his claws instantly retracting to not hurt his sister] I can't help it.

Cora: What do you use as an anchor?

Derek: I used to use Dad.

Cora: [there's a beat as she looks over at him] I use you.

Derek: [chuckles] I'm a horrible anchor.

Cora: No, you're not. Because you're the one thing I never question how I feel about it.

Derek: I don't ever question you either.

Cora: So why not me?

Derek: Because after Dad... I don't want to put that on a person again.

Cora: You think I'm going to leave?

Derek: Or that my needs drive you away.

Cora: Derek, you're not putting anything on them. Your anchor isn't about obligating someone to physically be there.

Derek: I know.

Cora: Your anchor isn't about them. It's about you. And the way you feel about dad changed, but the way you feel about me doesn't have to.

Derek: [he looked at her, his sad yellow eyes flashing a moment, and then he just took a deep breath, trying it]

Cora: [and she'll just sit there with him, waiting to see how it goes]

Derek: [and he will keep breathing, but as he lets out each breath, he's getting a bit more stable]

Cora: [good. And she'll relax with him, waiting for the moon to wane]

Derek: [and he will lean into his sister once he feels the pull go away, curling into her a bit]

Cora: [shifts to rest her head against his] Was that better?

Derek: Yeah, a bit.

Cora: Good.

Derek: I'm exhausted. Bed?

Cora: Sure.

Derek: [and he will stand up, holding a hand down to his sister]

Cora: [and she'll take his hand and let him pull her up]

Derek: [and upstairs they will go]

Cora: [and she will drop him off in his room and go back to hers]

Stiles: [where there is a stream of hi, are you there, you're not ignoring me, right? cause if you are, I hope we can fix it. Or are you just not there? I don't remember you saying you were going out. Is everything okay? You're okay, right? Okay, now I'm worried but the news doesn't say that the preserve is on fire so maybe you just went to bed early and I'm texting your phone and you're going to see all of this and think I'm an idiot but I can't take back texts so yeah. Um. Text me when you get home so I know you're not hanging off a cliff or something?]

Cora: [she laughs when she sees it before finally texting him back] Not hanging off a cliff. Just helping Derek with something.

Stiles: Oh, okay. [it's like 3 in the morning and yet he texts back right away] He okay?

Cora: Yeah. It was just some family stuff.

Stiles: Family stuff?

Cora: Yeah. Why are you still up? [beautiful subject change, Cora]

Stiles: Homework.

Cora: What's giving you trouble?

Stiles: Math. [and the fact he had spent more time worrying about her not texting than doing it in the first place]

Cora: Want some help?

Stiles: I will never turn down help.

Cora: In person or over the phone?

Stiles: Well, unless you want to come over here probably over the phone.

Cora: ... I could. If you want?

Stiles: ... it's three in the morning.

Cora: Yeah, but I'm kind of wound up anyway. [full moons tended to do that] If you don't want me to come I won't?

Stiles: I'm just worried about your uncle coming to kill me in the morning.

Cora: My uncle doesn't have to know.

Stiles: Alright. Do I need to come get you?

Cora: No, I could use the walk. Just leave your window open.

Stiles: Sure. [and he will do that, and go to get himself another soda before heading back to homework]

Cora: [and a little while later, she'll slip through his window with a small smile] Hey.

Stiles: [and he will look up at her and smile] Hey.

Cora: So what are you stuck on?

Stiles: Graphing. [and he pretty much has been doodling ski jumps and roller coasters. Which... are actually pretty close to being correct, just the sign of distracted mind]

Cora: [she nods and will settle in to go over stuff with him, but she's still wound up from the moon and he smells really good so eventually they're both going to be distracted and probably wind up making out]

Stiles: [and he is not going to complain at all]

Cora: [she thought not. they'll probably wind out stretched out on his bed and possibly getting a little handsy in the teenage sense, without any real intent behind it]

Stiles: [totally, and he is SO glad his dad is working the overnight shift. But eventually he is going to get sleepy]

Cora: [she is too, as she finally starts to wind down and their kisses start to get more lazy] I should probably go.

Stiles: You don't have to. You can just stay...

Cora: [she rakes her teeth over her bottom lip as she glances at the clock] I guess if I get back after everyone is up I can just say I went for a run?

Stiles: And you can run home and be all sweaty and gross. [kisses her shoulder]

Cora: [she laughs] Very charming.

Stiles: Though my dad might yell if he sees you here, so you'll need to sneak out before he gets upstairs.

Cora: What time does he get home?

Stiles: Usually at seven fifteen.

Cora: [nudges him off her gently as she rolls onto her side to grab her phone and set an alarm] I think I can do that.

Stiles: Good. [and he will kick his stuff off the bed to make more room for her, smiling in his sleepy way]

Cora: [and she'll also kick off her shoes and she was already in comfy clothes so once she's ready she'll shift back in to curl up next to him]

Stiles: [and he will totally pull her into his arms and snuggle up against her back]

Cora: [which she likes more than she probably should, but it makes it very easy for her to curl up and go to sleep]

Stiles: [and he will end up softly snoring in her ear, but no, he likes this. So much so. So very much so]

Cora: [she can work with that. unfortunately, however, she rolls a 2 for her listen check and sleeps right through that alarm she was supposed to set]

Stiles: [and he is warm and happy and dead to the world]

Sheriff: [and he is clearing his throat. Because while you know, seeing his son with an actual female friend is a good thing... sleeping in the same bed for who knows how long and not telling his father he was having a guest over... not good]

Cora: [that wakes her up and it's slow at first but when she sees him she sits up with a shot] Sheriff!

Stiles: [and he will jump as well, rubbing at his eyes] Oh crap... Dad I can explain....

Sheriff: Uh huh. And your explanation?

Cora: I was helping him with his homework! And then ... we fell asleep. Sorry.

Sheriff: Do your parents know you're here, young lady?

Cora: [and her eyes will drop and imply the answer to that question pretty quickly]

Sheriff: Uh huh. [Shakes his head] I think you need to call them and let them know where you are before they call the station when you're not in your bed. [looks at his son] You and I are going to have a nice, long talk later.

Cora: I can just go home. [it's what she meant to do in the first place]

Stiles: She had an alarm set to go home, Dad. It just wasn't loud enough.

Cora: [that totally does not fall in line with her "accidentally fell asleep" narrative, Stiles]

Sheriff: [yup, he noticed. Long, long talk with his son coming up] I'm going to make coffee. You should head home then, young lady.

Cora: [she nods as she shifts to put her shoes on and grabs her jacket and ... almost goes to climb out his window but decides she should probably just leave through the door like a normal person]