new york wolves } { of therapy sessions and trying to escape

[likeababyduck]

Stiles: [and he will be sitting outside of Sweet's office, hands clasped and against his lips as he leans forward to wait. The elbows on his knees with one leg bouncing. His hair is starting to grow back, but not fast enough so that his Mets cap is on to cover the baldness.]

Sweets: [and he'll say goodbye to his previous patient, before looking down at his schedule] Stiles?

Stiles: [looks up] Yeah, that's me.

Sweets: [gestures with his legal pad] C'mon in.

Stiles: [and he's up and following him, eyes looking all over the room to try and take everything in] Derek said you were cool with talking about stuff I'm usually not supposed to admit exists.

Sweets: [he nods as he sweeps him inside, closing the door behind him] Yeah. I've known about the supernatural for a long time.

Stiles: How'd that happen?

Sweets: I'm adopted. When I was searching for my birth mother, she was working for a carnival as a psychic. She ... sort of dropped me in the deep end.

Stiles: Huh. Was she any good at it? Or was she like a fake psychic?

Sweets: [grins a bit] You'll have to meet her one day to find out.

Stiles: Did you get her power too? Because Derek didn't tell me you were psychic. Can you read minds too? I'm not really a good person to read the mind of. It goes all over the place and oh my god is that Excalibur?

Sweets: [smirks] A replica, yes. I just had it made. It's awesome, right?

Stiles: Hell yeah. Can I touch it?

Sweets: Sure. Go for it.

Stiles: [totally going to pick it up and hold it in the air] I am the once, and future king...

Sweets: [smirks as he goes to sit in his chair, watching him as he does] You a fan of Arthurian lore?

Stiles: Fantasy movies. And Sci Fi.

Sweets: Me too. Fantasy was a big form of escapism for me when I was growing up.

Stiles: Yeah. I got into it big time after my mom died. Especially Star Wars.

Sweets: [grins] Yes. Star Wars is very important. [and in his best Yoda voice] "Do. Or do not. There is no try."

Stiles: [grins] Yeah, you're cool. [and he will put the sword back, a lot more relaxed]

Sweets: Thank you. Derek was a lot harder to win over, but that is because he's a very different kind of nerd.

Stiles: Yeah, I've gone through the whole trying to win Derek’s approval. Try dating his sister.

Sweets: I think that might have been an easier task than trying to get inside his head.

Stiles: I would disagree, but I also never really want to get into his head.

Sweets: It's a hard thing to do. He has a lot of walls, all for very legitimate reasons, but we worked through it, and I'd like to think he's doing better for it.

Stiles: Yeah, you totally made him into a real boy. I hope they gave you a reward for that.

Sweets: I'm just doing my job. That is usually it's own reward.

Stiles: But come on, everyone wants a little trophy. You can look at it and say "and this one here, I got this because I managed to turn the big bad wolf into a cute little puppy."

Sweets: [he laughs] I don't think they give trophies for that.

Stiles: They should.

Sweets: I'm sure others would agree. But we're not here to talk about Derek.

Stiles: So time to focus on me, huh?

Sweets: If you're ready to. I mean, I can talk about Star Wars all day, but we only have an hour, and I'm sure you want to begin the process of getting back to work.

Stiles: Yeah. I need to get back to work. Staying at home all day doing nothing is driving me insane.

Sweets: So. Let's start with what happened.

Stiles: How much backstory did you get?

Sweets: Not a lot. I'm told it was some kind of supernatural secret society that was responsible?

Stiles: Yeah. They were called the Dread Doctors, and they were helping this psycho Valek experiment on rare supernaturals to create this mega beast.

Sweets: ... Interesting.

Stiles: Yeah. They had a list of creatures they were going after. I was one it. Malia too, and my ex, Lydia.

Sweets: Why you?

Stiles: That's what I keep asking, but there's no distinct answer. And it's not the first time I've been singled out as being "special."

Sweets: Do you feel special?

Stiles: No.

Sweets: So these people singling you out as such must be very frustrating.

Stiles: They're frustrated?! [seriously?!]

Sweets: [there's a beat] I meant frustrating for you.

Stiles: Oh. Yeah, no it is.

Sweets: What frustrates you the most?

Stiles: Beyond the fact that every time it happens I almost die, and then get put into lockdown by an overprotective alpha?

Sweets: Can you really blame her if you're almost dying?

Stiles: No, not really.

Sweets: Does it worry you the way it worries her, being out, alone in the city by yourself?

Stiles: No. If something's going to happen, it's going to happen whether I'm alone or with people.

Sweets: So you think that it's impossible to keep yourself safe, even with precautions?

Stiles: No, I think keeping me trapped up in the penthouse isn't going to stop anything.

Sweets: I don't think it's the walls she expects to protect you, Stiles. I think she wants to be able to protect you should something come for you.

Stiles: But it's not her fault any of this happened.

Sweets: No, it's not. And it's not yours either. But you're a member of her pack, and if I understand the dynamics correctly, your her beta. Her only beta that she chose herself. An alpha is supposed to protect their pack, and I can see where she would see a failing to do that as a failure on her part.

Stiles: And I get that. I do. I really do, but this isn't helping either.

Sweets: Is she not letting you leave at all?

Stiles: Not without a babysitter.

Sweets: That's not so bad, is it?

Stiles: I'm 23 years old and I have to call a friend to come over if I want to take a walk around my own block to walk my dog. Yeah, not bad at all. [sarcasm, he has it]

Sweets: How long ago did you get kidnapped? A week?

Stiles: A little over.

Sweets: Okay, so I don't think the buddy system is that unreasonable right now. Is it a system she's implemented before?

Stiles: Yeah, but it was easier then.

Sweets: Why is that?

Stiles: Because Cora was home. I didn't have to look for someone to babysit because she was there.

Sweets: Cora is your girlfriend.

Stiles: My fiancée.

Sweets: So because she's your fiancée, it's less of a burden on her than it is on other people who also care about you? Is that the way you see it?

Stiles: She's already at the place and we do things together, so yes. And I don't feel trapped because when she's home, I'm doing things with her.

Sweets: Do you live alone with Laura otherwise?

Stiles: No. He husband and their baby. Malia is supposed to live there but she's never there and at her boyfriends all the time.

Sweets: Do you have any friends in the building?

Stiles: No.

Sweets: But you have friends in the area that you could spend time with.

Stiles: Yeah, but they all have busy lives and they'd all have to come get me if I'm going to be able to leave, and then bring me home.

Sweets: Okay, first of all, that's honestly not that big a deal, depending on where you're going. If you two are in a cab, it's fairly easy to do. Second of all, I'm not sure it's fair for you to believe that your friends wouldn't be willing to put in that effort for you, or that they might not have the same concerns Laura does. I understand that it's not as convenient as having Cora there, but they are your friends.

Stiles: I didn't say I was rational.

Sweets: I know. And I can see where you're coming from where you feel constrained by the rules that are being imposed on you, but they're not going to last forever.

Stiles: So you think I'm being unfair.

Sweets: I think you're someone who's been through a trauma where you were held against your will and you feel like the people who love you are setting similar restrictions on you when you're supposed to be "free." It's understandable why that would be triggering. At the same time, I also think you are being a tad unreasonable when Laura is more than willing to let you go and be a part of the world, so long as you do it with other people. When she agreed to that, did you even try and call and see if anyone else was available?

Stiles: No.

Sweets: Why not?

Stiles: Because I don't want to talk about it. I'm tired of talking about it and people asking me if I'm ok and being sorry for me.

Sweets: Why would talking about it have been a requirement? Couldn't you cut that off at the pass with "Hey, want to see a movie?"

Stiles: You don't know my friends.

Sweets: Then pick a friend you don't know that well. Pick someone who you've been meaning to hang out with but haven't gotten the opportunity. You set the terms of any social engagement you enter, Stiles.

Stiles: [shrugs] Sure.

Sweets: Coming out of a situation like this can be rough, but a lot of it is still compromise. You have to be assertive enough to make your feelings known but also willing to yield to the fact that you aren't the only one this situation impacted, and they have things they're working on too.

Stiles: [he's going to just lean back in his chair. It's not a scowl. It's a look that he is thinking about it, even if he isn't happy about it]

Sweets: [can handle that. and he's just going to wait for him to process that answer before he tries to take a step further or change topics]

Stiles: [he's still thinking, and looks up at the clock because he's probably not going to get cleared for work today at this rate]

Sweets: [no, probably not.] We have plenty of time. And my session after this one is empty if we need to go a little longer.

Stiles: I just want things to go back to the way they were before all of this.

Sweets: Unfortunately, that's not the way things work. Something like this happens, and it's always going to change things. Not all changes will be permanent, but that doesn't mean they won't happen.

Stiles: I'm not a big fan of change.

Sweets: I don't think anyone is.

Stiles: Every time something changes in my life, I lose something.

Sweets: Do you gain something as well?

Stiles: Not all the time.

Sweets: Why don't you give me an example?

Stiles: You mean about how I'm about to lose my pack?

Sweets: Why do you say that?

Stiles: You can't have two alphas in a pack.

Sweets: Has Laura said she's kicking you out of the pack?

Stiles: Not in words, but the tension is in the air.

Sweets: The tension could be unrelated. You admitted that you were frustrated with her because she wouldn't give you the kind of freedom you were looking for.

Stiles: And I don't know if the freedom I want includes from her.

Sweets: So you don't know if you want to be in the pack anymore.

Stiles: I want to be. I don't think my wolf does.

Sweets: Do you often view the two parts of you as separate?

Stiles: Sometimes.

Sweets: Why is that?

Stiles: I wasn't born this way. I've only been like this maybe five years?

Sweets: That's still a long time to refer to your werewolf instincts as their own entity.

Stiles: Yeah, well sometimes what the wolf wants, I don't.

Sweets: Why is that?

Stiles: I don't know.

Sweets: Putting your current alpha issues aside, when was the last time you felt that your wolf and you were at odds?

Stiles: Having sex with my fiancée.

Sweets: [... not what he was expecting] You want to and it doesn't?

Stiles: I want to make love. It wants to dominate her and get her pregnant.

Sweets: Do you not want to have children with her?

Stiles: Yeah, but not now.

Sweets: So it seems like you have the same want, it just feels stronger when you're with her? Which I don't think is all that uncommon, even for humans.

Stiles: It's still not what I want. I have to fight against it every time.

Sweets: We all have to fight against urges and instincts we know we shouldn't act on.

Stiles: Yeah, but most people's id isn't a werewolf.

Sweets: No, it's not. But it doesn't mean it's any less you wanting those things, even if they do make you uncomfortable. And it doesn't mean it isn't something worth discussing with your partner.

Stiles: But then you have to add in the fact that I was already brain damaged when I was turned, and the difficulties that also brings to the mess in my head.

Sweets: And what are those?

Stiles: You ever deal with someone suffering with late stage frontal temporal dementia?

Sweets: No, not in a long time. I did support counseling when I was getting my doctorate, but after that I went to work for the FBI.

Stiles: Yeah, well I’ve gone through it. Twice. First naturally, second with a spell suppressing my werewolf side. Each time you lose who you are. You're trapped inside of your own head... your own body and you can't tell what's real and what's fantasy.

Sweets: Is that a problem you still have when you're not being affected by this?

Stiles: Sometimes when I'm stressed out.

Sweets: How does that make you feel?

Stiles: [just shrugs, his hand tapping the edge of the chair a bit]

Sweets: I can't help you with shrugs, Stiles. You've got to actually put it into words.

Stiles: Sometimes I can't.

Sweets: Why not?

Stiles: I lose words. Part of the problem.

Sweets: Okay ... can you think of homophones for the word you're looking for?

Stiles: [he tries, his fingers tapping more. But it's a cycle and his nerves make it harder to think and the frustration is clear on his face]

Sweets: [he pauses for a moment, before leaning forward] Close your eyes, take a deep breath. Don't try and force the words, just say the first thing that comes to mind.

Stiles: [he nods and closes his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. His fingers shut into a fist and he puts it on his lap, trying to massage it with his other hand. Finally a word comes to him] Anger.

Sweets: What about it makes you angry?

Stiles: [he keeps his eyes closed, hand massaging the other] That no matter how hard I try... just when I get to a place where I'm good... it breaks.

Sweets: Unfortunately, that's the way life is. You just have to find ways of coping when things get hard.

Stiles: I try. I do but I'm not good at it

Sweets: Well, that's something we can work on. Channeling that anger and finding more helpful ways of coping with challenges.

Stiles: [nods] I'd like that.

Sweets: Good. Then that's something we can work through as needed.

Stiles: I'd like that.

Sweets: Okay. [glances down at his watch before reaching for his paperwork] Since you don't have to be in the field, I will approve you to go back to work. However, I would like to continue sessions and work on some of the issues that came up today.

Stiles: [he opens his eyes and nods] Sounds good.

Sweets: [signs off on the paperwork and hands it off to him] You can see my receptionist to schedule a time that's good for you.

Stiles: Sure. I can do that.

Sweets: Good. [and holds out his hand to shake it] It was nice meeting you, Stiles.

Stiles: [and he will shake his hand back] Same here. And thanks.

Sweets: [and with that, he will let him go]

Stiles: [and he will go set his next appointment, and then go to the office to hand in his paperwork so he can come back to work]

Sweets: [which they will accept and welcome him back and as Laura promised he can go up and visit Cora for the weekend!]

Stiles: [and you can bet that he will be in that car after work Friday and driving to Boston]

Cora: [yep and she will be very happy to see him and they will probably spend most of the first night shut away in her bedroom]

Stiles: [oh yeah, and he will be a very, very happy werewolf and sleep through the night easily]

Cora: [and she will just curl up with him and sleep some as well but her plan is to spend a nice lazy Saturday morning in bed with him too, but maybe doing actual talking instead of "talking"]

Stiles: [talking. bah. he just wants snuggles]

Cora: [yeah, well, she's worried about boyfriend, you might have to do a little bit of talking]

Stiles: [nope, totally denying this talking. snuggling closer and nuzzling her neck in his sleep]

Cora: [sighs softly as she tips her head back, letting her fingers trace gently against his shoulder]

Stiles: [when he starts to stir, he gets a nice whiff of her scent and will just kiss along her neck a bit]

Cora: Mmmm. [smiles more as he does] Morning.

Stiles: Mornin’. [nope, keeps kissing up along her jaw to her lips]

Cora: [kisses him back softly, one hand coming up to brush against the side of his face]

Stiles: [looks up at her and smiles] Hi

Cora: Hi. I missed this.

Stiles: Me too. Every day.

Cora: [her thumb brushes against his cheek and she watches him] I'm glad we're here instead of me going there. You get me all to yourself. [and vice versa]

Stiles: I could quit my job and just stay here.

Cora: You could. But my sister might not be as fond to lose her live in babysitter. [and her second]

Stiles: I'm sure I can find her another one.

Cora: [she tips her head to the side] Can you find her another second?

Stiles: [sighs] Probably not.

Cora: [she smoothes her hand over his back] The semester will be over soon and then I'll be home for a while.

Stiles: I know. And hopefully now I can escape when I need to.

Cora: She was driving you a little crazy, huh?

Stiles: Just a bit.

Cora: What's going on?

Stiles: I'm not taking well to being trapped in one place.

Cora: Still? I thought you were going back to work.

Stiles: I am, but the wolf inside doesn't like going back to the penthouse.

Cora: [frowns] It's the alpha thing?

Stiles: I think so.

Cora: [she looks down for a moment, trying to think about something that's a hard question to ask] Do you want to say an alpha?

Stiles: No. [the answer is easy and out fast]

Cora: [pauses and just waits to see if there's more to that particular answer]

Stiles: [there isn't. He's very clear on it.]

Cora: It'd be okay if you did. It's your choice.

Stiles: I have my pack. I don't want to start my own

Cora: [nods] I still don't get why you even became an alpha in the first place. If you were on your own it would make more sense, but you're not.

Stiles: I don't know either.

Cora: [she sighs, before nodding again] I guess we'll never know.

Stiles: I think it may have started though when I went against Laura and did my own thing. Marcus said that he felt something different from me all the way back then.

Cora: Yeah, but things have changed. Just because you started a path doesn't mean you need to stay on it.

Stiles: But did I stop? I mean, I helped find you and Malia. I pretty much organized that whole side before Laura got there. I saved Lydia...

Cora: As part of Laura's pack.

Stiles: I know that. I don't think my wolf does.

Cora: [yeah, see, that doesn't make sense to her] I don't think it works that way. You can't say you're part of our pack and then have the wolf want something different. [that's something they should be in agreement on]

Stiles: That's the problem. Lately the wolf and I don't agree. It wasn't bad at first, but after this it has.

Cora: [her jaw sets for a moment, before she tips her head to the side] Then maybe you need to take a closer look at what you actually want.

Stiles: [sighs and just goes to bury his face in a pillow] I'm already talking about this with a shrink, Cora. Can we not talk about it here?

Cora: [she looks a little hurt at that, before shrugging] I guess not. I just ... I'm worried that if your own pack is what you really want, I'm going to get caught in the middle.

Stiles: I don't want my own pack. I'm happy with the pack I have.

Cora: Part of you does, though.

Stiles: [and he's going to just pound the bed with two fists and push himself out of the bed, grabbing his pants as he goes]

Cora: [sighs as she flops back because she knows she's pushing but she's worried. she's worried about how his wolf is going to take it when she tells him that she won't join his pack because she won't leave her family]

Stiles: [he pulls his pants on] I'm going to make breakfast. [and he will leave and go into the kitchen to make coffee]

Cora: [and she will take a deep breath before getting up and going to hop in the shower, giving them both some time to cool off]

Stiles: [and he will have made all the pancakes and bacon by the time she is done, on his second cup of coffee]

Cora: [comes out and looks over the table with a small smile] Smells good.

Stiles: Thanks. I'm getting good at pancakes.

Cora: [nods with a small smile] I can see that.

Stiles: [and he will hand her a cup of coffee] I'm sorry.

Cora: I am too. I'm just ... I'm worried.

Stiles: Things have just been different in my head since that time with the witch. It's only gotten worse since the change.

Cora: I know. And ... it's not just you I'm worried about. Because your wolf is a part of you - it's not this separate entity possessing you and sometimes I wonder if it's just an excuse or a way to tell me what you really want without upsetting me.

Stiles: Cora, I want you. I want what we have, pack and all. You're my family.

Cora: And what if I said that even if you decided to stay an alpha, I wouldn't leave my pack?

Stiles: But I don't want to stay an alpha.

Cora: Are you sure? Absolutely sure?

Stiles: Yes. Why does everyone keep asking me that.

Cora: Because it's not going to be easy to get rid of. Becoming a beta again might kill you in the process.

Stiles: But staying an alpha isn't an option.

Cora: And because ... becoming a true alpha means that there's a part of you that felt like you needed it.

Stiles: [looks at her] Why are you keep trying to convince me to stay an alpha when it means I lose everything. I can't go through that again.

Cora: I'm not. I just want to make sure you understand what it means. I'm trying to figure out why you treat what you're wolf wants and what you want like they're two separate people. And I don't want to be blindsided when you decide that what you actually want is to break off on your own, because I don't know how this would have happened if you didn't feel like you needed it for some reason. [she reaches over and takes his hand gently] You won't lose me. Not as a fiancée and not as a partner. But you may lose me as a packmate and ... I don't know how that will work. So I need to know how you really feel.

Stiles: [he sighed and shook his head] I don't know why this happened. I didn't ask for it. I just want to take care of the people I care about, and I do that now. I don't need anything else.

Cora: Now that you're an alpha?

Stiles: I took care of people when I wasn't an alpha. I don't need this to do that.

Cora: Okay.

Stiles: Do you think I should stay an alpha?

Cora: [she pauses quietly for a moment] I don't know. I don't want you to give it up just for me and make yourself miserable because this is what you want, but I don't want you to lose Laura either. Because I know this probably has her questioning where she was lacking that you felt like you needed this. And I also don't want you to hurt yourself just trying to get free of this.

Stiles: So I'm pretty much losing either way. Great.

Cora: I don't know, Stiles. But honestly, I've never heard of a way that allows the alpha to give up his power and survive.

Stiles: Maybe a way to turn back human, and then Laura can bite me again?

Cora: I don't know if there's a way to do that.

Stiles: I hate this, Cora. I hate it so much.

Cora: I know you do. But if we don't find a way out of this, you're going to have to learn to live with it.

Stiles: [sighs and just closes his eyes]

Cora: It's going to take time to figure this out. What are you going to do in the mean time?

Stiles: I don't know.

Cora: Maybe you should try and figure that out instead of waiting for it to go away. It might help keep there from being minor explosions in the future.

Stiles: Think Laura will let me go on a walkabout?

Cora: If you explain to her why, I think so. Peter's home now, he can fill in the gaps while you're gone.

Stiles: Maybe. Maybe I just need some time to go out alone and clear my head and find a way to be whole again.

Cora: It's certainly worth a try.

Stiles: I'll ask her then when I get back home.

Cora: [she nods as she gives his hand another small squeeze]

Stiles: Can we just... not talk about it though. I came here to be with you and escape all that.

Cora: I know, but ... I can't just be your escape, Stiles. I'm supposed to be your partner.

Stiles: I didn't say you were my escape. If I wanted to escape, I would go anywhere. I want to be with you.

Cora: That's what it feels like. That me being up here away from everything is an excuse for you to ignore what's going on.

Stiles: That's not what I said!

Cora: I didn't say that was what you said! I said that was how I feel.

Stiles: Well then fine, I'll leave so that you can feel better. [and he turns to go]

Cora: [she buries her face on her hands] That's not what I meant, or what I want. But you can't just come up here and not expect me to want to talk about these things. They're important and they affect me too.

Stiles: Why can't I have one day where I don't have to? Why am I not allowed to just have a day with you and not talk about things I can't figure out?

Cora: I didn't say you couldn't. But you're treating me like my concerns and my feelings are some great big burden on you because you're already trying to sort this out somewhere else, with someone that isn't me. It isn't all about you, Stiles. [because she's stuck in this impossible position and she doesn't know how to deal with it, and maybe she's not the best at expressing it, but until she knows what's going on in his head she can't say for sure that she'll feel better about it]

Stiles: [that stops him, making his shoulders sag and he just stands there, eyes closed because he can feel her hurt but he doesn't know what else to do]

Cora: [she doesn't either. She just sinks back into her chair and runs a hand through her hair, staring at her plate]

Stiles: [he licks his lips] I haven't felt like me in a long time. And it's not fair to you for me to keep pretending. I feel like I'm losing control.

Cora: I don't want you to pretend. I want you to talk to me so we can figure it out.

Stiles: [he turns and looks at her] I feel like I'm trapped in a cage. I can't be with you... Laura's being overprotective and I know why but still... I just got "let" back to doing my job by a shrink. I can't focus, I can't sleep... and it just feels like something inside of me wants to claw it's way out and I don't know how to talk about it because I don't know why it feels like I'm two different creatures inside of me struggling for dominance.

Cora: [she pauses for a moment, before] Probably because these new instincts - these wolf instincts - don't feel normal so it's easier to think of them as something separate. But they're still you, Stiles.

Stiles: It doesn't feel that way.

Cora: What do you feel when you look at me?

Stiles: [licks his lips] Depends.

Cora: Tell me. All of it.

Stiles: When it's on skype, it's a painful longing. Right now, it's love, comfort... home. But sometimes, there's a part in me that wants to hold you down, dominate you and make babies and never leave your side.

Cora: And you don't think I don't feel some of that too? Or that part of me doesn't want to let you?

Stiles: [he looks at her, confused]

Cora: Having a more dominant partner in wolf pairs is normal. And wanting that kind of ... consummation is normal too. It's not something wrong with you.

Stiles: But it's not who I see myself as. I'm not someone who does that.

Cora: And neither am I. But that doesn't mean I don't feel it, or I don't think about it or want it.

Stiles: [and he sits down, putting his face in his hands] It just confuses me so much, Cora.

Cora: I know.

Stiles: Maybe I wasn't meant to be a wolf after all.

Cora: Meant to be isn't really part of it. It's what you are now.

Stiles: [which right there is the root of the problem. Stiles thinks like a human still]

Cora: [yeah. she can see that] You're a werewolf, Stiles. It's not good or bad, but it is something you have to deal with.

Stiles: I didn't realize it was going to change me so much still.

Cora: Well, you were changing your species. But I don't think it changed you that much. You just feel it more strongly.

Stiles: But I went through the change twice, and we never knew what kind of side effects it would have on me with the dementia. What if this is one of them?

Cora: And what if it isn't?

Stiles: I don't know.

Cora: Maybe you should ask Marcus to do another MRI.

Stiles: Yeah, I can do that.

Cora: But if it's not brain damage ... you have to start dealing with the fact that it is you.

Stiles: [nods] If it's not damage, I'll take the walkabout and try and get my head on straight.

Cora: Okay.

Stiles: [and he just stays sitting there, a ball of anxious, scared, angry Stiles]

Cora: [and she'll get up after a moment, before sliding into his lap and pulling him close]

Stiles: [and he will slide his arms around her, pressing his face to her shoulder and just holding her]

Cora: [and she'll stroke a hand against the back of his neck gently, going to her go-to gesture for calming him down]

Stiles: I'm really trying, Cora. I am.

Cora: I know.

Stiles: You're not my escape. [said into her shoulder] You're my comfort. You're my better half, and right now you are the only thing keeping me from going crazy.

Cora: [she tips her head to the side to let it rest against his] I'll always be here.

Stiles: I'm sorry. I'm sorry I made you feel bad. I just wanted to come here and be with you and not have to fight.

Cora: I know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to start a fight.

Stiles: I know. I just get angry easily these days. [nuzzles her neck a bit]

Cora: Hopefully we can work on that.

Stiles: I hope so.

Cora: [she sighs before looking up at him] Maybe we should see if we can find a movie and wind down a bit.

Stiles: I should eat too.

Cora: You finish breakfast, I'll negotiate with Netflix.

Stiles: [he holds her hand as she moves to get up] Hey... I love you.

Cora: [pauses before turning and leaning in to kiss him] I love you too.

Stiles: Can we just snuggle on the couch for the rest of the day?

Cora: Sure. Sounds perfect.

Stiles: [and he will get up and go finish his food before bringing their coffees to the living room. He will go and curl into her side] So what are we watching?

Cora: The Nanny Diaries.

Stiles: What's that about?

Cora: An anthropology student who has to resort to nanny-ing in order to pay for school and treats it as an anthropology experiment in order to keep herself sane. It's got Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans in it.

Stiles: Oh. Okay. [and he will cuddle in closer]

Cora: You can pick the next one. [And she will settle in for their day long movie fest]

Stiles: [cuddle movie fest]

Cora: [good times for all]

Stiles: [and maybe eventually there will be some kissing]

Cora: [mmmmm kissing]

Stiles: [and light stroking]

Cora: [and hands slipping under clothes]

Stiles: [and clothes slipping onto the floor]

Cora: [and then there's a lot more than kissing]

Stiles: [and hunting through couch cushions for a condom]

Cora: [not in this couch, Stiles] Bedroom. We have to go back to the bedroom.

Stiles: [sighs, breathing hard] Or we could take a chance?

Cora: [she hesitates for a moment because she wants to, but now really isn't the right time, and she did really well with that will save, sorry Stiles] Not now. I still have so much that I have to do. [she doesn't want to be pregnant up here alone]

Stiles: [nods. He gets that] Okay. [and he will get up]

Cora: [nods and gets up with him, ready to just follow him back to bed]

Stiles: [and once they get there, he will pull her into bed with him, leaning over her and kissing her]

Cora: [kisses him back eagerly, settling comfortably under him]

Stiles: [and once he finds that condom, and a little more foreplay, there will be sweaty sex]

Cora: [lots of nice exhausting sweaty sex]

Stiles: [oh yeah. until they are too tired to move again]

Cora: [and she will flop half on top of his chest, sighing and she settles in comfortably]