guardians } { of friendship and assholes

[impetere]

Stiles: [and he's going to wake up and it's a familiar feeling. That soreness of battle, and that he had taken as much as he had given. His mind went back to the night before and he had groaned. Some drunk asshole has commented that he was a freak. Kenzi, of course, hadn't helped in keeping him from exploding. He could only ignore it so much before he had sprung, latching onto the larger man's back and shifting further into his raccoon form, biting down on the man.

Stiles spat on the ground to get the taste of the dried blood out of him mouth, and then sat up with a groan. He looked at his hands, and then just rested his head on them as he took a few deep breaths and fought against the headache he felt growing. Finally he stood up and grabbed his towel, going to grab a shower before he had to deal with the rest of his crewmates judgments]

Cora: [hears him moving but doesn't go to find him right away, just focusing on her food and waiting for him to come to her]

Stiles: [once he was clean and knew the roadmap of where he was going to be tender for the next few days, he got dressed and went to find something to eat. He saw Cora there and looked down, not wanting to look anyone in the eye today] Morning.

Cora: Morning. [a beat] Hungry?

Stiles: Yeah, I'm just going to grab something quick.

Cora: I can make you something if you want.

Stiles: Nah, it's fine... [and he will go to open his cabinet and it's pretty bare except for granola bars]

Cora: Okay. [and she'll just go back to her own food, not really looking to push him]

Stiles: [and he will sigh and grab a few bars and close the cabinet, intending on heading back to his room]

Cora: [and she watches him go, but ... also doesn't know what to do, so she'll just curl up on her seat more and let him go]

Scott: [just watching them both from where he's eating his bowl of cereal]

Cora: [sighs once Stiles is fully gone and just looks over at the tiny tree] What?

Scott: I am Scott. [he's hurt]

Cora: I know. He got into a bad fight last night.

Scott: I am Scott. [ Because someone called him names again?]

Cora: [she nods] Yeah. People are jerks.

Scott: I am Scott. [that is why he wants to look human]

Cora: I don't blame him. [she's dangerous underneath, but she's always been able to pass for human. The looks and stares she gets usually come with the things she's done, not who she is]

Scott: I am Scott. [ that is why Bo doesn't ban him. yet]

Cora: She'll probably get fed up eventually.

Scott: I am Scott. [he didn't have his gun this time]

Cora: Which is also probably why he didn't get banned.

Scott: I am Scott. [he is very angry]

Cora: A lot of us are.

Scott: I am Scott. [I'm not angry]

Cora: [small smile] Are you sure about that?

Scott: I am Scott. [I am happy]

Cora: But you wanna beat up everybody?

Scott: I am Scott. [yes it is fun]

Cora: People who want to do that are sometimes a little angry.

Scott: I am Scott. [but that is anger in the moment. Not at life]

Cora: That's true. But I also said a lot of us, not all of us.

Scott: I am Scott. [I know.]

Cora: [sighs] When you're finished your breakfast, you should go spend time with him. I'm sure that will help him feel better.

Scott: I am Scott. [Okay. and since he is done, he's going to jump down and start heading to Stiles' room. You'll handle that bowl right Cora?]

Cora: [yeah, she's got it. she'll clean it up with the rest of the dishes]

Scott: [and he will end up in Stiles' room sitting on the floor watching Stiles tinker with something and muttering to himself]

Cora: [that ... wasn't exactly what she had in mind]

Scott: [he's not a mind reader]

Cora: [sigh]

Stiles: [don't blame Scott. He's really focused on the tech because that's how he deals with things]

Cora: [yes, well, she'll be around if he decides he wants humanoid interaction]

Stiles: [and he can't hide forever because it's a tiny ship and he eventually needs to go do his engineering check of the ship before they leave]

Cora: [and she'll glance up when she sees him with a smile] Hey.

Stiles: [he gives her a hesitant smile back, more because he has a hard time not smiling when she smiles] Hey.

Cora: How're you feeling?

Stiles: Hung over.

Cora: That sucks.

Stiles: Yeah, I'm used to it. I can heal quickly with physical stuff, but my head's a different story.

Cora: You want to talk about it?

Stiles: I just hate assholes.

Cora: I think we all do.

Stiles: They think they're better than me because they look more human. Butt ass ugly human, but human. And taller. And bigger and just everything.

Cora: Well, you said it yourself. They're assholes.

Stiles: Yeah. [ and he's going to lean in and solder something in the control panel] Just lucky I didn't have my gun.

Cora: Yeah, because Bo would have banned you for sure.

Stiles: She didn't ban me last time.

Cora: Yeah, you're not going to get a freebie every time.

Stiles: [shrugs] Trick still has use for me, so I'd have to go through the bar anyway.

Cora: But she wouldn't let you drink.

Stiles: I don't have to drink.

Cora: When you drink is usually when you fight.

Stiles: Only when an asshole picks a fight with me.

Cora: They get to you a little easier when you're drunk.

Stiles: So I have to change to accommodate those assholes?

Cora: I'm not saying that. I'm saying .... [a deep breath] I'm saying that you have thicker skin when you're sober.

Stiles: And I'm happier when I drink.

Cora: Does the happiness actually last?

Stiles: Most of the time. [and he closes the patch back up and lifts the goggles to look at her]

Cora: [looks back at him and she doesn't know how to explain it, but she doesn't like it when he gets too drunk] It's your choice. Just ... remember that it doesn't matter how much of an asshole they are when you're throwing the first punch.

Stiles: [he will sigh and look at his hands a moment, then shake his head] Technically he pulled my ear first.

Cora: [pauses for a moment before swallowing] They talk about me too, you know. And its really hard not to rise to the bait.

Stiles: Yeah, but they know you can kill them with a look.

Cora: And if i do that makes them right about me.

Stiles: So what do you want me to do, huh Cora?

Cora: ... I don't know. [because she doesn't think she has a right to have a say in anything he does] Maybe breathe before you try to punch someone in the face that may be asking for it?

Stiles: [blinks, and then shrugs one shoulder] That's actually not a bad idea...

Cora: [oh. so that works] ... Good.

Stiles: It's just hard, you know? I mean you have your brother and sister as reasons not to go out there and get killed. I don't have that.

Cora: [a pause] Yes you do.

Stiles: Yeah, I know the whole we're a family too thing. I get it, but face it, something happened to me you guys would replace me in a week. That's how crews work. The job must go on.

Cora: [and then she's kind of offended that he apparently thinks that little of their friendship] Maybe in terms of having an engineer, but you do get that you were my first friend, right? I never had one before you. So no, replacing you wouldn't be what I consider easy.

Stiles: There are a lot better people in the galaxy out there besides me. You should probably have someone better.

Cora: [and then she looks obviously hurt by that because clearly his friendship doesn't mean the same thing to him that it does to her, so she just takes a step back] Then I guess I'll go find them. [ and she'll leave before she actually shows too much emotion about it]

Stiles: Cora... I didn't mean... [and he will turn and punch the wall because just...] Fuck.

Cora: [nope, not coming back, just going to just go shut herself in her quarters where she can safely have emotions without someone calling her on them]

Ben: [and he will give them both space because he knows Stiles gets self-deprecating when he's licking his wounds, but he will go and check on Cora after a bit.] Cora?

Cora: I'm fine.

Ben: You sure?

Cora: Yeah. I just want to be left alone.

Ben: Alright, but remember that talking about it makes things easier to deal with than just stewing in them.

Cora: I'll keep that in mind.

Ben: [and he will go to head off, shrugging his shoulders at Derek as he passes the other man] She says she wants to be alone.

Derek: [and he will debate on if he should check on her or not, and decides to just sit outside her door until she lets him in]

Cora: [she can hear him breathing and for a while she tries to ignore it, but eventually she gets up and opens the door as an invitation, but then goes to curl up on her cot]

Derek: [and he will come in and close the door behind him, and walk over to her] Do you want...? [it's a small cot, but he can fit himself on there with her if they figure it out]

Cora: [she's quiet for a second, before nodding. it's a small cot, but she's also a small girl so it probably doesn't take much for them to curl up together]

Derek: [and Derek is lean and fit, so he just lets her curl up with him, trying to be a soothing presence]

Cora: [which he is because this is what they used to do when she was tinier and scared and she just presses her cheek into his shoulder] I was just trying to help.

Derek: I know.

Cora: I don't know what I did wrong.

Derek: You didn't. He is hurting and doesn't think much of himself.

Cora: [goes quiet again because that doesn't really make her feel better] He shouldn't take it out on me.

Derek: I don't think he was trying to.

Cora: That's what it felt like.

Derek: You're the only one who cared to check on him. And he cares about you.

Cora: He has a weird way of showing it.

Derek: He's a weird kid to begin with.

Cora: I know. But it still hurts when it's directed at you.

Derek: Then tell him

Cora: [she shakes her head] I don't want to talk to him right now.

Derek: Fine. Then stay here and I'll keep you company.

Cora: [nods and will just sink in to stay there for a good long while]

Stiles: [and somewhere along the way, a piece of paper will slide under the door with the words "Sometimes I don't say the right things when I'm hungover or really ever. I think I made you upset. I didn't mean to. Sorry. - Stiles"]

Cora: [and eventually she will get up and read it, and reread it and try to figure out what she wants to do about it]

Stiles: [that's fine. He'll be up in the cockpit flying while Ben is off doing stuff.]

Cora: [eventually she will find herself in need of food, so she will stumble out and head to the kitchen]

Scott: [and he looks over with a caught face as he has grown his arm to reach for the M&M's on Ben's shelf]

Cora: [sees that and sighs] You know better. What happened to your M&Ms?

Scott: I am Scott. [I finished them]

Cora: Did you ask Ben if you could have some?

Scott: I am Scott. [he always gives it to me]

Cora: You still should ask first.

Scott: I am Scott. [okay. and he will pull his arms back and pout]

Cora: [shakes her head] Don't pout. [and then she picks him up to put him on her shoulder] I'm sure we can find him.

Scott: [yay shoulder ride! He will grip onto her shirt to hold on]

Cora: [and they will weave their way through the ship looking for Ben, up to you if they find him or Stiles first]

Ben: [Dice say Ben, who is in the hold with his headphones on, doing inventory while doing his pelvic dancing like no one is watching]

Cora: [you're such a weirdo, Ben, which is why she's going to stand in the doorway and wait for him to notice her]

Ben: [we are all weirdos here, Lady Hale. But he will get to a good part and spin and see Cora and Scott and will just grin, pushing one earmuff off his ear] Care to dance?

Cora: [shakes her head] Scott wanted to know if he could have some of your candy.

Ben: Oh yeah, sure. Just not all of it, buddy. We're not heading to a Terran dealer for awhile.

Cora: I'll make sure he only takes a little.

Scott: I am Scott. [told you so]

Ben: Thanks. Sure you don't want to dance before you go? It helps clear your mind when you need it.

Cora: Doesn't mean you shouldn't ask. [back to Ben] No, I'm good. My mind's pretty clear. [mostly]

Ben: Alright. You two behave now. [and he will put the headphones back in place and get back to grooving]

Scott: [and he will wiggle a bit in time to the faint sounds of Ben's music]

Cora: [watches him with a smirk] Do you want to stay and dance?

Scott: I am Scott. [maybe]

Cora: [waves to get Ben's attention] I found you another partner.

Ben: [doesn't remove his headphones] What?

Cora: [picks Scott up off her shoulder and hands him over] Dance partner.

Ben: Alright, come on, little man. Let's work and groove. [puts Scott on the table next to him and will eventually put the cassette player to work without the headphones so they can both listen]

Cora: [and she will head back to the kitchen for her original goal of food]

Stiles: [nope, still in the cockpit. Someone has to fly this thing after all.]

Cora: [and she will eventually make her way there as there are suddenly a bunch of people in the galley, not realizing that Stiles is there until the door's already closed behind her] Oh.

Stiles: [and he will look back, see her, and offer her a half smile before leaning back in his chair again.] Hi.

Cora: Hi. Sorry, it was just getting really ... crowded.

Stiles: That's fine. There's more than enough room to hide here.

Cora: [nods and she will just ... go quiet again, moving towards the furthest seat she can find, just to have her space]

Stiles: [and from that, he can assume she's still mad at him, so he will give her the space and quiet she was seeking]

Cora: [well, it is a little of that, but also a little claustrophobia. She doesn't do super well with enclosed spaces, though sometimes she can manage]

Stiles: [and after awhile] I'm sorry.

Cora: [she glances over and looks at him for a moment, before nodding] Thank you.

Stiles: I know I'm an asshole. I didn't mean to be one towards you thought.

Cora: Then why were you?

Stiles: I don't know. I could blame being hungover or my inherit lack of social skills, but I don't know. I think it was just wrong place, wrong time, and me not shutting up when a normal person would.

Cora: That's a shitty excuse.

Stiles: I know. I don't have any excuse honestly. I just shouldn't have done it. You didn't deserve it and it really was just me being angry at myself and lashing out because sometimes... [and he will just sigh]

Cora: You know, Thanos used to do a similar thing? I would try and do something to please him, and if it wasn't good enough - and it never was - he would just lash out and I just had to take it because I was brainwashed and didn't know any better. [she didn't have any other options.] I didn't expect it from you.

Stiles: [there's a part of him that wants to yell at her how many times he has to say he is sorry, but he clamps down on his anger because it's Cora. She doesn't deserve that. She deserves better from him] You don't have to take it from me. Punch me in the face next time. I'll learn to shut up.

Cora: I don't want to have to punch you in the face, Stiles. [it isn't that she wants him to say he's sorry over and over again, she just wants him to do better. and to be honest, part of her is expecting another comment about his being forced to change who he is, but she hasn't been a jerk to him. She doesn't deserve him being a jerk in return] It shouldn't be up to me to try and regulate when you're a dick to me. It's up to you to try and show some self-control. Because if you're just going to write yourself off as a dick and use that as an excuse, then I don't want to be your friend.

Stiles: I know. And I don't blame you. You've been a great friend, and I fucked up. You deserve better.

Cora: So be better.

Stiles: [and he will nod, because he can try]

Cora: [and she'll relax a bit and turn her head to stare out at the stars] Where are we going?

Stiles: To the Terran supply outpost in quadrant 4. Ben needs a few supplies and is meeting someone about a job.

Cora: [she nods] Anything fun?

Stiles: Not really. But I've been thinking about getting something called a bounce house for Scott. Ben says it's a Terran thing that kids like.

Cora: Can't hurt, so long as we have the space.

Stiles: Cargo hold.

Cora: That works.

Stiles: [and he will think a moment before asking] How's your brother doing?

Cora: [blinks in surprise before shrugging] He's fine. Better than he has been.

Stiles: Good. That's good.

Cora: Yeah. I think Bo spooked him though.

Stiles: [smiles a bit] Don't tell me he's scared of hot women.

Cora: I think more of who Bo's father is.

Stiles: [thinks, and then nods] Thanos.

Cora: Yeah. I had a similar reaction when I found out.

Stiles: I didn't even think about it.

Cora: You wouldn't. You haven't been in his control.

Stiles: No, but I know what it's like to be an object and not a person.

Cora: No, I know that. It's just different when the person trying to help you is related to the person who tried to hurt you in the first place. I know she has good intentions now, but then she needed to work a little harder for my trust.

Stiles: But now you trust her, so Derek should trust her quicker.

Cora: I don't think it works that way. He needs to do this in his own time.

Stiles: Did they treat him the same way they treated you?

Cora: Which they?

Stiles: Thanos.

Cora: [she shakes her head] He was worse. Derek protected me from a lot.

Stiles: So he took a lot more trouble from Thanos to protect you.

Cora: [she nods] He couldn't do everything. There's a lot of stuff I had to do because Derek wasn't what they wanted but he ... took a lot, yeah.

Stiles: He sounds like a good brother then. And Laura? She protect you too?

Cora: [she shrugs] I didn't see Laura much. She was the prize, you know?

Stiles: Do you think she wants to be saved?

Cora: Right now? No. But I think she'll thank us later.

Stiles: I hope so. Because otherwise she'll betray us all and we're dead.

Cora: I know.

Stiles: So let's hope that it doesn't come to that.

Cora: [she nods] Agreed.

Stiles: [he's quiet a moment, because while they've talked about families he's never really said anything about what he does/doesn't really remember]

Cora: [well, she's just going to leave that there unless he has something to say]

Stiles: [and after a bit] I don't think I was always in a cage.

Cora: [blinks] What do you mean?

Stiles: Sometimes, when I actually do sleep... I see faces. Faces I don't know.

Cora: ... Your family?

Stiles: I don't know. Maybe.

Cora: Do you think the people who made you might have any information about where you're from?

Stiles: I may have blown up that lab a long time ago.

Cora: Did anyone survive?

Stiles: Not that I know of.

Cora: Did they have any colleagues?

Stiles: [he shakes his head] I wasn't really big into getting names.

Cora: Maybe they have records somewhere.

Stiles: Maybe.

Cora: I mean, it might be worth looking. If you really want to know.

Stiles: That's the thing, I don't know if I want to know.

Cora: Well, if you decide that you do, I may know where to start. Or ... Peter might.

Stiles: [and he will be quiet at that, before turning to look at her] What do you mean?

Cora: Peter has connections. He might be able to find out if there were other scientists that they were working with and if they have any of their records. I mean ... your augments could probably be traced.

Stiles: [and he will rake his teeth over his lip a moment. There's a debate in his head, but it's more about on why would he want to look for the people who let him be turned into this. Or would they even want him back now that he was like this? He was a monster after all.] Something to think about.

Cora: Well, if you want to, let me know. [it may not have been their choice. He may have just been stolen]

Stiles: [nods, and he is going to go back to flying. Ben's offered to ask Dean for the info too, but Stiles has never taken it]

Cora: [she nods before making her way closer and giving his shoulder a squeeze] I'm going to go check on Derek. Let me know if you need anything, okay?

Stiles: Alright. [and he will look back at her] Cora, are we good?

Cora: [she glances over and she nods with a small smile] We're good.

Stiles: [and he will smile back at her, then back to flying]

Cora: [and off she goes to find her brother]