canon au } { post-3a, of recoveries and learning to people

[impetere]

Derek: I'm fine. [pouting]

Cora: Sure you are. You want me to get you anything?

Derek: No. I just need to get used to this.

Cora: Being a beta again?

Derek: [nods]

Cora: That's fair. At least Scott is one now, so there's still an alpha around.

Derek: One that we like. [because the other one named Deucalion can go to hell for all he cares]

Cora: Yep.

Derek: He's going to be a good alpha. [closes his eyes] Better than I was.

Cora: [she nods] I'll take your word for it. [she still doesn't now Scott that well]

Derek: If you're planning on sticking around, you probably will want to go and talk to him.

Cora: [she shrugs, because she's unsure there.] Are you going to stick around?

Derek: [thinks] I need to do something in Mexico. But then yeah, I'm going to stay.

Cora: [she nods] Okay. I'll think about it.

Derek: If you don't want to go directly to Scott, go to Stiles. He'll talk your ear off.

Cora: [her eyebrows go up at that] I'm aware of that.

Derek: Which part?

Cora: Him talking my ear off.

Derek: At least he's not as bad as Peter.

Peter: [from upstairs] I heard that.

Cora: I think he's comparable. Peter at least thinks before he speaks.

Peter: I would prefer not to be compared to that boy, you realize.

Derek: We don't care.

Cora: Not even a little.

Peter: [muttering something about respecting elders]

Derek: [smirks for the first time in awhile because he loves taunting Peter]

Cora: [sighs] I'm gonna hang out in my room for a bit. I'll let you know if I leave.

Derek: [nods, but he's going to just pass out here once she's upstairs, thanks]

Cora: [good plan and she's just going to close the door to her room and ... debate staying versus going in her head]

Stiles: [well, he will probably be in the ER until like 4am and then will go home and crash because there is only a slight concussion and his cut on the head doesn't need stitches but it's bandaged up and his father will tie him to the bed if he doesn't get some sleep. But he ends up just staring at the ceiling because he has a headache and it won't go away]

Cora: [poor Stiles. And she doesn't know him well enough to climb in his window yet, but she does have a phone now]

Stiles: [he has one too, right on the table next to his bed charging...]

Cora: [she's not really sure what to do about any of this, and is mostly just staring at the phone trying to figure out how to handle this]

Stiles: [and nope, he can't fall asleep so he's going to reach for his phone to play some stupid game. Does he have Cora's number? Does she have his?]

Cora: [Stiles is probably nosy enough to have stolen hers from Isaac or Boyd's phones, I don't think she would have asked for his]

Stiles: [so nope, game doesn't work. So he will think and look through texts and finally he will pull up her number and be like] So I heard Derek healed you.

Cora: [squints at that message from an unknown number] Who is this?

Stiles: Stiles.

Cora: Oh. Yeah, he healed me.

Stiles: So you guys doing ok then?

Cora: Yeah. Everyone's alive.

Stiles: Good. Glad to here. Same on our end. Go team.

Cora: Yep. Go team.

Stiles: So are you staying in town?

Cora: I don't know yet. I'm trying to figure that out.

Stiles: Well if you need someone to tote the wonderful amenities of Beacon Hills, I can give you a tour.

Cora: You do remember I used to live here, right?

Stiles: Yeah, but you've been gone for what, 6 years? Things change. Sometimes.

Cora: I've also been back for a few months now.

Stiles: Yeah but you spent half of that in a bank vault.

Cora: There isn't that much in Beacon Hills to see.

Stiles: True. That's why the tour is only worth 5 cents.

Cora: I think I'll pass.

Stiles: Alright then. Your loss.

Cora: It wouldn't be the reason why I stay anyway.

Stiles: Well, yeah. I mean, you did just find your brother again.

Cora: Yeah. [but Derek didn't actually ask her to stay either. just asked her if she was. it's a dumb thing to nitpick but there is a difference]

Stiles: Well, that's good. Someone needs to teach him how to use his words. All of us are about done trying.

Cora: And you think that I'm the one to do that.

Stiles: You're a better influence than Peter.

Cora: He has Dawn.

Stiles: Are they actually a thing now?

Cora: I don't know, but she's still his best friend.

Stiles: True.

Cora: So yeah. He's got someone to talk to.

Stiles: And what about you? You have someone to talk to?

Cora: I'm fine. [aka she doesn't need one. or at least that's what she's telling herself]

Stiles: Well, if you do need to talk, I'm available.

Cora: Why? [it's blunt and to the point, as is her way, but she doesn't get why he wants to help her]

Stiles: Well, you almost died. like, twice. Your brother isn't good with understanding feelings or even being gentle. And sometimes people just want to know there's someone around who'll listen to them

Cora: Oh. [okay that] Thanks, I guess, but I'm okay.

Stiles: Sure. But when you have a not okay day, that offer is still there.

Cora: I'll keep that in mind.

Stiles: Good.

Cora: Good. [a beat] Are you okay?

Stiles: I have a mild concussion, a cut on my head, and apparently a pit of darkness inside of me that will always be there for the rest of my life.

Cora: Welcome to the club.

Stiles: When did you get a concussion?

Cora: I meant more the pit of darkness inside of you.

Stiles: Well, mine is a weird side effect of being almost dead for 16 hours.

Cora: Mine is part of being a werewolf.

Stiles: Yeah, but Scott's also a werewolf and he can still be cute and cuddly.

Cora: Scott didn't spend three months in a vault and being forced to get in touch with her wolfy side.

Stiles: Well, no. But you're not in the vault anymore.

Cora: That doesn't mean those feelings just go away.

Stiles: No, but you find other things to focus on that make you feel more you and less pit of darkness.

Cora: Which is exactly what you can do.

Stiles: Exactly.

Cora: I was just ... trying to be helpful.

Stiles: No, I mean, that's exactly what I can do. For you.

Cora: I was talking about your pit of darkness.

Stiles: Well yeah. I plan on doing that. But I can help you too. We could help each other even. Anti-pit of darkness buddies?

Cora: Maybe. If I stay.

Stiles: And where will you go if you leave?

Cora: Back to Scotland?

Stiles: What about your brother?

Cora: He says he's going to stay.

Stiles: You're okay leaving him again?

Cora: I don't know. At least he knows where I am this time.

Stiles: And that you're alive.

Cora: Yeah. [and then a beat, because it's very late and in her tired delirium:] I'm just not really sure I fit here.

Stiles: Well, you haven't had a chance to really try. You guys have been running ragged for your lives. But if you run away, you'll never find out.

Cora: I'm not running. I'm leaving. I'll probably be back.

Stiles: Well, I hope you come back.

Cora: Why?

Stiles: Because... i don't know. When you're not threatening to punch me in the face, you nice to talk to and stuff.

Cora: [oh. that has feelings she didn't expect attached to it] I'm not really good at friends.

Stiles: That's fine. just means you need practice

Cora: And you'd want me to practice on you?

Stiles: You could practice on Lydia?

Cora: I don't think she likes me.

Stiles: Then I guess it's me or Isaac.

Cora: Not Scott or Allison?

Stiles: Well, Scott was a given because he's the alpha now. But I didn't want to assume you'd want to try being a friend with an Argent right off the bat.

Cora: Probably right.

Stiles: I mean if you did, you'd probably freak everyone out and wonder if you'd been taken over by a pod person or something.

Cora: Also probably right.

Stiles: Though sometimes freaking people out can be fun because they're not expecting it.

Cora: Not really my idea of fun.

Stiles: What is your idea of fun?

Cora: I don't know. Didn't really have a lot of room for it.

Stiles: So making friends and learning to have fun. That's a tall order.

Cora: You make it seem like you have to do it.

Stiles: Maybe I'm making it my personal mission.

Cora: Why?

Stiles: Well, I helped save your life. Like, a few times. So I have a vested interest for you to enjoy it.

Cora: I think that's easier said than done.

Stiles: Good thing then that I like a challenge. We start tomorrow. Well, maybe the day after. I think I'm being held hostage by my dad for the day.

Cora: What if I'm not in Beacon Hills still?

Stiles: Are you leaving today?

Cora: No. But I don't know when the Slayers are leaving.

Stiles: Well, if you leave before tomorrow, then we can start when you get back. Or distance learning. Cause I'll have my phone.

Cora: I'll keep that in mind.

Stiles: I should probably go to bed. I'm starting to feel sleepy.

Cora: Okay. Night, Stiles.

Stiles: Night Cora.

Cora: [and she will actually save his number, before closing her eyes and trying to get some actual sleep]