new york wolves } { of baby betas and senses training

[impetere]

Stiles: [and a few days later, his brain is finally satisfied enough with how progress is going and is going to let Stiles wake up. Which he is going to do with a groan, one hand going to shift to reach up and rub at his eyes]

Cora: [is out cold in a chair next to the bed, legs folded under her Indian-style and a textbook open in her lap. Normally that sound would rouse her but her body is making her pay her sleep debt so that is the image you get, Stiles]

Stiles: [luckily the room is dark so that his senses don't overwhelm him just yet. He opens his eyes, squinting a bit as he looks around the room. He recognizes it and smiles a bit, then goes to sit up. He shakes his head, hearing voices that aren't anywhere in the room, and he looks over at the person in the room and smiles at the image] Cora? Hey Cora... [his voice is crackly from sleeping]

Cora: [at the sound of her name she stirs a bit, slowly coming back to the land of the living with a soft hum] Hmmm? [eventually her eyes open and when she sees him, she smiles] Hi.

Stiles: Hey sleepy head.

Cora: [she closes the book and places it to the side before getting up and making her way over to the bed] How're you feeling?

Stiles: I don't know. [he flexes his hand easily] I don't feel the tightness in my body anymore, that's for sure. Kinda have a headache and is there a TV on somewhere?

Cora: No. But your dad is talking to my sister in the kitchen. [she pauses before darting to the open door and closing it, sealing the soundproofing to drown out whatever's happening in the rest of the apartment] Better?

Stiles: Yeah... that's better. Wow, I can... so I can hear that now?

Cora: [nods as she goes to climb onto the bed next to him] Yep. And probably a lot more than that. You'll have to learn to focus it to what you want, but it'll be a little overwhelming for a while.

Stiles: [nods, and then his nose wrinkles] What's that smell?... Oh god, is that me?

Cora: [laughs] You were out for a while. And this is not that bad - when I first got my nose Derek practically threw his post-basketball gym bag at me - I couldn't get the smell to go away for weeks.

Stiles: Your brother is horrible sometimes. [he blinks] How long is a while?

Cora: [nods her agreement as she stretches out next to him, propping herself up on her side] A couple days.

Stiles: [blinks] Days? I've been out for days? Oh god, has my Dad flipped out? I should go and check on him...

Cora: [reaches out a hand to slow him down] Your brain was healing. I'm sure he wants to see you but you don't have to rush off and reassure him. Marcus did an MRI, and it showed you were doing better. We were mostly just waiting.

Stiles: [her touch stops him, his skin tingling a bit where he could feel her holding him. It felt like his nerves were alive and sending him all these signals that he hadn't been getting for a long time and he looked at it in confusion a moment, then he reached up to touch his head] So it's actually healing? It's not just status quo?

Cora: [nods with a small smile, letting her fingers brush against his arm as he moved it] When they took you for the MRI, Marcus said it had already healed 25 percent of the atrophy from when you had the scans done.

Stiles: [blinks] Really... then it worked. Oh man, it worked. I'm not going to die. [and he's totally pulling her in for a hug]

Cora: [she will go for that hug, burying her face in his shoulder and holding him close for as long as he wants. She's just glad he's better and moving and there for her to hold in the first place. This could have easily gone wrong, but it didn't and she never won't be grateful for that.]

Stiles: [yeah, that's a very tight hug you're getting back because of those same feelings]

Cora: [it's okay. She can handle it. She's still adjusting to the fact that he's a wolf now, so the hug probably tightens gradually as she goes, knowing that he can take more of it now comfortably]

Stiles: [yeah, doesn't even notice that, since now it feels like her normal tightness? But he's going to pull back after a moment and kiss her because OMG ALIVE means kissing the hell out of his girlfriend.]

Cora: [mmmm kissing. Yes kissing is good and she may even tip back a bit subconsciously, because it's probably been a very long time since they've done anything more than very simple kissing]

Stiles: [yeah, but after a minute he's going to pull back and lick his lips] Did you have pizza?

Cora: [laughs a bit] For lunch, yeah.

Stiles: I can taste it. [rubs at his lips]

Cora: [she nods] All your senses get heightened. Taste and touch too.

Stiles: So... all those times you kissed me in the morning before I brushed my... oh god how do you stand me?

Cora: [she laughs] I liked kissing you more.

Stiles: [he winces a bit because ow, loud laughing] I'm very glad about that, but I'm so going to brush my teeth from now on before we make out.

Cora: I appreciate that. [and looks vaguely apologetic for the loud laughter]

Stiles: I'll even let you choose the toothpaste.

Cora: I like the one you already use.

Stiles: Then I'll keep it. In fact, I should probably go use it. And shower. Cause I'm all shades of disgusting right now.

Cora: [smirks] Okay. I should probably go tell them you're awake. [as much as she would like to keep him to herself, his dad deserves to know]

Stiles: Yeah, we should do that. [and he's going to make it to the door before the outside light is going to blind him and he stumbles back, shutting his eyes and cussing]

Cora: [bounces up to follow him and reaches out to switch off the hall light for him, then opening the door the rest of the way] Better?

Stiles: [blinks to get his sight back, then nods] Yeah, better.

Peter: [his ears perked up and he's chuckling to himself on the couch as he's reading]

Cora: [pushes up and kisses his cheek gently] Go ahead. I'll see you in a bit.

Stiles: [and he goes into the bathroom and yeah, light again.] I'm going to take a shower in the dark. [and he's in the bathroom where he is going to be wrinkling his nose at all the soaps and shampoos because HOW DO YOU WOLF?!]

Peter: I think Stiles is up.

Sheriff: [his head turns towards the stairs, moving to stand up]

Cora: [is coming down the stairs and gives them both a smile] He's taking a shower. He'll be down in a bit.

Sheriff: Is he... is he okay?

Cora: Getting used to the new senses, but yeah. He's good.

Peter: .... Hopefully the shower won't drive his nose crazy then.

Sheriff: So it took... he's a werewolf now... with everything you told me...

Peter: Yes. Which also means that his brain is learning to process all the new stimuli so if he's awake, it's probably mostly healed now.

Cora: [nods with a small smile] He'll be okay. If his brain is healing, it means he'll probably be able to handle shifting too.

Sheriff: [and he just relaxes because that is good news] Good. Then this was a good decision.

Cora: [nods, before heading to the kitchen, because she's hungry and Stiles probably will be too]

Stiles: [and about fifteen minutes later he's jogging down the steps, his eyes squinting because it's still bright, but he's happy and feeling like himself for the first time in months. he sees his dad and grins] Hey Dad.

Sheriff: [and yup, hugging ensues]

Cora: [awww, Stilinski hugs. Your girlfriend will be in the kitchen making sandwiches while you do]

Sheriff: [pulls back, ruffling his son's hair] Feeling better?

Stiles: I feel amazing. It's like it never happened. Though it did happen because I remember it all but I swear I feel just fine.

Malia: [saunters in from her room] Welcome to being a werewolf. Downside? Skipping class because you have a cold? No longer a viable excuse.

Stiles: Hey, you know what, Seeing that I've skipped enough classes being unable to put on my clothes or read a book - I could use a lifetime of no more sick days.

Malia: Well, congrats. You've got it.

Cora: [from the kitchen] Hungry?

Stiles: [grins] But hey, also means you're kinda stuck with me for a while longer now. [hears Cora and that werewolf hunger instantly turns on] Oh my god, yes.

Cora: [pushes a plate with a sandwich across the breakfast bar to him] Dig in.

Stiles: [catches it and he's going to wolf that sucker down in no time flat] Can I have another?

Peter: [chuckles] Stiles, you will need to learn to control your hunger or you will eat us out of house and home.

Laura: He also just spent two days unconscious and has a new metabolism. He's allowed a little wiggle room.

Peter: Mh hmm, I stand corrected. [smirking as he goes back to his book]

Stiles: [turns to look at Laura, smiling a bit] Hey.

Laura: [smiles back] Hey. How's it feel?

Stiles: Loud and bright, but good. Real good.

Laura: You'll get used to that. It'll just take a little practice.

Stiles: Yeah, Cora was telling me. But no, Still better than dead. MUCH better than dead.

Laura: Good. And you've got a whole week until your first full moon to enjoy it.

Stiles: [... and his face drops just a bit] Week?

Laura: [she nods] Yep.

Stiles: That's not that long at all...

Laura: Nope. But don't stress about it too much. Cora's going to work on the preliminary stuff with you this week, and I'll be there to help you through the moon itself.

Stiles: [nods. There's something in him that just makes him automatically trust anything Laura tell him] Okay, yeah I can do that.

Sheriff: You also have to go see Marcus for a follow up tomorrow at noon. We were going to carry you over if you weren't awake, so you're saving my back some agony.

Laura: [the benefit of being an alpha] Just a quick MRI to see how you're doing.

Stiles: Just as long as it's the last one ever. I've never been happier to cut that test out of my life.

Laura: [smirks] One can only hope.

Stiles: So I guess you get to fill me in now on like, what my new responsibilities and everything are?

Laura: Right now the only responsibility you have is learning to control your shift and adjusting to anything. Once you get a handle on that, then we'll talk pack politics.

Derek: [coming out of his room, having just got back from] Oh, we don't tell him he's the pack bitch until later? [smirks]

Stiles: .... Very funny.

Cora: [gives Derek a look] Be nice.

Derek: It's a joke, Cora. [whistles for Baron to come for a walk while Stiles winces at the noise]

Cora: [makes a face at him, before glancing over to Laura] Would it be okay if we went to the park or to campus to work on his hearing? [she figures that it would at least give him a chance to ease into things if they went somewhere quieter, plus he probably wants to get out of the house]

Laura: [considers and then shrugs before glancing to Peter] What do you think?

Peter: [thinks] Campus is too far. No subways for now - the smell alone will overwhelm him. And so will cabs. I think the riverfront park will be better, and you can work on sight too trying to see what's happening in Jersey.

Cora: [nods before turning back to Stiles] What do you think?

Stiles: If you think I'm okay to go outside already. I mean, I feel fine, but... [and his eyes slide to Laura for the okay]

Sheriff: It'll give me time to conference call into the office today and see how Parrish is doing holding down the fort.

Laura: [nods her approval] Yeah, it's fine. Go. Have fun.

Stiles: [looks at Cora, curious if he's getting that second sandwich, or if they will be invading a hot dog stand on the way]

Derek: [has Barron leashed] I'll walk you two down that way, unless you'd rather be alone.

Cora: [oh yeah, she'll slide that over as she does] No we can start out together. That's fine. [but eventually there will be alone time. Lots of alone time. She's actually a little disappointed that they can't go to campus because she was hoping for real alone time, but that's something they'll address later]

Stiles: [yes, sandwich! He's grabbing a napkin to take that to go, then stops] Um... my phone and wallet are where?

Cora: Probably my room. I'll get them. [and off she goes]

Derek: [checks his phone, and quickly responds to a text message] And Stiles, just a warning - when you get to Peter's part of the training regimen, make sure you don't eat first.

Stiles: Why's that? [that sandwich isn't making it out of the penthouse]

Derek: Because the food won't stay in your stomach long.

Peter: Derek, stop scaring the betas.

Cora: [and she reappears! Wallet and phone in hand] Ready?

Derek: Tell him that it isn't true.

Stiles: [ looks at Peter]

Peter: Have fun on your walk, kids.

Cora: [sighs before handing Stiles his stuff and grabbing his phone] Let's go.

Derek: [and he will follow the two of them out, plugging in his earbuds into his cell phone and draping them over his shoulder]

Stiles: So um, does the police know...

Derek: No. And they don't need to know.

Cora: It's not something we really talk about. Hunters are everywhere, hiding in plain sight just like us.

Stiles: Like the ones that killed your family?

Derek: [tight jaw] Yeah, like them. Cora's going to teach you control, but the biggest thing you'll need to learn to control is letting your real eyes show. As long as you can keep them from glowing, everything else will follow.

Cora: [nods a bit] It'll take practice, but you'll get it. Eventually it'll be like riding a bike.

Stiles: How do you keep your eyes hidden?

Derek: Practice. And knowing that showing them puts my family's life at risk. [in more ways than one]

Stiles: But can I see them? I mean, I've seen Cora's...

Derek: No. [and his phone vibrates and he's going to look at the message]

Cora: [squeezes Stiles’ hand gently before shaking her head behind Derek's back. it's a touchy subject. They're not going to get into it]

Stiles: Oh. Alright, I won't ask again.

Derek: [he doubts that, but there's the ground floor and they can start to walk towards the Hudson River]

Cora: [heads that way and waves to Derek] If you want to drop off Barron with us later, we'll be at the park.

Derek: Barron enjoys running with me, doesn't you, boy? [especially since they usually get something to eat on the way]

Cora: [Barron woofs in agreement, and Cora smiles] Well, when you're done, we can keep him outside for a bit.

Derek: We'll see how he feels. And if you two need me, just text. I can get there as fast as you can call me.

Cora: [nods, and with that, they head off to the park]

Stiles: [totally holding hands as they walk too, and Stiles is letting his eyes finally adjust to the bright, smelling the air] There's way too many things in the air that .... [sneezes]

Cora: [she laughs a bit] You'll get used to it. That's why we're going to the park.

Stiles: So I can have an allergy attack? [sneezes again]

Cora: Yes, but you can also breathe through it.

Stiles: I'm trying to breathe.

Cora: [stops in the sidewalk and turns to face him] It's just because you're over stimulated. Breathe through your mouth a couple times.

Stiles: [nods and does that, breathing in deep though his mouth] Yeah, that's better.

Cora: You'll get used to it. Once you do, the sneezing will stop.

Stiles: Promise you won't throw your dirty laundry at me?

Cora: Promise. [and with that she will lead the rest of the way to the park, and find a comfortable tree to curl up with him under. Even if they couldn't go hang out in his dorm, they can at least get in some cuddle time]

Stiles: [cuddling under the tree is nice. It's a warm afternoon and he's happy to just hold her, feel the sun on his face and for the first time in over a year actually think of what the future will bring]

Cora: [shifts a bit brushing her nose against the nape of his neck and taking in his new scent. It's still a little disorienting, but in a good way] What're you thinking about?

Stiles: Just that.... that I actually have a future to plan now.

Cora: That's a good thing, right?

Stiles: Oh, it's a great thing. [laughs] It's something I didn't have three days ago.

Cora: [smiles a bit at that curling closer] Do you think you'll be able to stay in school?

Stiles: Maybe. Maybe if Marcus gives me an all clear to go back to lacrosse? I mean, my grades are still good, considering the fact I lost my ability to read the last few weeks.

Cora: You'll just have to get a handle on your wolf, and it shouldn't be a big deal.

Stiles: Maybe Hal can help. I mean, he knows what goes into lacrosse...

Cora: Yeah, maybe. [shifts so that she's turning to face him more] It's about controlling your heart rate more than anything else.

Stiles: My heart rate?

Cora: [she nods] Your heart rate goes up, and your body could read it as you being in trouble, which will make you want to shift. But your heart rate can go up for a lot of different reasons, so you have to learn to control that.

Stiles: Like lacrosse.

Cora: [nods in agreement] And like ... sex.

Stiles: ...... [blinks] Oh shit.

Cora: [she pauses for a moment, before her head ducks a bit] Malia thinks ... she says that I should use it to teach you.

Stiles: Why do I suddenly feel that I'm going to be frustrated in many ways now?

Cora: Well, it's not practical. Especially if Laura and Peter won't let us go back to campus.

Stiles: Well, I have to go back to campus soon? I mean, I still have classes.

Cora: True. But I want you to try and at least get some of the basics before that.

Stiles: Well, we can work on my senses? So that I can go back in the subway.

Cora: Yes, we can. What do you want to start with?

Stiles: Well, I think I have the whole adjusting to the light down. So smell?

Cora: Smell is tough, because some things ... don't really go away. It's kind of basically a matter of learning to ignore stuff and building up a tolerance. But, when you get good at it, you can sort out scents and use them to track people.

Stiles: Like a bloodhound?

Cora: Yeah. Everything has it's own scent. [she pushes up her knees and moves closer, scooping her hair onto one shoulder and baring her neck] Even me. See for yourself.

Stiles: [he's going to give her a look, confused, and then awkwardly lean in to smell her neck. A lot of scents hit him, mostly the soap from the shower] What am I looking for?

Cora: Just ... follow your instincts. A lot of different scents can make up one person's so just relax.

Stiles: My instincts are in their infancy. Pretty sure I'm not sure whether I'm supposed to smell your neck or bite it.

Cora: Don't bite it. That's .... don't do that.

Stiles: Right, biting bad. Got it.

Cora: Not bad, just ... not really something we're ready for. [not that she hasn't thought about it] It's a mate thing.

Stiles: [Blinks] Oh. Yeah, no we're so not there yet.

Cora: Yeah. So ... no biting. But the nape of your neck is one of the places where your scent is the strongest.

Stiles: [nods, then leans in to smell. He's trying to figure out what to call those smells]

Cora: [tips her head to the side and lets him take his time. It's not something you learn overnight, and they're hidden behind a tree so that no one can spy on them]

Stiles: [he leans back and rubs at her nose] I don't think I'm doing this right.

Cora: [smirks a bit as she slides her arms around his neck] There's no right or wrong way to do it. You're just overthinking it.

Stiles: Yeah, I have a habit of doing that.

Cora: [she pauses before leaning in to kiss him slowly. because she's learned if there's any way to effectively get him to stop thinking, it's to do that]

Stiles: [yup, no that works and he closes his eyes to melt into it]

Cora: [melts into him a little as well, using her arms around his neck to pull him closer, before eventually pulling back to catch her breath, and whispers as they pull back] Just breathe in.

Stiles: [breathes in, getting hints of pine and mint, salt, honey and dog]

Cora: Found it?

Stiles: I think so. A little sugar, a little spice, and very much a puppy.

Cora: [smirks] Now you're getting it.

Stiles: [small smile] Good. Do I get another kiss as a reward?

Cora: [she makes a show as though she's thinking about it] I think that sounds acceptable.

Stiles: [and he runs a hand along her cheek, pulling her close so that he can just sit there and kiss her]

Cora: [she is more than happy to let him do just that. In fact, she's happy to blow of further training to just do this, because she has missed him so much]

Stiles: [and then can keep doing that until there is a sudden Mastiff coming at them]

Cora: [pulls back with a giggle before reaching over to give some lovin' to her dog] Hey, Barron.

Derek: [strolling up after him] So how are the lessons going?

Cora: [looks up with a nod] Good. We need to work on him overthinking things.

Stiles: I'm a thinker. That's what I do.

Derek: Trust me, overthinking stuff like this will just frustrate you more. Your body now has different instincts. When you think you're thinking too much, just shut your eyes and let them do the work for you.

Cora: We can work on it until it feels more natural.

Stiles: I kinda like this whole reward system thing we have going.

Derek: [eyeroll] Yeah, didn't need to know that.

Cora: [looks back at him] How do you know it's something you don't want to know. I could be rewarding him with Twinkies for all you know.

Derek: [two eyebrows up] I'm not blind and there is a reason Barron got to you first.

Cora: So I can't make out with my boyfriend without it being a bribe?

Derek: I didn't say that, now did I? Anyway, leave Barron with you. I just got called in for something so I'm not going home.