Not So Creepy Mansion | Late Afternoon

[robinonadderall]

So things since the nogitsune thing ended had been...well, very awkward. It was awkward with his father, awkward with Scott when he said he didn't feel right about going to Allison's funeral and it was especially awkward with Derek. He didn't know where they stood at the moment, but he did know he was staying in the spare bedroom. Which...wasn't good.

At least the weirdness with Derek had encouraged Stiles to catch up with Cora as soon as possible and, after explaining the odd situation, had finally gotten together everything he needed to explain that whole thing to him. Whether that would make things better or worse he didn't know.

For now he was just hanging around his new room and wondering how to approach this.

[Open post for people in the house and visitors. Feel free to handwave any text messages saying he's home. Work SP may apply]

Comments

[bitten_notshy]

Usually, Jack appreciated any chance to play hooky for a bit on days when Tiny and the DJ were up to something particularly obnoxious. But he was too worked up to see Stiles' text to properly appreciate the unexpected time off.

He'd let himself into the house as usual -- sorry not sorry, assorted residents -- and then stopped. He could tell Stiles was nearby, but it seemed wrong to just barge in on someone still recovering from possession. Someone who, Jack had to acknowledge, wasn't yet totally free from suspicion.

He compromised by standing at the bottom of the stairs or in an equivalent place if the guest bedroom isn't actually upstairs and calling up. "Stiles? It's Jack. I saw your message."

[robinonadderall]

Stiles had expected visitors, and he had spent all morning mentally preparing himself for it. So he didn't look too miserable as he came out of his (new) room and looked over the banister. "Hey. I'll be down in a minute, I just need to keep the dog from eating my shoe."

Somebody had missed him, clearly.

[bitten_notshy]

So Stiles still seemed reasonably Stiles-ish. That was good.

"Nice change from him trying to eat mine," Jack noted more easily. "I helped out with him a bit while Derek was away. I don't think Joe ever got over his disappointment I wasn't either of you."

[robinonadderall]

"He's stubborn like that," Stiles said. He managed to get his sneaker out of the dog's mouth but had to carry him down the stairs in order to keep it from happening again. "Thanks for coming by."

[bitten_notshy]

"Please, I was just glad to get out of the bar," Jack said, almost succeeding in his attempt to sound casual. "Do you know how much noise it makes when someone tries to bowl on a dance floor?"

[robinonadderall]

Stiles smiled a little at that, remaining casual although he was keeping his distance. More for the sake of Jack's comfort than his own. "Everything been okay here?"

[bitten_notshy]

Jack hesitated before giving an accurate answer. "Well. You know. Other than not being sure if you and Derek would come home alive -- yes, it's been fine. No invading garden gnomes or whatever, thank Christ."

[robinonadderall]

"Yeah I wasn't really good at keeping in touch," he admitted. "In my defense, I wasn't myself a good majority of the time."

[bitten_notshy]

"I heard," Jack said, and went over to sit down. "How are you feeling now, though?"

[justlurkinghere]

Derek was giving the door a sad and irrationally upset looks before he manned up and knocked.

[robinonadderall]

"Well one of my best friends is dead because of me, I remember killing a bunch of other people and my boyfriend is barely speaking to me," Stiles said. "So not great."

[robinonadderall]

Now the knocking just made Stiles sad. They didn't even knock when they didn't like each other! "It's open."

[justlurkinghere]

That was because they were both douche bags. So.

Derek slipped into the room to give it a look like it offended him on so many levels.

[throughaphase]

Given that Kitty had no idea where things stood with her and Derek, she felt kind of weird coming over. And then she decided screw it, she was here for Stiles, so she poked her head in through the door like normal and called, "Hello?"

[robinonadderall]

You were the one that banished him here, Derek!

"Hey," he said. "Need something?"

[justlurkinghere]

He was giving you space! And off licking his own emotional wounds.

"Hey." Oh god, say something to defuse the situation. Or nothing. Just say nothing and be an awkward lycanthrope. Ugh.

[robinonadderall]

At this point Stiles had been keeping his door open so he was quick to leave his room when he heard Kitty's voice. He wanted to avoid any awkwardness between her and Derek.

"Hey," he said as he made his way downstairs. "You can come in."

[robinonadderall]

"Is that a no on needing something?" Because you were just standing there being weird, Derek.

[throughaphase]

"Thanks," she said, walking the rest of the way through the door. "Welcome back."

[justlurkinghere]

"No." Wow he was bad at this. "Do you need anything?"

Wow. Just wow.

[robinonadderall]

"Thanks," he said, though it was said without much happiness. "You okay?"

[bitten_notshy]

Jack winced. "No," he said, "I can't imagine you would be."

A deeply awkward pause followed as Jack tried to figure out a follow-up. Nothing helpful was coming to him.

[robinonadderall]

"What would I need?" he asked, opening up the dresser drawer he had put the envelope of stuff he had gotten together for Derek. It didn't take much searching for it seeing as 90% of his clothes were still in Derek's room so he didn't really need to use the dresser.

[robinonadderall]

"Sorry," he said, wincing a little. "It's just--it's been really hard the last few months. I'm not good at the positive thing at the moment."

[justlurkinghere]

A good cuddle?

"I don't know," Derek huffed. "Things."