From Ashes ✗ Stiles Stilinski [#𝟏]

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 [ friends. ]

A/N: Okay, there's seriously a lot going on in the chapter...Like, a lot. I thought about cutting it a little short or giving you guys more Staddie. Guess which one I went with! 

Also, for those who don't know, there is a trailer for From Ashes! Check it out on the side.

Song Recommendation ["Bravado" - Lorde]
NOTE: For the full experience, I do personally suggest seeking out each song rec.

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The weight of the world gets easier to carry when it's shared.

☽ † ☾

Maddie put a hand over her mouth as it stretched open in a lengthy yawn. Stiles was arguing about closing times with the only remaining mechanic at the shop – or was he really talking to a giraffe that happened to know how to fix cars? She could've sworn...

She shook away the fog from her brain and squinted. No, it was a person. That made much more sense.

Maddie groaned, unsure if her hallucinations were getting better or worse. She managed to close her eyes for a few minutes in the jeep at least but she was dreading heading back to the Argents to try and get some actual rest. She never really believed in all of Willow's ramblings about energies of places and inanimate objects, but the moment she walked in that door every day she could feel the hostility barraging her for merely existing. Sure, Chris, Allison's dad, hadn't actually said or done anything that could be considered accusatory as of late, but the backhanded comments from Victoria and the sickening boasting from Gerard made her life miserable. 

Then, of course, there was Allison – who may never speak to her again. Not that Maddie thought she was in the wrong.

Maddie paced idly to keep herself standing as Stiles walked back over to her and the mechanic pushed the jeep into the garage. Stiles cleared his throat and Maddie stopped as he began to speak. "So, it's gonna be like an hour. Is that okay?"

Maddie shrugged. "Are there chairs in the waiting room?"

"Yeah – two, I think."

"Works for me." She dug around her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone, thinking for a second. Not extraneously, per se – but with her disturbing and sometimes horrifying hallucinations, she guessed it would be best to tell Xander about the more pressing issues before she passed out. Swiping through her contacts, she didn't bother to glance back up at Stiles as she continued. "You go ahead. This won't take long."

"...Y'know, you don't have to stay."

"Like hell," she said, her head shooting up finally as she tried at an incredulous glare. It probably didn't look that way though; she supposed all of her expressions right now were practically identical – tired. "Every time I leave you alone for more than a few minutes, you're in danger."