They aren’t really sure what they’re dealing with yet, but it’s definitely fast, has no scent, and likes to eviscerate people. Scott can’t remember seeing so much blood and people’s insides on the outside before, and he knows he doesn’t want to see much more of it. It must be a horrible way to die, so he hopes they’ve found something during their research session that can help them identify and then destroy this creature. While he usually tries to be optimistic and give the supernatural creatures they have to combat the benefit of the doubt regarding their chance at rehabilitation, this time he knows it’s going to be a fight to the kill. He’s ready for it, and he just hopes it happens sooner rather than later.
The rest of the pack has been sent on home because Scott knows he’s not the only one affected by the horrible crime scenes. Liam actually got sick after this last one, so he’s giving them a chance to go home and distract themselves while he goes to check on the research team of Stiles, Jackson, and Peter. He can’t help the curl of his lip into a sneer when he thinks about Peter being around Stiles because he can smell Peter’s sexual interest in his best friend, even if Stiles seems clueless about why Peter’s always hanging around him. Not that that’s surprising really. Scott loves Stiles like his brother, but he can definitely be oblivious to his own attractiveness and to recognizing all the people who are wanting to date him and stuff.
The idea of Peter courting Stiles really does make Scott want to punch a wall because it’s not like he can forget the whole turning into a werewolf thing caused by Peter’s crazy biting of asthmatic teenagers, and there’s the whole trying to murder people multiple times thing, not to mention the coming back from the dead by terrorizing Lydia bit. It’s not all that easy even being around Peter most of the time, but the time in Eichen seems to have changed him. Either that or he’s just full of shit and acting like he’s more a pre-fire and pre-crazy period of life Peter. The last bit actually comes from Deaton, which is the only reason Scott’s been willing to trust Peter around his pack and especially Stiles.
And, sure, Peter does seem different. Well, he’s still an arrogant bastard with too much sass and this weird habit of watching and listening to everything that creeps Scott out, but he’s helped during several supernatural crises in recently months. He’s also been civil to everyone in the pack, even if Scott’s caught him making faces and mimicking the younger wolves. Scott can’t really judge him for that since Stiles also tends to do that about Liam and Hayden sometimes. Still, Scott doesn’t trust Peter as far as he can throw him, and he wishes Derek were around to tell him if Deaton’s right or not. Stiles’ paranoia and distrust of Deaton has started to get to Scott, and he’s realizing maybe it’s more legitimate than he originally believed.
Peter hasn’t formally made any overtures to Stiles yet, but Scott’s preparing himself for when the time comes because he knows it’s going to happen. People might underestimate him a lot when it comes to being observant and smart, but he’s actually not stupid. Optimistic and hopeful doesn’t automatically mean naïve and gullible, after all. Besides, he knows Stiles better than just about anything or anyone else in this world, and he knows Stiles is intrigued by Peter, and that’s all it’s going to take for things to eventually happen.
The one possible roadblock in the whole Peter sniffing after Stiles thing is Jackson. Scott can’t believe he’s actually hoping Jackson Whittemore makes his move on Stiles before Peter. Really, Jackson’s at least been ridiculously obvious about his interest in Stiles, lacking any suave subtlety that Peter unfortunately seems to possess. Since returning from London during Christmas break, Jackson’s been following Stiles around like a puppy. It’s sort of funny to watch, considering their past, and Stiles is definitely flattered by the attention because he isn’t used to it.
Jackson still hasn’t asked him on a date, at least Scott doesn’t know if he has and that’s something Stiles isn’t likely to keep secret, but Jackson’s doing the whole puppy following thing, flirting in an obvious way, staring at Stiles like he’s awed by him, and he’s jealous of Peter, making snarky remarks about old men needing to stop perving on hot teenagers and other stuff that actually manages to irritate Peter, even if he tries not to show it. None of that ever happens when Stiles is around, of course, but it’s made for some entertaining pack meetings, in Scott’s opinion.
The thing is, Scott likes that Stiles is being shown how awesome he is because he’d totally be dating Stiles if he weren’t so much like his brother it would be incestuous. Besides, Scott’s been attracted to Isaac, who he sort of still hopes eventually comes back to town one day, and Danny, who has actually shown back up around school after disappearing like a year ago, but he’s sort of more on the loving ladies side of the Kinsey scale even if he’s closer to the middle than most people realize. And, yeah, if Isaac or Danny asked him out, he’d probably say yes because he’s curious to explore that awareness.
Stiles is way more attractive than he even realizes, super smart, witty, and a sarcastic asshole that makes for the best friend a guy could ever have, but neither of them are into each other in a sexy way, which is cool. Because Stiles deserves someone who is all about the dick, and Jackson seems to be gagging for it. Jackson’s also ridiculously pretty and well-built, plus rich and arrogant in that way that Stiles always finds attractive. Lydia’s admitted that she’s trying to help Jackson get the nerve to finally ask Stiles out, but it seems there are still insecurities and stuff that Jackson’s dealing with emotionally that have him worried Stiles will say no or isn’t interested in him that way. The fact that Jackson’s realized Peter is also into Stiles will probably help speed up that dating thing, though, because Jackson’s always been competitive and likes to win.
It’s like some bizarro world, he realizes as he stops at a light. His best friend is the focus of attention for the bullying douchebag who tormented them during all of middle school and freshman year and murdered a lot of people even if it wasn’t really his fault, and the former (possibly still) crazy psycho who turned Scott, shoved them into this supernatural world in the first place, and has also murdered a lot of people for revenge and power. Of course, when he thinks about it, Stiles also killed a bunch of people due to supernatural craziness, and he’s died and come back to life just like both of them, so maybe it’s one of those odd fate sort of things where like attracts like with enough differences to balance out. Scott’s not entirely sure, but it’s definitely unexpected drama that’s been added to the last semester of high school, that’s for sure.
Scott has had some bad luck with his dating life, his heart still hurting when he thinks about Allison, and the realization that Kira probably isn’t ever coming back has caused another ache, but Stiles seems to attract the crazy former murderers pretty damn well right now. At least Malia wasn’t a murderer or anything, but that relationship didn’t last, and maybe that was because Malia isn’t dark enough to balance Stiles out right. No, not dark enough isn’t right, but Scott can’t think of the right words to describe what he means. Stiles likes being needed, likes taking care of people, but there’s an edge to him that Scott knows probably makes it difficult for him to ever settle down with anyone who is normal and only sees the world in black and white. After the possession during junior year, that edge just got worse, and, in a way, he’s happy that two men who seem to understand and can deal with that are both pursuing Stiles.
Obviously, Scott’s going to support Stiles no matter who he chooses, if he even goes for one of them, because he loves Stiles and nothing as ridiculous as who he happens to be fucking or dating is going to change that. Even if Scott doesn’t trust Peter and thinks Jackson’s still an ass, he’s not going to be the one dating them, so he doesn’t really get a say in it. And if he tried to have a say, he’d lose Stiles, and he knows that his world isn’t right when Stiles isn’t in it, so, yeah, he’s going to keep his mouth shut and work with Lydia to plot out ways to kill and dispose of either Jackson or Peter if whomever Stiles chooses or doesn’t choose ends up hurting him in any way. That’s one situation where Scott will totally ignore his morals and take care of business as ruthlessly as needed.
When he pulls up to Stiles’ house, he isn’t surprised to see Jackson’s new sports car, something with an Italian name Scott can’t even pronounce, sitting in the driveway beside Roscoe. Peter’s car is parked at the curb. Since Peter always volunteers to help Stiles research these days, Jackson never insists on going out with the pack to check on things because he isn’t about to leave Peter and Stiles alone together. Sometimes, Scott has to do the whole alpha thing and force them both to go while Lydia stays to help with research, and they actually do it despite neither of them necessarily recognizing him as their alpha, too stubborn to accept it yet smart enough to know being a part of his pack helps keep them safer than being omegas.
The radio is playing music that sounds like the songs used in television commercials to make old people nostalgic and more willing to buy shit. Other than the low volume of some dude singing about earth angels, the house is quiet. Scott closes the door and goes to the living room, stopping in the doorway and staring. There are books open on the table and floor, Stiles’ laptop is on a stack of books, and there are soda cans and empty Chinese food containers piled around, too. The thing that makes him stop and stare isn’t the familiar research scene, though. No, what’s got him frozen and gawking is what he sees on the sofa.
Jackson’s leaning against the side of the sofa, and he’s got an arm around Stiles’ shoulders, who is sleeping against his chest. Peter’s sleeping against Stiles, an arm wrapped around his waist. They’ve all fallen asleep together, books still around them, music playing softly, and there’s just something about it that has Scott struck dumb, in a sense. Like he’s intruding somehow. He takes a step closer, noticing that Peter’s hand is on Jackson’s leg, that Stiles is drooling on Jackson’s expensive shirt, and that Jackson’s fingers twitch to brush against Peter’s face as they sleep.
There’s a scent in the air that Scott can’t quite place. Contentment possibly? He sniffs the air and traces it back to Peter, who has his face buried against Stiles’ neck. Jackson smells like happiness, Scott realizes, the sweet scent familiar, though he hasn’t smelled it on Jackson very often. Scott looks at Stiles, sees the relaxed way he’s sleeping, hears his breathing and knows it’s a deep sleep, something he hasn’t experienced often since the Nogitsune. Stiles always tends to smell like arousal, excitement, anxiety, curiosity, frustration, and anger in varying degrees depending on the moment. Tonight, there’s a sweet scent of happiness on him, too, along with arousal and the faintest hints of anxiety.
Scott takes a step closer, watching as Peter and Jackson both immediately wake and open their eyes, staring at him with wolfy blue, as Stiles calls it. Scott flashes red, but he doesn’t say anything. This isn’t the sort of arrangement he’s been expecting, at all. Hadn’t even considered it because he didn’t think Jackson or Peter would be the type to share, but he’d forgotten how stubborn Stiles can be. If he refused to pick, sharing would be the only way either of them would have a chance with Stiles, so Scott can understand why they’d agree even if it’s not something they’d usually do. Of course, he’s reading a lot into this, has no idea what might have happened during research tonight, but he knows Stiles is happy, and that’s all he really cares about.
“Don’t wake him up,” he whispers, keeping his voice incredibly low because they’ll be able to hear easily and he doesn’t want to risk Stiles hearing him. “I’ll stop by in the morning to discuss research.” He nods at them both, watching them look confused before they settle back down against Stiles.
Definitely an interesting turn of events, he decides as he turns and leaves Stiles’ house. Tomorrow, he’ll find out if they figured out what creature they’re dealing with now, and he’ll also talk to Stiles about his complicated love life because he has a feeling Stiles is going to need to talk about all this. If he doesn’t say anything, Scott’s going to bring it up because maybe Stiles hasn’t realized that they’re willing to share. He can tolerate Peter being creepy and Jackson being arrogant if having an unconventional threesome with two werewolves is what Stiles wants to do because that’s what best friends are for, after all.