𝕀𝕟𝕤𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 || 𝕊𝕥𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕤/𝕍𝕠𝕚𝕕 𝕩 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣

Chapter 24

I was on the couch in Kira's house, sitting next to Stiles with my head on his shoulder. Kira, Noshiko, and Mr Yukimura were all talking privately in another room, leaving Stiles and I alone.

He didn't seem to want to be alone with me though. After we'd escaped the tunnels he'd been avoiding talking to me as much as possible, but never left my side. It was like he wanted to get away from me but at the same time wanted to make sure I was safe at all times.

Currently, Stiles was staring at the coffee table, his expression blank but tired. He seemed so tired. I wanted to help him, to comfort him in his loss of Allison, but I didn't know how to when he cringed away from my voice and acted like I wasn't even there half the time.

I cleared my throat, deciding to give it a try anyway as I lifted my head of his shoulder.

"Stiles?" I asked hesitantly.

Stiles shoulders stiffened, as if surprised by my voice, before he quickly looked away, clenching his fists in his lap.

"Stiles please," I said. "Why won't you look at me?"

Finally, Stiles head turned in my direction and I saw a trembling jaw, as if he was trying not to cry, and a sea of guilt in his eyes.

"I won't look at you because I don't have the right to," Stiles said firmly, his eyes falling down to his hands.

"What do you mean...?" I asked, trailing off in confusion.

Stiles' head snapped up and he looked me in the eyes, his expression one filled with pain and regret.

"I hurt you, Y/n," he said, his voice breaking. "I tied you up and kidnapped you and threatened you."

"It wasn't your fault," I said.

Stiles shook his head, looking down at his hands again.

"Everyone says it wasn't my fault, but it was. I was there, and I didn't do anything. I didn't stop it and I let him hurt you right in front of me, and the sickest part was I enjoyed it. I enjoyed seeing you scared and in pain. I enjoyed seeing you powerless against me, and I hate myself for it," Stiles confessed, his voice laced with self loathing.

"Stiles, you were being possessed! It wasn't you doing all those things to me, it was Void," I said, fighting to keep my voice calm.

I couldn't believe Stiles blamed himself for this. It was outrageous.

"You weren't in control of your body, and I'll never be able to understand how traumatising that was for you, but you have to know that it wasn't your fault," I said, emphasising each word. He needed to know that it wasn't his fault. He needed to stop blaming himself for Void's actions. "None if this is your fault. It's Void's, and I'll be damned if I let you feel all this guilt for him. You did nothing wrong Stiles."

I could see tears welling up in his eyes. He blamed himself for Void's actions towards me, and I realised that meant he also blamed himself for what Void did to everyone else. To one person in particular.

"And it's not your fault Allison died."

That was what broke him.

Stiles grabbed me and tugged me against him, enveloping me in a hug as he placed his head in the crook of his neck, tears falling down his face. I wrapped my arms around his waist, a few tears escaping my eyes as well.

We stayed like that for a while, sobbing and comforting each other, until we both calmed down. We pulled away just as Kira and her family walked back into the room. Our hands were intertwined as we sat on the couch next to each other, staring at Noshiko as she poured some tea.