Inside My Head (Stiles Stilinski)

chapter 10

Frowning, the Stilinski stared at the boy.

"So..." He trailed off, not sure what to say. Instead he opted for trying to lighten the mood. "What do I smell like?"

Smiling slightly, the smaller brunette took in a deep breath.

"You smell funny."

Stiles squinted, letting out a chuckle.

"Thanks?"

Levi widened his gaze immediately.

"Shit. Sorry. I meant... You smell like sarcasm. All the time."

The Sheriff's son grinned at him.

"That's so cool. I think you're my new best friend."

Best friend?

Green eyes flicked over to the house, a light suddenly switched on.

"What? What is it?"

"Sorry, I have to go home." He gulped down his fear. "My dad'll be worried about me."

Stiles nodded slowly, watching as he got out of the car, almost hesitantly just as he had gotten in.

"Oh, okay. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow Stiles."

The boy with a buzz cut watched as the green-eyed teen walked over to his front door, take a deep breath and open it. He seemed like he was forcing himself to go in.

But of course, Stiles took no notice of it.

He was too busy smiling like an idiot before pulling out and beginning his journey home.

He had a good feeling about this.

Levi leant against the door, gripping onto the handle for dear life.

He could hear the heavy breathing on the other side of the wall, praying it meant he was asleep.

Even though he already knew that wasn't the case.

Slowly, he made his way to the stairs.

"Levi? Can we have a .... Word?"

He froze.

A chill ran down his spine.

The feeling of anger.

The feeling of cruelty.

Loathing.

Hatred.

Shakily, the teenager moved over to the living room, only a few steps away from the danger that sat on the couch.

"Where've you been, hm?"

Swallowing thickly, Levi kept his gaze on the ground.

"I went to a study group. I'm really sorry dad I didn't know it was so-"

"It's alright."

Instantly, he looked up.

The man in front of him looked entirely calm.

Still.

His breathing slow and light.

But his emotions were anything but.

"Really?"

He nodded.

"Yeah. I mean, if your mother can just wander off whenever she wants. Why not you too? It's not like you can ever leave forever. Who would take you in?" He chuckled darkly. "No one. Because you, son, are unloved. And always will be."

Levi dropped his gaze again, biting his lip.

The anger.

The loathing.

He felt it.

He felt it.

"No I'm not."

He didn't mean to let it out.

Just think it.

But it came out instead.

"What was that?"

"I'm not."

Levi sunk in on himself as he felt the man stand, dropping the bottle of beer on the ground.

It was then he noticed the others lying beside him.

All new.

All empty.

"Oh really? Cause, from where I'm standing, I just see a sad, pathetic little freak who still sticks around after every fucking beating!"

His breathing got heavy again.

Like he was struggling to control himself.

He didn't struggle for long.

Quickly, the man picked up an empty bottle and threw it in his direction.

Luckily for Levi, his drunk mind had terrible aim.

Still, the broken glass shattered against the wall and fell onto his back.

How he wished he had told Stiles to drive to Mexico and never look back.

His dad grabbed another bottle.

And another.

And another.

Each having the same fate as the last.

He didn't know if the man was purposely missing or not.

And he didn't know whether he was thankful or not.

"You worthless shit! You think anyone cares about you? Even your own goddamn mother, who can feel every ounce of you loneliness, chooses to leave you every night!"

"I'm not worthless!"

His dad's anger ran through his veins.

He could only watch in fuming frustration as he ran out of glass to throw.

"No? Hit me then?"

Breathless, almost, the brunette looked at his father with wide eyes.

"What?"

The man stepped closer.

"Hit me, Levi. Go on. Right here." He tapped his chin lightly. "Hit me!"

"No. I'm not, I'm not like you."

Sometimes he wished he was.

So he could fight back.

"Hit me!"

"No!"

"Hit me! Hit me! Come Lev, I know you want to. You have for years. Hit me! Hit me!"

Heart racing and blood pumping, Levi subconsciously threw his arm forward.

Internally, he wished maybe he had actually tried.

Wished he had thought about it.

Because before he could even realise what he'd done, his arm was trapped in his dad's.

"Pathetic."

His chuckle ran through his son's ears.

And probably would for the next few days.

Then he threw his first punch.

Then the second.

Then the third.

As his body fell to the ground, Levi whimpered and tried to get away, only to get a kick to the ribs.

Tears filled his eyes.

A kick.

A punch.

Glass etching patterns onto his back.

Pathetic.