I'm Not a Hero >> Teen Wolf/Spiderman AU

Chapter 10

TRIGGER WARNING: Rape mention

Everyone except for Stiles was asleep.

His friends lay across the couch, the chairs, and Theo had even decided to take a nap on the floor.  Everyone looked so peaceful when they slept, Stiles couldn't help but admire his friends. (Aside from Theo, who still looked suspicious.) Scott looked so young, like when they were just starting high school and their biggest problems were whether they'd make the lacrosse team. Lydia looked beautiful as always, and somehow still looked intelligent in her sleep as her hand rest on the open Dread Doctors book. Malia didn't look as angry as always. She looked like she was at peace. Every one looked like there were no problems left in the world.

But, unfortunately, there were still a lot of problems in Beacon Hills.

Earlier that night, they had decided to read the Dread Doctors book.  The story haunted Stiles, and he knew the effects of reading it would haunt him even more later. Even before he knew about the supernatural, Stiles was used to death.  His father was the Sheriff in one of the most murderous towns in America, after all. 

But, this book made chills run down his spines. The murder. The experiments. The scariest part was that it was all true, and that it would be happening all over again.

Stiles lightly drummed his fingers against the arm of the couch.  He was trying to sort out everything that had happened to him in the last few weeks. The Dread Doctors. The spiderwebs. The anxiety attacks. The advanced senses. He had seen and dealt with a lot of crazy stuff in his lifetime, but nothing compared to this.

Stiles stared down at his wrists, rubbing circles where the spiderwebs would shoot with his thumb. "Maybe I'm just crazy," Stiles whispered to himself.

A gust of wind from the open window hit Stiles in the face. He could hear the wind soaring through the air.  Whoosh. That one sound came crashing into one ear, and flew out the next. He put his hands up to his ears to try to block out the noise, even though part of him knew it wouldn't help. It never did.

Now is not a good time to start acting up, he thought to himself, trying to control his powers. But, he was no expert on control.  Now he could hear everything ten times louder, smell everything ten times more.

Lydia's gentle heartbeat.

Kira mumbling words he couldn't understand under her breath.

Scott's deep breaths.

Damn it, Stiles thought, running a hand through his hair. Not now. Not now.

Birds cooing in the distance.

The wind rustling leaves.

Stiles couldn't take it. These were things that wouldn't bother a person with normal hearing, but, for someone like Stiles... It was maddening.

Stiles abruptly stood up, letting the Dread Doctors book drop to the floor, landing next to Theo. He stepped over his body (resisting the urge to kick him in the face) and walked towards the kitchen. He opened the cabinet, looking for a glass.

Water, he thought to himself. Water will help.

His shaky hands rummaged through the glasses as he heard them clanking against each other. It sounded like explosions banging against his skull. He could feel the spiderwebs trying to force themselves out of his body, and Stiles had to use every bit of his strength to keep them from coming out.

Stiles found a glass and put it over the sink, his shaky hands trying to find the knob.  The sounds were getting louder, and, in his mind, he heard a cluster of thumping heartbeats, deep breaths, footsteps from outside, and birds wings flapping in the trees.