Recondite {Malia Tate}

27: Anger Flares and The Coyote Detective

Stiles had a look of realization take over his face, "Like a dead pool," he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the tops of his thighs.

"What if all those years ago, Lorraine predicted it? And she knew there was something in the study that could stop it?"

Malia watched Charlie's face light up with pride as he clumsily jumped from his rolly chair, grabbing her hand to pull her out of his room, "Malia, you're amazing!" He told her, Stiles quickly hustling to follow the two out of the house.

"We're going to the lakehouse," Charlie said, ushering Malia into the back of Stiles's Jeep.

<>

"Um... am I-are we supposed to be hearing something, or..." Charlie trailed off as him, Stiles, and Malia made a triangle around the record player.

Stiles shushed Charlie before looking back to the record player. Malia gave Stiles a defensive stare, Charlie was just asking a question, and she would not hesitate to come to his defense.

Stiles sighed impatiently, standing to his feet, "What're we doing? This room wasn't even made for us. Y'know, we need someone like Lydia or Meredith, and we're just sitting here listening to a stupid record player play a record that doesn't play anything!"

Malia and Charlie watched as Stiles stopped the record player, motioning for he two to get up and follow him, "Come on, there's plenty of other things we can be totally useless doing."

Malia looked to Charlie for confirmation, not recognizing the offended look he carried as he watched his friend wave them along. It wasn't often she saw Charlie look angry. In fact, she'd never seen Charlie angry.

"We're not useless, Stiles," Charlie told him.

Stiles turned to face his friend, "Dude, you know what I mean-"

"Malia is the one who got us this far, okay? Did you even notice how hard she has been trying to help this entire time? How hard we have been trying to help?" Charlie snapped in frustration, he was losing his temper.

Stiles stared at his friend, dumbfounded. He had only said one word that brought this different Charlie to life, and it confused him to say the least.

"Charlie, I'm-I'm sorry, I-" Stiles shook his head, what was he to say?

Charlie felt him cool down and he had an apology on his tongue before he could even fully comprehend what had happened, "Oh, my God, I didn't mean-" he stopped himself, a faint whirring noise echoing to his ears.

"Stiles," Charlie muttered, the apology dying from his lips.

Stiles shook his head, "What?"