𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐍 , stiles stilinski ¹

thirty-five.

"Yeah, seems as if you keep forgetting that you have another child." Adrian bitterly spat before he could stop himself, thinking his mother wouldn't hear him . . . but she did.

"What did you just say to me?" That was the boy's breaking point.

"I said, it seems like you keep forgetting that you have another child to take care of! That you have me! This whole time, not once have you ever asked me how I was after the night of the formal! I was in hospital too!" He set a hand on his chest, letting it all fall out.

Both Martins knew this was no place to be having this conversation, but the trigger was already pulled and there was no turning back.

"Is that what all this is about?" Natalie calmed down, her shoulders slumping at the words of her son. "Have I not given you enough attention that you felt the need to get a restraining order?!"

"No! that's not it!" The boy frustratedly denied, shaking his head as anger coursed through him. Why couldn't she just understand? He thought.

"Then what? What is it?" His mother's voice got higher again, making his rise too.

"I can't tell you that!"

"God, you are just like your father!" The lady screamed before something cleared in her eyes, looking down with a dazed look as a small gasp escaped.

Adrian furrowed his eyebrows when the woman didn't speak to him, the boy stepping forward. "What do you mean by that?" His voice was quieter, but it was probably the most intimidating one so far.

Natalie Martin seemed to snap out of whatever had happened due to her words, shaking her head. "Nothing. Nothing at all." She mumbled, swallowing thickly.

For the sake of saving the possibility of a new and bigger argument, Adrian left it. Instead, a new sadness filled his eyes. "Look, I know I'm the disappointment of the family, all right? I know that I don't get good enough grades and often find myself in trouble, but it's never intentional. When I tell you I'm trying, I'm really trying, mum . . . but I'm not like Lydia."

There it was, silence filling in the station. Everyone didn't seem to move in that moment after the boy's words, not even Natalie Martin.

Eventually grew the words and she spoke again, lips wobbling as she looked past her son. "Get in the car. You're grounded."

The woman walked out without another word, leaving Stiles, Scott and even their parents to stare at him with looks of sympathy. The redhead didn't meet any of their gazes as he turned his back. "See you at school." And with that, the Martin pair were gone.

Stiles watched his boyfriend leave, his heart aching to go after him. Sadly, he couldn't- not with his dad there.

He wanted to go. He wanted to go after him so badly and hold him until he knew that he was no disappointment- far from it actually. The defeated look on Adrian's face got to him, and would continue to plague him for the rest of the night.

❚ ❚ ❚

Allison and Adrian walked side by side into the school library together, trying their best to ignore the camera that was obviously following them down the hall.