The sound of the rain beating down on the roof echoed throughout the house. Liam shivered at the noise and pulled a blanket over his legs on the couch. He watched the rain pour down against the windows, the wind blowing harshly through the trees. He was feeling significantly better. His stomach had seemed to settle and his overall panic had the situation had managed to subside.
"So what are we gonna do. The news is saying we're probably gonna lose soon. That means we would lose internet too." Stiles said sitting next to Liam, and far too close to Derek who was sitting at the other end.
"Yeah, we'll probably lose power. We have a stockpile of food so that shouldn't be an issue. Also..." Isaac Made his way into the kitchen and then came back a moment later with a laptop, "I have this and we can use my phone's hotspot for a while if we lose internet." Isaac set the computer down on the coffee table.
"Alright so we're all set for a while then?" Scott asked the group.
There was a series of 'yeah's' and 'yup's' throughout the room.
"Good soooo...." Scott got up and grabbed the TV remote, "anyone else wanna binge watch Ghibli movies until the power goes out."
"Oh my god I love Ghibli," Liam smiled, "can we watch Totoro?"
"Hell yeah," Scott started flipping through movies on the TV.
"Uh, what's Ghibli?" Theo's voice rang from where he was sitting on the floor in between Stiles and Liam's legs, it made the rest of the room go quiet, "Okay, christ, didn't realize it was such a big deal, forget I said anything."
Liam raised his hands, "No, no, sorry, I guess I just figured everyone knew what they were."
Theo nodded, 'So... kind of like the Disney situation?"
Liam smiled sadly looking down at him, "Uh, yeah, like that."
The rest of the room had gone kind of quiet before Stiles chimed in, "Your saying you've never seen a Ghibli movie, or a Disney movie?"
Theo shrugged, "I mean, I think I remember watching Disney movies before I was taken, but I don't remember what they were. I've only really seen the ones Liam's showed me. And I've never even heard of Ghibli so..."
"Fuck okay, new bucket list created. Every movie that was a staple in my childhood, I will now force you to watch." Stiles declared.
Theo smiled, "alright, I'll watch your movies. But only if you do something for me?"
Stiles rolled his eyes, "This didn't really seem like a bargaining situation but okay sure, what do you want?"
Theo smirked, "Let me teach you my pancake recipe so you'll stop asking me to make them for you at three in the morning."
Stiles looked at him with, what appeared to be, genuine betrayal. "I thought you liked making me food? And that only happened once!"
"What in the hell made you think I enjoyed going to your house at three in the morning to make you food. And it wasn't once, it was at least three times." Theo looked at him pointedly.
Stiles put his hand over his heart, "I thought we were bonding."
Theo rolled his eyes, "Is it bonding if one of you is asleep on the couch the entire time?"
"If you didn't want to make them for me you could have just said so," Stiles retorted.
"He did," Scott chimed in, "You showed up at our house after he told you he didn't want to."
"You guys are making this sound a lot worse than it was."
"And why do you wanna bond with me?" Theo added, "Why don't you have your boyfriend make you breakfast?" Theo gestured haphazardly to Derek and silently reveled in the way his voice made the room go stiff.
No one spoke but the prominent blush on both Derek and Stiles' faces, as well as the fast pace of their hearts made Theo smirk.
"Oh come on, it's not like you've been subtle about it."
They were all quiet again. Stiles glanced at Derek and then let himself fall slightly into Derek's side. Theo saw the hint of a smile appear on Derek's face. Well, that was a start at least.
"Anyway," Scott said, "Totoro?"
The group had finished watching Totoro, and Theo ranted about how awful it was that Liam hadn't mentioned them before. They were about an hour into Ponyo when the lights flicked. There was a sound like a car backfiring and the room was flooded in darkness.
Liam made a panicked sound and a shrill shriek came from the area Derek and Stiles were sitting. (Stiles would later claim that it wasn't him, Derek would just roll his eyes.)
Isaac grabbed his phone flashlight and went to the kitchen, he grabbed some candles and lit a few of them with matches. They were placed sporadically around the first floor. The group gathered more blankets from the laundry room, and stole the pillows from Isaac and Liam's beds. They threw them in a clump on the couches haphazardly and stood around looking at the mountain of fluff they had created.
"So," Isaac said, he glanced around the room with a small smirk on his face, "We have a lot of time to kill." He paused again, "Anyone wanna make a fort?"
No one needed to answer.
They all knew the plan.
Scott and Isaac were in charge of planning. They arranged the couch and chairs in, what they deemed to be, the most effective way. There was only a minor argument when it came to what they should use as a central support beam. Isaac suggested a lamp, Scott said one of the high chairs from the island in the kitchen.
Liam and Stiles were on the floor inside where the fort was being constructed. They were laying blankets and pillows around on the floor and grabbing snacks from the kitchen. Liam was arranging and setting up the laptop and making sure it was connected to his phone.
Derek and Theo were in charge of moving stuff. Scott and Isaac told them where to move it, and they did. They were stood in silence watching Scott and Isaac argue when Theo turned to Derek.
"Sorry about the comment earlier," Derek raised an eyebrow, "about you and Stiles, I wasn't lying when I said it was obvious, but I shouldn't have said anything."
Derek gave him a half smile, which for Derek was a lot. "Don't worry about it, you're right. We just haven't really had that conversation yet." Derek's eyes landed on Stiles where he was sitting on the floor in the middle of the fort walls. "I think we're both a little scared to say anything about it. Like it might make it real, and if it's real... it could end at some point."
Theo was more than a little taken aback.
Since he's joined their friend group, relatively uninvited, Theo had only really talked to Liam and Scott on a more personal level. Liam had a lot he was dealing with, and has already dealt with. Theo thinks that's why they're so close. They both feel like large portions of their lives were stolen from them.
Scott wasn't the same, but he talked a lot about his relationship with Isaac. A day or two after their first 'fight' Scott started overthinking a lot. He, apparently, was in a very toxic relationship about a year prior to meeting Isaac. Theo listened to him talk about when he found out they were cheating on him. It was heartbreaking. Scott stressed that he knew Isaac wasn't that kind of person to do that, but having someone you trust betray you messes with your head.
Theo had never connected with the others. He'd say they were friends, they were. Stiles and Theo both loved Star Wars. It was one of Theo's favorite movie series before he was taken. They talked about it a lot, but their conversations never took a serious turn.
Malia and Lydia were fine. Theo didn't see them much. They didn't hang out unless the others were around, and if they were, they didn't talk one on one. Theo had the sudden realization that he hadn't seen either of them in a long time. It was a little concerning but he decided to worry about it later.
Isaac never seemed particularly fond of Theo. He wasn't mean, he always included him in conversations. Spoke to him even when no one else was there. But Theo always got the sense that there was something he wanted to say but wouldn't. Theo would bet everything he owned that Isaac was still off-put by how they met. Theo wouldn't blame him. He still blamed himself.
But Derek? Theo went into that friendship knowing full well, without even meeting him before, that Derek wasn't the type for intimate conversation. Derek had just said something personal, not just about himself, but about a relationship he's in. That was big. At least it seemed.
Theo realized for a moment that the first time a friend shares something personal with you you shouldn't just stare blankly in thought. "I can say with relative confidence that you two don't have anything to worry about."
Derek smiled at him.
"Hey Derek can you help me move the couch over a bot more."
"I could say the same about you," Derek said just under his breath. It was quiet enough that no one else could hear, except maybe Scott if he really tried.
Theo raised his eyebrows in confusion but couldn't come up with something to say before Derek was moving to help Isaac and Scott again.
Theo tried not to dwell on it.
After about an hour and a half to two hours the fort was done. They all slid inside. Scott and Isaac were leaning on each other on one side. Derek was leaning with one leg bent and the other outstretched. Stiles was sitting next to Liam with one of his legs swung over Dereks. Theo was seated next to Liam. He was in charge of snacks. They all agreed he was the best candidate.
Isaac had restarted Ponyo back on the laptop.
"I want food," Liam said out of nowhere.
"Li, we have a shit ton of food." Isaac rolled his eyes.
"I know, but like, I want something warm, like actual food, not more chips." Liam explained.
"I could make mac and cheese?" Theo said to the group.
"How, we don't have power dude." Stiles asked.
"You guys have a gas stove," He gestured between Liam and Isaac, "The gas is still there, all you need is a spark, and we have matches. Plus, if you open the fridge fast enough most of the cool air won't leave. We have the stuff from the box. All I need is milk and butter."
Stiles looked at him.
"Dude this isn't profound or anything," Theo said, confused by his silence.
"Okay," Stiles started, "Yes, the stove thing is something I've never thought of, but that wasn't why I didn't say anything."
Theo just looked at him and urged him to continue.
"I'm just trying to gather whether or not it's possible for you to make mac and cheese from a box taste better than it already is. I think I'd have to go with no."
"Is that a challenge?" Theo asked, crossing his arms.
"Fuck yeah it is."
The second Stiles took a bite of the mac and cheese he completely forgot about the pancakes. This. This was all he needed in life and he would be happy.
"I hate how easy you make this seem," He whined.
"I promise I literally did nothing. Okay well I did ad parmesan but that was just for fun." Theo said.
"Well," Liam said, "You're probably gonna have to show up at Stiles house for dinner now too."
They both laughed, Stiles just looked at them with betrayal. Derek laughed too and Stiles looked offended.
"Whose side are you on here?" Stiles crossed his arm.
"I don't pick sides, but he's not wrong."
Scott and Isaac were up in Isaac's room grabbing sweatpants and t-shirts that people could sleep in if they'd be more comfortable. Scott could easily sense the tension in Isaac before, but they hadn't been in a situation where Scott felt comfortable saying anything until now.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," Isaac grabbed a pair of pants aggressively.
"Iz, I know somethings wrong. Talk to me."
Isaac sighed, 'You're gonna think it's stupid."
"Try me."
Isaac sat on his bed, "Liam and Theo."
"Liam and Theo," Scott repeated.
"I don't know if I'm more annoyed at the prospect of them being... something or more annoyed that they haven't talked about it. Plus now with the storm? And Liam being sick this morning? I just-"
"You want to protect him and make sure he's always safe. He's a 16 year old boy who has his own life and interests, but in your mind he's still 10." Scott chimed in.
"Am I overreacting?"
"Yes" Scott said honestly, Isaac put his head in his hands, Scott gripped his shoulders and kissed his forehead. "But he's your brother. You're allowed to overreact."
With Scott's last word came a flash of light and a clap of thunder.
Isaac and Scott both jumped, but only Isaac's hands started shaking.
"Fuck."