If you are an old reader, most of this is new, beware!
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When you start noticing the little things about someone, there is no turning back from that very moment. Not just in a romantic way, it is more deeper than that, as if that person now owns a key to your heart and soul; you can be in your ugliest both in and out, it will not matter.
Ash had to remind himself that it was dangerous to hold someone that close to your heart, because when they left they also took a piece of you that you could never replace, he would know. He was the one to live with a hole inside his heart after all. Although he didn't have much of a choice with Malia when the two became friends because Eichen House was draining his will to live, he had needed someone to lean on. However he did have a choice with him.
Or deep down Ash was aware of the fact that he was a goner from the start.
After writing about the boy that was currently walking right beside him, Ash knew every little detail about him. Like the way he showed his hands in to his pockets when he was nervous because he didn't want people to see that he bit his finger nails or they were shaky. Like the way he tilted his head and stared in to someone's eyes while his lips curled in to a small smile because he was proud of that person.
Ash already knew those little signs, the way Stiles ' body responded to his emotions, the way he used his hands to state his opinion, all those facial expressions that he used a lot. Perhaps, with his survival instincts, he had been using that leverage to gain Stiles' trust as he told his story. It came to him naturally and he just knew how to phrase his sentences to make Stiles believe in him.
The odds seemed to be in his favor since Stiles didn't seem nervous, at least Ash could tell that he was not irked by Ash's presence which was something. That gave him strength and confidence but he was still scared to blur out everything in one go since it would probably scare Stiles away. He was trying to keep it at 'sometimes I get visions about you and your friends, no big deal,' at least for now.
Stiles was staring at him without even trying to hide it and yeah. He was most definitely on to something but the two were in a silent agreement for that time being.
Therefore as they walked in unison, they all kept their lips sealed even though Ash was dying to ask him more, tell him more because when he was writing the one thing he that wasn't crystal clear was his voice. Despite his eagerness to do so, he backed out every single time he caught Stiles' curious stare on himself.
When they reached to common room, Ash was one edge because they had spent too much time away from the crowd and one could've questioned their joined absence. Thankfully, probably due to the fact that Ms. Morell was cowering for them, no one asked about their whereabouts. They only got curious glances since grouping was not a common occurrence at Eichen, Ash could handle some looks.
"Tell me the plan," Malia demanded as soon as they set down, impatiently tapping her feet on the ground. Ash sighed, it was typical Malia, straight down to business.
"I thought you were going to come up with plans," Stiles muttered. He rubbed the back of his neck as he grimaced a little while looking at the werecoyete.
In return Malia raised a brow and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh I didn't ask you. Ash, what is the plan?" Stiles narrowed his eyes at the girl but kept his frustration to himself probably because he needed her by his side. This duo was rather amusing and Ash couldn't help but grin as he sat back in his chair.
"What makes you think I have a plan?" He asked and looked down a little making Malia groan with frustration.
"Cut the act. You always have something in mind. Spill."
Both Stiles and Malia stared at Ash with expectation on their faces. There was a small pause before Ash caved in an answered with a sigh. "Okay, I do have a plan that needs more planning so... How about we do some quality bonding time and brain storm later."
[...]
When you had an agenda, let's say, like you could turn into an evil spirit in matter of hours and kill lots of people including your friends, you didn't enjoy life.
Ash did not blame Stiles for being pissy whole afternoon as they played monopoly (finally! someone who knows finance.) Ash was refusing to talk about anything serious because a) anyone could hear and they would divide their little trio b) Ash needed more time, everybody needed more damn time to processes this insanity.
Regardless he could see where Stiles was coming from since he got paler every time the itch on his back increased and he was being jumpy. Ash even forgave him when he caught Stiles trying to cheat off with being the banker and he didn't call him out. (Definitely not because he loved seeing Stiles act like a little child who is too proud of himself for winning.)
"Ash," said Stiles. Ash knew what was coming, and enjoyed watching Stiles as he walked around eggshells as if Ash was so fragile and naive. He was cute. Ash replied with a warm smile. "When can we discuss my situation?"
Ash snorted at Stiles' odd way of trying to sound mysterious and Malia just look disinterested. It was funny how Stiles struggled to get answers out of them as if they were children, (yea , they were playing monopoly but everybody loved monopoly) his questions were always calculated. Ash wished Stiles could stop taking them for granted. "You should keep your hair long, and yes it does resemblance a similar masculinity like Derek's hair when you grow it out."
Stiles almost chocked on nothing and Ash felt smug. He enjoyed the knowledge of being able to recall these people's inner thoughts sometimes. Even Malia looked amused while she tried to hide her laughter by coughing. (She was bad at it.)
"What? Derek and I, me and Derek, do not resemble-what? Why would you say that!"
"That was not what you implied with 'my condition'?" Ash batted his eye lashes, his smile was intact.
Stiles sighed dramatically. "No," he sounded defeated. His voice was more high pitched when he continued. "I am losing my freaking mind over here thinking about the second I will no longer be myself and we are playing monopoly. So please do feel free to share what you know."
"Oh, that? You have 37 hours, so don't worry. I had been drawing that number on the table with my fingers every time you scratched your neck. I even spelled it out with the little houses," he gestured on the monopoly houses on the table while Stiles was gaping with his mouth hanging wide open. "Like I said, don't worry. I am almost sure."
"You. You knew, all along?"
Stiles looked really pissed for the first time. Well, Ash didn't have his genuine smile on his face for the first time too. His features hardened, normally his face looked childish but at that moment he did not, perhaps he just resembled his respective age. "That's what you get for trying to get the answers out of me instead of asking straight up. Don't try to manipulate me and you will have your answers as long as I'm able to answer," his voice was not cold or intimidating. It was just plain and it felt like they held a promise behind them. That made him very much believable. "Deal?"
Stiles nodded immediately, looking embraced with a shade of crimson red tainting his cheeks. Ash smiled sympatheticly in return.
"Woah, Ash. I haven't referred to you as cool in my head before. Badass, yeah, but not cool."
Ash giggled and nudged Malia playfully. "Get a boy who can be both."
The tense atmosphere had vanished and they had moved on to a plan of little mischief regarding to their roommate situation.
Ash was pretty positive that since it was not Brunski's night on duty, no other soul could tell if he was happen to switch places with Stiles' roommate, Oliver, for the night. It was not that hard to persuade Oliver either. (At least it wasn't hard for Ash since he knew the guy and just knew what to offer. Anyone else would offer, chocolate, cigarettes or a comfy pillow but Ash knew the right deal. 'You can paint my face with anything you want for the next weeks free time activities.' 'Can I draw cat whiskers?' 'Yes, you can.')
(And they had a deal.)
[...]
"How're you holding up, roommate?"
His clothes were fresh and so were his thoughts and smile. Ash flopped on the bed that was next Stiles' and tried to ignore two things.
1. Stiles was on the edge here. Ash had written about this earlier, it was not hard to recognize this level of expressed anxiety anyway. He was pacing around the room, his hair was a mess, he was playing with the edge of his fingernails and Ash was pretty positive that he was at the verge of drawing blood.
2. Ash was on the edge here. Any minute now, Oliver could've done something to expose them or a nurse could've decide to look closer who was in the bed and they could've been exposed. Did he have to mention that Stiles Stilinski was just an inch away from him? And they were gonna sleep together? (Well, not sleep together but he was gonna sleep next to him and that was as good as it got.)
And, yes, Ash was doing his best to ignore those problems. He knew for a fact that, falling into a spiral of what could've beens would only increase their paranoia.
A part of him just wanted to be there for Stiles anyway, no supernatural drama involved. Ash was good at listening and telling stories. Just for tonight, Stiles needed to relax and be himself so he wouldn't become him.
"Barely holding on... Maybe it was a mistake. Was it a mistake Ash?"
Ash quirked his eyebrow as he sat on his bed with his legs pulled up to his chest and he hugged them, his bones made the situation a bit uncomfortable but he was used to being this skinny. So he rested his head on his knee and looked up at Stiles, trying not to get lost in his own thoughts.
"It's definitely a game changing move, at least for me because you are here and I didn't write these... I don't know if it was a mistake. Even if it was, I believe we can turn around everything," said Ash. Then his face lit up and he continued on a lighter tone. "Let's forget about it for this night and we'll think about it later on, okay? I want to hear the other's from your perspective! It will be fun, please."
Stiles' eyebrows rose in confusion as Ash starting rocking back and forth on bad excitedly with his baby blue eyes looking hopeful. "What'd you mean others?"
"Like, the McCall pack! Obviously I know everything, I wrote from everyone else's point of view but I wanna hear about them from your perspective."
"I still can't wrap my head around it. You know... everything? I thought you only happened to now some upcoming events."
"When I was free- I mean when I was out side, it wasn't like that. I just get glimpses into your lives, sometimes I dreamt about Allison and Scott's first date or I just got random thoughts like 'Stiles would try to chain Scott to a radietor, well, that won't work.' Then I came here and everything just got more intense and I started seeing everything like visions, instead of little thoughts and predictions. After I came here, I started knowing about everything like I know Scott sometimes dream about Allison still, Derek hates spiders, you fancy both of the Hale siblings and have a crush on Lydia-"
"What?! I don't- Hale siblings as in both of them-"
"Sweetheart, please," Ash rolled his eyes with a giggle and Stiles blushed but didn't comment further. "Things like that. Let's start by why you don't like Isaac? I always thought it was because of Scott since Isaac adores him fully hearted and would do anything for him, are you intimidated by that or-"
"Ugh. I don't like this."
They ended up talking for more than they should've. Ash had been dreaming about Stiles so long that he just stared at him with awe while he talked. It was ground breaking to see him alive, to see him as a real person. He had almost forgotten that the people he was writing about was actual human beings, and not just this selfless and brave heroes without fears and flaws.
...
Ash always had been that person who slept anywhere within a heartbeat could if he wanted to, so when they decided it was enough talking he almost fall asleep the second his head hit the pillow. However, his mind couldn't shut up about Stiles but this time it was not about freaking out on being near him. He was just worried about him, he could hear him breathing a bit faster for being relaxed.
"Can't sleep?"
Stiles let out a shaky breath and hummed in agreement. It made Ash's heart clench a bit.
Naturally, he took action immediately and sat up in his bed, shuttered when his bare feet touched the cold ground. It only took three steps to reach Stiles' bed and he struggled to find his way with sticking his arms out since it was pretty dark and way pass their curfew.
"Make room for me," said Ash. And tried to find Stiles' shoulder to push him, ended up poking his face.
When Stiles scooched over slightly, he lost no time to get under the mattress. He pressed his cold feet against Stiles' and felt a little bit better.
"What are you doing?"
Ash let out a chuckle, he knew for a fact that it would tickle Stiles. He was careful not to hold on too tight if it was really making Stiles uncomfortable but he didn't back out either. In his defense, Stiles was only socially acceptable kind of nervous and tense about being cuddled. "What do you think I am doing, genius?"
"Trying to wrestle me in a horizontal position?"
"Smartass."
Stiles snorted and his arms relaxed under Ash's touch. He was almost sure that Stiles had moved towards him a little since now his chest was flushed against Stiles' back and he felt warm. "But. I'm taller."
"So?"
"You are the big spoon."
"Don't you dare try to bring your discriminative opinions into cuddling. You need to feel safe. I'd be happier knowing you are sleeping safe. Thus, I'm cuddling," he stated and let out a content sigh when he didn't receive an objection. "Are you okay with that?"
"Yeah."
It took some time for Stiles to let go and go to sleep. Ash wasn't complaining though, neither was Stiles commenting on how cold Ash's feet was. They both soughed warmth and comfort, it seemed to be working just fine.
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AUTHOR HERE;
#stilesisthelittlespoon
so... new stuff! I want Stiles to spend more time in Eichen and im tweaking the canon a bit. hope everybody is on board with me.
ugh i had missed writing about ash. i feel like he is changed a bit since the last time but its still so fun to write someone who is so positive (when my other oc constantly frowns smh)
anyway,let me know what you thought!! coments always encourge me.
bye xx