"Hey? Yeah! You!" A pestering voice broke through the small cracks of Bugs Stilinski's drug induced sleep. It had been the fifth time he'd been spoken too in the last two minutes and he swore he could yell... well if he actually could yell, there wasn't much he was able to do with all the drugs in his system. It was wearing off however, his eyelids still far too heavy for him to have any actual vision so he relied on his other senses.
For one he knew that he definitely wasn't in solitary, considering his annoying roommate who already was a pain in his ass. New roommate obviously meant cell change so obviously someone had either carried or dragged his knocked out ass towards the room, he was highly considering it to be the latter considering the immense pain he was feeling across his body.
The eldest Stilinski was quickly becoming impatient with the slow pace to his body, thankfully within a few moments of this thought he started regaining the ability to move his fingertips.
A loud groan escaped his lips, all at once a stretch commenced as he popped every stiff joint in his body and opened his eyes. He had never felt more sore his entire life, it was like every single cell in his body had stopped moving throughout the night and getting them to once again commence had drained his energy.
He stared straight up at the white walls, noting the various scratch marks on it. How did that get there? The brief question passing in his mind as he continued to stare at the long line.
"Oh thank god. I thought you were dead." His roommates voice making Bugs practically break his neck at the rapid movement to the left, looking at the guy strapped down. He'd never seen him before although if he had to guess the guy couldn't have been more then a few ears older then him and with perfectly shaped blonde hair, blue eyes and a sincere smile he didn't appear to belong there.
"What the hell?" He questioned, staring at the guy oddly who only smirked back at him and attempted to wave from his restraints.
"I'm Rhys, could you help me out?" Rhys joked, looking downwards to the leather straps that kept him still.
Bugs blinked and nodded, stiffly moving his leg muscles from the bed and letting the blood circle once more as he walked forward. For a brief moment his thoughts lingered on his companions unusual name and how he was awfully cheery to be in such a negative place. Long digits pulling apart the leather holders as he voiced his thoughts. "Why did they do this to you?"
"They didn't want me infecting you further Bugs," he answered back casually, watching as he was freed, all the while not loosing the smile.
Bugs fingers working quickly at the various straps before halting at the last one. Green eyes narrowing towards Rhys face, "what? How do you know my name? What the hell did you just say?"
He wasn't answered however as a loud buzzer interrupted their conversation, Rhys already permanently etched smile widening if possible as he sprung his legs free and walked around the confused boy. "It's rec time... we can go outside now. Finally!"
Bugs spun on his heel, the fine hairs on his forearm extending, alarms setting off at this guys demeanor. Rhys walking out and turning to the left without another word nor waiting for his roommate to catch up. There was something about him... and Bugs was determined to find out what it was. "Hey! Wait! You didn't answer my questions! Dude!"
Bugs sped out of the room, determined to get some actual answers but when he stepped out side Rhys was gone...
And no one was in the adjoining cells...
****
"Rhys!" The green eyed boy ran down the halls, having finally found other patients who were all stumbling in the same direction. He figured Rhys would be somewhere around, he couldn't have gotten that far right?
He stumbled around, barely registering the mumbling faces or the dreary looks in their dimmed eyes. He couldn't see the familiar straight blonde hair anywhere which further added to his slight panicked demeanor, it was what Rhys said... like he knew more about the place... about Bugs that had him wanting to know more.
"Bugs! Hey!" Hands wrapped around him, halting the rapid pumping of blood in his ear. His brothers demanding voice cut into his conscious, green eyes meeting golden ones as both brothers stared at one another.
"Oh thank god!" Bugs exclaimed in relief, holding onto his brothers grey shirt to know it was real, he was real. This wasn't in his head, it was all real.
"Hey! Hey!" Stiles said comfortingly, noting how his brother was shaking. There was a slight change in his eyes, one that Stiles has seen very rarely in his twin. It indicated that it was a rare moment where Stiles needed to take of Bugs. These moments scared him because every time it happened it seemed there was less of a chance to control him. "You're fine! What wrong?"
Bugs shut his eyes as tightly as possible while he remembered that he was fine and so was his brother. He sucked in a huge breath, pulling away so he could seem as calm as possible. "Nothing, I was looking for my new roommate, he said something and then just disappeared when they released us. I think he knows something."
"What?" Stiles blinked rapidly. Stepping back slightly. "Bugs? You were in solitary the whole night."
The green eyed boys breathing stopped, chocking on the air. That couldn't be possible, it was a lie. His brother couldn't know that. It was impossible.
"You're lying. You're lying..."
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"So, the Walcott's were the first. At least the first that we know about. Four murders. Sean, his brother, and their parents. They were killed by a professional assassin called The Mute. Weapon of choice, a military tomahawk. But then The Mute was killed by Peter Hale after he tried to blow up Derek with a Claymore mine. Next was Demarco. He delivered a keg to the party at Lydia's lake house. And got decapitated outside his car."
Stiles rambled on, running across his brand new board rapidly as he taped connections together and wrote across the clear board. He hadn't turned his back in minutes, centering his mind o' the assassins and the possible connections, which meant he also hadn't looked at Bugs.
The green eyed boy hadn't moved a single muscle since being forced out of bed early the next morning. It's hardly like he had slept though, in fact, sleeping had been at the back of his mind the past few days. He had no clue why the list, the very list with his dearest friends names written across it, had been sent his way. His fingers had grazed the screen one too many times for him to ever count, bloodshot eyes trying to make sense of the letter and numbers written across his screen. How had they found? They had to have known.
He wasn't an assassin... he was many things but an assassin wasn't on that list. Or was he?
His calloused hands ran down his hair and the length of his face. All he wanted to do was scream, out of pure exhaustion and fright. He didn't know what the hell was happening to him or how anyone else knew. What the hell was he doing? It was driving him to insanity but he couldn't risk any of his friends knowing.
"Bugs? Hey? You alright?" Stiles voice broke through his spiral to insanity. His piercing brown eyes having witnessed the last few moments.
"Yeah, sorry. I... I just didn't really get enough sleep last night." Bugs replied, moving his green eyes away from Stiles face and instead looking through the board now filled with names. Of course the first thing his eyes caught site of was the red "ASSASSINS" the one word growing bigger the longer he stared at it. His eyes flashed away only to catch site of the bloodied pictures, the mutilated bodies... it was too much.
Stiles didn't push, sighing and dropping the marker before sitting down next to his brother.
"We will figure this out. We always do," Stiles spoke, dropping his back against his soft comforter.
Bugs followed his motion, the lack of sleep overwhelming him in that moment. Both boys stared at the white wall above the bed, Bugs eyes trailing across the small crack there.
"I need to clear my head for awhile." He broke the comfortable silence between his twin. "I think I'll go check on Lydia, Malia said they weren't having much progress."
"You sure?" Stiles answered, eyes shut. "You don't want to come with Scott and I?"
"No," Bugs answered a little too quickly. Being anywhere near that list and then having to hear once more the explanations would drive him over the edge. "I'll be fine, you go do that."
Stiles didn't question, not even when he noticed how his brothers lips moving quickly and repeating a phrase Stiles was all too familiar with.
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"I'm surprised Thumper actually made it this far," Kira commented as Bugs got out of the old truck. The door to it slamming shut rather loudly behind him.
Bugs narrowed his eyes playfully at her, "what do you know. A funny fox? Maybe that can be your backup plan if this whole kitsune thing doesn't play out."
Kira smiled at him, "you here to check on Lydia?"
"Actually I'm here to snap her out of it. I think she's been at this enough already, maybe she needs a break. Stiles and Scott would be down here with me if they didn't need to go explain this situation of ours to my dad." The green eyed boy answered, walking up the gravel road towards the boat house.
"Good luck with that," Kira sighed. "She won't listen to any reason. Malia is up there keeping an eye on her, I just needed some space to breathe."
Bugs nodded, "maybe I can try. If I have any luck we can all go get some food or something, I'm sure you guys are hungry... I'm starving."
Kira nodded. "So anything new?"
"You mean besides the latest homicide?" Bugs responded flatly. "Not much, other then Stiles obsessiveness. I think we all just need to bring our heads together and we can't have that if have of the pack is out of town."
"You're right." Kira nodded, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. "Maybe you'll have more luck with Lydia, we've all tried."
Bugs went up the stairs slowly, not really understanding why he was so nervous. This was Lydia? He'd known her since they were children but as of late it had been different and definitely not in the good way. He wanted to get to the bottom of it however and that was why he was here.
"Bugs!" Malia was waiting for him at the end of the hallways. She greeted him casually, placing a chaste kiss on his lips before pulling back. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to see if I can help get Lydia out of her cave. She's gonna drive herself to insanity if she doesn't leave." Bugs sighed staring at the door where he knew she was.
"She won't listen to us," Malia mumbled back rather bitter. "You can try but I don't know how much good that will do. I can drag her out of it doesn't work though."
"Yeah, I think we will hold off on that option," Bugs answered back. "Alright well if she screams my head off you know why."
He didn't wait for a response from her, heading straight into the room without a second thought and shutting the door tightly behind him.
His eyes trailed over the entirety of the room, noting how eerily silent it had become once the record player went silent. Lydia repeatedly moved her fingers over it to continue the relentless sound.
He sighed, walking over quietly, not really knowing just what to do. Without thinking he sat down, sitting Indian styles nearest the strawberry blonde. She hadn't flinched or winced once more which was unusual because whenever they were alone that was her first instinct.
"I know," Lydia spoke up, her soft voice frail against the everlasting silence. "I can hear them all."
"What?" Bugs furrowed his brows, leaning into the strawberry blonde. His curiosity peaking as Lydia's eyes began to water. "Lydia? Have they told you the next name?"
"No," her answer was short. Shutting her eyes as Bugs impatiently waited for the next part to her response. "No, not those voices. The ones around you. I can hear them..."
Her piercing green eyes practically looked right through the facade Bugs had built up over the last few months. "I can hear what they are saying and I know everything..."
Whatever wall or built up fantasy Bugs had constructed inside his mind, the very one that was constantly a tug away from crumbling had now come down the the banshees words. He knew those last three words may very well end or destroy him... either way there was no getting out of this one. Someone else knew, someone else had his whole life in her hands once again.
"Lydia... I... I," he couldn't actually come up with words. How would he explain it? No, there was no way to explain it. He needed to accept it.
For a brief moment he was grateful that the walls were soundproof, otherwise Malia would also come to find out the truth and one person was bad enough. He shut his eyes, defeated of all willpower to fight.
Lydia, who had now finally revealed the pain to him stared him down. She didn't quite know how to feel, this was Bugs... her best friend and one of the only guys that had helped her through her struggle but what he had done... how did she wrap her hand around it?
"Don't worry," she cleared her throat, her words forcing his eyes wide open. "I won't tell Stiles."
₩₩₩₩
"Economic disparity exists in all forms. Well, take sports, for example. Some teams have better training facilities. Some have better equipment. Unlike Beacon Hills that can barely afford the duct tape to keep our equipment together." Coach Finstocks voice dragged on as yet another school day went as slow as possible. The pack had all since once again gone back to the usual routine of solving murders and going to school. Bugs had somewhat calmed his everlasting nerves since Lydia's revelation. He didn't know quite how to feel about it yet but for some odd reason he was relieved to know someone else knew, even if he had kept as far as possible from the banshee.
Now, he had pushed everything else to the back of his mind and that included being sent the assassin list. Instead, his focuses had been set on finding who this benefactor was. If he got to the source then maybe he would figure out why? Or at least that was the plan. Now he sat in class... bored out of his mind while his brother rifled through very gruesome pictures of dead bodies beside him.
"Dude..." Bugs whispered softly as Coach came down the aisle of desks. "Put them away, Coach is coming."
Stiles made a muffled noise in response, barely hearing his words although it was far too late as Coach had already stopped in his tracks.
"You know, Stilinski, if I could grade you on how profoundly you disturb me, you'd be an A plus student." Coach commented, looking disgusted at the various images.
"Thanks, Coach." Stiles answered with a sheepishly smile.
"I tried to warn you dumbass," Bugs whispered.
"You're the dumbass," Stiles snapped back a little harsher.
"Yeah sure dumbass," Bugs scoffed.
"You both are dumbass squared," Coach cut in, once more standing between the twins and looking irritated that there conversation had been to loud for his liking. "Put those pictures away."
Stiles, who had looked once more embarrassed furrowed his brows at the lacrosse stick in coaches hands, without a thought he yanked at it and stared at the end. Coach reacted instantly, fighting back and attempting to grapple the stick from his hands. "Stilinski! The hell is wrong with you? Don't answer that."
He walked away once he had secured his hands, Bugs glaring at his brother with an unbelievable expression. "What the hell were you thinking?"
"The end of the stick!" Stiles answered, his detective face set in. "Look at the marks on her neck!"
"He forced the picture of Carrie Hudsons mutilated body into Bugs face as his green eyes ran over it all. The hexagon shaped mark caught his eyes, instantly recognizing it.
"It's a lacrosse player." Bugs said with wide eyes.
Scott who had turned abruptly in his seat answered the next question. "The killer's on the team."
₩₩₩₩
"This... This is pointless. Most of the team plays with their own gear." Scott exclaimed loudly between the constantly shuffling of lacrosse equipment being thrown.
Bugs, who hadn't even attempted to look through each stick after his younger brother had dragged him into the room sighed loudly and stood from his chair. "I've been trying to tell him this for the last ten minutes, he's one determined detective."
"Maybe instead of trying to find a lacrosse stick with a hidden dagger in it, we should be trying to get the game canceled?" Kira offered, awkwardly attempting to move around the small office and sticks on the floor.
Scott shook his head, explaining to the kitsune, "The game's the best way to catch him red-handed."
Stiles jumped out of the pile and dramatically asked, "But what if he's red-handed 'cause his hands are covered in the blood of the person that he just stabbed to death? Which, by the way, could be either of you guys."
"Or Liam." Bugs pointed out, remembering the newest beta.
"Well, we don't have the whole list and he could be on it." Scott said, reminding them that there was much more hell awaiting them.
"We don't know anything about that list." Stiles dead-panned. He had given up on searching and now was standing around the coaches desk, strategizing with his friends and brother.
Kira went on, "How it's made, how it's updated. I mean, who's been out taking a supernatural census anyway? How do they even know about me?"
Scott huffed, "They know about everyone."
Yeah no fucking kidding, Bugs thought almost wanting to snort and roll his eyes at the accuracy to the true alphas words.
Stiles sighed loudly, running his hands through his dark hair. "I think Kira's right. I think we should stop the game."
Scott shook his head, bluntly stating. "I'm not afraid."
Kira added in, "Neither am I."
"Well that's just great for you both," Bugs nodded. "I'm fucking terrified, enough to change my name to Pablo, move to the Bahamas, and sell coconuts by the beach for the rest of my life."
"Im with my brother! I'm terrified. And I'm not even on the list." Stiles nodded, sassing out the rest of his statement as he couldn't believe his best friends still weren't grasping the severity. "Guys, these are professional killers. It's their profession. One of them's got a thermo-cut wire that cuts heads off. Who knows what else they have?"
"I'd rather not find out," Bugs nodded, att melting to persuade his friends. "So maybe we should just all move."
"Dumbass and afraid," Scott commented, challenging them. "Squared."
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Hello my beautiful people!! What's wrong with Bugs? What the hells happening!! I don't known I guess you'll have to stick around to find out! So what does Lydia know? And do you guys remember Rhys?
-Ash 💜