Work Text:
The Sometimes Friend
calikocat
Word count: 2360
XXX
The first time it had happened Stiles had been ten and spending his first month of summer vacation with his grandma in the next town over. Tom Stilinski thought it would be best for Stiles to get out of Beacon Hills in the wake of the Hale fire for a time. It was a smallish town, similar to Beacon Hills, and part of the same county so still in his dad's jurisdiction. Anyway he and Gran were in the car, his grandpa's old 1980 Mercury Capri, and on their way to the grocery store when all of a sudden Gran went sort of stiff and then lost control of the car.
Her eyes were sort of glazed as it happened; confused and scared Stiles lunged for the steering wheel and directed them to the edge of the road and out of traffic. “Oh my god Gran! Are you okay? Did you have a stroke?” He put the emergency brake on and turned the car off. “Gran?”
His grandmother, Harriet Stilinski, turned to look at him, head cocked as if she didn't recognize him. “I apologize. It has been a long time since I've taken control of a vessel. I did not mean to frighten you.”
Stiles stared up at her. Her eyes were empty of recognition...and her scent was off too. “Gran?”
“I'm not your Gran.”
“Jesus.”
“I'm not him either.”
Not Gran unbuckled her seat belt and after a moment of confusion opened the car door and got out. Then she took a few halting steps, as if unsure of herself. Stiles scrambled out of the car and followed her. “If you're not Gran...who are you?”
“I'm an Angel of the Lord.”
“Okay...but what's your name?”
She looked down at him. “Castiel.” She took a few more steps and Stiles kept up, grabbing her hand. “What are you doing?”
“You're wearing Gran; she's old and could have a heart attack, so you're not leaving my sight.”
“She will be fine. She is strong.”
“I know that. But I'm ten and an angel is wearing my Gran. I'm trying not to freak out.”
Castiel nodded. “I understand.” Then Castiel looked a bit puzzled. “You're not human.”
“Nope. I'm a werewolf.”
“Descended from Lycaon who had tricked Zeus.”
Stiles blinked. “Is this one of those things I'm not supposed to know because I'm too little?”
“I do not know...your grandmother...is human. As an Angel I can only use a human as a vessel. You would not be a suitable vessel.”
“Probably a good thing. Kids are too little to do things by themselves.”
“Agreed, but your grandmother... How is she human and you are not? Were you bitten?”
“Nope. My mom was werewolf. My dad is human, Gran is his mom.”
“I understand.”
“Hey Castiel.”
“Yes...sorry...I do not know your name.”
“Stiles.”
“That is an odd name.”
“I like it.”
“What is it Stiles?”
“How much longer are you gonna wear Gran? We were on our way to get lunch and groceries.”
“I am through with her, she is a decent vessel, but I will need a stronger one in the future for missions here on Earth.”
“Okay. So can I have her back?”
“You can.”
“Thanks.”
Castiel nodded. “And thank you for conversing with me.”
“You're welcome.”
And then Gran's eyes glowed white for just a second, then she blinked and her scent returned to normal. Her green eyes were glazed for just a second, and then cleared as she looked around them in confusion. “Stiles honey, weren't we just in the car?”
“Yep.”
She looked down at their clasped hands. “So...why are we walking down the side of the road?”
“An angel named Castiel possessed you for a couple of minutes. He was sort of nice.”
Harriet sighed and rubbed at her eyes with her free hand. “When I said yes to him I didn't expect him to take over while I was driving.”
“Yeah, that part was scary.”
“You're awfully calm.”
Stiles shrugged. “Gran I'm a wolf, if I can exist, why not angels?”
She laughed and tugged him back toward the car. “Come on, we still need lunch.”
xxx
The second time it happened Stiles was twelve and alone at the park because Scott was stuck with his jerk off dad for the weekend.
He nearly jumped out of his skin when Jackson sat beside him all of a sudden. “Stiles.”
“Dick.”
Jackson gave him an odd look. “That is not my name.”
Stiles looked closer at Jackson, took in the difference in his scent. “Castiel?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you wearing a tool like Jackson? Gran is way nicer.”
“He is young and strong.”
“Well yeah. But if you need a vessel a grown up would be a better choice. We talked about that already.”
“This Jackson, is still too young?”
“Dude, he's not old enough to drive a car yet or grow a beard.”
“That is important?”
“For grown up stuff.”
“I will keep that in mind.” Castiel nodded. “What are you doing?”
“Wasting time.”
“Why?”
“Because I'm a kid, and my best friend is away this weekend.”
“How do you waste time?”
Stiles grinned. “Before you showed up and almost scared the crap outta me I was watching the clouds.”
“Oh...I like the clouds. They look different from Heaven.”
“Is Heaven nice?”
“It is.”
“Is my mom there?”
“Most likely.”
Stiles bit his lip. “Even though she's a werewolf?”
“Werewolves like you go to heaven.”
“Cool...can you tell her hi for me?”
“Hi?”
“Yeah...like hello...and that I miss her?”
“That's not allowed.”
“Oh.”
Castiel was quiet for a moment then nodded. “If I should come across her I will tell her.”
“Her name is Claudia Stilinski.”
“I will remember.” Then Jackson's eyes flashed white, but before he could regain control of his body, Stiles was halfway across the park. He really didn't feel like dealing with the jerk. He'd sent Scott into a really bad asthma attack last week that had landed his best friend in the hospital. Stiles was still plotting revenge.
xxx
Almost a year later it happened again. He was in the kitchen fixing dinner, something healthy to go with the salad he'd made. His dad's cholesterol report hadn't been good at his last check up. Stiles didn't hear anyone come in, but he felt the sudden presence and heard the flapping of wings. When he turned around, his dad was standing in the middle of the kitchen. Eyes intent.
“Stiles.” His voice was deeper, stilted, and familiar.
“Castiel?”
“Yes.”
“Still looking for the right vessel?”
“Yes.”
“You're not gonna use my dad are you? He's the only parent I have...and I kinda need him.”
“He is a good vessel, strong.”
“He's got bad cholesterol.”
Castiel closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. “I took care of that...and his heart.”
Stiles swallowed and moved forward to hug the angel. “Thank you. You're a good friend.”
“Are we friends?”
“Dude, you keep showing up to talk me. What else am I supposed to think?”
This seemed to puzzle the angel. “I think we can be friends.”
“Cool. So? Are you gonna use my dad?”
“No, but I am running out of time. I need a vessel soon.”
“How come?”
“I have to save a man from Hell.”
“Oh...what did he do to end up there?”
“He sold his soul, to save his younger brother's life.”
“He's a good guy then.”
“He is.”
“I hope you save him.”
“So do I.” Then Tom Stilinski's eyes flashed and Castiel was gone.
“Hey Dad.”
“Son...not that I don't appreciate the hug...but how did I get home?”
“An angel named Castiel wore you here.”
“Stiles.”
“I'm not lying. You can ask Gran. He possessed her, a couple of years ago, after she gave him permission.”
Tom blinked. “I remember a voice...something about a mission...to save the world?”
“I don't know the whole story...but Castiel needs a strong vessel to rescue someone from hell.”
“I need a drink.”
Stiles glared and let the Alpha power fill his voice. “No.”
His dad stared down at him, brow raised. “Stiles.”
“Dad, you're still on duty...and you're gonna have to explain how you got home without your car.”
He blinked. “Right. Good thinking. No desert for using the Alpha Voice on me.”
“So not fair.”
xxx
Castiel showed up again a few months later, wearing a man Stiles had never seen before. One moment Stiles had been alone in his room doing his homework, then on the sound of wings a man appeared. He was a little shorter than his dad, dark hair, and a slight shadow on his face, not quite a five-o’clock one, but there none the less.
“Stiles.”
“Hey Castiel. Have a seat.”
Castiel sat stiffly in the desk chair. “Humans are very strange.”
“Yep.”
“God commanded I save a man from Hell.”
Stiles closed his text book. “How did that go?”
“Many angels died in the quest, my brothers and sisters.”
“Dude, sorry for your loss.”
“Your feelings are appreciated.”
“So...”
Castiel looked troubled. “He did not believe I was an angel. He did not believe he deserved to be saved. He shot me and stabbed me.”
“Okay, that reaction is a bit extreme.”
“He is a Hunter.”
Stiles swallowed. “You didn't mention that.”
“You are afraid? Of a man you do not know.”
“Castiel, my mom's entire pack was wiped out by Hunters.”
“Oh...the Kolton Pack. They are in heaven, all of them.”
Stiles sat up and stared at the angel. “You've seen them? Dude do you know why they were killed? Because no one knows why the Hunters went all genocide on them.”
Castiel nodded. “I believe a young Hunter fell in love with a wolf...and she became with child. He accepted the bite to be with her...and his family and other Hunters attacked.”
Stiles swallowed. “At least now I know.”
“Your mother says hello.”
“Thanks. She's happy?”
“She is with her parents.”
Stiles felt his eyes water and wiped his tears away. “That's awesome...and the Hale Pack?”
“Hale Pack?”
“They lived here in Beacon Hills...until a fire killed most of them. The Alpha, Talia Hale, and my mom were friends.”
“Claudia mentioned them. They are well.”
“Good.” He cleared his throat. “So, what's this Hunter like?”
“Difficult, and as I said...Humans are strange.”
“Dude, that won't change. No matter who you deal with.”
“Wonderful.”
“You hungry?”
“I do not need to eat.”
“You know how to play Call of Duty?”
“What is that?”
“A video game.”
“I am an Angel of the Lord. I do not have time for a video game.”
Stiles blinked and cocked his head. “But you have time to talk to me?”
“You are my friend...and humans confuse me. You are not human and can relate to my plight.”
“To an extent...but even though I'm a wolf...I'm human too.”
“I don't understand.”
“Maybe someday you will.”
“I hope not.”
Stiles shrugged. “So how's the big mission going?”
“Not well. The world may end.”
“Tell me you're kidding.”
“No.”
“Crap. I haven't even gotten back what's mine...and the world is gonna end?”
“Possibly.”
“Wonderful.”
“I must go now Stiles.”
“Take care of yourself Castiel.”
The only answer Stiles got was a fluttering of wings and a white feather in his lap. That was the last he saw of Castiel for a long time, but he watched the news, he saw the signs. The world fell into a sort of chaos...and he stepped up his game. If he was going to be an Alpha in an apocalyptic world, he needed to be stronger, tougher, and smarter. He started with finally convincing Gran to let him in her underground bunker she thought he didn't know about and started reading the books of Lore in the library down there.
She started his training then, and initiated him as a Man of Letters, or rather a Werewolf of Letters. The first in fact. Knowledge was power, and he needed all he could get to keep his territory safe.
xxx
He'd just killed his first Omega...he'd had no choice really. The crazy guy had moved from digging up fresh corpses in the cemetery to raiding the morgue for livers...Stiles had caught him just as he'd knocked out an intern. The Omega had been a bite away from ripping out the poor guy's liver while he was still breathing.
Stiles had tackled him, they tussled, Stiles had flashed his eyes...and while the Omega was frozen in shock Stiles snapped his neck.
He wasn't really sure how he felt about killing someone...even an Omega who had nearly killed an innocent intern.
Also he was grounded for panicking and stashing the Omega's body in an empty drawer in the morgue and making unnecessary paper work for his dad. Oops. The next two Omegas he killed he disposed of the bodies properly, and didn't bother telling his dad about them.
But still Castiel didn't come back and the world kept going though signs everywhere pointed to it ending at any moment.
Eventually when Castiel did come back he was...less human...smelled different...felt different. He wasn't even an Angel anymore. He simply...was kinda terrifying actually. Castiel didn't say anything, just stared at Stiles for a long moment...and then vanished.
Stiles didn't bother following the news reports of the God wannabe who left a bloody trek across the country. He couldn't bare to. And then he didn't have time too...because he caught a scent.
Another wolf was in his territory. He had work to do.
XXX