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"Stiles, where are you?" Cora called as she walked into his house. She hadn't seen the boy since the incident at the hospital and wanted to tell him she was alive and okay.
There was no answer but Cora could hear a heartbeat. Walking up the stairs she made her way to Stiles bedroom.
"You should probably clean your room. There are clothes everywhere. I called you why didn't you answer?" Cora said as she walked to the side of Stiles' bed where he was laying down. He looked sad, like he might have been crying. "Stiles, are you okay?" Cora asked concerned, but careful to not show how much she actually cared. She had never seen the boy in this state; almost zombie-like barely communicating at all. "I'm fine, why are you even here?" Stiles snapped back, not meaning for it to come out that way but it got the point across so it would have to suffice right now, he could always apologize later.
"I came to thank you but I don't know what's gotten in to you so I'll just leave because you're a dick."
"Yeah, well sorry. And there is no need to thank me I didn't do anything."
"Stiles, you saved my life."
"Barely... I can see you're okay, and I'm glad you are but I'm not in the mood to argue about this at all. I've been through too much shit this week to deal with you." Cora was hurt by his words, she never realized she was such a burden to him.
"Oh really? What have you been through that was so hard?"
This made Stiles sit up and look in Cora's eyes. Anger evident in his expression, he squeezed his hand and made a fist. Still not talking but it seemed like he was calming himself down. "I sacrificed myself to save my father." Cora's mouth fell open as she listened. Stiles began to speak again, "There is some weird darkness around me now. It's hard to deal with and on top of that today is the anniversary of my mothers death."
Cora never knew that Stiles’ mother was dead. She never heard him talk about her but it never really crossed her mind. "Stiles, I'm so-"
"It's fine, you don't need to say anything. Thanks for thanking me for saving you, I guess?" He lay back down and closed his eyes. Cora didn't leave she sat there and listened to his heart beat for about an hour it calmed her and made her feel better.
They sat in complete silence, just Cora and Stiles in his room. After awhile longer, Cora stood up and got into his bed with him and fiddled with his hand.
"I'm just gonna talk while you lay here, maybe it'll take your mind off of whatever your thinking? Anyway, I wanna start off by saying I'm sorry for how I've treated you." She looked down almost ashamed but continued. "My snarky attitude and what I said in the locker room was uncalled for. I've just... been on my own for so long that... it's hard to let people in. You were the only one who actually tried to have a real friendship with me and I tried so hard to push you away. I really did and I thought it would work because that's all I do. I-i push people away because I don't want to feel loss anymore when people decide to leave my life. I don't know how but while I was trying to push you away, you managed to wiggle your way back in every time. I don't really think I realized how much it all meant to me until the day we tried to tell your father about everything. I sat right here and I saw how you try so hard to protect everyone... and that you don't look out for yourself and that's so brave but also so dangerous and for some reason I now feel like I need to look out for you because you won't look out for yourself. Which is why I'm here, I couldn't let you be alone. Not after, you told me what happened while I was unconscious." Stiles eyes opened and a tear left his right eye.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Were you even listening?"
"Yeah, I was and it's not your responsibility Cora." Grabbing his face, she forced him to look at her, and in the smallest voice and with a hint of nervousness she spoke "What if I want it to be?"
"What exactly are you trying to say?" Stiles said in a whisper. His heart had slowed down to a normal pace and his tone had no anger in it. Cora suddenly felt regret, she wishes she didn't confess all that she did. She knows what Stiles feels for Lydia so she did what she always does, builds up her walls. Letting go of Stiles' face and shutting her eyes she tried to push back all of her feelings. After blinking back tears she answered him, "We can talk more about that later. For now, tell me about your mom…"
Stiles isn't exactly sure but he thinks Cora was trying to tell him that she has feelings for him. He decided to not push whatever she was saying but hoped that she would reveal what she meant soon. The two of them laid there in bed and talked about their mothers.
"Stiles, why didn't you ever tell me your mother died?"
"Was I supposed to? We had other things we were going through there wasn't exactly a time where that would have come up." He didn't mean it in a rude way and Cora knew that, so she just stayed silent. Looking at the time it was almost 11 p.m. "This is probably the stupidest thing we could do in this town but do you want to go to the cemetery and see them?" Stiles nodded and got off the bed first, grabbing Cora's hand and leading her outside. "I crashed my jeep the other day, so we have to walk."
Cora smiled, "Fine with me. How are we gonna pass the time during this walk?"
Stiles rocked back and forth while he thought of a solution "Questions game? It's simple you just ask questions." Cora nodded and started walking, pulling Stiles with her because there were still holding hands.
"Okay, what is your favorite movie?"
"Star Wars."
Cora couldn't hold in her laugh, she bent over and put her hands on her knees. Stiles smiled because he had never seen her laugh this much, all he really got out of her was a couple smiles. He looked at his hand missing her touch. "We have to keep going and stop laughing its a great film. You and Scott don't know anything!" Cora stood again wiping tears from her eyes from laughing so much and started walking again. Stiles stood there for a moment but quickly caught up and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You really like contact, don't you?" Cora said and Stiles mumbled an "Mhmm, but you don't!” Cora chuckled, "I don't but it's okay if it's coming from you." Stiles gave her another smile and they walked like that all the way to the cemetery, sharing little details about themselves to eachother and laughing at the others preferences of tv shows. As they got closer the the cemetery Cora was quieter.
"Cora, are you okay?"
"I haven't been here since... Ever. I have never come to see my families’ grave before. Will you come with me?"
"Of course, I was going to anyway I can't let you walk around this cemetery by yourself."
Stiles led the way and went to his mother’s grave first, introducing Cora and started to say a couple things but he couldn't continue because he started to cry. So he leaned against the tombstone and put his head in his hands.
Cora's visit with her family was no different. For the first time Stiles saw Cora cry. He stood back and let her have her time with them but after a moment he couldn't sit and watch anymore. Cora was sobbing and could barely move, so Stiles did it for her and leaned her up against her mother’s tombstone just like he did at his mothers. He sat with her and let her cry on his shoulder while he rubbed her back, soon after Cora stopped her tears and said goodbye. "I didn't think it would be that hard." was all she said as they walked out of the cemetery.
The walk back wasn't as cheerful as the walk there. Stiles intertwined his and Cora's fingers and saw a smile spread across her face. They walked in silence, it wasn't awkward at all but both of them chose to be quiet.
"Wow, you were right my room really is filthy." Stiles said rushing to pick up all the clothes from his floor. Cora stood around and watched him throw things in all different directions.
"It's fine, I already saw what it looked like earlier you know… and I should get going anyway it's really late." Stiles frowned and sat on his bed, "How about you just… stay?" Cora walked over and leaned down resting her hands on his knees. Stiles spoke again before she could, "You like me, don't you?" Cora nodded. "Well I like you too." Cora's eyes lit up she responded by leaning up and kissing Stiles. A feeling that surprised her went through her body; it was like being shocked but in the best way possible. She moved up and straddled his lap moving her hands into his hair. Stiles ran his hands under her shirt and held her waist. Breaking away for a moment to look at each other they both smiled.
"We should probably sleep." Stiles nodded in agreement and Cora rolled off of him, putting on one of his shirts and crawling into the bed. Wrapping Cora into his arms Stiles nuzzled into her neck and said one final goodnight before drifting off into sleep.