( stargazing )

[honestypolice]

the stargazing meme

oo1. comment with your characters
make sure to put names, series, & preferences somewhere!
you can use < ! > sans the spaces to make the comment "blank"
oo2. reply to others in character
oo3. use the rng and enter 1-10
oo4. play out what happens—anything goes!
oo5. profit? oh yeah!

prompts

one → meteor shower you just saw a falling star! and another! make a wish!
two → aliens what was that? was that really? omg no way a ufo!
three → lunar eclipse you've been sitting out for hours, waiting for this. it's so cool!
four → comet does it move fast or slow? either way, it's amazing.
five → full moon the moon is so huge! just don't look too long, it's really bright too.
six → star dust anything can happen in space. make up your own plot!
seven → solar eclipse this might be happening in the middle of the day!
eight → planet sighting is that a new star? nope, just a neighbor in the solar system!
nine → constellations do you know the stories behind these odd patterns?
ten → deep space normal stargazing isn't that much fun. you got a telescope!

Comments

[instincts]

[ Her furrowed brow makes no secret of her scrutiny. She props herself up on one elbow, studying him with big, prying brown eyes. ]

You’re lying.

[ That's not even the super senses engaged; it's common sense. The hearing had been an accident to begin with—she's not good with control yet. Being around Stiles helps her relax; it gives her clarity. Clarity helps her reach deep into herself. ]

[teenyoda]

I'm... not?

[Yes he was. Goddammit.]

Just lay back and look back up at the stars. Hey, what were you planning on doing for Christmas?

[Distraction plan 2: topic change.]

[instincts]

[ Huff puff. Stiles you are so not helping her get her werecoyote shit together right now. She just wants to flex her powers!! ]

Hell if I know. We don't exactly have a family tradition. Most of the family's dead.

[ Pretend she said that in a less crass way. ]

[teenyoda]

Yeah, well...

Maybe we can have a sort of... huge get together? Get all of us and our families together? Maybe?

[Maybe not. As much as a part of him just wanted his happily ever after it's a wonderful world life, he knew better by now.]

Or, you know, we could just stay in and watch stupid Christmas movies.

[instincts]

Who’s us?

[ She has the sneaking suspicion he doesn’t just mean present company. Which is why she doesn’t bother mentioning that her dad probably isn’t stable enough to have any kind of get-together, let alone with the Sheriff. Love/hate doesn’t even begin to cover that wackiness. ]

[teenyoda]

For the get together? You know... all of us. Our families. Scott's. Kira's. Lydia's. I know, it's a dumb idea...

[Didn't mean he didn't still want it. He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment, then opening them and turning to give her a smile. See? Totally normal Stiles here.]

Christmas is overrated anyway, right?

[instincts]

Is this about Allison?

[ Total lack of tact moment for the day is … due right now. That seems like the easiest guess for why he’s acting weird. The name has been total taboo; Malia had been forced to ask Kira to get anything resembling a straight answer, and even that seemed like it was missing pieces. ]

I haven’t celebrated Christmas since I was 8. If stupid movies and tons of people is the way to do it, fine. [ Stop being sad. Nuzzling isn’t socially acceptable when she’s person-sized. ]

[teenyoda]

Not really. I mean, I guess a little? It's... Christmas is a time for family and loved ones and, yeah, it makes you remember the ones you miss. I guess I'm worried it's going to be hard on Scott.

[instincts]

Because she was his mate.

[ A long beat follows. Wait. She knows this one. ]

Girlfriend.

[ #NAILEDIT. Damn she is proud of herself. Look at how human she is; what a pro. That’s some—oh this isn’t a moment for cheering. She stops … straightening up with self-satisfaction and adopts a more appropriately neutral expression. It’s as close to somber as she can get. ]

I don’t like being around a lot of people. They’re noisy. And my dad’s probably going to freak out.

[ At least she's saying it like this is a definite. It seems silly, but she's accepting it. ]

[teenyoda]

Ex girlfriend, but yeah. You don't really get over your firsts, even if you both move on. Kind of sucks.

[For both Scott and Kira since they were in that weird limbo.

But he did notice that moment of pride and he smirked because of it. She was trying, he'd give her that. It was taking time, but he couldn't really blame her. But she was putting in an effort and that mattered.]

Well, if nothing actually happens in an apocalyptic kind of way and you feel like being around at least one person, maybe you could come over. If you wanted.

[instincts]

[ She hasn’t ruled it out. Watching stupid movies sounds like a good way to spend the holiday. Her dad would probably cry a lot. Or come with, and just make things awkward for the sheriff. Talk about complicated. ]

I’m not your family.

[ There was only one other thing on the list of what Christmas is about. Malia is just pointing it out. ]

[teenyoda]

You're my friend, Malia. Kind of thought that was obvious. I mean, if you don't want to, that's cool, but... I just thought maybe you would. If that was a thing that you were interested in doing.

[Great, Stiles. Babble a bit more. Not like he was nervously sweating or anythi-- Shit. He was nervously sweating. Think about lacrosse. No, shit, don't think about lacrosse. People would hurt him once the break was over. Goddamn sports.]

[instincts]

[ He’s not going to tell her why he randomly started spazzing out. Loser. This is what she meant about people being complicated. Instead of getting herself worked up about it, she simply shrugs. ]

Sure.

[teenyoda]

Yeah? Cool.

So, um...

What sort of gift would you want? If someone were to get you something...?

[instincts]

[ shruuuuuuuuug. ] The other coyotes only brought each other something if they were injured, or pups. It was usually a dead animal.

[ She literally has no idea. What do you get a person??? What do people need ??? The longest awkward pause in the history of awkward pauses. ]

… I like food.

[teenyoda]

[He laughed. He couldn't help it. Laying his head back down, he looked back up at the sky and grinned.]

Food. Yeah, okay. I can do food. Do you like sweet stuff or just, um... meat.

[Stop. Stop, Stiles. Don't let your mind go where it's--

You idiot.]

[instincts]

Both. [ Quickly amended to; ] But not together. [ As she settles back down, it occurs to her that she really doesn’t know why he’s laughing ok!! This is serious!! ] Do they still make candy canes? [ The upside of spending eight years as a coyote and then having it ripped away is rediscovering the good parts of being human. ]

[teenyoda]

Candy canes? Yeah. Yeah, they still make those. They come in like, a million different flavors. I could get you a sort of variety pack.

[Which wouldn't even be the tip of his gift explosion for her. Stiles liked to give stuff. There was a part of him that vainly hoped if he gave someone enough stuff, they'd see he was worthy. Of what, exactly, he wasn't sure, but there was a part of him that still wanted to impress her and... he was gonna get her lots of stuff.]

[instincts]

Then I have to get you something.

[ That’s how it works, right? Dead squirrels are not acceptable gifts anymore. She’ll have to ask Scott or something. It occurs to her that she’s been used to the alpha’s presence amongst them, and when she looks back over at Stiles, she remembers the last time they were alone—in Eichen House. ]

I want to stay out here.

[ She says it suddenly, sitting up. ]

[teenyoda]

Nah, you don't have to. I mean, if you want to, sure, but it's not necessary.

[Not that Stiles wouldn't love to see what she'd come up with.

As long as it wasn't roadkill.

But then she sits up and he's moving to sit up, wondering if something spooked her. Only that's not what she's saying.]

Stay... here? I wasn't planning on leaving for a bit, but we can't stay out here all night, Malia.

[instincts]

Why not?

[ Turning, she searches his eyes. She’s stayed out here lots of nights. Granted, fur coat, but she’s pretty sure the cabin of his jeep is warm enough for them to survive even if it is winter. That’s California for you.

And the only reason she’s not persisting the Christmas gift subject is because she’s already decided. Obviously it’s not necessary, gosh. ]

[teenyoda]

Well, because. Because our dads would worry about us?

[Especially if Stiles was AWOL for the night and he got a panicked call from Malia's dad. Which would make the sheriff think things that weren't happening were happening. Not that Stiles wouldn't like them to happen. Crap, there went his thoughts again. Nope. Think of... no. Do not think of girl's volleyball.]

[instincts]

You’re doing it again.

[ She points a finger at his heart. Yeah, she can still hear that. She’s not even asking what it is this time. Probably panic that she dared suggest they skip curfew. ]

Tell him you’re at Scott’s. I’ll say I’m at Kira’s.

[ Moments like this lead Malia to question which one of them has actually lived as a human teenager ok. Sneaking out for a night is not that hard; Stiles is just a big baby. ]

[teenyoda]

[Please. Stiles lives to give a curfew a big fuck you, but after everything that had happened lately, he was trying to give his dad a little bit of a break from freaking out over him. Hence the hesitation.

But he looked down at her finger, then bit his lip, scrunching up his face.]

I'm not doing anything.

[Thump-lie. He was also sort of... liking bossy Malia. Not that he'd tell her that. Ever.]

[instincts]

Your heart’s going faster.

[ She leans in, studying his eyes. ]

You’re doing something.