Chapter Text
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
A small annoyance, niggling at the corners of his consciousness and threatening his peaceful slumber. His mind rebelled against the intrusion, some form of bone deep exhaustion refusing to relent to the call of consciousness and leave him to his well earned peace. His mind had become an empty void, some kind of haven against the pain and overwhelming sensory overload he’d escaped from.
It was as if the sound was taunting him. A torture too cruel and far too familiar. The sound burrowing relentlessly into his mind and stealing the sense of safety from the spaces he’d carved within himself. The places where no one should have access and one too many had already violated. The places meant to be an escape from feeling while his every cell was in the process of being destroyed and rewritten again and again and again.
’My body is still convulsing’, he thought idly, almost musing and completely disconnected from the experience. A part of him, instinctual in nature, wanted to rage and fight but his mind couldn’t muster the motivation. His grand gesture of giving up, giving in, breaking down in the face of the pain had been left unnoticed and irrelevant hours ago as the pain continued to tear him apart piece by piece.
He would beg and plead for death but he was too far gone. Too lost to the pain. Too broken to form the words. The torture relented and ravaged and devoured him only to put him back together and begin the process once more. Surely he’d died long ago, likely rushing into a supernatural fight that he had no business being in. Trying to be a hero and to make up for the empire state pile of shit he’d reaped in his lifetime. Yes, he was dead and this was hell, this was the price he would pay for everything he’d done.
Another spike of pain shot through his system and jolted him to a vague sense of awareness as his mangled throat choked on his own blood. His silent pleas for release were unheard as his hazy eyes attempted to glare into the empty depths of the mask lingering dispassionately above him in observation.
He faded back into the darkness and welcomed the reprieve.
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
There was no gentle lull to consciousness. One moment he was suspended within the emptiness of his mind and the next he was gasping violently for air while his eyes darted wildly around to get his bearings.
He was immediately overwhelmed by input. Stiles tried to collect himself as his mind struggled to comprehend the litany of smells and new depth to his vision. He tried to sit up and cover his eyes but he couldn’t move. Stiles struggled against his restraints, his mind finally catching up and taking in his situation.
He was strapped down. The room was small and dingy and covered in medical equipment. The clock on the wall was ticking so loudly that it was as if someone was pounding the sound directly into his brain. A choked sob escaped from his lips as he allowed himself a single moment to break down.
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
There was a presence inside him that began to squirm the more he lost grip on his emotions. Something raw and instinctual and individual but not other. The recognition of what he was feeling inside of him only caused his panic to increase tenfold. He’d been caught by the Doctors. They had him and they’d changed him.
He felt the beginnings of a panic attack and the creature inside him whimpered and whirled within him, making attempts to comfort him but too young, too inexperienced to know how. Stiles slipped further and further into the panic until the beast nipped from within to shock him into clear thought. He needed to breathe. Stiles tuned out all the intense noises and smells and tried to focus his breathing.
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. In.
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Out.
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. In.
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick. Out.
It took longer than normal, but Stiles was finally able to pull himself together. His strength has always been strategy, so he just needed to think his way out of this. He took another deep and calming breath and relaxed against the gurney that he was strapped to. First and foremost, he was still alive, which was the most crucial factor in every escape plan. He’d clearly been captured by the Dread Doctors and turned into some kind of chimera. His heart started pounding in his chest again and he focused once more on the ticking clock to calm himself down.
After allowing himself another moment of calm, Stiles closed his eyes and looked within himself. He mentally poked at the beast inside him, trying to get a feel for it. In that moment, a quick time clip show of his own memories played in his subconscious. The members of his pack trying to explain what it was like to feel their wolves, him and Derek chatting about the differences between those bitten and born, Peter’s snide comments about Scotts disharmony with his own instincts.
The creature preened at his attention. ’What are you?’ He wondered idly. It didn’t feel like any one thing, he had no distinct feel for what the creature within him was. He somehow got the impression that the creature was still settling, that there were conflicting traits fighting for dominance and structuring themselves. Like he wasn’t finished yet. The thought gave him pause.
He next scanned the dingy space he’d been left in. It was small and dirty, it smelled underground, there was a scattering of medical equipment on assorted metal tables along with random piles of clutter. The only thing he saw that was of note was a thick file folder near the exit. When he escaped --because he wouldn’t entertain any other thoughts-- he would be sure to take that folder with him.
Once he was sure that he couldn’t hear the sounds of anyone around, Stiles started testing at his bindings for a chance to escape. He tested the restraints with as much of his newfound supernatural strength as he could find to no avail. After another few moments of shaking and pulling at the cuffs, Stiles noticed that the one on his left side was a little loose.
It was something he’d always hoped he’d never have to do, but being the son of the Sheriff had always made him interested in situations just like this. He knew he’d have to break his own thumb to get out, he also knew that it was going to have to be a slow process because he had to break it one handed. The only plus side he could find in this situation was the fact that he probably had supernatural healing now. God he hoped so.
Crack.
Stiles was in no way prepared for the way the sound of his own bone breaking would resonate so loudly with his newfound hearing. It sent a shiver of horror down his spine that was somehow worse than the actual pain of the break. Shaking off the thought, Stiles made quick work of freeing himself, grabbing the folder, and moving toward the exit on shaky and weakened legs.
He pressed his ear to the door and listened intently. He could make out a quiet and slow thumping sound but nothing else of note. He focused on the sound until it registered. It was a heartbeat. Three separate waves of instinct washed over him, each stronger than the last. fightalertObserve A curious and cautious calm washed over him as the third wave hit. He now knew that he was a mix of three things and his ADHD mind was jumping from theory to theory based on the way he’d just felt.
tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.
He needed to stay calm and focused until he was home and safe. With a steadying breath, Stiles eased the door open and crept into the main laboratory with previously unfathomable stealth. He moved quietly and swiftly toward the heartbeat, trying to keep himself calm.
’Okay Human Stiles, Unidentified Chimera Stiles, we need to be on the same page right now. We’re in a scary place with superpowers and we cannot lose control.’ He focused harder on the rhythmic thumping of the heartbeat as he approached. ’We only fight if we have to. We only fight to protect ourselves. You feel me? No fight. Protect. Protect. Okay?’
Stiles crept through the empty space, focused now fully on the slow thumping of the heartbeat in the distance. His eyes scanned the assorted surfaces and could see nothing worth taking. He hoped that at least whatever he found in that folder would give them some kind of advantage against their enemy. Something good coming out of him being captured and having his humanity stolen from him. His beast whined and he stopped the train of thought. He couldn’t afford to break down right now. His only goal needed to be getting out alive and not hurting someone unless he had to.
Thump, thump thump. Protect yourself, don’t fight. Thump, thump, thump. Stay calm and don't do anything irrational. Thump, thump, thump. It could be an enemy, but it could also be another victim. Stay calm and don’t wolf out. Thump, thump, thump. Stay in control, Stiles. No fight. Protect. Thump, thump, thump. Protect. Protect. Protect.
Hyperfocused on the heartbeat, Stiles reached another door. He paused at the barrier and took in a deep inhale. There were too many scents in the dusty and dingy space for Stiles to identify and he froze up from the sensory overload before again calming himself with his focus on the heartbeat. He looked to his left and saw what was obviously the exit for the space. He could easily leave and never investigate. It could be an enemy. It could end in his capture. He nearly moved away. Thump, thump, thump.
He couldn’t make the move. He had to know, friend or foe. He was always impulsive and curious and it seemed as though his beast was in agreement. It hummed in excitement as he slowly creaked the door open.
He was immediately overwhelmed once more by scents. His newfound instincts roared within him as he took in the sight bloodpackPain. The misery and hurt was so thick in the air that it was tangible and Stiles felt as if it was satiating some kind of deep seeded hunger he refused to acknowledge. There would be time to properly break down about the theory he’d just formulated. For now he had a mission.
Driven almost completely by instinct, Stiles slowly approached Theo’s unconscious body laid out on the gurney and strapped similarly to how he’d found himself just moments earlier. His softly shaking hand reached out without conscious thought and planted itself on his warm skin. Thump, thump, thump. Stiles focused on the heartbeat and reassured himself that the other boy was alive and well. Protect. His beast happily supplied, and Stiles was far too distracted to correct it.
Finding Theo also tortured and changed by the Doctors did in fact lessen the distrust that Stiles had been feeling toward the boy. He’d been sure that Theo was evil and in league with the villains until this moment. He still had an itching instinct that Theo probably was up to something nefarious, but now he needed to re-examine his theories a bit. After he was safely home of course.
His hand felt hot against Theo’s skin as he surveyed the damage. He had a litany of slowly healing wounds and bruises, tear streaks in the dirt on his face, a somehow different aura about him in a room blanketed with despair. Protect. A rush of pure pleasure pulsed through his veins and Stiles looked down at his hand in shock. He had black swirling lines running up the length of his arm, similar in nature to when he’d seen the ‘wolves taking pain and yet somehow different.
There was nothing unpleasant about this feeling even though Stiles knew deep down what it meant. He cut off the train of thought for now and allowed himself to enjoy the satisfaction. He was feeding off the pain, he was sure of it. It should have sent him into another panic, but Stiles couldn’t muster the motivation with his beast happily frolicking inside of him at the meal.
He lost himself to the sensation for far longer than he would have preferred, but eventually the taste of pain in Theo started to dissipate. His wounds appeared to be healing much more quickly now and his scent started to sweeten in the air. At the realization, Stiles pulled his hand back from the other boy like he’d been burned and moved to free Theo from his bindings.
Thump, thump, thump. Everything was going to be okay.
Thump, thump, thump. He just needed to get the two of them out of here in one piece.
Thump, thump, thump. Stay in control and get to safety.
Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump
Stiles had Theo almost completely out of his restraints when he shot up in a panic with his eyes flashing a muted golden color, somehow both silver and gold at once like they were fading into something new. Stiles jumped back in a panic and nearly threw himself into the far wall as his newfound reflexes went into overdrive.
“Stiles?” Theo blinked and his eyes faded back to blue. He let out a small exhale of relief and nearly smiled before realizing their situation and schooling his expression, his eyes grew wide and connected with Stiles’. An inhale that was almost a gasp, “Your eyes.”
“Don’t.” Stiles cut him off. He didn’t want to know but he had two theories, neither of which he wanted to think about. He wasn’t sure what would be worse, if they were blue or if they would be fading to silver like Theos’ were. He could feel it in his instincts, whatever they’d turned him into they’d turned Theo into as well. A part of him couldn’t help but speculate and wonder if they were the only two of their kind in the world. If they would even pull through or end up a failed experiment, found dead somewhere leaking mercury out of every orifice.
Thump, thump, thump. Stiles calmed himself from the thoughts as Theo finished the process of freeing himself. As soon as the other boy could move he crowded Stiles and pulled him into a hug, taking a deep inhale of his scent. Stiles tensed for a moment before melting into the sensation. ‘Fuck.’ He thought to himself as his beast encouraged him to scent Theo right back and he pressed his nose into the first patch of skin he could find.
The comfort that washed over him at the other boys’ scent made the human part of Stiles’ mind want to thrash and rebel. Theo fucking Raeken could not be the reason he felt safe, and yet Stiles fully relaxed into the moment of scenting until he heard a soft rumbling coming from deep within his gut. A purr.
Stiles jumped back from Theo’s embrace and shuffled nervously, unable to hide the deep flush of embarrassment and irritation while hiding from the others’ eyes. “We need to hurry and get out of here.”
“I’m glad you’re okay. I thought--” Theo cut himself off with a grimace before turning toward the exit. “Let’s get out of here and regroup.” A pause. “How is your control right now?”
Stiles whined and ignored it with every ounce of his being. “Not great,” he admitted with a soft breath.
He was sure he noticed a flash of softness cross Theos’ eyes before they sharpened and his typical smug mask was firmly in place. Stiles pretended not to notice it. “I’ll take you down if you lose control. Just try to focus on something to keep yourself calm until you get home and find your anchor.”
Stiles hummed noncommittally and picked up the folder from where he’d sat it down. His control actually hadn’t been that bad so far. He’d occasionally gotten overwhelmed, but for the most part he’d been able to think clearly and get himself calm despite the stressful situation.
Stiles also ignored the itching implication of Theos’ words. He’d gotten good at ignoring things since learning about the supernatural, probably even long before. It was his coping mechanism when he was overwhelmed and he had perfected it over the years. He had a feeling that he would be using the skill a lot in the coming days, because he absolutely could not deal with all of the realizations itching in the back of his mind. Instead of allowing himself to panic, Stiles took a deep breath and focused himself before following Theo out of the dingy laboratory and into the tunnels to escape.
Thump, thump, thump.