Perk | Sunday Morning

[robinonadderall]

Stiles had five days before he had to move into his dorms. A week until class started. And right now was a good time to look at his bank app and try not to freak out over how little money he had. Books completely drained him of the savings he had (that was previously used on buying gifts for Lydia's birthdays). So much so that he had to ask his dad for help. Which would have been fine if he didn't already know the bill for his MRI came in and that his dad was going to cover that. Not to mention how much the stay at Eichen House probably was.

It all sucked. This whole money/school thing all blew. It was kind of putting a whole damper on enjoying his last week here.

At least the barista seemed to notice his stress and added a buttload of whipped cream to his frappuccino.

[Post is open of course]

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[throughaphase]

"Hey, stranger," Kitty greeted him, coming over once she got her drink.

[robinonadderall]

"Hey," he said, giving Kitty a smile. "How's it going?"

[throughaphase]

"It's better than last weekend, so I can't complain," Kitty said. 'Murder carnival' kind of skewed perspective for a little while. "How about you?"

[robinonadderall]

"I missed out on last weekend so that's a point scored for me." Though he had been taking care of a werecoyote who couldn't control herself during full moons yet so that was a downside. "But I leave on Friday which sucks."

[throughaphase]

"...No, not allowed." It was a valid response.

[robinonadderall]

"Wish I could stay, I really do," he said, swirling around what remained of his drink with a straw. "But class starts on Monday."

He did not seem the tiniest bit excited about it.

[throughaphase]

"Not looking forward to it?" she asked.

[robinonadderall]

"Not so much anymore. I used to," he said. "But after everything that's happened--I don't know, it doesn't feel right. College is super normal and I'm not great at normal anymore."

[throughaphase]

"I totally get that," Kitty said. "College for me was that one last-ditch attempt at a normal life. And I mean, that didn't go so well for me, but it was also really good to see what normal actually was again."

Which was not something that happened in Beacon Hills or Fandom ever.

[robinonadderall]

"We'll see how it goes for me," he said. "I'm only like an hour and a half away though so I'll be around a lot."

[throughaphase]

"That's definitely a good thing. Just go in there with an open mind," she said. "And I'm still going to make you give me your address though. I can be the annoying big sister type and send you care packages."

[robinonadderall]

"I'd really appreciate those actually," Stiles said. "I'm really short on money after all this. My books were like five hundred dollars."

[throughaphase]

"Yeah, they're awful. And then you can sell them back at a fraction of the price but everyone's probably going to need new books next year anyway? I'm convinced the mob is involved somehow."

She was from Chicago, she was probably not kidding about the mob.

[robinonadderall]

"It's ridiculous. Between that, my tuition, and everything else..." Hospital and mental institution bills. "Things are going to be tight for a while. So much ramen will be eaten."

[throughaphase]

"It gets rough. But you can do it. No one's gonna let you starve or anything," she promised.

[robinonadderall]

"I know." He had too many people who nagged at him for that. "Derek offered to pay for, like, everything. I don't think he really understands why I said no."

[throughaphase]

"Something you want to do on your own?" Kitty guessed.

[robinonadderall]

"It's not even that, it's that he wouldn't expect me to pay him back," Stiles said. "He has a ton of money and he'd pay for my entire tuition if I let him but...I don't know, I just can't let him do that. Feels kind of like charity."

[throughaphase]

"Understandable. I mean, I doubt it actually is charity, but I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable taking that kind of money either," Kitty mused.

[robinonadderall]

"Getting massive amounts of debt due to college is the most normal thing you can do anyway." Now the debt due to hospital visits...not so much. But he'd freak out about that more later. When the second and third notices came in.

"Did you see my new tattoo?" he said, showing her his wrist. It was just a bunch of French wrapped around his wrist.

[throughaphase]

"No!" she said, leaning over to peer at it. "What's it mean?"

[robinonadderall]

"We protect those who can't protect themselves," he said. "It was Allison's hunting code."

[throughaphase]

"Aww. That's kind of perfect," Kitty smiled.

[robinonadderall]

"Thanks," he said. "Derek suggested I get a tattoo as a reminder of the whole...thing. It was a good a idea."

"He got a new one too," Stiles continued. "Don't know if that one was as good of an idea, but it's sweet."

Sweet and completely insane.

[throughaphase]

"What did he get?" she wondered.

[robinonadderall]

"My name. Tattooed to his chest." Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Stiles liked the idea of it now that he was used to it but he knew what it sounded like.

[throughaphase]

Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah. "I mean, that is sweet," Kitty said.

But, yeah, if she hadn't deviated from canon on a certain thing she was going to end up with a boyfriend who tattooed her name on him... right before she broke up with him.

[robinonadderall]

"It is." But good lord. "It's my actual name too."

So there was a big Polish monstrosity tattooed to his chest.

[throughaphase]

"And they spelled it right?" She'd seen his name on class stuff.

[robinonadderall]

"Amazingly enough, yes," he said with a nod. "Derek must have written it down for them or something."

"I just hope he doesn't end up regretting it."

[throughaphase]

"The way I figure," she said thoughtfully, "that if you get something like that and things are way different down the road, if you can still look at it and think about the way things were when you got it, then it's worth it." She would just never do it herself.

[robinonadderall]

"I hope that's the case," he said. "Not that I'm aiming to make him regret it or anything."

[throughaphase]

"Of course not. Just enjoy where you are now and don't worry too much about the what-ifs," Kitty said.

[robinonadderall]

He nodded, knowing that's the right thing to do. "Yeah, you're right. And now I can brag that somebody tattooed themselves for me."

[throughaphase]

"Exactly. I mean, you've got one up on me there," Kitty said. Which was probably good, since, you know, she'd broken up with all her exes...

[robinonadderall]

"Well I am a catch."