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“Hey. I didn’t see you at try-outs. Coach was pissed.” Scott said as he came up to lean against the lockers beside Stiles. Coach actually hadn’t noticed at all but Scott thought it’d be harsh to say.
“Not playing lacrosse this year.” Stiles said distracted as he put in his combo. “You want my cross?”
“What? Why not?”
Stiles sighed as the lock popped open. “I only joined lacrosse because I was worried about you having an asthma attack on the field. You don’t have asthma anymore therefore you don’t need me to be sitting on the bench with a spare inhaler.”
“Well...I mean. What are you gonna do if not lacrosse? I mean you were at least getting better. You suck at everything else.”
Stiles stops organizing his folders to give Scott a look. “I’m going back to baseball. You remember baseball. The sport I tried to get you to join? The sport I’ve been playing since I was old enough to swing a bat at a tee-ball. The sport I damn near exceled at freshman year.”
Scott looked confused.
“You know what baseball is right?”
Scott rolled his eyes. “Yes I know what baseball is. I didn’t know you played.”
Stiles raised his eyebrows in an upside down V. “There’s literally a shelf in my house filled with baseball trophies from little league and middle school.”
Scott tried to remember. “I thought those were your dad’s.”
“Nah he’s only got his state championship trophy displayed. The rest are mine.”
“Huh? Yeah but Coach hates you. He barely tolerates you on the lacrosse team. What makes you think he’s gonna let you on the baseball team?” Even Scott knew the baseball team was the Coach’s baby. He took over lacrosse coaching duties last year reluctantly.
“Haven’t you ever wondered why Coach hates me?” Stiles asked as he loaded up his backpack and closed the locker locking it with one hand as he slung the book bag over his shoulder with the other.
“Uh because you’re snarky, and sarcastic, and clumsy, and you wrote a huge paper on the history of circumcision for him once.”
Stiles shook his head at Scott. “No. He hates me because I quit baseball.”
Lydia, Jackson, Allison, and surprisingly Issac came up behind them then. Apparently the werewolves had been listening in and relaying the conversation to the girls.
“I think you might be overselling your worth.” Issac snarked and accepted a fist bump from Scott. Allison and Lydia giggled but Jackson was strangely silent. Unsurprising since he’d played baseball with Stiles for years before high school and lacrosse. He knew how good the other boy was. Had been hopeful for a moment that it’d translate to lacrosse when he joined last year. No such luck. He was more concerned with the little sick boy he cooed over than making up with Jackson anyway.
Stiles gave them a glare before looking over their heads and smiling. “Hey Coach!”
“What do you want Blinski!?” The Coach shouted through his megaphone with an irritated look on his face at Stiles’ daring to address him.
“I want my spot back on the baseball team. If you’ll have me.”
The Coach raised the megaphone to answer when what Stiles said hit him, really hit him. The megaphone fell to his side and then hit the ground as it slipped from suddenly nerveless fingers. Tears filled his eyes as he stepped forward to wrap Stiles in his arms. “You’re back! You’re back. My boy.” He pulled back suddenly serious. “You are back right? Not gonna leave me again for McCall.” He spat the name like a jealous lover.
Stiles shook his head. “He doesn’t need me anymore.”
Coach pulled him back in with a sob. “It’s so damn good to have you back.”
The Principal approached them with a put upon sigh. “Finstock. You can’t hug students like that.”
Finstock pulled back and turned Stiles to face the Principal who’d replaced that insane old man Gerald Argent after he disappeared last year. He was a baseball guy. He’d understand. “This is the boy I was telling you about. Stiles ‘Baseball’ Stilinski. My star hitter and fielder. He’s back!”
The Principal who hadn’t had time to get to know any of the students yet reached out and grabbed Stiles’ hand. “Good to have you back. Stiles was it?”
“Uh thanks. I didn’t actually go anywhere. I just played lacrosse last year.”
“Shhh…” Finstock held up a hand. “We don’t talk about that dark time.” He squeezed an arm around Stiles’ broad shoulders as he escorted down the hall. “I need to pull your jersey out of my shrine. Probably need to size you up anyway. You got your gear? I’ll get you gear. Gonna dust off those playbooks from freshman year. State championship here we come.” Finstock damn near shook with excitement.
Stiles was beginning to really regret leaving baseball. He hadn’t seen Coach this happy since his last game freshman year. “I got a bat but I’m gonna need a new glove.” He said spreading his big hand out to display the big palm and long fingers made for catching.
“Hell yeah ya do. Have I mentioned how good it is to have you back?”
“It’s good to be back.”
“I missed you. Not gonna lie.” Finstock said seriously.
Stiles wisely decided not to remind the man that he hadn’t actually gone anywhere. “I’ve missed you too. And the game. Especially the game. I’ve been hitting the batting cages though. Been playing catch with a buddy.” Nothing quite like having an alpha werewolf toss pitches out for you to practice fielding.
“I got a new assistant coach this year. Derek Hale. You know him? Did basketball and baseball here years ago. Big tragedy what happened to his family. He moved away but now he’s back. You’re captain of course and I’m gonna count on the two of you to whip the team into shape. I hope they hire a lacrosse coach this year so I can focus back on baseball. I...I just lost all passion for the sport when you left. Just been going through the motions.” Finstock sounded like he might cry again.
Stiles opened the door to Finstock’s office somehow unsurprised to find Derek there already. Erica and Boyd had graduated but the rest of his pack was in high school and after so many bad guys had inserted themselves into the school system Derek had decided to stay close this year to help prevent that. Stiles helped Finstock into a chair and then knelt in front of him. “Well I’m back now and I’m not going anywhere.”
Finstock nodded grasping Stiles’ hands in his own. “It’s been a hard year but… we’re gonna make it.”
Stiles glanced up at Derek who had both eyebrows raised. Stiles shrugged. They broke the mold when they made Finstock what could he say.
The bell rang.
“You gonna be okay Coach?” Stiles asked as he rose to his feet.
Finstock nodded with a deep breath. “Yeah. Yeah. I’m good.” He stood abruptly to hug Stiles again. “Practice is at 5. Get you a glove before then.” He cupped the tall boy’s neck and jaw in his hands. “Welcome home. Stiles.” Saying his name properly for the first time in a year.
Stiles smiled back at him and hugged him back. He grinned at Derek who while he hadn’t been dismissive of Stiles’ confidence at returning to the baseball team was surprised at how...enamored Finstock was of his little Emissary. If he didn’t know Finstock’s dramatic attitude from his own time at Beacon Hills High he’d be a little concerned. However there wasn’t a single drop of arousal in Finstock’s scent or Stiles’ for that matter.
“I gotta go to class.”
“Yeah yeah get going.” Finstock sniffed as he waved Stiles out of the office. He turned back to Derek. “That’s my baseball player.”
Derek nodded. He’d been treated to a tour of Finstock’s shadow box shrine to Stiles’ embroidered freshman jersey and a play by play of Stiles’ final game. If he didn’t know better he’d have thought Stiles had died. Apparently in Finstock’s world he had. Or cheated on him with Scott from what he’d heard from the hallway.