Shield Me ( Stiles Stilinski X Captain America )

Mission 2: Antique Shop

When Phil left for his 'work', Stiles decided to get out and explore the city, get his sense of the direction familiarized with the busy system again. He contemplated whether to follow Phil to his 'work' but decided against it. Stiles suspected for a long time that being a manager in a hotel wasn't really his job. Why would his job require a pistol?

Stiles bit his lips praying for Phil's safety as he recalls the little incident earlier. Phil was sipping his cup of coffee when he came into the kitchen. As a kid of a Sherriff, he instantly spotted the gun tucked on Phil's belt holster. Phil tried to casually shrug his coat and hid the gun from Stiles' sight. However, Stiles already saw it but he turned a blind eye on it. Whatever Phil was working on, Stiles knew it was a dangerous profession if Phil kept his remaining family in the dark. It was a lot bigger than finding half-torn bodies in the woods, if the eagle symbol was anything to go by. Stiles just wished him safety.

Stiles rounded another corner and checked his map on his phone. Just a few more blocks. The magic shop was disguised as an antique shop. Cliché. But quite practical. When Stiles passed by the property line, he felt his hair stood up, like before a lightning strikes. He guessed it was the wards flaring up due to his presence and alarming the owner. Neat! He wanted to get one of those so he would not be surprised when any of the wolves tried to break into his room again. He noticed the same feeling when he walked through the door.

The antique shop was full of ... well antiques. Stiles didn't really know what he would find inside. He just braced himself for anything out of norm and the normalcy of the place made him think Deaton was just humoring his call last night.

"Good morning." He heard someone greeted when he was about to touch a very cool looking terracotta armor. Stiles immediately pulled his hand away and stood straight, or tried to stand straight. The voice came from a man behind the counter.

"Good morning, too... Sir. I wasn't trying to touch it. I swear." Stiles said, hurriedly.

The man just raised his eyebrows, a small loop sided smile playing on his lips as he shot Stiles a look that said he totally didn't believe him.

Stiles walked over to him, sizing him up for whatever type of supernatural creature he was. He seemed somewhat normal, which was never really the case until someone had to die. Although he knew he was not entirely human, Stiles felt the man wasn't a danger to him as of the moment.

"Doctor Deaton said he knew you and he told me this is the place I can get magical thingies." Stiles said.

"Ah. You must be Stiles Stilinski, then. I'm Harry Dresden by the way." The man offered his hand with a bright smile. Stiles cautiously took his hand. He still didn't know what kind of supernatural creature he was dealing with. He might be a demon, if demons also exist. If werewolves, druids and kanimas do exist, what doesn't? When their hands touched, Stiles felt the magic serenely flowing inside the man, non-maleficent and welcoming. Stiles decided the man was good for now.

"Nice to meet you, Harry." Stiles said.

"I got everything you needed at the back. Follow me." Harry said. He led Stiles to the back of the shop. Stiles prayed he was a good judge of character and got out of the antique shop alive. "You can ask me any questions. I bet you are sick and tired of your Deaton's cryptic answers so I'll try to answer as truthful as I can."

"Are you sure? Coz most people don't want me start talking. In fact, they strictly avoid giving me chances to start any kind of conversation. Just saying." Stiles said as he watched Harry gathered his orders. Harry chuckled and shook his head.

"Of course you can. The moment I saw you try to touch the armor, don't bother denying that-" Stiles clammed close his mouth because he totally wanted to touch that awesome armor. "-I know you and I are the same. That we are far too curious for our own good. So ask away."

"Ohh okay. So what are you?" Stiles asked.

"I'm a warlock." Harry said proudly. "You?"

"Can't you tell?" Stiles asked.

Harry shook his head. "I'm a warlock not a Druid. All I can tell is you have magic. Lots of it." He stopped and looked at him, trying to puzzle him out but he could not. "Did Deaton tell you what you are?"

"Deaton called me a 'Spark'." Harry's eyes widened and he gasped. "Wh-what's wrong? Is it bad? Am I going to turn evil?" Stiles asked, panicky. He could not go 'Bad', not the dark side of the supernatural force. He did not want to hurt anyone unlike some psychopathic uncle or crazy grandfather he knew.

"No no. Not necessarily. I mean everyone has an inclination to be bad. It's our choice which path to take. It's just that Sparks are really rare, like one in thousands of years. You don't get to meet one every day."

"Deaton didn't tell me that. Can you tell me more about it?" Stiles asked, curious now.

"I don't really know much but here's what I got. Sparks are one of the most powerful beings in this world. They can control everything. Fire, Water, Earth, Everything. Their magic is the greatest. It's unlimited. What is impossible for us is possible for you."

"That doesn't sound like me. All that I can do is make a circle out of mountain ash. Apart from that, I am boringly normal."

"Then, maybe you should stop believing you're normal. Do you know what the foundation of magic is?"

"Belief." Stiles said, automatically.

"Exactly. If you don't believe it, it won't happen. When it comes to magic, illogical becomes logical, impossible becomes possible. Imagination is greater than knowledge. Do you get me?"

"I think I do, to some extent." Stiles said, remembering how he completed the circle of mountain ash when he barely had enough left.

"So this is everything Deaton told me you want. Anything to add?" Harry asked, looking at the items one last time.

Stiles pulled out his list from his pants and checked it off. Everything was there.

"Seems like everything is here. How much?" Stiles asked, pulling out his wallet.

"100 is enough." Harry said. Stiles paid him and Harry packed the items, leaving the stick of mountain ash out of the paper bag because it was too long. Stiles stacked the paper bag into his empty backpack.

Harry walked him to the front door. "One more thing, you should remember this. Spell and runes and magic itself is nothing without belief. Believe it, and it will happen."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Harry." Stiles said.

"You're welcome. Don't be a stranger. Visit me when you can, okay?"

"I will!" Stiles agreed. Harry waved him good-bye and Stiles waved back before he turned away to walk back home.