✓ | battle wounds, scott m.

chapter three.

Ella and Stiles closed their doors of the Jeep, Stiles jogging into the old burnt down Hale house whilst Ella walked due to the bag of food and drink in her hand. Ella walked in to see Scott in a chair with Derek and his red eyes looking deeply at something on Scott's arm. Ella then realized what was going to happen and she already knew it was going to hurt Scott a lot, she didn't like it. Stiles and Ella shared a glance before walking over to the other side of them and watching them carefully. Ella set her food down on the table and took out her burger and fries, holding them in each of her hands. "Yeah, I see it. It's two bands, right?" Derek asked, "What does it mean?"

"I don't know. It's just something I traced with my fingers," Scott said as he drew a small open circle then a bigger one around it. "Why is this so important to you?" Derek asked. "Do you know what the word 'tattoo' means?" Scott asked. "To mark something," Stiles said proudly. "Well, that's in tahitian. In samoan, it means 'open wound' I knew I wanted to get a tattoo when I turned 18. I always wanted one. I just decided to get it now, to make it kind of a reward," Scott informed them. "For what?" Ella asked with a mouthful of burger. "For not calling or texting Allison all summer. Even when I really wanted to, even when it was so hard not to sometimes. I was trying to give her the space she wants," Scott sighed, "Goin' four months later, it still hurts. It still feels like a, uh—" "Like an open wound," Stiles finished.

"Yeah," Scott nodded. Derek then brought a blow torch, "The pain's gonna be worse than anything you've ever felt." "Ah, that's great," Stiles shook his head. "Do it," Scott said. Ella looked at Scott like he was crazy as she took a sip of her sprite, looking in between him and Derek. "Oh, wow. That's a that's a lot for me. So I'm gonna take that as my cue. I'm just gonna wait outside. Come on, Ella," Stiles said, grabbing Ella's hand. "I'm not done with my food," Ella said, chewing on a couple of fries. "Just bring it," Stiles rolled his eyes, "Come on!"

Derek clamped a hand on Stiles's shoulder, "Nope. You can help hold him down." Stiles walked over to Scott and held him buy the shoulders, Ella taking Scott's hand into hers. "Oh, my God," Stiles muttered. As soon as the fire touched Scott, Scott yelled and thrashed around. "Hold him!" Derek shouted. Ella then took it upon herself to hold his hand up to her lips and softly plant a kiss, and surprisingly, Scott began to calm down at the touch. Derek raised his brows but didn't bother to look away from the tattoo. Stiles only stared with a confused expression at his younger sister and best friend. Scott eventually passed out from the pain, and Stiles then said to Ella, "No boys until you're 18!"

▼

Scott gasped as he woke up, looking over at Derek, Stiles, And Ella who sat on the couch passed out, small snores escaping her lips. Scott would've smiled at Ella, but he then looked down on his arm to see the two jet black bands. "It worked," Scott smiled. Scott stood up and walked over to Ella, shaking her shoulder. Ella hummed, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. Scott shook his head and smiled. Derek tossed Scott a long sleeved shirt, Scott rolling up one sleeve so he could look at the tattoo more. "Well, it looks pretty damn permanent now," Stiles muttered. "Yeah. I kind of needed something permanent," Scott started. "My crush for you is permanent," Ella said sleepily to herself.

"Everything that's happened to us everything just changes so fast. Everything's so, uh. . ephemeral," Scott finished. "Studying for the PSATs?" Stiles asked. "Yep," Scott answered. "Nice," Stiles replied. As Scott opened the door, he noticed fresh paint. "You painted the door," Scott said, "Why'd you paint the door?" "Go home, Scott," Derek sighed. "And why only one side?" Scott asked as he slid a hand up the door. Ella furrowed her brows when she saw Scott pull out his claws and trail one down the door. "Scott," Derek said as he began to walk over to to the teenagers. When Scott finished, a symbol was revealed.