From Ashes ✗ Stiles Stilinski [#𝟏]

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨 [ pretend. ]

Song Recommendation ["Waiting For a Friend" - The Pretty Reckless]
NOTE: For the full experience, I do personally suggest seeking out each song rec.

☽ † ☾

His kindness was as great and devastating as any pain you can remember.

☽ † ☾

May 2008

She didn't know when or why. It felt like it was such a gradual process that maybe she had gone crazy the day she realized it had already happened. Maybe she was crazy to think things were ever different.

That Monday morning, bleak and foggy like any other, Buffy had walked by Maddie's table where she sat with Marie without so much as a look their way – and it felt normal. It felt like she had never gotten to talk to the older slayer at all, like Buffy had never paid her any keen interest that first year or two. Like they were total strangers.

This hadn't been true –she knew that wasn't true. Maddie, or at least the frightened eight year old that had been found in a little town just west of Chicago, had clung to the blonde's side through everything. From the very moment Buffy had stopped the other girls from attacking her, Maddie found herself constantly enraptured in hero worship and wishing desperately to one day be just like her.

Now? Now, as Buffy passed silently and Maddie felt her insides twist up tighter and tighter? It was too late. Not only had the woman ripped her from her real family, she had abandoned her.

She felt angry, so angry that she failed realize her nails were digging into her palms or that her hands were clenched at all. So angry that she only just noticed how blurry everything had gotten as she tried to see through the tears she was refusing to shed. She was crying again; she was felt like she was always crying about something, which only made her angrier. She absolutely loathed how much of a crybaby she was sometimes.

A light kick to her foot made her head snap up. Marie smiled at her only slightly; it was a sad smile that muted her usual carefree expression. She wasn't going to talk about it though – she never did. Marie would just flip her wild, blonde hair and shrug, as if nothing ever got to her. "If you pretend hard enough, even you'll believe it eventually" was how she always put it. Maybe that was why Maddie stuck around the girl; around Marie, pretending was easier than breathing most days.

"Wanna train after breakfast?"

Maddie unclenched her fists and smiled slightly. "It's not too early?"

Marie gave a nonchalant wave of her hand. She always gestured so much, like she couldn't keep still, even for a moment. "Nah! How else are we gonna be the best of the best?"

The thirteen year old brunette tried at a laugh. Since they had begun their unconventional friendship, teaming up was only natural. Sure, Marie talked to every one –and damn, did she have a lot of influence – but she always spoke to Maddie first every day. She always sat with Maddie during meals. She even stayed up late to talk to her. It was never about anything serious – Marie hated serious – but it was still nice. And the lanky, tall blonde had helped Maddie train. In the past several years, her form and agility had sharpened near to perfection – perfection being the level of slayer that she held Marie at.

"Come on, Mads!" Marie shook the younger girl's arm lightly as her wide smile returned. "It's therapeutic or whatever. Besides..." She stood and grabbed her plate, waiting for Maddie to do the same. "We can't rely on me to save both of our asses all the time. Step up, girly."