Work Text:
No Better Version of Me
"Come on son, I'll give you a ride home." Bobby offers, it is the third time this week no one has picked Stiles up from practice. Usually Melissa does it when she picks up Scott but he is off visiting his father and she is picking up double shifts at the hospital while she has the ability to. Stiles' own father must have forgotten, again.
Bobby feels bad for both Stiles and John, he does, but John needs to get his act together. It has been a year and he cannot keep putting Stiles on the back burner. Stiles just nods at the words and grabs his gear head hung low. Bobby hates seeing Stiles like this, sure he can be annoying, but he is admittedly Bobby's favorite.
Stiles mostly just sits on the bench during practices these days. He never actually makes it off the bench not since his mom died. Stiles does not want to be on the field but he also does not want to quit and Bobby is not going to force it. He is just glad Stiles has started making sarcastic comments again and calling the team out when they are doing terribly. Bobby appreciates it, it is one of his favorite things listening to Stiles tell the boys why he is disappointed, because he knows they can do better.
Bobby is not the only one who appreciates it. It does more for the team morale than anything Bobby has ever yelled. Even if none of the boys on the team will admit it they have gone slack over the last year. The spirit drained out of them when Stiles lost his. They spent an entire year losing, they did not win a game again until Stiles started talking.
Even Jackson did not play up to his usual standards. He had been particularly bratty to everyone without Stiles to engage him and take the focus. Regardless Jackson and the rest of the team are still easing back into things like they can sense Stiles might fold back in on himself at any moment.
Bobby just wants him to yell at matches again and nearly get in fights with Jackson because Stiles will not keep his mouth shut and Jackson does not know what to do with his feelings. Bobby will not let it actually get past that, always there to break it up and demand suicides before things can get physical. He misses Stiles' spirit especially as he remains quiet in the seat next to him. He seems so much smaller when he is not speaking a mile a minute.
When they get to the house the cruiser is in the driveway and Bobby is confused. It is one thing if the sheriff was at work to forget to pick up Stiles, forgivable even. It is another thing altogether to not be stopping a robbery or catching a murder and to still forget about his only child.
"Thanks coach." Stiles mumbles softly with a sigh getting out of the car and Booby does not like the resigned set of his shoulders. He does not move until Stiles is already in the house and then he follows him in after a few minutes. Bobby is curious and angry, he needs to get to the bottom of this.
The door is unlocked and Stiles’ bag is on the floor by it. Bobby follows the sound of bottles clicking into the living room and does not like what he sees. John is passed out on the couch. Beer bottles and empty glasses littering the table, Bobby can see at least one empty bottle of whiskey and another half full.
Stiles is picking the bottles up and carefully placing them in a recycling bin and Bobby is angry. The town has all seen it to some extent, the sheriff coming in to work unrested, eyes bloodshot. Stiles doing the grocery shopping, Stiles making excuses for why his dad is not picking him up again, Stiles constantly being left alone. The cruiser parked outside of a bar on a school night instead of at home where Stiles is.
Having an abstract knowledge of John's behavior and seeing it firsthand brings shame to Bobby. No one has done anything about it, no one has actually asked Stiles if he is okay with the way things are going. No one has spoken to John about his obvious problem and his neglect toward Stiles.
Well Bobby is here now and he is going to do something about it. Pushing the drunken sheriff off of his own couch while his kid watches wide eyed probably is not the best start but it is too late now. Bobby definitely does not like it when Stiles shies away like he is about to be blamed.
John raises his head slowly bleary eyed as he tries to locate the offending party. "Rise and shine sweetheart!" Bobby yells loudly enjoying the wince it draws from John. Stiles tries to scurry by recycling bin and all but Bobby grabs him by the arm. "Put that down, it's not your responsibility." Stiles heists but does as he is told.
"Fuck of cupcake." John hisses and Bobby is of course unfazed.
"First off I told you that name in confidence. Secondly language, when little Stiles starts telling people to fuck off it's going to be your own fault for using such foul language in front of him." Bobby says, trying to lighten the mood for Stiles. Stiles bites his lip clearly trying not to laugh as Bobby covers his ears like he will not hear him that way.
"What are you even doing here?" John grumbles anger deflating as he glances sadly at his son.
"Stiles, go do your homework." Bobby says wanting Stiles out of the room.
"It's summer time coach." Stiles pipes up, right he totally knows that.
"Go do next year’s homework then or you can go run suicides." Bobby responds lacking some of his usual authority. Stiles frowns at him suspiciously like he does not believe Bobby will make him run suicides. H is right Bobby does not have the heart for it right now, usually he enjoys forcing the kids to do them. He is glad when Stiles relents and grabs his bag heading upstairs.
"Let's you and I have a heart to heart." Bobby says hissing like an angry cat when John goes to reach for the half empty bottle of whiskey. John pauses for just a second but it is just enough time for Bobby to grab the bottle and head to the kitchen.
"Give that back." John grumbles stalking after.
"Ha." Bobby is already pouring it down the sink. John tries to grapple for the bottle. Too bad he is drunk and Bobby has had years of practice keeping things away from people. Bobby lets the bottle fall into the sink once it is empty, smirking. "Sit down, let's have that heart to heart." John glowers at his mocking tone but sits.
Bobby rummages around in the cabinets until he finds glasses and then fills two with water before taking a seat at the table. He slides one over to John before digging his keys out of his pocket. There is jangling as he pulls a bronze chip attached to a keyring from his keys and tosses it across the table.
John fumbles, nearly dumping his glass of water and the chip but recovers at the last moment. "What is this?" John eyes it, it is vaguely familiar like he has seen something similar but he cannot put his finger on it.
"That's my ten year sobriety chip, now let's talk about getting you one." The conversation that follows does not go smoothly but Bobby will be damned if he does not get his way.
-
Stiles helps Bobby locate and get rid of every bottle of booze in the house. It is a little scary how good Stiles is at finding them. Stiles just grins pleased and Bobby tries not to grin back proudly when the kid brings him another bottle from a place he never would have thought to look. Bobby mostly fails at hiding it.
When John arrives home and immediately goes looking for a bottle and comes up empty Bobby is there waiting to drive the man to another meeting. John grumbles agitated but then looks at Stiles and quiets, dutifully heading to the car. Bobby scrubs a hand along Stiles' hair before following the sheriff out.
-
When Bobby basically moves into the Stilinski house overnight the town talks but like before they do not do or say anything. John grumbles on occasion but when he feels the need to drink, having Bobby there to talk helps, it also keeps the overwhelming sadness of his wife's absence at bay. Stiles also seems happier with the arrangement beginning to really come back to life, more vibrant than he has been since Claudia had gotten sick.
-
John lapses a few times and Bobby has to pick him up off the floor of a dive bar a town over. The last time it happens he leaves Stiles with the Whittemore's of all people, he is not looking forward to the fallout when he goes to pick the kid up later.
Stiles has been particularly somber so Bobby decides to take him out. Ice cream, he is sure ice cream will do the trick. He has not actually put together what day it is, not until he overhears a snide remark from Mr. Harris who also happens to be at the ice cream parlor.
Stiles looks like he is going to cry and Bobby has a hard time not punching the man. Punching another teacher would probably get him fired even during summer though so he settles for loudly calling the man out before herding Stiles out of the shop. Stiles runs smack into Jackson who looks like he is about to say something rude on reflex. A look from Bobby and a glance at Stiles has Jackson biting his tongue.
Jackson is with a nanny or a maid Bobby cannot be sure, what do kids his age have when their parents are off gallivanting around the world. Bobby does not hesitate to push Stiles at the two of them. "There's an emergency I have to go beat some sense into someone. I'll be back for my kid later, Jackson be nice." Bobby warns, dashing off before the woman can protest. He does not even realize he just referred to Stiles as his.
-
John is pissed, especially when Bobby dumps him in front of his dead wife's grave. John glares up at him angrily, eyes glassy and red from tears and the booze. Bobby has no sympathy for him at the moment. "Go on, tell her what you've been doing instead of taking care of yourself and Stiles." John blinks up at him, face flushing with anger and embarrassment as he thinks about it. It is a long night.
-
The sheriff is asleep in the backseat of the car when Bobby goes to the Whittemore’s to pick up Stiles. It is late but the nanny answers, saving him an inevitable headache of having to actually deal with Jackson's parents. She leads him up to Jackson's room where the two boys are asleep. Jackson is curled protectively around Stiles. From the look of it Stiles has spent most of the night crying and Bobby feels a pang of guilt at not being here for him.
Bobby still snaps a picture if nothing else he will use it to blackmail them when they are being insufferable. It is likely Stiles will not care and at this point Bobby does not have the heart to blackmail Stiles so really he just plans to maybe, possibly use it against Jackson. Who is he kidding he probably will never show it to anyone else, except the lacrosse moms. The boys look adorable, he is having a hard time not 'aweing'.
Jackson grumbles in protest curling tighter around Stiles when Bobby tries to pull Stiles loose. It takes the nanny waking Jackson to get him to finally relent his hold. Jackson blushes hotly as Bobby picks up Stiles, the kid has always been light and skinny so it is easy. "Go back to sleep Jackson, you've got school tomorrow." Bobby calls as he is leaving.
-
Things get a little easier, there are still days John wants to drink but he is doing better with every day. He goes to the graveyard to speak to Claudia, calls his sponsor, or just talks to Bobby when he really feels the need to drink. Stiles and Bobby are both in attendance when he gets his one year chip.
-
"So you aren't a loud mouth all the time." John jokes and it is good to see him carefree and happy. It does not stop Bobby from bristling at the comment.
"Of course I'm not." Bobby grumbles and he will not admit to pouting.
"What have you and Stiles been off doing today anyhow?" John sits down next to Bobby and if he is sitting closer than normal that is between the two of them.
"Took him to the yarn barn, the ol' ladies in the knitting circle love him." Bobby says grinning as John blinks trying to puzzle out why they had been at the yarn barn to begin with. Bobby answers before he can ask. "Had an order of yarn to pick up and I thought it might help Stiles. It can be therapeutic in its repetition. It'll give his hands something productive to do while he tries to do his homework or watch TV instead of just repeatedly clicking or banging a pen. Kid seems to like it." Bobby says with a shrug.
"You knit?"
"Not as much as I used to nowadays I mostly just hoard yarn for projects I want to do. Helps when the lacrosse team keeps pathetically losing." Bobby says with disdain, John knows how much he hates losing and the current high school team has had the man irritated and monologueing for weeks. The only saving grace is the high hopes Bobby has for Stiles' summer team when they actually get to high school.
John opens his mouth to ask another question when Stiles comes careening down the stairs and into the living room. Stiles pauses for a moment observing how close they are on the couch before holding up his needles and yarn all in a knot. "I need help!"
Bobby laughs and does help John watching the two. It eases the loneliness having Bobby here especially when it makes Stiles laugh like that. He has missed this, the laughter.
-
They are at the last game of the year for the current Beacon Hills high team. John is in one of those canvas folding chairs off to the side a little with ear plugs in because he learned early on that sitting next to Bobby during a game could be defining. Stiles is right next to Bobby despite not being on the team or even in high school making sarcastic comments to go along with all of Bobby’s critiques. When their team loses the ball they are both up and hollering at their own team for the offense.
After the game which they lose Bobby and Stiles are sulking about it. Stiles follows Bobby into the locker room for his 'nice try speech' which is not really a speech more backhanded you could have been worse comments.
"I don't know how you handle those two." Melissa confides coming up to him smiling. Scott loitering around trying to flirt with some high school girl that is definitely too old for him, it is not working out in his favor.
"They're my boys." John says grinning as he spots the two exiting the locker room and heading in his direction. Bobby has an arm slung over Stiles shoulder and the two are laughing.
-
"Come on Stiles, let's head home for a nap before we meet your dad." Bobby says when the knitting circle ends and the ladies have given them their blessing to leave. Stiles has a pocket full of hard candies and a giant bag full of yarn. Stiles is side-eyeing him as they head to the parking lot.
"I don't think I'm supposed to be going." Stiles finally says after a long moment.
"Why wouldn't you be going?" Bobby does not appreciate Stiles looking at him like he is an idiot.
"Well he specifically asked you to go to dinner with him on a Friday night and he made reservations for two so I'm pretty sure it's a date."
Bobby blinks as his brain tries to wrap around this new information. ""I have a date with your father." Bobby says, repeats it a few times as they get in the car. "How do you feel about that?"
"Well it's about time you two start actually dating." Stiles says with a cheeky grin and a shrug. Bobby cannot help the grin that is plastered across his face at Stiles' easy acceptance.
"Okay then let's go figure out what I'm going to wear. No cocktail dresses though, I like to be able to move around." Bobby ignores the look Stiles gives him as he backs out of the parking space.
-
Stiles is in high school now and he still rides the bench keeping Bobby company but he is actually on the team now. He can be an awful student at times but Bobby has learned how to best focus Stiles’ attentions and he ignores complaints from Harris. The man will not listen to Bobby's advice so that is on him. The other teachers understand that Stiles is not in fact a lost cause Bobby makes sure of it.
It is lacrosse tryouts which is one of Bobby's favorite times of year. He gets to figure out what little monsters actually have potential. He already knows a few from the summer program he volunteers for but there are those that have just moved and others that want to try something new.
One of the kids, a behemoth that has zero potential so Bobby cuts him near immediately. The kid is grumbling angrily to his friends and Bobby is sure it is snide comments. He does not pay it any mind not until Stiles gets involved. "Don't talk about my dad like that you asshole." Stiles shouts and then he is punching a kid nearly twice his size.
The kid has Stiles pinned before Bobby can even blow his whistle but there is Jackson coming to Stiles' rescue. It is hilarious that Jackson thinks his little crush is a secret. The teachers have a betting pool on how long it will take him to work up his nerve. Bobby has his money on them getting together in junior year which is much farther out than anyone else.
Mrs. Fields does not think Bobby is aware of her pairing them up in class but she is wrong because Stiles will not stop talking about it. While the kid mostly complains about having to work with Jackson he is also not so secretly delighted. Kid might know the definition of subtle but he certainly never learned to embody it. However it is also clear to Bobby that Stiles has no idea he has a crush on Jackson which is adorable especially since John seems unaware as well.
There is blood before Bobby can get to the fighting teens which have gone from two students to six. Two of the behemoth giants buddies have taken up their friends' defenses and where Jackson goes Danny often gets dragged along.
Bobby separates them, the giant boy and his two goons on one side of the locker room, Jackson and Danny on the other. Bobby can keep an eye on them from his office where he is trying to get Stiles to talk.
"Just tell me what he said about the sheriff that got you so riled up that you tried to reenact David and Goliath." Jackson is hovering as close by as he can to the office, eyes focused on Stiles when he is not glaring at the boys across the room. Bobby cannot wait to see John's reaction when Jackson stops dancing around his crush on Stiles and finally gets up the nerve to ask him out. It is going to be hilarious.
"It wasn't about him, it was about you." Stiles says, blushing eyes downcast as he readjusts the melting ice bag. Bobby blinks dumbly because what? Oh, oh dad Stiles called him dad!
"I don't need you to protect my honor, I'm no damsel." Bobby tries to keep his voice angry but he is grinning. Stiles choke out a little laugh trying to hide it with a half cough. "But thanks son." Bobby says and it takes a minute but the smile splitting across Stiles face is totally worth having to deal with Goliath’s and everyone else's parents.
-End