chapter twenty-two.

DRIBBLES OF WATER SPLASHES the concrete echoing in the dingy cell, his body trembles fingertips numb with frigid teeth clattering his thick jacket doing its best in keeping him warm and his throat burns with every intake. Arthur doesn't know how long he's been in here just that his body feels drained energy like he's been sucked dry from a vampire.

The walls are damp only arms apart in length but the hall looks endless in width. Last thing he remembers is Stiles choking him - yes, he knows how absurd it sounds, he must've hit his head or this is another dream like his false awakening. God, he wishes this isn't another one because he is sick and tired of them. But if this was reality than it be so much worse. His phone is gone from his pocket leaving him with no way of communication and it's his second one after Jennifer ( the Darach ) stole it last time ( he still doesn't know how she managed to swipe it from without him noticing ).

Sighing, he'd rather not be a sitting duck in the dark. He doesn't know what awaits on him on either ends and he'd rather not be defenseless. His fingers touches the concrete aided in standing against his body's protest to say sitting and let sleep steal more of his time and wait for somebody to rescue him. But that's not who he is, he'd rather bring the fight then wait for it. It is dark, dark enough for him not to know disorder whether it's morning or night, he doubts being strangled can knock him out for more than a few hours. Something else might have happened, something that sucked his stamina. Arthur just didn't know what.

A glimmer of white light shines at the end of each tunnel, he licks his lips there's no werewolf here to listen for heartbeats or hear someone. No hunter with quick reflex and hidden weapons. Just human Arthur, the boy with bloody knuckles.

The Oni had been searching for Japanese spirit and all the times they arrived Stiles was nowhere to be found, how could've not noticed this? But if the Nogitsune has possessed him then why did he torture him in his dreams asking to be let in, he already has a host. Abducting him was pointless, there's nothing he can do that Stiles can't do better. Glancing in between the directions left and right, Arthur has to make a decision before he comes back.

Right. "Everybody knows right is right." He murmurs, rubbing his sweaty palms on his dirty jeans. He inhales a breath of courage and starts walking blindly into the light.

God, he misses Lydia, her smartass comments and what he'd give to run his hands by her fiery hair again and the way she holds him like he's the only thing that matters to her. It doesn't make sense why the trickster would choose him, with Stiles' brain the trickster could do many things and cause the chaos he's been desperate to drag him into, but why Arthur? Maybe he needs a partner, but he had rejected him plenty of times what makes him think capturing him would change his mind. It all sounds unbelievable, his closet friend possessed by a Japanese spirit.

For how long?

And how hadn't they noticed?

Everything Stiles warned them about : the hidden message on the chalk board and breaking into the supply closet for Barrow has all been a ploy from the Nogitsune. Could his mental illness be one too, it feeds from pain and chaos so imagine the amount of it caused by pretending Stiles was diagnosed with the same illness that succumbed his mother.

"Fuck, that's messed up." Arthur whispers, squeezes his eyes shut, then opening them wide in an effort to stay awake his hands cups his sulken cheek trying to bring warmth to them. The white light grows bringing warmth to his face hopes blooms in chest like a flower, his feet pounds on water puddles sprinting to the light, the closer he got he realized the light was from the early morning sun, he didn't want to smile nothing is ever this easy.

His eyes squint from being in the mist long the sun blinded him, butterflies flutter in his stomach his breathing quivering, his body believing this could work out, he could escape but his mind told him be prepared for the worst. The Nogitsune is a trickster, it fools everybody.

His arms escapes first and his cry of glee is interrupted by his forehead smacking into thin metal sticks, he grunts falling backwards the ache intensifying because of the bruise from his fall. His hands latch onto the thin sticks and pulls and pulls and pulls, it doesn't budge. "No, no, this couldn't happening!" Arthur whispers patting it down for a lock or a gap underneath. There's nothing. "Since when was right wrong?" His throat thickens as backs away shaking his head, he could still make it if he ran -

"You're trapped." A voice said behind him. Arthur raises his arms spinning, there stood the devil invading his mind. He smiles likes he could read his mind. "It's just me and you."

"You and I." The blue eyed mumbles. His knee bounces prepared to run past him when needed fingers gripping around the metal sticks like it was the only thing holding him up. "Where am I?"

"The nonexistent Camp Oak Creek." Void Stiles answers, tilting his head up. "Known as a cautionary tale about a Corporal who slaughtered everyone in his path. Could you blame him, he was bound to get hungry locked away."

"Sounds vaguely familiar." He lies, mouth becoming dry. He doesn't know how to act talking to late 10 century Japanese Spirit creates for chaos, it a bit above his knowledge. "I'm just, eh, trying to find my, eh part in this."

"You're the knight in this chess match." He answers, shrugging fingers interlocked. "You're my shortcut to the to king."

"The King?" His eyebrows furrowed, could he mean the Alpha as in Scott?

"Everything will revealed soon." Void Stiles announces grinning, stepping closer. "You've so much pain for someone so young, I think it is time you hand more of it to me."

"Wait, What?" He splutters, eyed widen. Arthur doesn't understand what that means but it has he something bad if he's smiling like that, he walks with the same limp Isaac and Josie had in his dream. A dizzy spell smacks him weakening his legs but his grip only tights on the sticks. "No, please, don't -"

Arthur thrusts his fist but is easily shoved into the brick wall flares of discomfort in his knuckles like he broken a bone. Cold hands ambushing his face forcing his head to tilt face twisting into a grimace low groans parting his lips, it like he's running longer than he could handle and is still going even if his body can't handle it. The Nogitsune strips his pain and strife the energy that helped him survive what he's been through crawls up his neck in red veins sighing in comfort eyes rolled to the back of his head, Arthur falls to his knees unable to keep his body up anymore.

What felt like grueling hours to Arthur was merely minutes to Void, he releases him nearly stumbling while the blue eyed boy's hand smacks the ground gulping in as much air he can.

"That was exhilarating the second time." The Nogitsune admits, a smile curving his lips standing straighter with new strength. The third... time...? He has been using him to strengthen himself, is that why he's here? To be his food and strength?

"You can't," It explains the exhaustion he felt when waking up, he pants. "- my friends, they'll find me." Arthur insists, his legs felt like jello as he uses the metal stick to help him stand. He didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing him powerless on the ground again. "My friends will find us."

"You think so?" He tsk, clearly amused by his dependence on his pack. "Aren't you tired of playing the damoiseau in distress?" Wiping his bumpy temple, Arthur bites his lip ignoring his throbbing knuckle. "I wonder if maybe some of them have bigger problems to deal with right now. We both know their main priority is skinny defenseless Stiles."

He wouldn't be surprised, neither of them probably put together his mental illness was a sham but they are aware something isn't right and if they're devoting their time to that he's grateful. Being the oldest in the pack it's common sense he should be the responsible one, the one who protects and attacks, and if his family or friends gets injured searching for him, Arthur wouldn't be able to live with himself.

"You can call me many things but a damoiseau in distress isn't one of them." Arthur snarls, raising his chin fighting him psychically was dumber than he is, but words are the next best thing. "I'm waiting for my friends to bring me the right weapon so I can torture your ass for possessing my friend like some Target Chucky Doll."

Void Stiles laughs, it hammers the humid tunnels making him wish he could staple his ears closed. "That was fantastic! I actually believed you for a second." He begins to stomp towards and the blue eyed boy gulps, glad he couldn't read his petrified mind. "Now it's time for the real show. You're going to need those keys you stole from that nice officer."

"What? Why?" Arthur asks, wetting his lips as Void Stikes turns his back to him.

"You're going to make the police station booming with life." He riddles, hands mimicking an explosion a sinister smile curving on his lips.

It slowly draws on him, his expression twists in horror breathing picking up he shakes his head gripping the poles again. "You want me, to, to bomb a police station? No, that's insane, I'm not doing that - people could die!"

Void Stiles spins on his heels stomping towards him until their chests were inches apart. Himself and Stiles have always been the same height, and never had be been intimated by him like he had now.

"You've seen what I can mentally, Arthur." He says, scoffing smacking his hand inches away from the pole making him blink. "There's nothing stopped me from doing it psychically." The threat on his family was as clear as glass.

* * *

HIS KNUCKLES HAMMERS THE white door, the air surrounding feels greater then the heavy one in the tunnels the first thing he wanted to is visit his mother and Josie who are probably going bonkers with disappearance but he has two places he needs to go to before meeting with them. The last time he had been here was when Stiles and him had been looking for Allison when they thought Scott had eaten her. Oh, how simple life had been back then.

The things people would do for family has no limitation. Whether it screws themselves over and protects their loved ones neither cares. He blames love, it's a powerful and addicting emotions once you've gotten a taste. And like many drugs it has it symptoms, a bounce in your step, fuzzy mind, committing a crime to ensure their safety and sleepless nights. Only two of which Arthur is suffering from at the moment.

The door yanks open pulling the blue eyed boy with him but he catches himself, bag on his back jiggling and hands trembling but this time, not out of cold. "Arthur? Where have you been these last two days?"

Not even he, himself could remember the last two days vividly, Void Stiles is a starving person. "I'm sorry, I, I, I just needed some time." Arthur stammers, eyes glancing around the empty apartment floor. "With everything going on, I'm sorry."

"No, don't apologize." Chris says shaking his head, clasping a hand on the boy's shoulder he frowns his flinching but doesn't press then tahe smiles.

"Just a bit paranoid with the whole Japanese possession." Arthur says, letting the old hunter guide him inside his warm house, the comfort made him want to drop and snatch a full month of sleep he craves. "Is Allison here?"

"No, she's with Scott at school." Chris explains, gesturing for him to sit on the couch. "Have you eaten?"

"I can't remember." He lies. Eating is the last thing on his mind, with the bomb he planted and the bag on his back weighs like stones the things inside threatening to expose him, his palms sweat afraid the hunter will see through his façade.

"Alright, stay here I'll fix you something." The hunter suggests, shooting him a reassuring smile standing.

"Yeah, that's, that's fine." He nods, rubbing his palms along his thighs, Chris' eyes fall on the purple reddish skin and he stand abrupt before he can question it. "Can I use your bathroom?"

He nods. "Yeah. Down the hall, first door on your left." Arthur nods mumbling a thank you and follows his simple directions. The bag hits the ground and Arthur falls to his knees leaning against the door, head in his hands. One million thousand reasons in the bag is enough to implicate Chris Argent and Derek Hale.

The man himself is in the kitchen making him a snack, invited him into his home no questions or harsh interrogations and he's planning on sending not one but two people to jail because he's the Knight and knights have guaranteed access to another knight. Oof, but that's not all.

He doesn't know what's worse : sentencing two innocent men to jail for murder while the real murder is committing the act or planting a bomb in a station filled with people?

He can't find a loophole in this, everything and everyone is screwed.

"Arthur, does your mother know where you've been?" Chris yells from the kitchen.

"Eh, yeah." Arthur replies, stashing the bag filled with 150 000 dollars littered with Derek Hale's finger prints ( he doesn't know how the hell Void Stiles retained it ) underneath the sink cabinet. The self hatred he thought he left in the past sinking its claws in chest.

He flushed the toilet pausing at mirror, a gigantic yellow bruise stains his side temple his skin looks pale from the lack of sleep and eyes haunted from being continued in the dark. God, if he saw himself on the street he'd cross the road. His hair falls over his eyes in desperate need of a comb or haircut. He leaves the bathroom tired and anxious of getting caught.

He's work is done, Void Stikes will do his part at the basement where Katashi will die for handing information about him to the Argents. It made him sick, everything they need to know is on the tip of his tongue even one word could save lives but his sister and mother would pay the price with their lives.

"Arthur, are you -" Chris walks into the sitting room frowning, he didn't have to react upon hearing his front door click close loosing the troubled teen.

* * *

THE BREAKING IN WAS easy, taking the Sheriff's tag and planting the bomb with the packages on his desk, he pries somebody figures it before it goes off. Next morning, Arthur pulls open the doors to the police station, he had balls walking into a graveyard he created staying away from here when it goes off isn't an option for him. The guilt would kill him if the explosion doesn't. The Nogitsune decided to open the curtains to everything, his station is at the school impersonate his vessel - someone is bound to notice.

His heart pounds in throat making it hard for him to talk, stopping a desk his legs nearly give out when they glance up to him, he managing a smile on his chapped lips. "Hi. I heard you've been searching for me."

"Name?" The female officer asks.

"Arthur?" A familiar deep voice calls answering for him. He grimaces, it wasn't hard to recognize Derek Hale's voice completely forgetting about the officer. "What are you doing here?"

Chris and Derek are both hand cuffed to a silver bench awaiting to be questioned for murder.

"People have been exploding with concern looking for me." Arthur hints, a shaky smile on his lips. Chris scrunches his eyebrows remarking his clenched trembling fist while Derek tilts his head his heart thundering his ears along with the stench of anxiety. The blue eyed boy steps back head whipping in different directions with faux enthusiasm. "This place is the bomb, make sense why the Sheriff refuses to give up his job."

Chris' face falls, cranning his neck to Derek who appears to be listening to something. "Can you hear it?" The hunter whispers to the werewolf. Arthur gulps, eyes glancing around the innocent officers sparing the not-so-innocent boy a smile, working behind desks minding their own business and coworkers hydrating themselves and talking. Many of who have families.

He can't do this, he has take out the bomb but he couldn't get inside without gaining attention. And like a Jack-In-The-Box officers spring into the air fear drowning the police station, shoulders collides with his and instantly Arthur knows : message received. Everyone is terrified searching for the bomb, he could slip inside and slip back out undetected - Nothing is stopped him. A cop runs over and unlocks Argent's cuff ignoring his question 'what's happening' deciding answering them would slow his escape.

Derek realised it, cranning his neck to to the Sheriff's office on his desk stood fake packesges inside one contained a bomb. "Get down!" Derek shouts. Arthur's fingers are ripped from the door handle as Derek clamps on Arthur's wrist shielding him and partly Chris as the station raptures like a popped balloon.

He was too late. Oh God, he couldn't see what was going on behind Derek but he could hear the cries, whimpers and screams of pain. Tears corners his eyes for the destruction he caused, all this time The Nogitsune was the gun.

And Arthur was the trigger.

Blood dribbles down the werewolf chin as the blue eyed has his fist in his t-shirt, the only thing keeping him from hitting the ground. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

His sorries were as meaningless as mending a broken plate with a bandage.