laography | everybody wants to rule the world

[ He grins a little in response, the tension seeming to melt out of his shoulders, and Stiles leans back against the chair, looking out at the faces staring back at him. They're going to play the clip of him scaring the shit out of the alphas, probably, and Stiles recalls Lydia's advice--work with your image--so as the clip plays, he pulls up his bright red hood.

By the time it's finished, he's a little more relaxed. The crowd reacted with "oooohs" and a bunch of different other noises, and that's--well that's something he can work with. Stiles leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, letting his hands hang down in the middle, and looks at John head on, ready for whatever questions he's going to hit him with. ]

[ Pleased that Stiles seems to relax a little more, though it's all visual cues instead of anything else-- there's so many people that scents and sounds are hard to signal down-- John settles calmly with his ankle propped up on a knee. He adjusts his glasses on his face, sitting back to watch the clip without interrupting it. It's a good introduction, following the clip they'd been given of the choosing prior to Stiles' arrival out on the stage. It paints a good image of Stiles, and he plans to work it up even more. ]

So, Stiles-- [ He raises a hand, signalling that it's time for the audience to quiet down to a hum so that they can get the questions under way. Once it seems like everyone's done making their comments and growls, reduced to curious stares and glowers, he curls his hand at his chin. ] That was a pretty ballsy move there. Most candidates show off, but damn, you're just all about making big entrances.

[ He can't help the laugh that bubbles out of his mouth, and Stiles shifts his elbows off of his knees to shrug in response. ] My dad always said that I had a knack for pissing off anyone older than me, so I figured I'd show them the best ability I had. That's what they asked for, right?

[ He does at least say it in a joking tone, looking out on the crowd around them with a little grin on his face, hoping to elicit some laughter. His sense of humor is self deprecating at best, and --well, hopefully they'll eat that up. ] Plus I'm really crappy with pretty much everything else out on the table, so I had to improvise.

[ Spreading his hands helplessly in response, John just snorts loudly before he resettles. ] Looks to me like you did a great job, given some of the comments we've picked up and the looks on their faces, but at least someone up there decided they liked the display.

[ At least the self depreciation makes it seem like he's an easy target, but he's going to believe the exact opposite is true. Stiles has a good eye, and he sounds pretty damn smart as far as he can tell. Smart people can be pretty damn dangerous, in his experience. ] I'd ask what you might actually be decent at, but I think we should leave that as a surprise for everyone else. Can't be ruining your game plan before you're even in the dome.

I appreciate it. [ He flashes John a little bit of a grin. So far his only advantage is to keep looking like a bumbling idiot, which Stiles excels at on a day to day basis. It's all he's got, is people underestimating him. ] I've gotta get to grandma's house, if you know what I mean.

[ His sharp eyes glance out at the crowd for a second, like he's watching them for their reactions. He's soaking up this whole red riding hood thing the best he can, trying to follow Lydia's advice as much as possible, and it seems to be working. ]

Yeah, yeah, I hear you. [ John nods his head enthusiastically, thrilled to hell and back by this gimmick. Little red riding hood isn't so helpless, here. ] We'll keep that basket of goodies good and safe, for now, but once you're in the woods that's all on you.

[ Having a biased interviewer probably isn't that good for the alphas, but it sure as hell is for team Derek and Stiles. If he can help Laura's brother and his tribute, then he's going to give it a pretty good shot. Still, he has to ask the questions that'll appease the masses, so. ] But man, the fact you're even going to grandma's at all is kinda deep. Volunteering for-- Scott McCall, right?

[ Stiles' face softens a little and he looks down, something in his heart twinging at the memory. ] Yeah. My best friend--we were practically raised together. He's basically my brother.

[ It'd been a split second decision, because they were taking Scott away, and Allison and Scott's mom were screaming, and that's when he'd yelled it, I volunteer, I volunteer, leave him alone! ] I don't regret it.

[ No one good ever wins these things. No one good ever survives. Scott would throw himself in front of someone who was weaker to save their lives. Stiles...well, Stiles didn't have any love for these tributes, considering how little they had for him, and in a dog eat dog kinda place, he knows Scott wouldn't have made it long. ]

[ John goes quiet for a moment, out of a sort of respect. Some people train all their lives, in the event that they get selected. But no one ever chooses for themselves, and they've seen some pretty good people die within the first ten minutes of the game start because their hearts weren't in it or they just were not prepared. ]

Brotherly love. I get that. [ He nods, a little more subdued. ] Better you than him?

[ If Stiles is going with the self depreciation route, he'll feed it. But in the end, he can't help but agree. No one good ever survives. Good people go in, but they either die or they come out damaged. Derek Hale was a good kid, had gone into the games willing to risk his life for Paige-- had admitted, later, to Laura that that was his plan all along-- and he came out with a hole in his soul and a personal vendetta against the alphas. And they knew it. ]

Exactly. [ He casts John a small, half crooked smile, and there's a loud "awwww" from the crowd. It wasn't fake by any means necessary, but it seems like despite his less than kosher stunt in the test room, the audiences were starting to like him. That was good; the more sponsors he could attract, the better.

Folding his hands, he looks at John, directly, something burning in his brown eyes. ] I told him forever ago that I can't really see a world without him in it for me, so it kinda made sense if I had to go first.

[ Scott wouldn't let him volunteer. He kept saying it over and over, when they grabbed Stiles by the arm, that he was willing to take it instead, but once the words were out, they were out. They were brothers, and they died together. That was how it was supposed to go. ] But I'm not planning on going anywhere, so he'll just have to sock me in the arm when I get back for volunteering before he could say anything.

Edited 2013-11-26 04:19 (UTC)

[ As the crowd feels their hearts soften around the edges, John smiles at Stiles easily. It's not manic like his usual expressions are, wired and wide, but instead something lighter. It takes a lot of balls and a certain kind of person, to step forward like that for someone else. Hopefully this kid gets through things all right. ]

Sounds a lot like he'll slug you pretty hard for that one, but here's hoping you can get to grandma's and back before he misses you too much. [ His eyes flick to one of the nearby cameras, eyebrows twitching in amusement. It's a sort of hear that? directed to the audience at home, but then he's looking dead on at Stiles again. ]

Who else is waiting for you back in sunny ol' Beacon Hills? Can't just be Scott, can it?

My dad. [ Stiles fidgets with his fingers, unable to stop the nervous gesture, as he thinks about his family. His mom's gone, and his dad--well, he was all he had left.

It occurs to him a couple seconds later that he probably meant something else. ] --Romantically? Oh god, nothing. I'm the biggest loser to have ever lost--pun really, hopefully not intended--but definitely mateless.

[ John nearly cackles when Stiles catches the usual intent behind the question, pulling his glasses off so they don't slip down his face while he shakes with barely restrained laughter. ]

We'll come back to your dad in a sec, but-- definitely mateless? Think you could meet your match here in the capitol?

[ And that's when he utilizes his eyebrows as mentioned, waggling them at him. ]

[ Stiles scoffs, and loudly. ] In the Werewolf Thunderdome? Yeah, that would sure as hell be my luck, that I meet my mate and then I have to cut their heads off.

[ His sarcasm is really not meant for national TV, oops. Maybe you should turn down the bite a little, buddy. ]

[ John enjoys it. The alphas? Probably not so much. The audience? It's a mixed board. ]

Nah, you could definitely meet them outside Werewolf Thunderdome. Win in their honor, run off into the sunset, the whole spiel.

[ He waves his glasses, positively delighted by this interview to be perfectly honest. ]

Dude, I've got three days until the competition--my whole time out here is gonna be spent between that training room and this super cushy bed I don't have back home. If I meet a mate here they're gonna be-- [ As he's ticking off on his fingers. ] out for my blood, a servant I'm gonna run away with, Aladdin style, or my sheets.

[ Stiles does grin at that, lopsided and sarcastic. Lydia is going to kill him when this is over. ] They are black silk, pretty fancy stuff.

You marry those sheets, Stilinski. You marry them good and take them home with you. [ He points with his glasses, hardly bothered by the absurdity of this conversation. His supervisors are going to have his head, but he's just showcasing how very different Stiles is from all the other betas that they've all interviewed so far. ]

Think your dad would approve of that one? [ Easing back from absurd into an actual interview, there, they can't be too mad at him. ]

If I was happy, you bet your ass he would be. I mean, I'm trying not to give him a heart attack, so it's gonna have to be someone a little more sentient, but he's cool like that.

[ The banter has definitely helped to relax Stiles a little, though, and he seems to really be settling into his own during the interview. His answers aren't forced, which is either a blessing and a curse, and the tension is leaking out of his shoulders, albeit slowly. ]

It's what my mom would've wanted to see, anyway.

everybody wants to rule the world

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