#duckiel

“This is what we do to see who gets to assign chores for the next year. Me and Cora are still under 20, so we get three team mates. Laura and Uncle Peter get one.”

“But Uncle Peter never uses it,” Cora interjects. “We don’t know if it’s because he’s that confident or because he doesn’t have any friends.”

Everyone within earshot immediately gives him a look.

Stiles frowns, affronted. “Oh my god, I wasn’t gonna say anything.”

Not while Peter’s around, he mentally adds.

“And mom and dad are on the same team,” Derek continues. “They win every year somehow.”

“Ah, so you invited Allison because she hunts and Scott’s just here as an awkwardness buffer,” Stiles says, nodding his head in understanding. He laughs and ruffles his pouting friend’s hair. “It’s harsh, bro, but totally justified.”

“Hey, Uncle Peter,” Laura says, strolling across the room in her gear, “if I get you out this year, guess who’ll be singing ‘Queen Laura, Best of the Best, and So Much Better than Peter’?”

Peter scoffs. “That sounds like a terrible song, Laura. Good thing I won’t ever have to sing it.” -- He ends up hiding behind a bush with Scott. “It’s like we’re still benchwarmers even though we’re on the field,” he mutters. “By the way, has Allison ever mentioned what she hunted? Because that’s people hunting, not animal hunting.”

In the opening in front of them, Allison ducks and rolls out of the way while shooting. She smirks when Isaac looks down at the paint splatters on his chest. “Better luck next time.”

Throwing his gun down, Isaac frowns and walks towards the side, passing the two of them. He pauses when he notices them before shaking his head. “How do you two losers even survive?”

“By having Allison on our team,” Scott replies before turning to Stiles for approval.

It’s not the kind of comeback he was thinking of but decides to roll with it. “Seems to be working pretty well considering she just got Erica out.”

“So do you two just plan on sitting here?” Isaac asks.

“Maybe? We’re just riding this out, bro,” Stiles says.

Rolling his eyes, Isaac leaves.

The two of them go back to watching only to see Cora and Derek in a face-off.

“Oh my god, we can totally get Cora from here,” Stiles says.

“But isn’t that unfair?” Scott asks.

“All’s fair in love and war, dude.”

“But she won’t know what hit her.”

“Yeah, that’s the point.”

“Fine, but you do it.”

“Me? Why me? You do it.”

“But it was your idea!”

“Yeah, but Cora will actually kill me!”

“I wouldn’t worry about that,” a new voice suddenly says. The two of them turn to see Talia Hale standing there, smiling. “Hello, boys.” -- “Dude. We got shot by Derek’s mom,” Scott says in an incredulous whisper.

“I know. I was there,” Stiles mutters, taking his gear off. “How did she even sneak up on us? I can’t believe they ambushed their own kids like that.” He turns to Allison. “Who got you out?”

“I got hit by a stray pellet from Laura and Peter’s showdown,” she says with a frown. “It was an amateur mistake.”

Stiles burrows his brows. “Amateur—Allison, are you and your family contract killers?”

Allison laughs and doesn’t answer.

Alarming.

They’re all sitting around and waiting when the door opens and Peter walks in, sulking and covered in paint. He’s followed by Talia, who smiles and pats him on the back. “Maybe next year, baby bro.”

Ah, so that’s where Laura gets it from.

“So that concludes this year’s Hale Chore Master Contest. Once again, we won,” Talia announces. “I hope you all had fun. This year’s MVP has to be Allison Argent for her amazing performance in the field. Chris has trained you well.”

Scott and Stiles exchange looks at that. Then they turn to look at Allison who merely smiles back.

“I’d like to thank everyone for coming out,” Talia continues. “Dinner’s on us tonight.”