You are Cordially Invited
Tropes Challenge to Write: (2. Fake Relationships)

Chapter One: You've Got Mail

Stiles looked down at the invitation in his hand and groaned; slapping his hand over his face before he dropped the piece of heavily gilded cardstock on the table and slumped into one of the chairs and almost missed. He staggered sideways for a second and was thankful that his roommate wasn't there to see it. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose but nothing helped as the words pounding behind his eyelids.

You are cordially invited

To the wedding ceremony,

reception to follow for

Lydia Martin

And

Jordan Parrish.

Fuck! He didn't let the word out but seriously a litany of curses weren't going to change anything. The words weren't going to change. It was still going say the same thing.

Lydia Martin and Jordan Parrish.

He felt the disgust rise up in him, his stomach clenching with a desire to hurl all over his living room floor. Then again, he didn't want it to be on his shoes; maybe if he could puke on Parrish it would be better. He couldn't believe she went back to her illegal and illicit affair from high school. Parrish was still one of his father's men, at least seven years older than Lydia and even after high school, he'd always been sniffing around so it wasn't a surprise that he kept trying after Stiles had left Beacon Hills. The surprising part had been when she said yes. After their kissing after the Wild Hunt, Stiles and Lydia decided together that they were going to wait until they both returned home to Beacon Hills to possibly try dating again since everyone knew that the long distance thing was the shit and never worked. They kept in contact of course and Stiles had been hopeful up until she called him about six months ago to say that she was dating again.

Dating Jordan Parrish. Long distance after they decided it wasn't going to work for them.

Now they were getting married and Stiles was left wondering if she'd never said she loved him for the same reason he said it all the time, because her silence had been the truth. Maybe she just pitied him or wanted to see if there was really something there and then the timing had been all wrong again. Maybe she didn't say it because then she wouldn't have to take it back. In the heat of getting Stiles back she tried to make it work with him but once they were away from each other—the passion dulled into whatever it had always been to her. Mutual respect and admiration maybe, perhaps even a long abiding friendship but that would be all it was to her.

And here Stiles was once more staring into the face of truth. She didn't love him back and all that time he could have been moving on and finding someone else had been wasted on someone who never planned to be more than a friend. And of course she was getting married this summer while he was going to be home for two and a half months, he would get to see her and the others back home, Scott would be there and the baby betas but he would see her everywhere.

She was already done with her semester at MIT from the last time she'd updated her Instagram and heading home to prepare. At the time he hadn't known what she was preparing for but now he did. He guessed now that the bell emoji should have been a clue but he hadn't been thinking about anything like marriage for her.

"Fuck!" he muttered aloud this time. He flipped the invitation to see the RSVP, with or without a plus one and he knew he was going to have to go but he didn't have to go alone.

He grappled with his phone in sudden and desperate inspiration and looked at the screen and wondered who he might be able to call. His roommate, Jesse was going to be back soon and he didn't want to do this with an audience but the suckfest truth was that he had a few friends here but not really. He'd been spending all of his time in classes, taking a full workload plus several extra classes because he wanted to get on to the next thing as quickly as he could, he wanted into the FBI so the sooner he had his degree the better it would be. Plus there were several work-study jobs that he was working as well as some evenings in a coffee shop to make extra money.

Stiles kept clicking through the names on his phone, most of the contacts were from Beacon Hills and then he paused over one name in particular. He flicked his thumb over it, sending the name up then down because he didn't even know if the man would answer but he couldn't help but push the contact and bring the phone to his ear.

It rang a couple of times then went to voicemail like it always did and it was the generic automated message it always was so Stiles left a short message, "Hey Sourwolf, I know that you are off in the wilderness doing your thing but I could use your help." He paused for a second, "Look it's not life and death or anything. Just could be nice to not be alone in this."

He hung up the phone and wondered what the hell he was thinking, calling Derek Hale about this but then again he missed the man. He'd been sending the werewolf updates about him and the gang for a while now, not that he ever responded. There was something about letting the former alpha know about them had always felt important, like when he got accepted to George Washington. It had felt real with his dad though nothing else had really felt like anything after being forgotten for so long but when he came back and told Derek that he'd been accepted it suddenly felt like he was moving on to something better and he'd been happy. He knew the number was still working because it was only about six months old, Derek might never get into contact with him about anything he messaged the werewolf about but whenever he changed phones, he would always use a burner to send the next phone number to a few people, Scott and Deaton were on the list as was Stiles. He always appreciated knowing he could get a hold of the sourwolf and he didn't know why he'd actually asked for help this time but who knew what would actually happen.

Stiles couldn't help but think of all the things they had gone through together, first there was Peter and the Kanima and the Argents. There were countless times that Stiles and Derek were made stronger by the other even if they were through snarky comments and snarling grunts. He knew that they also had countless times made each other crazy as well but that had become a part of their charm. So now when he was far from home and Scott wasn't here and his 'girlfriend of two seconds' was going to be getting married to some other jackass, he wanted someone he could count on and despite his and Scott's consistent youthful stupidity Derek had always been there for him.

And in the meantime, he had to get to class because he still had three more weeks before finals then he could head home. He'd done really well, his grades were scholarship worthy despite the extra work load which he was thankful for because his dad had barely been able to give him the first years tuition and Stiles had taken loans for the rest. If he got enough in scholarships and grants then he would be able to give some of the money back to his dad, which was the plan because his dad deserved to be happy and unconcerned about losing the house after everything they'd gone through together. The Sheriff of Beacon Hills had been dragged along into the supernatural world because his spastic son couldn't leave well enough alone. He shook it off and stood, looking around for what he needed.

Stiles grabbed his laptop and shoved it into his bag, looking back at the cardstock and the envelope on the table before he headed out determined to ignore the problem until it went away because that had always worked he thought as he rolled his eyes. He would call Scott later and see if he was taking someone with him to the wedding though the answer was probably no since last time he talked with his best friend, he'd been going along with the 'no strings sex' approach to life these days. Kira leaving him hadn't been the greatest thing to ever happen and though Stiles knew she was doing okay, probably heading back for the wedding as well in the next month or so. She wasn't the only one either, Stiles was in contact with a lot of people who'd left Beacon Hills because he was near the action but not Scott. Isaac called him every once in a while just to talk, stating he couldn't talk to Scott because of the shared agony of losing Allison but speaking to Stiles was like coming home. Though Chris Argent was currently in Beacon Hills attempting to have a life with Mrs. McCall he was also working the supernatural scene in town with the sheriff and the baby betas so he knew that Chris checked up on Isaac as well.

Danny and Ethan called every once in a while, though the former lacrosse player had said once upon a time that he didn't want to date a werewolf, the two of them seemed to have found each other in the aftermath of leaving town. Danny was doing well in school, he and Jackson Skype a lot with each other and Ethan was doing well despite the loss of his brother and a pack.

Even Jackson checked in every once in a while, mostly to grumble about the fact that Lydia had moved on to Stiles Stilinski in his absence. He loved to bemoan her taste in men. Stiles usually let the other werewolf bitch and moan for a few minutes before he hung up on him or frequently just let the guy text him without answer but sometimes Stiles thought that Jackson needed something more and he didn't know how to ask. Stiles didn't know how to help the douchebag or even if he wanted to most days but he hadn't blocked the guy so maybe there was a chance someday of them being more than unwilling people in the same 'pack' but not right now. Jackson had found a pack in London that he'd bonded with, they were helping him with control and living a quasi-normal life because much like most others had found out: turning into a werewolf hadn't been a magical fix for Jackson's struggles. Stiles knew the asshole still carried the fear of never being good enough but the pack had been good for him and Stiles could tell sometimes Jackson wanted to say more so he kept picking up the phone.

Knowing he had somehow ended up the connection for all of these supernatural people, he'd called Deaton one day out of the blue and asked him what he was supposed to do since Stiles was loyal to Scott and all these people were calling him so they could be close but they didn't want to talk to Scott specifically. The veterinarian hemmed and hawed for a moment then simply said, "Be what they need Mr. Stilinski, the guiding light that stands to the right of them. If that means you answer the phone and allow them closeness then that's what you do. It will all mean something in the end."

Cryptic son of a bitch! Stiles thought at the time of the call but kept answering the phone when he could, all the while continued on with his personal new life, which focused on his schoolwork load.

He worked through his afternoon classes, went to the library for his shift there for the next couple of hours. It was late as usual by the time he was walking back to the dorm; having left Roscoe with Scott he had no choice but to walk. He knew he wouldn't need to though because he did everything on campus. He thought about all the work he needed to finish in the next couple of weeks, he had a couple of paper and final projects. Thankfully he had a several outlines already completed and most of the research done for several of the bigger projects but it had been a crunch at mid terms and now he was already feeling it now for finals. It was going to be interesting but it was probably better than taking it easy and thinking about all the girls and a couple of boys he turned down since he got here because of Lydia fucking Martin. He'd always been waiting for her and now it seemed that is what he is always going to be doing with her unless he decided to stop for real and forever this time.

And he was done waiting around for someone who didn't think he was worth the wait.

Stiles started to mentally plan his weekend, he had a couple of library shifts as well as one coffee shop shift into the late evening but he still had plenty of time the next three days to get started on the workload he had and three weeks were going to fly by and then he will have completed his first year at George Washington. If he could just buckle down and deal with this finals push he would be one step closer to being able to enter into the enrollment for the FBI.

None of this shit with Lydia would matter because Stiles had other things to do. Her wedding to Deputy Do-Wrong wasn't going to change anything except rip what was left of Stiles's love for the red head right out of his chest and stomp it into the ground.

"Stilinski!" someone shouted and he looked around, seeing his roommate loping towards him from the front door with someone lurking close behind him, staying in the shadows. Stiles frowned.

"What's up Jes?" he asked, "I have to get some work done man so don't even think of asking me to DD for you. Next time I go out I am going to get shit-faced."

"That sounds like a great idea man but first off, this guy says he knows you," Jesse said and pointed to the other guy who was still lurking in the dark of the building.

Stiles frowned and waited as he came a little more into the light of the lamppost and his eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock, "Derek Hale, what the hell are you doing here?"

Jesse was clearly pleased that Stiles did indeed know the guy and he wandered away with a wink and a laugh, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do Stilinski."

Stiles waved haphazardly as he took another step towards the werewolf who was just standing there with his hands in his jean pockets, looking miserably confused about his own life decisions and what brought him to the dorm building of Stiles's campus. He waited until Jesse was far enough away to speak, "Hey Sourwolf, kinda surprised that you're here right now."

"You called," Derek said with a shrug.

Stiles grinned, "Yeah but like only a couple of hours ago and I have called before only to see or hear nothing. You've never come to me before, you never came back to Beacon Hills when we needed you before, why the hell would I think this time would be any different?"

Derek looked around cautiously, "Can we go somewhere private?"

"Yeah, lets go up to my room. How did you get this far anyway? Like to the front of my building, asking my roommate about me? Why didn't you just call me back?" he asked as they walked up to the door and inside.

Derek just tapped the side of his nose and Stiles rolled his eyes, "You sniffed me out? On a college campus and the dorms full of hormonal smelly college students? Pretty impressive."

The werewolf flushed as they walked inside, headed up to his floor and back to his room. Stiles closed the door behind them before Derek said anything, "I've been in town for a while actually, since about January. I didn't want to come here and mess things up for you but I've been around enough to know that you were doing really well here. So yes I sniffed you out as you not so delicately stated. I remember your scent from Beacon Hills, just needed a refresher. Do you touch trees and buildings as you walk?"

Stiles stared at him in shock because he did do that; he has for a long time, "Umm, yes. It helps to ground me, the textures and everything."

"That's why your scent is clinging to things despite that fact that we're outside. You said you didn't want to be alone in this and maybe I am tired of being alone too."

The human stared at him for a couple of seconds, "Well where is Cora? I thought you left to meet up with her."

Derek shrugged, "She's with some extended family in Alaska. The Hale pack is a lot bigger than who we lost in Beacon Hills but they scattered after the massacre, Alaska is one of our safe havens, a lot of space to hide out in and mostly people don't want to get into each other's business. It's easier to blend in there because a lot of people are isolated and they prefer it that way. I was with her for a while but I needed to wander, so I did. Now I'm here."

Stiles crossed his arms as he leaned on the table and looked down at the invitation and tried to ignore it as he watched the werewolf pace just inside the door. "But why here? Peter and Malia are back in Beacon Hills trying to make something of their relationship though don't ask me what they are going for. Scott and the others are scattered, wouldn't it have made more sense to reclaim the Hale land in Beacon Hills? Maybe adopt the baby betas and help them get to know their wolfiness because you know how awesome Scott is not in that capacity."

"Maybe it would make more sense to do that, but I don't want the territory. Scott is going to do just fine; his betas are going to do just fine. I thought about all the times you told me about what was happening, you told me about the Wild Hunt and I wondered if I had even had a chance to forget you and I didn't, Stiles. I know it. I know you and always did. I never forgot you and I needed to know why."

Stiles shrugged because he'd wondered about this as well because no one had noticed anything changing outside Beacon Hills, "Proximity to the Riders probably, you were far enough away to not be affected by it."

"Maybe but maybe it was because you were pack a long time ago. As I said, I didn't want to be alone anymore. You told me back in May that you were coming here, early so you could make some money and settle in for early enrollment but I couldn't help but think over and over again that suddenly I had a destination in mind, for the first time in years. I had pack that still cared about me, I never heard anything from anyone else. Not even Isaac or Scott. You cared and I can't help but want to be close to that."

"Then why not tell me when you came to town?" Stiles demanded, angry that the people who he cared about continued to make all these decisions about him without saying a word to him and it was getting on his nerves.

"You're human and you were always a part of Scott's pack. I didn't want to encroach on your new place and this new path you were on. You moved across the country from Beacon Hills, it seemed like you were trying to get away from the crazy too."

Stiles snorted though he didn't know for a few seconds what part of that he should focus on. He decided to go for the easiest part of it, "You could have asked, maybe I could have been in both. As you say, I'm human. I don't have to align myself the same way that werewolves do. Do you think I didn't look into this stuff every chance I got back then?"

Derek sighed, "Maybe I was scared that if I got to close, I would inevitably bring the danger and death to you again and I thought, 'thank god one of them got out' and I didn't want to screw that up. I didn't want this to get messed up for you."

Stiles chuckled because it was so like Derek to make a decision like that. He was such a martyr sometimes, "I think you're an idiot but I get it."

There was a little smile around Derek's lips at that, "No lies detected."

Stiles sighed and pressed on to why he texted Derek in the first place since he was here. "Lydia's getting married to Parrish this summer and its in like two months. I got an invitation after she thoroughly text-dumped me a couple of months ago. I don't know what happened but once again she played me. Lydia couldn't wait; she went back to Parrish instead of actually trying to have a relationship with me. It was never the right time and she was always willing when we were out of time but never when we had all the time in the world." Stiles blurted it all out in one breath and watched Derek in the aftermath of his explanation of the call.

"You're going then?" Derek asked as he moved across the room and settled on one end of the couch, the same end that Stiles usually frequented when he and Jesse were playing games. They had a pretty good sized dorm room, more like an apartment which was given to him for the scores he'd delivered to the school as well as the letters from various people in the sheriff's station as well as Scott's father, surprisingly helpful in the final years of their high school career. Stiles stayed where he was and thought about what to say.

"They are both friends from the supernatural trenches, if I don't go its just going to be petty of me. Plus I am going home for the summer in about four weeks so even if I don't go to the wedding, I am going to see her around. Scott and everyone are going to be there and I just don't want to be Lydia's cast off at her wedding. I am going to end up the loser Stilinski like all those years before, don't even know what I expected."

"So you called me? To do what exactly?"

Stiles shrugged because the answer he had was stupid and unrealistic, hopeful and all just illusion. A more socially acceptable answer was that he wanted some company but he could ask Scott for that. Why call Derek? Plus he wasn't expecting a willing Derek to begin with; the werewolf hadn't come running any other time. "I didn't really think that far ahead actually."

Derek sat there just shaking his head for a second then considered, "You could have called Scott if you wanted a friend to go with you. Why didn't you call him?"

Stiles shrugged, "I'll see him there and he's not going to get it. He never dated her, or loved her like I do. Did."

"Don't you have a plus one to take with you?" Derek asked.

"Of course not, I wasn't looking because of Lydia!" he snapped, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

Derek nodded decisively, "I guess you need a plus one then. Is that why I'm here?"

Stiles frowned in confusion because Derek wasn't angry just contemplative and openly curious, "Maybe?"

"A date?"

"Yeah but as I said I don't know anyone well enough to ask. I am closer to calling a service and having to pay for some sort of date than actually having one," Stiles said with a shrug.

"You don't need to pay me," Derek returned and at first Stiles didn't know what to say because he was sure Derek hadn't said what he heard.

"What?"

Derek smirked, "I said, you don't need to pay me."

Stiles's mouth dropped open in shock again staring at the werewolf before he was able to shake things off and ask for clarification.

"Are you saying you want to go as my date?"

"Sure, why not?" Derek asked with a shrug.

"Maybe because no one in their right mind would believe that we were dating. We're dudes and you're not gay or bisexual!"

"And you are?" Derek asked, raising a brow in question.

"Well actually…" Stiles started.

"Then we make it look like we reconnected and something happened. We have a couple months to make it believable."

"Why are you doing this Derek?" Stiles demanded, there had to be a reason the werewolf would go so far for one measly human that he hadn't seen in a couple of years now.

"Because she hurt you and I don't like it. I don't like the scent of it on you, it reminds me of other times when you let everyone ignore your hurts and I am not willing to do that anymore. If you go with me, she won't be able to damage you while you're at home and you can think about how to move on. You can see your dad and you won't be alone, that's what you wanted right?"

Stiles thought about that, and then considered that when he was learning he was bisexual most of that guy on guy thoughts had started after meeting this particular brand of the male species. Derek Hale had always been physically beautiful and worthy of worship but it hadn't been only that. The werewolf was dark and mysterious, kind and courageous who stupidly cared about a bunch of teenagers not smart enough to take the help he was giving. It was one of the many reasons he had a hard time not texting Derek every once in a while with an update.

"It's not that simple for me," Stiles responded quietly, scared to give away the secret he'd been holding onto for such a long time.

"Whatever it is Stiles, you'll figure it out and whether or not we do this you don't have to be alone. I can be here with you. I won't go far if that's what you want or need."

Stiles smiled because he had been lonely here and having Derek close by sounded like a good idea with or without the offer on the table. "I had a crush on you when we were younger, I probably still have a crush on you. No, I definitely still have a crush on you and this is a horrible idea."

Derek stared at him for a second, saying nothing but his nose flared for a second then he shrugged a little. "My offer still stands, you promise to not do anything we don't agree to beforehand and I don't have a problem with it."

Stiles stared, slack-jawed at the man, "Yeah okay then."

"I have a small apartment about a block off of campus," he came forward and handed a slip of paper and a key to Stiles before continuing, "You're welcome anytime no matter what your answer is."

The human nodded and took the proffered gift then watched as Derek moved back across the room and exited out the door, leaving Stiles to stare for a minute before he shook it off and settled down to do his homework and studying. He didn't have time to think about the fact that one of his high school crushes had just offered to masquerade back home as his boyfriend who was serious enough to go to a wedding with him. It was hard to say no to that but it was equally ridiculous to say yes.

He looked down at his phone and flicked it open to the text messaging and added Derek's address to his contact information then opened a new message and typed out a quick message as he wondered if the werewolf would go back to radio silence now in the wake of him appearing here, 'You do know that a fake relationship with a guy who for real likes you would cause all sorts of mayhem right?'

He dropped the phone and went back to studying because he figured whether or not he took Derek up on his insane offer; he still needed to get through the course load for the next three weeks. The wedding was three months away and for now he didn't have any answer anyway.

On Saturday he got done with all of his work during his shift at the library and decided to go out with Jesse and a couple of his roommate's friends to a nearby bar that didn't care that they were all underage as long as they had a solid fake ID and didn't cause a scene. He gripped his cellphone as he downed the first shot and lifted it to look at the message that Derek had sent back to him and smiled. He sent another message; 'Would you come and meet me?' he told Derek the address and put his phone back in his pocket as he reached for another shot.

Stiles was drowning his anger and sorrows in a fourth shot when someone sidled up next to him and sighed. He turned and grinned when he saw Derek's scruffy profile, "Sourwolf!" he shouted jovially.

"Quiet," Derek snapped but he was turning towards Stiles and looking almost fondly at him.

"You came out here, thank you," Stiles slurred a little when the booze started to hit him, making his head spin wondrously. "I wanted to forget about what she did to me. You'd think after a couple of months it wouldn't hit me like this but apparently a ten year plus obsession isn't the easiest thing to drink away. When I called it was because I didn't want to be alone anymore. This is stupid but I didn't know who else to call."

Derek dragged him away from the bar and Stiles bounced along beside him though it was more of a stagger. "You don't have to be alone anymore. You don't have to drink yourself into oblivion."

Stiles stumbled and bounced over to the dance floor and dragged Derek with him as he jumped and leapt around to some idea of a rhythm and just danced and forced everything away for as long as he could stand before Derek gripped his arm gently and pulled him out of the bar.

"Come on, let's go back!" Stiles demanded excitedly.

Derek shook his head, "You have a lot of work to do still and I don't think you are in a good place to make decisions right now. I promise you, we will go out again when you are done with school."

Stiles grinned and pressed into Derek's side in drunken affection and grinned when the werewolf leaned into the contact, "You promise? Celebratory drunken night?"

Derek nodded and they continued walking together, Stiles's arm over Derek's shoulder to keep him upright. Stiles doesn't remember much of anything after that but when he woke up in his own bed to find a cup of water and some Tylenol on the bedside table he smiled at the consideration. He took the pills and got ready for his day only to find a grouping of pictures of him and Derek not just on his phone but on Instagram too. Stiles laughed at the thought of Derek posting the pictures, he focused on the text below the pictures: 'Reconnecting with an old friend'.

So either way, they were going to be friends, Stiles thought with a smile. He could do with a friend.