Engulfed in Flames
Pairing: Sterek
Just this idea I had. What if Stiles could really see inside of Derek, like his dreams? What if he could see the fire? How would it change his perception of his Sourwolf?
I also tried to set this after Season 3, so I'm not responsible for how this may diverge from the canon plot. I'm only going on spoilers and rumors.
ooOoo
The alpha pack had gone, but not before changing all their lives in ways they couldn't go back from.
Stiles felt older, like he'd aged by years in just months. He no longer had Scott to lean on. Scott had become the enemy, and Stiles never thought he'd find himself on Derek's side.
His former best friend was no longer the Scott he'd grown up with. He'd been driven mad with power. The alpha pack had twisted his mind against Derek and everyone.
Things had changed in other ways too. Lydia wasn't the girl of his dreams after all. It had been a passing childhood crush. She was his friend, and that's all it was.
He'd grown his hair out to symbolize the changes in his life. Stiles was changing. He was growing up. He saw an older and changed person when he looked in the mirror now.
He had kept his hair buzzed short to mourn his mother, but he realized now she was gone.
Instead it was Derek he could lean on, and that was the biggest change of all. Derek had constantly saved him in past months. They were no longer reluctant allies.
Derek would still never say it, but they saw each other often enough now that Stiles knew they were friends. He never would have envisioned any of it a year ago.
He understood the alpha more now. It had happened one night when he'd stayed over at Derek's because pack meeting ran until one in the morning.
He had been sleeping on the living room couch when he'd been awakened by a pained sob. It sounded like Derek. He was obviously having one of his nightmares.
When the sobs didn't stop he figured he should go check on the older man. Stiles made his way up the stairs, quietly pushing the bedroom door open further.
Derek was tossing and turning in his bed violently, his claws extended in his sleep.
"No!" he cried out. "No!"
Stiles felt a jolt of emotion at what he was seeing. What could he do to help? What were these nightmares Derek had anyway?
Stiles had a suspicion he knew. There was a way to find out. Deaton had been teaching him more magic in the past year.
He knew he shouldn't, but maybe if he understood more what Derek went through he could help.
Stiles placed his hand over Derek's arm carefully, not waking him. The alpha made an erratic whimpering sound. The teen closed his eyes and focused, directing thoughts to Derek's subconscious. Let him in. Let him see.
Flames danced in his mental vision, so lucid and real that he almost jumped in panic. He was in the living room of the house, except it was on fire. Derek wasn't there, but he heard a frantic voice, calling out.
"Momma!"
It was Derek's voice.
"Momma where are you?"
Stiles had never heard anything more sad. Derek was calling out for his mother.
"Laura?" Derek's voice asked. "Dad?"
If one could cry in dreams, Stiles would probably be bawling right now.
"I failed them," the voice whispered. "I failed."
The flames were suddenly the gone. A rough hand squeezed his arm, bringing him back to the dark bedroom of the present. Derek's eyes glared at him, flashing red.
"What do you think you're doing?" he growled.
"I'm sorry," Stiles said frantically. "I heard sobbing. I wanted to make sure you were okay. Don't hurt me."
The grip lightened, but Derek didn't let his arm go.
"What did you see Stiles?"
"Fire," he replied. "I swear that's all. Fire."
Derek sighed and released his arm, looking away.
"Look Stiles, just go back to bed alright?"
"You sure?" Stiles asked softly. "You'll be okay?"
"I'll be fine. Go."
Stiles went back to the couch, but he didn't fall asleep again for a long time. He still saw the flames in his mind's eye, still heard Derek's voice. Derek calling for his mother and sister.
He'd never understood to what level Derek was still effected. Derek hadn't been at home during the fire, but Stiles knew why he dreamed about it. He blamed himself.
Stiles made himself a promise that night, to be more understanding and attentive to Derek's needs in the future.
It took Derek awhile to trust him again after that. He'd seen something very private, something he had no right to look at.
Finally Derek came and saw him one evening.
"Look," the alpha began, still standing on the porch. "I'm sorry I grabbed your arm like that. I know you were concerned about me."
"No I should apologize," Stiles told him. "I had no right to intrude on your thoughts like that. I heard you. You know I lost my own mother too."
"I know," Derek nodded. "That's why you understand."
Their eyes held one another, and yeah, Stiles understood.
Their friendship was okay after that. Summer passed, and Stiles started making his plans to go away to college next year.
He couldn't help noticing Derek acting strange around him lately, even more quiet and broody than usual.
Just like he was acting today.
Derek stood in the Stilinski kitchen, waiting Stiles lean against the counter and scribble away at a university application.
This one was for NYU. The boy would be going far away if he was accepted into that one. Away from him...
"Stiles," Derek's voice cut into his writing. "I don't want you to go."
Stiles looked at him with slight surprise.
"Why? You know I want to be a cop like my dad one day."
"I know," Derek nodded. "Can't you be closer than New York?"
"It isn't a sure thing I'm going to New York. I've applied to about five colleges. Three of them are in this state."
Derek felt a little ease at that. He didn't stop looking at Stiles though, trademark frown in place.
"Maybe it wouldn't be so bad though Derek," Stiles went on. "Getting out of Beacon Hills for awhile. I feel like I have too much here sometimes. Memories. You know Scott's a total douche these days."
Derek nodded.
"I think about my mom all the time too Derek. Being in this house is enough sometimes. Maybe I need to escape the fetters awhile, ya know?"
"I know," Derek said, understanding all too well. "I tried to run away once too. Trust me. You can't run away from yourself. Beacon Hills was still home Stiles."
The younger man looked at him thoughtfully. What was Derek thinking behind that mask of his?
"Why do you want me to stay?"
Derek felt a rush of feelings at the question. Those brown eyes were surveying him from across the kitchen. Stiles expected an answer.
"Because I... " Derek hesitated, expression freezing in anxiety.
Stiles stepped toward him, daring to take a chance that he might be right. He stopped when they were nearly close enough to bump noses.
"What are we doing Stiles?"
It was asked in a low kind of growl. Stiles couldn't deny himself. Not this time. He raised a hand to Derek's cheek, fingers ghosting over the stubble.
Derek eyed him questioningly, but it wasn't hostile. Stiles decided to press it a little further. He moved closer. The alpha's eyes widened, but he didn't do anything to stop it.
Now it was up to him. Stiles was close enough to just bridge that final gap. That's what Derek did. He wanted to. Moving in, he captured those lips, mustering the confidence to take what he wanted.
Stiles responded immediately, giving a small moan and parting his lips. Derek took the invitation. He gave Stiles his tongue a little too frantically, but the boy didn't stop him.
Stiles exhaled into his mouth and pulled away slowly, breathing coming out in heavy bursts.
"Gods," the boy whispered.
Derek gently raised his chin with his hand.
"This is why," he told Stiles, eyes burning with desire. "Because we need one another."
Stiles wrapped his arms and Derek, and yes, he needed him. He didn't want to go either. Not anymore.
He wasn't sure what all this was, but he knew he wanted Derek in his life.
ooOoo
Hope it wasn't too bad guys. This idea was actually hard for me to expound upon. I wasn't sure where to go with it. I've had this idea awhile about Derek somehow pulling Stiles into his dreams.