The fight had been bad, worse then any other that they had had, Stiles still doesn't see the issue, doesn't understand what Derek's problem is. It's not like he was cheating, not like he had gone out to meet someone and betrayed everything they had built between one another. So he sits there on the floor, back against the door leading to their bathroom, fingers wringing together as he breaths heavily. His chest aches, his ring glints in the light from the lamp that's sitting on Derek's bed side table, hell the beds still a mess from the reason they were late this morning.
Licking his lips he winces as he listens to Derek tare apart their closet, the rustling sound of clothes sliding into whatever bag he had grabbed loud and grating on Stiles's ears. Swallowing thickly he looks down, down at the simple platinum ring that graces his ring finger and clenches his teeth fighting the tremble that wants to evolve into a full on earthquake to rattle him apart.
Then the rustling stops and he can breath through the ache in his chest, hoping that Derek's changed his mind, that he's not packing any more, that he's not leaving him. Glancing up as Derek steps out of the closet, only to glance away at the sight of the bag that's clenched tight in his fist. He can't help the sound that falls from him, can't help the way his throat closes around the words he chokes out.
"Don't Go." Stiles knows he almost didn't get them out in time, because when he looked up Derek had already been at their bedroom's door. "Don't go." He repeats still sitting on the floor but eyes locked on Derek as the man turns around, his breath catches at the sight of his husbands eyes. They aren't the crimson red of his Alpha any longer, no long darkened with the mans fury instead they are dull and lifeless. The normal bright green hue is dead, lost all the notes of olive, jade and flecks of gold and the sight of it kills Stiles that little bit more.
Sucking in a breath he bites at his bottom lip, Stiles knows that marriage is a work in progress, you always have to work on your relationship to keep it a live and healthy. Like a plant and he know's he's never been the best at keeping his plants alive his attention span is too fickle but what he has with Derek is everything. If he looses it, looses him, Them; he'll have nothing but an empty house that's cold with regret, pain and misery. "I don't get why its such a big thing to you; I didn't know! Didn't realize Eli was a wolf." He whispers out, fingers clenching tight like Derek's hand on the handles of his bag, Stiles watches as the mans nails lengthen into claws, watches as the muscles in his arm ripple.
"I didn't know, all it was was the acknowledgement that he was attractive, just a fleeting thing. I didn't know you were coming to surprise me, and no that's not an excuse; that shouldn't matter. I thought he was human I didn't realize he wanted me, hell he knows I'm married, you're all I talk about even when we are studying god Derek!" Stiles says hands dropping into his lap as he presses his lips together like always his words are failing him. He doesn't know what to say to make this better, to mend the rift, ease the pain he had unknowingly caused.
Yes Eli was an attractive man and Stiles's had eyes to see it and appreciate it but Eli was all wrong, he had nothing that made Stiles jump up and take notice like Derek had and still did. His husband walked into the room and it was like a homing beacon, Stiles straightened up and all his attention was on his Alpha; Eli wasn't a crush, a need, want, he was a pretty face and his study partner. "You're everything Derek, I came into this marriage knowing this was it, your it for me. Please don't go and take my everything with you…" He whispers as he looks down to his hands clasped still and useless in his lap, his wedding band glinting at him like a taunt for everything he could loose.
He's so wrapped up in his own misery that he doesn't realize that it was the bag dropping and not the door shutting behind Derek as he leaves, the sound makes him wince and freeze though. The sob breaks loose from him just before over warm palms caress and cup his cheeks, lifting his head so he was looking directly into Derek's eyes.
"I over reacted." Derek murmurs, his voice rough too as he crouches in front of him, his face drawn and tight still even as his hands hold onto Stiles desperately. Stiles watches as he takes a deep breath, the tension easing out of his face slowly. "I could smell another on you for weeks, the fact that it was another wolf and that you weren't doing anything to hide or explain it made it worse. Then to walk into that cafe and see you and him, the way he was flirting and marking you. Then scenting attraction from you, it was the last straw, it was my worst nightmare. I can't lose you either." Derek whispers before he was leaning in and pressing his face into Stiles's throat as his hands move to wrap around him.
Stiles knows Derek wont apologize, not directly saying sorry and its going to take some time to get over this bump. He's going to have change study partners or make it even more clear to Eli that the advances weren't welcome and that he was happily married to Derek but just hearing the other man say he can't loose him is a balm to some of his raw nerves. Wrapping his arms around the broad heavy frame of his mate, Stiles's buries his face into the side of the other mans throat. They stay like that for what seems like hours just breathing each other in, soothing the pain they had caused one another.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Three and four little words ease the last little bit of fear Stiles knows both of them were housing inside them, Yes they are going to half to work on trust and avidly talking to one another. But for now they were fine, they had time over the weekend to fix the bond, make it stronger and Stile's can prove to his Alpha just how much he belongs to him. By the time classes start on Tuesday there is no way Eli could think he stood a chance no with how marked Stiles was going to be judging by the grip Derek had on his hips and the low rumble that came from his throat.
