It's a stupid argument over stupid fucking furniture but it's the principle of things and Stiles would not give in on this one. The house is largely rebuilt by now and there's more than enough room for everyone. Scott has his own room, so does Isaac - though Jackson and Danny have more or less moved in so Jackson's old room is now occupied by Lydia and Allison whenever they come around. Erica and Boyd never complain about sharing a room, not that they could be kept apart anyway. When they made the original plans, Derek had insisted on sleeping downstairs - his old room on the second floor having too many bad memories. So the old dining room was converted to the master bedroom for Derek. And Stiles of course.
Until last weekend that is. All Stiles had wanted was somewhere he could be on his own every now and then, away from the chaos of living with seven other people - be, well...human. Derek had gotten upset: Why do you not want to live with me? Why do you need a room for yourself, are you not happy with me? Stiles tells himself it's because Derek grew up in a large family, that it's because he needs the pack around him to feel normal that he doesn't understand Stiles's need for solitude.
Frustrated with the arguments and the big deal everyone was making out of a small request - not like he asked for a freaking house for himself, just somewhere with a door he could escape to - Stiles had packed a bag of spare clothes and gone back home to his dad who, while happy to see him had made it clear that this could not be a permanent arrangement.
For a whole week he's managed to stay away, only seeing the rest of the pack at school apart from Isaac who climbs in through his window every night. He hasn't even spoken to Derek all this time, though Scott keeps relaying messages that Derek is sorry and would Stiles now please come back as they all miss him? In the end it's Isaac's tearful confession of being afraid they will never again be back together that brings Stiles to his senses. He holds Isaac close and cards his fingers through the blond curls until the other boy falls asleep on his chest. He lies awake for a long while thinking about how much his life has changed in the last two years and while he isn't a werewolf himself, he shares his life with a whole pack of them.
He goes back the next day from school, apprehensive and full of nervous energy. Before he's even properly through the door, Stiles is caught in a mass of bodies, Allison, Lydia, Erica, Isaac, Scott is there somewhere and Danny too - even Jackson claps him on the shoulder by way of welcome. It's all a little overwhelming but the chaos gives way to silence as he notices Derek leaning against the doorframe.
They're not good with words, him and Derek. Stiles having too many and Derek too few of them but a nervous smile and a whispered sorry, I love you go a long way to patch things up.
As a compromise they furnish the small attic with a desk and a bookshelf. Erica decorates it with colourful lanterns and Lydia buys too-expensive rugs for the wooden floor. Boyd finds an old armchair somewhere and carries it all the way up the stairs and Allison brings a throw for it - it's decorated in small paw prints, much to everyone's amusement. And the best thing, there is a door Stiles can close behind him when things get a little too much. The others stay away most of the time - only Isaac comes and curls up on the armchair and watches Stiles reading or doing his homework, sometimes Derek finds them asleep in a tangle of limbs in the chair with Isaac sprawled on Stiles's lap and just stands in the doorway watching them for a long while and smiles.
Isaac is the best thing that ever happened. To all of them.
