Chapter 20.
Sunday evening Derek sent a text to Stiles telling him he was back in town. The reply was almost immediate, but sadly, he had to tell Stiles he couldn't see him when the young man asked.
Derek needed time. Needed to be alone to think over everything that had happened this weekend.
He thought about Peter's words all night long. And they were still playing over in his mind throughout the day, Monday. He also put Deucalion's advice to good use and tried to trigger the alpha again. Out of the three times he'd tried getting in touch with it, only one had been successful. It was way harder to find that part of himself when he was calm, and not fighting back against someone. But he didn't stop trying, no matter what. His will was bigger than ever. His motivation worth more than it had ever been before.
For three days he worked hard, barely resting. He'd set himself a goal and he wouldn't stop working until he reached it.
Derek had spent the day editing pictures for Cynthia, the woman having sent him an email stating she wanted a look at the shoot they had done in Central Park. Derek felt like Cynthia had an idea in mind and he was sure it involved Stiles and the word 'exhibit'.
He was working on those shots when his mobile started vibrating on the table next to the keyboard. He frowned when he saw it was the sheriff calling.
"Hello?!" He said into the receiver.
"Derek, great, so glad I could reach you, son!"
"Afternoon, John. Is something wrong?" Derek asked, his gut knotting at the idea of something happening to Stiles.
"Yeah, no... Not exactly. It's just I'm stuck on a case here at the station and I was wondering if you could take Stiles home from school. His car broke down this morning so I had to drive him to school. Unfortunately, I don't know when I'll be done with work..."
"What time does he get out today?"
"At five." Sheriff said.
Derek nodded, even though the man couldn't see him do so.
"Okay, I'll be there at 4:45."
"Thanks, son. I'm really sorry I called out of the blue like this, but right now I really only trust you when it comes to my son."
"It's no problem, John. Anytime."
"Okay, got to run, son. I'll see you for dinner tonight then."
"Huh...okay."
John hung up, returning to his case, and Derek checked the time, he had fifty good minutes before he needed to be at the high school, if he left now he would be able to go buy some groceries for tonight's dinner; he wanted to cook for his mate and his mate's father.
Turning off his iMac, he went downstairs to get dressed, getting out of his sweat pants and black tank top. Putting on his boots and leather jacket, he grabbed his keys, phone and wallet and then was out the door, climbing down the stairs.
The ride to the bio market wasn't long, leaving him to stroll casually around selecting his groceries and paying for them. Then he drove towards the high school, feeling eager to see Stiles after almost a week apart. He only hoped Stiles wouldn't react badly, the teenager still hadn't told anyone, besides Lydia, about them.
That thought kept playing on repeat in his mind, as he waited in the parking lot for the students to finally be released from school.
At 4:50, students started coming out of the building. Derek climbed out of his car and sat against its hood, hands in his pocket, right foot tapping the ground, a knot in his stomach as he waited for Stiles, preferably without Scott if that was possible. He wanted for Stiles to avoid the troubles that would ensue if Scott caught them together without having being informed of them being together.
When Stiles came into view, he was involved in a whispered conversation with Lydia. The girl saw Derek first and stopped walking abruptly making Stiles stumble on his feet. Lydia hit him slightly and nodded towards Derek with her chin. Stiles lifted his gaze in the direction she indicated.
The moment their gazes locked, Derek felt like the world suddenly stopped, like nothing around them existed anymore, except him and Stiles, now running down the few stairs towards him. He nearly fell on his way but righted himself like a pro. Derek couldn't hide his smile, and caught the young man when Stiles threw himself at him. Arms around Derek's neck, nose buried in the crook between his neck and shoulder. He felt as much as he heard Stiles taking a deep breath of his scent. Derek did the same the instant his nose touched that expanse of skin behind Stiles' ear. Nothing else in the world felt as perfect, smelled as good as Stiles' scent.
"Oh my god, what the hell are you doing here?" Stiles whispered. He lifted his head to look at Derek more closely, a happy grin firmly held on his luscious lips.
"You're dad asked if I could give you a ride. He's stuck on a case." Derek answered, his arms tightening their hold on Stiles' hips. He noticed how it wasn't just bones anymore, the teen had gained a bit of weight that made holding him even better now than before.
"Great. I'll have to thank him then..." Stiles said, his gaze boring into Derek's, his long fingers playing in the short hair at the base of the mans nape. "I missed you so much..."
He whispered softly, and the next moment his lips were on Derek's and the man couldn't stop a moan from escaping him, he had been waiting for this for what felt like centuries but was really only days. The kiss started slow, tender like a feather, then the heat increased, Derek wrapping his arms tighter around Stiles, the young man pressing himself against his lovers body
"Fuck I missed this so bad!" Derek groaned, cupping Stiles' face in his hands, making him bend his head so that he could kiss him deeper. His tongue finding its way into the hot cavern of Stiles' mouth. He felt the teen shiver when their tongues met, caressing each other in that old dance tongues have been dancing for so long now.
Kissing Stiles was like ecstasy, the effects could last for endless hours. The thrill of it so perfectly exhilarating, making you lose your head. The want Derek felt was stronger than ever, so much that he had a hard time remembering where they were and that he had to stop the kiss before taking Stiles right there on the hood of his car.
Stiles looked lost when the kiss ended, his cheeks sinfully pink. A small smile grazed his mouth, he was the image of happiness. Derek couldn't help himself running his fingers along the young man's left cheek. They were lost in their private little world when they heard a gasp.
"Huh... Stiles? What's going on here?" Scott asked from behind Stiles. The teen froze, he had completely forgotten that his friend was still on the school grounds.
Exhaling slowly, Stiles met Derek's eyes and that was enough to make him gather all his courage and turn around to face a very pissed yet lost, Scott. Again, Stiles felt like facing a puppy. Blindly he searched for Derek's hand, the man helping him by lacing their fingers together without prompting, giving Stiles his silent support.
"Oh hey Scott... So, um, as you can see...huh...Der and me are...like...dating! We've been dating for...hmm...for awhile now, as...well...you can see."
Scott looked even more lost.
"What do you mean you've been dating? Since when? And when did you even come back to town?" He asked vehemently, pointing his finger at Derek.
Stiles felt defensive at Scott's tone. He'd known he'd be upset, but he hadn't expected his best friend to sound so hateful. He was perfectly allowed to date whoever the hell he wanted to, and didn't need this kind of reaction from his best friend.
"He's been back for months, dude!" Stiles answered, his built up frustration at Scott exploding after all the time he'd shoved it down, tired of always biting his tongue and not saying anything for the sake of their friendship. "It's something you should have known the moment he stepped foot into town, Scott. It wasn't even a secret for anyone that Derek was back. But then again, you would only have known if you cared enough in anything else than yourself lately."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that since you've became a true alpha, it's only has been about you and only you. First it was how the sacrifice fucked you up, then it was Allison and Isaac, then you and how big your head is since your that amazing werewolf and now it's you and that...girl! Never once did you asked me how I was feeling or shown any interest in actually wanting to hear a real answer. So don't come and act like you're angry at me for not telling you I'm in love with Derek Hale. And don't you dare talking to him the way you just did, Scott!"
"What? What you're saying is just...crazy! I've shown an interest!" Scott retorted, choosing the denial card.
"Oh yes..." Stiles exclaimed, his hand gripping tightly to Derek's. "Then where were you when I needed my best friend? When I was having nightmares every damn night, so bad I was literally losing my mind. Where were you when I sat in the lunch room unable to eat a thing for MONTHS? Where were you when I was hallucinating because of that fucking Darkness tearing a hole inside my heart? And where were you when I needed you to offer me your hand, Scott?" Stiles said, looking very tired all of a sudden. God, he was so damn exhausted.
"You weren't there, Scott. Derek was. He has been there everyday since he returned to town and has been helping me since. I do not need your approval when it comes to him."
"So what, you're picking him over me?" Scott said, disdain in his voice.
"Right now, yes! I'm picking Derek over you!" Stiles answered coldly.
"I can't believe this." Scott said between his teeth.
Stiles stood silent. He could not believe that after all that had happened, after how many times Derek had helped them, had helped Scott, that his friend would use such disdain when referring to Derek. But right now, Stiles was just not strong enough to start another endless fight with Scott about it.
"Bring me home, please." He whispered, turning back to Derek. The man nodded, silently leading him to the passenger side, he opened the door for Stiles to climb in. He closed the door behind him and found himself behind the wheel in no time.
They were silent for a long moment before Derek finally broke it by asking;
"You alright?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm alright." Stiles said trying to smile reassuringly but failing. He knew he couldn't fool Derek anyway.
"Stiles..." Derek said softly, and that was enough to break all the defensive walls Stiles was trying to quickly build around himself, like a shield.
"I-I'm... I just wanna get home, lie down and forget Scott. I just... I just want to be with you right now." He admitted in a low voice.
Derek looked at him while they were waiting for the traffic lights to change to green. On impulse he reached for Stiles' hands, stopping him from biting his nails out of nervousness.
"Hey. It's okay, Scott is gonna calm down and will come to you when he has fully registered everything you've said to him. Then you two will be able to have a good talk, and be back to being best friends."
"How come I never saw this side of you when we met? I mean, it was there in front of me but I was too blind to see how great you are."
"We let our guards down and started trusting each other. Before that I was so angry and looking for revenge that that's the only thing you could see of me. I'm glad our paths crossed though."
"I am too, Derek!" Stiles confessed, kissing Derek's fingertips before the man retrieved his arm to drive, now that the light was green.
Ten, fifteen minutes later maybe, they were closing the front door of the Stilinskis' home. Derek had never told Stiles but he loved this house, it was so calm and peaceful, and it smelled amazing too, a mix of Stiles, his dad, gun powder, food, cologne and that typical scent caused by Stiles' ADHD. It smelled of men, love... Family!
It smelled of pack.
Stiles helped Derek with the groceries, curious to know what the man had bought and what he was planning to make for dinner tonight.
"So... Are you gonna tell me why tonight's meal is such a big secret?"
Derek smiled and arranged the food on the table.
"Can't you guess?"
Stiles observed the food, then grinned;
"We're having pizza!? Awww... Der, you're awesome, I loooove pizza."
"Veggie pizza, I know your dad is on a diet so I thought we could make the pizza ourselves with what we actually love and huh... Have the same as him. I feel like it would be cruel to eat meat in front of him."
"Oh man, could you be more perfect, dude?! You just killed me good Derek Hale. I'm so completely and utterly gone..." Stiles dramatically said, going to wrap his arms around Derek's neck.
"Aren't you warm with your jacket on?" He said letting his hands slip under the leather. Derek smirked;
"Are you trying to undress me, Genim?" He said, whispering Stiles' birth name, which, like always made the young man shiver violently against him.
"Maybe I am..." He murmured, caressing Derek's lips with his.
Derek smiled and bent his head to kiss Stiles. Gosh, it was something he could never get tired of doing. And hearing the sounds Stiles made when he held him tight, his tongue invading the teens mouth! He felt his jacket sliding on his arms as Stiles took it off of him.
Wrapping his arms around Stiles' hips, he made him take a few steps backward until he hit the counter, with ease he then lifted Stiles to sit him on the countertop. Not once breaking the kiss.
Stiles reacted instinctively by wrapping his legs around Derek's hips.
"Hnn... Derek..." He moaned in the mans mouth. "Please, let's go to my room. I need to lay down...in my bed...with you!"
Derek broke the kiss and met Stiles' gaze, want burning inside those beautiful whiskey eyes he loved so freaking much. Nodding, he helped Stiles get down from the counter, took his hand and lead them towards the staircase.
Soon, they were wrapped up around each other, kissing passionately, Stiles pinned under Derek's body against the soft fabric of his dark blue comforter. He moaned, his hips starting to sway slowly against Derek's. The mans fingers buried into Stiles' soft locks, panting Derek broke the kiss, his mouth only millimeters from Stiles' when he spoke;
"Did you mean it?" He asked softly, his voice shaking with want. And man was it hard to resist when Stiles was pressed against him like that, but he needed to know.
"What?" Stiles said, confused.
"When you told Scott about us...y-you said you're in love with me... Was it... Was it true?"
Stiles kept silent, feeling suddenly scared to admit his feelings but at the same time he remembered how Derek had taken the first step, going against all he was, all the barriers he had built around him to protect himself from people, he remembered how that must have been the hardest thing for him to do. And still he had done it and had presented himself whole and open to Stiles, confessing his feelings.
"Yeah...yes, it was true. I-I'm in love with you! I have been for a long time, to be honest." And that was it, it only required that Stiles trust Derek just enough for the words to leave his lips.
Derek's smile at those words... Stiles would never forget that expression. This mix of relief, love, joy, and something else near to soft sadness and also devotion. Derek looked so raw at that instant, so fragile and yet it seemed he only needed those words to gain more confidence, more... Power!
"God, Stiles... I am so in love with you!" Derek said, his voice hoarse. "I missed you so much this weekend, you have no idea." He told Stiles, going to kiss his jaw, then moved towards his ear.
"Oh...my god, Derek..." Stiles breathed out, as his lover started nibbling on his earlobe. It felt so good. So amazingly delicious.
Derek kept on biting softly at his earlobe, then moved to suck on the fragile skin behind his ear, slowly making his way down to his collarbone, gradually driving Stiles mad. When he felt Stiles starting to shake between his arms, he went back to kissing his luscious mouth, Stiles' lips swollen with their lovemaking.
"Stiles..." Derek whispered in between kisses; "I want you so much!"
"What?" Stiles croaked, going still in Derek's arms. The man lifted his head so they could look into each other's eyes. "Wh-... Are you... Derek are you serious?" He asked, scared to hear the answer.
"Yes. I am. I'm more than serious, Stiles. I want you...I crave you so much!"
"B-but you said..." Stiles tried to articulate weakly.
"I know. But I... I feel like... I know I can trust you. I know you won't...hurt me like all the others."
"No... No, I will never, Derek. I promise you, I'll try as hard as possible to never hurt you." Stiles told him. He never seemed so honest, Derek thought.
"But why now? What made you change your mind? You said you wanted us to take things slow."
"I know I said that, but it was because I needed to protect myself, I needed to be completely sure..."
"Sure about what?"
"That you're the one. That you really are the one. And...you are!"
"Derek..."
"I'm not saying I want us to do it right now, because obviously your dad could come home anytime and it just doesn't feel right to do this here and break his trust. But I know I want you. I know I want us to be together that way...in the future. I know I don't want us to wait endlessly anymore." Derek confessed.
Stiles kept silent a long moment, his shaking fingers drawing Derek's features. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded slowly. Moved. His eyes shining with unshed tears. He wouldn't cry, for reasons... But nothing could stop the wave of happiness he felt inside of him from growing, growing, and growing some more, pushing out all the remaining darkness, leaving him feeling whole once more.
Actually making pizzas was a first for Stiles. He'd never tried this before, since it was always easier to just order pizzas. But he had to give it to Derek, making pizzas was actually a lot of fun.
The feel of dough under his fingers, picking at vegetables and eating them instead of laying them on the pizza while Derek had his attention elsewhere, then starting a flour fight with the man just to see his face turn incredulous when it got in his hair. Yeah, Stiles could honestly say it had been awhile since he'd had so much fun.
The young man laughed out loud, as Derek was chasing him around the kitchen.
"No using werewolf speed, big guy. This is so unfair. I'm just human..."
"Yeah, my human!" Derek whispered when he caught Stiles in his arms.
His hair white, his smile brighter than ever and his cheeks pink with amusement, Derek was so goddamn beautiful. Stiles felt his heart fluttered with emotions, and there, if that was even possible, he fell head over heels once again for Derek Hale. Derek must have sensed the change in atmosphere cause his eyes turned soft and he bent down slowly to take his lips.
Stiles let the man kiss him for what felt like hours, his arms tightly wrapped around Derek's shoulders, his fingers playing lazily in the man's short hair. His nose filled with Derek scent, a mix of leather, spices, cardamom and something a bit more musky that was only Derek's.
A year ago, if you would have told him he would be so hopelessly in love and happy with Derek Hale, he wouldn't have believed it, but now...
Now, yes, now everything could only just start getting better because of those few words, because he knew, he was so totally certain Derek Hale would always be there, Derek Hale would never be anything but his. And his shattered heart knew it too, so deeply Stiles could feel it start to beat slowly again. "I love you, Derek Hale!"
More chaps to come asap guys.
xoxo