cut
Stiles was warm. Too warm. His skin was burning, his breath was coming out in gasps. He was shivering, he wanted to open his eyes, but he couldn't. He wanted to move, but he couldn't. He wanted to speak, but his throat was closed up.
"Kir bui rime!"
His breath hitched in his throat and his eyes snapped open. He couldn't turn his head around, but he knew where he was. He was in Derek's apartment, in the middle of the living room. And everything around him was enveloped in flames. The Message was clear in front of him. It was the only thing that wasn't burning.
"Rim turui kere fi!"
"N-no." He managed to press out through his teeth, and it felt like his throat exploded with pain.
In the next moment he felt two hands wrap themselves around his throat and a burning breath caressed his ear. Ten tall pillars jumped from the ground and Stiles' eyes opened wide in shock, his heart bursting with pain and his thoughts coming to a standstill.
Derek. Scott. Isaac. Erica.
Boyd. Peter. His dad. Melissa.
Lydia.
Jackson.
Ten pillars.
Ten people.
Ten pairs of dead eyes gazing down at him as flames licked up their bodies. A low, hateful chuckle coming from beside his ear made him shiver. He started choking as the hold of whoever was holding his neck grew stronger.
"Kir bui rime."The whisper was almost loving. Those hands slipped from around his neck and slithered down his shoulders and arms. They wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled him against a burning, hard body.
"KERU KARUI!"
cut
"Stiles!" the teen jumped awake his eyes immediately focusing on a pair of terrified hazel eyes. It took him a moment to realize that Derek woke him up from what was possibly the worst nightmare he had since his mother died.
It took him a moment to remember that he was in Derek's room; in Derek's bed. Cold shivers were wrecking his body. Derek was straddling him, his hands cupping his cheeks, and Stiles' hands were gripping Derek's elbows strongly. He could feel something wet under his fingers and his eyes darted to his right hand.
His nails pierced Derek's skin.
"Stiles, look at me." Derek's voice was wavering and full of terror, and Stiles looked up at him. His breathing was going back to normal, but his heart was still beating loudly in his ears.
There was no doubt that Derek could hear it clearly.
"D'rek?" Stiles' throat felt like it was on fire. Derek frowned in worry and Stiles choked up when Derek started caressing his cheeks with his thumbs.
"It's okay," Derek whispered. "It was just a nightmare," he comforted and Stiles nodded weakly. Derek leaned forward and gently kissed Stiles, careful of his split lip. "I'm here. It was just a nightmare." He rested his forehead on Stiles' with their breaths mixing between their lips.
In that moment Stiles noticed something. For once it was still night. And Derek was shivering as well. Not as hard as Stiles was shivering, but he was shivering as well.
"Derek, what's wrong?"
"I couldn't wake you up," Derek whispered frightfully and Stiles tensed up. "You were burning up. You were choking on your own breath. You were convulsing against me. I couldn't wake you up. I couldn't – I couldn't…"
"Derek-" Their lips met in a desperate kiss.
"What was is, Stiles?" Derek spoke against Stiles' lips. "What did you dream of? Please just-"
"I don't know." Stiles entwined his fingers in Derek's hair and shook his head. "I don't know what it was but – but it was – it was horrible." Stiles whispered and looked in Derek's eyes. "I think – I think it was them." Derek frowned.
"The Elves?" Stiles nodded. He was breathing quickly again, but he had to admit that it wasn't exactly because of the dream. Feeling Derek on him, his warmth around him, their groins so close it made something gather in his guts he never felt before was - at that moment - what made Stiles shiver.
He looked in Derek's eyes and almost at the same moment they practically stopped breathing. Derek swallowed difficultly when he realized just what kind of a compromising position they were.
"Sorry," he murmured and moved to the side.
Impulsively, Stiles hooked his leg with Derek's, and suddenly found himself as the one being on top.
"You're not." He leaned over Derek with his hands resting on either side of Derek's head. Derek shifted his jaw and tried - he really tried to look away from Stiles' scorching eyes.
But with the Moon shining down upon them, making Stiles' skin glow and creating so many different shadows around them, it was increasingly difficult to even think of looking away.
"Stiles, we shouldn't-"
"You said that whatever happens between us before I leave will be entirely up to me," Stiles whispered in a wavering voice. "What if I want this? What if I need this?"
"Stiles-"
"Derek!" Stiles interrupted the alpha, and Derek gulped. Stiles took a deep breath before he leaned forward and rested his forehead on Derek's. "You said you would give me a reason to come back." Stiles voice broke.
He remembered the nightmare more than just vividly. He remembered it as though it really happened. As though he witnessed the death of all those people he cared about moments ago. He wasn't asking for a reason to come back to Beacon Hills. He wasn't asking for a reason to stay there either.
He was asking for Derek to convince him everything would be alright.
He was asking Derek to prove to him that the nightmare he had wouldn't come to life. He was asking for something. Something only Derek could give him and he could smell it. He could smell Stiles' need.
He could smell his pain.
'Scent never lies.' Derek's hands settled on Stiles' thighs and he tilted his head up, stealing a chaste kiss from Stiles' quivering lips.
"I need this, Derek," Stiles whispered in a broken voice. "I need you. I can't go on like this. I can't pretend nothing touched me. I can't pretend I'm fine..."
"Stiles-"
"I tried!" Derek's heart skipped a beat when a tear dropped on his cheek and Stiles started shivering again over him. "I tried to be strong! I tried to keep on walking! I tried everything! I can't look in my dad's eyes anymore without thinking that I failed him; that I'm not and never was a good son! I can't look at Scott because every time I see him I remember that it was Allison he chose over our friendship!"
"I can't look at Erica because every time I do, I remember her saying that there was a time she liked me! I can't handle the fact that when she's in question I was never better than Lydia! I can't look at - can't-…" Stiles swallowed as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I can't look at you without seeing that – that maybe, if I only tried harder, if only I was braver I could have reached you sooner." His voice broke more times than he cared to count.
Derek was speechless.
That wasn't anything new, but this time it wasn't because he thought he just couldn't say anything that would make everything better. No. This time he was speechless because right now Stiles - strong, brave, intelligent, steadfast Stiles - was breaking in front of him.
Stiles; who always knew what to do and how to come out of anything alive. Stiles; who never showed what he really thought and felt. Stiles; who was capable of making everyone see themselves the way they truly were, with their flaws and virtues.
Stiles; who stood beside all of them - who saw them -when not one of them, not even Scott, saw and stood beside Stiles. That Stiles - that brave man - was breaking right in front of Derek.
"Every time I look at you, Derek - every time I think that everything could have been different if only I wasn't stubborn, and stupid, and so fucking determined to deny just how much alike-"
"Stop it," Derek growled and Stiles suddenly found himself under Derek again with Derek's eyes boring into his with so many emotions that it made Stiles freeze up. "Stop it," he whispered and kissed Stiles lovingly. "You aren't at fault. We are the ones who wronged you. You couldn't have done more if you tried, and you gave everything you could give us." Stiles let go of a wavering breath.
Derek sighed and lied on his side. He pulled Stiles into his arms, their legs entwined and Stiles' face buried in Derek's neck. The alpha nuzzled his face in Stiles' hair and took a deep breath. Stiles smelled of sweat, and fear, and panic. He smelled of desperation and pain.
Derek wasn't used to smelling that on Stiles.
And he didn't like it.
He didn't like the thought that he and his Pack did this to him.
He hated the thought they did this to him.
Ha hated those Elves for appearing now.
He hated them because this was never meant to happen this way.
They made a deal with John so that they could all spend these five days talking with Stiles, showing him that they cared, that they would listen, and that, if he still chose to leave, they would wait for him to come back.
They were supposed to show him that they needed him, that they wanted him to be part of their pack.
Derek was supposed to show him he cared.
Derek wanted to show Stiles that he wanted him.
He wanted to show Stiles that he could see him. He wanted to show Stiles that he would wait for him.
"I promise, Stiles." he whispered in the teen's hair. "I promise I will take care of them. I will make sure they don't get you. You will be alright. You will leave this town if you want. You'll leave, you'll find whatever you're looking for and – and if you – if you ever decide to come back – if you come back you'll find me and the others waiting for you. We'll be right here waiting for you to come back to us. Even if you don't think so you do have a place here; right here."
Derek shivered when he felt Stiles' arms wrap themselves around his waist. He kissed the crown of Stiles head and hugged him tightly.
"You belong right here," Derek murmured against sweet, soft skin and Stiles nuzzled against him. "Right here with me."
cut
Isaac stopped mid step when he walked down the stairs and into the living room, and found Stiles bowed down over something at the table. A moment later Derek walked into the room with two cups of coffee in his hands.
"Did you two sleep at all?" Isaac asked in a raspy voice as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes. Both Derek and Stiles looked ruffled, their faces were pale and their eyes shadowed.
"A little," Derek said as he placed a cup beside Stiles' hand only for the teen to completely ignore it. He was so focused on whatever he was doing that he didn't even hear Isaac come down.
Derek showed Isaac to follow him into the kitchen and the younger werewolf frowned in worry. Once they were inside, Derek peaked around the cornered and closed the door trying not to make too much noise.
"Stiles had a nightmare," Derek said and Isaac's frown deepened. "I didn't manage to make him talk about it, but if I had to take a wild guess I'd say it was about the Elves. We need to make a plan. Stiles has been trying to translate the message for the past five hours. I have no doubt that he'll have it translated before the others come. We'll need to think of a way to keep him, John, Melissa and Lydia safe. Those Elves are not coming anywhere near him."
"I'm with you; you know that," Isaac muttered and Derek nodded.
"I know. That's why I would like you, Erica and Peter here with them. You'll be the last line of defense. If they come for Stiles, and Boyd, Scott and I fail to keep them away, then you'll need to protect them while Stiles runs away."
"Derek, no-"
"Please, Isaac," Derek implored and Isaac's eyes widened. "I've failed him too many times. Things were never meant to be this way. He needs to be safe. I need him to be safe." Isaac swallowed difficultly as realization dawned on him.
"You love him," Isaac whispered in wonder. "You really love him." Derek sighed and looked towards the living room.
"I made a mistake I will never repeat again." He looked at Isaac again. "Stiles needs to be safe no matter what." Isaac frowned and looked at the ground. A moment later he nodded and looked at Derek.
"He will be," he spoke in a tone Derek never heard from Isaac. "Stiles will be safe. I swear." Derek answered with a small smile, surprising Isaac with how gentle it was, and clapped his beta's back thankfully.
"The others should be here in a few minutes," he said. "Get yourself some coffee." Almost on cue the 'door bell' sounded and Derek left the kitchen. He chuckled when he found Stiles exactly as they left him, but right now he was muttering something under his breath, too low for even Derek to hear.
Derek walked right over to the door to let everyone in. He didn't expect it to be literally everyone.
Well, everyone except Jackson.
He raised an eyebrow at the gathered crowd and they smirked at him.
"You said you'd start a search if anyone was missing," Peter drawled, crossing arms over his chest drawing minimal attention to one of his many shirts with plunging necklines. "So John and I picked up Scott and Melissa; then we went over to Boyd and found Erica already there, so we went for Lydia and - well, here we are." Derek rolled his eyes and stepped to the side.
"Get in," he ordered, and if anyone saw the amusement in his eyes and the moment his smirk turned into a small, barely-there smile, they didn't comment on it.
"You don't look all that well, Papa-Wolf. Had a rough night?" Erica teased as they walked into the living room. Before Derek could answer her she squealed and ran over to Stiles, hugging him from behind and almost making him spill his coffee.
"Erica!"
"Morning, Mama-Wolf!" Erica shouted and jumped away, allowing Stiles to stand up before she pulled him into a tight hug.
A second later she moved away and looked at him with a sharp eye.
"You hadn't slept." She squinted at him, and Stiles raised an eyebrow at her. "Grandpa John!" she turned on her heel and looked at John who choked on his spit while the others tripped on air. "Tell Derek Stiles needs sleep!"
"Erica!" Derek and Stiles snapped, the later of the too trying not to choke on his abrupt embarrassment at the same time, and Erica looked at Stiles innocently.
"Erica, go get your coffee. You're absolutely vicious before your first cup," Stiles grumbled and turned to take his cup.
"I thought we said no researching until we're all together again," John spoke up
"Neither Stiles nor I could sleep. We thought we could do something useful instead." Derek said and John raised an eyebrow at him while Melissa walked over to Stiles to look at his bruised cheek.
"I do hope you mean useful," John drawled.
"Oh my God, Peter stop hanging around my dad!" Stiles moaned.
"That will be somehow difficult since we live together at the moment," Peter droned and Stiles rolled his eyes.
"Coffee anyone?" Isaac called out coming into the living room with a tray in his hands and cups of steaming coffee for everyone.
"Oh, yes please," Lydia groaned. Despite looking as good as she usually did, she was obviously half asleep still.
"Lydia, did you hear from Jackson?" Stiles asked as everyone slowly took seats, and his dad came over to hug him.
"Before everyone came to pick me up. He's alright, just stubborn." Stiles snorted and shook his head.
"His stubbornness will get him killed one day," he muttered.
"Forget Jackson for now." Erica waved her right hand carelessly. "You continued working despite our agreement. I suppose you managed to find at least something."
"I translated it."
"What?" Derek looked at Stiles who looked at him innocently over the edge of his cup.
"I translated it. Just like I said, their vocabulary isn't all that big. I managed to figure it out pretty quickly."
"You're amazing," Scott murmured in shock.
"So what does it say?" Isaac asked.
"Barthuvi Moneha hi kir karui." Stiles recited. It sounded harsh and cutting, and no one liked it.
"And what does that mean?" Peter asked, although something was telling him he didn't really want to know. Stiles swallowed as his eyes darkened and he seemed to sink in his chair.
"Surrender the Spark, or you will burn," Stiles muttered and a heavy silence settled over them.
"What?"
Stiles looked up in shock when nine voices spoke as one with an almost equal amount of anger and rage in them.
"They want you; only you," Lydia said and Stiles nodded.
"I think they were observing me for quite some time. I don't know why they didn't make a move while no one but dad was around me. Perhaps they were trying to see if I wasn't a part of your pack after all. I suppose they made a move when I tried to leave town and all of you reacted the way you did. If you didn't stop me from leaving they would have probably followed me and – and taken me when I reached North Carolina. It could also be that they weren't sure I'm a Spark."
"It doesn't matter," Boyd spoke up in a rough voice. "It turns out it's a good thing we stopped you."
"Boyd's right," Isaac added gravely.
"This way we'll take care of them before they take you," Scott said and Stiles bowed his head, looking at the cup he was nursing in his hands.
"Stiles?" the teen looked up at Derek. "Is this about the dream you had last night?" Stiles paled and looked away from him.
"Dream?" John asked, looking between Derek and Stiles. "What dream?"
"I had a nightmare." Stiles sunk even further in his seat. "I think they sent in to me. Elves have their own kind of Magic."
His voice was silent as he spoke, but everyone could hear him, and they could all see terror and fear growing in his eyes.
"Kir bui rime. Rim turui kere fi. Keru karui." Stiles whispered under his breath. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he spoke. The air grew heavier and Stiles started shivering. "You will be mine. I will kill them all. They will burn."
"Stiles!" the cup in Stiles' hands exploded together with all the cups on the table. Lydia, Melissa and Erica screamed while the men tensed up.
"They will burn," Stiles gasped with dull eyes as he stared at his bloody hands. He twitched and looked up when two gentle hands cupped his and found himself looking in Melissa's fear and worry filled eyes.
"I need bandages and warm water." Erica immediately ran for the kitchen.
"I'll clean this up," Lydia whispered and ran off to find something to clean the mess.
Stiles looked around in confusion. It was almost like he wasn't even aware of what happened. He looked up at Derek when the Alpha walked over to him and pushed his hand under Stiles' shirt on his shoulder. The teen winced and looked down when Mellissa stared pulling the pieces of the cup from Stiles' palms.
"Some of these look like they'll need stitching," she whispered.
"There's a first aid kit in the bathroom upstairs." Isaac jumped in. "Can you do the stitches?"
"I can." Melissa winced when she pulled a bigger piece from Stiles' right palm.
"I'll go get it." Isaac ran off.
Lydia just came back, and Boyd and Peter kneeled down to help her while John walked over to Stiles, Mellissa and Derek, and took a seat on the right armrest of Stiles' armchair.
He placed his left hand on his son's right shoulder and squeezed in comfort. Erica came in a moment later with a bowl of steaming water carefully balanced in her hands and Isaac practically slid down the stairs with the first aid kit.
"Put them here beside me," Melissa said and showed at the floor. The two did so and moved back.
"I don't understand what happened," Stiles muttered.
"You said it yourself, I think," Peter said. "The closer your birthday is, more powerful you will become."
"But my birthday is in three months." Melissa pulled on some surgical gloves and prepared the needle, some thread, and antiseptic.
"Well then; it's safe to say you'll be pretty powerful," Peter concluded and the others raised eyebrows.
"You can't do anything halfway, can you, son?" John muttered and Stiles shot him a small, apologizing smile.
"This will hurt," Melissa sighed.
"I'll take the pain away," Derek said and Melissa looked up at him.
"I wanted to ask you this yesterday. What happens with the pain? It can't simply disappear."
"I take it away." Derek shrugged carelessly at Melissa's question.
"You feel it instead, you mean," John concluded and Derek looked in his eyes.
"Not something I can't handle."
"Derek, I can handle it," Stiles said and looked up at Derek.
"You don't need to." Derek squeezed Stiles' shoulder, marking the end of the discussion. Stiles sighed and nodded at Melissa. Her lips tilted up into a small knowing smile and she took a deep breath.
"Don't move your hands," she said and started on the cuts.
"We can still talk, you know?" Stiles broke the silence that settled among them.
"Forgive us for being shocked," Lydia grumbled as she, Boyd and Peter finished cleaning up. "It's not every day that a race of immortal warriors wants to take one of your friends." Stiles chuckled while the others rolled their eyes.
"Are they really immortal?" Isaac asked and took a seat in the armchair closest to Stiles.
He leaned forward and winced when he caught sight of Melissa pushing the needle through Stiles' skin. He looked up at Derek and saw his impassive face and the black veins that constantly pulsated up his forearm to disappear under the sleeve of his shirt. Isaac winced and looked at Stiles' face again.
"They are, but they can be killed like any normal human," Stiles said. "Problem is, as much as I can tell according to what little there's written about them, is that they're great warriors and that they are very fast. They use poisoned, silver blades. One cut and you're dead. And something tells me they like fire a lot." His voice grew raspy towards the end.
"Your dream?" John asked and Stiles nodded.
"Those words you recited," Lydia said and Stiles looked at her. "You heard them in your dream?"
"They were recited in my ear while I watched you all burn." He spoke in a dull, empty voice only to look up at Derek when he squeezed his shoulder, pulling him back.
"So they can invade dreams," Peter said. "Did you see whoever did it?"
"No," Stiles whispered and looked at his hands, trying to concentrate on Melissa's slow, measured actions. "I could see nothing but fire, and all of you tied to pillars as fire swallowed you. All I could feel was warmth and his – his hands around my neck and..."
"Calm down," Derek growled reassuringly, and Stiles shivered making John and Mellissa look up at Derek in shock. "We'll think of something. We know who they are. We know they're after you. We'll find a way to stop them."
"And let me guess," Stiles chuckled with empty eyes. "You'll leave us humans here with two or three werewolves while you take the others and stop them?" Derek raised an eyebrow at Stiles while Isaac choked on his own saliva.
"And what if I do?" Derek drawled with a clear warning in his tone, and everyone look at him in shock.
"You'll have to think of a different plan then, because there is no way for us to know how many of them there are and you are not risking your life like this," Stiles pressed out through his teeth with a challenge in every word.
"But that is a good plan." John tried to reason with his son. "Keep the weaker links in the back, create a last line of defense while the strongest smoke out the threat and destroy it."
"You might be right, but you haven't taken what Stiles said in consideration," Peter said and Lydia nodded.
"We don't know how many there are, and up until now we have been the prey. That plan would only work if we were the hunters and they were the prey. Stiles also said they are armed with poisoned blades. We have nothing but claws and teeth." Lydia finished with a sigh.
"And the full moon." Erica grinned. "The first night of the full moon is tonight."
"That's all good and dandy, Eri, but we still have nothing but claws and teeth," Stiles drawled sarcastically. "We need more. We need guns and ammo; loads of it."
"Maybe I can help with that." Everyone looked at Scott.
"The Argents," Stiles muttered and Scott nodded.
"They have yet to return to Beacon Hills. They're chasing after Gerard. Which means-"
"We have their arsenal at our disposal." Isaac grinned dangerously.
"Isn't that considered stealing?" John smirked.
"I'd call it borrowing," Stiles chuckled.
"Done," Melissa said and Stiles looked at his hands to find them firmly bandaged. He tried flexing his fingers and nodded.
"You can let go now, Derek," he said and looked up at the alpha.
"You won't be able to use your hands for much of anything," Derek said, but let go never the less.
"I'll manage." Stiles straightened and rotated his shoulders with a wince.
"So, what will we do?" Lydia asked.
"Someone needs to go with Scott to borrow some equipment from the Argents." Stiles smirked. "Any volunteers?"
"I'll go," Isaac said.
"Me too," Erica agreed.
"You can take me car," Derek offered and Isaac and Erica grinned brightly. "Take as much as you can. We need to be ready."
"We'll have one more problem. Just how many of you know how to wield a crossbow and a gun?" Peter asked. Everyone raised eyebrows when Stiles, Lydia and Melissa raised hands.
"Seems I was wrong," Peter muttered.
"A girl needs to know how to protect herself," Lydia said and shrugged.
"Dad taught me ages ago." Stiles smiled at John and the Sheriff squeezed his shoulder.
"I was a member of the archery club when I went to high school," Melissa informed them, and Scott raised an eyebrow at her.
"You never told me that."
"You never asked."
"Well then," Peter chuckled. "I guess we don't need to worry about any of you too much."
"We still don't know where they are or when they'll attack," Boyd brought up the issue.
"They live in high trees or deep caves in the woods," Stiles said and everyone looked at him. "We shouldn't be stupid and try to fight them on their territory."
"So we wait until they come at us?" Erica asked and Stiles shrugged.
"Wait and prepare," he conceded and stood up. "Scott, Isaac, Erica; you should go. It's not the best time, so you'll have to make sure no one sees you. Be careful."
"We will," Scott said and Stiles nodded at him.
"What will you do while we're gone?" Isaac asked.
"Try to find a weakness," Lydia said and looked at Stiles. "It's easy to shoot something, but we need to see if they have a bigger weakness. It would make our lives easier."
"Smart. Let's get to it then," Stiles said. Derek took his keys out of his pocket and threw them to Scott who caught them mid flight.
"Don't scratch it," Derek warned, pointing a finger at the younger werewolf, and Scott smirked at him.
"Sure," he said and they left.
"Where do we start with research?" John asked.
"The only book that could hold such information is the Bestiary," Stiles said and looked at Lydia. "Unfortunately, I didn't manage to translate that part." Lydia smirked and nodded.
"Leave it to me," she said and Stiles bowed at her.
"The stage is yours."
"What can we do?" Melissa asked.
"Wait and rest," Derek said and looked at Stiles. "It would do you good to try and get some sleep."
"You're being the kettle again," Stiles muttered and Derek rolled his eyes.
"You should both get some rest." John jumped in between his son and the alpha. "Both of you look like death warmed over. Go and sleep."
"I can help Lydia write down what she translates," Melissa said.
"And Peter, Boyd and I can keep guard," John said, and Boyd and Peter nodded.
"I guess that's diplomacy for you," Stiles muttered and made his way towards the stairs. "Come on, Sourwolf! Time's a wasting!" Derek sighed and shook his head.
"Call me when they come back," he said and received nods before he turned his back on them and followed after Stiles.
"You seem alright with this, John," Melissa commented and John snorted.
"If I tried stopping them, how far do you think I'd get?" he asked and Mellissa smirked.
"Not far, I suppose."
"Think of it this way," Peter said. "If they're careful you won't get grandchildren before time."
John choked up. "STILES, KEEP THE DOOR OPEN!"
The only answer they received was the slamming of the door. Everyone chuckled while John winced.
"Well, there goes that theory," he muttered. Peter chuckled and clapped his back.
"They're men, John. I doubt you'll ever have to worry about that." John snorted.
"I thought I'll never have to worry about werewolves and elves. Forgive me if I'm skeptical."
"He does have a point," Melissa muttered. Peter rolled his eyes and raised his hands.
"I give up."
cut
Stiles sighed and shook his head. "I never thought I'd hear that from him," he muttered.
A shiver ran down his spine when Derek took his right forearm into his left hand and pulled him to himself. Stiles rested his forehead on Derek's left shoulder after a moment of hesitance, and sighed again. Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles and they stood in silence, just breathing together.
"Everything will be alright," Derek muttered against Stiles' left ear. "We'll find a way to beat this, I promise."
"You just promise me you won't go after them alone." Derek frowned and Stiles moved away a bit to look up in Derek's eyes. "You hear me? You promise me - you swear to me that you won't go after them alone."
"Why would I-"
"Don't try to sell that to me, Derek Hale, I know you better than that! Swear to me you won't go after them alone, no matter what happens." Derek pressed his teeth together and his jaw shifted. "Derek, please." Stiles pleaded with his eyes wide and full of so much sadness Derek actually felt his heart hurt.
"Alright," he conceded. "I swear that I will under no circumstances go after them alone." Stiles breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against Derek. He tucked his head under Derek's chin and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you," Stiles whispered and Derek swallowed difficultly as he hugged Stiles tightly, buried his face in his hair, and took a deep breath.
"Anything for you," Derek whispered. "Anything at all."
cut
"Should we go wake them up? It's been four hours," Erica asked and looked up at the ceiling.
"Let them be," Melissa said. "If they're still sleeping it means their bodies need rest."
"We need to get these things ready either way," John muttered as he cleaned a rifle. "While two more pairs of hands would do well, we need both Derek and Stiles at their best performance."
"Spoken like a true Sheriff," Peter drawled and John chuckled.
"If they're sleeping." Isaac smirked.
"Stiles doesn't strike me as the quiet type," Lydia drawled.
"Oh my god, tell me we're not talking about my son having sex?"
"No, John. We're discussing if your son's loud during sex," Peter corrected helpfully and John shot him through with a glare.
"Well, he'd need to be mighty loud for us to hear," Isaac said and sighed almost sadly. "This whole place is sound proof."
"Considering it's Stiles-" Erica muttered.
"I'd say it's Derek," Lydia said and everyone looked at her in surprise. "What?" she asked innocently. "People say that the quiet ones are the loudest in the bedroom." She shrugged and flipped wavy strawberry curls over her shoulder.
"I don't consider Derek quiet," Erica drawled.
"Okay enough!" John snapped. "I really don't need to listen about my underage son having sex with an older man, and I most definitely don't need to listen about which one of them is the loud one. Hopefully, I'll never have to hear it either." Mellissa and Peter exchanged a smirk while the teens chuckled.
"But it sure would be hot to see it."
"ERICA!"
cut
Stiles groaned as he woke up. A moment later he sighed and slowly opened his eyes.
He looked down and his heart danced in his chest. His and Derek's fingers were entwined on his stomach, and their legs were entwined under the thin cover. He could feel Derek spooning him from behind. It felt like leaning back against a warm wall of strength.
He gulped and closed his eyes again. If only things were different. If only this was an already established routine between them. If only they've done things differently. His decision to leave hadn't changed.
No.
Once this was all over - if he survives that is - he will leave. He needed to leave. He needed time to find himself. If he decided to stay, he would stay the way he's now. He wouldn't learn of his strengths. He wouldn't learn of his true weaknesses. He needed to leave so that he would learn to be himself.
He needed to leave so that he would be able to tear down his walls and masks. He needed to leave, because if he stayed too many things would keep him from growing. Too many things would stop him from reaching his true potential.
'But would that really be so bad?' he thought as he pulled his hand slowly from Derek's. He winced at the slight pain, but pushed it into the back of his mind. He slowly started to trace Derek's fingers with the tips of his own. If he stayed, if things continued the way they're going now - without the threat to his life and sanity, of course - would it really be so bad if he stayed?
"Stop thinking." Stiles chuckled when Derek mumbled against his ear.
"So now you're a mind reader too, huh?"
"You're nervous," Derek said and moved away a little before he pulled Stiles along. Stiles went with it until he laid his head on Derek's chest and placed his left hand on Derek's shoulder, tucking it right under his cheek, feeling Derek's heart beat under it.
"Just thinking about everything."
"Don't. You have a tendency to over-think things. We're as ready as we can be. Or we will be." Stiles snorted and shrugged. He winced when that motion made him rub his cheek against his hand, making his hand rub against Derek's chest in extension.
"Does it hurt?"
"A little," Stiles admitted.
He shivered when Derek reached up and gently cupped his bruised cheek. He pushed his thumb under Stiles' chin and made him raise his head. He then leaned forward and gently kissed Stiles. The teen moaned and Derek growled when Stiles, in an attempt to push himself up a bit, rubbed his awakening need with his thigh.
"Don't. Do that," Derek hissed and Stiles watched in fascination as the black veins disappeared under Derek's hair. A moment later a small smirk covered Stiles' face and he looked directly in Derek's eyes.
"Yeah?" he murmured and moved his leg up slightly making Derek hiss again. "Why?" Derek growled and suddenly Stiles was on his back, his arms thrown over his head and Derek's right hand on his left thigh.
"You, Stiles Stilinski, are a menace," Derek growled and Stiles smirked, his eyes darkening as he thrust his hips up a bit.
"While we're in the process of getting to know each other-" he was interrupted by Derek kissing him a bit harder than was good for his split lip, but Stiles could find no complaints.
"You know very well we shouldn't be doing this. You know very well you're going to…"
"You said you would give me a reason to come back," Stiles interrupted Derek and something between a growl and a broken whine left Derek's lips. Stiles tilted his head up and teased Derek's lips into a kiss with nips and licks. "Give me a reason to come back," Stiles whispered and Derek let go of a heavy sigh. He rested his forehead on Stiles' and nuzzled his nose against his.
"You will be the death of me," Derek whispered and Stiles chuckled.
"Do you know that the French have an euphemism for orgasm which literally translates in 'little death'?" Derek snorted and laughed, and Stiles smiled. "And I do believe that was the first time you actually laughed!"
Derek rolled his eyes. "Would you shut up?" he murmured and Stiles smirked.
"Make me."
Without a thought Derek cupped Stiles' good cheek and pulled him into a scorching kiss. His right leg was trapped between Stiles', and the teen thrust up against him making a content growl rumble in Derek's chest. He leaned on his left elbow as not to crush the younger man, and dragged his right hand down his front, grounding their groins together, looking for that sweet friction that would bring them both just this much closer to what they wanted.
Stiles gasped, sweet and pretty, and twitched when Derek pushed his hand under his shirt and scrapped the sensitive skin of his side with his nails. He breathed out a low moan when Derek kissed down his uninjured cheek, all the way to his neck.
"Derek-" he gasped when the alpha racked up his shirt, slipping his hand across his stomach, making muscles flex under his fingertips. The air around them became increasingly hazy and thick with heat and Stiles groaned when Derek bit lightly on the junction of his neck and shoulder, thumbing one pebbled nipple.
Stiles could hear his heart beating in his ears. He was hot. So, so hot. It felt like he was drowning. Drowning in Derek's scent; drowning in Derek's warmth.
"Oh my god!" he gasped thickly when Derek pushed his hand in his pants, gripped his ass and thrust just a bit harder, the heavy drag of their jeans and straining flesh making his eyes roll. Derek moved back and quickly took Stiles' shirt off in one stunning and swift motion.
Before he could lean back over Stiles, the teen sat up, grabbed the collar of Derek's shirt and roughly pulled him into a hot, sloppy kiss, all wet lips, plunging tongues and nipping teeth. He lowered his hands to grab the hem of Derek's shirt and quickly pulled it off.
Stiles swallowed over a lump when the sun shining down on them illuminated Derek's perfect skin, strong shoulders and muscled torso. A voice in the back of Stiles' head crooned possessively and he slipped bandaged hands over Derek's shoulders. He traced his collar bones with the tips of his fingers and chased the touch with his tongue and lips.
Stiles moved back and looked up at Derek with a honed intensity, and the werewolf cupped Stiles' face and bowed down to kiss him. He pushed Stiles back on the bed, trailing kisses down his chin, the perfect column of his neck, down the middle of his surprisingly well defined chest and stomach before he reached that dark trail of hair leading to his goal.
Stiles hissed and arched his torso off the bed when Derek nuzzled his nose against his straining cock through the material of his jeans and slid his hands up Stiles' thighs before he pushed his fingers under the waistband of his pants and started pulling them down agonizingly slow.
"D'rek – damn it!" Derek chuckled as he bypassed Stiles' dick and kissed down his thigh while he pulled his pants off.
"You were never the most patient one," Derek muttered as he threw Stiles' pants and boxers to the side.
He climbed over the younger man and kissed him, growling when Stiles grabbed his head between his hands and deepened the kiss, moaning into Derek's mouth. Derek swallowed a surprised scream that left Stiles' lips when he took a firm hold of the younger man's hard length and tugged.
"God!" Stiles gasped out and threw his head back as Derek moved away. He took in the sun playing on Stiles' skin and the thin layer of sweat that covered his lean form. He let go of Stiles as he moved lower, settling between Stiles' invitingly parted legs. Stiles' breath hitched in his throat when Derek licked the head of his cock and his eyes snapped open when he slowly took him in, inch by agonizing inch.
He wanted so much to just thrust up but Derek had a firm hold of his hips. Whatever he was doing it was driving Stiles insane. Derek was sure that nothing in the world tasted better than Stiles. Nothing smelled as good as this teen that was writhing and moaning because of what he was doing to him.
There was nothing that sounded better than Stiles' choked up sighs and desperate, pleading moans. Nothing felt better than Stiles' skin under his fingers.
"D'rek, s-stop! I'm – ah!"
Stiles arched off of the bed, his mind going blank as he reached his peak. His lungs couldn't get enough air, his muscles twitched and convulsed and his mind was surprisingly blank. He opened his eyes when he felt a gentle caress against his cheek and looked in Derek's warm eyes. Derek leaned down and kissed him lovingly, stealing Stiles' breath away.
He shivered when he felt Stiles' hand against his cheek and deepened the kiss.
Once he moved back, he grabbed the cover they pushed to the foot of the bed and covered Stiles with it before he pulled the teen to his chest.
"Derek, what about…"
"You asked for a reason to come back," Derek whispered, looking in Stiles' eyes. He caressed the teen's cheek with the back of his fingers before he leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "I give it to you. Come back to us - come back to me, and you'll have me." Stiles' breath hitched in his throat and he hugged Derek tightly burying his face in his chest.
"I'll guess I'll have to come back then; if not for anything else then for you to make good on that promise," he whispered and Derek smiled sadly.
"Yeah. I guess you'll have to come back."
cut
When Derek walked down the stairs it was already quite late. "Well, well, well. Look what the wolf dragged out," Peter teased and Derek glared at him and the others.
He marched straight for the kitchen hoping there was still some coffee left. Due to the door of the kitchen being open he heard Stiles coming down after him. He heard Stiles' surprised exclamation about all the guns and ammo they now had, and he heard John telling Stiles how they cleaned and charged them all.
He almost cheered when he found just enough coffee for two cups and started preparing it when he felt two arms wrap themselves around his waist.
"You're a real Sourwolf without your coffee, aren't you?" Stiles teased and Derek snorted. He turned within Stiles' hold and pecked his lips.
"Aren't you being the kettle now?" he asked and Stiles chuckled.
"Yeah." He grabbed two cups while Derek finished the coffee.
"The moon will be out soon. I should take the others to the forest," Derek said and Stiles nodded.
"Dad, Lydia and Melissa are staying here with me. We'll be fine," he said as Derek poured coffee in the cups and Stiles moaned at the sweet aroma. "You're a life saver," he muttered and carefully took a sip. Derek chuckled and followed Stiles' example.
"Isaac has complete control over his wolf," Derek said. "Peter and Scott as well. I was thinking about leaving those three with you and taking Erica and Boyd into the woods."
"Derek…"
"It would make me feel better if you had them here, Stiles," Derek begged and Stiles sighed.
"Fine," Stiles said. "But I want the three of you back before the Sun rises." Derek nodded.
"Deal." Stiles smiled and went over to Derek to kiss him.
"Be careful," he whispered against Derek's lips, his tongue just barely catching the other's lip.
"We will be."
"PAPA-WOLF! Stop sexing Mama-Wolf in the kitchen! We need to go for a walk!" Erica called out and the two groaned.
"I'm seriously considering maiming her for that," Stiles muttered. "And what's with this mama-wolf crap?"
"You'll have to ask her that," Derek muttered and quickly pecked Stiles again before he finished his coffee.
"I'll see you in the morning."
"Yeah." Stiles smiled at him and stayed in the kitchen after Derek left. "See you in the morning."
cut
Stiles smiled as he covered his dad with a blanket he brought down from his room. He was asleep, leaning on Peter's shoulder, and the werewolf looked half asleep as well.
"Rest. They won't be here for a while more," Stiles whispered to Peter and the werewolf smiled at him. Stiles turned around and clicked his tongue when he found Lydia and Melissa sleeping on their crossed arms at the table.
"Isaac, would you help me carry them up in the room?" Stiles asked and Isaac nodded. He placed the book he was reading on the table and they walked quietly over to the two women.
"Stiles?" Lydia murmured as Stiles gently picked her up. Her head rolled to the side to rest on his shoulder and he nodded at Isaac to go first.
"Sleep, Lyds. I'm just taking you somewhere more comfortable," Stiles whispered to her and she moaned before she fell right back to sleep.
Isaac somehow managed to turn on the light on the second floor and they walked over to Stiles' bedroom. Isaac pushed the door open and the two laid the two women down on the bed.
"There should be a spare cover in that closet," Isaac whispered and Stiles walked over to the one Isaac pointed out.
He found the spare blanket and once both women were covered they left the room, closing the door behind them. When they came back they found Scott sitting in an armchair with a book in his hands. Peter seemed to have joined John in dreamland.
"You two took them up?" Scott asked in a whisper once Stiles and Isaac took seats.
"Yeah. You two should go and get some rest as well," Stiles whispered and the two looked at him. "I slept for the good part of the day. There's no need for all of us to be awake. Besides, no one can get in if we don't allow them. We're as safe as we can be. And you're no use to anyone half asleep. Get some rest if you can." Isaac and Scott exchanged a glance.
"You can sleep in my room. The bed's big enough," Isaac murmured and Scott smiled before he looked at Stiles.
"You sure you won't mind? I haven't slept all that well last night," Scott whispered and Stiles smiled at him.
"Don't worry. Go. I'll be fine." The two stood up and went over to Stiles to hug him.
"Before we go, does anything hurt? One of us could…"
"I'm fine." Stiles rolled his eyes at them. "Go. Cuddle monsters, all of you," he muttered and the two chuckled.
"Good night, Stiles," Isaac greeted as he creeped up the stairs.
"We'll leave the door open. Shout if you need us," Scott said and Stiles nodded at him.
"Sure. Good night."
"See you in the morning." Scott left with a wave.
Stiles sighed and looked around, trying to think of something to do. He finally settled on just reading a book. He walked over to the bookshelves and tried to find something interesting. He raised an eyebrow when he found a collection of books he never thought he would find in Derek Hale's home.
"Broken Sky?" he muttered. "Derek-m'-boy, we will soooo have to talk," Stiles muttered into his chin. He grabbed the first book and practically skipped over to the armchair.
He settled in it with his legs tucked under him and the book on his knees. He sighed, opened the book and started to read, happy he found something to kill time with that wasn't research for once.
And just as he got to the part when Ryushi got his ass handed to him by his sister Kia, Stiles' eyes closed.
And he fell asleep.
cut
John and Peter jumped awake when the door was slammed open. "I thought you bunch were supposed to watch over each other," Erica teased. She looked tired and drained, but otherwise unharmed, while Boyd and Derek looked perfectly well.
"Where are the others?" Derek asked, sniffing the air discreetly.
"Last I remember is Stiles and Isaac taking Lydia and Mellissa up. Scott and Isaac must have gone to sleep at one point too. Stiles must be in your room," Peter said.
"I'll go get him. We'll try to think about our next course of action after breakfast," Derek said as he walked towards the stairs. "Someone needs to go and buy coffee!" he shouted and Peter snorted.
"He's demanding," John muttered and Peter chuckled.
"He'll be your son-in-law. Get used to it." In the next moment a mighty, terrifying, heart wrenching roar shook the house. Erica, Boyd, John and Peter exchanged a glance and broke into a run. They found Lydia, Mellissa, Isaac and Scott running out of the bedrooms and together they stopped in front of Derek's room only to find the alpha half shifted with his red eyes looking at them with rage.
"Stiles..." he growled and a shiver of fear ran down everyone's spines. "He's gone!"
cut
What happened to Stiles?
Find out in the next chapter!