AN: Sorry guys, I've been unreasonably under the weather. Hope this makes up for it.
Maddelynn: 3 Awesomes? What am I doing right and how do I continue? I don't think it's only hunters asses she needs to kick. Am I right? ;) True love? AWWWWW! Wait, crap. The voice I read "The Bold…and The Alpha's Spark!" in made me giggle, please keep this going.
Thanks to mistsandstorms for making my crappy mood slip away while reading that review, brightened it there.
Kieron77: Wow, I still have no idea how you readers can sit through this story, you're making me want to read it. But thanks, as a reward for reading this here's the next chapter. ;)
Anyway onto the chapter! Starting with Stiles.
Stiles POV:
Talk to Derek, talk to Derek and stay civil while talking to Derek. I knew something was up the second I woke this morning and I knew it had nothing to do with the whole poison incident. When you wake up next to someone almost every morning for more than five years you tend to learn things about how you wake up and with Brett it's usually not with two possessive arms and two legs around me, like a freaking cat. I hadn't cared much, I knew it was different, we were in a strange place with the man I used to love, if it were the other way around I know I would do the same, if not more. Plus like he almost cried to me the night before, he had almost lost me, if I…So, I guess I brushed that off too fast but the betas doing housework? Did they think I was stupid? The last time they did housework together like that it was planned and they were trying to make Brett happy for giving Jeff too much chocolate and leaving him unattended. By the time we got home they had cleaned and Brett still asked who attacked them. Brett told me they wanted to stay permanently to test it out for a year and that same sickening fear took control of me. Fear of what could be, of what would be and I got mad but then he talked and I thought. And I remembered their faces, the two packs standing together almost as if they belonged together-almost because I know it's not going to work out- and I remembered the looks on their faces and I thought, if they wanted this, wanted to try this…after all they've done for me the least I could do for them was talk to Derek. Plus, I'll admit there are a lot of questions I have left for him and maybe a few apologies from the venom spewed during our final fight. The fight that I'm positive he never told the wolves about, the fight that was only the day before I came to apologize and he told me we were done, through, over.
The betas all left the house when they saw me pull up, I smiled to them and Scott just frowned before taking off. I sighed and exited my jeep, I climbed up the stairs and into the house. He was standing by the staircase but wasn't looking at me, I licked my lips and stayed by the door. "Derek…" I started and was cut off almost instantly.
"I think we should break up." He said, looking straight at me as if I would be able to call a bluff if he wasn't. I couldn't respond, just stared at him, half horrified and half shocked. A small part of me screaming this was a joke.
"What?" I managed and he nodded.
"We're breaking up, Stiles. I don't…I don't think it's going to work." Not working? I could've sworn it was working, it was perfect.
"What are you talking about? Is this because of last night, it was no big d-"
"No, okay, maybe some of it's about last night but it's everything. Do you really think we had a shot at this? We tried and we failed. I think you should move out…if you want we'll help."
"No, no we didn't fail." I growl, narrowing my eyes at him. "You're scared. For some insane reason you want to stop this." I point to the doors behind me "If you make me walk out those doors, you'll come running after me two days later." He swallows and I drop my hands. "We can do this."
"Maybe we can…" He pauses and meets my eyes and I can feel the burning in the back of my throat. "But I don't want to anymore."
"Der-"
"This isn't worth it anymore!" He pushes himself closer and I take a step back, pain rising in my chest. He goes silent and stares at me. "I'm not trying to hurt you. This has been coming for a long time, it's what's best. For both of us."
"No, it's not." I bite my tongue. "It's not what's best for either of us. But if you want me gone so badly then fine, I'm gone. Don't bother to call me when you figure out you need me." I turn and slam the door behind me, taking my time to my car before speeding off towards my house.
I called each and every one of the betas but none of them answered. I could barely sleep for the next two days. I clutch my hands, maybe it's not best to think about that right now, after all we only had a few minutes until we were heading over to their house. I look in the mirror and lean on the sink, wiping the fog away I meet my eyes. I let out a shaky breath and lean on the palms of my hand almost pressing my face to the glass and flashing my eyes.
Derek POV:
I don't want to talk to Stiles, at all but Scott made his point very clear. They were too serious about the whole thing, Brett's little pack wouldn't be staying longer than the hunters were here. I told him that if Stiles wanted to talk I'd talk but if not, I wouldn't push it. If I knew Stiles the way I used to, he would rather push it back and we'll pretend everything was fine and any tension the betas feel would leave when he did. But people change, which was something I knew all too well, so when Scott held up his phone with a smirk, declaring Stiles was ready to talk I wasn't all that shocked. I hoped he wouldn't but I wasn't too surprise he would, especially if one of Brett's betas wanted him to. Stiles might have changed but he'd still do anything for the people he loved, if that changed, Issac would be dead.
Seeing Stiles with a new pack, with Brett, it hurt every time. When the couple was fighting, Brett let Stiles leave and all of my betas didn't know why the man wasn't going after him – not that I was one to run after Stiles after a fight. Brett had laughed at Scott's question and told Scott that he knew Stiles would be fine, that he knew without a single doubt in his mind Stiles would come back to him because at the end of the day that's how they end up, together. I had felt sick then and I feel sick now. Stiles was coming and we were going to talk and I was going to face, yet again, his relationship with Brett. I just didn't want to see that, or face him. But I would because I told Scott I would.
"They're heading over, we were going to meet them outside, if you want to get started on food." I look up to the brunette man who smiles before waving at him.
"Yeah whatever, just behave."
"Back at you." Scott says before he leaves, beckoning for the wolves to follow. I stand and make my way to the kitchen. I really wish these hunters targeted someone else, I really wish we didn't need Stiles here, I really wish the betas understood because this was something I was not looking forward to. I haven't even had time to think it over. I glance to the door when the cars pull up and wonder if I could just run away now, we were always good at running away from things. I can hear Stiles talking to Brett when Scott runs over and informs the couple that I'm inside, the two murmur quietly back and forth for a while before I hear the door open.
"Hey." Stiles mutters when he enters the kitchen. "Scott said you needed some help."
"Uh, sure." I reply and I already know this is going to end badly.
Third Person POV:
The kitchen falls silent as the two men work around each other to start on the meal, neither boy wants to open their mouth and confront the other. Both want to pretend they talked and brush it off, unable to confront demons from a time long ago that neither were truly able to shake from their shoulders. The fear of it pulses through them and it's Stiles who speaks first, knowing Brett will be on him if he doesn't at least trying, hoping maybe something good really will come from this.
"Brett's betas have this insane idea that we need to talk." He tells Derek, almost laughing at it as he grabs a spoon from the drawer and Derek watches him carefully, wondering if Stiles would always snap this easily back into a routine. It was almost like it was when they were together, minus the teasing and hot make-out session that usually followed.
"Yeah," Derek laughs back and Stiles looks over to him. "Scott said you're thinking of staying longer and said if that was going to work we should talk." Stiles knew it was Scott and Aleysha, he just knew it. He nods and licks his bottom lip. "I don't think my betas want you running off again." Derek turns and mentally curses himself when Stiles raises a brow.
"Right." Stiles bites out. "Is there anything we need to talk about?" If anyone ran from anything it was Derek's fault, Stiles thinks to himself.
"I don't know…is there?" Stiles rolls his eyes and puts his wooden spook down, facing Derek and leaning against the counter.
"Obviously if you're using that line there's enough anger here to make the betas uncomfortable." Derek faces him and narrows his eyes.
"What's THAT supposed to mean?" Stiles is the one with underlying anger here, Derek decides, staring at his ex, who smiles bitterly.
"It means you don't like to face conflict. Every time something comes up where there's a possibility of a fight you'd rather shut your mouth than talk it out." Derek laughs and slaps his utensil down.
"Oh, that's rich coming from you. Every time something gets too rough you go running." Derek growls back and Stiles glares.
"I ran once." The younger man holds up a finger and then stalks towards Derek to glare up at him. "And that was your fault. You took everything from me because you were scared."
"Damn right I was." Stiles takes a step back. "I was scared of letting the man I love get injured because of hunters like the ones we're dealing with now…"
"Oh ri-"
"Will you shut up and let me talk for once?" Stiles purses his lips and raises an eyebrow. "You're acting like you're okay and everyone out there…" He jerks a finger towards the front of the house. "Might buy your lie but I know better, I know you're still sick and you're hiding it." Stiles looks away guiltily but still angry. "I broke things off with you because I hoped you would find a better life and what do you run into another damn pack of wolves who almost let you die."
"Are you serious?! They would never!" Stiles screams, glaring at Derek, his heart pounding in his chest. "They love me, they care about me, they went through hell and back for me which is more than I can ever say for you and your pack." Derek scoffs and shakes his head.
"Right, you just can't face that we care about you just as much, we did a lot for you."
"But when I needed you most, you turned around and ran from me because you wanted to protect me when I could damn well protect myself. You lived in this fantasy world where no matter how much I proved to you, you still thought I couldn't handle myself because I wasn't some super werewolf!" Derek let out a breath before licking his own teeth.
"You're holding onto something that happ-"
"I have every right to hold onto it Derek!" Stiles cried out, tears in his eyes. "I gave everything for you. I don't even care that you broke up with me and I'm happy where I am now but for fuckssake I had lost everything that year. You don't understand how hard it was!" He runs his hands over his face. Derek frowns, feeling bad for bringing up. "I didn't run away, I had to leave. I had nothing here after that, you took it all."
"You can't be serious?" Derek defends out of habit and Stiles gapes at him. "You had a job and a home, you had other friends, Stiles. You chose to throw it away that was not my decision, it was yours." Stiles exhales and closes his eyes before throwing up his hands slightly.
"Fine you're right, it was my decision. What I got from it was more than I could ever ask for and I'm grateful for that but you haven't changed at all and I don't think I'm ready to put myself through this again." Stiles says and pushes past Derek. Derek stands and licks his lips as he hears Stiles exit the house, he closes his eyes and slumps into the chair. He places his hands in his face and feels like they just broke up again, except this time he had nothing to show for it, no note, no key, nothing.
Stiles storms out of the house and stops at the door, looking at the two packs with teary eyes. Brett stands worriedly and Stiles examines them. Erica and Aleysha are play fighting, Jackson and Boyd are messing with Andre and Dom, Issac and Scott are picking on Jefferson. Telisa's trying to jump on Allison while the brunette defends herself with a smile. Karen and David are flirting. They all turn to face him and all he can feel is a pain in his heart as he all but runs to the car. Brett runs after him but he's already peeling out and to the road. The two packs watch him go before they stumble to follow Brett into the house. Aleysha screaming out to calm her angered Alpha while the rest try to figure out what happened, all ready to protect their respective Alpha's. Brett's eyes flash red and he growls at Derek when he sees him.
"What did you do to him?" Derek looks up and his own pack take a step back, shocked at the pain on his face. Brett's eyes fade and his face falls. "What the hell happened in here?"
AN: Oh my God! What just happened? I knew from the start this was going to be a fight, but is anyone sensing some serious unresolved issues between the two? Revelations everywhere, shocks in some places (maybe). Writing their break-up and fight was so hard, I had no idea how I wanted to do it at all, there were several break-ups written out and several fights then I read each to my parents and siblings and long-distant friend on the phone, these one. I hope they're good enough.
I wanted the words to do a lot of talking in the fight so I tried to avoid heavily pushing their emotions out there so I hope I did a good job at portraying that but I'm uncertain.