A small sound came out of Stiles' lips. He couldn't have stopped it.
"No…" he denied softly after another moment, "Scott I didn't, I wouldn't…" But he had. Stiles knew it.
"He's a killer Stiles! And you let him live! Now I'm gonna be like this forever!" Peter growled softly.
"I couldn't," Stiles whispered, his voice nearly failing him. "I couldn't watch him die." He hadn't known why then but it didn't matter. "How can you hold that against me Scott? You've protected Allison at all costs, putting my life on the line on numerous occasions, and I've never said a word."
"Allison isn't standing between you and the girl you love," Scott yelled, eyes flashing yellow. Peter growled louder, a warning.
"No," Stiles admitted, "no she isn't." It wasn't actually possible anyways. Stiles noticed belatedly that Derek was being quiet. Dangerously quiet. "Scott," he tried again, glancing around for Derek. "All Peter was trying to do was get revenge. Kate was insane…she burned a house down for Christ's sakes! You have to know that this, right now, is wrong."
"Stiles you've gone off the deep end. He's a killer. Period. And look what he's done to you…" Scott raked a hand through his hair. "Stiles if we kill him together we can both be human again. Things can go back to the way they used to be! Just you and me. Like old times. Stiles please." Stiles gasped. The very idea of him killing Peter. He shuddered, wrapping his both his arms around Peter's.
"Scott…I could n-never." He shook his head violently, trying to shake the words out of the air, out of existence. He was trying so hard not to reveal himself. "You couldn't either," he said, pleading. "You couldn't kill someone."
"I could," Scott muttered lips thin. Stiles shook his head.
"Don't lie Scott. Not to me." Peter's head jerked to the side suddenly, distracting Stiles. He breathed one word.
"Jackson."
…
Jackson's hands were clutching at his knees. He sort of couldn't breathe. Stiles and Peter were too far away to hear now and he was getting more worried by the second. What if something had happened? What if they needed him? He couldn't lose them. His lungs locked up. He couldn't lose them. Something was calling him out of the car. He had no idea what it was but it started in his chest and spread. He had to obey. He picked his way through the tree branches, body practically vibrating with all of his nerves, drawn tight.
"They left you so vulnerable," Derek said, the black of the night seeping off of him as he stepped closer to Jackson. Jackson froze, his heart skipping a beat.
"Don't please don't," he muttered rapidly, tongue tangling in his teeth.
"Don't what?" Derek questioned. He stepped even closer, backing Jackson into a tree. Jackson whimpered, hands curling into fists as sweat popped out along his forehead and mouth.
"Hurt me again," he whispered. Derek tsked.
"There's no need for that," he murmured soothingly, hands caging Jackson in. "You're mine now." He bent his head, inhaling deeply along Jackson's neck. "You're mine and you'll do what I want you to do. Whatever I want you to do." He kissed Jackson hard before Jackson could deny it. Jackson's hands went to Derek's back against his will. In a matter of seconds he'd lost any semblance of control. His back bowed, throwing him into Derek's frame. Derek's fingers teased along his spine, swirling over the swells of bone, gliding through the dips of skin. Jackson moaned the sound half caught in Derek's mouth. He couldn't think. How did it feel so good? How was it so different than before?
He let Derek in without the slightest protest when he nipped at Jackson's top lip. Derek's tongue slid inside and Jackson was drowning in him. Derek was holding him like he actually wanted him. He was kissing him like he actually felt something. Jackson's head swirled. He pulled back, head cracking into the tree. Wincing, he examined Derek's closed expression.
"What did you do to me?" Jackson huffed, licking his lips quickly. "What are you doing to me?" Derek smirked.
"Whatever I want." Jackson shouldn't have let the words hurt, but they did. His body was sending him such conflicting messages. He nodded.
"Yeah okay. Great." Derek's lips twitched.
"Did I hurt your feelings?"
"You really think I could have any feelings towards you at all?" Derek's amused expression remained but he released Jackson and stepped back. "You're an animal," Jackson spat, "and I won't help you get what you want."
"Yes you will." He leaned closer. "You really think you can handle loyalty to me and my uncle? Here's a clue…you can't." His smile twisted. "We're going to keep on pulling you and pulling you in separate directions…until you break."
"You can't break us."
"I broke you once," Derek whispered into his ear, "I'll do it again." Jackson shoved him backwards.
"The pack is stronger than me. Not that you would know that."
"We'll find out together you and I."
…
Peter stopped ahead of him, stooping into a crouch immediately. Stiles could see Derek's back, Jackson against a tree in front of him. He let out a growl without fully meaning to. Derek half turned, smiling at both of them.
"Joined the party how…supportive of you."
"Step away from my boy Derek," Peter let out very quietly. Stiles shivered at the violence the words somehow supplied. Derek stepped to the side. Both Peter and Stiles tensed at the act. "Jackson…it's okay. Come here." Jackson took a shaky step forward.
"You're not leaving without a kiss, are you?" The three members of the pack looked to Derek in sync.
"Of course I am," Jackson let out, taking another step forward. Derek released a low warning growl.
"Jackson come here," Peter tried again.
"Not yet," Derek denied. Jackson looked pained, leaning forward slightly as if he wanted to move but was unable. "Jackson," he said, nearly purring. "Come give me a kiss."
"Derek," Peter muttered, the word ending on a feral growl. Derek all but ignored him.
"Why deny?" he murmured, leaning even closer to Jackson. "We both know you'll give in." Jackson shook off his hand when Derek reached out. Derek smacked the back of his head and reached out again, tilting Jackson's jaw towards him. Jackson released a small growl of his own, lips curling. Peter tensed, lurching forward before he caught himself. He let out a rumbling growl. Derek smiled before catching Jackson's lips forcefully. Stiles cringed. A tense moment passed before Jackson shoved him away, snarling. Derek smiled again, touching his thumb to his lips briefly. Stiles wondered if he'd lost his mind. "Let's compare shall we. You have Stiles. I have Scott. Guess we'll just have to share Jackson."
"What are you trying to say Derek?" Derek turned to Peter fully then and Stiles, for just a moment, was selfishly glad that Peter was in front of him, protecting him.
"I don't think you want to see how far I'm going to take this," Derek said, eyes flickering blue. "I'm not letting this go." Peter sighed.
"It's to be a never ending cycle then? Push me too far Derek and I will kill you."
"Guess we'll find out won't we?" He spread his arm wordlessly, finally giving Jackson permission to leave. Stiles didn't breathe fully until they were all back in the car. He thought maybe Peter and Jackson didn't either.
No one spoke on the ride back. Peter parked on the street and Stiles helped Jackson out.
"You okay?" he questioned quietly. Jackson just shrugged.
"I think we should tell people you're both ill until the lacrosse team gets back. It'll help explain Jackson's absence and we won't have to put your leash back on," he added, looking to Stiles.
"Fine with me," he murmured.
"Yeah whatever," Jackson agreed.
"I'll be across the street," Peter said, "behave yourselves."
"Wait across the street?"
"House for rent," Peter explained, "I have to stay close by don't I?" Stiles muttered something that could have been an agreement. He wondered where Peter was getting his money from. Peter didn't move and no one spoke. Eventually Jackson went for the house, letting himself in. Stiles glanced at Peter once more before following. He wondered as he followed Jackson up the steps why Jackson was still staying with him. Maybe he didn't want to see his parents right now. Maybe he was scared of Derek. The thought made Stiles' stomach contract painfully. Derek. The wolf had overstepped his bounds. He understood the pain Derek must be going through, somewhat, but twisting that into more pain for someone that wasn't even involved wasn't okay. Derek's pain didn't excuse what he'd done. Just as Peter's pain didn't excuse him. Stiles frowned again. He didn't like this train of thought. The Hale family was synonymous with pain and suffering.
"Seriously," he muttered, looking to Jackson who'd already flopped on the bed, "are you alright?" Jackson was very quiet when he replied.
"Would you be?"
A/N: So…I'm feeling some more Jackson/Danny and some more Peter/Stiles. We'll see what I come up with. ;)