here - take that
It's on nights like this that Jackson realises that he was missing a key part of himself before. Lydia wasn't his mate (like everyone thought to begin with). Stiles was.
It had come as a shock to everyone. Considering that, Stiles took the news well. Considering. He didn't scream, or shout, just plopped down on Jackson's bed, when he told him, with a soft 'oh'. And, to be perfectly honest, Jackson fell in love with him just a teensy weensy bit more. And when Stiles announced, or rather whispered shyly whilst flushing bright red, that he had had a crush on Jackson, not Lydia, since he'd been eight... Well, Jackson couldn't have hoped for much better than that.
Initially, he'd questioned how such a perfect (Stiles continues to vehemently argue against this) boy had fallen in love with him, an arrogant, narcissistic twat (which, to be honest, was being nice). And he'd got an enigmatic smile from Stiles in response.
Gradually, he'd come to realise that Stiles was just as broken as he was, though he albeit hid it in a different way. And he still thought that he was perfect.
The others had taken it less well than Stiles. Significantly less well, on the whole. Allison had been shellshocked. Lydia had smiled and said that she knew something like this would happen. And those were the best of the reactions. Scott had scowled and stormed off. Stiles had followed him, but when he came back he was so pissed off that even Danny, who was completely oblivious to the werewolf issues, could sense his anger. Scott and Stiles hadn't spoken to each other for a week after that. In fact, it was a combination of Jackson and Allison discussing it with Scott that led to their reconciliation. Danny's reaction was unsurprising. He smiled and wished Stiles luck, in a jokey way, in dealing with Jackson.
And that's how they got here, to this point in time. Sometimes, Jackson would catch Stiles looking at him, like he thought that this wasn't going to last and, someday, Jackson would tire of him. Jackson always kissed the expression off Stiles face, and told him 'I will never leave you.' And Stiles always replied 'That's because you can't' as if Jackson needed reminding that they were mates, but his voice was always slightly mollified.
Today, Jackson can see that look creep into his eyes again. He does what he normally does to make it disappear, but it doesn't. 'I promise,' he says, whispering in Stiles' ear. 'I will never leave. You mean everything to me, and I don't think I could survive without you.' Stiles looks sceptical and vulnerable at the same time. Jackson kisses his forehead gently and pulls him into a hug. 'Honestly, I couldn't. And that's not the mating speaking. You are my anchor. I stay focused on you when I turn. You keep me alive.' Stiles no longer looks so sceptical, just heart-wrenchingly vulnerable and Jackson kisses him again, longer and harder, trying to convey the complicated mesh of feelings that fill his stomach whenever he sees Stiles. He thinks Stiles gets the message because he relaxes into Jackson and kisses back. 'I love you's get whispered against their lips and believed.
Later that night, Jackson lies in bed with Stiles, facing him and stroking his hip which lies beneath Jackson's hand. 'I would rather be here than anywhere else,' he says. Stiles smiles sleepily. 'Me too.'