pale-silver-comb:

I have been saving this because reasons. 

I am very happy you said “discuss” because I may or may not have a lot to say on this exact topic.

Derek really likes topping. He’s used to it and people expect it of him. The pack is in college now, things have died down, and everyone, including Derek, has managed to heal, move on little. A lot, actually. And it’s nice, living a normal life, the kind of life Derek had before Nemetons and rogue Alphas and the fire. It sometimes reminds him too much of his family, the normalcy of it. Reminds him that they aren’t here to laugh and argue with him anymore, that Christmas is twice as hard because there is no-one there to pretend anymore that everyone forgot his Birthday. (Cora tries to come at Christmas, but it’s too hard for her and Derek doesn’t blame her.)  

And so, yeah, Derek starts to move on to relationships that are healthy. He learns what it’s like not to take a psychopath and it’s all perfectly fine. He dates men and women and tries really hard not to let himself think about why the men he goes after all have the same slender build and biting sarcasm. Some even have moles (which Derek really doesn’t let himself think about.) He doesn’t think about anything really. He doesn’t think about why his relationships don’t last for long, doesn’t think about why he always calls Stiles when they do end. He doesn’t think about why he always says yes when someone asks him to top- which is always- even though when he’s alone at night and fantasising about long fingers and can’t you trust me, just this once? he’s always the one on the bottom.  

Topping is fine. More than fine. Derek’s good at it and he likes making people happy. The last thing he ever wants to do is disappoint. He’s disappointed enough people in his life. However, this all changes on Christmas Eve. It’s almost cliché really, like one of those over the top romantic Christmas movies. 

It’s Stiles’ last year of college, but instead of going home like he usually does, he turns up at Derek’s door. Derek is more than confused, his phone still in his hand when he answers the door, because usually Stiles calls him on Christmas Eve, trying every argument and bribe under the sun to get Derek to come and spend Christmas with him, his Dad, Melissa and Scott. Derek always refuses, but it’s something he looks forward to every year (and yes, he’s aware what that implies, thank you very much.) Stiles calls him pretty much every week, texts him every other day, but the Christmas call is something special. Not because Stiles treats Derek any differently than the rest of the year, but because he doesn’t treat him differently. There is no pity in his voice as he tells Derek about how good Melissa’s pies are, no calm or soothing tone like he is trying to appease a sad and lonely child. He argues and snarks and laughs and it makes Derek smile long enough that he forgets why Christmas sucks for five minutes.

This Christmas though, there is no call. What there is is Stiles and cookies and Stiles and movies and blankets and Stiles. 

They watch Lord of the Rings, all three of them, and Stiles looks at Derek in awe as Derek forgets himself and begins reciting all the useless knowledge he used to know about the books as a kid, not even caring or feeling embarrassed because Stiles knows just as much useless information about Star Wars and, weirdly enough, the Care Bears movies. (Derek is sure he’ll figure out why one day. He hopes so gets to find out anyway. Really hopes, even if he doesn’t want to let himself.)

And maybe blankets become involved and maybe Stiles puts his hand on top of Derek’s at some point, giving him a look and saying “this is the best Christmas I’ve had since my mom died, thank you.” And Derek wants to roll his eyes, make some comment about how Stiles did all the work to make this a good Christmas- the first good Christmas he’s had since he was sixteen- not him, but what he does instead entirely surprises him (and Stiles.) 

Derek kisses him.  

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