Stiles comes home from college for Valentine’s Day to surprise Derek. He spends the entire afternoon cutting out paper hearts and putting them in a trail to the bedroom for Derek to follow. He puts candles all over the living room and tea lights around the bath tub, which he fully plans on getting Derek into later. He puts a quick dinner together, ready to pop into the oven for when they’re hungry. Finally, when he knows Derek should be on his way home, he strips and puts on angel wings before sprinkling the bed with rose petals. He lays down, waiting for Derek. He doesn’t mean to fall asleep, but he does.
Derek gets home, opens the door, and grins when he sees the candles and the paper hearts. He follows the trail to his bedroom and stops in the door frame. His grin turns into a full on smile when he sees Stiles, spread out on his bed, fast asleep. He takes a moment to enjoy the site of his boyfriend, naked and gorgeous, before stripping out of his own clothes and climbing into the bed.
Derek manages to maneuver Stiles around so that he’s laying half on top of his chest before wrapping his arms around him. Stiles rouses for a moment, mumbling a drowsy “Happy Valentine’s Day, Der,” then nuzzling his face against Derek’s collarbone. He’s fast asleep seconds later. Derek smiles into Stiles’s hair before whispering, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Stiles,”.
It isn’t until much later, after he’s had enough sleep, that they put Stiles carefully planned preparations into action.
“I thought this place was scary when the kanima was running around. What kind of horror is Beacon Hills facing now that someone weighed the pros and cons and still gave you a gun?”
The lightly teasing voice makes Stiles go still, his hands beginning to shake as something wild and overwhelming pierces his heart. Looking up, he drops the pen he’d been using to fill out reports and…
And then he loses a bit of time or something because he doesn’t remember getting up from his seat or going around the big counter – or, judging by the way the various pamphlets they keep in tidy boxes are scattered across the counter and fluttering to floor, going over the counter. But suddenly he’s on the other side, his arms wrapped tight around Derek Hale.
Derek Hale who left this town nearly eight years before but is here now, whole and alive and fucking here.
“Hey,” Stiles finally says when the hug has dragged on kind of an awkwardly long time, his voice a little weak and definitely shakier than his hands.
Not that Stiles cares how long he’s been crushing Derek against him. He’s pretty sure it’s gonna take him about eight more years to convince himself to let go. So he just buries his nose a bit deeper in the longish hair behind Derek’s ear and breathes him in.
“Hey,” Derek says back, and Stiles doesn’t think he’s imagining that Derek sounds just as shaken as Stiles is feeling.
“Uh, Stiles?” comes another voice and Stiles turns his head just enough to see his dad standing in the doorway of his office, cup of coffee in hand as he watches them, his mouth curved in a sort of bittersweet smile. “Why don’t you let Derek go and the two of you can go catch up over lunch.”
It’s kind of clearly an order – from his boss as much as his dad – but Stiles’ arms spasm at the idea of letting go. Because no, it hasn’t been long enough and if he lets go now, Derek may disappear again and–
Every thought, every knee-jerk reaction going on in his head shatters when he feels Derek turn his head slightly, feels the scrape of close cropped stubble over his cheek just before there’s the faint sensation of lips pressing against his jaw before Derek pulls back.
Or, you know, tries to.
Stiles, even shocked stupid by that unexpected – but oh-so-welcome – little kiss, isn’t quite convinced to let go.
“It’s okay,” Derek murmurs, and they’re so close, Stiles could literally just tilt his head a fraction and be kissing him.
It’s tempting. Even the thought of the official reprimand he’d probably have to face for PDA in uniform doesn’t really faze him.
The sound of Derek’s stomach growling, however…
Stiles’ arms loosen in surprise and he pulls back to look down.
Derek – who hasn’t exactly removed his hands from Stiles yet either, it should be pointed out – shrugs sheepishly, his cheeks going pink. “I drove straight through when I got the invitation, so… I’m a bit hungry.”
Stiles nods, going a little cold all over as he realizes that the only reason Derek’s here is for Scott’s wedding. “Yeah,” he says, finally letting his arms fall back to his sides as he steps backward. “Let me just get my wallet and–”
A twenty slapping down on the counter cuts him off and Stiles looks to see his dad still smiling at him.
“It’s on me, boys. Go eat. I’ll catch you later, Derek. It’s good to see you…” the sheriff’s voice trails off awkwardly before he finally finishes with a, “back. It’s good to see you back.”
“It’s good to be home, sir,” Derek says, and no one can miss the emphasis he puts on that word. “It’s been too long.”
Stiles walks out of the building in something like a fog. “So,” he finally says, “where–”
“Here,” Derek says in a burst of sound, interrupting Stiles’ inquiry about where he wants to go to lunch.
Confused, Stiles looks around. “Huh?”
“I bought a house. Here. It’s where I live. Now.” Derek hooks a thumb over his shoulder, gesturing north on Maple.
Stiles swallows, that piercing feeling overwhelming him again. He thinks it might actually be joy. “You’re… moving back,” he says. “To Beacon Hills.”
Derek’s chin has barely dipped in a nod before Stiles is crushing him in another fierce hug.
Screw protocol and regulations about PDA, screw growling stomachs and time constraints. There are more important things right now.
Like pressing his own kiss to the curve of Derek’s jaw.
Imagine Stiles wearing a super baggy sweater/hoodie and boxers around the house.
The first night Stiles stays the night, Derek feels something small and tight and afraid unclench. Like he can trust this.
That he can have this boy, beautiful and bright and impossibly, his.
Stiles laughs when he rolls them in the sheets and kisses him, hard and hungry, and its a long time before he lazily complains about being hungry.
But the first time he comes home and finds Stiles there–
That’s when he realizes how deep he’s in.
Stiles is standing by the sink, sipping his coffee and glaring at his phone. He’s wearing Derek’s old NYU sweatshirt, the one two sizes too big for Derek that fucking swallows Stiles, and it hangs down almost to Stiles knees. He’s not wearing pants, and he has one foot braced against his knee, his toes curled against the cold ground and he looks perfect.
Derek moves across the room and Stiles smiles up at him, kissing him gently as Derek’s hands slip under the sweatshirt, curling at his hips, gripping the band of his boxers.
“Stay,” Derek murmurs and Stiles sighs against him.
“For how long?”
“Forever,” Derek breathes.
It’s too much. Too soon. Stiles is too young.And he can’t stop himself because he wants this. Wants Stiles.
Stiles smiles at him and presses a kiss and a promise to his lips. “Ok.”
three quotes from three beautiful stories by @carpemermaidtales – happy belated birthday and thanks for bringing the fandom (and me)so much joy through your art your writing and your personality!!! also you guys should check out the fics here =)
The heavy wooden doors opened with a buzz and Sherlock, with Marcus at his heels, made his way into the warren of small ER rooms.
“Here,” Bell stopped and motioned him back, “Room 37…. right here.”
Sherlock was not at his best at the moment. He was scared, not thinking clearly; the panic that swept over him upon learning that Watson had been hurt still clung to him like a sick child. He rushed into the room, stopping short at the sight of her. Pale, eyes closed, dressed in a too-big-for-her-small-frame hospital gown she lay prone on a hospital bed. He fixated on the large bandage near her temple.
A voice from somewhere in the room broke the silence, “One of you Dr. Watson’s husband, significant other … family?”
Marcus pointed to Sherlock, who lifted his eyes to the tall man in scrubs. “Will she be alright?”
“She’ll be okay. No concussion. The gash from the metal corner was deep, bled, like all head wounds do, required stitches. She received a local anesthesia and …”
“Sherlock…” His name whispered from her lips drew his instant attention. As he approached her bed, her arm came up reaching for him, “Sweetheart… I’m so glad you’re here…” Her hand slid down his suited arm and clasped his hand where it lay on the bed rail. “Kiss…” She tilted her head and waited.
Flustered, Sherlock glanced at Marcus and then the nurse. “Pain meds?”
The nurse nodded as he removed his gloves. “They’ve made her a bit groggy. I’ll be back to check on her in a few minutes.”
Marcus cleared his throat, “I uh …I’m going to hit the snack machine … give you guys a minute.”
Sherlock turned back to his partner, her eyes at half mast but still waiting for her kiss. He bent down and gave her a peck on the cheek. He kept his face close to hers, “I was so scared,” he murmured.
Joan’s hand moved to caress his face. “I’m okay… I’m here …” His eyes closed at her touch and his lips moved to find hers for the briefest of kisses.
“The birds are singing.”
Sherlock opened his eyes to find her staring at the room’s far corner.
“Hospital birds are so sweet don’t you think?” Her eyes followed a fluttery something that only she could see as it traversed the room.
Sherlock suppressed a smile. “You won’t remember any of this most likely, hmm?” Joan stared at him blankly. “ … my dearest Watson …” He moved her hand and kissed her open palm. “I love you.”
Two weeks later –
“Where do you think we should hang this?” Joan walked into the kitchen with a rectangular canvas in her hands.
Sherlock looked up from the stacks of papers spread before him. “Hang what?”
“I commissioned a painting from a friend. She is so talented.” Joan flipped the canvas, “What do you think? It’s titled ‘Hospital Birds.” She raised an eyebrow at him and awaited his reaction.
There’s a lot of things about sleeping with Stiles that you expect, once you get past the whole unexpected part of sleeping with Stiles.
Because that in itself is unexpected. You don’t plan on that, had tucked the want for him so deep and dark, you thought you’d forgotten it–except that he came home from college and dragged it out of you with nothing but a smile and a hey, sourwolf.
You’re helpless against that smile, that happy scent pouring off of him.
Maybe that’s why you don’t expect it. Because you never expected to be the reason someone is happy, haven’t been that since before Laura died, since before your stupid choices got your whole family killed.
But there’s Stiles, right up in your space, eyes bright and scent happy and demanding everything you’ll give him, and you want to tell him, everything everything I’ll give you everything.
You want to whisper, just don’t let go. Don’t ever let go.
You don’t expect that, the deep rush of emotions, the want that tangles with need that reeks of love.
You fuck him and bury that deep and when he never does quite leave, you try not to let those emotions out because it’s sex, it’s sex and people have been using you for sex since you figured out what sex was, and sometimes it doesn’t even get people killed.
And this is Stiles who you trust against all fucking logic, so maybe–maybe you can have this and what he wants won’t hurt you and everyone around you.
You watch him sleep next to you and think, maybe.
But you expect a lot, sleeping with him.
You expect the flailing, the way he can’t ever be still.
You expect the nonsense murmur, the words he can’t quite quiet in his sleep.
You expect the the way he’s shameless in his pleasure, his voice high and pleading when you fuck him, the way he begs for more.
You expect him to hog the blankets, a selfish cuddle monster you’ve seen on your couch too many times to count.
You expect the crumbs in bed, and the stacks of books on your floor, and the lingering scent in your sheets.
You expect his teasing, the way he pokes at your eyebrows and calls you grumpy, his voice fond.
You expect the admiring stares, the casual compliments, the way he can’t get over your looks.
You expect all of that, because you’ve known him for years and loved him for just as long, a thing you slid into so slowly and effortlessly, you were already gone when you realized you were even in danger of falling.
And you think you’re stupid, because you know him, and you don’t expect this.
You don’t expect his failing to still, his body boneless and peaceful when you wrap him in your arms.
You don’t expect his quiet sigh in his sleep, pleased and longing and soft and sweet, and shaping your name.
You don’t expect the way he’s generous, careful to watch you, and brilliant, remembering exactly what will get you there, drive you mad with pleasure until you’re coming in him, spilling down his throat, whining as you stripe the bedsheets with your come.
You don’t expect the way he clings to you in his sleep, the blankets wrapped around you both, a fucking octopus that grumbles sleepily when you crawl from the bed, the way he stumbles out of bed to find you, curls in your lap and falls back asleep there, mouth slack and breath warm against your skin.
You don’t expect him to bring you breakfast in bed, to read to you while you fall asleep, to steal your clothes and wear your scent when he goes home.
You don’t expect the way he caresses you, his hands gentle and his voice awed, calls you precious and when he’s holding you, you almost believe it.
You never expect the quiet confidence, the way he believes in you, the way he tells you that you’re a good alpha, how he comes to you for advice and listens to you when you talk, like maybe you are more than just a slab of meat and a good fuck.
You don’t expect Stiles, and even as you fuck him, as you finger him open and fill him up, press yourself so deep in him that no one will ever be able to replace you, even as you let him twist your lives together so tightly they’ll never be separate, you don’t quite believe it.
Because this isn’t what you expected, when you slept with him.
It’s what you hoped for, what you didn’t let yourself dream you’d ever have–but it’s not what you expected.
So the morning he rolls to you, and kiss your shoulder, the sun streaming in behind him, bedsheets messy and hair sticking up in every direction–
When he peers up at you with a squinty eyed smile and says, voice rough and sleepy, Love you, Der, before he curls closer and falls asleep–
It feels expected. And like the most unexpected thing in the world.
Maybe that has always been true of this thing you have with him, because you know it’s always been true of Stiles.