Chapter Text
Dear Derek,
This is Stiles. Your soul mate. I guess your Letter would tell you my real name, but I prefer Stiles. Maybe it tells you that too. It’s weird, thinking about all the stuff they wrote about me in your Letter. What kind of stuff did your Letter tell you about me? Did it tell you about my family? Or my friends? Did it tell you about my ADHD? I kinda hope not, that makes me seem like a spaz. I don’t want you to think that before we’ve met. I’m not weird, I promise.
Today is my twelfth birthday, so of course I got my Letter today! I guess you’ve figured that out by now, but I just had to say it. I couldn’t believe it said your name. I mean, I know all about your family and the fire (my dad’s a deputy, but I guess you probably know that too). I feel kind of bad now, that I snooped around your old house (sorry!) knowing you’re supposedly my soul mate or whatever. Scott, my best friend, and I went in there once because we thought there might still be dead people inside. There wasn’t and we got in loads of trouble when my dad found out. He told Scott’s mom, and we weren’t allowed to play video games for two whole weeks! He said we should be more respectful about other people’s property, even if those people aren’t around anymore. Sorry again.
I didn’t really believe I would get a letter, even though everyone gets one. I thought I would be one of the people that don’t get a match. I was so scared the letter would be blank! I mean, I know that’s rare, since everyone is in the system since birth, and it’s pretty unusual for someone to not have a match, but still. It could have been me (thankfully it wasn’t).
Anyway, I know all about you now! I read all the info they gave me with the letter as soon as I could (I had to escape my birthday party first). Dude, you’re awesome! You’re a werewolf! I didn’t know those existed, but since the Letters never lie, I guess they must be real. You must be real. That’s so cool! How does it work? Do you turn into a full wolf every month? Was your whole family like that too? It told me you had a huge family, so were they all the same as you? It must have been fun having a big family, especially being werewolves. Sorry if you don’t want to talk (think? write?) about your family, but I have a small family, so I don’t know what it’s like to have siblings. Did you go running around in the woods? Is that why you guys lived way out on the preserve? Oh man, I really want to know now. If you ever come back to Beacon Hills, you have to tell me. Don’t worry, though, your secret is safe with me. The Letter said that this was a huge secret, and I can’t tell anybody, but even without that little warning I wouldn’t have told. I’m supposed to keep the Letter confidential, since I haven’t technically met you yet. But hopefully I will soon. Since I turned twelve and got my Letter, you can talk to me now, right? I get that you weren’t supposed to tell me or anyone else since I wasn’t supposed to know yet, but now you can come back to Beacon Hills and meet me officially! Yay!
Since this letter will never actually reach you (I don’t know your address since you left) I can tell you whatever I want right? I’m going to. So, I know today is my birthday, and I’m supposed to be happy and oblivious to everything besides presents and cake and the Letter in the mailbox, but I just can’t. My parents have been acting weird lately, and I can’t focus on birthday stuff. My mom keeps going out, saying she’s visiting Melissa at the hospital. I don’t believe she’s telling me the truth, because dad gets this sad look on his face whenever she leaves. She always comes home looking sick, like she’s going to throw up. Sometimes she does. I try to ask her what’s wrong, but she always to straight to sleep (when she is done puking). She’s tired all the time too. Also, I think her hair is falling out. I keep finding pieces of it in the trashcan. Does that mean she’s sick? I think they are trying to hide something from me. I’m going to find out what it is. Leave it to me and my super sleuthing skills!
Since I’m writing whatever I want, Scott got his Letter a couple months ago. He hasn’t told me the name or anything, which means he hasn’t met this girl yet. I hope they come along soon, he seems really excited. All he’s told me is that it’s a girl, and she’s a year older than us. He isn’t allowed to tell me anything else until he meets her. I’m excited for him. But he has to wait, while I already know who my soul mate is! Aren’t I lucky? Although we haven’t met yet. I hope you come meet me soon!
Your soul mate,
-Stiles Stilinski
“You wrote a letter?”
“Sure did! I had to introduce myself, let him know I’m not weird, you know.”
“Hmm,” Stiles’ mother hummed. “Do you know this person? A boy, I assume?”
“Kinda, I guess. I’ve heard of him, heard his name mentioned, but I’m not allowed to tell where. That’s against the rules, right?”
“If you haven’t met him yet then you can’t tell anyone. Just keep it in your heart until you meet him.” She put a finger to her smile like she was keeping a secret.
Stiles nodded seriously, clutching the envelope closer to his chest. He watched as his mother went into the study, coming back with a box in her hands. It was simple, wooden with a small silver clasp to hold the lid in place. She reached out, offering it to Stiles. He took it while looking up at her in confusion.
“Is this for me?” He asked as he opened the box, revealing soft plum-colored fabric on the interior.
“No, darling, this is for the boy who is going to receive that letter.” Pointing to the letter Stiles was still holding. “I wrote letters to your father before I met him also. I kept them all in this box until our wedding, when I gave that box to him. You can do the same. Write letters to your other half and keep them in here until you decide to give them to him.”
Stiles kept studying the box as if it would show him all the secrets of the universe. After a couple more minutes of staring, he put the envelope in the box and shut the lid, letting the clasp fall into place. He looked up at is mother.
“Now go put it somewhere safe. It’s meant for the most important person in your life.”
With that, Stiles ran up to his room. He set the box carefully on his bed before looking around for a place to put it where it would be safe from his flaily tendencies, Scott’s overexcitedness, and any other potential dangers. He settled with putting at the top of his bookshelf, where he could see it, but it would be generally out of reach. He just looked at it for another minute before racing back downstairs.
Stiles found his dad sitting at the kitchen table and went over to join him. He looked at Stiles expectantly, waiting for him to talk first.
“What? Is there something you’re expecting me to say?”
“Are you going to tell me about him? What you can at least? It seems you’ve already told your mother a few things.” Stiles father probed him for information.
“Well, I can’t tell you much, but I can tell you that it is definitely a guy, and that he is a few years older than me. And I think I can get away with telling you that he lives, or at least used to live in Beacon Hills, but I haven’t actually met him yet, obviously. But from what the Letter told me, he seems like a pretty cool guy.” Stiles spoke excitedly. This was his soul mate they were talking about. The perfect person for him. How could he not be excited?
“Did your mother give you the box?”
“Yep. I even have a letter in it already. I had to write something to introduce myself, even though we’ll already know each other by the time he reads them.”
“That’s great, kid. Make sure to keep it safe. That box holds some precious materials.”
“I will.” Stiles affirmed, nodding seriously. “I already put it on my bookshelf. I’ll keep it safe, don’t worry.”
“I wasn’t worrying. You know how important that box is, even without me or your mother telling you. It’s in good hands, now.” The Deputy gave his son a proud smile.
Stiles beamed back at him, thrilled that his dad trusted him enough to give him such a precious gift. His dad must have loved that box, since it had once held letters from his mother. He wouldn’t let anything happen to his father’s (well now, his soul mate’s) letter box.
“I hope your mother and I will get to meet this young man soon, kid.”
“Me too, Dad.”