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Stiles opened the motel door, flicking on the lights. The light flickered to life as if they were forcing themselves to stay on. He looked around in the cramped space, the dingy motel not his ideal place to spend the night. As he scanned the room his eyes landed on the singular queen size bed squished into the corner of the room.
This was not going to be good.
Stiles turned back to see Derek stomping towards him from the car. Derek looked way to tense from the long drive, his shoulders almost drawn up to his neck. He needed the break, needed the time to recuperate, relax a little. Stiles had barely convinced him to stop for the night but Derek had been basically falling asleep at the wheel. And it wasn’t like Derek was going to let Stiles drive his car, so they are stopping.
Stiles cringed at the reaction he knew would be coming from Derek. Derek was not going to be happy with the one bed situation. Stiles wasn’t that happy either but he honestly didn’t mind sharing beds with people. He actively prefered it. The only reason he wasn’t happy about this was because he knew Derek would like it. It sucked because Stiles had the biggest crush on the older man and sharing a bed with him, even just to sleep, was a dream come true. Because see the thing is, in his sleep was the only time he was allowed to touch others without them flinching. Not that he ever remembered what happened through his sleep but he always felt more settled. His spark made him so much more susceptible to touch starvation which was a weird realization that had happened. Not that he shared that with the pack. that would have been extremely awkward. They all made sure to keep their distance, made sure Stiles knew he wasn’t allowed to touch. And Stiles didn’t fight it he did not want to jeopardize his place in the pack.
Derek appeared next to Stiles in the doorway causing the younger man to jump.
“There’s only one bed.” Derek stated as if he was trying to will another bed into existence.
“I know, sorry it kinda sucks, I know- yeah uh sorry-” Stiles stuttered out.
Stiles through his duffle bag into the corner not meeting Derek in the eyes. He didn’t know if he was going to survive this. Honestly, Derek might kill him and while with the rest of the pack he can use ‘I was asleep’ as an excuse to touch with Derek that would just not fly. He was the Alpha and while he accepted the casual touches from his beta’s to everyone else he was a ‘DO NOT TOUCH Zone. Stiles knew that even if he was ‘pack’. It didn’t mean he deserved the touches the others got. Which sucked but still Stiles accepted it.
“So um I can take the floor if you want?” Stiles shuffled awkwardly near the bed.
“Stiles we can share a bed. The floor will probably kill you.” Derek drawled out as if Stiles was being stupid. Rolling his eyes as he threw his own duffle bag onto the bed.
Stiles was kind of shocked by that. Sure he knew Derek and his’s relationship has steadily improved over the years. They were friends, pack but that didn’t mean Stiles expected the other man to be okay with them sharing a bed. It was strange but Stiles didn’t want to question it. He just jerkily nodded, pointing towards the door stating he was going to shower. Before fleeing from the main room into the safety of the bathroom.
The shower was absolutely needed and amazing. After 10 hours cramped in the car with minimal breaks Stiles was ready for a decent night's sleep. He needed to decompress and just recharge a little bit.
Stiles exited the bathroom to see Derek pulling on a t-shirt. Stiles averted his eyes to the ground, moving towards the bed. A blush creeping up on his cheeks. Now would not be a good time for Stiles to be aroused. He could not get into bed with Derek and be aroused at the same time. His brain did not need to go down the path of what Derek looked like shirtless and all the scenarios of why he would be shirtless.
“So how you wanna do this?” Stiles clapped his hands together, “Which side of the bed do you want?”
“You take the side by the wall,” Derek told Stiles.
Stiles nodded, exhausted, he crawled over the bed getting under the covers. He really needed sleep. Not even fighting Derek about the how obviously alpha he was being by taking the spot closest to the door, which would put him closer to incoming threats. He rolled onto his side facing Derek who flicked off the lights before crawling in right next to Stiles. They were plunged into darkness and when Stiles eyes finely adjusted to the dark he was met with Derek lying stiffly on the bed next to him.
“Hey Derek?”
“Yeah Stiles.”
“You can relax you know.”
Stiles laughed softly when Derek seemed to tense up even more.
They laid in silence for a few more minutes, Derek slowly relaxing next to him. Stiles eyes started to droop, sleep overtaking him. His breath evening out.
Stiles startled awake when a loud bang resounded. He surged upright on the bed, breath ragged as flashes of light illuminated the room briefly shocking bursts. His breathing coming out harsh from being suddenly jolted awake. Panic at the edge of his vision.
“Stiles it’s just a thunderstorm.” Derek touched his shoulder.
“O-oh right, just a thunderstorm.” Stiles breathed trying to get him to calm down, “Just a stupid thunderstorm.”
See the thing that the pack didn’t really know was that Stiles was terrified of thunderstorms and why wouldn’t he be. Nothing good ever happened during a thunderstorm. His mother had died during a thunderstorm and he was all alone when that happened. His father focused on a car pile up. He almost lost his dad to a thunderstorm, sure it was caused by the darach but a thunderstorm all the same.
Thunderstorms were bad and now he was with Derek while one of his greatest fears was raging on outside the window.
Stiles breathing got faster, he was well on his way to a panic attack. This was the worst possible situation.
“Stiles what wrong,” Derek’s concern evident in his voice.
“I-um” Stiles curled in on himself looking down at his hands, his breath coming out in sharp puffs, He shrugged.
“I don't like thunderstorms” He rushed out.
Stiles flinched at every flash of lightning and roll of thunder. He didn’t want to be here.
Everything became muffled when Derek slid headphones over his ears. Music blaring, it was probably hell on Derek’s wolf ears but Stiles could no longer hear the storm. Could still see it raging outside the window. Flinching at every flash of lightning. The weight of a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, Derek pulling it tightly around him. He grabbed Stiles face forcing him to look Derek in his eyes. Derek’s phones screen appeared in front of Stiles face. Blinking away the tears from his vision he read Do you want me to hold you, give you something to focus on.
Stiles jerkily nodded and between one blink and the next he was completely enveloped in Derek’s arms. Stiles face was tucked into the crook of Derek's neck, curled up on his lap. His breathing was wet and heavy against Derek’s neck sobs escaping his throat, even through his efforts to quiet them.
After what felt like hours Stiles eyes drooped, his tears subsided and fell asleep clutching onto Derek's shirt like a lifeline.
Stiles woke up enveloped in heat. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes he was met with a chest. He was curled into Derek. His head under his chin, Derek’s arms enveloping him completely. Stiles could barely tell where he ended and Derek began which was ironic because Stiles was still completely rolled up in the blanket. The headphones had fallen away some time during the night but it had to have been after the storm ended otherwise he would have woken up. Stiles felt completely safe in Derek’s arms and last night was by far the easiest thunderstorm he had ever gone through. He just wanted to lay there and bask in the safety that Derek emitted.
“We should get moving,” Derek spoke into Stiles hair.
Stiles flinched not expecting Derek to be awake. He tried to wriggle out of Derek’s grasp, give the other man the chance to discontinue the contact. Derek’s arms just tightened briefly before letting Stiles go. Almost as if he didn’t want to. Stiles sat up looking over at Derek who still had bed head and was completely adorable.
“Sorry about last night,” Stiles mumbled
He looked down at his lap, shoulders hunched in on himself. He wasn’t proud of last night. He didn’t like anyone knowing about is fear of thunderstorms. It was such a stupid fear. Stiles had faced off actual monsters but a little thunderstorm put him out of commision. He twisted his fingers painfully on his lap. Angry at himself.
Derek’s hands landed on top of his, pulling his fingers apart from each other.
“Hey it’s nothing to be ashamed of we all have our fears.” Derek spoke softly.
“Yeah but mine is stupid.”
“I'm scared of ladybugs.”
“What!?” Stiles looked up at Derek in shock.
“I’m scared of ladybugs. We all have that weird fear, you don't have to be scared of yours Stiles.”
All Stiles felt like he could do was shrug. Derek’s strange fear didn’t change his shame about his fear of thunderstorms but it did make him feel better.
“Yeah but you must still think I’m so stupid for reacting like I did to a stupid storm.”
“I really don’t. I would never judge you on something your scared of. Fear is irrational, it isn’t something we can control.”
Derek looked so genuine to Stiles. His eyes speaking way more than even his words were. He was so open, everything written on his face. It was the most vulnerable Stiles had ever seen Derek.
“Yeah I guess. Thanks for helping.”
“Can I ask you a question Stiles? You don't have to answer.”
“Yeah totally.”
“Are they usually that bad?”
Stile swallowed looking back down at his lap. He shifted uncomfortably, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. He didn’t want to tell Derek that they were usually worse but Stiles also trusted Derek. Trusted his whole heartedly. After everything Derek had just said he knew the other man wouldn’t judge him but Stiles also liked Derek. He didn’t want to expose just how weak he was when it came to storms. He also though felt like Derek had a right to know. Even if it was somewhat tense between them Derek was pack, he was family and while sure the rest of the pack didn’t know about his fear and Stiles wouldn’t tell them, Derek was different. Derek had always been different.
“They’re usually worse.”
“Stiles can you look at me.”
Stiles looked up. Derek was looking at him so intensely, Derek grabbed onto Stiles hands holding them gently. His gaze never wavering from Stiles.
“Did I help?” Derek asked, his entire face looked as though whatever answer Stiles gave would change everything.
The air felt charged between them. Like this was a tipping point into some unknown. Stiles leaned closer to Derek, closing some of the already small distance between them. Derek moved closer to Stiles as well. Only an inch of air between them.
“Yes.” Stiles whispered as he closed his eyes.
Their lips touched in a dry kiss. Both of them reluctant to push forward incase that would ruin everything. After a few second they parted. Stiles forced his eyes to blink open where they had fallen shut. Derek was staring at him, a look that was akin to awe on his face. Neither of them really wanted to break the silence both knowing that something had changed between them. That in reality everything had changed.
“What does this mean for us now.” Stiles spoke softly, trying not to pop the bubble they had found themselves in.
“It means you won't ever have to spend a thunderstorm alone again.