Chapter Text
It was the most epic fight they had ever had, and considering the number of fights they had had before they got together, that was something of a monumental feat. The pack hadn’t had to deal with an attack on Beacon Hills in almost a year. After everyone had gotten out of high school and settled into their lives, and established themselves as a stable pack, the threats had declined rapidly. Scott had turned out to be one of the best Alphas ever. Maturing into the role as easily as breathing, allowing for the pack to get through college and start lives of their own. The decrease in threats and increase in pack bonding time that wasn’t fraught with the threat of death had allowed the pack to get close, some members even closer than other. Like Derek and Stiles for instance. Yeah even they hadn’t seen that one coming.
It had started as just friends. Scott had gone off to college, Stiles had stayed home going to the nearby school for teaching and Derek had gone through BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) and had joined the Sherriff’s department as a deputy. This had put Stiles and Derek into close proximity when Stiles came to the station to hang out with his dad or to stick his nose into cases (hey, old habits die hard). Derek had been lonely after Braedon left and Stiles was sort of drifting without Scott to help tie down some of his excess energy. From the first Sunday that Derek had come over to the Stilinski residence for a game to the weekly outings on Saturday with Stiles their relationship grew.
It grew right up till that one Saturday night when Stiles had fallen asleep on Derek while watching a movie on the big comfy couch that Derek had bought for the loft. Stiles had managed to wiggle his way between Derek and the back of the sofa, wrapped his long limbs around Derek and pressed his face right into the crease of Derek’s neck, where he then proceeded to mouth at while dreaming. It had been too much for Derek. He had been fighting his attraction to Stiles for months and the feel of Stiles’ mouth on his skin had done things to Derek that he didn’t know could happen. Derek had rolled over and moved Stiles so that they were face to face and then proceeded to kiss Stiles awake. They had been damn near inseparable ever since.
Stiles had moved into the loft not long after and after the initial shock the pack had accepted their relationship without question. After Stiles had graduated from college and started teaching at the high school, the two had a reputation around town as the cutest couple in Beacon Hills. They were always smiling, happy and so in love that it was sickening.
So it came as a huge shock to the pack when Derek and Stiles had started all out yelling at each other during a strategy meeting over the werewolf pack that was trying to stake a claim on the outskirts of Beacon Hills where the Hale, now McCall/Hale, territory went into the preserve.
“You are NOT going out there Stiles. I absolutely forbid it!” Derek yelled, the edges of his eyes starting to glow that bright beta blue. The argument had started about fifteen minutes ago and had been steadily escalating until Derek had let out this burst of anger.
“You forbid it?” Stiles asked, his voice taking on an edge that few people had ever heard.
“Yes, I forbid it. It is a pack of werewolves Stiles. You have been out of the game for a while. You need to stay here and out of the fight.” Was Derek’s response. He seemed completely unconcerned with the high color of Stiles’ cheeks and the barely restrained anger in his eyes.
“Derek Hale,” Stiles started in a very controlled voice, “just because we are fucking does NOT give you the right to tell me what to do.” Stiles’ volume was steadily rising as he advanced towards Derek. “If I want to fight with the pack then I damn well will. You have no say so in my life choices and don’t for a second pretend that you do.” The last of his statement was punctuated with a shove at Derek’s chest that really had no affect what so ever.
Derek’s eyes had gone completely blue while Stiles had shouted that last statement. His next words were quiet, and said around the beginnings of fangs. “You are a human; you will do nothing but get in the way and cause a disadvantage. We would have to fight as one person down so that someone could watch you to make sure you didn’t do anything stupid. You are staying here and that is FINAL!”
Derek turned then and slammed out of the loft, the force of the door slamming knocking the picture of Derek and Stiles smiling happily into the camera at Erica and Boyd’s wedding last year off the wall.
Stiles sucked in a gasp at Derek’s last statement, and the hurt on his face as he watched the picture shatter to the floor was evident to everyone gathered at the loft.
Stiles swallowed around the lump in his throat before speaking quietly to the pack with his back still turned to them. “I’m sorry you had to see that. You can reschedule your planning session for tomorrow at Scott’s house.” Stiles then started walking towards the stair case, the only thought in his mind to get out of the room before he completely broke. “Please make sure to lock the door when you leave.” He managed to croak out before he disappeared to the second floor.
He vaguely heard Scott usher everyone out before he slid down the closed bedroom door and let out a broken sob. Stiles had thought that he and Derek were a team. That they were in love and that they both respected each other. Sure they had had a few spats here and there, but it was nothing to indicate that Derek didn’t see him as an equal. It made sense though. Stiles had always been the weak human, always been Scott’s tag along that didn’t belong. And Derek had been lonely after the break up with Braedon and Stiles had been convenient. It hurt; it hurt so much to find out that Derek didn’t love him as much as he loved Derek. He had been planning a life with him, he’d hoped they could get married soon, had been thinking of how great it would be to start a family. Stiles sat there, knees drawn up and arms wrapped around himself and watched his dreams of a happy life fade away while his tears slipped silently down his face.