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Derek stood in the master bedroom staring into the mirror. He frowned as he ran a hand through his hair. He’d been looking forward to the wedding for years, probably longer than even Stiles realized, but he felt uncertain about their relationship after the last couple of months.
He glanced over his shoulder towards the bed where his wedding present for Stiles sat wrapped in shiny silver paper with glittery hearts on it. He’d spent weeks while Stiles had been busy at the station working on the painting, hoping he’d get it done in time without raising Stiles’ suspicions.
He’d thought he would never get it done, but then Stiles began spending more nights at his dad’s house than with Derek, something he hadn’t done since they’d started dating when Stiles had returned from college to work at the Sheriff’s station. When Derek called, Stiles always answered, but he was evasive with his answers, and Derek knew he was keeping something from him. He never smelled anyone else on Stiles, but he wondered if Stiles was using magic to hide something.
“Fuck!” he cursed and started to pace the room. They were supposed to exchange gifts tonight during the rehearsal dinner, and Derek had cold feet.
The bedroom door opened, and Stiles stuck his head in, a broad smile on his face. Derek felt his shoulders relax slightly. A small part of him had been afraid Stiles might not show up. He gave a weak smile, and Stiles’ face instantly fell into a look of concern, and he pushed open the door and crossed the room quickly, taking Derek into his arms. “Alright?” he asked.
“Are you going to your dad’s again after dinner?” Derek asked instead of answering.
“I thought I should since it’s bad luck to see each other before the wedding,” Stiles said.
Derek’s frown deepened. “We haven't seen much of each other,” he said, trying to pull away.
Stiles let him go, ducking his head to look him in the eye. “Hey, I know I’ve been busy lately, but I promise you’ll understand soon. I'll stay here tonight if it makes you feel better,” Stiles said.
The front door opened before Derek could respond, and Scott shouted up the stairs that they were ready.
“Do whatever you want,” Derek told him and left the room, refusing to see the effect of his words on Stiles.
The rehearsal went as well as possible, with one groom giving puppy eyes and the other refusing to look at him. John pulled Derek aside as they headed back into the house for the dinner that John and Melissa had arranged for the wedding party. “What's the matter, son?”
“It’s nothing,” Derek said, trying to keep his voice in check, not wanting to piss off his future father-in-law.
John studied him, his face set in the serious expression he wore when questioning someone on the job. “You know Stiles loves you with everything he’s made up of, don’t you?” Derek pressed his lips together and looked away. “Whatever you are thinking, it’s wrong. You know him. Trust yourself a little bit.” John put a hand on Derek’s shoulder to pull him into a hug. Derek pressed his face into John’s shoulder. “He loves you, and everything will be clear very soon.”
Derek watched John go, leaving him alone in the backyard. Instead of heading into the dining room, where he could hear everyone talking, he ran upstairs to the bedroom. He picked up Stiles’ present and went back down the stairs.
As he passed the living room, he froze as a laugh sounded from within the room. Confusion washed over him as he heard his father’s deep chuckle, followed by his mother calling his name and laughter in her voice. Nearly dropping the gift when he placed it against the wall, he sprinted to the living room. The room was empty, except Stiles, who stood next to the fireplace. He watched Derek uneasily, his hands twisted in front of himself.
Derek’s gaze switched away from him to the television hung on the wall behind him. Derek’s parents' faces smiled from the screen. His mother was dressed in a lacey white gown, and his father was in a black tuxedo with a turquoise bow tie and cumberbund. Derek remembered seeing photos from their wedding, but this was different. They moved and laughed, dancing to “Even the Nights are Better” by Air Supply. His mother threw her head back and laughed as tears streamed down Derek’s cheeks.
He turned his head when Stiles laid a hand on his arm. “I found a box of home movies in the vault,” Stiles explained. “They were reel-to-reel films, so I’ve spent the last couple of months transferring them to DVD.”
“That’s why you’ve been at your dad’s so much?”
Stiles nodded. “This is just a highlight reel, and there are still several reels to go through. Maybe you could help after we get back from the honeymoon.”
Derek pulled Stiles into his arms, squeezing tightly until Stiles let out a tiny sound of distress. He loosened his grip but didn’t let go, burying his face in Stiles’ neck and crying less than quietly. “Thank you,” he managed to choke out.
“You’re welcome,” Stiles responded.
After a few moments, Derek pulled himself together and stood up, still keeping hold of Stiles. “You don’t want to know what I was thinking these last few months.”
“Fuck,” Stiles muttered, running a hand through his hair. “I knew I should’ve told you when I found the box, but I’d been having such a hard time coming up with a wedding gift for you. Then I saw the box and the idea came to me and-”
“And you ran with it,” Derek finished for him. “That’s who you are, and I know you love me, but it’s been tough not being with you these last few months.”
“I know,” Stiles said. “But after tomorrow, we get to be together every day of our lives.” Derek pressed a kiss to his lips in response.
“Are you ready for your gift? It’s not as great as this, but I still hope you’ll like it,” Derek said, moving back into the hallway to pick it up from where he’d left it.
“It’s from you. Of course, I’ll love it,” Stiles said, making grabby hands when Derek came back.
Derek held the present while Stiles first tore off the wrapping and then bubble wrap underneath. Stiles let out a small gasp when the painting was revealed. “Derek…” he breathed out.
Derek had come up with the idea when from a TikTok. A woman had commissioned an extraordinary painting. Although the woman’s parents had been gone for years, the artist had used photos from their last few years and pictures of the woman’s newborn daughter to create a painting. Derek had expanded on the idea and, with John’s help, had found photos of Stiles’ mom. Working from that and his own memories, Derek had created a family portrait of Stiles and Derek with their parents dressed up. He’d put himself and Stiles in their tuxedos for the wedding. Claudia was in a dress John had told him was Stiles’ favorite, and he’d put his mother in a similar style.
Stiles looked at the painting and then back at Derek, tears filling his eyes. “This is amazing,” he said. “You…I…fuck.”
Someone cleared their throat, and they saw John standing in the doorway, his eyes bright as well. “Now that the whole family is represented, can we get to dinner? Scott is complaining.”
“Just a minute,” Stiles choked out, and John nodded, giving them a soft smile before walking away. “Hey, I think that whole ‘bad luck to see each other before the wedding’ thing is bullshit,” he said to Derek.
Derek let out a startled laugh and raised an eyebrow, surprised at the change in conversation. “Yeah? Does that mean you’re staying here tonight?”
Stiles pressed his forehead to Derek’s with a sigh. “Dude, I’m staying here every night.” Before Derek could grumble about Stiles calling him ‘dude’ again, Stiles quieted him with a deep kiss.