Chapter Text
Stiles had decided to contact his grandparents. Or well, he decided to search for them and then contact them. The process had been long and taxing emotionally, but with Peter and Alesky by his side, the enterprise was successful and Stiles surpassed his anxiety. He thus sent a letter to his maternal grandparents, explaining he would like to know his mother’s family’s side and their culture, and that he was sorry for not having reached out to them sooner. The wait after he sent his letter was nerve-wracking, and the spark did everything he could to find an outlet for his thoughts.
When a letter appeared in his mailbox though, all the stress he had managed to push back came back at once. Sat on the floor, his back against Peter’s legs and one hand around Alesky’s ankle, Stiles opened the envelope and started to read.
Dzień dobry, mój wnuk. (*Hello, my grandson.)
We’re glad you decided to contact us. We’re really sorry we haven’t been there for you when Claudia passed away, but your father wouldn’t have us. We had a complicated relationship with him, and thus never had the chance to meet you.
You’re welcome to our home in Sopot anytime, and your companion too. We would like nothing more than to learn to know you! Your wujek (* uncle) Jacek lived near us, in Gdansk, you could meet him too if you want.
We are celebrating the Feast of All Hallows at our house this year, it’s a public holiday where the family gathers together to feast, and it could be a good occasion to learn about our culture too. We would understand if it seems too overwhelming for you though and you’re welcome any other time too.
Write us again when you can, maleńka (*little one).
With love,
Kresimir and Alina
It was… way more kind than Stiles had ever dreamed of. He was waiting for a “too little too late” kind of answer, not this. His first reaction was thus to be suspicious, he wouldn’t make the error of underestimating old people. He had enough experience to know that everyone could be dangerous, even geriatric people on their deathbed like Gerard had been. Hence his thoughts about those two who could be dangerous too. They had talked about Noah, why? Did they know they weren’t talking anymore? Was that a trap? Were they waiting for him? What if-
A hand on his wrist and a calm voice stopped him from spiraling too far away, and he came back to the present to hear Alesky’s smooth voice reciting the Völupsá. As weird as it could seem, they found out during Stiles’s training that most of the myths and poems about Old Norse religion captured his attention and sent him into a trance-like state. They supposed it was because of the blessing, the stories resonating in him, but they hadn’t really put thoughts behind it.
When the spark was calmer, Peter took over and started placarding his lover;
"It’s alright, darling, breathe. Everything is good, you’re safe, we’re safe."
"It's a trap, I know it, that's the only reason. Why would they want to see me otherwise? It's a trap, it's-"
"Calm down, sweetheart. It's not a trap, they're simply people who value family. You told me that yourself, don't you remember? That family is fundamental to people’s lives and society in Poland? You told me about how extended family is considered close family, and that's why your mother tried to gather everyone on every holiday."
Stiles's eyes were wide and unseeing, his breathing too fast and his hands twitching. Alesky moved to kneel before his brother, taking one hand into his and running soothing fingers on the palm of it.
"Your grandparent just wants to know the last living remaining of their daughter. It’s not a trap, it’s not an execution, and it’s definitely not an obligation for you to go. You can stay there, you can travel to Poland by yourself, or you can go to another country. You’re the one having control over your life, Vähän kipinää. (* little spark)"
A tight nod was the only answer that Stiles gave, before squeezing his eyes close and exhaling shakily. It would be alright, those people were simply a loving couple who loved their daughter, nothing else. He could do this. He could answer them and go to visit. Peter would be with him and he could always talk with Alesky by text or mail.
The more he thought about the positive, the more he relaxed and was soon ready to talk again. Closing his fingers around Alesky’s hand, and letting his weight fall against Peter, he sighed before exposing his thoughts to the two other men.
"I want to meet them, I’m just… I don’t know them. What if I’m not what they want?"
"You’re their grandson. And they’ve never met you, so how could they ever be disappointed? You’re a healthy man, you want to learn about their culture, and you’re ready to cross the world for it. They can only love you, darling."
Alesky nodded, agreeing with Peter’s words of reassurance. Family was sacred, as well in Norse paganism as in Polish culture. Just reuniting would make them happy, it was clear. Thus, Alesky exposed his thoughts and they all talked about Stiles’s choice for the rest of the evening. After that, the spark started an epistolary relationship with his grandparents, and learned more about them. Kresimir was a fan of classical music, especially Chopin and Beethoven, and loved to cook every time he got. His favorite color was deep blue, he liked going to the beach and reading there, and had a sweet spot for cats. Alina was an artist, drawing and painting with all the material she could. She also loved gardening and dancing, having a special spot in her heart for rhododendrons and krakowiak - a traditional dance-. She had always wanted to discover Spain, but had worked really hard all her life -like her husband- and thus never had the chance before.
With all this knowledge, Stiles was feeling closer to them and wasn’t as stressed to meet them as he was before. He sent them information about himself too, talking about his childhood and his love for nature. He also talked about Peter and Alesky, without giving too many details about how he met the latter. After all that, Stiles decided to accept their request and celebrated the Feats of All Hallows with them. He would arrive a week before to have the time to meet them properly and acclimate to the new country.
Sopot was a beautiful city. Their first stop was Sopot Beach, and it was sublime, with the longest wood pier Stlies had ever walked on. The sea was a deep blue, the sand was warm and soft, and old boats were also on the shore, remembering the fishing past of the city. An ancient lighthouse with an Ambavile blue roof and semi-circle windows was near the jetty, and the view from the top of it was breathtaking. It was perfect to release the stress which was quickly increasing at the mere idea of finally meeting Kresimir and Alina.
They had decided to meet for a meal by the fishing pier, and Stiles had already memorized every exit possible and made different plans to escape if ever the need arose. Peter was obviously trying to calm his lover, guiding him through breathing exercises, and spitting on the fashion taste of the people around them to make Stiles laugh. Peter was the first to spot the elderly couple entering the restaurant and discreetly warned his lover before putting a charming smile on his face. Both of them were now standing and waiting for Stiles’s grandparent to reach their table. When it happened, Alina was wearing a wide smile and Kresimir had glittering eyes, which seemed to make their grandkid relaxed even more. Alina was the first to talk, putting Stiles in a hug that made him tense a bit before escaping it.
"Dzień dobry, mój wnuk. (*Hello, my granson) You’re so tall! And strong!"
"A healthy man, good! I was worried you would be all skinny, they don’t feed you enough where you live. I’m glad to meet you, maleńka (* little one), and you too Peter."
Kresimir was more reserved on the touch, and Stiles thanked the Gods for it. The comment made him blush a bit, remembering the state he was in his and Peter’s early days. He was thankful for all the way he covered since then. Stiles didn’t really know how to interact with new people, and it showed in how his babcia (* grandma) tutted after him before leading him to his chair.
"I’m glad to meet you too. I’m sorry I’m not really… comfortable… with touch. But I’m happy to be here, thank you for having us."
"Nonsense! Why are you apologizing? It’s alright! We’re happy you’re both here. Now sit and eat, you’re still too thin for my taste. You should taste the ogorki kiszone and pierogi as an appetizer."
"The fish is amazing here too, freshly caught and well-seasoned. The pstrąg po galicyjsku and the okoń smażony are the best."
Peter and Stiles glanced at each other before smiling and listening to the older couple, watching their menu as if they weren’t going to command just what they were told. The conversation was easy and the food was, indeed, amazing. They all started to know each other, exchanging facts and anecdotes between dishes, and before they knew it, they had finished their meal. They all got to the Gajos’s house and the two newcomers were initiated to Baśka, a Polish card game where speed was essential. Knowing that Peter was petty enough to play with his supernatural reflexes made Stiles madly cackle when his Dziadzia (* grandpa) swept the rug under the wolf’s feet and won the game. All in all, the day was a success, and both Stiles and Peter were happy with their decision to stay in Poland for the next few weeks.
The first one went by really quickly, the four people multiplying activities together, wether the four of them or in groups of two. Peter even bonded with Kresimir around classical music, going out to see some orchestra with him and sharing their favorite operas and serenades. Stiles bonded with both his grandparents, cooking with his Dziadzia and gardening with his Babcia. This travel was also the occasion for Stiles to discover Peter’s talent for drawing, stumbling into the man discussing charcoal and red shalk drawing with Alina.
The spark was more than happy to learn about his mother’s culture and his grandparent’s life, enjoying their time together. The older couple taught them about the Feast of All Hallows, also called Dzień Wszystkich Świętych. It originated as a way of celebrating all those regarded by the Church as 'saints' and therefore giving an example to those still walking the Earth. With time, however, it gained more recognition as a holiday devoted to remembering the loved ones who had already passed away. In fact, it got mixed with the pagan feast of the dead, which is more connected to modern Halloween. It was really interesting to listen to the two Poles talking about superstitions and supernatural activity as much as Christian influence on the country.
The day of the feast was also the day when Stiles met his uncle, Jacek, and the man’s family. His wife was a Vampire descendant - for what the spark threw a heated glance at Peter, how was he not aware of vampires being a thing? How?- and was absolutely adorable. Having the chance to talk to Poles with supernatural heritage was something the younger members of the family hadn’t even dreamed of. Thus, Peter and he went to stay a week in Gdansk, in his uncle’s house and talked about every piece of lore that they saw with Alžbeta and Jacek. The vampire’s heir even presented Stiles and Peter to some of her own contacts, which couldn’t make the spark happier.
After those two weeks, the couple decided to rent a flat to stay another two weeks before visiting another country. During their time, they talked with many supernatural beings and spread the word about Stiles’s new career as a supernatural protector. He obviously swore Alžbeta and Jacek to secrecy about his first name and presented himself as Czerwony to all the new people they talked to. The supernatural community seemed to always need help because Stiles quickly received requests and answered them every time he could. Peter helped his lover as often as needed, and they both quickly became well-known partners, even if Peter’s name was never uttered.
It was like this that Stiles started his new job, becoming a full-fledged supernatural protector, as much respected as he was feared. Peter quickly informed him that requests came from all around the world, and they both agreed to explore a couple of countries, helping those in need and increasing their number of allies.