Chapter Text
“He’s gone.”
Kira stated as she approached Stiles, stopping right beside him as she sheathed her katana. Her eyes remained on the spot where the Nogitsune disappeared from their sight, or more accurately, dissipated into dust like burnt paper into the wind.
“For now, it’s not much but it should take awhile for it to burn out the Letharia vulpina out of its body,” commented Stiles, switching his gun’s safety on before tucking it at the back of his pants and turned to face the others who were still looking at him in confusion. “The Nogitsune might also take time to find information on the new players of his game. Pretty sure he didn’t expect me or Kira to be back here and crash whatever game he’s playing.” he added.
Stiles trails off, still thinking of the possible reasons why the Nogitsune is back. He doesn’t know why the Nogitsune would target Eli, he was a werewolf. The demon shouldn’t be able to possess him, he couldn’t even if he wanted to anyway. So why did it take Eli?
“PAPA!”
A force suddenly crashed onto him disrupting his thoughts. It took little time to register that it was his son; probably squirmed from Cora’s arms and ran straight for him. He adjusted his body to hold Eli and he began to stroke Eli’s hair. The teen began to bury his face in the crook of his papa’s neck, basking in the affection.
His son is safe.
He got here in time.
“Stiles.” a familiar deep voice calls to him. Stiles lifted his head slightly to see his husband letting out a sigh of relief and longing.
“Hey, Sourwolf.” Stiles was glad his voice was steady, not betraying how worried he was himself. He reached out to Derek, beckoning him to join the hug.
Derek’s larger form surrounds him. A warm cheek meets his and he nearly laughs at how overgrown his husband’s stubble feels against his skin. It’s been three months since he’s been gone for his mission; and it already seems like his husband has forgotten to shave properly.
The comforting embrace of his family after those arduous three months makes his body sag, tension leaving his bones. Stiles closes his eyes, enjoying the precious moment for a bit longer. Stiles wasn’t a supernatural creature of any kind, but the smell of his husband and son surrounding him made his entire body finally relax after all the anxiety and unease he felt for weeks since he started having nightmares again.
But of course, moments like these tend to be too short and few for his liking.
“This is sweet and all,” Breadan’s tired voice interrupts them. Her expression pretends to be annoyed but the slight fondness underneath it all doesn’t have them convinced. But most importantly, she just looked tired. Carrying that hefty sniper bag uphill and downhill through bushes and mud would have that effect Stiles supposes.
“I suggest you all move to a safer location and recover; while that thing’s out of commission for who knows how long,” she glances at the teen who was clinging to Stiles tightly while Derek unwrapped his arms around his family and stood straight as he faced the mercenary. This is the first time they’ve seen each other after their short fling years ago.This was also the first time she’s laid her eyes on Eli in person, Derek’s son. So far, her only knowledge of the teen was from a picture and brief description from what the mole speckled FBI agent shared on their journey to Beacon Hills. She knows that Eli is Derek’s biological son. But on her first impression of the teen, he could pass as both theirs.
“I can’t stay.” Breaden stated as she turned her attention back to Stiles and adjusted her hold on her sniper bag. “After all these years this town still gives me the creeps.” Stiles patted Eli’s head prompting the teen to reluctantly let go of his papa, Stiles walked over to the mercenary and held out his hand.
“That’s Beacon Hills for you. Thanks for your help Braeden.”
Breaden took his hand and gave a firm shake. “Always a pleasure agent,” she shifted her eyes to look at the werewolf pair, “It’s good to see you Derek. Eli, your papa has told me about you, I hope our next meeting would be in better circumstances." She gave the teen no chance to reply as she turned to make her way out of the forest, the mercenary simply gave a nod of acknowledgement to the others as she passed them.
“Is she always like that?” Eli asked his papa, earning him a chuckle from the brunette.
“Yeah, that’s Breaden all right. But, she’s right, we have to go; you guys need to recover. Kira, Cora, lead everyone to our house. The others will meet us there.”
Cora responded with a mock salute and walked over to Jackson, she gave a quick introduction of herself to the blonde and offered to help with carrying Lydia. There was reluctance on the kanima but accepted her help when Lydia reached for the werewolf. While Kira just nodded at him then went to help Scott, there was an awkward atmosphere between the two former lovers. Well… more on the werewolf than the lighting kitsune’s, it’s been years since they’ve seen each other after all.
Stiles turned to look at Derek and Eli and smiled softly at the seeing them again and the fact that they made it in time. He’s rather not dwell on the possibilities of what could have happened if they were a moment too late.
The group slowly made their way out the forest and Stiles’ thoughts began to circle back on the Nogitsune’s return. How was it able to escape its prison? He never did think about what the others did with the capsule that held the demon captive after it was ejected from his body. He wasn’t exactly in the proper headspace during that time, he was busy recovering physically and mentally from the psychological torture he endured from being possessed. However they hid the capsule, it didn’t matter anymore; because it was out, but what exactly did it want? He had to find out.
If it wanted revenge on Scott for biting him and weakening him enough to be sealed, then taking the werewolf’s mother as hostage made more sense. Derek provided them with the container where they eventually sealed it in, then it would make sense for it to go after Eli. The demon might also want his revenge on Stiles. No matter how one looks at it, in the grand scheme of things; Stiles did everything he could during his possession to fight the demonic parasite that once inhabited his body. Stiles was unconsciously leaving clues for himself, Lydia, and the others to solve, so they could stop the Nogitsune’s next move. No doubt the demon was definitely pissed about him for ruining his fun. It would probably try to steal Kira or Hikari’s tail and might get rid of them well if they tried to get in its way.
But that begs the question, who did the chaos demon choose as his host this time that the person knew that Eli was his son? Unless —
“Stiles…” His train of thought was disrupted when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his husband’s face softly looking at him. “Hey, stop overthinking for now and let’s get Eli and the others home.” They both turned to the teen walking on Derek’s other side.
“I’m fine dad, that thing was basically a thousand year old mummy.” Eli said with a grinning face, but the tension on his shoulders were clearly visible to his parents, still shaken from being held hostage by the demon fox. ‘I really should have shot it again.’ The agent thought as he observed his son’s current state.
Whatever words of comfort Stiles wanted to tell Eli died on his lips when his husband spoke up. “We can brainstorm once we’re safe, okay?” Derek reasoned with him. “Okay.” he simply replied and took a step aside and called the teen to walk between him and the older werewolf. Eli gave a big smile and made his way in the middle of his parents as they began their journey to whatever vehicle they decided to bring to the forest.
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They successfully reached the Stilinski-Hale house with no further trouble and the group of mostly exhausted shifters plus one human scattered into different parts of their home as they entered. Derek ushered Eli into the kitchen to help him wash, with Cora joining them. Jackson followed them with the reason that he wanted something to eat.
Stiles watched the kitchen’s occupants while Lydia, Scott, Kira, and himself settled in the living room. The two agents remained standing, being in the FBI for years had taught them to remain alert no matter how quiet everything seems. Scott also opted to stay standing, he looked restlessly agitated. The banshee sat on the couch needing more time to recuperate, she was rubbing at her neck claiming that it was itchy. Derek had volunteered to make her some tea to help soothe her throat. After a few moments Scott and Lydia began to recount to the two agents of the events that happened before they arrived back at Beacon Hills.
”YOU WHAT?!” Stiles cried out in utter disbelief as his idiot friends told him what they had just done. All the werewolves visibly flinched at his sudden loud outburst.
“I’ve been hallucinating about her. She was asking for help.” Scott explained looking like a kicked puppy. It used to work on Stiles, but not anymore.
“I don’t think that’s Allison.” Kira stated firmly from her spot. “It could be an illusion the Nogitsune conjured up to lure us back here.”
“I dreamt of her too. Or at least I unconsciously kept writing her name on almost everywhere I could write at work. My powers haven’t been this strong since —”
She paused and a look of understanding was shared between them, they made their peace with what happened between them. It took years and work on both their ends but they were both thankful that they’ve rekindled their friendship.
“You’ve been dreaming about her? Why didn’t you tell me?” Stiles questioned only to receive a scowl from the banshee as she replied, “I started having them weeks after you left for your current mission. Maybe around three weeks ago, more or less.” the agent raised his hand in surrender and more calmly asked, “Lyds, how exactly did you feel, when you started having visions about Allison?”
Lydia took a moment before answering. “It– It felt like she was calling to me, from beyond, somewhere? Maybe somewhere in-between? I’m not really sure since, again, it’s been awhile.”
Stiles listened carefully and thought about the extreme mess they’ve found themselves in, Kira nodded at Lydia and says, “If it really is Allison calling out to you and Scott–”
“And Chris.” Scott added.
Stiles turned to Scott in surprise, “Chris? He’s seeing Allison too?”
“Yeah, he uh– he came to see me and Deaton in LA.”
“Did you start seeing Allison long before or did it just start recently?”
“I can’t exactly say. Maybe around the same time as Lydia.” Scott answered.
Stiles looked between them then to Kira who placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile. The look she was giving him says, they had to know . Stiles pouted at the kitsune but nodded at her, he knew she was right.
He looked at Scott then at Lydia as reveals, “I started having nightmares again, about the Nogitsune.”
“What? When did it start?” Lydia inquired with a hint of worry in her voice.
“Two weeks ago, while me and Kira were on a mission, it– it felt like he was in my head again. It comes and goes, until it became every time I closed my eyes, I had a nagging feeling that I needed to come back to Beacon Hills.” Stiles admitted, “I needed to protect my family if there was any chance my dreams were true, and apparently my gut was right.”
“Stiles…” Scott began, but Stiles held his hand up to stop him from continuing.
“Where’s Allison now?” He asked as he felt a headache slowly growing from the whole situation that they’re currently in.
“When she woke up in the hospital she escaped. I tried to stop her but she didn’t recognize me, or any of us. Maybe something went wrong with the ritual that messed up her memories or something. We don’t know where she ran off to, Chris went to track her.” Scott abruptly took his phone out and checked his messages. “He hasn’t updated me yet on where they are or if they found her.”
“Wait. Rewind and pause for a second. How did you guys even do the ritual? What exactly did you need and do?” Stiles inquired. The strawberry blonde was the one who answered them with Scott adding some additional information here and there.
“Wait. Where did Mr. Argent get the Oni sword?” Kira asked suddenly, straightening up with her arm folded across her chest. “That shouldn’t be possible. The Onis disappear once you kill them and their weapons disappear with them.” Kira pointed out as she looked at Stiles, it earned her a frustrated groan from her superior.
“Ok, so recap. You guys bought Allison back because of a collective hallucination that Scott, Lydia, and Chris shared. Probably because you three have the most connection to her. Lydia had a vision of a ritual to bring her back with the suspiciously discarded and specific Oni sword that killed her. We are checking the facts on that when Argent gets here. The Nogitsune is also back to terrorizing Beacon Hills and according to your story, killed a cop who was apparently a Kitsune and stole his tails to summon the Oni.” Stiles paused for breath and immediately continued because the current adrenaline following in him is in abundance with the stress he’s experiencing with all the shit that always goes down in Beacon Hills.
”Chris is now currently tracking Allison, I’m sure your mom probably went with him in case Allison needed medical attention when they found her. Also logically to assume that Peter probably went with them, for extra protection but, knowing Peter, I mostly think he went to annoy Chris and for proof if Allison is real or not.”
The agent paused again to check the expressions of the others to see if they had anything to add or correct in his conclusions. When no one spoke out or objected he continued, “I’m also guessing that my dad, Parrish, and Mason are helping look for Allison elsewhere. Kira told me awhile back that Hikari and Liam are here too.”
“How did you–” Scott began but Stiles waved the question away. Thankfully the werewolf didn’t push on how the agents knew Liam and Hikari were in town as well. “ I’m sure those two are scouting for possible places where the Nogitsune could possibly be hiding.” Stiles concluded, the exhaustion becoming more evident in his voice.
“That sounds pretty much all of it.” Scott confirmed with Lydia nodding in agreement.
“Alright, for now get some rest while we can and wait to hear back from the others. Whatever the Nogitsune wants, we are getting rid of it again no matter what it takes.” Stiles declared.
They all gave a nod of agreement.
They had to get rid of it. They will get rid of it.
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“Did you seriously use the Star Trek hand thing to signal a sniper?”
“First of all, it’s called ‘Vulcan Salute’ and secondly, confusing the enemy is an advantage, and third I thought anything nerdy is beneath you Whittemore?”
“Shove it, Stilinski.”
“It’s Stilinski-Hale now. If you’re going to insult me, at least get my name right, you overgrown lizard”
Jackson flipped him off as he sat on the couch next to Lydia and handed her the tea that Derek had prepared for her, while the former bully but still an asshole, had coke and was currently enjoying a slice of pizza laid out on the coffee table in front of him. Eli and Cora were still in the kitchen conversing about her adventure stories from traveling the world, helping distract Eli from his experience, at least for a short while. Stiles was relieved that he decided to call the nomadic Hale for help, she is family and needed to be here.
Stiles himself felt uneasy and restless that he decided to stay standing and only leaned against a mostly bare wall in their living room. “You okay?” Derek asked as he walked up and handed Stiles a cup of coffee, the agent smiled at him and gratefully took it.
“I’m good, thanks Big Guy.” He shrugged then took a sip from his cup as Derek made himself comfortable leaning against the wall besides Stiles. The agent turned to look at the front door and wondered how his partner was doing in her own conversation with her old flame. The True Alpha had asked Kira to talk in private after their little meeting. The porch was the best they could do, private conversations were a bit difficult in a house where the majority of the current occupants have supernatural hearing.
“Stiles, Kira’s fine. They’re just catching up.”
“It’s rude to listen to private conversations of others Der-Bear.”
“I’m not listening,” his husband shrugged, “It’s just the obvious thing they would do.”
He never did understand why for some odd reason he was the one Kira called when she finished her training with the Skinwalkers. She had discovered new powers and learned new skills. But, she conveyed that she wasn’t ready to reunite with her parents, she wanted to find herself, and needed a new purpose.
A few months of him helping Kira get reacquainted to society and all the things she missed, they became best friends. When Stiles was reassigned as a team lead to the newly opened Classified Supernatural Division he offered the kitsune a job as his partner. They had discussions about the job responsibilities and the training she’ll undergo to be an agent at length. The day she was hired, they informed her parents and Kira gave him a drawn out and way too enthusiastic and thankful hug that sorely reminded him that he was human and getting old.
“You okay?” Derek’s concerned voice questioned him as the werewolf slowly moved his hand to hold his. Instead of answering, Stiles lets out a low moan as he glances down and sees black veins traveling up his arms. Werewolf pain drain was better than pain medication in his opinion.
“I’m okay sourwolf, I’m just tired, that's all. Haven’t had a good night’s sleep since the nightmares started up again while we were on a mission.” the agent explained. Derek’s face contorted in-between a frown and worry. The agent slightly chuckled at how cute he looked, “I’m fine worry-wolf. After all this, I– We are taking a month-long vacation. Maybe two or three and I promise I’ll sleep as long as I need.”
That seemed to satisfy the werewolf before commenting. “Good, cause you smell like you’re made of caffeine right now.”
“Rude Der. Very Rude.”
Derek chuckles at Stiles’ dramatics and that laugh made the agent want to jump him. But the agent willed his need to do so away, because he did not need a room full of werewolves to smell how much he wanted to climb Derek like a tree. He hasn’t seen his husband for three months, he has the right to want to. He had a ring to prove that he had every right to ogle his Greek-god sculpted husband okay.
“Stiles.” growled Derek. Fuck .
“I know, I know. Not the time.” Stiles says as he drank more of his coffee. He sees Cora making a disgusted face at him before turning back to Eli. Their son glanced at them confused but gave them a small wave before he went back to talking to Cora.
“Oh shit. Do you think Eli can smell me?” Stiles nervously asked, because he’d rather not have his son witnessing or smelling any unpleasant scent from his parents.
“No. Eli said that he’s only able to heal his leg after Scott roared at him.”
“Scott roared at him…” Should I shoot Scott?
“Calm down. It helped and Eli was able to heal.”
“Why was Eli injured in the first place? And Where?”
“His Lacrosse game at Beacon Hills. I asked Coach Finstock to let him play in the game for a few minutes.” The werewolf admitted as he turned away from his husband. Stiles may not be a werewolf with the ability to detect lies but he was trained intensively on reading body language. Not that Stiles really needed that training to know that his husband of eight years was lying to him, or at the very least withholding information from him.
“Right… What else aren’t you telling me?”
Derek’s jaw tightened, but the werewolf really didn’t want to lie or keep anything from him when it came to their family; especially Eli. Derek conceded and told him about how the revived huntress hunted him and Eli down and how he was injured. He told Stiles about how Hikari and Liam made it in time to save him from being killed and that Malia and Scott had taken him in time to Peter to be healed. That he sent Scott to save Eli from Allison.
Stiles was stiff and was gripping his mug as he listened. When Derek was done telling him what happened, the werewolf cupped Stiles’ cheek and softly began to whisper that it was okay and that he and Eli were safe. That Stiles made it in time. The agent calmed down enough to lean his head against Derek's shoulder, thanking whatever supernatural power there is that his husband survived, that their son was okay. Stiles still considers shooting several people.
A quiet moment settled between them and was only broken when he heard Derek mutter, “I missed you.”Stiles turned his head to look at Derek and gave him a tired smile.
“I missed you too, Sourwolf.” he replied fondly and leaned his body closer to the werewolf’s.
Derek rolled his eyes but returned the smile and wrapped his arm around Stiles’ shoulders, pulling him close as he placed a kiss on his forehead, breathing in Stiles’ scent that has been long absent in their home.
The sudden sound of vehicles arriving made everyone in the room turn to see the lights shining through the windows. Derek lets go of Stiles and the latter gulps down the rest of his coffee, earning a raised eyebrow from his husband which the agent ignored and handing him the now empty mug. Derek says nothing and simply takes the mug. They both straightened as they recognized the familiar rumble of cars that belong to the Beacon Hills finest. Eli excitedly ran from the kitchen yelling out ‘he got it’ and sped towards the front door to greet the new arrivals.