Chapter Text
Stiles is tired, so fucking tired he wished he could fall asleep in his bed and not wake up for a couple of weeks. He wished shit hadn't hit the fan as much as it had but the universe had never really liked Stiles anyways, it never answered his prayers about his mother so why would it now? It's been five months since Scott got bit by Peter and discovered his cool furry powers. Ever since then Stiles had dealt with serial killing hunters, Peter's insanity, Derek's brooding and Scott's god awful Romeo and Juliet love story with Allison, ugh romance.
To be completely honest Stiles needed a break from it all but no... apparently he is the only one with a brain cell around. He sometimes wonders what would have happened if he didn't drag Scott out into the dead of night that day five months ago, the conclusion? A much better life.
It wasn't that Stiles couldn't deal with it all, it's just he was risking a lot, okay? Everyday he spent in Scott's furry company the chance that Scott would notice something was off with Stiles grew and that is not the mention the actual real danger of being around Derek who grew up with the supernatural as his main world. Scott might be oblivious to all so the chances he found out was low, so low it was a little insulting to Scott's intelligence. Derek, on the other hand, could potentially figure it out but Stiles doubted he had learned much about aquatic creatures so to speak. Peter might but he's dead so... yeah.
Stiles was, for a lack of a better term, a mermaid. Yup, and honest to god mermaid. Not that he liked that word, it didn't quite encapsulate everything he was and he certainly did not want to be compared to the little mermaid. He kept this secret so well hidden even his father forgot from time to time, but now he was actively participating in 'team supernatural', though as the token human, he was risking his very existence being found out and he hated it. That's why Stiles wanted to sleep for a couple of weeks, maybe then he would actually sleep and not hear the insistent calling of the ocean in his ears as soon as he closed his eyes.
It had been years since Stiles even sat foot near a body of water and definitely not the ocean. The ocean was the place his mother would take him at least once a week. It was their sacred place where after a taxing week in the human world they could finally be free and they could swim, god they could swim. Stiles still remembers the smell of salt water filling his nostrils and sometimes in the dead of night he could feel the waves brush up against his skin. The ocean was a vital part of who he was so when his mother died and his father was too drunk out of his mind to even consider taking Stiles to the beach, not that he would have wanted his father to because that was his and his mother's place not his father's, Stiles swore he would never set foot on another sand and water filled heaven.
After his mother's death he couldn't even bear to look at his tail. The sight of the scales made him burst into tears and no matter what his father did he couldn't get Stiles to stop before he passed out from exhaustion. So Stiles swore off shifting as well and decided to just live as a human for the rest of his life. He wouldn't be a mermaid if his mother couldn't join him in their ocean kingdom. There was no need to torture himself like that when all he would feel was incomplete, like his heart was actively being ripped out of his chest.
The transition from shifting at least once a week to never ever again was difficult but Stiles managed. His mother did always say he was resilient, sometimes he wonders if this is was she had imagined after saying those words. Probably not but it's not like Stiles could ask her.
∘˙○˚.•☆•.°○˙∘
Stiles sighs as he grabs the keys from the bowl by the front door, another sleepless night filled with researching for whatever was killing things this time around. At least he hadn't had heard the ocean calling to him, little hard to hear when he had music blasting his ears and high on coffee. If that wasn't all Scott had been freaking out about Derek biting three of their classmates. Isaac, Erica, and Boyd, social outcast given an ego boost to the moon. Stiles absolutely hated how the three went around thinking they were the shit when not two weeks ago they would shy away from any who acted that way because they were afraid of getting bullied. Stiles had half a mind to grab Derek by the ear and tell him to get his puppies in line.
With a shake of his head Stiles starts his jeep and drives to school. Maybe he could sleep during English class and risked getting yelled at or at lunch if Scott didn't have another mental breakdown about one thing or the other. Two solid options if he said so himself, god what was his life if those were good options?
∘˙○˚.•☆•.°○˙∘
At school time seems to go by fast or maybe it's just the sleep deprivation talking, regardless Stiles can't wait for the bell to ring and when it does he is one of the first out of the door. The thoughts of his lovely bed comes to mind but when he sits down in his jeep it doesn't want to start.
With a groan Stiles hits his head on the steering wheel and gets out to open up the hood. Stupid jeep can't drive him home to his lovely bed so he can get some heavenly sleep. He grumbles some more and with some duct tape and finagling the jeep roars to life. It's not a particular good sound so with a another groan Stiles decides to drive to the mechanic.
The mechanic tries to press all the money he can get out of Stiles, but Stiles is a stubborn bastard who fights back and they keep going back and forth on what needs to be done and the price for it all. They finally settle on an agreement that Stiles is more than a little unhappy with but it is his beloved jeep so he should sacrifice some of his savings for its continued survival.
He goes to sit down in the waiting area of the autoshop so he can wait for his jeep to be fixed and maybe keep an eye on the mechanic. There's no way he is leaving his jeep with the mechanic, who knows what sort of tricks he would pull to get more money from Stiles.
Suddenly something falls to the ground with a loud bang in the autoshop making Stiles jump a little before he turns to look for the mechanic. He peeks into the repair room and there is no mechanic to be found.
"Hello?" Stiles calls out looking around to see where he went. He gets no response after a while and decides to carefully venture back to where his jeep is.
He takes small quiet steps and looks around the jeep to see where the hell the mechanic went. As he rounds the jeep he catches the glimpse of feet on the ground, he makes it further and his eyes widened. The mechanic's lying on the ground unconscious. He clamps his hand over his mouth trying not to yell in shock at the scene in front of him. Whoever did this could still be around, he can't afford to alert them of his location.
Stiles feels the air around him move like a faint breeze from something moving quickly through the space. From his peripheral view he catches the split second of a tail. That's all Stiles needs to see to book it out of there, he starts moving towards the waiting area with the thought of getting the hell out of there but he doesn't make it. He makes it right to the door to the repair room as he feels his limps going numb and falls forward onto to the floor in the waiting area unable to move any of his limps. Stiles' heart climbs to his throat beating faster and faster. He knows he is panicking but that knowledge doesn't stop his body from hyperventilating or shaking uncontrollably.
The sound of the creature comes closer to him, he can hear the sound of it's appendages sticking to the floor, the consequently slimy sound of it lifting them and walking closer to Stiles. Stiles looks frantically around for the creature until his eyes lands on it and he freezes as he stares, it stares back at him hungrily. Its whole body is covered in slimy dark green scales. Its eyes a sickly yellow color while the pupils forms like slits. It stares into his soul; all Stiles wants to do is close his eyes and forget the thing in front of him but he feels compelled to keep staring like if he looks away for even a second he will give in to it and die.
Suddenly the creature backs away and returns to the mechanic. Stiles closes his eyes this time and sighs as he tries to will his heart to calm down. He flinches though when the screams of the mechanic permeates his ears as he's ruthlessly murdered in the other room.
Stiles wishes he could use his arms to cover his ears but he is left unable to control his body. Tears find their way to his eyes stinging them before the floor beneath him begins to feel wet, oh god he can't even feel his own tears trickling down his face. He can't turn off the terrified screams of the mechanic and he can't help him either, he can't do anything. That thing is murdering the mechanic with no plan to stop, Stiles keeps whispering to himself guilty please get it over with, please get it over with, please get it over with.
Slowly the noise dies down and the creature crawls away from the autoshop. Stiles gulps and then gathers himself, gotta compartmentalize everything that just happened, he does not have time for a mental breakdown like ever. His body's still numb from the creature somehow. Does it have some kind of paralyzing power? As the thought pops into his mind Stiles becomes aware of a cut on the base of his neck, it slightly stings him. The creature had definitely cut him which meant it had to have some kind of venom that it administered when cutting into the skin of its victims.
Okay Stiles can work with venom, If he can get it out of his system that was. Which he can't... but if he had access to water he could manipulate it into his body and expel the venom from within and just spit it out. Though the only water he had access to is his fallen tears on the ground and they are already drying up. Stiles sighs preparing to maybe take a nap or something.
∘˙○˚.•☆•.°○˙∘
Sitting in an ambulance wrapped in a blanket he tells his dad for the hundredth time what happened. There's cops cars all around them with their lights blinking and forensic workers around the body of the mechanic. When they all had arrived Stiles had immediately been escorted over to the ambulance to be checked out, he had grumbled and protested that he didn't need it but then his dad had showed up and practically kicked him into the ambulance.
"Are you sure that's what happened?" The sheriff questions.
"Yes I am sure dad. I was waiting for the jeep to be fixed then I heard some loud bang and I went to investigate then I saw his body covered in blood." Stiles lies effortlessly to his dad and shakes at the memory. He has seen enough blood for a life time yet he keeps ending up at an active crime scene. His dad also does not need to know Stiles saw and heard the whole murder/murder suspect. His life is too complicated as it is.
"Alright son, how about you go home and rest." The sheriff squeezes Stiles' shoulder effectively shaking Stiles out of his thoughts, "I have to keep the jeep."
"Say what?" Stiles blinks owlish and hops down from the ambulance.
"I am sorry but it's evidence son. I'll see if I can get it processed quickly okay?" The sheriff reassures him clapping him on the shoulder before walking away.
"How the hell am I supposed to get home?" Stiles pouts before texting Scott to come get him.
For once in his life Scott listens and comes to his rescue but only so he can question Stiles on the creature. Of course, because what is friendship if not the opportunity to harass your friend with questions?
"Not only do we have to deal with Derek and his douchebags but also the murderous psychopath." Scott whines and complains.
"Yeah the murder lizard is not great, in fact I would argue it's a bigger concern right now." Stiles states and tries not the sound irritated about Scott's ongoing 'I hate everything to do with Derek Hale' attitude. Sure Derek is a giant asshole and has been more of an asshole since he became alpha, especially biting three emotionally unstable teenagers! but Stiles digresses.
"Well we have to do something about both problems." Scott responds keeping his eyes on the road.
Stiles sighs, he already knows it meant he is going to figure it out while Scott tries to make amends with Allison. Sometimes he wanders how this whole werewolf thing would have gone if Scott didn't fall in love with a hunter's daughter. Would it have been easier? Would it have been more difficult to find Kate Argent? He couldn't tell anymore. What Stiles did know was a Romeo and Juliet love story like Scott and Allison's could only end in the disaster but Stiles has already tried to sway Scott from doing it to no avail, oh well the guy had to learn on his own at some point.
After promising Scott to figure something out he gets out of the car at his house and makes a b-line to his bed. He faceplants into it groaning for a long time quietly hating his life. He can still feel the remnants of the venom in his body and after a serious debate with himself about leaving bed and healing himself he heads to the bathroom.
In the bathroom Stiles turns on the tab and reaches out his hands to touch the water. Slowly water stop running down the drain and starts to creep up his arms and getting absorbed into his skin. Focusing on his body Stiles uses the water to search for the last bits of venom and accumulates it in his mouth. He can feel the water searching his veins and his very cells for the foreign substance, he breathes heavily while he concentrates on getting everything out of his system.
When he's sure he got it all he spits in the sink. The leftover venom is black and tastes like death if death had a taste. Stiles is sweating from exhausting his powers. It's hard to absorb water into his body without being transformed. He keep breathing heavily, borderline panting to get his breath under control again.
Stiles feels his body aching for his own scaly tail and sore from where his gills would be. Stiles takes deep breaths trying to regain control over his own body. Breathe in, 1...2...3, breathe out, 1...2...3, repeat. He can under no circumstances shift, he refuses to do it. The memories of his mom with her tail comes to the front of his mind too fast and too heavy to suppress.
Before he knows it tears are streaming down his cheeks. His mother's voice filling his head with memories he tries not to remember for the fear that he will drown in them unable to surface before it's too late. He tries to stop his thoughts, tries to stop the images of his mother's soft warm smile or the way she would brush her tail against his in the ocean letting him know she was right there with him.
Stiles finally looks up at himself in the mirror and scoffs. Is he really this weak that every time his brain reminds him of his mother he cries? Stiles harshly dries his eyes and exhales loudly before turning around and heading to bed early. He can already tell it's gonna be a long night filled with the empty howls of the ocean trying to call him home.
∘˙○˚.•☆•.°○˙∘
Stiles spends the next day running from Scott to Allison in the school as the two idiots can't talk to each other per orders of Allison's family. Seriously Romeo and Juliet get it together! He plays the messenger for them trying to figure out what supernatural creature is murdering people. Stiles would rather not use the day to think about the murder lizard that was a second away from using him as appetizers yesterday but oh well it's another case of Stiles doesn't get what he wants. So he runs back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, Stiles is sure he might run a marathon continuing this.
At the end of the day though they come to the conclusion that Allison's grandpa might have some information in a journal he keeps hidden somewhere. Feeling absolutely exhausted from running around Stiles instructs the two of them to find the journal but that gets shut down pretty quickly as they have a lacrosse game that night, seriously can something just go Stiles' way for once, they make a game plan instead. Allison will get the key from her grandpa while he is distracted at the game then she will sneakily give it to Stiles who will then go through Gerard's principal office.
The plan almost works but of course Stiles gets distracted by Lydia. Sweet lovely Lydia who is crying in her car. Stiles feels his heart ache for her but it doesn't feel romantic, no it feels more like he is hurt someone would make Lydia cry in a more brotherly way. He frowns.
Stiles doesn't quite understand the turn in his feelings, it's quite scary. His feelings, his obsession for Lydia have been a stable in his life that when everything else failed he could still look at her and feel his heart swell but it doesn't do it right now. Well at least not how he had anticipated. Calmly speaking to Lydia he looks at her trying to find any hint of his old feelings but there is nothing. He mentally sighs and thinks just another thing changing in his life.
"You properly think I am crazy right?" Lydia says sniffing.
"No, why would I do that?" He brushes some of her hair out of her face, "Lydia you have been through some crazy traumatic shit, it's completely normal to act out of the norm."
She looks at him hopeful before she frowns again. "Everybody looks at my like I am one step away from being admitted to Eichen house."
"I promise you won't be admitted to Eichen house Lydia, you just need to heal from this." The cheer from the lacrosse field reminds Stiles of his original purpose and he sighs hating what he has to do.
"I just need someone to talk to." Lydia confesses quietly.
"And I would love to talk to you Lydia but right now I need to take care of something. Look if you just hang tight here I will be back in a minute okay?" Stiles states already scurrying away, feeling like an even bigger asshole than whoever hurt her to begin with.
Stiles runs down the school halls trying to make it to the office as fast as possible. He slowly opens the door with the keys and slides into office as quietly as possible. Stiles searches through the book shelves, maybe Gerard uses the 'hiding in plain sight' technique but Stiles doesn't find it. He looks through cupboards and drawers but he finds nothing. After a while Stiles reaches the desk where there's a locked drawer.
Stiles pulls out the keys again hoping there is a key to locker there. With a triumphant smile Stiles puts the key into the hole and turns successfully. He make a victory fist and whispers to himself yes!
His victory smile only lasts a second before it turned into a deep frown. Nothing in that drawing either. There were nothing like a journal filled with magical creatures in it, nothing that even points to it. He wants to scream, why is the world so against him having an easy time for once? His phone vibrates and Stiles sighs as he pulls it out to see Allison's name pop up.
"Did you find it?" She asks.
"No there is nothing here." Stiles reports back and turns to leave the office.
Still looking at his phone as he walks out he bumps into something or rather someone. Stiles freezes not even daring to look up. The leather jacket gives it all away, one of Derek's goons. This one with a particular difference from the others on their chest. With a sigh he looks up to see Erica smirking at him. Stiles' heart beats faster against his chest last time he was this close to Erica she had knocked him out with a bit of his jeep. Ah, that's why his jeep had been working so funky, it's all Erica's fault he had to witness a fucking murder.
"Fancy seeing you here Erica, trying to steal from the principal?" Stiles asks mustering up as much confidence as he can.
Erica's smirk turns into a full grin, "No but I will steal you away."
Stiles gulps at the statement; he does not want another concussion. Erica gestures for him to follow her so he does, again he does not want to be knocked out. They walk for a while before making their way to the pool.
Stiles scrunches his nose at the smell of the chlorine water, his whole body refusing to be near the chemical water. As a (insert dramatic eyeroll) mermaid Stiles can't stand the smell of the chlorine water, it works almost like putting wolfsbane close to a werewolf. He physically feels sick near it but he can't just dip and turn his back on Erica. He is ninety-nine procent sure she would try to turn him into a scratching post if he did.
"What are we doing here Erica?" Stiles says through gritted teeth, trying his best to take control breaths, fuck chlorine.
Before Erica can speak though Derek emerges from the shadows like the creep he is holding a basketball for some reason, dramatic effect maybe? Does he practice the creepyness or is it just something that happens when you're a Hale? Stiles' mind so thoughtfully provides.
"Great I gotta deal with two of you now." Stiles rolls eyes frustrated.
"I will make it simple for you Stiles, just tell me what happened at the autoshop and I will let you go." Derek tells him.
"I am pretty sure I don't have to tell you shit." Stiles protests but the basketball Derek holds in his hand deflates as Derek punctures it with his claws, a clear threat to Stiles.
He gulps before flailing his arms in the air in frustration. "Fine!"
Stiles tries to remember what the creature had looked like while not thinking about a murdered mechanic or the terrified screams. Derek glares at him when he didn't continue right away.
"Let me think for a second okay? I was close to being murdered myself."
All Derek responds to that is a raise of an eyebrow while Erica scoffs.
"Okay, it was like a dark green color and scaly like a lizard also quite slimey..." Stiles quiets at the memory of the eyes, those persistent and murderous eyes that looked ready to end his life.
"Is there more?" Derek asks frustrated being in Stiles' presence like he didn't bring it on himself.
"Yeah, it had these yellow eyes and the pupils where slits, again major lizard vibes."
The two werewolves looks above him as he speaks and Stiles feels his lungs stop breathing. The concern and fear from Erica's eyes tells him all he needs to know. The hair on his body stands up and he suddenly feels cold.
"It's behind me isn't it?" Stiles asks before the thing jumps towards him.
Derek throws him out of the way before him and Erica starts fighting the creature.
Being such a new werewolf and clearly inexperienced in fighting Erica gets knocked out quickly. Stiles winches in sympathy when she goes down, had Derek not been teaching them how to fight? Derek manages to get her out of the way before fighting the murder lizard on his own. He swings and ducks to the best of his abilities.
"Derek watch out for the tail it's-" Stiles shouts at Derek just as he gets hit by the lizard tail at the base of his neck like Stiles had been at the autoshop. Shit, shit, shit.
Stiles scrambles to get off the ground and runs to Derek. He picks up Derek from the floor, he is heavy against Stiles' side and with the sickness the chlorine water brings him Stiles feels like he can't get them out of there alive. He tries his best dragging Derek away but in his weakened state it doesn't do much good.
The murder lizard comes at them and Stiles tries his hardest to avoid it, picking up his pace as much as he could. He eyes the pool for just a second trying to think of a plan but Derek catches onto his idea quickly.
"Stiles you are not throwing me in the pool." He warns.
"It's only temporary." Stiles argues back before he turns quickly to avoid being hit by sharp claws and then he pushes Derek in the pool.
"Stiles you son of a-" Derek shouts as he hit the water.
Stiles looks at the pool fearing his next steps. The water looks more unwelcoming than he have ever felt before or maybe it feels too enticing like it is luring him to his death. He can feel his body itching to swift but it's chlorine water and he can't just shift, not now, not ever. Stiles takes a deep breath or two, he can't tell right now.
Deciding to push his need to shift into that dark corner of his mind again Stiles finally jumps in the water. He swims as fast as he can to Derek and grabs onto him to pull him to the surface. As Derek breathes in fresh air again Stiles relaxes only the slightest taking a deep breath himself. Now swimming in his worst enemy while fighting the urge to shift Stiles feels nauseated. He is pretty sure he can throw up his dinner from last night if he got the opportunity, he feels himself become dizzy as well, not a good combination at all. Derek's voice drives him out of his mind.
"Never do that ever again." Derek growls close to his ear sending chills down Stiles' body, it actually helps pushing back the nausea a bit.
"Chill, I will get us out of here now." Stiles starts to swim to the edge. Derek is a dead weight and sincerely heavy, Stiles struggles but he manages anyway. The closer he gets the closer the creature gets as well. It growls and snarls at them trying to reach them with its claws but never touching the water.
"Shit." Stiles says under his breath.
"What is it?" Derek asks him.
"Good news and bad news, which do you want first?" Stiles replies.
"Just spit it out Stiles." Derek snaps.
"Fine! Good news the murder lizard is afraid of water and won't touch it."
"Bad news we can't get out or the thing well tear us apart?" Derek finishes for him, his face getting more sour by the second.
"Yeah that's essentially it." Stiles adjusts his hold on Derek and swims away from the edge to get some distance from the creature.
Stiles uses all his muscles to hold Derek up but they are unaccustomed to swimming. His legs are aching to shift into his tail. The tail he haven't seen since he was eight. He wonders what he would look like now but quickly refrains from thinking about that. It won't do him any good. The smell of the chlorine is slowly burning holes in his nose and his nausea and dizziness makes it feel like he is walking on a ship in a heavy storm. Swinging from one side to the other.
Shifting his hold on Derek once more he starts to think about how to get out of the pool faster. They would need help from someone outside the water. Erica could work if she wasn't still fucking unconscious, did she get hit too by the tail? Stiles doesn't think so but who knows, all of this happened way too fast and way too chaotic. He vaguely remembers dropping his phone somewhere by the edge of the pool. If he can get to it he could call Scott for help who could chase the creature away and then finally they could get out of this disgusting chlorine water. He starts swimming back to the edge.
"What are you doing?" Derek questions him suspiciously.
"If I can get my phone then I can call for help." Stiles explains while huffing and puffing from dragging Derek with him.
"But to take your phone you would have to drop me." Derek points out.
"No I won't, I can multitask." Stiles argues though Derek is right he would have to drop Derek for a moment.
"You're not letting go of me Stiles." He demands. Stiles thinks it might have been an attempt at his alpha voice but Derek can't control him so the point is moot.
"Have you seen the thing with rows of razor sharp teeth out there ready to pound at us?" Stiles complains.
"Yeah and which one of us will be able to fight that thing off? Me, so you are not letting me go." Derek glares at him as Stiles glares back.
Offended at the statement that Stiles can't take care of himself he drops Derek in the water, oh yeah Stiles can be real petty especially to the guy he has saved so many times before who claims he can't do shit. Yeah fuck that.
"Stiles-" Derek's voice immediately becomes muffled as he sinks into the pool. Stiles starts swimming as fast as he can to get his phone and calls Scott. Pick up, pick up, pick up.
As soon as Scott picks up Stiles starts to hurry a panicked explanation to Scott.
"Stiles I don't have time right now." Scott hangs up him.
Stiles stares at his phone before it slides from his hand into the water, he blinks and closes his mouth at the fucking audacity Scott seems to have acquired. What the fuck was that? Stiles should have known Scott would be an unreliable motherfucker, he has been that ever since he became a werewolf and this? this was Scott being the number one shittiest friend in the world. Stiles can't believe this is what they have come to, see if Stiles ever helps him again, that bastard. Stiles returns to reality and realizes Derek had already sunk to the bottom of the deep end of the pool, Shit. Stiles can't swim all the way down there in his human form, it would be impossible. He gonna try though, Stiles has become quite good at defying the impossible lately.
He takes in a deep breath and dives down. The first meters of Stiles being surrounded by water from all sides is uncomfortable, he feels the chlorine even more now and he might have puked a little in his mouth. He forces himself to swallow it again before continuing on. The further down he gets the more his legs stops moving as two individual limps and starts moving in unity. Stiles feels himself unable to hold his breath any longer and he is not even half way yet. He has to get to Derek, he has to or else Derek will drown. Stiles doesn't want to be the reason Derek dies, can't be his pettiness that got the guy killed. Stiles would be able to get over it.
Fuck! He has to do it, he has to shift or Derek dies.
Drowning his own fear of shifting Stiles swiftly removes his pants before allowing his body to shift for the first time in 9 years. His legs moves together forming his tail, Stiles can feel the bones reconstruct themselves into a tail. The next thing that happens is his gills opens up, there is some resistance but with a big breath Stiles gets them open. Finally able to breathe through his gills he quickly swims to the bottom with a speed no human could replicate. He doesn't look at his tail once afraid that he will panic too much at the sight so he keeps his eyes on the view in front of him. Derek's silhouette comes into view and Stiles grabs around Derek's waist tightly. With a heavy pull he moves his tail quickly to get Derek to the surface. It doesn't take longer than a few seconds before Derek's head breaks the water surface again.
Stiles holds Derek above the water trying to calm his own body down enough so he can close his gills and breathe through his mouth instead. It takes him a good minute before he achieves it, his gills particularly uncooperative for some reason.
When he pulls his head above the water Derek is staring at him concerned.
"What?" Stiles asks his voice slightly hoarse from shifting and breathing through his mouth again.
"Are you bleeding?" Derek responds looking around Stiles to the best of his abilities as he is still very much paralyzed. The water surrounding is a murky red in the dim light of the pool slowly spreading further out.
Stiles looks at the red and feels the instinct to touch the closings of his gills. He shifts his hold in Derek and touches the openings afterwards he holds his hand in front of himself looking at the fresh blood.
"Stiles where are you bleeding?" Derek desperately tries to move to get a better look at Stiles.
"It doesn't matter right now." Stiles tells him sending Derek a look to please shut up on the topic.
"Did you at least get help?" Derek questions clearly annoyed he had to suffer from Stiles' attempts of getting help. He still breathing heavily as he speaks to Stiles.
Trust him, Stiles is suffering more slowly feeling more sick from the chlorine water entering his body, especially with all the water he inhaled from his gills. He wants to puke again but once was already enough and really Stiles does not wanna add puke to the water as well as the blood,
"Scott hung up on me after three seconds." Stiles explains frustrated and desperately tries to get air into his lung. He needs to get out of the pool before he becomes more sick, he can practically feel the puke in his throat. His hold slips on Derek slips a bit so Stiles pushes harshly with his tail to keep them afloat. Shit did he accidentally hit Derek?
"Stiles." Derek says.
"Yes?"
"What was that?" Derek asks his eyes as wide as they get on Derek's face. Seriously the guy have never looked this expressive.
"What was what?" Stiles plays innocent now well aware his tail did accidentally flick Derek's legs. He doesn't want to explain anything, he doesn't want to tell Derek the truth. But the truth is already right in front Derek if he looks hard enough. Stiles hopes he just ignores it.
"I felt something touch my legs, slimy and fishy." Derek speaks.
"Hey!" Stiles says offended, I mean how could Derek say that? fish are food, not friends. Stiles does not feel happy being compared to an unintelligent animal like a fish. He is so offended he on instinct hits Derek again. Fuck, why did he let his dumb fucking brain get angry over that? Clearly Stiles is not in his right mind to be in any capacity of keeping secrets. Maybe it's the chlorine? Stiles is gonna blame the chlorine.
"There it was again, Stiles?" Derek looks at him glaring holes into Stiles' skull. "Did the creature get in the pool with us?"
"What? No it's still over there look." Stiles points his hand to the creature circling the edge with hunched shoulders.
"Stiles I need you to tell me the truth."
Stiles closes his mouth and opens it again before closing it in a repeating pattern. What the hell is he supposed to say?
"Preferable now." Derek growls lowly.
Stiles sighs loudly scared to face the truth. He isn't only hiding from the others but also himself. If he can just pretend he is human then at some point that will be true right? Right? He closes his eyes wishing to be literally anywhere else. He just can't do this. He is already fucking exhausted, he feels like throwing up, his brain pounding against his skull like the worst headache ever. Stiles just can't.
"Stiles." Derek says softly probably hearing his frantic heartbeat. He can't do this but he might have to.
"I-If I-- No promise me you won't tell anyone what I tell you." Stiles looks Derek in the eye hoping the werewolf would agree.
"I won't tell a soul, Stiles." Derek replies again with that softer tone.
Stiles takes a deep breathe. "I... okay, fuck"
"Hey, it's okay Stiles take your time."
Stiles looks at Derek again scared out of his mind for what Derek will think or do if he knew the truth. Would he feel betrayed that Stiles never told him? Would he even believe him? Stiles hates these fucking unknown variables.
"I'm a mermaid." Stiles states bluntly keeping his eyes on Derek searching for any sign of a negative reaction.
"Mermaid? Like the ones that swims in the sea?" Derek questions.
"Yes Derek, the ones that swims in the sea." Stiles rolls his eyes gaining some confidence from the stupid answer Derek gave him.
"So the thing that touch me..." Derek starts out.
"Yep." Stiles answers quickly not needing to hear Derek say it.
"Was you?"
"Yep."
"You have a tail?"
"Yep."
Derek looks down into the water as if he can get a look at Stiles' tail thankfully the bloody water makes it difficult. Derek furrows his eyebrows when he comes to the same conclusion.
"Why are you bleeding Stiles?" Derek looks... worried? Huh, something Stiles didn't think the man was able to express for him. Also he is taking all this way too fucking well, Stiles kinda don't know what to do with that, for now he decides to ignore it.
Stiles sighs again, this is turning into a long, long, long day.
"It's been some time since I last shifted so the skin around my gills grew closing the slits completely." Stiles explains feeling the dull pain from the ripped skin.
"So when you shifted you ripped it all open?" Derek questions and Stiles nods in response. "How long has it been since you last shifted?"
Fuck, Stiles thinks. Could Derek have asked a worse question? Stiles feels nothing but reluctance to answer. How is he supposed to say "Yeah I haven't shifted since my mom died nine years ago because her memory is deeply connected to my shift so I have a panic attack every time I see a body of water"? Yeah, Stiles doesn't think that's quite the thing to say to a frenemy? Reluctant ally?
"Stiles?" Derek brings Stiles back to reality again. Stiles stays quiet, his silence speaking louder than it should. Derek keeps looking at him persistently. Stiles groans mentally and closes his eyes.
"Nine years." Stiles whispers almost mumbling but he knows Derek could clearly hear him.
"That... seems unhealthy." Derek voices his concern.
"Please stop speaking about this topic I-" Stiles' breath hitches trying to keep tears from spilling.
Derek brings a hand up and wipes away a tear rolling down Stiles' cheek. "I'm sorry."
Stiles shakes his head, "It doesn't matter." He freezes when his eyes falls on Derek's hand. "Derek! Your hand!"
"What? Oh." Derek moves his arms stretching it and then stretching the other. His shoulder seems to still lack mobility so Stiles can't let go of him yet but hey progress!
Their little bubble of peace is burst by the sound of glass breaking from the roof and the disappearance of one murderous lizard. From the other side of the room Scott bursts in.
"Stiles!" He sees the two in the water and moves to get closer.
"We're fine!" Stiles stops him from coming closer. "Just go after the creature! It left out the window."
"But-" Scott looks at him.
"Just get outta here! Chase it down, we can't let it escape." Stiles tells Scott before Scott hesitantly takes off.
"I take it Scott doesn't know?" Derek asks as Stiles brings them ashore.
"Nope and I would like to keep it that way." Stiles looks at Derek with pleading eyes.
"Alright." Derek responds trying his best to sit on the edge when Stiles lets him go.
Stiles dives down afterwards in search of his pants and finds them quickly. He makes his way to Derek's side and flops down on the floor as he shifts back. Not caring one bit that his lower half is completely exposed Stiles takes in big gulps of air trying his hardest to ignore the screaming his stomach is doing to throw up. Stiles thinks that if someone was to bring him food right now he would throw up in their face. His head continues to pound away probably turned into a migraine by now.
"You okay?" Derek asks from the floor were Stiles had deposited him.
"Yeah..." Stiles breathes in, "chlorine water just makes me hella sick that's all."
"Fuck, I am sorry Stiles." Derek sincerely apologizes.
"Why are you apologizing? You didn't invent the swimming pool or chlorine water for that matter." Stiles states.
"No but I did bring you to one."
Stiles shakes his head and waves Derek off. He breathes in deeply one more time and put on his soaked pants. He slowly scoots over closer to Derek's side. His eyes slides between Derek and the water.
"Stiles, no stupid ideas." Derek states already back at it with his eyebrow business.
"I was just thinking that I could manipulate the water to get the rest of the venom out of your body. Is that a bad idea?" Stiles crosses his arms. He doesn't pout, okay maybe a little bit but not all his ideas are bad! it's unfair to call them all that.
"Have you done it before?"
"Only on myself after the autoshop." Stiles answers truthfully.
"Yeah terrible idea." Derek states.
"Hey! Do you wanna keep being a pool noodle for the next hour?" Stiles snaps back.
Derek sighs and offers his left arm to Stiles. Stiles hums happily at the compliance.
He closes his eyes for a second, visualizing the map the water will need to take. With his left hand he reaches out for the water to climb his arm before taking Derek's hand in his and transferring the flowing water to Derek. He works his way through Derek's veins.
It's difficult controlling water in someone elses body, especially after having practically tortured himself by jumping in a chemically cleaned pool. It's also weirdly intimate, Stiles is getting to know Derek's body through the traveling water which is something he would rather not think about right now. Though that's not all, the amount of trust Derek puts in him for this is a lot. Stiles knows it feels uncomfortable to being covered in his water, how Derek doesn't have control over what happens but still sits still as Stiles works his magic. It's a lot of information and a little bit overwhelming though that doesn't stop Stiles from feeling a warmth blossoming in his chest at the trust displayed.
Derek starts coughing and spits out the black venom. Stiles slowly retracts the water from Derek and shakes his arm to get rid of the gross water. Derek experiments by wiggling his toes and then moves his legs before standing up. Stiles, on the other hand, lies back down completely out of breath again. His legs still feels wobbly from the shift. His bones not quite yet settled and hardened again. It's difficult going from a tail consisting of vertebrae to legs with more lengthy and inflexible bones. Jelly bones is also not a very comfortable feeling.
A hand breaks his view of the ceiling and he stares up at Derek for a good while before refusing the hand. Derek's brows furrows more than they had that whole night.
"Can't stand yet, bones need to reset." Stiles offers a lousy explanation that Derek thankfully takes. He lets Stiles lie for a few more seconds before grabbing him.
"Wah!" Stiles screams. "What are you doing?"
"Getting us out of here so you can catch your breath." Derek responds lifting Stiles into a bridal position.
"Please put me down." Stiles begs.
"No, we are getting out of here." Derek argues.
"What about Erica?" Stiles points to the unconscious body on the floor near the entrance. Derek groans and lightly nudge her with his foot.
"Huh?" Erica wakes up and takes to her head.
"Next time duck." Derek tells her and walks out into the hall.
Erica follows after them quickly already displaying her signature smirk. "Why are you carrying Stilinski, is he that much of a pussy he needs help to walk after a big fight?"
"What do you know about our fight you decided to take a nap pretty early on." Stiles retorts.
"Well it's not like you--"
Derek growls at Erica who in returns lowers her proud head. "Go check in with Boyd and then go home, understood?" Derek speaks harshly.
"Yes." Erica runs away.
They continues the walk to Stiles' jeep in silence. Stiles knows it isn't his place to speak but even from his understanding of werewolves that was a very harsh way to talk to your beta.
"You should have been nicer." Stiles says quietly.
"She was starting arguments for no reason." Derek states keeping his gaze on their path ahead.
"Still that was kinda harsh." Stiles tells him honestly.
"She was being rude to you without knowing what had happened." Derek's hands tightens around Stiles almost protectively.
"I can take it."
"But what about the day you can't?" Derek questions.
"Then I will tell her." Stiles answers feeling his eyes becoming heavy, god he is so exhausted.
The next time he opens his eyes Derek is carrying him up the stairs to his room. He puts Stiles on the desk chair and goes to search for clean clothes. He hands them to Stiles along with a towel before lowering himself to carry Stiles again.
"I'm fine sourwolf." Stiles says almost fondly, "Thank you for the help."
Derek nods at him before going to the window. He glances at Stiles one last time before taking off.
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