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I love you. And I’m so sorry.
Stiles gripped his phone tightly as the hours ticked on, but Derek didn’t text again... The conversation had been strange, and the ending had only made it worse. Derek had been talking about the pack, but in a strange way. And then Derek had gone and said goodbye to Stiles. Complete doom was the only thing that Stiles could think up.
Derek had updated him on the pack, all but passing them off to Stiles, and then disappeared with a declaration of love.
It had been five fucking hours and nothing. Stiles threw his phone and didn’t even care when the screen shattered.
The silence could only mean one thing: Derek was gone.
Stiles was already on the road, praying that he wouldn’t get pulled over on his way home, but he wasn’t about to stop speeding. His phone rang, and Stiles hoped the tape he placed on the screen would keep him from getting cut up.
“Stiles, I know it’s a big ask, but we need you here.”
“Yeah, I’m already on my way, Boyd.” Quickly, Stiles left off. “Tell me what happened.”
“No can do, Alpha’s orders.”
“But this is about that particular Alpha’s safety, so I think maybe you can tell me what the fuck happened.”
“If I could, I would,” Boyd growled. “But he banned the pack from talking to you or your dad about it until you’re home. We’re pretty sure that he was imagining you’d be home in a few months, not immediately.”
“Oh please, I’ve had emergency plans for us all since I left for college. Nothing a few calls and emails couldn’t solve. I’ll hop online for lectures and tests, and fly back for finals and graduation. Now put on someone he didn’t flash eyes at so that I can get some answers.”
Boyd sighed. “No can do, he got everyone.”
“You suck.”
Boyd laughed, a welcome sound even if it felt hollow.
“See you in a few hours, then. Pack meeting, order me all the curly fries from the diner. I expect a good reason for this.”
Stiles tapped to end the call and turned up the radio again. He drummed along and tried to not imagine the worst. Though in Beacon Hills, the worst he could imagine was topped by the truth far too often.
Alpha orders break with death.
So for now, Derek was alive. And that’s what Stiles would cling to as he screamed along to the music, letting the worry drain as his throat started to hurt.
Derek collapsed in his chains. He’d already lost track of how long he’d been here. The strange twisted flow of time was only made worse by whatever it was that they were putting in his meals. They had told him the food was laced, a safety precaution according to the one who called himself Unc. It kept him feeling strange, confused, weak, and stopped him from healing how he was used to. Normally pain was a fleeting thing to him.
Derek was in excruciating pain.
Every breath he took felt like fire in his lungs. Every movement strained his already exhausted body. Peaceful sleep was impossible; he just had to wait for exhaustion to knock him out every night.
And then when he woke up, there was no reprieve. He was nothing but a plaything to them. A strong, compliant, drugged, slow-healing werewolf plaything. They would use him as they pleased, passing his chains around and around until they were ready to retire to their strange houses.
And Derek would be left chained outside their windows, like nothing more than a dog.
Alone, cold, and barely healing.
He bit back the mournful howl for his pack, knowing it would do them more harm than good.
“I’m here, now talk,” Stiles called through the door as he knocked. He didn’t want to wait a minute more to find out about Derek. He didn’t have any doubts that the pack would be gathered like he wanted.
“Hello, Stiles. Nice to see you again.” Isaac opened the door and glared. “We’ve been great, thanks for asking.”
“Shut up, Isaac.” Stiles pushed past Isaac and held up his broken phone. “Now someone needs to tell me why the fuck Derek apologized to me.” He knew the pack was hurting, and it brought out the worst in all of them. Picking a fight over it would just waste time.
Erica snagged the phone and scanned the screen. “So we’re ignoring the rest of that text, I see.”
“Oh no, you are ignoring that part. I am completely unable to ignore it. Therefore, we are getting through the story you were banned from telling me until I got here because that’s the only way that I get to sort the part of the text that Derek and I had skillfully been avoiding until I finished college.” Stiles drew in a deep breath.
Erica handed back the phone with a guilty look.
Stiles looked around at the pack, and the worry grew as they each avoided his gaze. “I have waited years to kiss him. We have been saving each other’s asses for almost a decade, and I refuse to let that all go to waste because I wasn’t here to fix things. So one of you better start talking because now my only proof that Derek is alive is now null and void.”
“He’s not dead. We’d feel the bond break if he died. Probably even you.” Boyd assured. “Erica, explain.”
“Isaac and I went into the preserve for a run and lost track of where we were,” Erica started, “and then we were kidnapped! They tied us up in vines and forced us to stay awake. We couldn’t get free, everything — ”
“You lost track of where you were,” Stiles cut in, livid. “So I’m guessing you ended up in the restricted part of the preserve?”
Erica and Isaac nodded.
“The section I spent weeks carefully plotting out with a line of irritating but not fatal wolfsbane plants, charmed to always be in bloom? The section I then also surrounded with stinging nettles? With warning signs about dangerous plants and not entering every fifty feet? Is that the bit of the preserve you didn’t notice you were entering?”
Erica bit her lip and looked away.
Isaac inspected his fingers.
“Unbelievable.” Stiles ran a hand through his hair and turned his back to them. “You were told specifically to not enter.”
“We were curious!” Erica whined, “You do the same! You never leave things alone. And we just thought it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick look.”
“I start by asking questions… Did you bother asking first?” Stiles looked back, “Did you think to fucking ask?”
Derek stared at the spot where he’d last seen his betas. Their scents were almost gone. He wasn’t sure how long it had been, but Isaac and Erica were safe now, and that made Derek happy.
He was left alone most of the day, still chained in the clearing but free enough to stretch and walk.
Yesterday, he’d accidentally cracked a door in half. His punishment had been severe. The fae had made him feel the pain he had caused his uncle when he’d killed him. Set on fire and claws to the throat.
Three minutes.
Three minutes had been all it had taken to destroy his pride.
Derek wasn’t sure how they managed to find his worst memories and twist them into even worse things.
Derek hoped that he could one day apologize to Peter for it. Even if his uncle had been completely feral, he deserved better. Better than burning alive for a second time. And Derek deserved to live that moment through Peter’s eyes, to feel first-hand the suffering he caused.
He could still feel the phantom flames shredding his skin as tears ran down his cheeks.
He could still see the look on his own face as claws had ripped apart his throat.
It had been the worst possible thing for his uncle to have seen, even if he had come back to life. Dying at the hands of his once beloved nephew after getting traumatized all over again by being burnt alive again.
Derek watched the path Erica and Isaac had taken to safety and freedom. As the sun set, Derek knew this all had been worth it, the only time he had managed to be a good Alpha since the moment he clawed out his dying uncle’s throat.
“Tell me again.” Stiles looked up from the books spread out on the table, a mix of college and pack reading.
“Stiles, l don’t…” Erica started, then cut herself off. “There were at least a dozen houses. They had us working and sometimes hurt us, and they didn’t treat us like humans. They didn’t want us to die or be seriously injured, I think it was important that we be able to work.”
Stiles let out a breath and nodded. “And what else?”
“When we slept, they left us to wake up on our own. I think Gran had a rule or something.”
“Do you have anything that can help? Anything even remotely worthwhile.”
“We’ve been over this. I don’t know. They didn’t exactly let the help in on the dirty secrets.”
Stiles slammed his fist into the table. “You were there for how long and neither of you have anything even remotely useful for me? Just go, I need to study now. I have a final in an hour.”
Erica didn’t bother saying anything else.
“You’ll need to forgive them eventually,” Peter said as he walked into the library.
Stiles bit back his opinion on the matter. It involved hell freezing over.
“I miss him too, you know.”
Stiles glared. It didn’t really matter what Peter felt right now, because Peter hadn’t managed to stop Derek. A cruel, dark, part of himself wonders if the man had even tried to stop it.
“You wound me, Stiles. Here I am, trying to have a heart-to-heart with my emissary. Left hand to magical darling.”
“Peter,” Stiles warned, “Thin ice.”
“Seems we’re all on thin ice with you, lately.” Peter hummed. “The pack is on edge and hurting, and you’re making it worse.”
Stiles tensed. Peter was right, he had been on edge. “Fine, I’ll work on forgiving them for being moronic enough to destroy my chance at a life with Derek just because they were fucking curious over something that we wouldn’t have hidden from them.”
Peter let out a long pained breath. “It isn’t for sure that you lost him.”
Stiles could feel the tightness in his throat, like a hand wrapped tightly around his neck. “Until he’s home, there is no future for us.”
“And without that, forgiveness will be hard.” Peter filled in
“I’m working on it.” Stiles sniffled, heartbroken and afraid. “I promise, I’m fucking trying. But I didn’t even get to tell him I love him too before he was whisked off. The way he talked, I don’t think he knew. But he should have known.”
“Stiles, Derek sees the world with olive-colored glasses. You could tell him you love him every hour for a year, and he would still doubt you did.”
“Olive-colored glasses?” Stiles looked up.
Peter smiled, “the opposite of rose-colored. Instead of making the world soft and warm, it makes everything dark and murky.”
“Will you dance with us?” A matched pair of fae gently brushed Derek’s wet hair from his temple. “Oh, please dance with us.”
Derek wasn’t sure if the moisture on his skin was blood, sweat, or tears. But he knew this situation would only end in pain. His job here was to obey all orders. He had learned some of the hierarchy to know who was who. Who he was able to prioritize. But these two were new.
“It doesn’t want to play,” one pouted to the other. “Auntie said it’d play!”
Derek flinched from the shrill tone of the whine, dropping branches from his current task. He was trying to think of a way to avoid their punishments, panicked and unsure how to handle these new fae.
“Then we can make it play!” An equally shrill response slammed through Derek’s head.
“No, no,” he dropped to his knees and pressed his head to the dirt. “I want to play, but I can’t until I finish my chores.”
Derek took slow, shaky breaths as he waited for his fate.
“Fine, but no dawdling, we need something to play chase with.”
He didn’t dare move from his supplication, not yet. He learned early on that they wanted space from him. To get too close would mean he was disrespecting them. They were not a species that allowed disrespect, especially not from those they feel are so below them.
The matched footsteps retreated and Derek slowly got up from the ground. He gathered the branches quickly, making sure the clearing was pristine. He didn’t want to run through the forest for the rest of the day, but if he dragged his feet, it was likely that he would be ill-fed at the end of it, on top of the normal suffering.
He didn’t dare glance towards the path that would lead him home.
“Enough! Enough!” twin voices laced with excitement exclaimed, “It’s our turn!”
Derek finished tossing the last log out of the way, “First, we should get a drink of water, then you can tell me your rules.”
They considered it and nodded, a quick click of their fingers summoning a goblet of water.
“It’s a simple game, silly beast.”
The other nodded, “You run, we catch you.”
“But not leaving our land.”
“Never, ever allowed to leave.”
“And then, we dance!”
Derek finished the rest of his water quickly, preparing himself for the exhausting afternoon. He started with a jog, not trying to evade all that much, not yet. A wolf ducking and hiding only stirred up aggression for most of his captors.
He kept an ear out for the twins, wondering who exactly they were within the court.
From what they could tell during the negotiations, it was a small court needing space. Five families and their servants. Derek regretted not finding out more now. It would have been nice to go into all of this with more information.
Stiles would probably know. It was his old family books that got dragged out in the talks, folklore, and fables mixed with warnings and instructions. They never nailed down the exact protocol, but they muddled through. Stiles’ smile when Gran complimented his skills was incredible.
Derek shook off that memory, Stiles in his element, something Derek would never see again.
A cold hand gripped Derek’s side, claws barely slicing into his flesh and drowning him in agony.
“Aw, the beast doesn’t like our lotion!”
“Silly thing, doesn’t it know how to not get caught?”
Derek ripped free of the grasp, thin shallow scratches left on his side. He wasn’t even bleeding, but it felt like he had been eviscerated. Leaving him feeling like he’d been filleted. Nothing but pain and burning raced through his veins.
“You get ten seconds, and then we start again. This time, try not to get caught.”
“It’s no fun when it’s easy.”
They kept talking, but Derek didn’t stick around to listen. Whatever potion they were using on their claws was awful enough to want to avoid.
He managed to last a while before he got nicked again, barely holding back a howl of pain as the tiny scratch transformed from a small sting into an all-encompassing, destructive pain. The scratch, like last time, did not grow or move. But, Derek could feel the slice grow deeper, invisible blood flowing down his thigh. Feeling like he was seconds away from bleeding out, his heart seemingly pumped the blood out of him faster as the seconds wore on.
“Oh! Does it hurt?”
“Tell us, tell us!”
Derek snarled and took off running, pain be damned. Hiding was pointless, they could track anything in their territory. They were in their own space, their land. Even if there wasn’t a blood-deep connection in them to the land, there was a full year of getting to know their little part of the preserve.
A section Derek himself had avoided for decades.
When they were little, Derek and his cousins camped in this area.
Being here was torturous after they all died.
And now, he’d die here.
Eventually.
They wouldn’t let it be easy. No, they will drag it out. Likely even for years.
“Okay, so, I think I’ve found the right book,” Stiles yawned, “Now I just have to compare this to the deal he made and then figure out how to get him out safe without anyone else needing to stay there.”
“Is that even possible?” Isaac asked.
Stiles glared at him. “It has to be.”
“But — ”
“But what, Isaac? Huh? Do you want to sit and do nothing instead? That would have been the solution a while ago. Back when you and Erica came up with your absolutely batshit plan to just skip right on into the protected part of the preserve.”
“We didn’t know.”
Stiles took a slow breath. “I know. And I know that you both regret it. But right,” he paused to steady himself. “Right now, our only choice is to push forward and fix this. We have to fix this. So, who knows the details of his deal?”
“Only Derek,” Isaac looked down. “They did this weird thing, we couldn’t hear until it was over.”
Stiles’ throat burned and it hurt to swallow. Every peaceful moment since that text came through, Stiles had been imagining what was happening to Derek. It got worse when he realized where Derek was.
They didn’t know much about this court. They did enough digging to know it was safe to host them, but that was it. Their old forest was destroyed by a wildfire, and before they could restore it like normal, a bulldozer knocked it all down for a shopping mall.
As far as a fae settlement went, this group was small and downright moral. No random kidnappings, no terrible deaths. They were sure it would be fine. Fae courts, even one of the minor ones like this, were good for a town.
And they had been.
The magic in the town settled enough for the pack to head to college. The nemeton was no longer an angry beacon, drawing in disaster after disaster. They even let Stiles enter the territory twice to gather the moss he needed for a small trade.
“Stiles?” Isaac reached out to shake Stiles’ shoulder.
“Tell me what they did with you two, then. Everything you haven’t yet. Maybe that can help us sort out their rules and give us what we need. And hopefully, Derek won’t be dead before we figure it out.”
“I don’t think they will want him dead. Remember, they made sure we didn’t die, that’s for sure.” Isaac rubbed his chest right below his ribs, “they made sure we were alive.”
Stiles rubbed the side of Isaac’s neck to comfort him.
“We didn’t know until we got back how long we were gone. It was one of their favorite things to do. Hide the time from us. Erica would be gone for a day, with a different family… then we’d be back together, and she’d talk about her awful week.”
Stiles tried to listen as Isaac talked about their time there, but all he could really think of was the nightmares he had about Derek. Fae magic was powerful. Combined with werewolf healing, they could be all but killing him over and over and over.
~ *~
“Is it awake yet?”
Derek considered pretending, but didn’t want to risk punishment.
“Oh! It’s up! Hello, puppy!”
Derek offered a weak smile and moved to kneel. “Good morning, Cousin.”
“I’m supposed to come get you. We need to fix our wall.”
“Of course, lead the way.”
He skipped away, and Derek quickly followed. Their house had been damaged in the last storm, a fallen tree had taken out their one wall.
This was the kind of work Derek loved. Basic labor had basic rules. Sure, the fae loved their loopholes, but at the end of the day, as long as the work was done well, Derek would be fine.
First, he helped remove the tree, cutting it into the pieces they would use to fix the wall. He got into a rhythm with building, branch after branch. He tied each one carefully, making sure not to leave a huge gap.
“Time for lunch, puppy!”
Derek nodded, quickly finishing the branch he was on before heading over to eat. It had taken a while, but Derek had gotten used to the stew they seemed to favor feeding him. He guessed there was some of the wolfsbane Stiles’ had charmed mixed in.
It would explain the slow healing factor without feeling like death.
At least they took the time to make sure it tasted good.
Once the food was gone, Derek got back to work. The wall needed to be done before he went to sleep. He hated leaving tasks half-done when he could make it through them.
The wall didn’t use up the whole tree, and Derek was sure that would be tomorrow’s task.
“What about that sugar thing?” Erica perked up.
“Myth,” Stiles waved it off. “They sometimes play along with it, but no guarantee of it working. Especially if the goal is a distraction for us stealing Derek.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, and any plan where we screw over the court will end bloody for us all.”
Erica slumped a bit.
“We need to make a deal. It needs to be airtight, and it needs to be soon. You and Isaac took a while to get healed up. And that’s not even counting the nightmares you still deal with if you close your eyes for more than five minutes.”
Stiles pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.
“And I know there is a lot about the time there you haven’t told us.”
“It was under a month.”
“So was the nogitsune’s full control.”
Erica nodded. “Stiles, they might burn him.”
Stiles sucked in a pained breath, knowing the trauma that will cause.
“They knew our fears, Stiles. All of them.”
Derek shuddered under the weight of the table he was holding up. The fae gathered around it hissed as a cup sloshed over. Derek tensed his muscles and did his best to stay still.
He hoped the pack was doing well and taking care of one another.
His one regret in trading himself for his Betas was leaving the pack without an Alpha. He hoped Stiles made it home safely. Derek knew that once Stiles made it home, the pack would be fine, even with an absent Alpha.
“Clean up now, mutt. We’re done.”
Derek nodded and hoisted up the table, heading to the stream to wash it all clean.
He was trying to get the last of the fermented honey from one of the goblets when a familiar scent knocked him backward.
Caramel, ozone, and cinnamon. Heartbeat thundering in Derek’s ears.
“Hurry up, we have to go now, I can only cloak myself from them for thirteen Minutes and I wasted the first six getting here. We can do the big sappy reunion at home, so… Now would be good.”
Derek dropped the goblet and took in the sight he never thought he’d see again. Stiles looked amazing with his hair tousled, and cheeks pink as he struggled to catch his breath.
“Come on, stop staring and get moving.”
“Yeah, I, yeah.” He nodded and pushed away the dishes.
They ran quickly through the forest, edging closer to the boundary. Derek didn’t question anything, Stiles was always figuring things out first. He’d explain eventually.
When they hit the wolfsbane, Derek froze.
Stiles’ scent was gone, his heartbeat faded, and Derek couldn’t breathe through the pollen. He couldn’t process what happened before a cold hand wrapped around his throat. The mirage of everything he ever could have wanted faded into the reality of his situation.
“Aww, the mutt believed! It thought it could escape! Just wait until Gran hears about this.”
Derek was shoved forward into the wolfsbane, face first. He tried desperately to hold his breath, to keep the pollen from his lungs. The burning grew as the fae taunted him, and eventually, he had to take a breath. Fire burned through his lungs, leaving him weaker than ever.
Cold hands dragged him out of the flowers just as his vision started to blur.
Derek let tears slip down his face as it all truly sank in, feeling his heart shatter.
“So weak. A flower can bring down an Alpha. I told Gran we should have just demanded the whole preserve. The entire town! What use is it to bow down and accept scraps from you abominations? Deals with humans were bad enough. Letting them walk all over our forest, drenched it when it burned… All to protect their silly little homes.”
Derek dragged himself away from the line of wolfsbane, lungs and skin burning from the plants. Though it barely registered through the pain of his broken heart, beaten spirit, complete and total loss of hope for escape.
“We bargained with you and that not-human. And you can’t even see through my weakest enchantment. You were not worth the blood we spilled on the parchment for the treaty.” She sneered, “The not-human was — ”
“That’s quite enough,” Another voice cut in. “Your little trick broke my favorite dishes. Go see Gran, and do not even think of lying.”
Derek bowed his head. This fae had been there for the negotiations, and if it was a pack, Derek would have pegged him as the right hand. But his uncle often acted the part when his mother didn’t trust a visiting pack, so he wouldn’t put it past the fae to also send a killer as a diplomat.
“These young ones, huh?” He waved a hand through the air and summoned a tree stump for each of them. “Sit.”
Derek tried to stand on his own, but the wolfsbane knocked him off balance. He carefully crawled onto the stump and braced his forearms on his thighs. “Sorry about that.”
He huffed a laugh, “Nothing a little magic won’t fix. Her mistake was insulting Gran.”
Derek nodded.
“The young ones do need to learn, though. They’re all dumb thoughts and foolish actions. But you would know all about that, wouldn’t you?”
“Yeah. I guess so.” Derek scratched at the spreading rash. His young betas were very fool-hardy.
“Gran’ll fix her right up. She’s still mad about the downgrade of living here. She misses the beaches we used to guard. Doesn’t care at all that Gran is getting old. The nemeton. She doesn’t know yet how much of an upgrade this was. To die, near a nemeton?”
Derek coughed a bit when he tried to speak. He didn’t get how a smaller area with a broken nemeton was some grand upgrade, especially with a pack like this. He wondered if being gone would make the pack better or worse.
“Right, let’s fix that, don’t want you dying on us just yet.” He pressed a finger to Derek’s temple, and a soothing heat passed over everywhere the wolfsbane destroyed. “Have to make the deal worth it.”
“You have my whole life. Even if you let me wait this out, it’s a short bit of my life.”
“Do we?” he tapped the stump and stood up, “I suppose the other one you brought to give us this land was more for details than you were. It wouldn’t be wise to leave a pack near our land without an Alpha for long. Perhaps think over your deal while you gather what’s left of the lunch dishes. Leave the broken ones in the stream, nature will take care of them.”
Derek nodded and left to finish his task, glad for the mercy he was granted. Even though he knew he didn’t deserve it.
Blood dripped down Derek’s arm as his finger slowly stitched back onto his hand. He could feel every second of healing and it was awful. Muscle slowly knitted itself back together from joint to joint as the blood stopped pumping out and started pumping inside.
It wouldn’t stay that way for long.
No, the young, sneering fae would be back again and again and again. She was angry and spiteful, and Derek had long since forgotten his slight.
Once the pain faded, she would let him rest for a short while and then come and pick a different finger to take off and put back on.
At least she was kind enough to attach them all correctly. All six still bent just fine.
Stiles jerked awake, phantom pain from layers of slices in his fingers lingering.
He really needed to get Derek safe. He needed to hug him and help him heal, and probably slap him a few times for being such an idiot. Isaac and Erica had spent a long time sucking up when Stiles got home, time wasted on senseless chatter.
Derek was out there, just out of reach.
And Stiles knew he was suffering.
The lack of information was slowly killing Stiles. He was stuck in a never-ending loop of imagining the tortures Derek was enduring. Isaac and Erica still had things they hid from the pack.
They were improving, and being near the pack helped… but there were moments of their punishments that they simply did not mention
Judging by the way Isaac only slept in the larger rooms of the house and Erica took any chance to show she was still a wolf, Stiles could guess the fae would know Derek’s worst fears and use them. And with Derek’s life, he had some major fears for them to destroy him with.
The sooner this ended, the better.
And then after, he would work to unravel their previous deal for the land. No one who hurt the pack would be allowed to stay in the state.
Derek couldn’t stop thinking about what Unc had said. But unfortunately, their deal was simple and clear.
For the freedom of the betas, the Alpha would stay until Derek died.
Cut and dry. No loopholes to be had in a contract that short. He made sure they couldn’t claim future Alphas, and fae magic couldn’t stop his spark from heading home when he did die. The most important things to him were covered, he made sure of that when he talked to Stiles.
Derek decided the cryptic comment had simply been Unc’s retribution for the broken dishes. So this was his punishment, false hope getting dangled in front of him once more, it was simple but effective. He may be one of the kinder fae, but Unc was still fae.
The nicest was Gran, as long as Derek obeyed her. She didn’t let him relax, but Derek never felt destroyed by her tasks. Sore, always, but never truly damaged unless he messed up, and then he’d be stuck grooming the local wildlife who did not appreciate being handled by the wolf.
In contrast, her sister Queenie was among the worst. The tasks she set Derek on were grueling at best and torture the rest of the time. It had been her little tea party where Derek was forced to hold a slab of wood as a table, and her daughter was quick to drown Derek in enchantments.
The twins were young and cruel with their potions. At first, they had felt downright evil, but Derek soon grew to appreciate the simplicity of their games. The pain they caused was always false, and that suited Derek just fine.
He refused to think about how Queenie’s son acted. If the daughter was good at mind games, the son was even better. He was partial to fire, and Derek wasn’t sure if that was because of Derek’s history or a previous interest.
Unc just wanted to remind Derek that every day for the rest of his werewolf-long life, he would serve the newly named Beacon Hills Court of Fae.
“Hey mutt,” one of the youngest fae called. “We should play human princess tea party.”
“Do your parents know? I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble for running off.” Or to get Derek in trouble for that matter.
“Well, duh, it’ll be at the house, so they need to know. It’s a rule. No guests without asking. And I’m a good girl, so I listen.” She held out her hand to Derek. “And since no one else got you, I get to have you.”
Derek let the girl lead him from his small shelter to where she lived. Despite her smaller size, Derek had trouble keeping up as she skipped along.
“You’ll have to find a good dress. Human princesses wear dresses.”
Derek nodded his agreement as if he had any say. He didn’t, and he never would again. His final act of free will was to save his betas, and maybe that was his only chance at salvation. The ultimate sacrifice to make up for a world where he let his family burn.
“We’re coming with you.”
Stiles laughed. “You absolutely are not.”
“But he’s our Alpha, we should — ”
“You should stay far away from the area we negotiated to stay the fuck out of. All of you should keep your fluffy little paws far, far away.” Stiles snapped out. “Because right now, I only have half of a plan. And that’s being generous. So. Stay.”
He knew the pack wouldn’t listen, so he flicked their emergency ash line closed and headed into the preserve. It wasn’t long before his phone rang.
He didn’t bother playing nice, “Knew you wouldn’t stay.”
“He’s my nephew.”
“Precisely why you’d be the last one I’d bring along. Peter, I have one shot at this if I’m lucky.” Stiles closed his eyes. “He said I love you and then walked out of our lives.”
“Yeah, our lives. Not just yours.” Peter snarled. “We should be there, too.”
“I’m sorry, Peter, but I can’t take that chance. My dad will come break the line if I’m not back by sunset. I’m sorry.”
“We won’t survive losing our emissary, too, Stiles. Don’t make us try.”
“You won’t lose us both.”
He hung up the phone, ignoring the growl he heard on the other end of the line. Stiles staying was a last option, tucked in the back of his head, behind pleasantries and bargains, beyond the pleading for time free of the boundaries. If he couldn’t free Derek any other way, Stiles would offer himself.
He hoped it wouldn’t get there, though.
He wasn’t sure he’d be valuable enough to trade if he got that far down his list of plans.
When he reached the edge of the stinging nettles, he carefully laid out the gift from his pocket. The one true thing he knew of them. Some fae loved songs, some loved plants, and some favored trinkets.
But these fae loved NyQuil tablets.
Stiles sat on the grass outside the protective rings to wait. He didn’t dare grab his phone or distract himself, just in case their delay was a test. He tracked a rustling sound from the depths of their land.
“Hello, I’m Stiles,” he said as the fae came into view, “well, not really, but it’s what you can call me.”
“We aren’t the type to use names that way.”
Stiles shrugged, “What can I call you?”
“Unc.”
“That doesn’t sound much like a given name, either.”
The fae chuckled and motioned Stiles over the line. As he did, the plants parted to grant Stiles an itch-free passage onto their land.
“Gran has been waiting for you. She wondered when they’d send the bargainer.”
“Had to get back from school.”
Unc nodded and led Stiles through a twisting, winding labyrinth of paths. The whole way there was silent except for the quiet thudding of the capsules in the bottle Stiles stored them in.
He was curious about the reason they loved the green tablets so much more than their orange counterparts, but there was no polite way to ask if it was the nighttime soothing bit that had them eagerly taking them in trade.
“Wait out here, she doesn’t like messes in her house.”
Stiles nodded and looked around. The last time he was here, the shelters were nothing more than shells. It was amazing what they were able to do with the land.
“Let’s walk,” a voice called out, “and you can explain what you think will get your Alpha home without death.”
“Death?” Stiles squeaked, “The deal was until death?”
“For the freedom of the betas, the Alpha will stay until Derek dies. That is our deal.”
Stiles felt a lot of his previous hope crumbling. A deal hinged on death was less likely to be twisted. Almost more unfairly, it’s not impossible, so as crushing of a blow as it was, it wasn’t a complete loss of hope which may have been worse.
“We were very clear, your Alpha will die naturally, and no other Alphas could be forced to serve. All very simple, dear. Though I was wondering why you weren’t the one sent when the foolish ones got themselves into such trouble. You are the emissary, are you not?”
“Well, I am, but I was away from town for college and a certain Alpha decided to not bother me right before finals,” Stiles explained. “I’m almost done, though, and then I’ll be here full-time again.”
“You humans and your wandering about, so complicated.”
Stiles laughed, “The shifters are the really complicated ones when it comes to wandering about. They need permission from local packs on top of the human stuff.”
She hummed. “And packs can be a bit overbearing to deal with, as I’ve learned.”
“We’re actually laid back.” Stiles retorted, “We had one pack demand blood oaths for simply driving through on a highway.”
“I’m aware. Yours was not the first forest we sought out. There is much death here.”
Stiles couldn’t refute that claim, and couldn’t even say the pack was innocent in the bloodshed.
“The banshee as well.” She shook her head. “It isn’t done, normally, for a court to move into an area with an active banshee. We’re taught it is bad luck, that she will scream all our true names long before our time.”
“Is it true?”
“Not so far. None of our names have pierced the sky yet.”
Stiles nodded. “That’s good.” And bad. At least if they all died off, Derek could be free.
She stopped and touched a tree, smiling as the leaves shook for her. “Soon, though, she will scream for me. I can tell I am in my final season of life.”
Stiles reached out and grasped her hand, “I’m very sorry for that. If we can do anything, let us know.”
“Unc will walk you through your rituals for it.” she smiled again, “they’re simple but important to cleanse the town and your nemeton.”
Stiles realized his plan to kick them out was not going to go well. The fae would see it as unforgivable to toss out a dying fae, and it would be a declaration of war to dare separate them from a grave.
“It is a little early, but since you’re here, we can do the pre-death part. Come, let’s head back to your Alpha, he’ll be helping.”
Derek ignored the scent this time. He wasn’t going to fall for another one of their tricks. Stiles was not here.
Stiles wasn’t walking side by side with Gran, talking like old friends.
This was another trick, and Derek would not give in and risk upsetting Queenie.
That wasn’t Stiles.
It didn’t matter if all his senses told him otherwise, that was not Stiles.
He fell for it once, and that was one time too many. In some ways, it hurt even more than reliving the fire from every single one of his relative’s eyes. A different brand of torture. One that corrupted his future, his hopes, and his dreams.
“Alpha, Come here,” Gran beckoned.
Derek sighed and headed over. This was inventive, at least. Forcing him to interact when he didn’t on his own. He decided to push it as far as he could, ignoring the fake projection of Stiles haunting the clearing.
“Come now, the three of us must attend to a ritual.” She motioned towards the stream. “We will be getting wet, so do grab extra clothes for you and your emissary.”
He hated Queenie’s entire family.
“Of course.”
He wondered how long she would continue the farce for as he gathered things. In any other situation, the idea of draping Stiles in his scent would have been amazing.
But in this situation? Where Derek was aware of the mirage? It was painful.
The walk to the stream was noisy. At least fake Stiles was a great duplicate, rambling away.
“Sorry, Gran,” fake Stiles said, “I don’t mean to hog all the conversation. Why don’t you tell us a little about this ceremony?”
She smiled, “I don’t mind listening, dear. And it’s hardly a ceremony.”
“Well, you can ask Derek, I do an amazing job of filling the silence.”
“Derek,” she hummed, “how interesting.”
“So, this non-ceremony ritual?” fake Stiles prompted.
They really did nail his personality for this one, even more than the one who Ied him to the border.
“We just climb into running water, agree to honor the land in my death, promise to keep each other’s secrets, then say our truest names.” She waved forward, “We’ll probably spend more time in the spring after. It’s a perfect temperature.”
Derek almost panicked. Queenie didn’t know Derek’s full name, this could be a trick to get it. But turning down Gran was a terrible idea. He would have to pay close attention to make sure he chose correctly.
“Does the rest of the court know you’re dying soon?”
She shook her head. “Unc knows, but he’s next in line. My excess power started shifting to him when the air turned warm. We don’t stress over losing someone before they’re gone, So we wait until the very end to share.”
Fake Stiles gripped her hand. “That seems like a fine way to go.”
The talking died down after that, only footsteps echoing in the calm silence.
When they reached the stream, Gran stepped in immediately with a sigh. “If we knew about this place, we would’ve had far fewer arguments over the move.”
Derek couldn’t help the pride over his family’s land, even if it was now fae land.
Stiles followed her in, ditching his shirt after it got uncomfortably wet.
Derek laid out the dry clothes before slipping off his pants and shirt and sliding into the stream.
“Fully submerged, then we start.”
Derek didn’t wait to see the other two dunk down before going under. Gran chanted something in another language, and Derek felt it wash over him as soon as she finished.
“I swear to the land all power of mine will be given. I didn’t start my life here, but I will honor it all the same in my death.” Gran splashed herself, fake stiles, then Derek. “Sworn so in sacred trust with — ” She motioned to fake Stiles.
“Mieczyslaw Noah Stilinski.”
“And,” she motioned to Derek.
“Derek Samuel Hale.”
She nodded, “And finally myself. Derek, of the Beacon Hills Court.” She ended it with more of the language Derek couldn’t understand and something snapped into place inside him like a pack bond.
“You’re really here.” Derek reached out but paused and turned to Gran. “And your name is Derek.”
She laughed, “Unc didn’t want me to spoil it once he realized, but when the emissary showed up, I couldn’t resist.”
“The deal,” Derek looked between them.
“You are Alpha, I am Derek in our deal for the substitute punishment… We are not unreasonable, young Alpha. Only the high courts do that.”
Definitely-not-fake Stiles looked doubtful.
Derek felt something he thought was long gone: hope.
Stiles didn’t like leaving Derek behind, even knowing that he’d be home, mostly undamaged, before they finished school. It felt worse when he returned to find the pack waiting near the ash line, all leaning in towards each other.
“It’s okay,” Boyd yelled as Stiles approached. “We knew it was a long shot.”
Stiles shrugged and didn’t respond until he got closer. “It is not okay, not yet. But. It will be.”
“What did you do?” Peter flashed his eyes blue. “What stupid thing did you do, Stiles?”
“Nothing.” Stiles held up a hand when the pack started to talk over one another. “They never planned to keep any of the wolves for long. I didn’t need to do anything.”
“So Derek?” Peter eagerly asked.
“Has a bit more time in his punishment… But it will be fine. For all of us.”
As soon as Stiles kicked the ash line free, the pack was on him, scenting him and reveling in the lingering scent of their Alpha. It might not have been the exact outcome they all wanted, but it was enough.
They just needed to be patient.
Stiles knew now that anything they put Derek through wouldn’t be permanent. They’d get Derek back in one piece physically. The rest of it they could deal with as it came.
Derek was convinced that he imagined the whole visit with Stiles. It had been days and Gran didn’t act any different. But no one was gloating over their amazing creation, so it wasn’t some fake scenario made to torture him.
No, this time Derek was torturing himself.
He fell asleep completely destroyed by his guilt over his choices and had a nightmare. Nothing new there.
“We need you today, mutt.” Queenie huffed. “I don’t want to carry the plants we need to harvest. Keep on the chains. We can’t have you running away again.”
Derek didn’t argue. It may have been a trick her family pulled on Derek, but he was incredibly eager to leave given the chance.
“Faster or I’ll make you hold the wolfsbane, too.” She snapped. “It’s not like you need to impress anyone with how you look.”
Derek stood and held out his hand, chain end dangling and ready to be taken.
Queenie quickly swapped her basket for the chain, tugging Derek behind her without looking back.
Derek quietly stumbled behind her, carefully filling the basket with her chosen plants. He could recognize most of the items from the food they prepared. When she gathered the wolfsbane, she tucked it away in a small pouch.
It said a lot about his experiences in life that he felt genuine thankfulness for her choice.
She didn’t say much as they briskly traveled through the fae’s territory, gathering plants until the basket overflowed. It was an easy day for Queenie, with no painful punishments or tricky moments.
Just time to dwell on his own distorted imagination.
His own punishment.
In all his time thinking about who in the court would finally break him, Derek never thought he would be the one to break himself.
He really should have seen it coming.
Stiles made sure the pack was well-settled before he headed back to campus for finals. He wasn’t sure he’d stay through the graduation ceremony, that would depend on if Unc contacted Peter.
The nightmares changed from picturing the painful tortures Derek could be enduring to thoughts of Gran living forever.
He couldn’t do anything for Derek, and the distraction would help. Not that he could be distracted for long with the pack bugging him almost non-stop.
“Hello, Erica,” Stiles answered his phone, “What definitely serious emergency do you have for me? Did Lydia steal your nail polish again?”
“One time, Batman, I claimed that one time back in freshman year.”
“Uh huh, So what is it?” Stiles huffed. He loved the pack, but this was getting ridiculous… It was the eighth call today, and he was in line for lunch.
“Maybe I just wanted to talk.”
Stiles cringed a bit at that. “Sorry.”
There was a scuffle on the other line, and then Boyd’s voice came on. “Don’t be, she was definitely going to make some emergency up.”
“Rude,” Erica shouted.
“Sorry, I’ll talk to them about bothering you so much,” Boyd promised.
Guilt hit Stiles hard. “How about you just tell them to be honest? And maybe talk to each other so l get a call or two a day?”
“Can do.”
“I miss you guys, too, you know?”
“We know.” They both said together.
Stiles didn’t stay on long since he needed to eat, but he made sure to set up a few video calls in the future. The rest of the pack listened to the request, and he was able to let the classes distract him.
Peter only ever joined other’s calls. Stiles was sure Peter understood the gravity of his name popping up on Stiles’ phone.
By the time his Dad was making plans to come watch Stiles’ graduation, the gorier nightmares were a distant memory. The worries about Gran living forever never fully went away.
Derek felt awful, even with the help of the cold stream soothing the pain. He hadn’t meant to wander as far as he did. He was out for a run on the full moon and ended up by the barrier, where it was closest to the pack house.
He couldn’t blame them for assuming he was trying to escape.
The punishment felt extreme.
But Derek agreed to this. And days like today, Derek was sure it was the right choice. Erica and Isaac were never great at taking direction, never great at the art of obedience. Derek may be an Alpha now, but he was trained to be a beta. Trained to listen to his eventual Alpha, Laura. His whole life was a study in following orders.
Even with that training, Derek kept fucking up.
Kept earning punishments.
So he couldn’t imagine how much worse it would have been for his two young betas, if it was this bad for him with his experiences preparing him.
Derek dunked back under the water, the sound, and temperature blocking everything else out.
Here, he was at peace. He could pretend that his family never burned. He could pretend his eyes never turned blue, much less red. He could pretend his life never got destroyed.
For as long as his lungs held out, his life was perfect.
Peter waited in the living room for the rest of the pack to arrive. He hoped no one would tell Stiles about the meeting. He hadn’t told them not to, which was an oversight. But so far, there wasn’t an outraged screeching on his phone.
Liam was the last one to arrive, grumbling when he had to sit on the floor.
“None of this gets back to Stiles.” Peter looked around the room and flicked out his claws. “I may not have the ability to order you, but I am sure you can guess the downside if you spill.”
The pack nodded acquiescence.
“I was called to the fae last night.”
A flurry of noise exploded, with everyone trying to be heard over each other. It took a few minutes for everyone to settle enough for Peter to start again.
“Stiles is coming home in a day and a half, right after he graduates. Waiting won’t be an issue for the fae. And we know Derek will be fine. So in the end, our choice is this: interrupt Stiles’ graduation to get Derek back a little earlier… Or wait.”
Peter stood up as the pack started to whisper.
“When you’ve decided, come find me in the library.”
He could hear the arguments even with the thick walls. The pack was just as conflicted as he had been. On the surface, the choice was simple, call stiles home and end it all immediately.
But as they realized with the calls, Stiles would give up almost anything for the pack. He had, in fact. Many times. As much as they all craved their Alpha, they wanted to give something to Stiles.
Peter didn’t know how this would end.
He didn’t even know for sure how he wanted it to end.
Stiles scanned the crowd as he crossed the stage. He wanted to remember this moment forever. He wished the pack could have come, but with their Alpha out of commission, it wouldn’t be wise to leave the territory. Plus, dragging an entire pack into another pack’s territory was never an easy undertaking.
His Dad was standing there, whistling and clapping.
The folder in his hands was empty, but it still meant the world to him.
This was not only four years of work. It was all the work before that to get in, the stress of the ADHD, the pack politics, and fighting to make the town safe. It was every hope and dream he’d ever had, shaping him into the man standing on stage, freshly graduated.
This was proof to his dad that John did an alright job.
Proof that Claudia’s legacy didn’t die.
Proof that Stiles was worth the ink and paper of every book he’d read to get here.
He didn’t need to sit through too many other people walking, one of the perks of having a last name starting with an S.
Stiles ran towards his dad as soon as he could, happy to feel the strong thump on his back.
“Proud of you, son.” He nodded against Stiles’ shoulder, “So damn proud, kid.”
Stiles squeezed him. “Thank you. For all of it.”
“I think I see some people that want to get a hug in, too.”
Stiles held his dad for a little longer before turning to face his classmates and getting swept into a loud, happy group hug.
“They’re headed home,” Peter held up the phone. “Won’t be long now.”
“And you’re sure?” Isaac asked.
Peter narrowed his eyes. “You think I’d lie about the discussion?”
“I think you’d lie just for fun. You enjoy lying.” Isaac inspected his fingers. “And you’d assume the same from any of us, so,” he prompted.
“Unc called and said she passed away. She needs to be in the ground for the full moon, and once she is, Derek is free from his punishment.”
“Good.” Isaac nodded.
“Next time, don’t fuck up this badly.”
Peter watched as Isaac stormed away. He still hadn’t fully forgiven Isaac for the loss of Peter’s nephew, temporary as it was.
“So, do we have to wait for the full moon?” Liam asked.
“The night before the full moon, we will bury her. The small group that will witness it will then go home, Unc will formally release Derek, and we will be waiting by the line for Unc and Derek to come.” Peter took a slow breath. “Our pack will be whole on the full moon.”
“And they won’t be able to get out of letting him go, right? Like, For sure?”
“If they try, our agreement over the land will be void, and we will get him back that way.” Peter rubbed his temples. “And before you ask, no, the fae having Derek in the first place wasn’t against the agreement. They’re allowed security in their given territory.”
“I don’t like it.” Liam snarled. “I want them out.”
Peter rolled his eyes, “take it up with the Alpha and his emissary. They make that call.”
He ignored the continued discussion and started to make a pot of chili for the pack to eat. Stiles would be home by the time it was done, and after they ate, they could head to speak with Unc again.
For now, he just needed to hold the pack together for one more hour. And, hopefully, then go back to the fringes. He was never made to be the leader. His one chance at being an Alpha proved that.
Plus, the pack hadn’t really grown up all the way, and Peter was over the bickering and battling.
Stiles expected more of a reaction from Derek when they saw each other.
He barely glanced over as they walked to the clearing that the fae insisted was linked to the nemeton. Stiles hadn’t felt the connection, but he also couldn’t much feel the magic in the fae’s land.
Derek and Peter did most of the digging, their strength and stamina making the job easy.
Gran was wrapped in vines and carefully laid to rest, covered with herbs, dirt from all over the pack’s land, flowers, and water.
As they finished the ceremony, the land seemed to instantly heal.
Stiles could feel the magic of the land snap into place, peaceful and somewhat calm. He still couldn’t feel what Unc was describing, but everything felt right to him.
“Well, I suppose this is where our paths diverge, Alpha Hale.” Unc turned and took Derek’s hand. “Your debt is paid now.”
As he spoke, chains fell from thin air and crumbled to dirt, sprinkled over the grave.
“Wait, what?” Derek looked at the group, confused.
Stiles rushed forward and hugged Derek, “You’re free.” He pulled back and hit the side of Derek’s head. “You dumbass.”
“So that was real?” Derek looked between Stiles and Peter, reaching out to his Uncle.
Peter didn’t seem to mind being dragged into the hug.
“We should go,” Unc spoke. “I’d like to get home and sleep, and I doubt any of you want to itch if I don’t drop the barrier for you.”
“Yes, please,” Stiles laughed, “Let’s go, we have a pack waiting!”
Derek didn’t let go of either of them as they moved, even when Stiles tripped over roots and his own feet.
Soon they were at the line and Unc gently parted the plants. “Safe moon to you, Hale Pack. And I hope you won’t be too upset for me to say I hope our paths don’t cross for a long time.”
“I hope you won’t feel insulted if I agree with you.” Stiles nodded and watched the plant line close back up. “Thank you.”
Unc smiled and walked away, not showing any of the air of a grand head of a fae court.
Stiles turned Derek to face him, hands on both sides of his jaw. “I love you, Derek.”
“I love you, too,” Derek whispered.
Before he could lean in for a kiss, Stiles stopped him. “I love you, but I’m so mad at you. No kisses until you wash up, and I get to yell at you for being so stupid about this. You’re going to earn that kiss for what you put me through.”
Peter snickered from behind them.
“I can deal with that,” Derek promised.
The pack met them halfway back, crushing them all in a group hug. Erica and Isaac were chanting apologies and begging for forgiveness, Liam was whining about Peter being annoying, and Peter was trying to control them all.
Stiles wouldn’t have their pack any other way.
When Derek woke up, surrounded by the pack, he could feel the pull of the full moon.
They had spent most of the night catching up, eating the food Peter made everyone, and then fell asleep curled around each other.
Stiles was at the heart of the group, Peter behind and helping him from getting crushed, and Derek blocked the weight from the other side. Arms and legs were reaching and touching each other, and no one was left without contact with everyone else.
Derek let the calm feeling of the pack wash over him, if he was at full strength, the pull might be more difficult to ignore. But he was weak and tired from the time spent with the fae.
“Der?” Stiles blinked awake. “Are you good? My pillow went from nice to a rock.”
Derek tried to relax. “Better?”
“Yeah.” Stiles squirmed and yawned. “I’m exhausted.”
Derek wished he could fall back to sleep as easily as Stiles had. Instead, he was awake, and it gave him time to fully appreciate the connections he had been missing with the pack. The easy flow of their submission as his betas, the power they lent to him as their Alpha.
A strong link from emissary to Alpha gave him the most.
The pack started to stir a little after, one by one leaving the pile and doing their morning routines. Stiles was the last to move, and Derek found he didn’t hate the long cuddles.
Soon, Derek would hear from Stiles about the mistakes, and he was looking forward to the lecture. Oddly enough, Stiles’ talking was one of the main things he missed.
The silences stretched and chafed in a way that Derek was not used to, even with the long stretches where Stiles was at college.
“Ugh, stone pillow. Evil.” Stiles groaned.
Derek helped get Stiles off the floor and shoved him toward one of the open bathrooms in the house. “We’ll get lunch when you’re done, now get ready.”
“Mmhuh. Sure.” Stiles yawned as he spoke. “Lunch.”
“Gotta wake up, or you won’t be able to lecture me.”
“Oh trust me, Rudolf, I can lecture you just fine right now.”
“Rudolf?”
“Rudolf the red-eyed reindeer.” Stiles nodded. “Shut up, it made sense.”
Derek laughed and pushed Stiles free of the door, gently shutting it behind Stiles. “Now get clean and wake up.”
Stiles grumbled something and the shower turned on.
Derek headed to another bathroom and got cleaned up. It was nice to take a hot shower and foaming soap. He was able to fix his scruff up to a uniform stubble and trim his hair a bit. It was a special slice of heaven to be clean in a way he was used to.
The fae never left him filthy, the stream had him clean and fresh… but the creature comforts were something Derek craved.
When he was dressed and ready to go, Stiles was fully awake and ready to ramble.
Derek scent marked the betas he saw, offering a fresh claim on them. Stiles didn’t rush him, but the frustration was clear in every line of his body.
“Okay, I’m thinking of a nice outdoor table at a diner so you can be mad at me.”
Stiles glared. “It’s not a joke, Derek, you —” he cut himself off and pressed his lips together so hard the color drained from them.
“I’m not joking. I’m accepting my fate.” Derek guided Stiles outside. “I’m ready.”
“You… You told me you loved me as a way to say goodbye forever. As a way to basically say I’m about to die, I don’t want to be alone on my last night on this earth. And I deserved better, Derek. We deserved better.” Stiles blinked rapidly as he climbed into the car. “I waited years for us to be able to date. And right before that finish line, you went and accepted your own death.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Derek promised. “I just, I know sometimes you don’t think you’re good enough… and I thought I’d never be back.”
“So you thought you’d tell me you loved me and then disappear. That sounds like a great recipe for confidence.” Stiles snapped. He tried to wipe away tears without Derek seeing.
“No, I just thought that if I was never going to be able to say anything to another human ever again,” Derek sighed. “Well, the last thing I wanted to say was to tell you how much you meant to me.”
Stiles gripped Derek’s head, roughly turning it to face him. Their mouths crashed together and Stiles seemed set on pouring so much into the kiss. “Oh my god, I wanted to make you wait, and then you had to go and be perfect, I hate you so much.”
“I love you, too, Stiles.”