Work Text:
Twelve years ago.
"Shit," Stiles says as he looks through the window of his room and sees his dad parking his car next to Jackson's.
"You should go." Stiles looks at Jackson sitting on the chair in front of his desk.
"Why?" Jackson raises his eyebrows.
"What do you mean why? My father is here..." Stiles waves his arms as he continues.
"You're the one who heard his car, remember?" He says with disbelief.
"Yeah, but everybody knows now. I'm done hiding, you know that."
Stiles runs the fingers of his right hand through his hair, losing his patience.
"Everybody but him," Stiles lowers his voice.
"We’re just doing homework, okay? What's wrong with that? Besides, weren't you gonna tell him last week?"
"Yeah, I was... I was gonna tell him," Stiles admits reluctantly. "But something..." Stiles hesitates as he tries to find an excuse.
"Something came up?" Jackson finishes for him.
"Yeah, yeah... something came up." It sounds lame, but whatever he says is probably going to sound equally lame.
"You're unbelievable." Jackson shakes his head as he gets up, grabs his book, his pens and his notebook and puts them in his bag. Next he gets his leather jacket from the bed and puts it on before carrying the bag on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, okay? I'll tell him this weekend. I promise," Stiles says, even if he knows that he doesn't sound too convincing.
"Sure," Jackson says dryly.
"What are you doing?" Stiles asks when Jackson reaches for the door and is about to open it.
"Leaving?" Jackson says matter-of-factly raising his eyebrows.
"Not that way," Stiles points to the window.
"Yes that way. I'm done with windows." Jackson opens the door.
"Invent whatever the fuck you want. Besides," he smirks, "my Porsche is outside, don't you think he's seen it?" Jackson raises an eyebrow before stepping outside.
"Shit," Stiles mutters and huffs a sigh as he follows him closely.
They go down the stairs and when they reach the ground floor, the sheriff comes out of the kitchen to meet them.
"Jackson, hi," the sheriff says blocking his way to the door.
"Sheriff," Jackson nods.
"Dad, hi," Stiles says in the most nonchalant way he can manage.
"Stiles..." The sheriff says in that way that means he wants some kind of explanation.
"We..." Stiles hesitates, "we were doing some homework because Mrs. Smith asked us to do this thing in pairs... and it's important, y'know? But we've worked on it and I think it's gonna be okay, right? I think we're good," Stiles looks between his father and Jackson, "and Jackson is leaving now. He has to go, don't you have to meet Derek or something?" Stiles asks, looking at Jackson once more after his rambling.
"Yeah, we're good. And I do have to go."
Jackson looks at the sheriff before he looks back at Stiles and walks the two steps that separate them. He places his right hand at the nape of Stiles's neck and kisses him gently.
It is brief, but it isn't just a peck on the lips. Stiles is shocked at first, but he returns the kiss, because at this point it's simply second nature. It's a just a few seconds before Jackson releases his neck and moves apart but it feels too long for Stiles. It feels like the world just stopped for a minute and when it gets back into motion, nothing has really changed except for his father's face who is looking at him with his are you kidding me? face, and he just wishes he could vanish right there.
"See you tomorrow," Jackson smirks at the paralyzed Stiles before turning around.
"Bye, sheriff," Jackson says as Mr Stilinski moves out of the way and Jackson leaves with that smirk on his face.
And Stiles can't say he's truly surprised. He should have seen this coming because with Jackson you never know what's coming next.
"What was that?" the sheriff asks, obviously confused.
"That... God, I'm starving..." Stiles says, walking to the kitchen and opening a cupboard.
He grabs a box of Chips Ahoy, gets a cookie and starts to eat it.
"Don't change the subject," the sheriff says, following him.
Stiles finishes the cookie wishing he could kill Jackson right now, because he's still an asshole who always gets what he wants. But at the same time, he's always known that, it isn't like he can really complain now.
"What's going on here?" The sheriff asks more seriously.
Stiles sighs and leaves the box on the counter.
"He's an ass. He just wanted you to know..." Stiles waves his right arm. "So he did that. And so yeah... now you know."
"And what do I know exactly?" the sheriff frowns.
"He freaking kissed me goodbye, dad? What do you think it means?" Stiles shakes his head as he waves both arms.
"I don't know..." The sheriff says honestly. "It's been a long time since I stopped pretending to know most of the things that happen in this town... let alone that pack of yours. So you're gonna have to spell it out to me."
Stiles rolls his eyes and shakes his head with disbelief.
"Okay, okay..." Stiles sighs, "he's my boyfriend. He kissed me in front of you because he's my asshole boyfriend," he says, waving his arms again.
"Your boyfriend?" The sheriff asks in a skeptical tone. "Since when? How... I mean, when did this even happen?"
"A few months ago."
"A few months ago?" The sheriff repeats, obviously surprised, and Stiles would laugh if it wasn't such an uncomfortable situation.
"Yeah... five... and a half... more or less." Stiles bites his lip, trying to look anywhere but at his father.
"And why am I learning about this just now, exactly?" The sheriff frowns again.
"Nobody knew... It wasn't just you. We didn't tell anybody."
"But..." The sheriff starts, trying to collect his thoughts. "But... I don't..." The sheriff shakes his head, confused. "I mean, how can he... are you gay now?"
"Dad... this is why I didn't tell you. I knew you would start asking me questions and you'd get upset--"
"I'm not upset," the sheriff interrupts him. "I'm just..." he sighs, "this was unexpected, okay? But I'm not upset."
"Okay, you aren't upset. Cool."
"But I'm not happy that you lied to me either." The sheriff sits on one of the chairs next to the table and Stiles does the same a few seconds later.
This looks too much like the interrogation he was trying to avoid.
"After everything that happened, I thought there wouldn't be more lies between us and here I find out you've been lying to my face again," the sheriff says with sincerity.
"God, dad. I just told you. We didn't tell anybody... not even Scott... or Danny..." Stiles repeats, because he can't think of anything else to say, but the sheriff doesn't seem to be listening to him.
"Besides, Jackson? Really? I thought Lydia was his girlfriend... Didn't you say that he turned when she--"
"Yeah, yeah, that's true," Stiles interrupts him. "She saved him. That's what happened... but they broke up after that."
"And I didn't tell you because it wasn't just me. And the truth is that I wasn't sure..." Stiles licks his lips. "I didn't know what it was, y'know? I didn't know if it was going to last. And I know you don't exactly like him, so..."
"And now you are? I mean... Is it like, serious?" The sheriff looks uncomfortable but determined to find out everything he's wondering.
"Yeah, it is. I wouldn't be here answering the third degree if it wasn't."
"But Jackson? Seriously?" The sheriff says doubtfully once again, raising his eyebrows.
Stiles rolls his eyes dramatically and runs his fingers through his hair.
"Look, I didn't expect you to like it and I know everything you are thinking. That's why I didn't tell you. I know he can be an ass sometimes..."
The sheriff makes that face that says really?
"Okay, most of the time..." Stiles smirks briefly, "but after what happened, he's changed... The thing is that no matter what you say, what happened... it wasn't his fault. And he helped me, he's been there for me."
"He's different... sort of..." Stiles adds. "You'll see it if you give him a chance..."
The sheriff just looks at him but doesn't answer.
"You saw he wanted you to know, didn't you?" Stiles tries another angle since his father still looks totally unconvinced.
"He didn't want me to lie. And actually, his parents already know."
"They do?" The sheriff asks surprised.
"Yeah. And they aren't exactly thrilled. Apparently they don't think I'm good boyfriend material either. Or maybe I'm not the right sex..."
Just then, they hear the sound of a text on his phone followed by two more. Stiles takes it from his pocket and it's from Jackson.
Sorry.
You ok?
Call me later.
Stiles snorts and shakes his head.
"That's him?" The sheriff asks.
"Yeah. He apologized."
Then he gets another text. And one more soon after that.
Jackson told me.
Want me to come over?
"Scott. He wants me to come over." Stiles says as he sends a reply.
No, I am.
"Look, dad. I know this whole thing with Jackson may seem kind of sudden and might not make a lot of sense to you right now, but you're gonna have to trust me on this. He's not how you think..." Stiles hesitates, "or maybe he is, but he's not a bad guy. Trust me."
Stiles gets up, because he really needs to get out of there and finish this weird conversation as soon as possible.
"Son, it's not you I don't trust..."
"I know." Stiles nods.
"Look, I'm going to Scott's, I'll be back in a while," Stiles says before quickly heading upstairs to grab a jacket and his car keys.
"Stiles," the sheriff calls after him.
Stiles stops and turns around at the door.
"Yeah?"
"Anybody should be proud to be your boyfriend," the sheriff says.
Stiles is speechless for a second, because that is not the kind of thing he imagined him saying when they had this conversation. But the truth is, they had never talked about this kind of thing before... at least not sitting at their kitchen table. He knows his father is referring to what he said about Jackson's parents and it makes him feel warm inside.
"Thanks, dad," is all Stiles can think to say before he turns around again with a smile on his face.