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Stiles dropped the duffel bag on the floor, and stubbornly continued to ignore his boyfriend following him inside.
There were a couple of tense minutes –that Stiles spent stripping his clothes off in harsh and jerky movements- before finally Derek spoke, “I can’t believe you did that.” His voice low, and barely concealing how annoyed he was.
Stiles clenched his jaw and bitterly exhaled from his nose, not reacting in any other way.
“I told you to be careful.” Derek went on, his tone betraying how pissed off he really was now. “You can’t just say things like that to an alpha of a powerful pack like the Connors! You were going to put all of us at risk!”
Stiles whipped his head around, “He insulted you!” he shouted incredulous, taking a couple of steps towards him. “What? Was I supposed to stand there like an idiot, as they insulted my mate?”
Derek sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “I should’ve never taken you with me.”
And okay, that hurt. That felt like a fucking punch to Stiles’ heart and he felt himself taking a step back in response.
“Stiles,” Derek said, immediately regretting it, “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Except, you did.” Stiles countered, “Cause everything would be easier if I just shut my mouth, wouldn’t it? I’m always creating problems, I’m-”
“You can’t just tell an alpha that he’s a piece of shit!”
“But he was!” Stiles bellowed back. “And- and..” he gulped around the knot in his throat, “I won’t shut up when someone says shit about the people I love.. and if you can’t deal with that part of me then…” He was breathing harshly, and his eyes were starting to fill. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t finish that sentence.
“Then.. what?” Derek asked lowly, his head bowed a little.
Stiles turned his head to the side, “Then,” he gulped. “You should go.” He said, voice hoarse.
He heard and saw Derek inhaling sharply, and felt his heart crumble in a million pieces. But now it was out and he still felt too hurt and raw from what Derek had said.
He stood there, at their bedroom door as he watched from the corner of his eye, Derek picking up his bag again and walk towards their front door and open it. He still didn’t look when Derek stopped at the entrance and turned to look at him.
“I love you.” Derek said softly, just before the door closed behind him.
Stiles’ face crumpled, “I love you too.” He whispered, but it was too late.
Derek was gone.
He stared at the door for a long time, hoping that it would open again, and Derek would come back to yell at him how what he did was stupid but that he loved him all the same, and that nothing would come between them because they were it to each other.
But the door didn’t open, and when he realised that it wasn’t going to, not for that night at least, Stiles took a deep, shuddering breath and then exhaled, blinking the tears that had pooled in his eyes.
He knew Derek loved him. He’d taken care to remind him even as he was leaving, he just needed some time alone, and so did Stiles. They would be okay.
It’s not like we haven’t fight before, he tried to reassure himself.
He took another deep breath, and forced himself to move and finish changing in his night clothes, that consisted in a pair of boxers and one of Derek’s old Henleys.
He considered whether to eat or not, deciding in the end that he wasn’t that hungry.
He slid under their covers, and Stiles shuddered as he settled himself between them. They were too cold.
Derek would go stay at the loft tonight. Cora and Lydia lived there now, but neither one of them minded someone of the pack sleeping on the couch, so there really wasn’t any problem, anything to worry about.
Except, of course, Derek had to go there because they fought.
Stiles grabbed Derek’s pillow and buried his face into it, breathing in Derek’s scent.
And only then, he allowed himself to breakdown and let the tears spill.
Stiles stayed in bed way past the time he usually got up to start the day.
But he didn’t have to go to work, because his dad had agreed to give him a couple of days extra to relax since returning from an Alpha Con was always stressful and tiring business.
He’d gone to these conventions, exactly three times.
The first time it was as just the Hale pack emissary, who might have nurturing a huge crush on his alpha at the time. A really embarrassing couple of days..
The second time, he’d went as emissary and the alpha’s something.. It didn’t take long to realise that Stiles had been, in fact, in love with his alpha since a long time and he knew Derek felt something too, but they’d been too idiotic to actually tell each other or act on it, causing a shit ton of unnecessary pining, that, however did get solved during that Alpha Convention, since they had come back home as an official couple.
Stiles had never been so happy in his life. Well, except he’d been on the happy cloud every day since he got together with Derek, the days when they fought being the only times he’d been distressed.
The third time, had been the one of this year. And he’d went as the Hale emissary and as the Alpha’s mate. It was a big deal and he had been standing proud and everything was going great, until the Connor’s happened.
Last year he’d spent the day after they returned from the convention, cuddling in bed with his boyfriend, and he’d looked so forward to that, this year too… But said boyfriend was currently spending his morning on the couch in what used to be his bachelor pad.
Stiles groaned and turned face down on his pillow. He was still a little mad, but he knew that what Derek had been saying the day before made sense. Derek was the alpha and Stiles his mate. There were certain lines that couldn’t be crossed when dealing with other packs.
But Stiles had crossed it, responding to Archibald Connor’s subtle insults in a much more direct way.
That piece of shit had started implying on how Derek would never be a real alpha, since the spot had been always intended to be filled by Laura. How Derek was no fit. How Derek didn’t deserve the name Hale, after all the mistakes he did. And Stiles had snapped.
He’d tried to keep his mouth shut, he really did. But enough was enough, and he told the self-righteous excuse of an alpha, exactly what he thought of him.
It’s not that Stiles didn’t know of the mistakes that Derek made through the years.
He knew all of them, because he was there right beside Derek to help fixing them. And it took time but, frankly, Stiles thought Derek turned out to be an amazing alpha.
He cared about the wellbeing of his pack above anything. He took care of all the politics involved when dealing with the other packs, no problem. And he was a perfect mate.
Derek Hale was a great alpha. And Stiles would let no one talk shit about him.
He just wished Derek would get that.
He sighed and buried his face in Derek’s pillow again. Maybe if he fell asleep, when he’d wake up later, Derek would be there… He curled into himself and tried to ignore the ache in his chest.
It was early afternoon when he woke up again, and Derek wasn’t there.
He checked his phone and found two missed calls and three texts, all from Scott.
-
Dude, what’s going on with you and Derek?
Pick up your phone, asshole.
Do I have to bring ice cream?
-
Stiles sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips and sent a quick reply to his best friend.
I’m fine. We’ll be fine, don’t worry about it .
He received an instant reply,
You sure?
Stiles typed.
Yes. I wanna be on my own.
Okay. I’m here if you need me.
I know, bro. thank you .
J Any time, love you.
Love you too.
-
Stiles stared at the screen of his phone for a long time, battling with himself if he should call Derek.
The ache in his chest hadn’t eased and he just really wanted his boyfriend’s arms around him right now. If he called, would Derek come?
Of course he would, he tried to reason. Derek always came for him, no matter how pissed off he was with Stiles.
And then his thoughts derailed as he heard a tiny mewl. All his senses focusing on that delicate sound.
He was pretty sure his eyes grew two sizes too big for his face, when he saw a tiny furball, poking his head from the end of the bed as it climbed it, and then made its way, mewling loudly and with intent, towards Stiles.
“Oh my god.”
Stiles gasped as it curled itself against his chest. The kitten was so tiny that it fit cosily in the palm of his hand.
“Where did you come from?” He asked looking down at it, dropping his chin to his chest.
The kitten didn’t reply to him, of course, just proceeded into settling himself more comfortable between his hand and chest. It was the cutest shit he’d seen in a while.
And then, he heard another mewl, and another orange furball, climbed on the bed and then on him, snuggling between his free hand and Stiles’ shoulder.
“Oh my god.” Stiles repeated, rubbing his face against the soft fur. “I’m being attacked by a hoard of kittens.” He whispered, giggling softly.
He climbed off the bed deciding to investigate.
He and Derek lived in a one story little house, and one day when they were cuddling on the couch, a couple of days before they left for the convention, Stiles had distractedly mentioned how he’d really like to adopt a kitten or a puppy.
The next day Stiles had found Derek cutting a little pet door, on both front and back doors, “We’ll get them when we’ll be back.”
That had been another of the many, happiest days of his life since he’d started to live with Derek.
Now, he walked towards the front door and carefully opened it, holding the white kitten on his chest with one hand, and the orange furball on his shoulder with his chin.
There wasn’t anyone.
Stiles frowned and then walked to the backdoor in the kitchen, and paused. He could hear the soft voice of someone murmuring gentle words.
He pulled the door open slowly and got out. He didn’t see him at first, only heard the soft murmuring. Then he walked towards the source and turned the corner, and found Derek kneeling on the ground.
Beside his boyfriend was a vine basket, a white and red checked, soft-looking blanket inside it, with other two kittens in it. Derek had another one in his hand and talking to it softly. “–are everything.” Then he put it down and gave it a little push, chuckling softly when the kitten pushed back against his hand and tried to climb back on him, “You gotta go and tell him, c’mon.” He tried again, but before the kitten could take a step, Stiles decided to make himself noticed.
“Derek?”
Derek… jumped.
In all the time he’d known Derek, Stiles had never seen him jump from surprise. And since he’d become an alpha he’d been even more aware of his surroundings. Sneaking on him was impossible.
Or so Stiles had thought.
Derek stood up from where he was crouching on the grass of their backyard and Stiles’ chest constricted as he took in the state he was in. The sun was starting to set, and everything seemed to glow in the warm golden sunlight. Except Derek. He looked so tired.
“You look like shit.”
His boyfriend’s lips twitched a little, “The couch is lumpy.” Derek replied shrugging with one shoulder. The kitten he’d tried to send inside their home, safely tucked in his big hands.
Stiles took a step towards him, assessing the dark circles under his eyes. “It looks more than that…”
Derek gave him a tired smile, “I think, it’s the mate bond.” He took a step towards him, “Everything you feel I feel it too, any kind of distress though, it feels ten times worse.”
Stiles exhaled, “I’m sorry.”
Derek shook his head and walked up the remaining distance between them, pulling Stiles towards him. And careful not to jostle the sleeping kittens, Stiles dropped his forehead against Derek’s chest.
“I missed you.” He sniffled, eyes already filling.
Derek made a broken sound, scratching his fingers through the short hair at the nape of Stiles’ neck to sooth him, “I missed you too.” He said gruffly.
If it weren’t for the kittens cuddled up against him, Stiles would be clinging on him right now, but as it was, he settled to nuzzle Derek’s neck instead.
Derek held him for a long time, circling his waist with his free arm, “I’m not used to be protected.” He said quietly.
Stiles looked up.
Derek exhaled, “I just… since the fire and Laura, there wasn’t anyone left that-” he swallowed, looking away, “I had to protect myself, ‘cause there wasn’t anyone else that would do it.” He turned to look at Stiles then, his eyes holding all the truth that he needed to tell him, “Then, I became alpha, and it was always about protecting the pack, protect you, at all costs.” His hold on Stiles shirt tightened then, “I know that I would’ve declared war, if he’d talked that way about you,” he sighed, “It was easy to let him talk, because it was just about me, and he wasn’t wron-”
“Ah-ah.” Stiles interrupted, “I’m gonna stop you right there, cause it was a really beautiful apologetic speech, but I sensed bullshit, and I have to intervene.” He said quickly and with raised eyebrows.
Derek huffed out a laugh and Stiles grinned, his eyes softening as he continued, “They’re wrong.” He stated simply. “Everything that –that” Stiles made a disgusted sound, “Was crap. He’s just jealous. Don’t look at me like that.” He said narrowing his eyes when Derek gave him a disbelieving look, “He’s jealous, because Hale has always been a prestigious name, and yeah, the pack almost disappeared, but it didn’t. Because you lived, and you built it back up. You have a pack that, even if it’s not all blood family, is in fact a family. We all love you. You are a great alpha, maybe not before, but you are now. And not to brag, but we’re also pretty strong, and your emissary?” he smirked, “Total badass.” He winked, making Derek break out in one of his most beautiful smiles and then lean in to kiss him gently.
“Thank you.” He breathed against his lips.
“Anytime.” Stiles smiled, “Just, I’ll try not to pounce on people, but I will do something, if they even look at you or our pack the wrong way.” He said thinking of some spells that he could use next time.
“I know, I’ll help.” Derek said nuzzling his temple, and then sighed, “I’m sorry I yelled at you, yesterday. I didn’t mean what I said about you not coming, I was just thinking of a way to keep you safe..” He trailed off with a helpless shrug.
“Hey,” Stiles said, putting his chin on Derek’s chest and looking up at him, “I get it. Just, try to not do that again, okay?”
“I promise.” Derek said solemnly and Stiles broke out in a wide smile.
“I do, however really approve of your methods to say you’re sorry.” He said looking down at the kittens in their hands, and the ones sleeping in the basket. “How many even are they?”
Derek’s eyes crinkled as he smiled softly, “Five.”
“Oh my god.” Stiles gasped, “You bought me five kittens?”
Derek shrugged trying to play it off, but Stiles could see the pink colouring his cheekbones.
His boyfriend was adorable. “Where did you find them so soon though?”
“I have a friend.” Derek said, “A werewolf, he has a little farm not far from here. Usually cats don’t like us –something to do with the wolf part of us, but for some reason, his cats adore him, and these five all liked me too, so I took them all...” he confessed, blushing harder.
“God, I love you.” Stiles breathed out, grinning and making Derek duck his head. “But seriously, you knew a kitten whisperer, and didn’t tell me?”
“I wanted it to be a surprise.” Derek explained, “I can take you to him if you want.”
“Another time maybe,” Stiles laughed and kissed the corner of his mouth, “Right now, I wanna go to bed and cuddle with my boyfriend and our five kittens, you game?”
Derek nodded, eyes soft and earnest. “Always.”
*~*
At some point of the afternoon-cuddling session, Stiles had fallen asleep, and he woke up for the third time, that day.
Derek was still sleeping soundly, and if it weren’t for the fact that he hadn’t eaten all day, he wouldn’t think twice to curl up against him and fall asleep again, but as it was, he was starving.
So, he climbed off the bed and padded towards their kitchen, his cheeks hurting from how wide he smiled when the orange furball came after him mewling. “Aw,” he cooed, “You wanna come with me?” He scooped it up and held it against his chest, humming as he resumed walking towards the kitchen.
-
He was in the process of scooping the food into two plates when he heard the soft pad of Derek’s feet as he made his way to him.
“Hey, I was thinking and what were you tel-” Stiles’ mouth dropped open when he turned, and saw the image presenting in front of himself. His brain going into cuteness overload.
Derek was standing there, in front of him, sleep soft, with his hair sticking in every which way, except on the top, because he had a white furball snuggled up there, a tabby kitty clinging at his shoulder, and a black one tucked in his hands.
“Where’s the brownie one?”
Derek didn’t have time to answer because then, the remaining kitten made itself noticed as he made his way towards them on wobbly feet, mewling loudly, obviously complaining at being left behind.
Stiles scooped it up and settled him beside the orange kitten that had followed him earlier. He grinned when he turned to look at Derek again, “You’re too cute right now. You look like a soft cuddly bear.” He told him and delighted in how Derek blushed a little.
The great alpha or the Hale pack, ladies and gentlemen.
“You were going to ask something?” Derek asked, obviously trying to change the subject.
Stiles was perfectly content so he let him. “Yeah,” he nodded, “What were you telling them when you were sending them through the flap door?”
Derek looked even softer when he looked at him, “Just everything I wanted them to make you feel.” Stiles cocked his head waiting, and Derek went on, “The first kitten, was a hug to make you feel better. The second one a cuddle for the one I couldn’t give you last night. The third one was supposed to tell you how you mean everything to me. The fourth, was to tell you that I always want you to be happy, and the fifth one was to tell you how much I love you.” He concluded, standing in front of him, after he’d taken a step towards him as he explained the meaning of each kitten.
Stiles breath hitched and he buried his face in Derek’s neck, “Oh my god, you’re actually the biggest sap.” Derek chuckled and nuzzled him, like the big puppy he was. “We should name them.” Stiles said leaning back, eyes bright.
He pointed to the one on top of Derek’s head, the white one, “She was supposed to give me a hug right?”
“Yes.” Derek nodded, a big smile on his lips.
“Huggles.” Stiles decided, making Derek laugh. “What? You don’t like it?” he pouted.
Derek shook his head, “No, no, I love it.” He quickly said, kissing the pout away.
“Good.” Stiles turned to the orange furball, “He was supposed to give me a cuddle so..”
“Cuddly?” Derek guessed.
Stiles grinned, “Perfect.” Then he turned to look at the tabby cat, still hanging on Derek’s shoulder. “She’s.. Eve, from ‘you mean everything’”
Derek looked really pleased with that choice, “The last two are easy then,” He looked down at the one in his hands, “Happy.” And then at the brown one snuggled beside Cuddly, “and he’s Love.”
Stiles twisted his nose, “Man, we’re so sappy.”
Derek smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners and looking absolutely beautiful, “You love it.”
Stiles rolled his eyes, but he was smiling too, “Yeah,” he admitted, “I really do.”