Momma, What's a Moon Crystal? [Sterek] [Short Story]

Chapter 11

The pack searched for hours. They were coming up empty-handed. Most of the pack had gone back to camp, disappointed in not finding anything and wanting to raise their spirits by having some fun at camp together. 

Stiles held back a yell as he kicked at the rotten log on the ground, frustration seething from him. Derek leaned back against a tree, running a hand over his face, sadness seeping out of him. He felt like a failure, not just to his pack but to werewolf kind; it was his fault that he didn't know anything about Moon Crystals, and generations to come wouldn't know either. 

"How can there be nothing? I know they aren't exactly common, but with all of us looking, there should have been at least something! Anything!" Stiles yelled, kicking the log once again. 

"Maybe it's just a bad year. Elliot said that could happen, plus he hasn't been out in the forest for years, so he probably hasn't been able to keep track of it like he did when he was younger." Derek sighed, glancing at Stiles, who continued to kick the rotting log as if it would answer his questions if he kicked hard enough. "Stiles." Derek moved from his place against the tree, grabbing onto Stiles to pull him away from the log. "Stiles, stop." Derek's defenses were falling; seeing Stiles so angry about something that didn't matter to him until a few weeks ago; made Derek realize how upset he was about the situation. 

"Why aren't you more pissed off about this! Seriously, Derek, I would have punched through a tree by now if I had your strength and healing!" Stiles fought out of Derek's grasp, turning to face the wolf before he continued his rant, but stopped in his tracks seeing Derek's face covered in tears. "Derek..." Stiles reached out for the man grabbing onto his face and wiping away the tears that continued to stream down his face. 

"I am pissed, Stiles, but I'm so pissed that I can't fight. I want to–to hit everything and scream at the world because it's my fault that we can't find this damn Crystal because I'm the reason my family is dead. If I hadn't fucked up then, I would have never had to go to Peter to tell the pack about Moon Crystals or have some random old man open his heart to us because he understood. We wouldn't be here, Stiles," Derek sobbed, holding onto Stiles for dear life. 

Stiles sighed, forcing Derek to look at him, "Is it so bad that we're here?" The bit of hope Stiles held in his heart was shown in his eyes for a split second, but long enough for Derek to see it. "We'll find one, Derek; even if it's just one and the size of a pebble, we'll find one." Stiles now needed to be the strong one because Derek wasn't the brooding alpha for the first time since they met. 

Derek's brain clicked, and he found the answer he'd been looking for. Nothing else mattered, not even the Moon Crystals, though it was now far more important than just something to remember his family by. There was no hesitation in Derek's movements as he grabbed Stiles closer than it seemed possible at the moment and pressed his lips to the younger males. Stiles only took a second to react to Derek, beginning to push back, fighting for dominance in the kiss. They shared an equal amount of want for each other as they kissed, Stiles threading his hands through Derek's hair, Derek's hands gripping Stiles' hips so tight that he could leave bruises. 

They could have stayed like that forever, but the moment ended quicker than either would have liked when the ground gave out from under Stiles' feet, sending the pair to the ground. Derek twisted them, taking the brunt of the fall, gritting his teeth as he felt the brush stab into his back and arms. They didn't move for a second and stared at each other, seeming embarrassed. Stiles' laughter broke the silence between them, Derek's soon following after. 

Carefully climbing off of Derek, Stiles held his hand out to the wolf, helping him from the ground and pulling the brush that stuck to his back off of him. "Are you okay?" Stiles giggled, taking Derek's hand. 

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" Derek smiled, cupping Stiles' cheek. Stiles only nodded quickly, getting lost in Derek's forest green eyes. "Stiles. Stiles look." Not pleased to be broken from his trance Stiles looked at where Derek was pointing; the ground was glowing. 

They both jumped and began moving the dirt as the glow became brighter, "Holy shit." Stiles gasped, grabbing onto Derek's hands. "Never stop me from kicking a log again." He laughed. 

"You'll regret saying that the next time you know." Derek chuckled, beginning to carefully clear the dirt from around the base of the Moon Crystal. Once finding the bottom, Derek carefully lifted the Crystal from the ground. They held their breath, waiting to see if the Crystal would lose its glow or not; their biggest fear was breaking the Crystal before getting to enjoy it more. 

"We did it. Derek, we fucking did it." Stiles cried, pulling Derek into a hug. "We did it."