The Longing Of Rebirth

Maybe things didn't have to stay the same anymore, perhaps they could change.

"Alright." Derek finally spoke.

Stiles began to sneak away from his duties and through the gates as often as he could, only managing it once every week. It was enough to break the rut he'd been stuck in and enough to make him feel happy again.

He'd even notice a change in Derek each time he'd visit. Derek would wait for him at the bottom of the stairs, ready to spend time with him again.

Stiles knew the hallways like the back of his hand and could probably navigate them blindfolded if he had to. The Underworld felt like it was becoming a second home to him, a home where he could be himself and not have to worry about being judged.

He knew that others found him strange, that his infatuation with the end of life didn't make sense to others. He didn't understand why they couldn't see why it amazed him when they lived forever.

In the repetition of pollenate, bloom, harvest, death was a rare occurrence. He'd only seen total loss once, and that was when he was a child. His father and Zeus had argued about something big, and the fight got had gotten out of hand. In retaliation for Zeus' outbursts, Stiles' father let the harvest fail and instead watched them die.

The bright green and vivid colors of flowers and plants turned pale, then brown, and then slowly black. So many colors that Stiles hadn't seen quite yet. Black became a favorite color of Stiles.

He would always remember the way dying leaves would crunch beneath his feet and the rush it sent through him. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once to experience the death of everything they had worked on.

Perhaps he was strange, but those moments were the turning point that led him to believe that he was in the wrong line of work.

Despite his frequent wandering of the hallways, there was one room that he'd never entered yet. Derek had asked him not to open the door, so Stiles accepted the request and avoided the door.

Occasionally he'd get the urge to see what was behind the black door, but the desire to keep his promise was always greater. If he'd open the door without permission, Derek would most likely ask him to leave and never return. It wasn't worth losing the one person that finally understood him.

This time on Stiles' visit, he walked down the hall in hard, rushed steps and searched for his cherished friend. "Derek?" He called out, balling his hands into tight fists.

He found Derek tending to his large dog, a marvelous creature with three heads. Cerberus barked at the sight of Stiles, wagging his tail in excitement. Derek stopped brushing his black coat and looked over to Stiles before he smiled. "Welcome back." He greeted him, stepping away to set the brush on his table.

Stiles rushed over to Derek and pulled him into a tight embrace, surprising him. Derek frowned and rested his hands on Stiles' hips as he tried to figure out what was wrong.

"They're figuring it out." Stiles mumbled against Derek's shoulder. "I had soot on me from the gate when I went home. Dad's concerned but Zeus was angry. I tried to reassure them that it was nothing, but I think they know."

Derek's frown deepened as he mulled over potential ideas to keep Stiles here. Stiles helped breathe life into this place, he made it feel a little less cold. Derek didn't frighten Stiles and he had to admit it felt nice to not be looked at differently for once. "What if you didn't have to leave?"

Stiles furrowed his eyebrows and stepped back so he could look clearly at Derek's face. "I don't?"

Derek shook his head and offered his hand to Stiles. "If you don't want to."