Crying Souls | Sterek

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 - Afterglow

(...cont'. from Ch. 9 Jackson, sobbed a single sob, of joy, against Danny's shoulder as he felt a warm hand rubbing up and down his back, and another hand holding him and stroking his wet hair.

Jackson laughed with sheer joy, brushing the tears from his eyes, and took Danny by the hand and they stepped out and took turns drying each other off gently and the scent of love filling the large bathroom and their hearts.)

Jackson and Danny padded downstairs to join Derek and Stiles in the kitchen. Derek was busy setting the table, and Stiles was preparing what looked like a feast.

Everyone was still in their towels. To no one's surprise, Stiles had his wrapped around his head in a very large turbin, the rest of his lean but cut body exposed. He jerked and hissed each time the sausage popped and burned his skin.

Jackson stopped at the table, his arms folded regarding Stiles. Danny stood next to him, his arms around him, with both his eyebrows up.

Derek caught their scent of laughter and love, and looked over. They met his gaze and then all three turned to look at Stiles, cooking away, and singing and dancing in front of the stove, unaware he had an audience.

Like when you are preoccupied and then stop to realize no one else is talking or moving and then you look to see what's happening, he turned and froze to see all three sets of eyes on him, large grins on their faces.

"What?" he asked, nonchalantly. And then grinned his million-dollar grin.

The three young men all started laughing and he laughed too.

They sat at the table, still in their towels, Stiles headgear now wrapped around his waist as he brought the last platter to their overflowing table.

Jackson looked at the steaming pile of links that was placed near him and sniffed.

"Is that...?" he started.

Stiles, with love in his eyes answered before he finished. "Yes, it's venison."

Jackson, without thinking, being ravenous after his morning with Danny and their night in the woods, shot out his fork to skewer a few and pile them onto his plate and put one into his mouth and started to chew.

He caught a strange scent and stopped chewing, half a link still sticking out of his mouth. He looked over at Danny next to him who had that "Oops!" look on his face, then over to Stiles, who had the same look and then looked down, pressing his lips into a thin line, and then his gaze landed on Derek. Derek's face was hard and stoic.

He gulped, swallowing part of his food, but the remainder of it still sticking out of his now reddening face.

His eyes darted around, and Stiles, spoke, breaking the silence. "Um, Jackson, we, um, let the Alpha go first. And um, then we get to eat." Stiles cleared his throat, looked over at Derek's narrowing eyes, and then back down at his plate.

Jackson's heart started to speed up, fearing what Derek was going to do. He still had the sausage hanging from his mouth looking like it was about to fall. His scent was wafting over to Derek of submission, and Derek's nostrils caught it but he didn't react. He stared at Jackson, his eyes, glowing slightly red.

Jackson whimpered and the sausage fell from his mouth, landing in his orange juice, splashing him in the face.

Derek burst out laughing and the table quickly understood it was all a big joke at Jackson's expense and Danny and Stiles laughed too seeing Jackson's face getting redder with embarrassment. He just sat there, orange juice dripping from his chin and nose and Derek came over to him and grabbed him from his chair pulling him into his arms, and hugging him. Derek licked a drop of juice from his chin, laughed again, and hugged him tighter, laughing more. Jackson felt the warmth and love radiating from his Alpha and felt Derek's booming laughter vibrating against him, making him feel safe.

He pulled back his face and looked into Derek's eyes and said, "I love you, Derek," and kissed him quickly on the cheek. He rested his face and chin on Derek's shoulder, his feet off the ground, totally content. "I love you all," he said, his eyes closed.

Stiles and Danny came over and they shared in the love of their alpha, and each other in a big group hug.

The room was full of laughter, the scents of happiness, brotherhood, love, and togetherness. It was good and it was perfect. They were family. They were Pack.

(I figured we needed some comic relief and a chapter without pain, tears, or angst. Just joy and laughter.)