Monster. (Sterek)

Part 26: Cake And Drinks.

TW: underaged drinking

~~~~~

Stiles decided to wait until after his birthday, as Derek suggested. Secretly, Derek was glad, despite the all-too-frequent conversations about Scott. But those slowly disappeared as they neared Stiles' birthday.

Isaac came round to Stiles' house four days before his birthday, and the day after Kira had shown up, to explain that they'd had a long conversation with the end results being that Isaac needed more time, that, though he understood to an extent, he wouldn't forgive her. Not yet. But she could join The Pack again, if she wanted, and if the rest of The Pack were okay with it. Kira respected that but said she wouldn't be giving up anytime soon. Stiles had been proud of Isaac and it seemed like Isaac was, too.

The next day, Stiles started opening up more about the time he'd spent inside his head. Just little things: who he saw, how he could barely (if at all) remember what had happened in the moment before, that he'd thought it was real. He cried despite himself, struggling through each sentence. But when Derek told him he didn't need to force himself to talk, Stiles had said that he wanted Derek to know. Needed Derek to know. Derek hurt for him, held him as they slept, quietened any recurring images.

Two days from Stiles' birthday, he told Derek a little more, and every time he spoke he became more himself. Less restrained. More carefree. Watching him unfold, hearing what had happened inside of his nightmare, made Derek glad to be there, glad that Stiles Stilinski, of all people, was his mate. Glad that he would be able to help Stiles through this as Stiles (and The Pack) had helped him. Because he wanted to be everything Stiles deserved, and he felt like the luckiest guy alive to be able to get the chance to try.

Derek knew it wouldn't be as simple as a few conversations to make Stiles feel okay again, no matter how long they were or how late into the night they took them, because Derek understood nightmares. He understood the pain they can cause, even if he'd never had one that lasted as long as Stiles' had, or one brought on by anything like what Stiles went through, he did understand. He'd dealt with his own nightmare – while awake and while asleep – and he knew how important it was not to push too hard, but to always be there. By Stiles' side. Ready to listen.

Stiles talked about a lot of things often, and it took Derek a while to learn to tell the cries for help from the genuine rambling, he was still learning, but he was getting there. Slowly. As was Stiles.

~~~~~

Derek spent most of his time at the Stilinski house, The Pack filtered in and out whenever they felt like it and Stiles settled further into his life.

Lydia arranged Stiles' birthday party, obviously, with some help from Peter. She decorated the loft, made sure everyone had presents and could come, while Peter organised the music and catering. Unsurprisingly, he procured them alcohol, and even some that would work on the Were's of The Pack (which Derek wasn't particularly pleased about, but they promised not to get too drunk and it was "only one night" as Peter had said so he let it slide; they were due a day or two of just being normal). And when it came time for Stiles to go over to the loft, Lydia dressed him up again. This time in dark blue jeans, an almost-black blazer jacket, and a white v-neck t-shirt. She tried to get Derek to let her dress him again but he refused, she had pouted but gotten over it quickly and moved on to harassing Isaac.

Stiles had asked her why she was so passionate about having everything be perfect and she had just smiled and told him that he deserved it. Derek had to agree, Stiles had been through a lot, he should get to have a good birthday. A normal eighteenth birthday.

~~~~~

When Stiles arrived he was greeted with slaps on the back and cheering. It was rather quickly decided that it was time for presents. He got a few books from Mason and Jackson, some clothes from Lydia, a leather bracelet from Derek with two small charms: a triskelion and a crescent moon. Stiles had been grateful for each of them, and even more so when he had found out that the rest of The Pack had chipped in with Peter to help fix up his jeep. It was more duct tape than it was jeep at this point. Although he did refuse the paint job, saying that "the colour is fine, the paint is still almost all there".