One month later
"Scott oh my god, we actually graduated!"
"This is actually the most surprising thing that's ever happened to us! We actually did it!"
Derek scowled at the boys. "Guys it's been a week since you graduated, get over it. You're a Vampire, and you're a werewolf, and you're telling me this is weird?"
"Let us have our moment Derek."
"You've had so many moments this past week."
"Shut up sourwolf."
Both Stiles and Derek stopped, turning to Scott. Derek's eyes flashed blue.
"Not good? Only a Stiles thing? Ok..." Scott gulped, suddenly scared of the big bad wolf. "I'm gonna leave..."
"Idiot..." Stiles mumbled as Scott dipped onto his bike and drove away. Derek however was still angry.
"If he ever calls me that again-"
"Woah save the evil villain speech, Der." Stiles tugged Derek's hand out of a fist and laced it in his own. "Let's go house shopping!"
"Apartment, Stiles. We can't afford a house." The werewolf sighed, but let his boyfriend drag him down the street anyway.
Their first stop was a nice, little apartment quite close to the Sheriff station, so Stiles could commute easily. It even came with two parking spaces, as Stiles said, 'Perfect for their babies!'.
"I don't see why we couldn't have just done this online." Derek grumbled as they left. Stiles rolled his eyes.
"You have to get a feel for the place God Derek."
Stiles' phone would not stop buzzing at all round the tour. Annoyed, he checked it.
How's the house hunt?? xox
Stilinski reply now xox
STILES HAVE YOU FOUND A HOUSE YET xox
Is Derek being grumpy? xox
-Lydia please stop texting me
No! You're buying a house with your boyfriend! This is a big deal! xox
"Lydia won't stop texting me." Stiles switched his phone off and shoved it into his pocket. "She wants to know if you're being grumpy." Derek scowled at him. "Yes Derek, you are being a very grumpy wolf today."
"There are better things we could be doing right now." Derek pulled Stiles close and muttered in his ear.
Stiles giggled and shoved Derek away playfully. "Well the sooner we get a house, the sooner we can start on those other things."
Derek's face lit up with a devilish smirk, and he strode off to find the estate agent. He came back a minute later with a slip of paper and some keys.
"What have you done?"
"We have an apartment." He grinned, wrapping his arms around Stiles. "Welcome to your new home!"
Stiles' face spread into a grin that matched Derek's as he pulled him in for a kiss.
"Woah big boy," Stiles stopped him after a second. "We gotta do something first."
Derek huffed, "What?"
"Celebratory curly fries!"
***
As Stiles was stuffing his face with the super hot fries (that he could vaguely taste), Derek sipped an ice cold Coke and huffed.
"Patience big boy."
Derek didn't want to be patient. He wanted to take Stiles back to the apartment and-
Those thoughts were very private, let's just say.
"Derek stop being an jerky hormonal teenager and eat some fries." Stiles rolled his eyes, but then he caught something outside, and his whole body froze.
"What is it?" Derek demanded immediately as Stiles shook himself out of it.
"Nothing Der." Stiles sighed, shaking more salt onto his chips.
"Stiles." Derek practically growled. "I may not be able to hear your heartbeat anymore but I can tell when you're lying. This happened at the wedding, didn't it?"
Stiles reluctantly nodded. Derek reached out a hand and held his across the table. "You can talk to me Sti."
Stiles took a breath and rubbed his cheek. "Ok... Promise you won't get mad?"
"I won't."
"I... I keep seeing Donovan"
Derek's eyes widened and his straw fell out of his mouth. "Stiles..."
"I know it's not real Derek. But... he's just always there, with..." Stiles dropped his head, tears stinging his eyes. "Mason. Just lying there next to him with... his heart in Donovan's hands and..."
Derek was up and out of his seat in a flash. He squeezed into Stiles' booth and wrapped his arms around him.
"It's been three months and I can't let it go."
"It's not our fault." Derek said uneasily. "We couldn't do anything."
Stiles said nothing, and Derek knew he didn't believe him. But how was he supposed to believe Derek's words if Derek didn't believe them himself?
The truth was, they could have told him to leave. They could have protected him better. They had a warning, but they didn't do enough.
It was their fault Mason was dead.