A/N: Hi guys! Finally getting around to this one, sorry it's taking me so long but it's pretty lengthy! Please let me know what you think.
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Chapter Seventeen: Homecoming
"Cora!" Erica called as she stomped, purposefully, through the forest. "Not cute anymore! Would you come back here now?"
She had been wandering around for nearly an hour now and Cora had almost completely disappeared.
"I'm going back to the loft!" she huffed, throwing her arms up in the air. "When you're done playing games, I'll see you."
She started heading back, the light slowly fading from the sky.
As she made it to the loft a scent hit her, one she hadn't smelt in a long while. She walked into the main living area and looked around.
"Hello?" she called.
"Erica," she grinned as she saw him walking over from the kitchen.
"Boyd!" she squealed, running up to him and launching herself into his arms. "I can't believe you're back! I can't believe you didn't tell me you were on your way back!"
"I told you I was coming home soon," he said.
"I didn't think you meant this soon!" she said, squeezing him harder. "What the hell?"
She finally let him go and took a step back to look at him.
"What are you, growing a beard now?" she said.
He rolled his eyes a little.
"Just been on the road a few days," he said.
"So this is it? You're really just... back now?" she said and he nodded. "I thought you weren't going to stop until you found her."
He shrugged, taking a step back to sit on one of the stools by the bench.
"You can only look so long before you figure out that maybe that person isn't lost, they just...don't want to be found," he said.
"Well... until you found out what happened to her then," Erica said.
"Maybe she doesn't want me to know that either," he said.
"And if something terrible happened?" she asked.
He shook his head.
"I really don't think it did," he said.
"Well, whatever happened, I'm so glad you're back," she said, throwing herself into his arms again.
"Me too," he said softly. "It's weirdly empty around here."
Erica rolled her eyes and pulled away.
"Believe me, it's far from," she said. "Which reminds me, I don't have a lot of time, I have a date."
"With this guy from the coffee place?" he said with a grin. "You want me to give him the older brother talk?"
"Please," she drawled. "If he hurts me then I'll kick his ass myself."
"Thought you might say that."
"You can crash here if you like, Derek probably won't be back until tomorrow though," she said. "And Cora's taken residence of the spare."
"I almost forgot she was here," he said.
"Yeah well, who knows where she is right now," Erica grumbled. "She has a habit of disappearing."
"Well, I might take you upon that offer," he said.
"There's pizza in the fridge," she said before leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. "Welcome home."
*
"Feels weird you know?" Stiles said as he packed up his things from the dorm. "Like I'm leaving before anything's even finished."
"You'll be back in no time," Kyle said from his spot on the bed as he read through one of his books.
"Yeah, I'll be back here doing finals while everyone else is in the middle of their break," he said. "It kind of sucks."
"It all out of respect you know," he said. "Maybe you should have some."
Stiles turned around and feigned a wounded look.
"Well that was overly savage, even for you," he said.
"Yeah that one came out a little harsh," he said. "I was just saying."
"Yeah I know," he sighed. "I don't know about anyone else but I think I'd prefer to just get everything over with now rather than come back half way through and knowing exactly why. At least starting a new year... there's nothing overly significant about that."
"I guess so," he said.
There was a knock at the door and Stiles grinned before striding over to open it. Derek raised an eyebrow at him before Stiles was pulling him down to kiss him.
Derek was quick to pull away, the raised eyebrow only getting more animated as he did so.
"Oh it's just Kyle, he doesn't care," Stiles said.
"It's true, I don't," he said without looking up.
"This one time he thought I wasn't in the room and he and this guy were ―" he was silenced by Derek's lips against him.
"I've heard that story before," he said with a shake of his head.
"And you thought you'd... kiss me to avoid hearing it again?" Stiles said.
"It's a very effective method of shutting you up," Derek said quietly.
"I can think of better ways," Stiles grinned.
"Guys... might not be a werewolf but I can still hear you," Kyle said.
Stiles pulled himself away to throw another few things in his case.
"So you're leaving tonight?" Kyle asked, finally putting the book down.
"Tomorrow morning," he said. "Just going to go straight from the hotel."
"Guess I'll see you for finals then," Kyle said.
"You can always visit Beacon Hills," he said. "You'd totally love it, supernatural central."
"Do you just think all supernaturals are drawn to other supernaturals? Some weird force of nature or something?" he said.
"The short answer is yes," Derek said and Kyle grinned as Stiles rolled his eyes.
"Okay, I regret bringing you here," he said as he struggled to zip up his bag.
"To be fair, it does happen," Kyle shrugged. "Most of the time it's to the same species but either way, not really my specialty seeing as people like me are few and far between."
"I'm not overly familiar with your kind," Derek said. "Even my mother doubted there were any of you left."
"I thought you said you hadn't heard of them?" Stiles said.
"I didn't think I had, but I remember Laura asking my mother about them when I was about six," he said. "She said she'd never known of any in her lifetime."
"Yeah well the legend says that only one can exist at any given time but I don't think that's been updated in maybe a thousand years, just translated really. Each generation will just die out at the same time."
"Wait, what?" Stiles said. "What do you mean 'die out'?"
"Come on Stiles, you can't tell me you haven't researched it," he said.
"It's on my list," he said. "I've been kind of preoccupied lately... and you know, Allison hasn't had a chance to look through the bestiary yet."
Derek shook his head.
"Addonexus' are born under Halley's Comet, the legend says paired with a solar eclipse but as far as I understand it's just so long as the comet is in the sky. The aging is faster than the myth too, thank god or I would still look about thirteen."
"That still doesn't explain the whole extinction thing," Stiles said.
Derek shook his head, "not an extinction."
"More like, the comet is the ashes from which more of us are born, but before something can be reborn... it has to die. Kind of like a wandering spirit that moves between hosts, every seventy-five years or so it needs someone new. This kind of power is centuries old, I'm just borrowing it for now."
"So what you're saying is... the next time Halley's Comet appears in the sky..." Stiles said slowly. "You'll die."
"If I don't die beforehand," he said.
"Well... this just got a little depressing," he said.
Kyle shrugged.
"I'm okay with it, plus I'll be young my whole life," he said. "Can't really complain. Now get out of here and enjoy your night."
"What, after that uplifting story?"
"Why don't you cross the bay, go for dinner in the city?"
Stiles shook his head.
"I'm actually starting to feel better, but I still just kind of want to curl up in bed and relax, you know?" he said.
"I don't blame you," Kyle said with a grin over at Derek. "Just to make this moment awkward."
Derek looked up with a sigh and Stiles laughed.
"And to think you didn't even believe me about him," he said.
"Okay," Derek said with a nod, turning to walk out of the room.
"I'll see you in a few weeks?" he said to Kyle, hoisting his bag onto the floor.
"I'm sure I'll hear from you before then," he said. "Go home, you've been dying to do it since you got here."
Stiles grinned, following Derek out and tripping over his case as he did.
*
"You look really nervous," Scott said as he pulled up on his bike outside his mother's house.
Isaac climbed off the back and pulled the helmet off, running a hand through his wavy hair.
"I'm not nervous," he said.
"Okay..." Scott said as they headed towards the door.
Melissa smiled as she opened the door to let them in.
"Do you have werewolf hearing now too?" Scott asked as she grabbed him and kissed his cheek.
"No, I just have a son with a motorcycle," she said. "If you think I'm not always listening out for that thing you've got another thing coming."
She grabbed Isaac and pulled him in for a hug too and Isaac felt the familiar warm feeling run through him. She always had a way of making him feel welcome.
"Dad's not here yet then?" Scott said.
"I know, it's such a shame isn't it?" she said and Isaac grinned.
"Mom..." Scott grumbled.
"You know you could invite him over to your house for dinner," she said. "Ever think about that?"
"And you know you'd just be texting me every half hour for updates," he said.
"Not true," she said as they made their way through to the kitchen. "I'd be texting Isaac."
"Because I'd say more than 'fine'," Isaac said and Scott rolled his eyes. "Do you need help with anything?"
"You can cut up those onions over there, last thing I need is mascara all down my face," she said.
"You put on mascara?" Scott asked and Isaac grinned to himself as he rolled up his sleeves.
"Hey!" she said, pointing to him with a wooden spoon. "Don't go thinking I am getting dressed up."
"Wouldn't dream of it," he said.
It wasn't too long before there was a knock on the door and Scott got up to answer it.
Melissa sighed as he left the room and Isaac looked over.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
"I know it sounds crazy," she said. "But I had only just got used to the idea that Scott's dad wasn't going to be in his life and now... now I have to sit across the table from him and make small talk as if he didn't just walk out on us. I know, I know, better late than never I suppose."
"Scott seems to think so," Isaac said.
"Yeah well, if he didn't want him here I'd have clocked him square in the nose by now," she mumbled and Isaac grinned.
"Let me know if you want me to throw him out at any point," he said. "I mean literally too."
She let out a loud laugh.
"Oh you have no idea how much I would pay to see that, I can just imagine the look on his face," she laughed again as Scott walked in looking less than impressed.
"Dad, you remember Isaac," he said, shooting him a look.
"Sure, I mean you disappeared pretty quick last time we met but I remember," he said, holding out his hand. "You're taller than I thought you were, what are you, six foot?"
Isaac held his hand out for a quick shake.
"Nearly six two," he said.
"Basketball guy?"
"Lacrosse," he said as he went back to cutting the onions for Melissa.
He nodded, "right, that school's always been pretty into their lacrosse."
"Yeah well, I haven't played since we left, so," he shrugged and Scott gave him a subtle pinch on the arm as he walked to the fridge.
"Do you want to go sit out there, make yourself comfortable?" Melissa said to him.
"I'm making an effort here," he said and Isaac could just sense the anger rolling off Melissa as she scoffed.
"That's a good idea mom," Scott said quickly. "Isaac, come on."
"I'll finish this then meet you out there," he said as Scott handed his father a glass of water and gave both Isaac and Melissa a stern gaze as they walked out to the living room.
Melissa sighed and walked to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of wine.
"You want a glass?" she said and Isaac smiled.
"No," he shook his head and she nodded with a wrinkle in her brow.
"Good," she said, taking a drink and Isaac tried not to laugh.
*
Erica made her own way to the movies, needing some time to burn off the nervous energy, the events of the afternoon doing nothing of the sort. If anything they made it worse.
She settled on a skater dress and a blazer with a pair of boots, but she felt like no matter what she wore she wouldn't feel ready. She waited out front and shook her head at how stupidly nervous she felt.
"You don't get nervous anymore, what the hell is wrong with you," she mumbled to herself.
She watched as Raj turned the corner, giving her a smile as he caught her eye.
"Hey," he said with his smile growing. "You look really nice."
"Thanks," she said as she felt the flush in her cheeks.
"I could have picked you up you know," he said.
"No it's okay, I think I needed the walk," she said. "So, what are we seeing?"
He shrugged.
"Anything you like, just let me know and I'll go get it," he said.
"No that's okay, I've got it," she said, "You paid for dinner last time so it's only fair."
"I don't mind," he said.
"No really, I'll actually be able to spend the money I earned rather than mooching of Derek," she said.
"Your... housemate? The one who's dating your friend?" he said and Erica paused a minute, forgetting for a moment that not everyone understands the situation.
"Yeah... uh... he's kind of like my brother but, not really... it's a long story."
"Well you'll have to tell me some time," he smiled.
She smiled back as they made their way over to the ticket counter, knowing that the time for that would probably not be in the near future.
*
Stiles lay snug in the hotel bed with Derek's arm draped over his torso. They were watching a television show that Stiles had been bugging Derek about for weeks, if you could call it watching.
They'd missed half of the second episode and Stiles was sure Derek wasn't really paying attention as his fingers traced soft circles against his stomach.
"You have to watch this bit," he mumbled, turning his head on an awkward angle to look down at him. "Seriously you'll miss the twist."
"I can already guess what's going to happen," Derek said, eyes still closed.
"Derek I'm serious she's about to wipe the courtroom floor with this guy and then go home rip shreds of her asshole husband," he said.
"Thanks, now I don't need to watch it," Derek said and Stiles gave him a gentle smack.
"Come on, this show is iconic, how have you not seen it? You promised," he said.
Derek sighed and sat himself up a little more, looking over at the screen.
"Oh well now you're just doing it because I told you to," Stiles grumbled.
"There's no winning with you, is there?" he said.
Stiles smiled to himself before his phone buzzed on the bedside table. He reached over to grab it, shoulder bumping on Derek's cheek as he did.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Bothering Kyle," he said as his fingers texted rapidly before sending his message and putting the phone back down. "I have a lot of questions."
"I'll bet you do," Derek said.
Stiles shuffled back in with him but in a few moments the phone was buzzing again and he was reaching over to grab it.
"Would you like to bring it to bed with us?" Derek asked and Stiles scoffed.
"What the phone or?" he said and Derek grabbed his hips to drag him back, hovering over him with his eyes narrowed playfully. "Relax big guy."
"Is that something you want?" Derek asked, running his fingers through Stiles' hair.
"I... what? I was just stirring you up," he said.
"Were you?" Derek said and Stiles dropped his jaw without a word before closing it quickly again.
"I can't even lie because of your stupid werewolf hearing," he said. "What, you want to me to say I never thought about it? I mean not with him just, generally speaking... in general."
"There's not much you haven't thought about is there?" Derek grinned.
"You know lies are an important part of a healthy relationship," Stiles said as Derek's lips moved slowly to his throat, kissing and sucking gently.
"You don't have to lie," Derek said.
"Have you ever...I mean is that something you've done before?" he asked and Derek heard his heartbeat pick up a little.
He didn't answer for a moment, just dragging his lips over Stiles' skin until they were barely pressed against his earlobe.
"Would it bother you if it is?" his heartbeat picked up again and Derek held himself still over him, tilting his head to look at him and try to gauge his reaction.
"No," he said.
Derek rolled his eyes gently.
"What? That's not a lie!" he said. "And I totally don't think about it a lot. But you know Erica could totally be into it."
Derek narrowed his eyes and Stiles grinned.
"That was worth it just to see your face," he said. "But seriously you think Lydia would be into it?"
Derek pinched him on the arm and Stiles laughed again.
"Okay, alright, that one hurt," he said, pausing a moment like he was going to say something before closing it again and biting down on his lip.
"I know you want to ask me," he said.
"You never want to talk about it," Stiles said quickly.
"I still don't," he said.
"So is there any point asking?"
"Stiles."
"I want to know everything Derek," he said. "You already know that."
"You might not like everything," he said.
"Either way, you can't change it," he said, fingers running slowly up and down Derek's sides. "I kind of signed up for everything Derek, I knew you were a werewolf, and you knew I was an annoying, hyperactive, smart-mouthed ―"
"It's not the same," Derek said and Stiles let out a loud huff.
"Okay Mr Grey," he teased. "Are you trying to tell me you have a secret sex dungeon or something for all your sordid kinks?"
Derek laughed, shaking his head because of course Stiles went there. He watched his eyes get wider before his eyebrows shot up.
"Wait... do you? If you do you totally have to tell me because that's just ―" he was cut off with Derek's mouth against his and his teeth grazing his bottom lip.
"No, Stiles," he said. "I don't."
"Oh so you're just trying to distract me so I don't ask any more questions, I get it," he said with a grin, kissing him again. "Seriously Derek, you're not going to scare me off with your past. Not sure if you've noticed but I don't exactly scare easily. I just want to know you, everything."
"So," Derek said, letting his fingers drag slowly down over Stiles' chest. "Ask."
"I..." Stiles started, his mind suddenly blank. "I... anything?"
"You don't have to ask now," he said, taking Stiles' wrists in his hands and gently lifting them above his head to pin down on the mattress. "But you can."
"And... if there's something I want you to try... with me?" he asked.
"Tell me," he said, catching Stiles' lips again for a slow kiss. "Whatever you want Stiles, you can have it. With or without me."
Stiles' brow furrowed and he squirmed a little under Derek's grip.
"Don't start this again Derek―"
"You want me to have those conversations with you, this comes under that," he said, not letting his grip loosen. "What we have, part of it comes down to the trigger bond and no one really knows how far that bond affects humans."
Stiles sighed again but didn't interrupt.
"I don't want you to think you can't have what you want if that doesn't include me, I've had years to figure out what I want. You've only just turned eighteen. You'll regret what you don't do more than you will the things you do," he said.
"Well um, there is one thing I'll regret," Stiles said. "If I don't... do it soon."
This time Derek sighed and shook his head.
"You're still not fully healed," he said.
"So be gentle, don't make me regret tonight," he said.
"Stiles, I'm serious," he said.
"I promise," he said. "I promise I won't regret not doing anything, but I promise that anything I have with you is going to be enough that anything else won't even cross my mind, okay? I also promise that I'll punch you in the nose if you bring this up again, this and the fact that I'm bruised."
"I think I already promised to get rid of the cotton wool once they're gone," he said, pressing his hips into him gently.
"And you better keep that promise," Stiles said, biting his lip. "Still, doesn't help me now does it?"
"I thought you wanted to watch the show?" Derek said with a smirk.
"Yeah, yeah, spoiler alert, she kicks ass and takes names now you want to get to making me forget mine?"
Derek shook his head, but he didn't disappoint.
*
Scott sat to one end of the table looking from his mother to his father to Isaac who seemed to be doing the same.
Mr McCall wasn't what Isaac had expected, he seemed genuinely interested. Looking in from the outside you never would have guessed he hadn't been there for most of his life.
Well, if it hadn't been for Melissa's occasional irritated eyebrow raise.
"So you two met at school?" he asked, throwing down another forkful of spaghetti as he looked over at Isaac.
"Uh, yeah," Isaac said. "We had a couple of mutual friends."
"And did you always know you were..." he asked, waving his fork at him and giving him a look.
"Gay?" Isaac said, raising an eyebrow at the word that he seemed to be struggling with. "No."
"Right, well, I suppose Scott had a girlfriend for a while there, what was her name? Allison?" he said and Scott looked over at Melissa.
"You told him about Allison?" he said.
"He asked me if I'd ever suspected you were gay," she said. "Obviously I didn't when you were dating Allison which is what I said."
"Does it matter if I was dating Allison? I'm not anymore," he said, kicking Isaac under the table as a way of telling him to wipe the smirk off his face. "But I mean we're all friends still."
"Yeah, your mom said you had a big group of friends now," his father said. "I remember when it was just you and Stiles."
"A lot has probably changed since then," Isaac said.
Scott kicked him again.
"I suppose it has," Mr McCall said, sharing a brief look with Isaac before they turned back to their food. "So, Isaac, what does your dad do?"
Scott winced a little but Isaac didn't even flinch.
"He's dead," he said.
"Oh, sorry I uh..." Mr McCall said.
"It's fine," Isaac said. "My mom isn't in the picture either, she left about eight years ago. Never heard from her since."
Mr McCall nodded.
"I'm sorry about that," he said sincerely.
"I'm not, not anymore," he said.
There was a moment of awkward silence in the air and Isaac took a moment to look at Scott who swirled the spaghetti around his fork with a furrow in his brow and Isaac sighed.
"So you're FBI?" he said, looking back up at Mr McCall. "What's that like?"
As he started to talk about his work Isaac felt Scott's hand brush his knee and give it a squeeze.
"Thanks," he said, just loud enough for Isaac's ears to pick it up.
*
Erica and Raj walked into their movie, it felt like ages since she had actually been to the cinema and the popcorn tasted better than she remembered.
"Has it really been that long?" Raj asked as they took their seats.
"I had... mild epilepsy when I was a kid, kind of hard to know whether a movie was going to trigger it," she said.
"Mild? Can it be mild?" he asked.
"I think I might have been misdiagnosed," she said. "I don't really have any issues with it anymore, I kind of... outgrew it?"
"Wow, I guess not a lot of people are as lucky as you," he said. "I mean, that kind of sounded―"
"I know what you meant," she chuckled. "I haven't really done anything... normal in a while."
"What do you mean 'normal'?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said quickly. "I just mean... I feel like there's always drama and tonight feels... normal."
"Could be famous last words," he said with a grin.
She looked at him a moment, the way he was slowly making himself more comfortable around her, the way his nerves seemed to be receding and parts of himself were being revealed, layer by layer.
"I don't think so," she shook her head. "I feel like this is easy, the rest of the time I'm always expecting something to go wrong because something always does, company I keep."
The cinema started to go dark and he smiled again, lowering his voice.
"You'll have to tell me about it sometime," he said.
She smiled, heart sinking a little as she thought about everything she couldn't tell him.
"Definitely," she said.
*
"I don't get it," Stiles said. "You are never surprised by the twists."
Derek shook his head as Stiles skipped through the other titles for something else to watch.
"I've been around a while Stiles," he said. "Things get predictable."
"Yeah, yeah, I think you just don't want to admit you like anything," he said with a smirk over at him and Derek narrowed his eyes.
"Don't say it," he said.
"Oh what you're a psychic sourwolf now?" he grinned and Derek groaned because he knew that was coming.
"I just know you," he said.
"Yeah," he said, lifting his arm to run his fingers over Derek's side. "I guess you do."
"Are you happy to be going home?" he asked, running his fingers gently over Stiles' bruised ribs.
"Of course, I mean, it's kind of a weird feeling," he said. "I'll have to go back soon to finish up this semester, then the break won't be as long but I know why they do it."
"Cora wants to meet you," Derek said.
Stiles narrowed his eyes a little and sucked his bottom lip between his teeth.
"Does she? Or are you just telling me that?" he said.
"Which one have you been talking to about her?" he said.
"Erica," Stiles said. "Though Isaac isn't overly optimistic. You want me to show you the text Jackson sent me? I think she kicked his ass in some training thing, he didn't really appreciate it."
"She's cautious, that's all," Derek said. "And so are they. Doesn't help her to warm up to them when they don't give her a chance. Trust me, she wants to meet you."
"Really?" he said and Derek smiled.
"She might interrogate you a little," he said. "Doesn't mean she isn't looking forward to it."
Stiles laughed, "I like watching you talk about her. You get this kind of... look, I don't know. It's nice to see you... happy."
"Are you saying I'm never happy otherwise?" he raised an eyebrow and Stiles rolled his eyes.
"It's different, different kind of happy," he said.
"I'm happy now," he said, fingers running over Stiles' cheek.
Stiles smirked, tongue wetting his bottom lip.
"I noticed."
Derek shook his head, pushing Stiles over gently so he was lying on his back and he could climb over him, hips pressing down ever so slightly.
"You know what I mean," he said.
"Yeah well... same goes for you," he said, pulling Derek's mouth down to his own.
Stiles let his tongue swipe over Derek's lip, nails scraping over Derek's skin as his hands braced his sides. He heard Derek sigh as he leant in to deepen the kiss and he shifted his legs to pull Derek closer.
"Stiles..." he murmured against his lips.
"You pull away from me I'm going to beat your little werewolf ass, you know that?" he said.
Derek chuckled, "I was actually going to ask you to move up the bed a little more."
"Moving, yeah," Stiles said, wriggling back quickly and making Derek smile before his lips were pressed against his neck.
He reached his hand between them and took Derek's cock with a tight squeeze, making his teeth scrape against Stiles' neck and urge his hips forward.
"Straight to the point," Derek growled just below his ear before running his tongue along his earlobe.
"I know what I want," he said back, fist pumping him a little faster.
"So do I," Derek said, eyes shining blue as he reached to the side of the bed for the bottle they'd had out since earlier.
He shifted Stiles' ankle over his shoulder and he barely needed to touch him for Stiles to feel the warmth spread through his belly. Derek's fingers pushed into him gently and he dropped his head back onto the hotel sheets with a silent part in his lips.
He moved his hand to Derek's shoulder and arched his back, feeling a shiver on his skin at the sound Derek made as he looked down at him.
"I'm good, I'm good," he whispered. "Promise..."
"Stiles you―"
"I'll tell you if I'm not, come on Derek..."
Derek pulled his hand away, holding Stiles' leg steady on his shoulder as he lined himself up with him. As he urged himself in slowly Stiles struggled to keep himself still, knowing that Derek liked to watch the pleasure wash over his features when they took it slow.
Stiles sucked his lip between his teeth, the tight stretch of Derek's cock still making him sweat. As Derek closed the last few inches he leant in to kiss him and Stiles shifted his hips to close it even faster.
Derek let out a low moan against his mouth.
"You're so impatient," he said, eyes closed as Stiles tightened around him.
"God Derek, you say I talk too much..." he said and Derek chuckled.
"You do," he said before pulling himself back and thrusting into him again.
Derek knew exactly how to work his hips, how Stiles' body was craving him and how to give him exactly what he needed. He worked at it slowly at first, building up a rhythm that had Stiles clawing at his shoulders and pulling him in to nip at his earlobe and ask for more.
While Derek enjoyed being a tease and hearing Stiles whisper dirty things in his ear he could only hold out so long, even with his control.
Stiles had a way of making him push the boundaries but he was always in control of himself in one way or another. It was one of the things they fought about regularly, how Derek would never completely relinquish control.
He let Stiles' leg drop from his shoulder and slipped his arm under the arch in his back as he thrust his hips forward. He pressed his palm to the small of his back and even with his mind beautifully distracted by the roll of Derek's hips he could feel the pain from his bruises draining away.
"If you're going to do that... ohh..." Stiles said in a breath. "You can go a little harder."
"Not sure what you mean," Derek said.
Stiles pulled him in closer, pressing his lips to his neck and sucking in a quickly fading mark before sinking his teeth in and making Derek's hips stutter.
"Stiles," he almost growled.
"Sit up?" he said.
"What?" Derek asked as Stiles pushed back against his chest.
Derek pulled himself away and Stiles grabbed him by the arm as he sat up, pulling him towards the headboard so he could sit back against it. Stiles climbed over him so he was straddling his hips and Derek helped him to line himself up again before he was sinking down on him.
Derek closed his eyes, hands on Stiles' waist, still drawing out some of his pain as he guided him down slowly.
He leant his sweaty forehead against Derek's and tangled his fingers in his hair.
"Okay, I'm clumsy and I'm not good at this so you're going to have to help me out here," he said and Derek laughed, his strong hands lifting his hips a little and pulling him back down.
"Stiles, it's not possible for you to be bad at this," he said.
"I am clumsy though, at least give me that," he said with a laugh.
"Don't pretend you don't know what you're doing," he said.
"I don't," he said. "I'm pretty much always winging it."
"Trust me Stiles," Derek said. "It's working."
Stiles wrapped his arm behind Derek's head and Derek kept his hands firm on Stiles' waist as he started to move his hips. This time it was Derek's turn to drop his head back, Stiles being far less of a novice than he claimed to be.
The wooden head of the bed repeatedly struck the wall, the springs of the mattress squeaked under their shifting weight.
Their groans were not so loud but each time Stiles quickened his pace he would feel Derek's fingers tighten momentarily on his side, still drawing pain from him. As he used his shoulders to keep himself balanced he let his eyes rake over him and admire the taut shape of his body.
He dragged his fingers down Derek's chest, taking one of his nipples between them with a light pinch and heard the growl in Derek's throat as he trust up into him a little faster, on the third stroke hitting that sensitive spot inside Stiles and making him cry out.
Derek's grip tightened, holding him there as his cock brushed that spot over and over. Stiles lost all control over his movements, letting Derek take over and just moving with him. As Derek's hand brushed against his length Stiles started to grind down into him, chasing his orgasm until he was making a white hot mess across Derek's tight abs.
Derek only needed to give him a few more thrusts before he was coming inside him, burying his face in the crook of Stiles' neck as he moaned in the sweet pleasure of it.
Stiles huffed out a long sigh, tilting his head to kiss Derek's cheek.
"I don't think I'll ever get tired of that," he said.
Derek smiled, lifting him up and rolling him onto his back before pulling away from him completely.
"I would hope not," he said.
"How are you walking right now?" Stiles said, trying not to wince now that Derek's hands weren't drawing out his pain.
He hated to admit that Derek was right about his bruises.
"Would you like me to carry you?" he said and Stiles scoffed.
"You can be a real show off sometimes you know that?" he said. "I mean sure, werewolf stamina aside there's a few good reasons for it, but still!"
Derek walked back around to the side of the bed where Stiles was now lying and leant in to kiss him.
"Was that a 'no'?" he asked.
"Obviously not," he said.
*
Mr McCall shook Isaac's hand as he and Scott headed out for the night.
Melissa just raised an eyebrow at him and he nodded knowingly, walking to his car with a wave as he pulled away.
Isaac pulled the helmet over his head and smiled at Scott, his cheeks squashed against the sides of the helmet. Scott laughed a little.
"Thanks," he said.
"What for?" Isaac shrugged.
"For not being a complete jerk to my dad," he said as he swung his leg over the side of the bike.
"Did you really expect me to be?" he asked, climbing on behind him.
"Well... kind of, maybe..."
"Yeah okay, not going to lie it was pretty difficult."
"I know..." he started, trailing off as he started the bike up. "Never mind."
"What?" Isaac asked, poking him in the side a few times.
"I just, I know it must have brought up things you must feel about your mother," he said.
Isaac hadn't expected that. He didn't say anything.
He wrapped his arms around Scott's waist as he took off from the driveway and towards their small home.
He didn't say anything on the ride and when they made it back he could feel Scott's eyes on him as he unlocked the door.
"Out with it," he said as they walked into their living room.
"What?" Scott said.
"Don't 'what' me, you want me to talk more about my mother?" he said.
"No, I mean, yeah, if there's something to tell."
He shrugged, tracing his fingers over the pattern on the couch.
"I don't know what you want me to say," he said without looking up. "Do I wish she would show up back in my life? I used to, when I was a kid, after she first left. I used to sit at the window and wait for her car to pull up in the drive."
"Really?" Scott said.
Isaac nodded.
"Until I was thirteen maybe," he said. "I just... I really thought she'd be back."
"I used to go sit with my mom on the couch and just lie across her lap," Scott said. "She used to rub my head and I would tell her it was okay."
"My dad was mostly... absent," he said. "I would never let him catch me waiting. God, I used to cop an absolute earful if he did. That's when the um... that's when he started..."
Scott put his hand over Isaac's, rubbing his thumb gently over the back of his hand.
"He would say it was to teach me what it really means to be lonely, or show me how to be strong or... anything he felt like at the time really," he said. "By the time I was fifteen I was almost blaming her for what he would do to me. Like, if she hadn't left it wouldn't be happening.
"Now I just... I know it sounds harsh but I almost hope she is dead, that would hurt less than thinking about how she just left me to him and never came back."
Scott reached up and pulled him into his arms, seeing his eyes well up even though he was trying to hide it.
Isaac closed his eyes and buried his head in Scott's shoulder.
"Sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have mentioned it."
"No," he said. "Scott, you are the best thing that's happened to me for a long time. It happened, it's not going to change and I want to share my life with you so... that's a part of my life. A shitty part but still."
"I love you," he said.
"You too," he smiled. "You want to pick a movie?"
"Oh you're going to let me pick?" he said.
"As long as it's not stupid."
Scott kissed him quickly.
"Just got get changed and I'll put something on," he said. "Quit complaining."
*
Erica and Raj walked out of the movie, she laughed at a comment he made about the ending, somehow it had seemed a little out of place with the rest of the film.
"What?" he said with a grin. "I mean it, it was like they made a jump into a whole different universe."
"You know I had my suspicions that you were a dork but didn't quite realise your case was this severe," she said. "I think you just referenced Next Generation and Deep Space Nine."
He smiled down at her.
"The fact that you know that says more about you than it does about me," he said and her cheeks flushed.
"Well I was sort of a dork in middle school," she said. "I think you would describe it as being a nerd before it was cool."
"Pretty sure it's only cool when someone else is into it," he said. "Not sure anyone has ever thought I was cool because of my interest in Star Trek."
"I do," she smiled, reaching out to take his hand in hers.
She heard his heartbeat pick up in pace but he smiled down at her again and tightened his grip on her hand as they walked to the parking lot.
He was coming out of his shell, he didn't stutter or blush nearly as much as he did at the coffee place, he got quite animated talking about his love for classic comic books, and every time he watched Erica tell him anything about herself his eyes lit up.
They climbed into his car and Raj asked where she needed to go.
She almost gave him the address to the loft but thought better of it. The living situation was already different to anything even resembling normal and to top it off it was a creepy place to call your home.
So she gave him the address of the next best place.
They pulled up outside the house and the light was on by the porch.
"So is this the friend's boyfriend's house?" Raj asked.
"Uh, no," she said. "This is just a friend's place I'm staying at. It can get pretty crowded at Derek's."
"Okay," he said with a nod, sensing that she might not want to say a whole lot more on the subject. "I'll um, I'll walk you to the door."
He got out quickly and walked around to the passenger side, opening the door for her and taking her hand as she climbed out. They walked up to the door and she could smell the nerves on him.
He started to do that awkward goodbye again but his hand was still in hers. She smiled as that familiar blush came back to his cheeks and then shook her head.
"Do something for me?" she said and he nodded. "Relax."
Before he had a chance to ask what she meant she was leaning in to him.
Her fingers brushed the edge of his clean-shaven jaw-line as she put her lips to him for the first time. He froze for a moment before his hands found her waist and his mouth became pliant with hers.
She pressed her body against him, opening her mouth to let him in and feeling the warmth from his hands against her back as his arms slid around her to hold her there.
Erica found that at their source all kisses felt the same, that they were all a carefully – or not so in some cases – crafted mix of lips and teeth and tongue, between two people who for some reason or another decided that in that moment they wanted to kiss one another.
Or that one of them wanted to kiss the other.
It was the rest of it that made them different.
It was the smell of his cologne on his skin mixed with the desire that he was trying to hide. It was the respectful way he held his hands above her waist without the motion of dipping them lower. It was the slight scratch of his upper-lip even though he had made an obvious attempt to shave.
It felt like it had been a while since she had experienced a kiss like this one, and at the same time it felt like something was stopping her from losing herself in it.
She pulled her lips back and he was slowly opening his eyes, a smile playing at his lips.
"I was supposed to do that last time, wasn't I?" he said and she couldn't help but laugh.
"Yeah," she said with a grin. "But only if you wanted to, I sort of jumped the gun."
"I wanted to," he said quickly. "I just, I don't know, I couldn't really tell if you wanted me to. I didn't want to assume."
"I wanted you to," she said, leaning in again for a quick kiss. "Thanks for the ride."
"I'll text you?" he said, blushing again when he realised he was still holding her into him.
"Sounds good," she said and he leant in to kiss her cheek before giving her a wave and heading back to his car.
Erica banged on the door a few times and watched him climb in before Isaac opened the door in a white T-shirt and boxer shorts.
"What are you doing here," he said.
"Can I stay here tonight?" she asked as Raj waved back at her and both she and Isaac waved back.
"Don't you have a loft you can go to?" he said and she narrowed her eyes at him.
"It's a little crowded," she said.
"Derek isn't even back yet," he said.
"I didn't really feel like having Raj drop me off there okay? It's not exactly normal."
"Neither is you showing up on my doorstep," he said.
"Isaac!" she hissed. "Would you please let me in?"
"Isaac just let her in!" Scott called from the living room.
She gave him a satisfied look and he rolled his eyes as he let her pass.
"Didn't want to invite him in then," he said.
"Bite me."
"Why are you so grumpy?" Scott asked. "You weren't like that ten minutes ago."
"Does this look like a halfway house?" he said.
"Calm down Derek," he teased and Isaac opened his mouth to rebut him but just nodded instead.
"Fair call," he said, walking towards the bedroom.
"Ignore him, he's still tense from dinner with my dad I guess," he said. "How was your date?"
Erica smiled, taking a seat at their kitchen table.
"Really good."
She talked about the movie a little and Isaac came out again, walking to the kitchen and pouring himself a cup of hot chocolate and bringing one over for Scott. He shook his head so Isaac pushed it towards Erica instead.
"I'm going to bed," Scott said, getting up and kissing Isaac on the cheek. "Night Erica."
Isaac sat down and looked over at her.
"You done with the attitude now?" she said.
"Okay, I get it, I apologise," he said. "You want to tell me why you're really here and not back at the loft?"
She looked over at him and they both eyed one another a moment, trying to work out what the other was thinking.
"No," she said.
"Okay," he said. "You want to tell me why you're looking so unsure of yourself?"
"I'm not!" she said defensively.
"Erica."
She sighed, looking down into the hot chocolate in front of her.
"I just, I'm not used to this is all," she said. "He's such a nice guy but I'm always going to be hiding something from him you know? I can't just blurt out what I am, he'd think I was crazy."
Isaac thought back to that night at Berkeley and looked down at his own mug.
"Do you think it would be easier if you were human?" he asked but she shook her head.
He bit down on his lip.
"No," she said. "I love being like this, this is who I am. I just wish it didn't have to be a secret. The world isn't ready for werewolves and all the rest of it though. I learned my lesson about wanting to be human."
He looked up at her with a warning glare and she rolled her eyes, mouthing the word 'relax' at him.
They chatted a little and finished their drinks, as they got up Erica grabbed him for a hug and while he pretended to push her away he actually enjoyed it.
He headed to bed, pulling the covers back and snuggling up next to Scott, nuzzling into him and kissing the back of his neck.
He felt tired but he couldn't quite shut off his mind. He kept coming back to that night on the Bay, the feel of being human, of being normal for the first time in a very long time.
After about fifteen minutes of lying awake he heard the door open.
"Erica?" he said. "What are you doing?"
"I don't want to be alone," she said.
"Uh, why is that my problem?" he hissed.
"Shut up," she said, walking over to the side of the bed. "Move over."
"This is my bed!"
"And?"
"And?" he huffed. "Scott's not wearing pants."
"Like I want to know."
"You're literally ―"
"Isaac just move over," Scott grumbled, wriggling forward to give Isaac some space to move into.
"Fine," he sighed, letting Erica climb in smugly beside him. "But I'm not spooning you."
"Ditto," she said.
"Both of you just shut up."
*
The next morning Stiles and Derek packed up early and checked out of the hotel. Stiles felt a little weird at going home but he couldn't wait to be back.
They had to drive separately, what with Stiles refusing to be away from the jeep for any lengthy period of time.
He sent a message to Scott when they were on their way.
Scott had woken up that morning to the sound of snoring from both Erica and Isaac. He chuckled as he quietly left the room.
They bickered like anything but they were loyal to a fault.
Once they were all up they decided to head over to the loft to wait for Stiles to come back. Erica told them that Boyd was back and she and Isaac squabbled because he hadn't told him last night.
Scott just drowned them out.
Erica left first, letting Scott and Isaac have a few moments to themselves.
When she walked into the loft Boyd was sitting at the kitchen bench with Cora, who had miraculously reappeared.
"You're back late," Boyd said with a smile.
"Yeah I crashed and Scott and Isaac's," she said.
"The date went that badly?" he said with a raised eyebrow.
"It went great thank you very much," she said as she walked over to sit beside him.
"Did he at least make a move this time?" Cora asked, pushing a cup of coffee towards her.
She eyed her carefully, locking her gaze for a moment as she tried to figure her out.
"I don't think that's really any of your business," she said and Cora just shrugged.
"Everything okay?" Boyd asked.
"Fine," she said. "Why?"
"I feel like I'm missing something," he said.
"We're still getting used to one another," Cora said, her gaze catching Erica's again.
"Something like that."
When Isaac and Scott showed up they greeted Boyd with long hugs and open questions about his travels which he was happy to oblige. Erica liked listening to them too, even though he'd already told her a lot of them.
"Feels like finally everyone's coming home," Scott smiled.
Derek arrived before Stiles, somewhere back he had been stuck on the wrong side of the train tracks and fallen behind.
Even Derek had a hug for Boyd, until he's pulled up at the loft he'd had no idea Boyd would be back. The moment he locked onto his scent he felt his mood get better, finally his pack was coming back together.
By the time Stiles got to the loft the place was on its way to crowded.
He'd lost track of how much he missed the place.
It was cold and sterile and from the outside it was kind of creepy looking but he could still feel all the memories that it held and he was suddenly remembering all the movie nights and the gaudy Christmas decorations and the pack gatherings they'd held there.
"I can't believe I'm back here," he said with a grin as Derek slipped his arm around his waist. "It feels like it's been so long."
"I'm so glad you're here!" Erica said, wrapping her arms around him again as Derek tilted his head to keep her blonde hair out of his face.
"I guess this is where I jump in?" Cora said from the kitchen, walking out to finally meet him.
Erica pulled herself away and Stiles looked over at her, the smile slowly slipping from his lips.
"Stiles," Derek said. "This is Cora."
He looked her over, her face was already burned in his mind for a completely different reason.
"You," he said. "You were in the university hall on the day of the bombing."
They all looked from Stiles to Cora, who seemed to just narrow her eyes at him in confusion.
"I remember your face," he said. "It was you."
~ ~ ~
A/N: Sorry to leave you in suspense but you know I love a good cliffhanger!
Please leave your beautiful comments and thanks so much for reading, it means the world to me!