derek deserves nice things

Derek was going about his normal business. That business being, of course, following Stiles around town. It wasn’t for any particular reason. He just liked stalking Stiles once in a while! Sue him. Sometimes he just liked watching Stiles go about his normal day. Liked watching him do mundane things. It wasn’t out of possessiveness. It wasn’t! Derek just liked seeing Stiles being happy and himself, is all. If it also happened to satisfy his more predatory instincts…...

Stiles knew how a lot of people saw his relationship with Derek. Derek was abrasive and rude. He looked like he was constantly irritated with Stiles and was forever telling him to shut up. Worse… Stiles had stopped going out and sticking his nose into every supernatural mess that came into Beacon Hills. It worried people because it was such a sharp change in his behaviour. Not even Stiles’ dad had managed to get Stiles to repress his curiousity and reckless bravery....

Stiles’ birthday goes something like this: He wakes up and has breakfast with his dad. Goes to school. Has a small party with the pack. Turns into a dragon. He’d adamantly told his friends not to surprise him. He doesn’t much like surprises these days. So turning into a dragon wasn’t a welcome surprise. Not the worst but… Who the fuck expects to turn into a dragon on their eighteenth birthday!...

When Stiles turned eighteen he, to the surprise of everyone, turned into a dragon. He wasn’t quite a were-creature since dragons were more magic than anything else. How else could he shift mass into something significantly larger? He could definitely do partial shifts with claws and scales and such. Everyone was happy since with the scales he was very damage resistant and he healed quickly. Derek was happy for Stiles. He was....

Stiles was a ghost. Or invisible. Or something. No one could see or hear him. He couldn’t interact with the world. The problem was that he didn’t understand how he’d arrived at his current non-corporeal—or was it intangible?—state. It was odd. Not to mention somewhat distressing. He could remember yesterday. He’s pretty sure he went to bed but can’t quite remember. Stiles also doesn’t remember waking up—he’s not dreaming, he totally counted his fingers....

Peter knows himself. His vices and virtues (the few he has, anyway). He embraces being a predator. Enjoys stalking and hunting. He’s a master manipulator and few things bring him as much pleasure as seeing his plans come together. He’s watching his prey. This moment has been years in the making. Getting here had taken all his skill. The challenge of a lifetime. It would be the zenith of his genius!...

1 He’s looking at himself in the mirror. It isn’t something he often does these days. He generally avoids it. Derek’s looks have done nothing but cause him trouble. Even with the beard and the eyebrows, something about his face always seems to scream ‘vulnerable’ to predatory women. When he shaves, he looks at his jaw and neck. Same when he buzzes his hair. He can’t remember the last time he stopped and looked at his reflection....

When Derek decided that he really couldn’t take one more awful thing happening to him and left Beacon Hills, he found himself drawn back to New York. Other than the years with his pack in Beacon Hills, New York was the only other place that had felt like home. He’d only had Laura but they’d made it work. Cities were hard on werewolves but could also be easy, depending on your situation....

1 Derek’s been hanging on by a thread ever since he gave up his spark to heal Cora. He doesn’t regret it. Could never regret it. Not when it means his sister is alive. He just wishes that they were together. He understands why she left. Beacon Hills hadn’t been her home for a long time. She’d returned because she’d heard about a new Hale alpha and pack. Derek isn’t an alpha anymore and he’s lost his third pack....