Stiles didn’t realize how much he counted on and needed Derek’s protection until the day it was gone. And he had no one but himself to blame for the cold, empty dread he was currently experiencing. Because he was alone and pretty sure he was about to die. Alone. It fucking sucked. Derek was growling and yelling at Stiles about being reckless. Stiles wasn’t really listening since he’d heard it all before....
The only time Stiles feels safe these days is when he’s with Derek. So, he’s been spending as much time with Derek as he can. He feels safest, no question about it, when he’s in Derek’s arms. He can’t tell if his favourite is when Derek spoons him. Holding him close with inhuman strength; a warm, solid presence at his back. Or when Derek lies on top of him; a warm, heavy, solid blanket....
Stiles once told Derek that sarcasm was his best defense. He hadn’t been lying. Problem was, that sarcasm wasn’t a really good defense against people (hunters) willing to torture ‘human traitors’, aka Gerard Argent. All his life, Stiles had been told to ‘shut up’. To be quiet. That he was noisy and annoying. All his life. It was why Scott was his only friend. Even Scott, though, got fed up once in a while....
All Derek wants is this one small thing. (Wants it, but knows he can never have it.) Of course, the thing about Stiles… (There are so many ’things’ about Stiles.) The thing about Stiles is that he takes up so much space. 147lbs. Pale skin. Fragile bones. (Flailing arms. Loud voice always talking. His scent…) And Derek has so many empty spaces in his life. (Mother. Father. Brother. Sister.) He was hollowed out and cracked open by the fire....
Stiles stares at the letter. It’s the result of his application to be a summer intern at the FBI. His dad has always been his hero. He’d set his sights on the FBI because, well, why not? He could be a hero. Just like his dad. Especially after surviving high school. He feels crushed. Like the last bit of optimism he had about the future just snuffed out. Long nights finishing his homework....
Part 1 The Meeting It was Ryan’s first day on the site, working to fix the structural problems left behind by the previous, and seriously incompetent, architect. He was still very junior employee at the firm he had joined after graduating at Berkeley. It was a San Francisco company, which allowed him to stay close to the Cohens. Today he was meeting with the foreman of the construction crew, to get up to speed on what had been done so far and what could be done to fix the mess they were in....
Not long after Scott got bitten, fell in love, became a lacrosse superstar, and gained popularity, Stiles called him the ‘hot girl’. It had been a joke. It isn’t funny anymore. See… Everyone likes to think of themselves as the protagonists of their own story. If your life is a book then you’re the main character, right? Right? Stiles thinks that this should be true. Even if your life is mundane and boring, you’re still the main character....
Chapter 1 “I need to get out of this town. I need a break,” Stiles said. He was weary. Tired to his fucking bones. He figured if anyone understood this, it would be Derek. Derek just grunted. They were just sort of crashed out on Derek’s couch after yet another cluster fuck. Just them. Everyone else had gone home to do their thing (with each other or alone). Stiles’ dad was working a night shift and he didn’t want to be alone....
Stiles groaned as he sat up in bed. He was in pain. Then again, he was almost always in pain. Today seemed like a five, so not too bad. He wouldn’t need one of the percocets sitting on his nightstand. Small victories, he supposes. He was, however, dizzy. Too dizzy. He glares at his walker, because of course today would be a walker day. Not like he’d planned on running a few errands....
Derek’s reading to him and Stiles is kind of drifting on the sound of his voice. They do this most nights. Stiles has always loved Derek’s voice. The way he looks, it’s always a surprise that he doesn’t have a deep, gravelly voice. It’s lighter. Smoother. It’s comforting and Derek’s surprisingly good at doing the voices. Also at being significantly more expressive than when he speaks. Derek usually reads to him while he’s cuddled up in some way....