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Stiles sits down on the edge of their his bed, his head cradled in both his hands as his gaze is on the floor. His eyes unfocused as tears blur his vision and his thoughts wander away from him.
How could this happen to him? Why did this happen to him? He sits and thinks of any kind of answers to figure out where everything had gone wrong. Everything had been perfect just a couple months back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before Things Went Wrong…
“Stiles!”
“Yeah babe! In the bedroom!” Stiles yells back. Derek Hale walks in to see the love of his life folding laundry while listening to music on the radio. He smiles a little and walks behind Stiles, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and kissing him on the neck. Stiles doesn’t turn around, but does lean into Derek’s touch to let him know that his affection is much appreciated.
Derek unwraps his arms and begins helping Stiles with the duty of folding their clothes. As he’s folding his clothes he begins to tell Stiles about work and his newest client. An elderly woman who wanted to redo her whole backyard. Stiles laughs as Derek retells the story of how Scott got nipped in the butt by the older lady’s dog. He laughs even harder when Derek tells him that Scott ran away from the little wiener dog.
“God, Scott is such a dork. So he had time to help you, Boyd, and Isaac out today?”
“Yeah. The office wasn’t busy for him today so he decided to put himself to use with us.”
Scott is an assistant at the local veterinarian clinic in Beacon Hills. He has always loved working with animals.
“Well okay. So what do you want to eat for dinner tonight?”
Stiles sucks in a breath when he feels Derek’s warm breath against his ear. “Would it be cheesy if I said you?”
Stiles cracks a smile and turns to look at Derek, his ears slightly pink and a pretty flush to his cheeks. He kisses Derek and then pulls away slightly to say, “Extremely.”
He laughs as Derek growls and throws him down on the bed. The clothing underneath them still needing to be folded.
“Derek the laundry!”
“It can wait. We’ll wash it again later on.”
With that Derek seals his lips over Stiles’ and they spend the next couple hours enjoying each other’s company.
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A month ago…
Derek: Hey babe can I get a raincheck on date night? New client is late to the meeting.
Stiles shakes his head and smiles down at his phone.
Stiles: That’s fine. I’ll make a plate of leftovers and leave it in the oven for you?
Derek: That’d be great. Thank you! Love you
Stiles: Love you too.
Stiles eats dinner alone that night and packs away a plate for Derek. He doesn’t take offense to this because Derek rarely cancels date night. He knows that this client must be a big deal. Stiles remembers hearing about it last week, some big shot guy and his wife wanted to renovate their backyard and have a swimming pool installed. Derek thinks this will rake up some good cash.
That night Derek comes home he is exhausted and goes to lie down by Stiles who does not wake up at all. Derek looks down at Stiles and kisses him on the cheek, wrapping an arm around Stiles and gazing at Stiles’ peaceful face. He continues to just stare at Stiles until he goes to sleep. His mind heavy with thoughts about the day.
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2 weeks ago…
Derek: Running a little late. Promise I’ll be there.
Stiles puts his phone down and stares off into space for a few minutes. He is shaken out of his thoughts when Scott calls his name.
“Is he on his way?”
“Yeah he’s just running a little late from the office.”
Scott just looks at Stiles, scrutinizing him, searching his face for any kind of emotion. He is hesitant, but he nods and then looks away from Stiles.
Stiles is a wreck. He had been at home when he’d gotten a call that his dad had been shot in the line of duty. Sheriff Stilinski had been sent to investigate a domestic abuse call when things got violent in the house. Stiles drove straight to the hospital after the news, breaking every law in the US to get to there as fast as he could. He’d told Derek three hours ago and just got a text back from him.
He is sitting in the waiting room when Derek bursts through the door. He stands as Derek makes his way to him and holds him tight in his arms. Stiles puts his head down on Derek’s broad shoulders and lets out a shaky breath. He lays his head on top of Stiles’ and whispers words of reassurance into his hair. His hands rubbing Stiles’ back in an up and down motion.
Stiles lifts his head after a few still moments to look up at Derek.
“What took you so long to reply?”
“Got held up with a client. He wasn’t satisfied with the concrete work on his driveway.”
Derek smiles down to Stiles trying to act nonchalant. Stiles would have bought it if it weren’t for the fact that one, Derek was not looking directly into Stiles’ eyes and two, the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Stiles himself plasters on his own fake smile and just nods his head while laying his head back down onto Derek’s shoulders. His eyes moving left to right as he tries to figure out why everything just felt so wrong.
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A few days ago…
Stiles bites his lip as he looks at their bedroom door. Derek is on the other side of that door sitting and watching some random movie. Derek, Stile has noticed, has been pretty distant from him. He doesn’t know when it started, but he does know that Derek doesn’t hold him the same. Doesn’t kiss him the same. He doesn’t ever look him in the eye anymore. He comes home and he still kisses Stiles after walking through the door, but they don’t mean anything anymore. It’s like he just kisses him out of habit, like it’s routine.
On top of that Stiles has been taking care of his dad and nursing him back to health all by himself. He comes home exhausted after having a shift at the library and checking on his dad to an empty home every day. Even on Derek’s days off all Derek does is sit in their room on his phone. Glancing at Stiles with a quick smile and peck on the lips before looking back down at his phone.
Today is Derek’s birthday and Stiles had baked a cake for this special occasion. He lights the candles and carefully walks to the bedroom, not wanting to accidentally drop the cake. He walks through the door and starts singing happy birthday with a smile on his face. Derek is startled and smiles gently as Stiles slowly continues his way to Derek. After his atrocious singing, Derek blows out the candles and Stiles gives a small cheer. He puts the cake down and begins talking to Derek about possibly going out, but is disappointed when Derek cuts him off.
“Actually Stiles I kind of just wanted to sleep today.”
“But Derek it’s your birthday! Let’s go do something. We can even have this as a make up date night. You know it’s been awhile since we’ve had date night.”
Derek sighs and then rubs his eyes with his hands.
“Look Stiles I’m just really tired. Please drop it.”
“God, Derek when did you turn into such an old man?”
Stiles doesn’t mean to insult Derek, but apparently Derek has taken offense to this and abruptly stands up from the bed.
“I’m so sorry that I want to relax after working Stiles. Is it so bad that I don’t want to do anything?! I’m exhausted Stiles! I’m tired and you nagging me doesn’t help this at all! Just leave me alone!”
With that Derek storms out and Stiles is left sitting on the bed in shock. He flinches as he hears the front door also slam shut.
“Please come home safely.” Stiles whispers, tears running down his cheeks.
Later that night…
Stiles doesn’t sleep at all. Waiting for Derek to come home, just so he knows that he is back safely. He hears the front door open and waits with baited breath. His back is to the bedroom door but he does hear when Derek makes his way into their room, he hears the way Derek tries to gently close the door in hopes of not disturbing an already awake Stiles. After the ruffling of clothing Stiles feels the press of Derek’s chest against his back and a strong arm draped over his waist. Derek leans down and whispers a sincere apology into Stiles’ ear. Derek kisses his head and cuddles into Stiles’ neck. Leaving small kisses on the nape of Stiles’ neck.
Stiles sleeps peacefully that night. Maybe things will get better again.
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After the Birthday Disaster…
Things have been good again. The day after Derek’s birthday was tense on both parts, but then Derek had apologized for his reaction and Stiles also said sorry. They’d made up and everything felt normal again.
They are lying down on the bed watching some cheesy comedy. They are laughing and cuddling. Doing couple-y things.
“I’m gonna go get more popcorn.”
Derek jumps up and Stiles pauses the movie while waiting for Derek.
He looks down to Derek’s phone when it vibrates from the bedside drawer.
“D you’ve got a text.”
He goes to pick up the phone and see who it is. Not thinking of this because he and Derek always check each other’s phone if the other is unavailable.
He pauses when he sees a text from someone named Paige.
Paige: Hey Derek! Haven’t heard from you in awhile. Wanted to know if you were down to go to the movies with me and a couple of other old friends. Get back to me!
“Who is i-“ Derek pauses when he sees the look on Stiles’ face.
Stiles is a mix of emotions. Hurt being the very first. He looks up into Derek’s face and can see the panic in them.
“Who’s Paige?”
“A friend.”
“A friend that you’ve apparently been meeting up with if this text is anything to go by.”
Derek is quiet for awhile.
“Stiles I can explain.”
With those four words Stiles is up and in Derek’s face. He doesn’t want to ask, but knows that he has to. It burns his tongue as the words come out. “Are you cheating on me?”
Derek’s eyes widen and he frantically shakes his head, dropping the popcorn bowl and going to reach for Stiles, who steps back and away from Derek’s reach.
“Stiles no. Please it’s not like that!”
“Then tell me what it’s like Derek!” Derek is silent for a minute, but jumps at Stiles’ next words. “TELL ME!”
“Paige was a client of mine. I… have a lot in common with her. We’ve known each other in high school and lost touch until now. We started hanging out together.”
Stiles shakes his head, knowing that there’s more than what he’s hearing. “And what else?”
“We dated in high school. But I don’t feel a thing for her Stiles you have to understand. She means nothing to me. She is my past and you are my future.”
Stiles cannot take it anymore. He nods his head while looking down at the ground.
“Funny way to treat someone who means nothing to you.” he murmurs.
Derek shakes his frantically. Irritation crossing his features as he tries to word all that he feels for Stiles. The encompassing emotions that hit him like a wave every time he so much as glances at Stiles’ sleeping face every morning. He knows he’s been a shit person and he can’t really explain it. But he knows that no one will hold his heart in their hands except for the man in front of him. “Stiles listen my feelings for you-“
“Are nothing. Get out.” Stiles spits out.
“Stiles please!”
“GET OUT! Get out get out get out get out! I don’t want to see you right now Derek!”
Derek grips Stiles’ arms and shakes him to get his attention.
“Listen to me! I know it sounds bad, but me and Paige are nothing. And we never got the closure we needed when we were younger so I felt that I needed to correct that for the both of us. She knows about you, about us and how gut wrenchingly in love I am with you. Please understand.”
Stiles shakes his head.
“If you loved me you would have told me about her from the beginning. You would’ve never kept her hidden like so mistress! You would have…you would have never treated me like a burden these past few weeks. How can I trust you Derek? How?”
Derek just gazes into Stiles’ eyes. Eyes glassy with unshed tears as he tries to figure out what to say next. All that comes out is a small plead.
“Stiles please.”
“Please. Get out.”
Derek leaves that night. With a small bag of his belongings and a promise that he’ll give Stiles as much space as he needs. That doesn’t stop him from destroying the hotel room or from falling to his knees while sobbing. Screaming at his own stupidity and how he could have ever treated Stiles like he was nothing when he was everything to him.
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Present…
Stiles is still beyond hurt. He woke up with an ache in his chest from crying all night. His eyes are puffy and all he can think about is how easy Derek made breaking up their relationship look. He’s heard Derek’s apologies and he wants to forgive so easily, but he knows he will never forget.
Stiles has loved Derek since the moment he laid eyes on him. He knew that Derek was it for him, but he never factored in the idea that maybe he wasn’t it for Derek.
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Stiles is out with Scott. They are sitting in some coffeeshop downtown just talking and joking around. Scott sobers up after a bit and looks at Stiles.
“Derek called me today. He’s been checking up on you.”
Stiles nods his head at that. His eyes focused on a loose thread he’d seen on his long sleeve.
“I told him you were okay. He’d asked if you were happy.”
Stiles looks up at that. “And?”
“I said that I didn’t know. That he needed to ask you.”
Stiles exhales loudly and looks down at his hands. He’s forgiven Derek already, he just needed time to gather himself.
“I’ll call him today.”
Scott smiles and nods his head at Derek.
“I just want you to be happy again Stiles. And I know that Derek is the one who makes you happy.”
Later that day…
Stiles waits until the sun has set already and the moon is high above. He’s realized that his love for Derek runs too deep to be cut down. And he knows that Derek loves him also.
At first Stiles had thought that maybe they had been on the wrong side of some messed up love song, but now he realizes that they’re just a couple. A couple that has problems of their own and they need to just fight through it and continue to grow together.
Love is not perfect. Stiles is not perfect. Derek is not perfect. Expecting a fairy tale can sometimes be too far-fetched. And Stiles loves his imperfect love story.
Stiles: Come home.
Derek: I love you.
Stiles: I love you too, sourwolf.
Stiles knows that it will take time to forgive Derek, but their love is worth it.