Chapter Text
Bonus Chapter.
This is going to be SAD, but it's going to end on an uplifting note. You do need to read the last bit to finish the story out, but if you don't want to it's not the end of the world. This is Chris and Noah's relationship.
Chris wasn't proud of himself for crying before his wedding, but he had no way to stop the tears. His wife's body was barely cold in the grave, having been ended by his own hand when she'd been bitten by the biggest damn werewolf he'd ever seen. Alpha Ennis, from what his intelligence had told them. His hands didn't only have his wife's blood on them, they also had his sister's. She'd been hung under his orders that morning for prolonging the war and murdering innocent beings during a truce. Treason wasn't how he'd expected to see his sister ended, but he hadn't been shocked the war had resulted in her death. She had always been a pistol. The problem was that the second death ended the truce with the Stilinski's that they desperately needed to survive, and the first one saved it in the most awful way.
King Noah had been apologetic when King Chris had asked him to marry him. Imagine. Apologizing for accepting a proposal of marriage. It was already an alteration in the laws just for two men to marry, but this wasn't going to be a marriage of love like his first had been. It was to save lives. After all, if the werewolves succeeded in the war they wouldn't trade with the Stilinski's like the Argents had in the past. They'd shun the humans that Gerard Argent had taught them were dangerous, or worse attack. Noah's only hope was to find peace fast for his son before he lost her in war as well, and he more than understood that Chris wanted his daughter to be free of such a burden as well.
Chris was numb by the time the wedding actually happened. He stared into Noah's eyes and let himself sink into deep depression. At least he was marrying a friend. Noah was a good man. He'd help him through the worst of his loss because he too had buried his beloved years ago.
Chris was lost recalling Noah's broken years drowning in liquor after Claudia had died. He'd reigned in his wild son and kept him so close he'd basically smothered him. Stiles' personality had slowly withered beneath his father's guilt-ridden thumb. Everything was about running the kingdom, but since his elderly father was still king at the time he'd been assuming the function of the sheriff and spending his time learning how the people lived and keeping law and order. He'd dragged Stiles along for years, unintentionally keeping him isolated from his peers in his desperation to keep the young man close. Stiles had no friends and his betrothed petitioned repeatedly to end their union.
Now Noah would have more freedom in Chris' kingdom, and be officially crowned a king as Chris' spouse. He'd already eased up on both drinking and micromanaging his son over the years, but he'd be facing a war instead of street troubles and werewolves were no joke. He fully expected Noah to tighten the reins on Stiles again, which was only fitting as the boy was now the only heir to the Stilinski kingdom and would remain so since Noah was no longer to marry a woman.
When Noah leaned forward and touched their lips together Chris jumped in surprise. He hadn't been paying attention. The ceremony was over, with them having skipped vows in favor of rushing the ceremony. Attendance was low. Most of the lords and ladies didn't approve so their wedding would have been silent had it not been for Allison's soft sniffling over the loss of her mother and aunt.
Allison was broken. She couldn't eat the food and Chris only managed a few bites before pushing his wine glass away. He didn't want to become a lush like Noah had after the loss of his wife. Most of the dinner afterwards was walked outside to the people and donated since there were so few guests to eat it.
Indeed, the only person who seemed to be enjoying himself was Stiles, who was excited to have a sister and kept staring at Noah and Chris curiously. After a while Noah pulled him aside to have a harsh word with him. Chris overheard it but was too despondent to really process or respond.
“I know this is a party, but it's not that kind of party, kiddo. Take a few breaths and wipe that grin off your face.”
“Are you serious?” Stiles scoffed, “I'm the only one making this a party!”
“It's not a party. It's a funeral with people in white,” Noah snapped, “They buried Victoria a month ago, Stiles. Kate isn't even in the ground yet. They're devastated. For a few minutes just try to remember that this isn't your wedding. Got that?”
“Yeah, I got that.”
“You're marrying a woman. You're marrying Lydia.”
“I heard you!” Stiles snapped, excitement erased in the face of his father's disapproval.
“Good. Now behave yourself.”
It was a few hours later, as Chris sat down on the bed feeling numb and tired, that Noah tried to apologize for his son's behavior that night.
“It's just that he's so excited that men can marry now,” Noah told him as he changed into a long, soft night dress.
“Hm?” Chris cottoned on and looked up, “Why?”
“Because Stiles is gay,” Noah sighed, “He says he's attracted to both, but he's not. The only reason he has any interest in Lydia at all is because she's so... well... Lydia. I think he more wants to be as popular, fabulous, and gorgeous than he wants to marry miss popular, fabulous, and gorgeous.”
“He only likes men?” Noah frowned, “That's a problem. Will Allison need to have children for both our kingdoms?”
“She might not,” Noah sighed, “Lydia loves a knight in our kingdom. He'll give her children when my son fails to. I'll pretend they're Stilinski's and dandle them on my knee and never shame him. Maybe he'll find a nice knight to love in secret as well.”
“Poor boy,” Chris replied, then reconsidered, “Then again, if you never love you can never... lose...”
He was weeping again. Sobbing brokenly with snot running down his nose and his chest aching with the force of his gasping breaths. Noah's arms went around him and he rocked him gently, not bothered by the mess the man was making on his bedclothes.
“I know,” Noah soothed, voice cracking, “It hurts so much right now. I'd tell you it gets easier, but it doesn't. It just feels less like suffocating eventually. And then you stop looking for her when you wake up. Eventually you forget what she smells like or looks like and it feels like you failed her, but everyone tells you it's normal so you slowly start to accept it. Someday you wake up and it doesn't burn your heart through your rib cage anymore and you realize that this is what moving on feels like, but it doesn't get easier. Not with a kingdom to run and a child with her nose.”
Noah sniffled and gripped Chris tighter. If he was ashamed of crying on his wedding night he didn't show it, and Chris didn't stop until long after he'd fallen asleep. He woke up with the pillow stiff from his salty tears and rolled over to find the arm around him belonged to a friend instead of his wife and wailed out his loss.
For weeks Noah let him fall apart, never expecting him to show up to meetings or even leave their rooms. Eventually, however, he had to pull him away from mourning to face his military leaders again. Kate's treason had sparked far too many burdens. The werewolves weren't responding to requests for peace, not even the most beneficial offers were being accepted. In fact, they were killing off their peace envoys and a decision had to be made. So Chris left his bedchambers and remembered along the way that he had a daughter that had lost her mother and aunt all in a month only to have her father withdraw completely.
Allison had dealt with the loss far better than he had, but in a completely different way. She was in the war room, in full armor, with a long bow at her side like a scepter and eyes cold with hate. When he entered she stood up, met his eyes, and demanded they stop sending peace envoys before even greeting him.
“They slaughter them, father. They're monsters.”
Chris' eyes slid away from hers. He couldn't meet her eyes and give this answer.
“They're winning, Allison. We have no choice but to beg for peace or die trying to attain it.”
“Then we should DIE FIGHTING!” She raged.
Stiles gave her a sad look and nodded to Chris before putting his hand out to grip her arm. She jerked it away but let him lead her from the rooms. The real discussions began and the ideas were honestly no better than Allison's. No one knew how to get through to the werewolves that they just didn't want to fight anymore. They had tried white flags. They'd tried bringing food with them in offering. Gifts. At one point they'd approached while playing classical music. Nothing had gotten through to them.
Chris had no new ideas and he retired to bed feeling hopeless but also restless. He couldn't settle so he paced the room in his bedclothes and fretted. Noah tried to talk him into calmness, but to no avail.
“I need a woman, not a discussion,” Chris growled out, leaning over the fireplace and scowling into the flames. It was a cold winter and he was chilled to the bone. He wanted release and the warmth of a body to hold, “I can't focus.”
“Is there a maid or...?” Noah offered, looking uncomfortable, “Should I sleep elsewhere?”
“No,” Chris sighed, “I'm not ready for that. I need it, but I don't want it.”
“I did, after Claudia,” Noah replied, “I got drunk and slept my way through every willing staff member. On our wedding night Stiles joked since I can't sire an official child again we should see which of the maid's children has grown up to have the Stilinski charm and just declare them legitimate.”
“I don't want to drink myself stupid,” Chris scoffed, and then winced, “I'm sorry. That was...”
“Accurate,” Noah replied, standing up behind him and gripping his shoulder, “I regret that part as well, but I don't really see another way I could handle it. It's what my father taught me. What did yours teach you about coping with loss?”
“To be the one doing the killing,” Chris replied coldly.
“Yet you want peace.”
“I don't,” Chris replied, “I'm as angry as Allison is. I want to burn them to the ground.”
“Well they seem to want that, too. Chris... Stiles...” Noah started, “He's... powerful. Most people don't know this, but he could turn the tide.”
“What are you talking about?” Chris asked, turning in surprise.
“I'm invoking my right as a husband when I say this,” Noah stated firmly, “This stays a secret. If he goes to war it's from a distance and he wears a mask to protect his identity.”
“What could one boy do?”
“Burn the shit out of them,” Noah replied softly, “You wanted the witches on your side? You've got them. Claudia's power went to Stiles. He's a witch, and a powerful one. I don't know if he'll agree to fight- he's just a boy- but at the very least he can enchant weapons, boost strength, and heal your people to give them the same edge the werewolves have.”
Chris caught the back of Noah's head and dragged him in for a steamy kiss, then pulled back in alarm.
“I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking,” Chris spoke quickly.
“It's fine,” Noah waved him off, flushing red, “I'm your husband, after all.”
“Yes, but... we're both men,” Chris reminded him with a frown.
“Stiles gets it from somewhere,” Noah gave a limp-wristed gesture, “I fancy men. Luckily for Stiles I also enjoy women or he wouldn't have been born.”
“I don't... know what I...” Chris shook his head, “It's never even crossed my mind as an option.”
“Well,” Noah shrugged, “It exists now, so you can enjoy it or not. Find a maid or join me in our marriage bed someday. I'll still respect you in the morning either way.”
Noah turned and climbed into their bed, turning on his favored side and letting out a sigh as he snuggled into the covers. Chris paced the room for a few more hours, long after the embers burned down and his feet were numb from the cold. When he finally slipped into the bed Noah hissed at his cold intrusion and then turned to help him warm up by rubbing his hands and letting him brace his feet between his calves.
“You're going to catch your death,” Noah scolded, “I know you're hurting, but-”
Before he could remind him that Allison or the kingdom needed him Chris leaned in and kissed him again. Noah let him, but he didn't demand more when Chris pressed their bodies together and just rubbed himself to release. Noah's breath was hot on the top of Chris' head and he was hard against his husband's hip. Chris didn't know if Noah finished, but only because he fell almost instantly asleep.
When he woke up the man had cleaned him and they didn't speak of their stolen moments together, but over the years it happened more and more often. Stiles rained magic down on their soldiers and stopped the advance from taking the fort, winning back the island in a single day. He helped food grow. He created stronger armor and enchanted shields. Howeverm the young man refused to kill, especially once his identity was leaked. He believed he would not be able to rule a kingdom as the witch who committed mass murder. He turned the tide from a slaughter to a stalemate, but he couldn't win the day.
That honor belonged to Allison years later when she snuck away in the night to finish her Aunt's plan of murdering the werewolves in their sleep and instead fell in love with one. By that point in time Chris had found the peace Noah had promised he would. Ne would never be over Victoria, but he didn't look for her every day. He no longer felt that loving Noah was a betrayal as he had for a long time. And he did love him. It wasn't the passion that he'd had with Victoria. He didn't feel like he would die without him. Instead it was a calm, comforting love. A friend who was so very dear to him that they finished each other's sentences. It was quiet and soft and supportive and occasionally teasing and fun. They sated each other at night and supported each other by day. Stiles looked on with jealousy in his eyes, wishing that his own fate were not sealed. Like any witch, he later proved that his future was under his own power and Noah was proud of him despite his snarky remarks and fears.
However, true happiness, true emotional peace, didn't happen until over a year later when Allison presented them with a little girl to carry on the Argent name. She wailed and cried as Allison announced the birth of the princess Victoria and Chris felt something in him finally, finally heal. He held Noah's hand and softly suggested a visit to the Stilinski lands the moment the ice melted.
It was a good decision. Derek had been first to birth a child, but his had been born during the winter months when the pass was frozen so Noah hadn't even heard of his grandson's birth. Little Prince Talon was sitting up by the time they met him, his nose twitching curiously as he sniffed out his grandparents and raised a single eyebrow as if to ask why they hadn't visited sooner. Noah was smitten. He made silly faces at the baby and cooed over him for hours while Derek's pack preened over their perfect child's presentation to his family. When Talon fell asleep Noah smiled down at him lovingly until Derek stole him away to for a feeding.
It seemed odd to watch a man nurse a baby so Noah left them to it and Chris made sure he was in position to overhear the conversation with Stiles that followed.
“You did good, son,” Noah spoke softly, “That is one perfect baby you've got there.”
“He's got two awesome dads,” Stiles replied proudly, “Derek was a trooper when he was in labor. He only physically scarred one doctor. I was very proud.”
“You know I never hated you, right? When you showed up with a man in tow and the promise of future babies I was so relieved. I wish I could have given you a more normal life.”
Stiles was silent for a moment and then sighed heavily and clasped his father's shoulder, “I wouldn't want that. There's no such thing as normal, dad. I know that now. There's nothing wrong with being gay. It's okay, and... and you shouldn't be ashamed of you and dad Chris.”
“I didn't mean that, Stiles,” Noah scoffed, “I meant the prince thing. If we hadn't been royalty I would never have told you that you had to marry a woman.”
“If we hadn't been royalty it would still be illegal,” Stiles reminded him softly, “Someone had to suffer for the future generations. I'm glad it was me and not my son. Whoever he loves is going to be his future spouse and that's more valuable than all the jewels in our coffers.”
Noah smiled softly and glanced back at where Chris was spying on them, “It really is.”