Chapter Text
“Convergence, I guess. Werewolves see and feel a lot of shit we don’t understand. Maybe we were attracted to each other because we both belonged here? You weren’t born wolf, but I think growing up here sort of chose you. There are powerful ley lines around the Oak. You’ll see when you get there,” Derek suggested.
“This weird stuff coming out of your mouth is all Satomi, right? Because it doesn’t sound like Derek,” Stiles insisted.
“It sounds like Derek now. C’mon, let’s go. How are you not ready yet? You don’t even have hair,” Derek asked.
“I’ve changed five times.”
“Why? You’re just going to put the hoodie on over everything.”
“Fine, this is fine. Let’s go,” Stiles said, dropping his hands from the row of recently hung shirts. He had no idea he had so many shirts. A lot of them were in storage at Scott’s, but he picked up a few in New York, and stole a few from Derek’s closet there. It added up quick. “I should get rid of some of these,” he muttered.
“No, you’re keeping all of them, and we’re going to share, so don’t even think about it. Let’s go,” Derek said, pulling at his arm.
The drive to the annex road that led to the big oak tree followed the highway heading toward Fairfax. They drove the Camaro even though Stiles wanted to take his mom’s Jeep. Derek said he didn’t know if it was in good enough condition to park in the woods for hours and trust it to turn over again. He promised they would test it tomorrow and take it to the mechanic so Stiles would have it like his dad always promised.
The Camaro was loud and cool. People Stiles didn"t even know waved as they ambled slowly over the uneven ground toward the giant sprawling oak tree and parked near the fire that was already going. Derek got out a blanket and threw it over the hood of the car, inviting Stiles to sit. He expected his friends to be here already, but Stiles only saw vaguely familiar faces.
Once they were settled a group of girls and a tall guy with a big smile came over. Stiles thought they were headed for him, but the guy clasped hands with Derek, greeting him happily. Derek introduced him as Brett. Shaking his hand was oddly unnerving because, like Derek told him earlier, Brett was like both of them. Stiles let his nervousness go when Brett smiled warmly, genuinely happy he was back and with Derek. The girls all introduced themselves as well, one even kissed him on the cheek and said they were all so happy to finally meet him. He looked over at Derek, surprised by the outpouring of enthusiasm from someone who didn"t even know him.
“Expect it a lot. People know who you are. The legend of Stiles Stilinski is strong in these parts,” Derek drawled sarcastically.
“Sure, that’s why none of my actual friends have shown up yet?” Stiles laughed. Everyone else had work, school and lives though. It was a miracle they were all close enough to get here at all, but they had all promised to show
“They’ll be here,” Derek assured him, draping an arm across his shoulders and pulling him close.
It was getting colder. He was about to suggest getting closer to the fire when a loud procession of vehicles turned up the annex road and pulled into the clearing. Isaac’s big, ugly work truck, Boyd’s little red pick up, and Lydia’s blue Prius bounced along in a neat line, pulling in to the empty spaces in the circle. Derek told Stiles to wait there, then got up to meet them, a huge grin stretching across his face.
His friends began piling out of cars, then pulling things out. Boyd lifted a keg out of the back of his truck, hiked it over his head walked to the base of the Oak with it. Everyone cheered wildly at Boyd’s generous offering. Suddenly the rambunctious gathering of teenagers, and Derek, turned into a raging party out in the woods. The Sheriff’s station would probably love to come and shut them down. Stiles didn’t want being arrested to be the welcome home he gave his dad’s friends. He was distracted from his concern when Lydia and Scott approached him. He tried to do as Derek told him and prepare himself for the dark, icy, creepiness, but he couldn’t.
“Lyd’s shit, um--hi,” Stiles stammered. Scott looked at Stiles like he was crazy and pulled him in for a hug. Lydia smiled at him over Scott’s shoulder, then he recognized her. The same sweet, kind Lydia that hid behind a shroud of danger and mystery. Nothing had changed really. He could just see past it now when he looked right at her. Stiles reached out for her, drawing her into a hug. “I missed you Lydia,” he said quietly as he held her. He promised himself he would get used to how she was now, like she would get used to him.
“You look so good Stiles,” Lydia smiled sweetly. She was grateful and happy to see him.
Stiles realized her life had probably changed just as drastically as Scott’s, now that Scott was better for the most part. He wasn’t much different than when he had asthma as a kid, and that probably meant a lot to Lydia. Scott stayed close, but his attention was fixed on the swirling mess of people around the keg.
“You taking care of Scotty pretty good,” Stiles grinned, happy when she reached out for Scott’s hand bringing him back to the conversation. “He wants beer, you guys should go get some before the kids drink it all,” Stiles laughed.
“Want me to bring a cup back?” Scott offered.
“Nah, I’m good. Gotta stay sharp, keep a look out for 5-O.” Stiles gestured to the annex road.
“Don’t sweat that dude. Coulson said they’d leave us alone as long as I promised we’d clean up and not tell him anything about what we did out here,” Scott laughed.
“How do you get away with this shit?” Stiles threw his hands up, amazed at Scott’s ability to bullshit his way out of everything.
“He tells the truth,” Lydia said bitterly. She had seen enough of it to know how miraculous it was as well.
“Only parts of it,” Scott grinned. “C’mon,” he said as he pulled on Lydia’s hand, then they were gone, lost to the gathering crowd.
Isaac and Derek brought out a huge box of food and everyone dug in. The swirling chaos of excitement was like a tornado of delight he couldn’t tear his eyes away from. Boyd and Derek were in the middle of the chaos, looking right at home, acting like the team Stiles imagined they could be. He hoped they would meet when he sent the diamonds. He was sure Erica would return them, and meeting Erica inevitably meant meeting Boyd. Derek needed an awesome best friend. Boyd needed a guy in his life that didn’t see him as terrifyingly huge and intimidating. Boyd couldn’t intimidate Derek if he tried.
“Hey, quiet!” Boyd’s booming voice called out above the excitement. “Everyone knows Stiles Stilinski is kind of an asshole,” Boyd shouted, which made Stiles cringe with embarrassment. Especially when everyone cheered at the part about him being an asshole. Boyd laughed, smiling and waiting for everyone to get quiet again. “But.... But, we’re really happy he’s home for good this time.” Boyd pointed, giving him formidable stink eye while everyone made far too much joyful noise just for him.
The threat was real. Boyd would kill him if he left again, but he had already promised to stay and he meant it. He threw Boyd a kiss and Boyd flipped him the bird. Not much had changed, but he was glad Boyd loved Derek enough to want to celebrate with him, and protect him. Scott and Lydia came back out of the crowd after talking to Erica for a moment. The dark shroud around Lydia didn’t seem so odd anymore. It was like the opposite of the spotlight she always wanted in highschool, and much more fitting. She never did well with normal people staring at her. She seemed to connect with the strange ones quite well. Maybe that was why he thought he loved her all those years.
“It’s true bromance dude,” Scott said, pointing at Derek and Boyd.
“I know. I’m a fucking genius, right?” Stiles said.
“You give yourself too much credit. I’m the one who told Boyd to give Derek his number. You overestimate the social desires of satiated men,” Lydia said.
“Are you using big words to say it didn"t occur to Boyd or Derek to hang out again after they met the first time?” Stiles asked.
“Promise me, right now, you are going to take your giant brain and go back to school, or I will make Scott kick your ass,” Lydia threatened annoyingly, but she was right. Obtaining more than a sophomore education was one of the weird things he was going to have to think about soon.
“I will, I promise, mom,” Stiles rolled his eyes, hoping it pained Lydia to be reminded how uptight she was.
“Oh, speaking of, my mom already signed him up at the college. He starts in January,” Scott told Lydia.
“Oh, good,” Lydia smiled.
“God dammit Scott. Your mom is --”
“Awful, fucking awful. I know. She’s your mom too, so you gotta stop saying that shit bro,” Scott glanced up at him, not really making fun of it. He was serious this time.
“I know,” Stiles said, resolving to never complain about Saint Melissa McCall ever again.
People filtered in and out, everyone saying hello and welcoming him back. More people showed up until the whole clearing was full of teenagers and cars, most of whom he recognized. Derek eventually extracted himself and came back to the Camaro. Stiles didn"t care how cold his feet were going to get, he pushed his shoes off and tucked himself up against Derek, his legs over Derek’s lap.
The party stayed quiet with Isaac and Boyd regulating the keg and the obnoxiousness. It was pretty satisfying to see Isaac the Meek run off Matt when he started mouthing off. Stiles watched Isaac fist bump Boyd and laugh, congratulating himself for starting and finishing a mild altercation, something he never would have done years ago. Maybe a few things had changed for the better while he was gone.
“Are we going to be okay here you think?” Sties asked.
“Why wouldn’t we be?” Derek asked.
“Because we’re kind of dangerous, and people don"t usually like dangerous,” Stiles said.
“I think this place might be where dangerous comes to retire,” Derek grinned.
“I’m not done, are you?” Stiles smiled, laughing at the idea.
“Hardly,” Derek answered, eyebrow raised, looking just as dangerous as ever.