Chapter Text
It's monday once again and Stiles is sitting at his usual table in the cafeteria with a single minded goal. To eat his lunch. His father had actually packed him a tuna sandwhich after the whole beach ordeal. He had laughed when he had opened the fridge that morning to see the lunch bag. Also been quite excited to eat it because Stiles defintely likes fish. So what some stereotypes are true.
Out of the blue Isaac sits down besides him. Stiles is about to speak when Boyd sits on the other side and then Erica in front of him.
"Are you ganging up on me now?" Stiles tries to play it off but he is slightly terrified at all the attention. He does not want to three idiots talk to him like he is a loser right now. Though the three of them had toned down their 'I'm too cool for you' attitude lately, hopefully Derek had told them off.
"I hear Derek's been going to your house recently." Erica states staring into his soul.
Stiles chuckles nervously. How much do they know? "I have no idea what you are talking about."
"Oh come on Stiles, it's obvious you two spend a lot of time together. Derek always smells of you these days." Isaac exclaims before taking a bite of his lunch.
Stiles himself gulps down a big piece of his sandwhich as he looks between the three of them. His beautiful sandwhich is ruined by their presence.
"Stiles why don't you spill the beans?" Erica smirks. "I wanna know who our big bad alpha is banging."
Stiles chokes on his sandwhich and has to cough several times to feel alright. It doesn't help that Boyd is patting his back to help. What the fuck.
"What?" He asks when he regains airflow to his lungs.
"Bitch please, it's obvious there is something between you two." Erica continues on her thoughts. "I have never seen him happier after he comes back from your place."
"What? You all think this?" Stiles looks at the boys and gets approving nods in return. "Huh."
"So." Erica leans over the table. "What do you spend your time doing?"
"Uh..." Stiles isn't about to tell them he is a b'tydo and they spend most of their time talking about said topic. "We research shit about the kanima problem and just talk."
"Talk? That's all you do? Really?" Isaac asks condescendingly.
"Yes Isaac that is all we do." Stiles rolls his eyes because it really isn't that much of a lie, a half truth yes but not a lie.
"Hmm I'm gonna get to the bottom of this Stilinski." Erica points a finger at him and Stiles laughs.
"Whatever you say catwoman."
Erica smiles at the comment and begins eating her own lunch. Stiles doesn't see Scott that lunch period but it's alright he isn't alone anyways.
It's clear to Stiles the other three want to act like normal teenagers for once forgetting the problems about the kanima. The kanima that is freaking Jackson, something Stiles still haven't processed. He understands the others and well he is quite on board with the no supernatural talk at lunch rule.
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After school Stiles walks to his jeep that is surrounded by wolves. Not surprising since Erica swore up and down she would figure out what Derek and Stiles' relationship is.
"Is this part of your weird plan catwoman?" Stiles asks unlocking the jeep.
"Of course it is, Derek usually stops by your house after school does he not?" Erica smirks and claims the passenger seat for herself.
"Actually not really I usually have a few hours of alone time." Stiles tells her and starts the jeep. "I am guessing he uses that time to yell at your asses."
"You're not wrong." Isaac pouts from the back.
"Anyways if you are coming over I would like silence so I can study." Stiles instructs them with a serious tone.
"Fine." Erica and Isaac says while Boyd gives him a nod.
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At the Stilinski house the four teenagers sit around the coffee table in the living room doing their homework or Stiles is doing it. Erica is staring at Stiles intensely like it will reveal his deepest darkest secrets. It can not. Isaac is hanging off the couch with his book upside down and Boyd is quietly reading the book they were reading in english class. Stiles finishes his biology homework and moves onto chemistry.
"Ugh, this is so boring how do you do it?" Erica complains.
"You used to do it too before you joined the leather jacket gang." Stiles doesn't look up from his book but he feels Erica kick him from underneath the table. "So not neccesary."
"Oh it was." Erica crosses her arms.
The three wolves tenses which signifies only one thing, Derek's here.
"Use the front door sourwolf." Stiles speaks in his normal voice as he turns a page in his chemistry book.
Derek walks through the front door and into the living room quietly. If Stiles weren't expecting Derek he is sure he would be shocked as he turns to see Derek stand right beside him.
Derek's eyebrows are furrowed and to the naked eye it would like look he is mad.
It is certaintly the impression the others in the room gets as they sit as still as possible. As if that would make Derek not notice them. Stiles knows Derek pretty well by now and have categorized all the eyebrow expressions as well. He is practically an expert in the language of Derek so he knows Derek isn't mad just confused and possibly a little surprised.
"They wanted to know why you spent so much time at my house so they deliberately went home with me." Stiles explains and pats the ground by his side.
The three wolves gasps as their alpha complies with Stiles' request. Derek raises his eyebrow asking for more information.
"I don't know big guy, they were sure we were up to no good." Stiles shrugs and focuses on his homework again. "Feel free to interrogate them though, they have been a pain in my asshole."
Derek turns his gaze to his betas and looks at them sternly expecting them to explain themselves.
"We were just curious." Erica starts out. "You always disappear and then come back smelling like him."
"Yeah we just wanted to know if Stiles was pack." Isaac continues.
Stiles' interest peaks because of those words. They hadn't mentioned it at school but maybe that really was just teasing. Do they consider him pack because Derek spends so much time with him? Stiles looks at Derek for an answer but Derek looks at him stunned.
Stiles studies his face and sees the slightest pink on Derek's ears. He laughs out loud, Stiles had never expected to see Derek blush and the way he is blushing is so Derek. Just the tiniest bit of emotion. Everyone's attention is on Stiles now. Derek is furrowing his brows more which just makes Stiles laugh again.
"Ao'no ly'uk ao'ni pyl blobfish." Stiles states and Derek growls lightly. (you remind me of blobfish)
"Don't call me that." Derek scowls.
"Sorry dude but seriously how can your face just." Stiles waves his hands in the air as if telling Derek he always looks so scrunched up in his face.
"What the hell is between you two." Erica breaks their moment. Stiles freezes in place, he had spoken his language in front of others than Derek or his dad. This is bad, real bad.
"It's none of your business Erica." Derek flashes his eyes at her and she scoots away from the two.
"What was that you said Stiles?" Isaac turns to sit properly in the couch.
"Oh I just told Derek he looked like a blobfish in uh... Polish." Stiles explains hoping they would overlook the last part.
"Polish?" Isaac raises his eyebrow now.
"Well my mother..." Stiles stops midsentence, it is still hard to speak about his mom sometimes though the beach day helped a lot. It still feels like ripping a bandaid of a bleeding wound, he just getting more used to the pain.
Derek places a hand on his shoulder offering him comfort. Stiles' body relaxes under the touch and continues were he left off. "My mom is Polish, I naturally learned it as a child."
"You're bilingual, cool." Erica nods her approval along side Boyd who is just putting down his book to join the conversation.
"Is Stiles pack?" Boyd finally asks.
The hand on Stiles' shoulder tenses. He knows Derek is unsure of how to answer the question, it isn't like they had discussed this between just the two of them. Stiles should come up with some clever way to get the three off their back but really Stiles is tired of all the lying. He is tired of the constant fighting. He is tired that they weren't one big healthy pack that have each other's back.
He leans back against Derek's chest. Thankfully Derek lets him do it, he even wraps his arms around Stiles.
"Stiles is whatever Stiles wants to be. I am not making him choose between us and Scott." Derek states tighthening his hold on Stiles clearly showing his own dislike with what he said.
It feels reassuring to Stiles though like Derek would fight for him if he needs to. Stiles is well aware he had always been on Scott's side because well Scott is his best friend, his brother. You do not leave a brother behind but he have been thinking lately that he should try and convince Scott to not hate Derek so much. Then maybe they can call it truce and maybe even become pack. It is unlikely and if worst come to worst Stiles will just state he belongs to no one but himself. It is the only way to ensure that both sides understands he is both with them and not. Still somewhere in him wants to be Derek's.
He voices his opinions. "I belong to myself and no one else. It will stay that way okay? It doesn't mean I can't be on your side or Scott's. I am on both of your sides and whenever you decide that is the same side."
Derek growls lowly and tighthens his grip so it hurt Stiles.
"Ni kyul layak!" Stiles slaps Derek's arm. (My love stop!)
His eyes widens as he realizes what he called Derek. Is that what is between them? How did Stiles not notice how much he felt for Derek? Is it because he had neglected his supernaturals side for so long that his instincts had all been off? That his own understanding of his feelings was fucked up? Stiles doesn't know what it all means but he is sure Derek is important to him. He is also thankful that Derek hasn't reached that chapter yet in his translation book. Honestly that is a conversation they should have alone and by Derek's reaction to him saying Stiles belongs to no one, he is sure Derek might want a private conversation as well.
"Okay..." Isaac breaks the awkward silence that had engulfed them all.
"I think it's time we leave." Erica speaks before standing up and dragging the others home.
Stiles is still frozen in Derek's arms. He isn't sure how to talk about it. Fuck he isn't sure he wanted to have that conversations right now. He is so afraid of destroying what they already had.
"Stiles? I need you to calm down." Derek speaks softly right into his ears. Derek is leaning his chin on his shoulder nuzzling into his neck.
Stiles can feel his heart beat out of his chest. His breathing having picked up as well.
"I am sorry if I scared you." Derek mumbles from where he is hiding his face in Stiles neck seemingly embarresed over his own actions.
"You didn't scare me Derek I scared myself." Stiles admits almsot mumbling the last bit.
Derek hums urging him to go on as he started to rock them both.
"It's what I said Derek I called you--" Stiles can't say the words. He is so afraid if he have been misreading everything between them.
"Kyul, you called me that." Derek's pronounciation is off but he still manages to say it so Stiles understands.
"It has a big meaning doesn't it?" Derek asks him turning Stiles around in his embrace so Stiles is sitting on his lap. Stiles looks away from Derek blushing at their position.
"Stiles?" Derek makes him return to reality. His hands gently running up and down Stiles' spine.
Stiles takes a deep breath readying himself to say what he needs to say. He is aware that there is a big possibility that Derek feels the same way but he is still scared. Just because you like someone doesn't mean you wanna spend your life with them. To Stiles that is was Kyul means, someone you love for life and he can't ask that of Derek.
"Kyul." He says looking at Derek.
"Yes?" Derek already responds like he have always been called that by Stiles. It makes Stiles feel warm inside, an affection he can feel burst out of him.
He places his hands on the sides of Derek's neck. Derek lets him do whatever he wants, Stiles understands the importance of this.
Derek is trusting him with himself. Stiles almost wants to cry at the declaration and it gives him the little boost he needs to talk.
"Kyul means...fuck." Stiles explains.
Derek raises his eyebrow laughing a little. "Kyul means fuck?"
"No, that's not it." Stiles says frustrated, he leans his head on Derek's shoulder. "I can't say it. I don't know why but I just can't."
Derek pulls him into a hug. He nuzzles his face into the crook of Stiles neck again.
"It's okay you don't have to say anything." Derek reassures.
"Sorry." Stiles mumbles.
"It's fine." Derek tells him.
They decide to hold a lesson on the oceanic language now the others are gone. Stiles isn't sure why he can't just spill the truth, why he can't just say it out loud. Maybe the thing between them is supposed to go unspoken. Stiles isn't sure. He is happy Derek doesn't press him but he has a sneaky suspicion that Derek wants to learn more of his language so Stiles won't have to explain what it means.
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At school Scott starts withdrawing himself in a way that makes Stiles concerned. Scott usually just spends his days pining over Allison and therefore will only talk Stiles' ear off but now he is around for only half of the time. Stiles thinks maybe it is the new and apparently sticking presence of Erica, Isaac, and Boyd at Stiles' side. He thinks Scott is still unwilling to loosen up a little while they are there which severly halts his plans to get Scott to like Derek.
So yeah Stiles haven't told Scott that he is buddy buddy with Derek that might be why Stiles has let Scott withdraw as well. When Scott isn't around there is more time for Derek to be. Stiles might have been just a teensy bit selfish for the past week but can you really blame him? It isn't like Scott looked his way when he first started going out with Allison. Wait... no Stiles is not going to think about what his brain just implied to himself.
Stiles is on his way to the old Hale house now. Derek thought there might be some books that were still laying in the ruins so of course he recruited Stiles to help him. Erica had said they were probably just gonna fuck and Stiles had barked a laugh with some pink cheeks as well while Derek growled.
He strolls up to the house and opens the broken door just as Peter hits the wall beside him.
"Well that was surprising." Stiles comments sarcastically before he looks in front of him where Derek stands his eyes still glowing red. "He decided to show his face again?"
Derek huffs and goes to pick Peter off the floor.
"Well it's lovely to see you too Stiles." Peter states as he stands on his own two feet again.
Stiles gives him a fake smile before looking at Derek again. He searches Derek's face for how he feels about Peter being there. Derek looks more annoyed than anything else so Stiles takes that as a good sign. They might not kill Peter today which Stiles is grateful for, he wasn't planning on murder when he went to the preserve after school or else he would have brought a shovel.
He goes to stand beside Derek touching Derek's shoulder lightly. He wants Derek to understand he is there for him.
"What did he want?" Stiles asks staring intensely at Peter.
"He wants to help." Derek scowls keeping his own glare on Peter.
"Help? Is help even in his vocabulary? Are you sure he didn't say, I don't know, homicide?" Stiles tilts his to study Peter the same way he used to study Derek in the start, constantly trying to figure him out.
"This is a fortunate alliance I hadn't seen coming but as surprising as that may be my offer still stands nephew." Peter looks at Derek but his eyes begin to wander to Stiles. Stiles wonders what he is seeing. Whatever he is seeing was enough to earn a warning growl from Derek.
"So that's how it is." Peter smirks and quite frankly Stiles is already tired of the whole power play thing.
He finds one of the only chairs left in the house and sits down getting a good look at what remains of the Hale house but also the family. The tension between the two, nephew and uncle is close to unbearable. Stiles considers what would have happened if Peter was sane as an alpha would it had been much different? Well Peter certaintly secertaintly psychotic right now, Stiles might even say he can feel the atmostphere having changed around Peter. When he had enough of the stand off between them Stiles speaks up.
"So are we gonna do what we planned for today or will you keep staring down Peter for eternity? Cuz if it's for eternity does that mean I have to take care of the pups, I don't want to do that."
Derek sags his shoulders and sighs. He walks to Stiles and motions him further into the house.
"The books would have been hidden away and not stored in the library." Derek explains and starts looking for secret compartments.
"Looking for our family's priced possesions now, are we?" Peter says as he enters what would have been the living room.
Stiles chooses to ignore him. "What were they about sourwolf?" The nickname he uses to remind Derek to be nice while they search.
"Rare mythical creatures even for the supernatural world." Derek replies ripping up a loose floor plank. He reaches down but hisses as he retracts his hand.
"Be careful, the books are protected with many traps." Peter warns walking over to Derek. Stiles joins them and looks down the hole.
"Were you not buried here?" Stiles looks at Peter and the Peter sized hole.
"Yes, thank you for the reminder." Peter reaches down himself but come up hissing as well.
"I can't believe you just repeated what Derek did. You two are so related." Stiles states but looks down again. "Wolfsbane?"
"Most likely." Derek replies still holding his injured hand.
"Deaton installed it." Peter tries out his new 'I am helpful' attitude.
"Lovely." Stiles remarks before sticking his hand in the hole. Derek grabs his arm tight.
"Don't! What if there is other traps?" He exclaims pulling Stiles' arm up.
"Okay mother hen, I think I will be fine." Stiles pulls his arm free and sticks his hand down again. He feels something cold against his fingers. It is running with one clear direction. Stiles' eyes widens when he realises what it is. He pulls his hand up smiling lightly. Both Peter and Derek looks at him confused with their furrowed eyebrows.
"Water." Stiles shows his wet hand.
"Water." Derek repeats smiling as well. They can handle water easily.
"You two spent too much time together." Peter shakes his head. "That water is infused with wolfsbane."
"Good thing I am a human then." Stiles remarks and this time goes the whole way down. At the bottom he feels a metal box with a cold handle. He pulls the box up from the depths through the wolfsbane water.
Stiles places the box beside the hole and looks at it. It is only a second later when he realises his hand is not human anymore. Stiles retracts his hand to himself fast unsure if Peter saw. He checks for an reaction and Peter is smirking at him all knowing. Stiles hates that look the most and if he could he would smear it off Peter's face.
"Well human Stiles isn't so human after all." Peter comes closer but Derek stands as a wall between them.
"Oh come on Derek, this is a one of a kind moment to have." Peter argues before trying to get past Derek. Derek lashes out at him trying to claw through Peter.
"Kyul it's okay." Stiles states repeating the word he had called Derek, it feels almost natural for Stiles to say but Stiles isn't ready to figure out what that means. Derek stops dead in his tracks and waits for Stiles' next move. Stiles moves to his side and stand quietly looking at Peter.
"Do you know what I am?" He asks Peter.
"Hmm I am not sure if you're asking because you don't know or you're just testing my knowlegde, but I am sure it's the latter you are smart enough to figure this out on your own right?" Peter stares at Stiles again with that all knowing smirk.
Having had enough of that attitude for a life time Stiles grabs water from a nearby puddle made from the water getting in through the roof. He takes it and placed it around Peter's legs.
"You didn't answer my question Peter." Stiles tells him walking closer to him. Stiles is aware that with every step he takes Derek will grow more worried but the winching noise from Peter seems to calm him down.
"You're a mermaid." Peter finally answers. "But a mermaid shouldn't be able to control water."
"Oh well I guess I am just special then." Stiles says and smiles back at Derek who shakes his head feigning off a laugh.
Stiles lets go of Peter. "You will not say a word about this okay?"
"Understood." Peter promises sitting down. His legs too tired to stand any longer.
"No, promise me." Stiles demands grabbing the water around Peter's legs again. Stiles' eyes faintly starts to glow.
"Fine I promise." Peter throws his hands in the air and Stiles lets him go. Both Peter's and Stiles' eyes glows brightly as the promise is made.
"Feels like I made a deal with the devil." Peter says as he massages his legs.
Stiles smirks at the comment. "Pretty sure I am not the devil but-"
"But what?" Derek looks at him concerned. "What did you do?"
This time Stiles stands frozen as he himself realises what he had done to Peter. His hands clasps around his mouth. How could he have been so irrational using his powers like that? His mother had lectured him many times to never make people promise anything no matter how miniscule it was.
Stiles starts to back away from Peter terrified at what he had done. He is in such a trance he doesn't even feel Derek's body as he crashes into it.
"Stiles, hey you're okay." Derek calms him with soothing strokes down his back. "You're okay."
Peter on the other hand aren't so forgiving you could say. He looks Stiles dead in the eye with a burning question ready to leave his mouth.
"What did you do to me Stiles?" Peter asks with a certain wonder and disdain in his words like he wants to know Stiles' powers but also hates that it was used against him.
When Stiles finally calms down he plants his butt on the ground too tired to keep standing. He looks between the two Hales and decides to say fuck it. It isn't like they are gonna spill his secrets, well Derek would never and Peter physically couldn't which Yeah...his fault.
"Ever heard about how mermaids or sirens would lure sailors into the sea with their songs?" Stiles starts out. Derek joins him on the ground putting up a sort of united front against Peter, if it ever came to it.
"You mean to say you persuaved me into never giving up your secret?" Peter states still sitting further from the two others. "But you didn't sing."
"Well the song part is a rumor." Stiles explains already waving his hands in the air like he does when he talks about something passionately. "We usually just make people promise things they can never keep so they end up in the water."
"What? You get mad they didn't keep your impossible promise so you toss them down below?" Peter taunts him but Stiles can sense a little bit of fear from him. It is mostly due to the fact that Peter's legs are still soaked with water, water that heigthens Stiles' senses. Stiles can hear Peter's heartbeat being unstable as he speaks. It is faint but still there, a certain fear.
"Haha very funny Peter but no. It's more like you break the promise and then you will willingly go drown yourself, in fact you won't stop till you have drowned yourself." Stiles explains. "The whole song thing was just because some mermaids like to sing their promises to the sailors. Their voices are soothing makes the whole 'I promise you thing' easier."
Peter stares at him harshly for a second before it turns into a big grin. "Your power is impressive. Imagine what one could do with it."
"Yeah I have imagined it since I used it on you." Stiles scoffs and then cleares his throat. "Anyways, should we return to the topic of the books?"
He turns around and grabs the metal box. He tries to open it but it is locked. He shakes it and tries again like that would help him but no.
"Not so confident now huh?" Peter teases as he grabs the box from Stiles' hands. Peter tries to open the box but he also fails. Stiles laughs at him loudly.
Then Derek takes the box and studies it before trying his own way of opening it. He extends a claw and put it through the keyhole but his claw is too thick to fit in it.
"Stiles, claw." Derek states holding his hand out for Stiles'. Stiles obliges and extends his own slimmer claw for Derek to use. Hand in hand they open the box to see it's content.
The books inside looks ordinary to Stiles. He doesn't quite understand why they are hidden but oh well every family has their secrets.
Derek flips the box over emptying it on the floor. That's when Stiles spots a book different from the others. It has the world tree made from fish scales on the cover. Stiles recognizes it as the symbol of the baltic tribe, the tribe his mom was from. He reaches out to grab it but Peter snatches from him.
"Let's see." Peter opens it. He is focuses on reading its content. Stiles chuckles there is no way the book is written in english which poses the question how did a baltic tribe book end up at the Hale house? Peter tosses the book to Stiles in a subtle defeat.
Stiles smiles as he opens the book satisfied with Peter giving up. He looks on the first page and sees his mother's name written.
"C'yawtía sanuk." Stiles says his mother's name as it was written. "That's her maiden name." His eyebrows furrows. The book is probably one of the only ones his mom had brought with her from her home. The rest he had at home were replicas his mother had made while on land.
"Who's name?" Derek asks him.
"My mom. This book is my mom's personal journal." Stiles reads over the introduction to the journey. "Why is it here?"
"Obviously your mom was a family friend." Peter offers his knowlegde again. "I do remember a particular Stilinski being around from time to time. Talia seemed to be good friends with her."
Stiles should probably be more shocked at what Peter is saying but he is so immersed in his mom's journal that he isn't really listening that much. His mom had written down everything she had done or seen since her 200th moon cycle, the measurement seafolk used for counting time. She wrote about going hunting for the first time, how you could use the shrill to paralyze fish until you killed them. She wrote about learning to heal others like her pet seal name Bernard. Named that because she thought human names were funny. She wrote about seeing land for the first time and seeing Stiles' dad. It feels like he is reconnecting with his mom all over again like she is right beside him telling him all the things in her journal.
Then his eyes widens and he drops the book on the floor. Stiles is shocked at what he had read. His mom is not just a b'tydo, no she just had to be the chief's daughter too, his only daugther at that. Why hadn't his mother mentioned such important information earlier in the journal? Stiles doesn't know what to do with that information actually so maybe it is better if he didn't know. Could you unlearn things?
This means that out there somewhere in the sea is a chief who is his grandpa. Stiles can't fathom that technically he is an heir to that position. He doesn't want that and he hopes they never meet. Stiles feels awful for thinking that way but it's the truth he wanted to remain on land just like his mom. Would his grandpa even wanna meet him?
He doesn't realised that Derek is in front of him. His hands on Stiles' shoulders looking very concerned. When Stiles finally tunes into reality he can hear Derek calling his name.
"I'm fine." Stiles croaks like he hasn't used his voice in a million years.
"What did you read?" Derek questions taking the book from the floor and tries to decipher the words himself. Stiles knows he can't understand it, it isn't something Stiles have taught him yet.
"My mom is the chief's daughter." Stiles speaks with indifference. He honestly can't believe it, no matter how many times he repeats the words to himself in his head. Saying them out loud doesn't seem to help either.
"So the plot thickens." Peter states.
"Shut up Peter!" Both Derek and Stiles yells.
Peter puts his hands in the air like he surrenders. "Stiles is the great sea alpha's grandson. Derek is an alpha of the land. What a good combination of people."
Stiles grabs the water from the puddle again and splashes Peter in the face. Derek laughs out loud at Peter looking like a soaked angry cat.
After a while Stiles cleares his throat. "Is this what you were looking for Derek?"
"I think so, I wasn't too sure." Derek checks the contents of the box one more time and seems satisfied with what he got.
"Great then I'm getting outta here." Stiles stands up. "I have some chemistry homework to finish and maybe a plan to spite Harrish."
Anything to not think about his lineage.
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