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Stiles was nearly bouncing with excitement as he stood next to Derek on the dock waiting. The werewolf, still half asleep, was clutching the voucher passes in his left hand, a paper cup of coffee in his right. Last night Stiles had insisted they participate in the cruise's Newlywed Game. “We could have smoked them back when you were still pretending you didn’t love man, And now we are actually newlyweds.” Then he turned those big brown eyes on Derek, letting his scent bleed with a signal he knew made Derek’s wolf howl with the need to provide. And now he was standing on the pier of some Mexican city at the good awful time of 6am with a mate who was vibrating with excitement. They had won the game - just like Stiles said they would - and the prize was a day trip around important (and romantic) Mayan sites.
The human had been fussing over the brochure all evening. “Turtles! Derek! Baby Turtles! And do you see those caves? The water is so pretty! And hiking! That’s like major nature, you’ll love it. Weren’t you just complaining about needing earth back? Plus food! A private-ish picnic at the end of the hike. Look at the pictures!” They could have been the crappiest photos of some New York back alley and Derk would have still agreed to go because of the genuine happiness that saturated Stiles’ being. Yet, he would admit the brochure did make everything look beautiful - and Stiles was right; he was getting seasick - werewolves were not meant to spend so long away from land.
“Hales?” A man with a thick Spanish accent asked as he approached them. Derek nodded. They conversed briefly in Spanish, ending with the man taking their vouchers and leading them toward the white van marked on the sliding door with a small picture and name of the tour company.
“I’m Marcio, I’ll be your guide. This is Steven, he’ll be our driver.” The man told them as they settled into the back seats.
“Nice to meet you,” Stiles greeted, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. Derek just nodded, taking another sip of his coffee.
The van rumbled into life and they were off, winding through the narrow city streets as Marcio started to talk about their itinerary for the day. Derek tuned him out, preferring to watch the scenery pass by and occasionally glance at Stiles. The human was hanging on every word as if Marcio was revealing the secrets of the universe rather than simply talking about Mayan ruins and wildlife.
“This is going to be awesome,” Stiles said to him with a large smile.
Derek couldn’t help but return the expression. Even at this hour and with the seasickness still lingering, seeing Stiles so excited was worth it.
Eventually the city gave way to dense jungle, the road becoming an even rumble of poorly kept asphalt. The vibration was soothing.
Despite Stiles’ earlier buzzing energy within moments of the vans rumbling drive, he was conked out against Derek’s shoulder. Mouth hanging open as the human softly snored. Derek snuck a photo of him, a blooming affection and begrudged love filling him as his husband nuzzled into his shoulder, spreading drool into the fabric of his Henley. Stiles, forever able to sleep in the most uncomfortable of places.
Smiling down at his husband, Derek reached over and gently brushed a few strands of hair off Stiles' forehead. He considered waking him up, but the peaceful expression on Stiles' face tugged at him, causing his hand to hesitate mid-air.
Marcio turned around in the passenger seat and caught sight of Stiles snoozing against Derek's shoulder. "Long night?" he asked with a chuckle. Derek responded with a noncommittal shrug, not wanting to disturb the sleeping figure beside him. Not yet. There was something indescribably sweet about this moment that he wanted to savour.
As the van bumped and swirled through the jungle pathways, Derek let his own eyelids flutter closed. He leaned into the warmth of Stiles' body, letting the rhythmic vibrations of the engine lull him into a light doze. The faint scent of the jungle mixed with Stiles' unique aroma enveloped him and he couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over him. This was his family now - just him, Stiles, and whatever adventure they decided to embark on together.
As the van pulled to a stop in the parking lot of their first stop, Stiles woke up with a start, excitement instantly restored. He eagerly hopped out of the van, his gaze scanning the park’s entrance arch. Its Mayan replica of stonework holding up a wooden sign that declared the name of the archaeological site.
Beyond the arch swarms of people could be seen wandering around pop up shops and a themed gift store. But towering above it all in the background was the Ziggurat. Its tall stone body glowing in the bright mid morning sun.
"Oh my god, Derek, look!" he exclaimed, pointing up at the main temple. "Can you believe people built this thousands of years ago?"
Derek couldn't help but chuckle at Stiles' enthusiasm. "I believe it," he said. He pulled out his phone to take a picture of Stiles in front of the pyramid. Stiles bounced between the buildings, pausing to pose for Derek when he noticed the camera pointed at him.
Derek laughed, tucking his phone back into his pocket. Still, whenever Stiles wasn’t paying attention he couldn't help but sneak a couple candid pictures. Marcio’s historical storytelling stole Stiles’ attention, his husband's face lighting up with avid curiosity and fascination, and Derek felt a tingle of fondness in his chest.
An hour later they piled back into the van, Stiles arms clutching a stuffed iguana in Mayan dress. Marcio told them about the next stop, a hike along an old trading route, with craved markers, and the foundations of watch towers. The road wound up the mountainside before breaking off into a fork, one heading to a new archaeological site that was closed to visitors, and the other toward “the place of gods tears”. Or so the old texts had called it.
The pathway was narrow and steep, weaving through dense foliage. The air began to cool as they left the treeline behind, the hushed forest giving way to a quiet expanse of rocky cliffsides and cascading waterfalls.
Derek heard Stiles gasping in awe as they rounded a bend, breaking into a clearing that offered a stunning view of the landscape that lay before them. It was like stepping into another world, he thought, one untouched by man and all its chaos. The mountains loomed above them like ancient guardians, their peaks shrouded in mist. Rivers snaked their way through the valley below, their waters sparkling in the morning sun.
"Wow," Stiles said softly under his breath. Derek watched his husband's face light up with childlike joy and fascination, and he couldn't help but smile at the sight.
The journey up to the "place of gods tears" was arduous but worth every step. The visage that greeted them was nothing short of majestic. An ethereal waterfall cascaded from high above into a crystal clear pool beneath. The surrounding cliff walls were adorned with intricately carved symbols and figures, remnants of a civilization long past.
“This is where we part, for now.” Marcio said, handing them the lunch basket he had carried up with them. “You have 90 mins here, and then I’ll be back to lead you back down to the van. You should find a pathway in the rock that will lead you down to the pool.” He gave them a bright smile, and a salute before disappearing back into the jungle behind them.
The edge of a large earthen crevice sat before them, a tunnel into the earth or sharp rock walls, and rushing underground water. The water pooled into a beautiful secluded pool below them. They stood for a moment, eyes taking in the beauty around them. Listening to the thunderous echoes of the crystalline waters rushing down the marbled rock.
Limited time pressed upon them, urging Derek and Stiles to follow the cliff's edge, finding the stone etched stairwell and down into the ravine.
Stiles let his fingers trace the stone walls as they descended, grounding himself in the rough water saturated texture. Ahead of him, Derek made his way down the stairs, off spray of water already causing his dark hair to lay flat against his head and his muscles to glean in the afternoon sunlight.
For a moment Stiles could hardly believe this was his life, not a dream he was having. He was actually here, in the most beautiful place, with Derek Hale... his husband Derek Hale. Stiles fought the urge to pinch himself as a wild uncontrollable smile overtook his face.
As he reached the end of the stairs, Derek turned to look at his husband, his own smile matching Stiles as he took in the breath-taking sight. The sunlight filtered through the dense trees above, creating a perfect spotlight on the radiant man descending towards him.
The spray from the waterfall was cool and refreshing, contrasting with the warm tropical air around them. Stiles finally stepped off the last stair and padded over to where Derek was standing. He reached out and pulled Derek into a hug, his heart racing in joy and adrenaline.
Turning within each other's embrace, they looked out over the pool, mesmerized by the serene tranquillity that enveloped them. It was like nothing they had ever seen before; a hidden oasis away from civilization. The pool was even more beautiful up close than it had been from afar, nestled perfectly in the midst of lush greenery and adorned by a sparkling waterfall. Colourful birds chirped in a nearby tree while a couple of playful monkeys darted around in the higher branches.
Together they set down the basket, laying out the towels and blanket Derek had packed in their bag. Slowly they stripped out of their clothes, enjoying the growing tension and playful sexuality between them.
Derek turned to the water first, sliding into the cool water eyes sliding closed as he breathed in the freshness and peace around them. Stiles watched him, awed by the way the sunlight settled onto Derek features, on the loose set of his shoulders.
With a soft sigh, he approached Derek and slowly sank into the water. It was cool against his skin, a welcome respite from the humid air. The water lapped at their waists as they stood in the shallow end of the pool, their bodies moving closer together in silent agreement.
Derek reached out, his hand finding Stiles' and giving it a gentle squeeze. Their eyes met, and Stiles couldn't help but smile at the peace reflected in Derek's gaze.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked, his eyes not leaving Derek's.
"It is," Derek agreed, his voice low and soft. "But not as beautiful as you."
Stiles laughed, the sound echoing off the stone walls around them. He splashed water at Derek playfully before diving under the surface, his legs kicking out behind him as he swam towards the deeper end of the pool.
Resurfacing a moment later, he brushed his wet hair back from his face and looked around in awe. From this vantage point, surrounded by clear blue water with the towering waterfall ahead of him and dense jungle behind, Stiles felt like he had stepped into another world entirely.
Behind the waterfall an underwater cave system opened up before him. The roof was covered with stalactites, rocks like liquid dripped down from the ceiling ending in sharp points. The stone glittering against the incoming light.
Derek joined him then, swimming up beside him with an easy grace that left Stiles momentarily breathless.
"I've never seen anything like this," Stiles admitted quietly. He turned to look at Derek, barely able to believe that they were here together in this magical place.
"Me either," Derek replied. His eyes softened as he regarded Stiles, his hand reaching out to gently sweep through Stiles' hair before coming to rest on his cheek.
Derek’s eyes glowed in the darkness of the cenote, the faint redness giving Stiles just enough light to make out his husband's features. Stiles pushed forward in the water closing the distance - his hands grabbing onto Derek’s shoulders and sliding up his neck to tangle in his hair.
Derek’s own hands came up to cradle his head and guided their lips together. Molten lava moved through Stiles’ veins, the fire settling in his gut and igniting up his spine. Their legs tangled under the water, every inch of their bodies touching. The heat from Derek’s body was burning against the cold water, Stiles wanted more, needed more.
They broke apart gasping. Soft smiles mirrored as they looked into each other's eyes.
"I love you," Stiles whispered over the roar of the falls.
Derek tightened his grip around Stiles' neck and pressed his lips against Stiles’ forehead before responding with equal intensity "I love you too."
Together they swam back toward the bank of the pool. Stiles clamoured up the bank, collapsing with limbs of Jell-O onto the picnic blanket. Water soaking through it into the soft grass below. Derek followed him out of the water, shaking his hair out of his face and spraying Stiles with the droplets. Stiles bit back the dog joke as they laid out to dry off on the mossy outcropping bank in the summer sun.
Breaking into the basket lunch the tour had provided them, Stiles' eyes widened at the sight of the local Mexican delicacies. Freshly cut fruit, tortillas, seasoned beans and a selection of salsas, all packed neatly in multiple small plastic dishes. Derek picked a piece of pineapple and popped it into his mouth, the tangy sweetness making him hum in appreciation.
Stiles reached for a tortilla and began preparing himself a taco, while Derek contented himself with the fruit, his eyes half shut as he leaned back against a moss-covered rock. The sunlight filtered through the canopy above them, casting dappled shadows on his face and making his wet hair shine.
The sight stole Stiles' breath away for a moment. After everything they've been through, they had managed to find each other. And for this brief moment, they got to be happy. Stiles wished everyday could be like this day.
When he had married Derek, he had vowed to protect him, but watching him rest against the rock in this magical place Stiles made a new vow; not to just protect Derek, but to protect the safety of this moment. He vowed to recreate the peace and happiness of their honeymoon as often as he could, for the rest of their lives.