Fic: Moment of Clarity || Stiles/Derek || Explicit
Moment of Clarity
Stiles/Derek, 4700-ish words, Explicit
notes of dub-con that are resolved, sex-pollen fic
AO3 link
"Is this for sure what you've been smelling in the preserve and can you track it?" Deaton asked, offering him a small bowl. Stiles felt like stepping out and slapping it from Derek's hands but Derek brought it to his face and sniffed deeper than at the Jeep before anyone could suggest that this might be a supremely bad idea.
Not that any of their ideas as a collective pack were winners, but this was actively bad.
The howl in the distance startled Stiles but he didn't stop or even slow down.
He ran faster.
As he did he purposely brushed against trees and rocks, then darted in the opposite direction, hoping he knew where he was going.
In truth it didn't matter because he was going to be caught. No matter what distraction methods he used, he thought as he shrugged his t-shirt off and threw it into the brush and kept going, he was going to be hunted down.
He was prey.
And he liked it.
***
One week earlier
"What's the what, D-man?" Stiles asked as he walked into Deaton's office where the rest of the pack was collected. Apparently weird shit didn't take a summer vacation, much to Stiles' irritation.
"There seems to be something amiss in the preserve," Deaton said, nodding to Derek who stepped forward. He caught Stiles' eye for a second as he settled by Scott, leaning against one of the exam tables. Stiles nodded a greeting but it was like Derek took that as his signal to start talking.
"Evolved" Derek was a different Derek. He was calmer, more objective. He'd always been quieter than the rest of the pack but now he was a thoughtful quiet, observant. Stiles watched him watching everyone else and together they seemed to realize they were both doing the same thing. But where Stiles was louder and blunter Derek chose the words of his insights carefully now.
He deferred to Stiles more often than not now, for fuck's sake, and that was weird.
Hot.
But weird.
Something Stiles came to realize was that he liked being taken seriously and having his thoughts and theories validated, especially since they often tended to be correct. Derek saw that, even if he didn't so much say it.
Apparently Stiles found affirmation sexy.
"I've noticed something weird with the animals in the preserve the past few days. At first I chalked it up to mating season or a passing storm, but now I think it's environmental or supernatural," Derek started.
"Why would you jump from fucking like bunnies, literally, to something in our field of expertise?" Stiles asked, unable to stop himself. Lydia rolled her eyes at him, Scott elbowed him, Liam and Kira blushed while Derek gave him a sarcastic smile.
"Because it's not mating season for some of the animals I've witnessed and things have been particularly... ardent of late in the woods," Derek explained awkwardly.
"How do you know?" Liam asked.
"Pheromones," Derek said without batting an eye.
"You said there's been some bloodshed?" Scott asked, looking between Derek and Deaton.
"More then just a fight over a mate, yeah. As vicious as territory disputes from what I've seen," Derek said.
"Do love spells work on animals?" Kira asked. "Could that be something happening here?"
"Animals don't feel 'love' the same way humans do so I'm not sure they could but even if they did the feelings as they'd be interpreted might work in a completely different way than we could imagine," Deaton offered. "I don't have any research about any experimentation of spells on animals of any kind and the ones that are used on humans often don't end well, as we know."
Everyone looked over at Liam who turtled into himself and stared at the ground. "It was one time!" he grumbled to the floor.
"What animals have you seen, Derek?" Malia asked. "Coyote mating season is in January so this is an incredibly wrong time for anything like this to be happening."
Derek ticked them off on his hands, thinking back to what he'd seen. "Foxes, squirrels, rabbits, a couple kinds of birds, voles, deer. I think I saw some porcupine quills around, too, but no remnants of them so maybe they made it out okay or relatively unharmed."
"Is there any way this could be someone actually doing something to the animals?" Scott asked, obviously concerned there could be someone unhinged running around the forest.
More unhinged than a pack of were creatures and their accompanying humans, that is.
Derek shook his head slowly and frowned.
"What?" Stiles asked. "What is it that makes you think it's something else?"
Derek looked up at Stiles and held his gaze for a moment. "There's a smell that's off. Something I've never scented before in the woods. I can't explain it, though."
"Human something, magic something?" Lydia pressed but Derek just shook his head.
"Just different."
***
About a week later Stiles rolled up to the hikers' entrance of the preserve and parked, headlights shining in the dark across Scott who was holding something in his arms. Stiles swung the vehicle around and got out to open the back quickly.
When he saw what Scott was easing into the back with hushed whispers he blinked.
"Scott, is that a deer you're putting into my jeep?" Stiles asked.
"She's been hurt, okay? I found her while I was doing my rounds. She's been attacked by something and her leg is broken for sure, possibly might have some internal injuries," Scott said, gesturing to her bloody side.
She wasn't struggling in the back but she was alive and watching them both with wide eyes. Scott must have done some kind of werewolf mojo on her to get her to calm down. Stiles edged closer to her to get a look and squinted in the darkness. He hurried to his passenger side and rummaged through his glove compartment for the flashlight.
When he came back Derek was just arriving, barely out of breath from running. "What happened?" He asked catching sight of the blood on Scott's shirt and casting a worried look to Stiles who rounded the corner of the Jeep. When he saw him he visibly relaxed slightly, then turned to Scott.
"Found her in there, I think Deaton can patch her up. Maybe," Scott sounded unsure and a little sad. "Hopefully."
Stiles patted Scott on the back, not needing to be a werewolf to feel the sadness Scott felt at the possibility of the creature dying, but he had something else to concern himself with. He turned on the flashlight and approached the deer slowly again. Derek stepped forward with a hand outstretched but Stiles waved him away.
He could hear Derek mumbling something about self-preservation but he wasn't listening as he carefully shined the flashlight at the deer, trying to keep it away from her eyes as much as possible and hopefully not spook her.
"You guys see that?" Stiles asked and Scott and Derek stepped forward. Around the deer's mouth was a pink substance, something kind of powdery but thicker and it clung around the animal's mouth.
"What is that?" Scott asked, leaning in closer. He reached his hand out to touch but Stiles slapped his hand away.
"Jesus, Scott," Stiles admonished, then to Derek: "Talk to me about self-preservation?"
But Derek had that look on his face, the same one as at Deaton's. He moved in closer to Stiles and sniffed delicately. As soon as he did he started to shuttle Stiles away and closed the gate to the Jeep.
"Let's get this to Deaton," he said quickly and just as Scott was about to yell it out he said, "Shotgun," in a no nonsense tone.
Stiles shrugged at Scott and let him crawl into the back before getting in and starting off for the vet's office. While Scott called him from the backseat Derek turned to Stiles and reached over to grab his right hand.
"Uh?" Stiles asked as Derek inspected it carefully.
"Didn't get any on you, right?" He asked.
"No, I wasn't the one trying to poke at the weird pink shit," Stiles replied with a quick pointed glance at Scott who was oblivious.
"You're sure?" Derek pressed.
"Yes, Derek," Stiles said, half exasperated. "Can I have my hand back now?"
Derek looked like he was going to say no for a second but let go. But he kept his eyes on Stiles the entire ride to Deaton's.
Still weird
Still hot.
***
"Hmm," Deaton hummed while he scraped some of the pink stuff from the deer's mouth.
"Good 'hmm' or bad 'hmm'?" Stiles asked, watching from behind Derek's arm that was holding him back from stepping closer.
"Not sure yet. Derek, can I employ your scenting capabilities?" Deaton waved Derek over to the table where he had some equipment set up to inspect the mystery substance. Derek shot Stiles a glare to get him to stay, as if that worked anymore, and followed.
"Is this for sure what you've been smelling in the preserve and can you track it?" Deaton asked, offering him a small bowl. Stiles felt like stepping out and slapping it from Derek's hands but Derek brought it to his face and sniffed deeper than at the Jeep before anyone could suggest that this might be a supremely bad idea.
Not that any of their ideas as a collective pack were winners, but this was actively bad.
Derek's eyes seemed to go unfocused for a second, faraway and they softened. "Yeah, that's it. Can't say what it is, though."
Deaton took the bowl back, looking disappointed and Derek stepped back beside Stiles, close enough for their arms to brush. "I'll work on this tonight and see what I can come up with."
"Thanks Deaton," Scott said and Stiles nodded his thanks as well, while Derek edged closer to Stiles.
"Wanna come over for video games?" Scott asked Stiles as they left the clinic. Derek was practically pressed against Stiles' side and seemed on alert, eyes darting to the shadows and all around as they walked to the Jeep.
"Uh, y-whoa!" Stiles got caught on a loose shoelace and stumbled a bit, falling against Scott who caught him easily. Scott laughed and hugged Stiles for a second but it was a second too much for Derek's liking who stepped forward and pulled Stiles upright with a growl.
"Dude, what is your deal?" Stiles asked. He reached out and ran a hand over Derek's forehead, half teasing but honestly worried. Derek relaxed immediately and shook his head.
"Sorry, just not liking whatever's happening in the woods," he said with a shrug and looked uncomfortable. Stiles dropped his hand and frowned.
"Scott, I'm gonna pass and take Derek home, okay?"
Scott looked like he wanted to argue but Stiles mouthed, it's okay, and he nodded reluctantly. "Okay, text me when you get up."
"Will do. Come on, big bag wolf, let's get you home."
"I can get there on my own, Stiles," Derek said flatly.
"I know. Humour me."
Derek grumbled under his breath but got into the Jeep and was fine the whole ride back to the loft.
If he kept his arm propped against Stiles' seat so his fingers brushed against Stiles' shoulder, well.
A little weird.
A little hot.
***
Stiles spent most of the day surfing various forums he kept tabs on for information about rumours and strange and odd news that never made mainstream media. He poked around and couldn't find a single source for pink anything or any connection to animals suddenly losing their shit with each other on such a big scale.
Scott was working, helping Deaton do his actual job until later, and Stiles didn't want to bother Derek after his weirdness the night before. Everyone else either had jobs or would talk Stiles out of what he wanted to do.
He tidied up at home, cooked dinner for his father and waited for him to leave for his overnight shift before he set off back to the preserve on his own. He parked at the entrance like the night before and made his way through the dark woods with his flashlight in one hand and his bat in the other.
Probably not his best idea but if it was only animals going crazy he should be fine, right?
Right?
"Sure, Stiles," he muttered to himself.
Stiles wasn't sure where to look or even what he was looking for. He didn't want to come across any massacred animals but maybe if they could track a pattern with what species were being targeted or the source of the pink stuff they'd be able to find out what was going on.
"Maybe it is environmental," he said to himself, thinking about the swimming hole further in that the pack sometimes spent afternoons at. If someone was dumping into it or if it had a weird algae or -
"Whoa."
Stiles was watching the ground so he wouldn't trip, not paying particular attention to his surroundings. He stepped over a log and into a patch of... he didn't even know what.
They were flowers, a vibrant fuchsia, covered in what Stiles could only compare to pollen the same colour that was on the deer's mouth and there was that smell. Stiles couldn't smell it in such a small amount from the deer but in a whole growth he could now.
It made him a little lightheaded and he quickly stumbled back the way he came, knowing he needed to get out of there immediately. His feet hit the log and he was going down, bracing for a hard fall, dropping the bat and flashlight.
But it never came. Stiles looked up and Derek loomed over him, holding him under the arms. He hauled Stiles to his feet and held him close.
Both of them standing in the fuchsia flowers.
"Derek?" Stiles said slowly, watching Derek's eyes go a little hazy.
"That's the smell," Derek said faintly. He wrapped an arm around Stiles' waist and pulled him flush against his chest, burying his nose in Stiles' hair. "Now I smell it and you. Intertwined."
Stiles slowly pushed against Derek's chest to put some space between them. "Derek," he said quietly. "I think we should get out of here, okay?"
"Yeah!" Derek agreed, eyes bright now. "Come back to my place." His arm tightened around Stiles' waist while the other cupped Stiles' cheek gently.
"How about we stop by and see Deaton and Scott first?" Stiles suggested easily. Derek started growling and his eyes flashed blue immediately. "Okay, no! That's okay, we don't have to! What if I call him to come here?"
"No Scott. Mine," Derek said, shoving his face against Stiles' neck and nipping at the hard cords there. Stiles gasped and grabbed at Derek's arms.
Stiles had no idea how to deal or how to reason with Derek like this. He couldn't outrun him, that was for sure, but he might be able to get him back to the Jeep and trick him back to Deaton's. Derek kept snuffling and mouthing at his skin, working down to his collarbone when his phone pinged a text.
"O-okay, just. Derek, give me a second, okay? Okay?" Stiles said, pushing at Derek's chest again. Derek moved and wound himself around Stiles from behind, kissing the back of his neck and nosing his shirt down while Stiles fumbled for his phone in his pocket. His fingers grazed his own cock that was half-hard and not likely to go down any time soon if Derek kept this up. He bit back a moan and thumbed the phone on.
Scott: Malia fnd some animals alive. Mated pairs. Sth caused thm to fight comp. Out of season mating.
Stiles typed back quickly, unconsciously tilting his head to give Derek better access as he switched from kissing to sucking and Stiles could tell he'd have marks tomorrow.
Stiles: Think I know. Stay out of woods. Updates to come.
Scott immediately wrote back.
Scott: U in trbl?
Stiles considered the pollen-drunk werewolf behind him.
Stiles: No, all good.
Stiles turned in Derek's arms and tipped his head up by his chin gently to look in his eyes. Derek stared back at him dopily, sweet smile on his lips.
"Hey, think we can go get you checked out?"
Derek pouted. "Why? M'fine."
"You're werewolf whammied," Stiles replied with a small grin. "And as funny as this would be to film and hold for blackmail, that's rude and mean."
Derek got quiet and stared at Stiles for a long time. Stiles let him, rubbing his hands easily over Derek's forearms. Derek blinked and Stiles thought he was back with him.
"Stiles," Derek said, leaning in intently.
"Yeah?"
"Can I kiss you?"
Stiles mouth dropped open and he wanted to say yes, so badly, but he didn't think Derek would appreciate it in the morning. He was pretty sure Derek was going to hate himself and possibly even Stiles when he realized what a fuck up this was and-
"Please," Derek said beseechingly and what the hell. Stiles nodded, not trusting his voice.
Derek leaned in and brushed his lips across Stiles' softly, a barely-there touch. Stiles thought, 'that wasn't so bad', and then Derek kissed him for real.
His hands held Stiles' head at just the right angle that lined them up without mashing noses or kissing half a chin and it was easily the most perfect kiss Stiles ever had in his whole life. Derek was confident and kissed like he transformed into a wolf-sleekly and naturally and beautifully.
Stiles wound his arms around Derek's neck and held him tightly, losing himself in the sensation of Derek's tongue running across his bottom lip, invited him inside and fucking hell, Derek Hale's tongue was in his mouth. Derek let his hands trail down Stiles' shoulders and arms, around his lower body, smoothing over his shirt and under just enough to run the tips of his fingers along the waistband of his jeans.
Stiles moaned into Derek's mouth, pressed closer to his body in such a way that Derek had to feel Stiles hard against his leg. Derek shifted as if reading Stiles' mind and then Stiles could feel Derek's cock as well. Stiles whimpered and couldn't help the desperate thrust of his hips.
Derek pulled away with a growl and buried his face in Stiles' neck again, mouthing and sucking and biting and Stiles tipped his head back and groaned into the night.
He was so immersed in everything Derek he barely registered Derek moving them, getting down on his knees and laying Stiles down in the bed of flowers while he rucked Stiles' t-shirt up to run his hands over his midsection and flick his nipples in a way that drew a strangled gasp from Stiles' swollen mouth.
He took a deep breath, in through the nose, and that smell was back. Stiles' eyes popped open and he let out a strangled yell.
"No, Derek!" Stiles flailed and took Derek off guard so he rolled off Stiles into the flowers. A mist of pink pollen fluffed into the air and Derek sneezed, rubbed his nose and sneezed again.
"Shit, are you okay?" Stiles asked, reaching out to Derek. "I didn't mean-"
"Stiles." Derek cut him off in a low voice. He opened his eyes and they were bright blue.
"Derek?" Stiles asked warily. "What's going on buddy?"
"I want you," Derek said hoarsely. "Right now."
"No, no, no," Stiles replied. "It's this stuff, I think. It's not right."
"You don't understand," Derek insisted, and he was shaking as he tried to hold back his beta shift. "I've always wanted you but right now. Stiles, right now I can't f-fucking help it."
"What do you mean?" Stiles asked but he was already getting to his feet and backing away.
"I'm coming for you," Derek told him in a voice that sounded ripped from his throat. "Can't hold it back."
"Shit." He backed away, then turned and ran into the trees, knowing that was probably the stupidest thing he could have done. Run from a predator that liked to chase things?
Stiles ran as quick as he could, trying to dodge away from trees and rocks and whatever else mother nature decided would be an awesome obstacle for him to go up against. He tried to dial blindly, keeping his eyes where he could make sure he wouldn't fall but he could barely slide his phone open.
He ducked behind a tree quickly and held his breath, straining to hear Derek but there wasn't anything but regular nature sounds. Nothing coming to destroy him, Stiles thought, having images of the dead animals in his brain.
Stiles opened his phone and right before his thumb hit the call button beside Scott's name he re-read the last couple texts from him.
Scott: Malia fnd some animals alive. Mated pairs. Sth caused thm to fight comp. Out of season mating.
Stiles thought about it. The paired animals were driven to mate outside of their regular season, likely because of the pollen. And they were challenged by other animals at the same time but the mated pairs... the ones that would be together through every heat-they survived. They beat the competition and kept their mate.
Derek validated him. Derek watched him. Derek touched him and stuck by him during small doses of the pollen. Derek growled at Scott.
"Holy shit," Stiles whispered.
He made a decision and put his phone in his pocket, then started running again, not bothering with any attempt at stealth this time.
He knew the instant Derek started pursuing him, how he'd given Stiles a head start so this could be a proper chase.
Stiles ran freely but could feel the jumpiness get stronger with each passing second because no matter who it was chasing him, he was still being chased and that shit is terrifying at best. He was being hunted down by what would generally be considered a fanged, dangerous animal.
Stiles grinned and laughed to himself, tossing his t-shirt off to taunt Derek as his howls echoed behind him.
He made it all the way to the swimming hole, not sure if he came here on his own or if Derek herded him here but it didn't matter. Once he reached the edge of the grass Derek was hot behind him and Stiles didn't fancy night swimming so he turned and faced him with his chin held high.
"You caught me," Stiles whispered when Derek grabbed him around the waist.
"I'll always find you," Derek promised and it sounded like more than just a play chase thing. Stiles put his hands on Derek's cheeks and stared into his eyes, needing to be sure this was for real and not just a chemical reaction.
"I feel you, you know," Derek said lowly. "I could tell where you were the whole chase. I could hear your heartbeat and taste your exhilaration. You played along. You didn't give up, you ..." Derek trailed off, trying to find the words.
"I'm giving in," Stiles murmured and leaned in to kiss Derek, slipping his tongue into Derek's mouth with a moan.
Derek took them to the ground quickly and ran his hands all over Stiles' naked torso. He pinched Stiles' nipples and grinned against his mouth when Stiles arched up against him, breaking off their kiss with a loud grunt.
"Not fair," Stiles murmured, pushing at Derek's shirt. Derek leaned back and stripped it off, throwing it somewhere behind them. They rolled around on the grass, kissing and pawing at each other's pants until Derek presented his claws in frustration to tear Stiles' off him.
"Whoa, whoa! I can't have shredded pants every time you want in them, dude," Stiles said, holding up his hands. He pushed Derek back a bit from where he was straddling Stile's legs and wriggled to get them and his underwear down, freeing his cock that was dripping precome.
Derek's eyes went wide and he dropped between Stiles' legs, trapping him in his shoved down pants. Derek kept his eyes on Stiles' face as he palmed him gently and licked a stripe from balls to tip. Stiles tried to keep his eyes open but he dropped his head back on the grass and let out a strangled gasp. Derek kept going, cleaning his cock and then sucking gently at the tip and licking into it to get the newly beaded precome.
Stiles felt like a lollipop being devoured the way Derek was sucking so delicately on him, then swirling his tongue around the head of his cock. Derek's hand were busy, playing with his balls, squeezing and massaging them in between running his fingers down Stiles' perineum and circling his hole that was easily exposed as Stiles' hips kept arching up.
"Oh, shit fuck. Jesus, Derek. You're. You're gonna fucking kill me," Stiles moaned, throwing an arm over his eyes.
"Break you apart and put you back together," Derek whispered, his warm breath ghosting over Stiles' hole. "I promise."
Derek dipped his head and took all of Stiles' cock into his mouth, down to the base and carefully worked the tip of a finger into him at the same time. Stiles' mind exploded the same time his cock did in Derek's mouth and he was helpless except to thrust mindlessly and Derek let him, guiding his hips.
When Stiles collapsed back to the ground like a broken puppet he was breathing heavily and reaching out for something to hold on to. He found Derek's head and wrapped his hands in his hair, holding him against his abdomen while he caught his breath. Derek rubbed his hand soothingly over Stiles' skin, letting him come down slowly.
Once Stiles could look up he saw Derek smiling fondly at him from his belly. Stiles chuckled, watching Derek's head bob up and down with the movement.
"Give me a second and I'll be ready to go," Stiles said, stroking Derek's cheek briefly before he pulled back onto his knees.
"No need," Derek replied, eyes glittering and faintly glowing blue in the dark. He unzipped and pushed his pants open, pulled out his cock that made Stiles' mouth water with want. He needed to wrap his mouth around Derek and take him apart piece by piece like Derek did to him.
But Derek was already stroking himself quickly, staring down at Stiles and licking his lips.
"Won't take long," Derek grunted and sure enough, within a minute he was coming all over Stiles' chest and belly, making a sound akin to a soft howl.
Stiles felt cheated by the quick performance, especially when Derek slumped down beside him in a heap. A few seconds later Derek's warm hand was on his chest and rubbing his come into his skin.
Stiles turned his head and raised an eyebrow amusedly. "More sanitary than cocking your leg on me?"
"You're mine," Derek reminded him with a growl.
"If that's so then I demand equal cock-sucking rights," Stiles said, holding back a sigh as Derek's hand moved lower and kept rubbing. He was going to be flakey as fuck in a little bit but he kind of liked the marking thing.
Not that he was going to tell Derek.
Yet.
Derek looked at him with clear eyes, stared at him and Stiles knew he was looking right through him, at everything Stiles was. He couldn't hide anything from this man anymore.
Or ever, but they were only just figuring that out, really.
"That can be arranged," Derek said, smile curving his lips.
"Good," Stiles replied and kissed him softly, slowly.
***
"We need to get rid of those flowers," Derek said as he led the way through the woods.
"I could text Scott and -" Derek interrupted with a growl but immediately looked contrite when Stiles smacked him on the arm.
"Sorry, still got a bit of the possessive thing happening," Derek explained.
"All the more reason to get rid of those things," Stiles said with a frown. Derek stopped suddenly and crowded Stiles against a tree.
"We've already been exposed and know what it does. We don't want anyone else being affected, right?"
Stiles nodded slowly. "Right."
"We could come get rid of it," Derek suggested lightly but his hardening cock against Stiles' leg gave a different tone to the comment.
"For the good of the animals, of course," Stiles nodded, wrapping his arms around Derek's neck.
"And the pack," Derek agreed.
Stiles grinned against Derek's mouth and marvelled at how weirdly hot some things could be.
Stiles/Derek, 4700-ish words, Explicit
notes of dub-con that are resolved, sex-pollen fic
AO3 link
"Is this for sure what you've been smelling in the preserve and can you track it?" Deaton asked, offering him a small bowl. Stiles felt like stepping out and slapping it from Derek's hands but Derek brought it to his face and sniffed deeper than at the Jeep before anyone could suggest that this might be a supremely bad idea.
Not that any of their ideas as a collective pack were winners, but this was actively bad.
The howl in the distance startled Stiles but he didn't stop or even slow down.
He ran faster.
As he did he purposely brushed against trees and rocks, then darted in the opposite direction, hoping he knew where he was going.
In truth it didn't matter because he was going to be caught. No matter what distraction methods he used, he thought as he shrugged his t-shirt off and threw it into the brush and kept going, he was going to be hunted down.
He was prey.
And he liked it.
***
One week earlier
"What's the what, D-man?" Stiles asked as he walked into Deaton's office where the rest of the pack was collected. Apparently weird shit didn't take a summer vacation, much to Stiles' irritation.
"There seems to be something amiss in the preserve," Deaton said, nodding to Derek who stepped forward. He caught Stiles' eye for a second as he settled by Scott, leaning against one of the exam tables. Stiles nodded a greeting but it was like Derek took that as his signal to start talking.
"Evolved" Derek was a different Derek. He was calmer, more objective. He'd always been quieter than the rest of the pack but now he was a thoughtful quiet, observant. Stiles watched him watching everyone else and together they seemed to realize they were both doing the same thing. But where Stiles was louder and blunter Derek chose the words of his insights carefully now.
He deferred to Stiles more often than not now, for fuck's sake, and that was weird.
Hot.
But weird.
Something Stiles came to realize was that he liked being taken seriously and having his thoughts and theories validated, especially since they often tended to be correct. Derek saw that, even if he didn't so much say it.
Apparently Stiles found affirmation sexy.
"I've noticed something weird with the animals in the preserve the past few days. At first I chalked it up to mating season or a passing storm, but now I think it's environmental or supernatural," Derek started.
"Why would you jump from fucking like bunnies, literally, to something in our field of expertise?" Stiles asked, unable to stop himself. Lydia rolled her eyes at him, Scott elbowed him, Liam and Kira blushed while Derek gave him a sarcastic smile.
"Because it's not mating season for some of the animals I've witnessed and things have been particularly... ardent of late in the woods," Derek explained awkwardly.
"How do you know?" Liam asked.
"Pheromones," Derek said without batting an eye.
"You said there's been some bloodshed?" Scott asked, looking between Derek and Deaton.
"More then just a fight over a mate, yeah. As vicious as territory disputes from what I've seen," Derek said.
"Do love spells work on animals?" Kira asked. "Could that be something happening here?"
"Animals don't feel 'love' the same way humans do so I'm not sure they could but even if they did the feelings as they'd be interpreted might work in a completely different way than we could imagine," Deaton offered. "I don't have any research about any experimentation of spells on animals of any kind and the ones that are used on humans often don't end well, as we know."
Everyone looked over at Liam who turtled into himself and stared at the ground. "It was one time!" he grumbled to the floor.
"What animals have you seen, Derek?" Malia asked. "Coyote mating season is in January so this is an incredibly wrong time for anything like this to be happening."
Derek ticked them off on his hands, thinking back to what he'd seen. "Foxes, squirrels, rabbits, a couple kinds of birds, voles, deer. I think I saw some porcupine quills around, too, but no remnants of them so maybe they made it out okay or relatively unharmed."
"Is there any way this could be someone actually doing something to the animals?" Scott asked, obviously concerned there could be someone unhinged running around the forest.
More unhinged than a pack of were creatures and their accompanying humans, that is.
Derek shook his head slowly and frowned.
"What?" Stiles asked. "What is it that makes you think it's something else?"
Derek looked up at Stiles and held his gaze for a moment. "There's a smell that's off. Something I've never scented before in the woods. I can't explain it, though."
"Human something, magic something?" Lydia pressed but Derek just shook his head.
"Just different."
***
About a week later Stiles rolled up to the hikers' entrance of the preserve and parked, headlights shining in the dark across Scott who was holding something in his arms. Stiles swung the vehicle around and got out to open the back quickly.
When he saw what Scott was easing into the back with hushed whispers he blinked.
"Scott, is that a deer you're putting into my jeep?" Stiles asked.
"She's been hurt, okay? I found her while I was doing my rounds. She's been attacked by something and her leg is broken for sure, possibly might have some internal injuries," Scott said, gesturing to her bloody side.
She wasn't struggling in the back but she was alive and watching them both with wide eyes. Scott must have done some kind of werewolf mojo on her to get her to calm down. Stiles edged closer to her to get a look and squinted in the darkness. He hurried to his passenger side and rummaged through his glove compartment for the flashlight.
When he came back Derek was just arriving, barely out of breath from running. "What happened?" He asked catching sight of the blood on Scott's shirt and casting a worried look to Stiles who rounded the corner of the Jeep. When he saw him he visibly relaxed slightly, then turned to Scott.
"Found her in there, I think Deaton can patch her up. Maybe," Scott sounded unsure and a little sad. "Hopefully."
Stiles patted Scott on the back, not needing to be a werewolf to feel the sadness Scott felt at the possibility of the creature dying, but he had something else to concern himself with. He turned on the flashlight and approached the deer slowly again. Derek stepped forward with a hand outstretched but Stiles waved him away.
He could hear Derek mumbling something about self-preservation but he wasn't listening as he carefully shined the flashlight at the deer, trying to keep it away from her eyes as much as possible and hopefully not spook her.
"You guys see that?" Stiles asked and Scott and Derek stepped forward. Around the deer's mouth was a pink substance, something kind of powdery but thicker and it clung around the animal's mouth.
"What is that?" Scott asked, leaning in closer. He reached his hand out to touch but Stiles slapped his hand away.
"Jesus, Scott," Stiles admonished, then to Derek: "Talk to me about self-preservation?"
But Derek had that look on his face, the same one as at Deaton's. He moved in closer to Stiles and sniffed delicately. As soon as he did he started to shuttle Stiles away and closed the gate to the Jeep.
"Let's get this to Deaton," he said quickly and just as Scott was about to yell it out he said, "Shotgun," in a no nonsense tone.
Stiles shrugged at Scott and let him crawl into the back before getting in and starting off for the vet's office. While Scott called him from the backseat Derek turned to Stiles and reached over to grab his right hand.
"Uh?" Stiles asked as Derek inspected it carefully.
"Didn't get any on you, right?" He asked.
"No, I wasn't the one trying to poke at the weird pink shit," Stiles replied with a quick pointed glance at Scott who was oblivious.
"You're sure?" Derek pressed.
"Yes, Derek," Stiles said, half exasperated. "Can I have my hand back now?"
Derek looked like he was going to say no for a second but let go. But he kept his eyes on Stiles the entire ride to Deaton's.
Still weird
Still hot.
***
"Hmm," Deaton hummed while he scraped some of the pink stuff from the deer's mouth.
"Good 'hmm' or bad 'hmm'?" Stiles asked, watching from behind Derek's arm that was holding him back from stepping closer.
"Not sure yet. Derek, can I employ your scenting capabilities?" Deaton waved Derek over to the table where he had some equipment set up to inspect the mystery substance. Derek shot Stiles a glare to get him to stay, as if that worked anymore, and followed.
"Is this for sure what you've been smelling in the preserve and can you track it?" Deaton asked, offering him a small bowl. Stiles felt like stepping out and slapping it from Derek's hands but Derek brought it to his face and sniffed deeper than at the Jeep before anyone could suggest that this might be a supremely bad idea.
Not that any of their ideas as a collective pack were winners, but this was actively bad.
Derek's eyes seemed to go unfocused for a second, faraway and they softened. "Yeah, that's it. Can't say what it is, though."
Deaton took the bowl back, looking disappointed and Derek stepped back beside Stiles, close enough for their arms to brush. "I'll work on this tonight and see what I can come up with."
"Thanks Deaton," Scott said and Stiles nodded his thanks as well, while Derek edged closer to Stiles.
"Wanna come over for video games?" Scott asked Stiles as they left the clinic. Derek was practically pressed against Stiles' side and seemed on alert, eyes darting to the shadows and all around as they walked to the Jeep.
"Uh, y-whoa!" Stiles got caught on a loose shoelace and stumbled a bit, falling against Scott who caught him easily. Scott laughed and hugged Stiles for a second but it was a second too much for Derek's liking who stepped forward and pulled Stiles upright with a growl.
"Dude, what is your deal?" Stiles asked. He reached out and ran a hand over Derek's forehead, half teasing but honestly worried. Derek relaxed immediately and shook his head.
"Sorry, just not liking whatever's happening in the woods," he said with a shrug and looked uncomfortable. Stiles dropped his hand and frowned.
"Scott, I'm gonna pass and take Derek home, okay?"
Scott looked like he wanted to argue but Stiles mouthed, it's okay, and he nodded reluctantly. "Okay, text me when you get up."
"Will do. Come on, big bag wolf, let's get you home."
"I can get there on my own, Stiles," Derek said flatly.
"I know. Humour me."
Derek grumbled under his breath but got into the Jeep and was fine the whole ride back to the loft.
If he kept his arm propped against Stiles' seat so his fingers brushed against Stiles' shoulder, well.
A little weird.
A little hot.
***
Stiles spent most of the day surfing various forums he kept tabs on for information about rumours and strange and odd news that never made mainstream media. He poked around and couldn't find a single source for pink anything or any connection to animals suddenly losing their shit with each other on such a big scale.
Scott was working, helping Deaton do his actual job until later, and Stiles didn't want to bother Derek after his weirdness the night before. Everyone else either had jobs or would talk Stiles out of what he wanted to do.
He tidied up at home, cooked dinner for his father and waited for him to leave for his overnight shift before he set off back to the preserve on his own. He parked at the entrance like the night before and made his way through the dark woods with his flashlight in one hand and his bat in the other.
Probably not his best idea but if it was only animals going crazy he should be fine, right?
Right?
"Sure, Stiles," he muttered to himself.
Stiles wasn't sure where to look or even what he was looking for. He didn't want to come across any massacred animals but maybe if they could track a pattern with what species were being targeted or the source of the pink stuff they'd be able to find out what was going on.
"Maybe it is environmental," he said to himself, thinking about the swimming hole further in that the pack sometimes spent afternoons at. If someone was dumping into it or if it had a weird algae or -
"Whoa."
Stiles was watching the ground so he wouldn't trip, not paying particular attention to his surroundings. He stepped over a log and into a patch of... he didn't even know what.
They were flowers, a vibrant fuchsia, covered in what Stiles could only compare to pollen the same colour that was on the deer's mouth and there was that smell. Stiles couldn't smell it in such a small amount from the deer but in a whole growth he could now.
It made him a little lightheaded and he quickly stumbled back the way he came, knowing he needed to get out of there immediately. His feet hit the log and he was going down, bracing for a hard fall, dropping the bat and flashlight.
But it never came. Stiles looked up and Derek loomed over him, holding him under the arms. He hauled Stiles to his feet and held him close.
Both of them standing in the fuchsia flowers.
"Derek?" Stiles said slowly, watching Derek's eyes go a little hazy.
"That's the smell," Derek said faintly. He wrapped an arm around Stiles' waist and pulled him flush against his chest, burying his nose in Stiles' hair. "Now I smell it and you. Intertwined."
Stiles slowly pushed against Derek's chest to put some space between them. "Derek," he said quietly. "I think we should get out of here, okay?"
"Yeah!" Derek agreed, eyes bright now. "Come back to my place." His arm tightened around Stiles' waist while the other cupped Stiles' cheek gently.
"How about we stop by and see Deaton and Scott first?" Stiles suggested easily. Derek started growling and his eyes flashed blue immediately. "Okay, no! That's okay, we don't have to! What if I call him to come here?"
"No Scott. Mine," Derek said, shoving his face against Stiles' neck and nipping at the hard cords there. Stiles gasped and grabbed at Derek's arms.
Stiles had no idea how to deal or how to reason with Derek like this. He couldn't outrun him, that was for sure, but he might be able to get him back to the Jeep and trick him back to Deaton's. Derek kept snuffling and mouthing at his skin, working down to his collarbone when his phone pinged a text.
"O-okay, just. Derek, give me a second, okay? Okay?" Stiles said, pushing at Derek's chest again. Derek moved and wound himself around Stiles from behind, kissing the back of his neck and nosing his shirt down while Stiles fumbled for his phone in his pocket. His fingers grazed his own cock that was half-hard and not likely to go down any time soon if Derek kept this up. He bit back a moan and thumbed the phone on.
Scott: Malia fnd some animals alive. Mated pairs. Sth caused thm to fight comp. Out of season mating.
Stiles typed back quickly, unconsciously tilting his head to give Derek better access as he switched from kissing to sucking and Stiles could tell he'd have marks tomorrow.
Stiles: Think I know. Stay out of woods. Updates to come.
Scott immediately wrote back.
Scott: U in trbl?
Stiles considered the pollen-drunk werewolf behind him.
Stiles: No, all good.
Stiles turned in Derek's arms and tipped his head up by his chin gently to look in his eyes. Derek stared back at him dopily, sweet smile on his lips.
"Hey, think we can go get you checked out?"
Derek pouted. "Why? M'fine."
"You're werewolf whammied," Stiles replied with a small grin. "And as funny as this would be to film and hold for blackmail, that's rude and mean."
Derek got quiet and stared at Stiles for a long time. Stiles let him, rubbing his hands easily over Derek's forearms. Derek blinked and Stiles thought he was back with him.
"Stiles," Derek said, leaning in intently.
"Yeah?"
"Can I kiss you?"
Stiles mouth dropped open and he wanted to say yes, so badly, but he didn't think Derek would appreciate it in the morning. He was pretty sure Derek was going to hate himself and possibly even Stiles when he realized what a fuck up this was and-
"Please," Derek said beseechingly and what the hell. Stiles nodded, not trusting his voice.
Derek leaned in and brushed his lips across Stiles' softly, a barely-there touch. Stiles thought, 'that wasn't so bad', and then Derek kissed him for real.
His hands held Stiles' head at just the right angle that lined them up without mashing noses or kissing half a chin and it was easily the most perfect kiss Stiles ever had in his whole life. Derek was confident and kissed like he transformed into a wolf-sleekly and naturally and beautifully.
Stiles wound his arms around Derek's neck and held him tightly, losing himself in the sensation of Derek's tongue running across his bottom lip, invited him inside and fucking hell, Derek Hale's tongue was in his mouth. Derek let his hands trail down Stiles' shoulders and arms, around his lower body, smoothing over his shirt and under just enough to run the tips of his fingers along the waistband of his jeans.
Stiles moaned into Derek's mouth, pressed closer to his body in such a way that Derek had to feel Stiles hard against his leg. Derek shifted as if reading Stiles' mind and then Stiles could feel Derek's cock as well. Stiles whimpered and couldn't help the desperate thrust of his hips.
Derek pulled away with a growl and buried his face in Stiles' neck again, mouthing and sucking and biting and Stiles tipped his head back and groaned into the night.
He was so immersed in everything Derek he barely registered Derek moving them, getting down on his knees and laying Stiles down in the bed of flowers while he rucked Stiles' t-shirt up to run his hands over his midsection and flick his nipples in a way that drew a strangled gasp from Stiles' swollen mouth.
He took a deep breath, in through the nose, and that smell was back. Stiles' eyes popped open and he let out a strangled yell.
"No, Derek!" Stiles flailed and took Derek off guard so he rolled off Stiles into the flowers. A mist of pink pollen fluffed into the air and Derek sneezed, rubbed his nose and sneezed again.
"Shit, are you okay?" Stiles asked, reaching out to Derek. "I didn't mean-"
"Stiles." Derek cut him off in a low voice. He opened his eyes and they were bright blue.
"Derek?" Stiles asked warily. "What's going on buddy?"
"I want you," Derek said hoarsely. "Right now."
"No, no, no," Stiles replied. "It's this stuff, I think. It's not right."
"You don't understand," Derek insisted, and he was shaking as he tried to hold back his beta shift. "I've always wanted you but right now. Stiles, right now I can't f-fucking help it."
"What do you mean?" Stiles asked but he was already getting to his feet and backing away.
"I'm coming for you," Derek told him in a voice that sounded ripped from his throat. "Can't hold it back."
"Shit." He backed away, then turned and ran into the trees, knowing that was probably the stupidest thing he could have done. Run from a predator that liked to chase things?
Stiles ran as quick as he could, trying to dodge away from trees and rocks and whatever else mother nature decided would be an awesome obstacle for him to go up against. He tried to dial blindly, keeping his eyes where he could make sure he wouldn't fall but he could barely slide his phone open.
He ducked behind a tree quickly and held his breath, straining to hear Derek but there wasn't anything but regular nature sounds. Nothing coming to destroy him, Stiles thought, having images of the dead animals in his brain.
Stiles opened his phone and right before his thumb hit the call button beside Scott's name he re-read the last couple texts from him.
Scott: Malia fnd some animals alive. Mated pairs. Sth caused thm to fight comp. Out of season mating.
Stiles thought about it. The paired animals were driven to mate outside of their regular season, likely because of the pollen. And they were challenged by other animals at the same time but the mated pairs... the ones that would be together through every heat-they survived. They beat the competition and kept their mate.
Derek validated him. Derek watched him. Derek touched him and stuck by him during small doses of the pollen. Derek growled at Scott.
"Holy shit," Stiles whispered.
He made a decision and put his phone in his pocket, then started running again, not bothering with any attempt at stealth this time.
He knew the instant Derek started pursuing him, how he'd given Stiles a head start so this could be a proper chase.
Stiles ran freely but could feel the jumpiness get stronger with each passing second because no matter who it was chasing him, he was still being chased and that shit is terrifying at best. He was being hunted down by what would generally be considered a fanged, dangerous animal.
Stiles grinned and laughed to himself, tossing his t-shirt off to taunt Derek as his howls echoed behind him.
He made it all the way to the swimming hole, not sure if he came here on his own or if Derek herded him here but it didn't matter. Once he reached the edge of the grass Derek was hot behind him and Stiles didn't fancy night swimming so he turned and faced him with his chin held high.
"You caught me," Stiles whispered when Derek grabbed him around the waist.
"I'll always find you," Derek promised and it sounded like more than just a play chase thing. Stiles put his hands on Derek's cheeks and stared into his eyes, needing to be sure this was for real and not just a chemical reaction.
"I feel you, you know," Derek said lowly. "I could tell where you were the whole chase. I could hear your heartbeat and taste your exhilaration. You played along. You didn't give up, you ..." Derek trailed off, trying to find the words.
"I'm giving in," Stiles murmured and leaned in to kiss Derek, slipping his tongue into Derek's mouth with a moan.
Derek took them to the ground quickly and ran his hands all over Stiles' naked torso. He pinched Stiles' nipples and grinned against his mouth when Stiles arched up against him, breaking off their kiss with a loud grunt.
"Not fair," Stiles murmured, pushing at Derek's shirt. Derek leaned back and stripped it off, throwing it somewhere behind them. They rolled around on the grass, kissing and pawing at each other's pants until Derek presented his claws in frustration to tear Stiles' off him.
"Whoa, whoa! I can't have shredded pants every time you want in them, dude," Stiles said, holding up his hands. He pushed Derek back a bit from where he was straddling Stile's legs and wriggled to get them and his underwear down, freeing his cock that was dripping precome.
Derek's eyes went wide and he dropped between Stiles' legs, trapping him in his shoved down pants. Derek kept his eyes on Stiles' face as he palmed him gently and licked a stripe from balls to tip. Stiles tried to keep his eyes open but he dropped his head back on the grass and let out a strangled gasp. Derek kept going, cleaning his cock and then sucking gently at the tip and licking into it to get the newly beaded precome.
Stiles felt like a lollipop being devoured the way Derek was sucking so delicately on him, then swirling his tongue around the head of his cock. Derek's hand were busy, playing with his balls, squeezing and massaging them in between running his fingers down Stiles' perineum and circling his hole that was easily exposed as Stiles' hips kept arching up.
"Oh, shit fuck. Jesus, Derek. You're. You're gonna fucking kill me," Stiles moaned, throwing an arm over his eyes.
"Break you apart and put you back together," Derek whispered, his warm breath ghosting over Stiles' hole. "I promise."
Derek dipped his head and took all of Stiles' cock into his mouth, down to the base and carefully worked the tip of a finger into him at the same time. Stiles' mind exploded the same time his cock did in Derek's mouth and he was helpless except to thrust mindlessly and Derek let him, guiding his hips.
When Stiles collapsed back to the ground like a broken puppet he was breathing heavily and reaching out for something to hold on to. He found Derek's head and wrapped his hands in his hair, holding him against his abdomen while he caught his breath. Derek rubbed his hand soothingly over Stiles' skin, letting him come down slowly.
Once Stiles could look up he saw Derek smiling fondly at him from his belly. Stiles chuckled, watching Derek's head bob up and down with the movement.
"Give me a second and I'll be ready to go," Stiles said, stroking Derek's cheek briefly before he pulled back onto his knees.
"No need," Derek replied, eyes glittering and faintly glowing blue in the dark. He unzipped and pushed his pants open, pulled out his cock that made Stiles' mouth water with want. He needed to wrap his mouth around Derek and take him apart piece by piece like Derek did to him.
But Derek was already stroking himself quickly, staring down at Stiles and licking his lips.
"Won't take long," Derek grunted and sure enough, within a minute he was coming all over Stiles' chest and belly, making a sound akin to a soft howl.
Stiles felt cheated by the quick performance, especially when Derek slumped down beside him in a heap. A few seconds later Derek's warm hand was on his chest and rubbing his come into his skin.
Stiles turned his head and raised an eyebrow amusedly. "More sanitary than cocking your leg on me?"
"You're mine," Derek reminded him with a growl.
"If that's so then I demand equal cock-sucking rights," Stiles said, holding back a sigh as Derek's hand moved lower and kept rubbing. He was going to be flakey as fuck in a little bit but he kind of liked the marking thing.
Not that he was going to tell Derek.
Yet.
Derek looked at him with clear eyes, stared at him and Stiles knew he was looking right through him, at everything Stiles was. He couldn't hide anything from this man anymore.
Or ever, but they were only just figuring that out, really.
"That can be arranged," Derek said, smile curving his lips.
"Good," Stiles replied and kissed him softly, slowly.
***
"We need to get rid of those flowers," Derek said as he led the way through the woods.
"I could text Scott and -" Derek interrupted with a growl but immediately looked contrite when Stiles smacked him on the arm.
"Sorry, still got a bit of the possessive thing happening," Derek explained.
"All the more reason to get rid of those things," Stiles said with a frown. Derek stopped suddenly and crowded Stiles against a tree.
"We've already been exposed and know what it does. We don't want anyone else being affected, right?"
Stiles nodded slowly. "Right."
"We could come get rid of it," Derek suggested lightly but his hardening cock against Stiles' leg gave a different tone to the comment.
"For the good of the animals, of course," Stiles nodded, wrapping his arms around Derek's neck.
"And the pack," Derek agreed.
Stiles grinned against Derek's mouth and marvelled at how weirdly hot some things could be.