I love all versions of you (STEREK)

Chapter 5

Stiles tucked her hair behind her ear nervously. "Older you doesn't know about this."

Derek watched as her posture gradually changed as she spoke. Instead of a ball of energy bursting outward at every opportunity, she slowly drew in on herself. It was disturbing to witness. He immediately decided that he hated it. She was meant to be happy chaos: loud and erratic and joking. Anything less felt impossibly wrong.

"Stiles."  Derek interrupted quietly, waiting for her to reluctantly meet his eyes. "What happened?"

Stiles gritted her teeth. He sounded too much like his older self in that moment and there was still this small, broken part of her that wished she could have run to him that night and had him make it all better.

"It's no big deal. I just sort of ended up, getting taken and tortured... a bit." Stiles answered. "It was supposed to be a message to Scott, but, uh... I made sure it was never received. No one... um... No one actually knows about it. So if you could keep it to yourself, that would be awesome."

Considering the severity of the stories Stiles had gleefully regaled him with up until this point, he realized all too well just how much she must be downplaying this event.

"What... did they do to you?" Derek growled, feeling his eyes flash as he fought back a surge of rage at the thought of her being hurt. His wolf was frothing at the mouth with the instinct to protect, to put down the threat, but there was nowhere to direct his rising fury. It left him struggling for control. Adding to the problem was the fact that he could smell her emotions as she recalled her experiences – fear and shame and sorrow and intense loneliness. She had been left to deal with this alone. Her pack had failed her. He had failed her. And even now, she was reluctant to tell him the truth. "And how can no one know about it?" he ground out. "Didn't you go to the hospital? Didn't we see the injuries? God Stiles, how did I not know?"

"I didn't go to the hospital. I told my dad that I got jumped on the way back from Lacrosse practice. Told him I didn't see their faces. It was the holidays, so I stayed away from the pack for a while, told them that I was spending time with my dad. They believed me, I think." Stiles answered with a wince, fidgeting anxiously, and avoiding his eyes at all costs. "I just sort of... bandaged and wrapped and iced everything down as needed and waited for it all to heal. I mean, like I said, it was the holidays, so I didn't see anyone for like a month after it happened, so it was pretty easy to hide."

"Tell me." Derek demanded. "Everything."

Stiles heart rate doubled and her breathing grew shallow. After a moment, she managed to calm herself enough to reply. "Can I not?" she whispered, meeting his eyes with tears glittering in her own.

Derek partially shifted in response to her uncharacteristic display of vulnerability. He had to close his eyes and grit his teeth to hold it back. It took several minutes before he was able to retract his claws and fangs.

"Right, So, no more trips down memory lane." Stiles announced in an overly cheerful tone, surprising him with the fact that she was now standing in the living room. "Want to watch a movie? I could go for a movie." she declared as she turned on the TV. "I don't think I could sleep now."

Derek nodded, and watched as Stiles jumped back onto the couch, sitting with her legs crossed up under her body and a pillow across her lap.

With a bit of effort, Derek managed to shake off his lingering rage and joined her on the couch. She had returned to her earlier full-speed chattering, and he found it oddly soothing. Her manic rambling settled his wolf.

They watched some superhero movie Stiles loved, but she talked through the entirety of it. He was mostly silent, his attention split between studying her animated movements and thinking over what he had learned. There was something about her that left him entranced. She was beautiful and clever, and also clumsy and crazy. He liked the way she filled the silence – it was impossible to feel alone in her presence. He could understand why she was his mate. She was perfect for him. Even though Stiles is human, she must feel the mate pull, because Derek can not understand how she could like him, older him. From what he has learned about his older self, he sounds like a grumpy idiot.

He let his eyes pass over her features, over the lines of her body, and found himself licking his lips hungrily. He wanted her. His wolf wanted her. Why the hell should he resist? This girl had risked her life for him on numerous occasions. She was loyal, brave, and gorgeous. And plus, she was still absolutely covered in his scent. It was driving him crazy. He balled his hands up into fists to resist the urge to lean over and kiss her, guide her to lay back on the couch, cover her body with his own, have her wrap those long legs around his hips, grind his hard-on into her through their jeans...

Fuck, he had to have her.

Stiles stood up, to take hers and Derek's cups into the kitchen. When she stood and stretched, her breasts pressed deliciously against the thin material of her shirt. The material rode up just enough to expose a strip of smooth skin above her jeans. Derek had to bite back a groan. God how did his older self resist her. He doesn't think he will be able to.

Stiles came back into the room, and sat back on the couch. She snuggled into Derek more. Both of them falling asleep through the second movie.

They were both awoken by a slight cough. Stiles peaked her eyes open to see her father stood at the end of the couch, with his arms crossed. Stiles realized that they must have fallen asleep and Derek was draped over Stiles, holding her tightly to his chest.

"It's not what it looks like." Stiles quickly said.

"Really. You both look rather cozy." Noah replied.

"Derek couldn't sleep, and neither could I. I made him mum's hot chocolate, we talked and watched a movie. We must have fallen asleep."

Noah was trying his best to hold back his smirk. "Fine, don't make a habit of it. It's a school night Stiles. Which in fact, you need to be getting a move on."

"What about Derek?."

"He can go to Peter, or stay here. I'm sure he will be okay Stiles."

Stiles, groaned, but got up leaving Derek still asleep.