Insufferable Teacher's Pet

Chapter 16

That night, the sex was different than it had ever been. It wasn't crazy and full of passion like at the hotel, it was gentler, more...intimate. Derek held him close, fucking him missionary – which was a really underrated position honestly. The way he kissed Stiles so tenderly, the way he clung to him as he came, even the way he said Stiles' name a couple times. It felt...more. It felt like more than what they had before. It felt like more than just sex. And Stiles was pretty sure Derek could feel it, too. Mainly because he didn't ask Stiles to leave after. They just laid beside each other, breathing heavily, staring at the ceiling. And it wasn't like back in Vegas, when it was too late for Stiles to go home. It was only half past 10, so Derek could've easily just told him to go. But he didn't.

To break the silence, Stiles decided to take a risk and ask Derek a personal question. He knew it could get him kicked out, but he just couldn't help himself; he needed to know more about Derek than just what the news articles from 11 years ago said. "So..." Stiles began, looking over at his professor. "I noticed you don't really have any pictures here."

"I have several paintings in my living room," he answered, still staring at the ceiling.

"Right...but I mean photos. Like...of your family. I have pictures all over my room of Scott and Malia and Lydia and my dad. I know you don't really have friends but...why don't you have family photos?"

Derek breathed in deeply, silent for a moment. Stiles half-expected to be told to get out, but then Derek looked at him with a solemn expression. "There's one on my bookshelf, it's a family photo from my mom's birthday. She wanted us all together. All other photos I have...they all burned in the fire. That was the picture I kept in my locker in high school, so that's why I still have it."

Stiles pressed his lips into a thin line, feeling a mix of emotions. He was both surprised and happy that Derek actually answered his question and opened up to him...but hearing that was just devastating. He didn't just lose his family; he lost their home and all the physical memories they had together. Stiles decided to press a little further, rolling onto his side to face Derek. "What were they like? Your family?"

Derek seemed hesitant, like he wanted to shut the conversation down. But to Stiles' surprise again, he didn't. But he did look back up at the ceiling as he spoke. "My mom was a force of nature. She was kind and loving, but also fierce and protective. She was the kind of mom you could talk to about anything. She also never put up with any of Peter's bullshit." At that last part, he smiled a little. "Laura was my older sister. I was closest to her; she was only 2 years older but we were best friends. We just got each other. She was just like our mom, too. Except even more protective. When Cora was getting bullied in elementary school, Laura confronted and threatened the girls who were doing it. And Cora...she was so sweet. Cora had the biggest heart out of all of us. Laura was the impulsive one, I was the mediator, and Cora was the ray of sunshine that always found a way to make us all smile. She was only 11 when..." he trailed off, tightening his jaw. "Anyway, you already met Peter. That's my family."

"I saw that photo, the one you mentioned. There were three other people in it; a man and two women. Who were they?"

"The older man and woman were my grandparents. The younger woman was my mom's friend. I only met her a few times; she traveled around a lot. But apparently they were pretty close when they were younger. She came to town for my mom's birthday, that's why she's in the photo."

Stiles noticed pretty early on that Derek had never once mentioned his father. Was now a good time to bring it up? Or would it be the last straw that gets him kicked out? It didn't seem like Derek was on the verge of throwing him out. He didn't seem annoyed at all. He just seemed...sad. But how did Stiles react to that? It's not like Derek was an affectionate guy that you could just hug when he was down. That would definitely get Stiles kicked out. Fuck it, he was going for it. "Why isn't your dad in the photo? You didn't mention him at all."