Sterek Library (a03 Edition)

Thank You For This Dance (part three)

By; maltidajones

Derek wakes with Stiles next to him, his mouth open on the pillow. His clothes are rumpled and Derek cannot believe he is here after being gone for nearly two weeks. They had fallen asleep in silence, too tired, too overwhelmed to say anything more.

Derek told Stiles that he loves him. His face is hot as he remembers and he knows he should have waited, but at least Stiles knows. He knows that Derek cares for him with all his heart.

“Derek,” Stiles murmurs, his eyes still closed. Derek looks over to him and sees a faint smile on Stiles’ cheeks.

“Good morning,” Derek whispers. He turns so that he is lying on his side, and he keeps his hands close to his chest. He is afraid to touch Stiles here, afraid to find out if he isn’t wanted.

Stiles sighs. “I missed you,” he says again. “I wanted so badly to come back.”

Derek says nothing, but his heart is pounding. He does not want to scare Stiles away with how much he is feeling, so happy to have his husband back and sleeping in the same bed.

Stiles opens his eyes, and amber stares back at Derek. “You do not need to worry,” he says.

“I am not worrying.”

Stiles laughs quietly. He rubs his eyes and slowly sits up, leaning back against the pillows. Derek stays where he is, too nervous to move as he waits for Stiles to speak.

Stiles clears his throat. “I am sorry.”

Derek frowns. “What for?”

“I – I kept so much from you, and you were right,” he says. “I told you about, about her, and now she is gone.”

Derek smiles sadly. “You do not need to say sorry. She is the one who should be sorry, Stiles.”

He shrugs.

“And I – I did not realize how miserable you were here,” he says. “I am sorry, and I wish I had.”

“I wish I had asked you to come with me to Lady Burton’s,” Stiles says. “I had Scott, and it was great to see him, but I felt lonely without you.”

Derek bites his lip, feeling shy. He felt those same things, along with his guilt and anger. He was lonely without Stiles, made worse by their fight before he left.

“And what of Lady Burton?” he asks quietly.

“She died four days ago, and the funeral was yesterday,” Stiles says. “I would not have a home right now if it were not for you.” He clenches his teeth together. “I do not understand how, how you could look at me, dance with me, and know that someday you might love me.”

Derek exhales. “I did not know I would feel this way,” he says. “It is all so foreign to me, but I feel it, Stiles. I feel it with all of me and I love you. I love you.”

It feels different to say it in the daylight, with the sun slipping through the window. Stiles is looking down at him, an unreadable expression on his face. Derek hopes, he thinks that Stiles believes what he is saying.

Stiles opens his mouth and a small noise escapes. Derek holds his breath, waiting, waiting, but there is a knock on the door and they are interrupted. Boyd steps through and his eyes fall on Stiles.

Boyd takes a moment, but he smiles. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Stiles says, glancing towards his own bedroom. He grimaces. “I suppose I should go, then.”

“Wait,” Derek says, sitting up properly.

Stiles turns to him, but his cheeks are too flushed, his eyes too wide. Derek wants to know what he was going to say, but it is too late.