studmuffin | → there's just a few things I think that you should know

[Derek woke up and Stiles was gone.

That's not too unusual - Stiles does still live at home, but then Derek took a breath, and he wasn't home, in his house, in his woods. The smell of Stiles was old and fading and

Human.

So he gets up and makes his way through, sniffing for evidence, and bursts out the door. Something is wrong. He can sense it, something is wrong.

He's through the woods and into a City that isn't Beacon Hills when he howls.

Stiles, where are you, where are you?]

[ There's a noise that breaks him out of a fitful sleep, a sound that leaves him straining to hear anything more. He's not sure what it was but he rises (clumsily with his arm still pinned to his chest) and moves to open the window, listen out.

The air's cold. and his breath turns to mist when he breathes out. Resting his head against glass. Maybe he imagined it? ]

[It's almost the wolf moon, and Derek is suddenly getting desperate. Where is he?

He howls again. Stiles, Stiles, Stiles.]

[ That sounds like a wolf.

Stiles doesn't know what makes him do it, but he's pulling a hoodie over his body and grabs his device, takes the stairs of the youth centre two at a time and throwing himself outside.

He tries to pinpoint where the sound is coming from, muttering under his breath. ] Please don't be a real wolf, please don't be a real wolf, please don't be a real wolf.

[The wind blows Stiles' scent his way and then Derek is running, heading for it, zooming.]

Of course it's not a real-

What happened to you?

[ He should feel relieved that it's Derek, but he's cold and confused and cradling his arm. ]

Why were you howling?

I woke up and you were gone, and everything smelled so human-

What happened? Why is your arm broken?

[He sounds distressed, but also kind of angry - not at Stiles, though. How is this his life?]

[ He stares at him, really stares at him. If he weren't looking, he wouldn't notice the subtle differences, wouldn't be able to peice it together so quickly.

This time last month he hadn't been him, now it looks like it's Derek who's different. ] You're his Derek, awh crap.

[He's confused, but now Stiles is human and it's cold, and Derek isn't exactly dressed from the waist up]

What's going on?

We need to get you inside.

[ He nods. ]

Come on, I live in the Youth Center, we can talk there. [ Turning to lead him back through. ]

[He doesn't argue, he just follows]

[ Stiles waits until they're in his room then he sinks down on to the bed and looks at Derek.

He often wondered how the other him managed it, how he got Derek to want him. ] Okay. Do you need like a shirt or something?

I don't think you have anything that'll fit me. Don't worry.

[He takes a sniff and his nose curls up. Gross]

What's going on?

[ Pulling a face at him. ]

You're uh - you're not my Derek? I mean, he's not my Derek, he's totally his own Derek, but I figure it would be better to explain it that way. This is the City - it likes to fuck with people, I guess. I'm from ... There's a parallel universe where Scott's the one Peter bit. That's where I'm from.

Don't make that face. If you could smell this room you'd think it's gross, too.

[That is just a fact]

Scott? He bit Scott? Scott hates me.

[ He wants to laugh, he really does. ]

Yeah well, that doesn't change.

What happened to you arm?

[Onto things he can't do anything about]

I tripped.

[ He goes to shrug with the other arm. ] It was snowing.

Does it hurt?

[He's just.

He wants to touch Stiles. He really does.]

A little.

[ He looks up at Derek, eyes wide. ] This is weird. This is really weird.

Can I help?

[He looks hesitant, he just wants-

He wants his wolf. Because Derek is still a bundle of problems, and Stiles helps]

Um.

[ He doesn't think that it's painful enough to deal with, but he just pats the bed beside him anyway. ] There's kind of a bunch of other things that are different.

[He looks at the bed, but instead just crouches next to Stiles.

He's not sitting on that bed]

Are you going to tell me what?

[ Wow.

Wow. This is the closest they've ever been and this Derek is missing the hard edges he usually has and Stiles is kind of still sleep deprived. ] We're not together. [ All in a rush, face colouring. ]

[He takes a breath]

You don't trust me?

[He can't tell that by scent, but he knows Stiles.]

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