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Derek used to love Halloween. His family used to go all out. They used to throw a huge party, with decorations and spooky sound effects. And those that wanted to could walk around in beta shift all night. They'd invite family from out of town, and the kids could invite non-were friends over, which they normally couldn't do. It was great. The best night of the year, in Derek's opinion.
Yeah, Derek used to love Halloween. But after the fire...
Laura had tried to keep the tradition alive at first. But with a small apartment and no pack, not to mention the painful memories of a happier time, it didn't work out so well.
Derek grew to dread October 31st. He and Laura would spend the night with the lights out and door locked. Any children that were unlucky enough to be trick or treating in an apartment building were studiously ignored.
Derek used to love Halloween.
Unfortunately, Stiles still loved Halloween. No past tense about it.
It was October 29th and the last pack meeting of the month. They where done with the meeting and everyone was sitting around the loft, talking or watching some random thing on Netflix on the TV that Erica had insisted Derek get. “Treat yourself, boss man.” She had said. Even after Scott had become Alpha, she still called Derek that sometimes. It secretly gave him a warm feeling in his chest that he was pretty sure wasn't a secret at all. She was definitely his favorite.
“Hey, what's everyone doing for Halloween?” She asked.
She was definitely not his favorite.
There were shrugs and mutterings of half made plans. “We should have a party!” Kira said enthusiastically.
“Hey, yeah!” Malia grinned. There were various shouts and cheers of agreement from the others. Someone said something about it being a pack party, someone else said they wanted to invite other people.
Lydia volunteered herself to organize it. “This is very short notice.” She said, as if to scorn the others for not coming up with this idea sooner, but Derek saw a gleam in her eye. Erica asked if it was going to be at the lake house, but Lydia shut that down. “No, my mom already rented it out to someone else.”
“What about the loft?” Isaac asked. Before Derek could protest, everyone was excitedly agreeing. Even Stiles. 'Damn it.' Derek thought. If Stiles wanted a party, who was Derek to refuse? Sometimes Derek thought that having a secret crush on an underage, spastic, straight, overly enthusiastic teenager was a bad idea.
Tonight was one of those times.
0o0
It was 8:02am on October 31st when he got a knock on the door. He groaned. He knew it was Lydia even before he opened the door. Not because he could hear her heartbeat though the door, but because she had text him twice last night to remind him that she would be becoming over in the morning to drop off things for the party. “Finally.” She snapped when he opened the door.
“Good morning to you too.” He grumbled as he let her past.
“Good morning.” She said, handing him a coffee. “This is for you, my car is full of boxes. When you're done with that you're helping me carry it all up here.”
He grunted an affirmative, taking a sip. Two sugars, no cream. Sometimes he really loved her.
“So, Stiles and Malia broke up.” She said, casually taking a drink of her own coffee.
And sometimes he really didn't. “Lydia,” He said in a warning voice, taking another sip.
“I'm just saying, he's single, you're single...” She trailed off, wiggling her eyebrows a little.
“He's seventeen.” He reminded her.
She scoffed. “Oh, please, like that even matters.”
“It matters to me. And I'm pretty sure it would matter to his dad. You know, the Sheriff.” He hated having this conversation with her. Ever since she had found out about him having feelings for Stiles, she would poke and prod, hinting and suggestively wiggling her eyebrows at him. And that was when Stiles and Malia were still dating, he can only imagine what Lydia was going to be like now that they'd broken up.
“He's only going to be seventeen for a few more months.” She said in a you-silly-man-boy kind of voice. “You could at least let him know how you feel. It's not like you two have to start fucking the minute you tell him you like him.”
“Okay, lets say I tell him,” He set his coffee down, no longer in the mood for it. “Lets say I tell him I like him. That I've liked him since he was sixteen. What does that say about me? That I could be attracted to a sixteen year old boy? What do you think he's going to say to that?”
“Derek,” She started but he cuts her off.
“No, seriously. I'm twenty three, Lydia. He's seventeen. Even if he was into me. Even if he did want to try for something, he's too young. I'd be taking advantage. I can't do that to him. I won't.”
She sighed and put her cup down next to his. “I'm going to drop this, for now. But first I'm going to say something and I need you to really listen, okay?” He nodded, his shoulders tensing up. Lydia Matin doesn't just let things go. She looked him right in the eye and said without any trace of doubt, “You are not Kate.”
Derek tried to turn away but she placed a soft but firm hand on his arm. Just enough to keep him there but not enough to keep him from getting away if he tried. “Liking him doesn't make you a pedophile or a pervert. It doesn't mean you're out to hurt him or cause him pain.” She squeezed his arm slightly then let go. “I haven't said anything to him and I won't. If you don't want him to know, that's you're business. But I really think you should tell him.”
They stood there for a few more seconds. Lydia sighed again and picked up her cup. “Hurry up and finish your coffee, I don't have all day.” She said, signaling that their little heart to heart was over.
0o0
It turns out when she said that her car was full of boxes, she wasn't exaggerating. He wasn't exactly sure how she managed to get so many boxes and bags into her car, but he was definitely impressed.
It took about three hours to set up decorations, lights, a few tables for food and drinks, and speakers.
“I wasn't able to get a DJ on such short notice, so we'll have to make do with a laptop and play list.” She was hooking up her laptop to a cable when her phone chimed. She swiped at the screen and glared at whatever she was reading. She tapped at the screen a little more harshly than Derek thought was necessary. Her phone chimed again and she huffed. “I have to go.” She left her laptop plugged in but shut it off. “I'll be back in a few hours. I'll text you a list of thing to do while I'm gone.”
“Okay,” he agreed easily. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, grabbing her peruse and heading out the door. Derek followed her out to walk her to her car. “Some people just can't take direction.” She unlocked her car and slid into her seat. “What are you going to be wearing?” She suddenly asked.
“What do you mean?” He asked, already knowing what she meant.
She pursed her lips and said, “The party, Derek. What are you wearing to the party?”
He shrugged. “Jeans?”
She glared. “Costumes are required.”
“Hate to break it to you, but I'm not really a costume kind of guy.” That wasn't exactly true. He actually liked costumes. Or at least he used to.
She looked at him thoughtfully for a moment the asked, “How long can you stay in your Beta shift?”
“No.” he stated flatly.
“You wouldn't have to do the full one. Just claws and teeth.”
“No.”
“Stiles is going as little red.” She said in an off hand kind of way.
Fuck. “No.” he said again, but it sounded week even to his own ears.
“Yes,” she said, smiling and closed her car door.
She drove away and he was left to stare after her. “Fuck.”
0o0
It was only because he didn't have a costume. That was it. It had nothing to do with what Lydia had said. He didn't get a little thrill when he thought about having a matching costume with Stiles. And he definitely didn't shudder at all when he thought about those matching costumes being Little Red Ridding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. Absolutely not. And he one hundred present never in his life fantasized about that particular fairy tale in regards to himself and Stiles. Not at all ever never.
He also didn't spend most of the day wondering what Stiles would look like. Whether he would go the cross dressing rout, all short skirt and high heals. Or if he would go for a casual red hoodie.
'Damn it, Lydia.'
Isaac, Scott and Boyd came over at four to drop off food. Danny and Erica came over shortly after with an obscene amount of alcohol. He didn't ask how they got a hold of it, he really didn't want to know. They all left to go get ready just as Lydia arrived. “I brought my costume with me.” she said, a duffle bag and makeup case under each arm. “I have a few things to do around here then I'm taking over your bathroom. If you need to shower or anything, I suggest you do it now.”
Taking her at her word, Derek went to shower. And he most definitely not at all not even a little bit thought of jerking off to the thought of Stiles in a mini skirt.
0o0
People started arriving around seven. Lydia was dressed as Poison Ivy, and when Alison and Scott came in dressed as Catwoman and Batman, they all hugged and laughed. Taking pictures together. Derek couldn't help but smile. He remembered Laura and Cora dressing up as some characters from some movie or TV show they were into at the last Hale Halloween party. It stung to realize he couldn't remember who they had dressed up as. He shook his head and rolled his shoulders. He wasn't going to do that tonight. He wasn't going to spend the night thinking about the past. He was going to have fun.
More and more people showed up, none of whom Derek recognized. Finally Boyd and Erica showed up. Erica was dressed as a under dressed Cinderella, Boyd as her fully clothed prince. They spotted him and came over. “Nice teeth,” Erica smiled at him.
“Thanks,” he smirked. “Nice dress.”
She smiled wider. “Thanks.” She hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Is Isaac here yet?” He shook his head and she hummed. “I hope he was able to get the stuff.” She murmured, pulling out her phone to send a text, presumably to Isaac.
“What stuff?” Derek asks with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh, nothing you'd approve of.” She says with what she must have thought was a winning smile. He stared at her until she finally sighs and says. “Wolfsbane.”
Both his eyebrows shot up at that. “Are you insane?”
“Calm down, boss man, it's a mild strain. Taken in low doses it's harmless.”
“And why exactly do you want it?” He demanded, not relaxing his angry brows one bit.
“To spike the punch,” She says cheerfully. “Or beer or whatever we're drinking.” He stares at her, his mouth hanging open slightly. “Relax. Lydia and Stiles have been working on it for, like, three months. It's just enough to get our superhuman bods to feel a little tipsy. Nothing crazy.”
“Lydia and Stiles?” He asked slowly. Erica nodded encouragingly. If anyone could figure out how to get werewolves drunk, it was those two. “Why does Isaac have to get it if Lydia and Stiles were the ones that were working on it?”
“Well, Isaac and Stiles, but Isaac's driving the getaway car, so.” She shrugged. At the look of growing panic/anger/confusion on Derek's face, she quickly added, “Kidding! It was a joke! No danger, I swear. They just had to stop by the vet clinic to get the stuff.”
He huffed, letting his eyebrows relax. “They better not be stealing it.” he muttered. Erica and Boyd shared a look and Derek was about to start scolding them about how stealing was wrong when he noticed Isaac talking to Lydia and Scott next to the drink table. He also noticed a lack of Stiles.
Forgetting about reprimanding his former Betas, he stalked over to the table. Isaac already had a beer in his hand. He was wearing a long, dark blue jacket and a scarf, his hair a few shades darker then it normally was. “Hey,” He said, raising his drink slightly in greeting.
“I thought costumes were mandatory.” He said to Lydia, nodding his head at Isaac.
“They are,” She said, “He's Sherlock.”
“He doesn't have a hat or a pipe.” He pointed out.
“BBC Sherlock,” Isaac corrected. “Hats aren't a good look for me. I'm more of a scarf kinda guy.” Lydia smiled and shook her head.
They chatted for a while about nothing in particular. It was a good ten minutes before Derek spotted Stiles sitting over on the couch talking to some people Derek didn't recognize. It took him another two minutes before he heard Stiles shout “I lost the game!” and a huge uproar of yelling broke out across the room. Derek was about to stomp over there when he saw some guy shove Stiles off the couch, but he stopped himself when he saw Stiles laughing and sitting back up, the guy grinning and laughing as well.
“Ugh, it's been at least eight months, Stilinski's the worst.” Isaac moaned, taking another swig. Lydia and Scott laughed and nodded in agreement. At the look of confusion, Isaac said. “It's kind of a mind game thing. If you think about the game, you lose, and you have to declare that you've lost the game.” Derek didn't really get it, but he could still hear Stiles laughing, so he didn't really care.
0o0
It took some persuading,(i.e peer pressure,) to get Derek to add some of the Wolfsbane to his drink. He only agreed when Lydia assured him that the effects only lasted between forty minutes to an hour, so long as he only had the one spiked beer. Although, seeing Stiles dancing with some girl in a blue wig might have helped his decision making.
Twenty minutes later and he was already done with his beer, an interesting buzz running through his veins. He was now sitting on the couch with Malia and Kira. Each of them had painted whiskers and noses painted on their faces. Kira's looked more like a fox and Malia's like a cat. He wasn't really paying attention to what they were talking about, he was too busy watching Stiles talking to a different girl than the one he had been dancing with. The music was too loud for him to focus his hearing, so he was stuck just watching Stiles and the girl laugh and smile. It wasn't long before the girl ran her hand up Stiles arm and Derek had to look away. “I'm getting another drink.” he said, standing up and enjoying the slight spin of his head.
“I'll come with you,” Malia said, “You want another?” She asked Kira.
“Yeah, Just a coke, though.” Kira smiled and snuggled back into the couch, moving her legs up to lay on the couch, saving their spots till they got back.
Derek got another beer, taking the little baggy of powder that Lydia had given him out of his pocket. He sprinkled a little in and swirled it around slightly before taking a swig. He could definitely get used to getting drunk.
“Can I talk to you outside for a minute?” Malia asked after she was done mixing her drink and grabbing a coke for Kira. Derek nodded and followed her out onto the balcony. It was much quieter outside, and there were only a few other people outside smoking and talking. She led him to the end of the balcony, away from the others. “So,” she said slowly, looking at him as though he had been the one to suggest they come out here.
“So...?” He shrugged and took another drink.
“You like Stiles.”
He nearly chocked on his beer but managed to swallow. “What?”
“You like Stiles,” She said again, plainly and without breaking eye contact. It didn't sound like an accusation but Derek couldn't think what else she could mean by it.
“I, what, no.” He sputtered. Damn he really wished he hadn't been drinking now. He didn't feel well and he was pretty sure his face was on fire.
“You do, though.” She pressed on. “You've been looking at him all night. And even before he and I broke up, you-”
“No.” He said harshly.
“Yes,” she said, just as harsh. The Hale family glare on her face. “It's okay, you know. He likes you too.”
“No, I- Wait, he what?” He must have misheard or misunderstood.
“He likes you. A lot” She didn't seem mad, more exasperated. “Why do you think he's dressed as Little Red Ridding Hood?”
“Lydia?” He asked lamely.
She rolled her eyes. “That wasn't Lydia's idea. He came up with that one by himself. He asked Lydia to get you to dress up as a wolf so you two would match. But he's been too nervous to talk to you about it yet. We've all been trying to get him to talk to you all night. But he just keeps putting it off. Saying he just needs a little more 'liquid courage.' But the way he's been knocking them back he's gonna blackout before he even say's hi to you.” Now she really did look mad. “For they sake of his kidneys, please just talk to him.” She punched him in the arm, turned, and went back inside.
He stood out side for a few more minutes, telling himself that he would go inside once the bruise on his arm healed.
0o0
He came inside and began looking for Stiles. Only, Stiles wasn't with the girl anymore. Nor was he dancing or by the drink table. He asked Malia and she shrugged, cuddling up closer to a sleepy looking Kira. He casually asked Erica and Boyd, only to have Boyd shake his head and Erica wiggle her eyebrows at him. He was about to give up when Scott found him.
“Hey, I hear you've been looking for Stiles.”
“Um, yeah.” He said, shrugging. “Just wanted to talk with him?”
“Just talk?” Scott asked.
“Yeah.” Derek said, trying to casually take a sip of his beer.
“Look, Derek, I like you.” Scott said, putting his arm around Derek's shoulders. “But if you take advantage of my drunk friend tonight, not only will you be going back to being an Omega, but I will maim you to within an inch of your life. And I'm pretty sure there are some parts of the male anatomy that can't grow back, werewolf healing or not.” He grinned and clapped Derek on the back. “He's upstairs. Hands to yourself.” And with that he walked away.
Derek stared after him for a moment, waiting for the mental images to leave. He shook his head and sat his beer down on a near by table. He made his way over to the stairs, dodging and pushing past people. Why the hell were there so many people here? Finally he made it to the up stairs landing. There was only one small bedroom and a bathroom up hear, so there was a 50/50 chance of Stiles being in either room. He tried the bedroom first. He didn't see Stiles right away and was about to leave, when a small voice said, “Hey.”
“Stiles?” He questioned, stepping farther into the room and shutting the door. The music from the party was only a quiet background noise now. The room was dark now that he had closed the door but he could still see. He walked around the bed to the other side to find Stiles laying on his back on the floor. “What are you doing?”
“Laying down.” Stiles said.
“Why are you on the ground?” Derek asked, nudging his feet till Stiles moved his legs enough for Derek to sit on the floor, his back to the wall.
“I needed a quiet place to think and lay down, the bed was too soft.” He waved his hands in a 'one thing led to another,' kind of way.
Derek hummed, looking down at Stiles who was looking back up at him. Stiles was indeed dressed as Little Red. Only he wasn't in drag and he wasn't wearing a hoodie. He was wearing tight leather pants, lase-up brown knee-high boots, a near see through white tee shirt, and a red cape with a hood. “I like your costume.” He said quietly, suddenly very aware of how quiet the room was.
“Thanks,” Stiles said, just as quietly, a soft smile on his face. “I like yours, too.”
Derek grinned, showing off his wolf teeth, Stiles laughed. God, Derek loved that laugh. “I like you.” He said. He was slightly surprised by his own boldness. Not as surprised as Stiles, it would seem. Stiles stared at him in silence for what seemed like hours. Slowly he sat up and faced Derek. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but closed it and frowned. 'Well, damn. Looks like Malia was wrong.' He thought. “It's okay if yo-.” Suddenly Stiles was kissing him. Grabbing his face and shirt and trying to get into Derek's lap. “Stil- Stiles.” He tried to softly push him back, but damn if Stiles wasn't putting up a fight. “Stiles, stop.” He finally was able to get Stiles' face in his hands and pull it off of his own. “Listen, okay?”
Stiles nodded. “Yeah, yeah, sorry.” He looked slightly dazed.
“I can't do anything with you yet.” Derek said. Stiles face fell. “Yet. Not Yet.” He added.
“You said you liked me.” Stiles said quietly.
“I do.”
“Then... Why not now?” He asked, sounding confused and hurt.
“You're seventeen.” Derek stated.
“Right.” Stiles nodded, waiting for Derek to continue. When Derek didn't say anything else he said, “Wait, that's it? I'm seventeen?” All the sudden he was out of Derek's lap and on his feet. “I'm seventeen?” He said again, sounding a little more angry then Derek thought was really necessary. “That's it? Jesus, Derek.”
“Look,” Derek said, standing up too quickly and getting a head rush. “I can't legally do anything with you until you're eighteen.”
“Oh, please. Like you're all about following the law, Mr. 65 in a school zone.” Stiles scoffed. “This isn't about that,” Stiles got a weird look on his face, like he might through up. “Did Lydia talk to you?”
“What?” Derek asked, his head still not behaving itself.
“She did, didn't she?” Stiles looked like he was going to cry or hurl and Derek had no clue what brought it on. “She told you to come talk to me. To tell me you liked me but that I'm too young. That I'm a cool kid but you just don't feel that way about me?”
“What? No.” Derek said , grabbing Stiles' arms. Partly to get him to stop moving, and partly to get the room to stop moving. God, Derek hated drinking. “She didn't say any of that. I do like you. A lot. I have for a long time.”
“Then why?” Stiles chocked back a sob. Derek was pretty sure Stiles was drunk. Way more drunk than Derek was himself. Maybe they should wait to talk about this until they were both more under control. But Stiles was actually about to cry and Derek couldn't just tell him that he'd talk to him later. Couldn't just leave him like this. “Why not now?” He asked, honest to god tears starting to form in his eyes. “I don't care about the age difference, Derek. I don't care that I'm seventeen and you're twenty three.”
“But I do.” Derek said, trying to sound soft and not like he was shaking apart on the inside. “Stiles, I like you. But I can't date you yet. It's not just about the legality of it.”
“Then what's it about?” Stiles demanded. “If it's not about that, than what's it about?”
“It's about me being fifteen when Kate killed my family all because I thought I loved her.” Derek winced. He really hated drinking. He hated not being able to stop himself from saying things. But it seemed to have stopped Stiles from crying.
“Oh,” Stiles said thickly. It was quiet for awhile. Derek couldn't hear the music anymore, just Stiles' irregular heartbeat. “That's... I hadn't thought of that.” Derek nodded, not sure what else to say. “Scott, um, mentioned that you and she, um.” He waved his hand slightly. “I guess I didn't think about how old you must have been.”
“Yeah, well,” he trailed off.
Stiles sat on the edge of the bed. “I feel like a jackass.” he said, putting his head in his hands.
“You're not a jackass,” Derek said, sitting beside Stiles on the bed.
“I am, though.” He argued, slightly muffled by his hands. “Here I am, crying because you won't date me. Throwing a fit because you have morals and a shitty past. God, I'm the worst.”
Derek chuckled lightly. “You're not the worst. You're drunk.”
“You're drunk, too. And I don't see you bawling like a baby.” He accused, lifting his head out of his hands to shoot a glare at Derek.
“Well, I didn't drink as much as you. I had two and a half beers. I didn't do shots like you and Erica.” Derek teased, bumping his shoulder against Stiles'.
“Ugh, don't remind me.” He groaned. “Actually, always remind me. The next time I want to do shots with a werewolf, slap me in the face. It'll be less painful then my mornings going to be.”
“Sure thing,” he laughed. Then, a little more seriously, “You understand though, right? Why I can't do this yet?”
Stiles sighed, sitting up straighter but still looking at his hands. “Yeah, I understand. Doesn't mean I like it.”
“I'm not thrilled, either. I just,” Derek scrubbed at his face, trying to get the weird wobbliness to go away. He must have added too much Wolfsbane to his last beer. “I don't want to feel guilty for wanting you. And that's how I feel most of the time. And I'm going to continue to feel that way until you're eighteen. I don't want to kiss you and feel like I'm, like I'm taking advantage of you.”
“You wouldn't be taking advantage.” Stiles says softly, placing his hand on Derek's knee. “I want this. I want you.”
“I wanted her.” Derek says. He can feel Stiles fingers twitch, like he wants to pull them away. “She made me feel special and wanted. But it didn't make what she was doing okay. Even if she hadn't set the fire, she was still older. She was the adult and she should have set boundaries. She shouldn't have flirted, or told me I was mature for my age. If she had really cared, she would have waited.”
He placed his hand over Stiles' and held it, looking at Stiles. “You mean more to me then kissing or sex. I want to wait until you're eighteen, not just so you're dad wont shoot me, but because you matter. More than anything. And I want to do this right. I don't want you to wake up in a year and hate me for rushing you or tricking you.”
“I wouldn't hate you,” Stiles says in a hushed voice, looking at Derek. “But I get it.” he adds when he sees Derek about to say more. “I get it. I just...” He bits his lip in thought, searching for the words. “When I am eighteen, you're not going to suddenly change your mind, right? I mean, I know it's still five months, and that's a long time, and I know people change and everything, and I'm not, like, asking you to wait or anythi-”
“I won't change my mind.” Derek says, a soft smile on his face.
“Oh,” Stiles grins.
“Yeah.” Derek grins back. He rubs his thumb over Stiles' fingers. “But, just so we're clear, if you change your mind-”
“I wont.” Stiles assures.
“But if you do,” Derek continues. “I won't be mad. I don't want you feeling like you have to be with me, just because tonight you said you wanted to. I don't expect anything from you. You don't owe me anything.”
“Okay.” Stiles nods, then adds, “Man, you're really big on this whole consent thing, huh?”
“Yeah, I am.” He says simply.
“Cool.” Stiles says, a smile playing across is face. They sat there staring at each other for a moment, their hands still laced together. “So, I don't suppose I could talk you into maybe bending the rules a little bit, just for tonight?”
“Hmm, define bending the rules?” Derek smirked.
“Oh, I dunno. Maybe a kiss?” He said hopefully.
Derek was never very good at telling him no.