captain-snark:

imagine though Stiles at the height of his fearing that he has dementia and wanting to make sure that if he forgets he says it. And so, he records a video telling Derek that he loves him, and that he has for awhile and how much he wishes things were different and that they could have been together some day. How he’s afraid he’s going to forget him, forget how important Derek was to him, the way his mother forgot who he was. 

And then the video ends up sort of lost amidst all the chaos that ensues, except, of course Derek sees it somehow, somewhen. And, Stiles is so sincere about it that even though Derek can’t exactly pick up all the subtle signs that might suggest deception he knows that Stiles would have had no reason to lie anyway.

This seventeen year old boy wanting to make sure that no matter what happened Derek knew how important he was. How much Stiles thought of him, not just because Stiles wanted to be with him, but because Stiles cared for him so deeply he wished Derek could see himself the way Stiles did. Worth the world. 

And of course, Derek would still cling to this belief that Stiles is too young to know what he’s talking about. To understand what that means. But he knows that Stiles is so much…older than Scott, who threw himself completely at Allison despite everything staring him in the face. And he doesn’t blame Scott for that because he did the same but Stiles is so much more reserved, so calculating and analytical.

Derek can’t help thinking that it must have taken a lot for Stiles to admit to himself these things, let alone record it for who knows who to see. 

But then Stiles gets better, the Nogitsune is vanquished, and he recovers. Except, Derek still sees the recording, and nothing can ever be the same again. Because, despite everything telling Derek that he doesn’t deserve it, that he’ll fuck it up, he’ll ruin Stiles, he can’t deny to himself how much Stiles means to him. 

He can’t keep himself from confronting Stiles about it, who at first seems determined to pretend like he has no idea what Derek is talking about. Until of course, Derek admits that that’s unfortunate because he wanted to tell Stiles how he felt the same.

And Stiles is surprised of course, and it’s probably slow going and tentative, like both of them are expecting the other to flee at any moment. But eventually, after they’ve been sharing space for hours, holding sweating hands together, they kiss. 

And after that it’s like everything falls into place. And they fit together so perfectly in a way both of them may have dreamt but never would have really believed because it seems too good to be true.