Ignite the Spark

Matt watched in silence as Scott drew the symbol onto the paper. He tried to focus on the group, but at the same time he couldn’t stop thinking about what Stiles had said. As far as he knew, the only one Stiles talked about his mother with was his father or Scott. Was Stiles slipping, or was it actually okay let your guard that far down around these people? “Yeah - wait, you actually believe me?” For a second he was shocked that the group had been paying attention to him. Usually he’d just say something and it would be ignored, or he would be made fun of or picked on and that would be the end of it.

“What’s the big deal? Just sick the Argents on them or whatever.”

“They’re all alphas, Matt.  They killed their entire packs to gain more power.  They’re bloodthirsty and ruthless.  Most of the ones that the Argent’s kill are weak and innocent, they just want to run away.  This could bring a huge blood bath to town.”

Stiles groaned.

Corbin looked over at him, dirty and dusting himself off, already thinking of a nice shower when he listened to Stiles speak, only able to give a timid smile of understanding. “I wouldn’t say I saved you.” he pointed out, “You did die after all.” he shook his finger before sighing.

He held out his hand to lead him back to the house to wash up, knowing several of the spirits were bringing flowers to welcome the grims back when the week was over. “I thought you’d be more excited over your family.” he added softly.

“Don’t get me wrong.  I’m excited to have them back.  My parents.  My pack.  But I’ve been alone for a long time.  In pain for a long time.  That pain is gone now, and it’s because of you.”

He squeezed Corbin’s hand to stop him.

Corbin knelt down petting him gently, “As scary as it may be, the most love you will get will be now on. Your pack you will meet as soon.” Corbin’s voice was gentle as he offered a collar to Scott as well. “It won’t take more than a week, we’ll close the way up after you both.” he commented as Church trotted into the den without hesitation.

Corbin looked at Stiles with a smile, petting his face lightly, “It’s sad, but i would rather pick a canine who hasn’t known any love for the love that will come from the protection he will offer in his new life.” he whispered, “To make up for a lifetime without.”

Stiles smiled sadly.

“So much love.”

**** Scott, the dog, and Church were buried now.  Stiles was covered in dirt but he didn’t mind.  Running a hand through his hair, he took a deep breath.

“So much has happened in my time.  It’s hard to believe that I’m at this point now.”

He smiled as he looked towards Corbin.

Stiles blinked in confusion after the man he was helping kissed him. Chaos unfurled around them with werewolves and chimera and who knew what else.

Yet this man had kissed him in the midst of it.

"I uh...I have a girlfriend."

Church chuckled and shook his head, “I still have my duties to perform before i get my rest while we are all buried. I will rest when i am in the earth again. I’m due for a sleep. Been a few hundred years.” he promised covering his heart with his hand as he bowed before stepping out to find Scott.

It was a bit before Church came back, stating calmly that Scott was waiting in the graveyard with Corbin. He held out a dark leather collar inscribed with runes, matching the tattoos around his own neck, “Place this on him, and we’ll get going.” 

His own hands were dirty from digging the caverns that would hold them while the change took place, but he was reassuring. 

As the moon rose in the sky, Corbin laid out food for both Scott and the wolfdog under a large yew tree on the edge of the graveyard whose roots were exposed showing a dark cavern within.

He didn’t want to part with the wolfdog.  The beast seemed to adore him, and now that he was all clean, and free of fleas, he seemed almost puppy like.  But the beast knew it was time for his death and rebirth, and it licked at Stiles’ face.

There were tears falling down Stiles’ cheeks.

He wished he could have given the good boy a good life.  He had lived long enough, after all, to have been there for this beast’s birth.

Setting the nameless hound on the ground, he watched as he ate the ceremonial food, the collar around his neck.

Corbin looked at Stiles, proud for a moment as Stiles got to the point to understand what the retirement home was truly for. He stood as well, “They will become one, but i have the feeling that they will be a wonderful match.” he spoke softly, as the wolfdog laid his head down on his shoulder with a sigh as they made their way out of the too small pen, towards the home.

As soon as they entered, Corbin led him to a bathroom to wash the wolfdog, “I’ll bring Scott and the food they will need to share, it won’t be fun… but it’s necessary. They’ll both need to be buried together in the graveyard for a week human time to join…. It’s an old ritual but effective. Church?” he asked as his own grim shifted.

“It’s not pleasant being buried… but it helps bind to the graveyard and the world that we belong with.” The first time the grim had opened his mouth, his voice was soft and melodic much like a sweet purr and his lips quirked up gently, showing just how tired he looked. “I will rest with them though.”

He reached out and gently took Church’s hand.

“Thank you, Church.  For everything you have done.  You should go rest for now.”

He smiled softly.

“You look so very tired.”

He turned back to the wolf dog and kissed it’s muzzle, earning a playful little growl.  It was clear that this being saw Stiles as family.  As someone to cherish.

“I wish I could have found you sooner and given you a good life.”

He slowly washed dirty fur, black becoming a pale gray in color.

Corbin couldn’t help but smile leaning into the soft touch, “You will see when we bring the form home… It’s waiting for us…. but I couldn’t deny these touches…. I love them too much.” he admitted, heart thrumming softly in his chest as he took his hand, entwining their fingers. He stepped towards the door as Church trotted ahead of them quietly.

“You also look more than halfway decent.” he added, heels clicking on the worn path that had led Stiles to the mansion. it was in early morning as if time had frozen, dew and frost making the grass glisten as they made their way towards a farm house. It looked almost abandoned, other than the yelling inside. He sighed softly, guiding Stiles to the back towards a cage, roughly made that was barren other than a dry water dish and food bowl and a dog house that seemed too large to fit one dog. 

Corbin didn’t hesitate, he knew what humans were like, and he had long since gotten over the feeling of hatred. He slipped in quietly, bringing down his hood, as a massive black wolfdog strode out, head down, ears back, teeth showing as Church walked in as well. As soon as Church was near the wolfdog calmed, looking between the hosts and the grim, ears falling to the sides, showing just how thin and ragged he was. 

Corbin reached out gently, petting the beast, “It’s time for you to have a companion who will listen and care for you.” He looked at Stiles and held up a shackle, “I need you to place this on his front leg. He’s ready to be tied to Scott.”

There are tears in Stiles’ eyes as he sees the state the wolfdog is in.  He can feel that it is close to death.  Starving.  When told to enter, he does, and before shackling the dog, he runs his fingers through it’s fur.

“Never again.  You will know peace, I’ll make sure of it, and so will Scott.  You will never again feel hunger, or sorrow.”

He rested their foreheads together.

“I’ll care for you now.”

Gently cuffing the beast of a dog, he places a kiss on it’s muzzle.  And then, as if the dog ways nothing, he lifts him up like he’s a puppy.  

Corbin smiled gently at him, wearing a long lace skirt and a corset vest over a robe, looking rather distinguished in his own way. “It’s okay. It happens. I know how it can be. Right now there’s not much to do anyway, except start preparing for another churchgrim, he came to me to start the paperwork, I’m just helping find a suitable match for his canine form. Traditionally it’s done with a pure black dog, usually a shepherd of some sort. Church takes the form of a groendahl, but they also have to be near us…” he sighed softly, “However for him, I’ve landed on something far better and more fitting for the role he’ll take by your side.”

Corbin knew he was rambling, but he felt like he needed to catch him up on what he’d been working on so diligently in his absence. He stood, heels clicking, as Church entered the room. “We need to wear these for the trip, Scott is going to be here to protect the spirits already, we aren’t going far-” he explained holding out a metal bracelet that matched the shackle on Church’s left arm.

“It ties us to Church so we can explore the human reality and gather spirits we need to or in this case… a body.” he sighed softly, offering him a robe as well, “It’ll give you protection from mortal eyes.”

“And what sort of beast with Scott be in mortal form?”

He’s curious.

“Is it some sort of wolf?  That would please him.  Given the whole...werewolf in life thing.”

He chuckled softly before pulling the cloak on reluctantly.

“For the first time in my existence I look halfway decent and I have to hide it from the eyes of others.  How tragic.”

He slipped the cuff on as well, linking him with Church, but his eyes remained completely on Corbin, who looked so beautiful in what he was wearing.

He wanted to touch him, softly.  Just a caress of the cheek.  And so, reaching how, that is what he did.  He smiled softly as he offered the small touch.

“Okay,” he nodded. 

“Well, I couldn’t really sleep so I got up early and went down to the lake where, you know…” his voice trailed off. Matt found himself looking down at his homework, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone of Stiles’ friends. He didn’t want their fake pity, they weren’t friends, despite Stiles’ best efforts.

“Anyway, there was this giant tree stump a little way off more into the woods. It had this weird triangle carved into it with these straight lines coming off of it. I just thought it looked kind of cool.”

“Did it look like this?”

Scott had drawn the image.  Derek had told him about the Alpha Pack that had come to town.  How they were dangerous and had killed off all their original packs to join as alphas.

“Scott?”

He smiled softly, moving with him gracefully, leaning in closer as he was dipped, his feet floating up off the ground as he looked up at Stiles, “Danger is always a fun game to play-”

The Host’s blue eyes were soft reflecting the moonlight timidly as the ghosts rose and danced around them as Church approached followed by Stiles’ parents who wished to see him after he woke. Corbin peeled himself away with a grin, teasing but loving as he allowed the new reunion.

Stiles hand reached out towards Corbin as the other moved away when his parents returned.  The fluttering in his chest had not stopped.  Was this what it was to fall in love?  He hadn’t felt this with Derek.  There had been a sort of fear there.  Maybe a bit with Lydia; but nothing this strongly.

He slowly let his hand drop as his mother wrapped him in her arms.  A sense of peace came over him.  The fluttering in his chest was replaced with a giddy bubbling as he wrapped his arms back around his mother.

Eventually, the trio was joined by those of the McCall pack who had been taken by death.  Including Allison Argent.  For days they spoke, and Scott had agreed to the offer of becoming a church grim.  He and Stiles were meant to do everything together, after all.  They were soulmates, though in a fully platonic way.

It was one week after his rebirth that he finally found Corbin again.  He was dressed smartly.  He felt that if he was to aid spirits, then he should look the part.

“I’m sorry that I’ve been away.  There was... a lot to catch up on.”

“You never know if you don’t offer him the choice. It would still grant him a physical form to exist within,” he spoke before looking at his hand in surprise but took it delicately, pulled up gracefully onto the tips of his toes like a dancer. His enchanted blue eyes locking onto Stiles’ gaze tenderly. 

He stepped closer and pulled him closer, his other hand going to his shoulder, resting next to his neck lightly, thumb brushing lightly over skin. “Naturally-” he couldn’t fight the teasing urge to lean in just out of reach before whispering.

“I’ll follow your lead for now-”

“Then we will make the offer.”

His phantom heart pounded in his chest as he started leading the dance.  He was never one good at dancing.  Especially not such a formal dance.  But somehow, it seemed that his body knew exactly how to move.  He swayed and spun with Corbin as if they had done it a thousand times before.  And at the end, he dipped him, staring into his eyes.

Matt had spent the next few days walking on eggshells waiting for the other shoe to drop, the rug to be pulled out from underneath him and for stiles to betray him. He had managed to think up at least a thousand scenarios that all ended badly. But none of those imagined horror stories ever came to pass. It was a strange feeling for Matt. Maybe he could trust Stiles after all.

The rest of the ‘gang’ was a different story entirely. Jackson spent his time glaring at him and taking any jabs he could. Isaac had the nerve to act as if he wasn’t happy about the fact that his abusive father was now permanently out of the picture. Golden boy Scott was acting like some hyperactive puppy trying to include him in everything, which was more annoying than anything else.

“No,” Matt shrugged. “It was a stupid question; so I didn’t bother to answer it.”

It threw Matt that Stiles had asked about him in front of everyone. He didn’t know how to take it, it felt too normal. “Yeah, I was just out taking pictures.”

Stiles nodded gently.

“Okay, well; just try to text me next time.  Yea?  I was worried.  Catch anything good?”

Stiles was actually curious about what Matt had been taking pictures of.  His mother had been a photographer.  It was her passion.  But Stiles had never picked up the camera as a child, and he was afraid to break it now that he was grown.  It was too important a thing to him.

“Mom...was a photographer.”