Moodboards for Sterek AUs: 27/?
For @averysterekspring (themes: pink moon and werewolf culture)
Pink Moon
Derek had never been one for romance, and Stiles was okay with that.
They had been dating for almost a year now. They had first got together the summer Stiles had come home and decided to stay in Beacon Hills, and it was now April.
In that time, Derek had made few romantic gestures. He would remember the important dates, like their 6 month or Stiles’ birthday, but he never did more than a small gift and some kind words. He had even literally asked that they not do anything for Valentine’s Day.
Stiles understood that romance clearly made the wolf uncomfortable, and he accepted that. He toned down all the wild acts of romance he wanted to do for Derek, and acknowledged that they could show love to each other other ways. Stiles was honestly just thankful that Derek was even willing to be in a relationship with him, so he honestly was rarely upset by the lack of romance.
But that lack of romance is why he was so confused when he came to Derek’s apartment and the first thing he saw was pink rose petals littered all the way down the hall. He had a brief moment of panic where he wondered if maybe there was some sort of monster that shed rose petals, but quickly dismissed that as ridiculous.
Stiles followed the petals to the kitchen, where he was met with a surprising sight. Derek stood holding a bouquet of pink roses in front of the dining table, which was also covered with rose petals, along with some candles and a delicious smelling meal. Stiles desperately racked his mind trying to figure out what reason there possibly could be for this, but came up blank.
Derek looked tense and Stiles became genuinely worried he had forgotten an important date or something. So he did what he did best. He rambled. “Okay, this looks really great but I don’t know what it’s for and if today is an important date I swear I will make it up to you and I love you and you can’t go into your headspace where you start doubting that just because I’m a dumbass who can’t remember things are because I swear to god I’ll fight you and then we’ll both be upset because I’ll obviously lose and then you’ll have to comfort me and-“
“Stiles!” Derek barked, cutting off his ramble. “You didn’t forget anything. It’s... it’s the pink moon.”
“I’m pretty sure I would have noticed if the moon was pink, dude.” That honestly wasn’t what Stiles had meant to say, but it did seem to make Derek relax so he counted that as a win.
Derek snorted. “The moon isn’t actually pink. That’s what the full moon in April is called. Some people say that it’s because of a pink flower that blooms at this time of year. But my mom always told me it was because of werewolf tradition. Today is basically... well, I guess the best way to put it is that it’s our Valentine’s Day. But it’s so much more than what Valentine’s Day is for humans.”
Derek looked nervous again as he began fidgeting. Stiles decided to spare him. He walked up to Derek, giving him a searing kiss before he took the roses and set them down. After that, he pushed Derek down in his seat and then sat across from him.
They both began digging into their food, the taste so good Stiles actually moaned (which totally wasn’t for the heated stare he knew it would get him from Derek).
Finally, Derek seemed to relax, as he started speaking again. “When my mom explained the pink moon to me, she mentioned the human phrase “rose-colored glasses.” She said humans sometimes used it negatively, to call someone naive, but it basically meant having an optimistic view of the world, always seeing the positive rather than the negative. She said that’s kind of what the pink moon was about, but never a bad thing. She said when you found your mate, you would see the world bathed in pink, like there really was a pink moon. It wasn’t that you would ignore the bad, it was just you would see beauty everywhere, you would never doubt that there was good.” Derek took a deep breathe. “That’s how you make me feel.”
Stiles stared at him in awe. He had never heard Derek talk that much about his family.
“I guess I never told you told you or the pack about the pink moon because I suppose I have some commitment issues, and celebrating the pink moon is essentially declaring that you want to be with your partner. I’m so afraid of losing you, but... I know what I want. The fear I feel when I think about losing you is just proof that I want forever with you.”
Stiles teared up at the words but tried not to show it, worried he would spook Derek, so instead he just gave a watery smile. “I feel the exact same. So, tell me, what does one do when celebrating the pink moon?”
“Well, one of the main traditions is the presence of pink flowers. Other than that, it’s mostly just romance. But also... Well, I don’t know if it’s really a tradition, but my mom would always full shift. She would play with us kids before bed, and then she would stay as a wolf the whole night and struggle with my dad. I don’t know if it’s just something she did but... yeah.”
Stiles couldn’t help how his jaw dropped. He heard the words Derek wasn’t saying. Derek would only shift for training and fights, no matter how much Stiles or the pack begged. Derek explained that it was difficult for him to do because playing and being pet as a wolf would basically be like him rolling over and exposing his belly. It was the ultimate sign of vulnerability and submission.
So Stiles understood what Derek was really saying. That he was offering a show of complete and utter trust.
Stiles leaned slightly forward so he could grasp Derek’s hand. “We can do whatever you’re comfortable with. I would love to experience that with you, but it’s all up to you. No matter what, just you sharing this with me means the world. I love you so much.”
That night, Derek does shift, and Stiles swears he has never felt as much love as he does in that moment.
(After they cuddle through the night with Derek in his wolf form, he makes Stiles swear to never speak of it to any of the pack. Stiles keeps it to himself, honored to have been able to share this with Derek, and looking forward to the next pink moon. He wondered if he could figure out the importance of the other full moons too...).
