#sbdisney

“You want us to do what,” Laura screeches, hovering over Derek’s sleeping form as though it is enough to change her mother’s mind.

“I don’t like it either Laura, but it is the best chance we have at helping him. It’s our only chance.”

Stiles hates everything about the plan. It makes his skin crawl just thinking about it. And yet, he finds himself reluctantly agreeing with Talia. If true love’s kiss is the only thing that could help Derek, then they have to find Derek’s true love. And the only way to do that is to welcome the people of their kingdom and beyond to come and kiss Derek.

Despite the serious issues of consent that Stiles has with the whole ordeal, there is another part of him, a smaller part, that is put off by jealousy. As the son of the Queen’s Guard Captain, Stiles grew up at the palace with the Hale siblings. And while he got close with all of Talia’s children, Stiles had a special bond with Derek. That was why Talia put Stiles in charge of Derek’s personal guard in the first place, despite the fact that he is three years younger than him and that he is only a Spark while Derek himself is a werewolf. After spending so much time with him, both as his guard and as his friend, it was impossible for Stiles not to fall for Derek. And the thought of standing by while other people, while strangers, kiss the person that Stiles has fallen in love with is excruciating. Just thinking about it makes Stiles’ stomach stomach turn.

“That is insane,” Laura snarls, eyes flickering between beta gold and green. “Mom, tell me there isn’t another way. Stiles, you can’t actually think that this is a good idea!”

And he wants to say that it’s a terrible idea, he really does, both for Derek’s sake and for his own. But - “I don’t know what else we could do, Laura.” She gaps at him, and he sighs. “I hate it as much as you do, trust me I do. But the Queen has a point; how else could we help him? Deaton and I have tried to brainstorm any other way that we might help, but this is a magick that we can’t compete with We’ve even tried to create a spell to find Derek’s mate, but it just doesn’t work like that. Even with the best of intentions, there is nothing that we can do.”

She huffs, looking furious. And then all at once, the breath leaves her. She drops her gaze and sighs. “Okay. I-Gods I hate this so much. But if it’s all we can do to wake him up, all we can do so that I can have my brother back again, then alright.”

Stiles thinks about how rare it is to find one's true love. He thinks about how many werewolves that he’s known that have actually found their true mate. The statistic is...well, it’s anything but encouraging. But it’s Derek. And Stiles has been willing to do anything for him for a long time.

Talia nods, expression serious. She’s no longer Derek’s mother. She’s the queen of Beacon, ready to face the world and all of its odds. “I’ll have my advisors start setting up a process for this ordeal. I want this as organized and well maintained as possible.”

Laura nods once, then meets her mother’s eyes, expression determined. “I want to be a part of it.”

Talia doesn’t argue or protest at all. Instead she looks at Stiles. He understands what she’s asking and shakes his head. “I’ll stay with him, if that’s alright.”

With an understanding nod, Talia excuses herself and disappears, ready to get started. Laura gives her brother one last, lingering look before following after her. And Stiles takes his post at Derek’s bedside, as loyal as always.

—————

It takes a week before the council is able to lay out an organized plan to find Derek’s true love. It’s convoluted and tedious, but it is the best that they can come up with. The night before the castle opens its doors for the citizens of Beacon to try and wake the prince with a kiss, Laura curls up on the bed with Derek and settles in for the night.

Stiles has long since given up guarding the door. Instead he spends his days waiting at Derek’s bedside, watching over him. When Laura comes in, he gives her privacy with her brother, pulling his chair to the other side of the room and retrieving a book. He’s making steady progress into it when Laura speaks up, startling him; Stiles had thought that she had fallen asleep already.

“Are we doing the right thing,” Laura asks, voice small. Stiles glances over at her, takes in her downtrodden expression and the uncomfortable way that she’s hunched beside her brother, and stands up. Moving to sit beside her on the bed, Stiles reaches out and takes her hand, then looks back at where Derek slumbers on.

“I don’t know.” The only thing that he can be is honest. “I hope so. But-I don’t know.”

“Derek would hate this. The thought of having so many people, so many strangers touching him, getting in his space. He would hate it so much.”

The worst part is that Stiles knows that she’s right. “Do you think-do you think that he would rather stay asleep?” It’s the question that he’s been too afraid of asking since the beginning. Here in the dark though, it feels necessary to ask. There is a long pause from Laura, and Stiles prepares himself for her answer. If she says yes, if she honestly thinks that Derek would prefer an eternal slumber, then he’s ready to do everything that he can to stop tomorrow from happening.

But then all the air leaves Laura’s lungs. “I don’t think so. I mean, we can’t say for sure. And I may just be putting my wishes on him. But I think that he would like to wake up and be with all of us again. I think that, even though it sucks, I think that he would want us to do this if it means that he can come home to us. The Derek I know would do anything for his family. He loves us more than anything else.”

The truth of what she’s saying makes Stiles feel better - well, mostly. As she curls up beside her brother, Stiles lets their conversation die off. But he’s left with another question; at what point do you love someone enough to let them go?

He hopes, glancing over at Derek’s still form, that he’ll never have to find that out.

—————

The next few days are...well, horrible might be an understatement. They move Derek down to the great hall, settling him in a bed set up in front the thrones. And then, one by one, the citizens of Beacon shuffle into the room, pay their respects to their unconscious prince, and then they kiss him hoping that they’ll be the one to wake him from his slumber.

Stiles stands guard at Derek’s side and watches as everyone takes their chance. Even Erica and Boyd, Derek’s two best friends who have been happily married for three years step forward to offer their kisses.

Derek never wakes up.

It’s exhausting for Stiles and for the royal family. Cora, Derek's littlest sister, locks herself in her bedroom and refuses to see Derek at all. Laura looks more haggered day by day. There are bags under her eyes giving away her exhaustion, which is heartbreaking because Stiles cannot recall a time where Laura was anything but composed. Even Talia herself looks wearier as the hours pass and her son remains enchanted.

After the fourth day, after Derek has been returned to his bedroom, Talia summons Stiles to her study. When he joins her she is sitting at her desk, penning a letter to the ruler of their neighboring country, explaining what has befallen Beacon and inviting them to come and offer up their kisses.

Stiles stands in the center of the room watching her and staying silent. Eventually, she sighs, sets her pen off to one side, and gives him her attention.

“Stiles,” Talia hums, glancing over at him consideringly. “Tell me something; you have stayed by Derek’s side, have been his friend for years, and you would do anything for him.” She pauses, waiting, even though she isn’t really asking a question.

He blinks at her. “I-yes.”

She smiles. “Then why have you not kissed him. There is no reason that you shouldn’t throw your hand in with all the others. And I know that you’re fond of him.”

Stiles feels himself blush. He wants to deny it, but doesn’t see the point. Talia is a werewolf, an alpha no less. Lying would be pointless. “That’s just it. I’ve-,” it feels stupid to say that he loves Derek, but in the interest of being honest, “I’ve been in love with Derek for so long. Probably even before I joined the Guard and was entrusted to protect his life with my own. But that doesn’t mean anything. I’m not Derek’s true love. I’m not his mate. If I was, he would already know. I mean, when you talk about meeting your husband, it was an instant spark. You knew right away that he was your mate. That’s not-. I don’t need to kiss him to know that I’m not his. And if I can save him one unnecessary kiss, than why would I try? It would just be me taking something from him, something for myself, that he would never willingly give.”

As ungraceful as it is, Talia gaps. Smoothing out her expression, she nods, then smiles. It’s a sad look. “You can’t know that though, Stiles. Just because that was how it was for Patrick and I, that doesn’t mean that that’s how it always is.”

He shrugs and drops his gaze. “Maybe not. But it’s not me, my queen.”

Even though it looks like she wants to protest, she resists. “Alright. I won’t pressure you, not about this. But, for the record, I think that Derek would be lucky to have you.”

The compliment is-it’s a huge one. And it takes Stiles breath. But it doesn’t change his mind. “Thank you, my queen.”

She snorts, sounding nothing like royalty. “We’ve talked about this before, Stiles; call me Talia. You have always been a part of our family. And these days, I see you more than I do my own children.”

He inclines his head at the declaration, both to show his thanks and to hide his blush. Talia chuckles lowly, then picks her pen back up. “I have a few more letters to finish, Stiles. But thank you for coming in to see me.”

He bids her goodnight and exits the study, making his way back up to Derek’s room. The guards at the door nod at him when he shows up, and let him pass into the room without saying anything. Stiles takes his seat, leaning back and watching Derek’s sleeping expression.

“You wouldn’t believe the conversation I just had with your mom,” he says softly. This is something that, over the weeks since the spell was cast, Stiles has taken up doing. Talking to Derek, even though he can’t hear him, is nice. And it feels important even though Stiles never gets a response. “She thought that I might be your true love, can you believe it? Don’t worry, I told her that that would be impossible. I mean, there’s no way that it’s me, Derek. We both know that. But I’ll find them, alright. Whoever your true love is, I’ll find them.”

Stiles allows a smile to pull his lips up as he settles back into his chair, even though it feels like a lie. It doesn’t matter. Derek can’t see it anyway.

—————

Laura is seated at the chair by Derek’s bedside. She’s flipping through the most recent book that Stiles had left on the table when Stiles walks in, and she barely looks at him. Without commenting on it, Stiles settles into a spare chair beside window, staring out across the courtyard, appreciating the way that the lamp lights cast a welcoming glow over the kingdom.

Out of nowhere, Laura bursts into motion, climbing to her feet to pace around the room. There have been multiple nights in the days following Derek’s curse that have ended like this, so Stiles doesn’t let the commotion get to him.

Until she comes to a stop standing in front of him.

He blinks up at her. “Um, hello, Laura.”

She scowls at him and, without beating around the bush, gets right to the point. “So I was talking to my mother earlier about how I thought it was kind of crazy that your kiss hadn’t done the trick to wake Derek up,” he flinches back against the window. “And she informed me that you hadn’t even tried.”

“Laura-.”

“Even Matthew tried! My husband kissed my brother to try and wake him up, and you told her that you wouldn’t!”

“Laura, you have to believe me when I say that I’m not Derek’s true love. I’m not his mate, Laura, I already know.”

“Please.” Laura sounds frustrated and heartbroken. Stiles can’t look at her. “Stiles, please. I know that you told mom that you wouldn’t. I know that you think it can’t be possible. But please, just try.”

“Your Highness, I can’t-.”

“Stop it.” Her voice is ice. “Don’t-. You can’t do that. You can’t push me away. You can’t distance yourself from all of us. Stiles, you grew up with us. You’re family. This doesn’t change anything.”

“I don’t’ deserve him,” he blows up finally, the words full of a truth that he’s believed for weeks. “Don’t you get that! I’m the reason that he’ in this situation in the first place! I can’t-. I’m not good enough for him.” The fight leaves his voice, and he adds in a whisper, “I’m not enough.”

Instead of agreeing with him like he expects, and instead of comforting him like he is secretly hoping for, Laura smacks the back of his head. “That’s crap, and you know it. If you weren’t enough, Derek never would have trusted you in the first place. All you’ve ever done is look for him, and you never expect anything in return.”

“It’s my job.”

“Yes, it is. But even before you were hired as his personal guard, you were watching out for him.” She sighs. “I know about what you did for him after Paige died.” Stiles startles. It hadn’t seemed like a very big deal at the time, and Stiles didn’t think that Derek had told anyone. Finding him that night, Stiles had done what had felt right. He had taken a distraught Derek back to his father's house on the outskirts of the city, tucked Derek into his bed, and kept vigil over him through the night, curling around him in a comforting hug when nightmares plagued Derek’s dreams. Having known what losing someone felt like, Stiles just wanted to help Derek escape for a few minutes. He had wanted to give him the space to breakdown away from prying eyes and expectations.

In the morning, Derek woke up and Stiles made him breakfast without saying a word. And then he escorted him back to the castle, and they never spoke of what had happened.

Laura sets her hand on Stiles’. “I know that you believe that you’re taking something from him by doing this, but please. Just try. I won’t-. I won’t force you to do it. But I would like you to. I mean, if anyone deserves my grumpy ass brother, I would like to believe that it’s the only person who knows how to handle him and who has never expected him to be anything but himself.”

She pats his hand once, twice, and then raises out of her chair and leaves the bedroom. Stiles watches her go, then turns his gaze on Derek.

He looks good, which is a relief. Despite how long he’s been sleeping, the enchantment has kept him healthy Stiles doesn’t understand how, magick isn’t always clear like that, but he’s happy for it. If he had to sit by and watch Derek slowly fade away to nothing, he doesn’t know how he would handle that.

Trying not to think about what Laura has said, Stiles moves over to the bed and settles on the edge. With shaking hands, he reaches out and runs his fingers gently across Derek’s cheek. Beneath his fingers, Derek’s skin is cool, another sign that this is not genuine slumber. For as long as Stiles has known him, Derek has always run warm, his skin hot to the touch. This spell has not only robbed him of his consciousness, but also of his warmth.

It’s that thought, the thought of how wrong it is and of how much Stiles wants him back, that has Stiles scooting forward. With a shaking breath, he closes his eyes, swallows nervously, and leans down to connect his lips with Derek’s.

He pulls back after a brief moment, breath caught in his chest, hope warring with the belief that he could never be good enough.

Derek looks the same.

It’s heartbreaking, but it’s what Stiles expected.

Trying to put some distance between himself and what he just did, Stiles gets up from the bed and moves back over to the window. Wrenching it open, he lets the fresh air wash over him and clear his head.

And then, someone behind him groans, startling Stiles enough that he nearly tumbles out the window.

Cursing, Stiles turns around, hand on the hilt of his sword. No one should be up here right now, which is why it’s surprising that he comes face to face with...no one. There isn’t anyone there.

There’s another groan, but this time Stiles sees where it’s coming from. On the bed, Derek twists his head to one side, expression pulling down in discomfort. Stiles trips on his way to the bed, throwing himself down beside Derek, wide eyed and frantic. “Derek? Derek? Are you awake?”

Taking a deep breath, Derek rolls onto his side. And then his eyes open. “Stiles? I-.” He tries to sits up, but then groans again and falls back onto his pillow. “What’s going on? What happened? Why is my body so sore.”

Manic, hysterical laughter takes Stiles by force, and he pulls Derek into a hug as best as he can. “You’re awake, you’re really awake!” He feels like crying. “Oh shit, I have to get the Queen! And Laura, holy crap, she’s going to hit me so hard for this. She’ll never let me live it down.”

Carefully, Derek pulls away from Stiles, reaching up to run careful fingers across his cheeks, and, oh-. Stiles hadn’t realized that he had actually started crying. “Stiles, what’s wrong?”

Without thinking about it, Stiles leans forward and peppers little kisses across Derek’s cheeks. “Nothing. Nothing is wrong, not anymore. You’re awake, and that’s all that matters.” Realizing that Derek actually has no idea what’s happened, and therefore doesn’t understand why Stiles is so ready to kiss him now even though it has never happened before, Stiles pushes himself away from Derek, falling off of the bed and staring up at the prince from the floor in horror.

“Oh Gods, I just kissed you. I mean, you don’t even know what’s going on or that I’m you’re mate and I just kissed you and you’re awake and I need to get Talia and-.” His voice has gotten louder through his tangent, and he must sound as frantic as he feels because the door to Derek’s bedroom is pushed open and one of the guards standing watch outside peeks his head inside. “Is everything alright in here, sir?”

Stiles blinks at him. “Get the Queen. Call the royal family. Prince Derek is awake.”

The guard flinches back in surprise, eyes trailing over to where Derek is sitting on the bed then back to Stiles. “Right away, sir!” The door closes and Stiles can hear the heavy footsteps of the running guard move away from the door.

“Stiles?” Derek’s voice is croaky still from disuse. “Please, what's going on.”

When he asks so nicely, how could Stiles resist. “You were cursed. I don’t know how much you remember of what happened before you fell asleep, but when you rejected Jennifer’s advances, she responded by placing a sleeping curse over our kingdom. I managed to wake the others, but she used a specific spell on you, one that I couldn’t break with my magick.” He doesn’t mention what the spell was or how it was broken. He doesn’t know how to bring that up, or how to process that himself. “You’ve been asleep for nearly three months.”

Derek’s eyes are huge, shock and awe clear in his gaze. Stiles is so happy to be able to see them again. “I-. What-.” Before he can finish forming his question, the door bangs open and Talia appears, closely followed by Patrick and the rest of the Hales. Her hair is loose around her shoulders, her dressing robe thrown haphazardly over her nightgown, and Stiles doesn’t think he can recall her ever looking happier. There are clear tears in her eyes as she crosses the room and drags Derek into a hug.

Stiles is painfully aware that he’s sitting out he floor, watching the Hale’s reunite. Despite knowing that he’s the reason why Derek is awake, despite understanding that that means that he’s Derek’s mate, he can’t help but feel like he’s intruding on something very private.

Trying to move as quietly as he can, Stiles starts scooting himself toward the door, attempting to make a hasty exit. Before he can get too far though, he hears Derek call out his name in a soft whisper, and then an iron grip clamps down on his shoulder. When he turns to peek back at the room, all eyes are on his.

Laura’s fingers tighten ever so slightly on his shoulder as she peers down at him with narrowed eyes, and Stiles winces. “Stiles? What exactly happened after I left, hm?” She sounds far too gleeful. “How did Derek wake up?”

A small part of him is hoping that Talia will step in and wave Laura off, but she looks just as curious.

Opening his mouth, Stiles scrambles for a way to answer that doesn’t make him sound like some sort of predator.

Derek responds instead. “True love.” His voice is quiet and awed, and just a bit scratchy. “Jennifer’s spell for me was based on finding true love’s kiss.” A small smile pulls his lips up, and Stiles’ breath catches. “You’re my mate.”

It isn’t a question, and Stiles finds himself smiling back. “Who would have thought, right?”

Pretty much everyone gives him a look that says that they did, in fact, think that. Talia’s smile is soft and overjoyed. “Under normal circumstances, I would leave you two alone to talk everything over. But-. Well, I just got my son back, so perhaps we might call for something to eat and stay together a little longer before we all go to bed?” It feels absurd that she’s addressing the question to Stiles, because she is the Queen and Derek’s mother, and his alpha to boot. But it’s also humbling that she’s allowing him a chance to make a choice.

He nods. “Yes, of course you all will stay. I-. I’m sure Derek would like that, and having the pack whole again will help everyone calm down.”

“You’ll stay though, won’t you?” Derek actually sounds like he thinks Stiles is going to leave, which-. Actually that’s fair, considering he was just trying to crawl himself out of the room.

“Yes, of course. I’m not going anywhere, Derek.” He statement feels bigger than just this moment, and Derek seems to pick up on that too because he relaxes back into the bed, looking pleased.

Talia calls for a platter of meats and cheese to be brought up, and Cora makes a special request for some peanut butter cookies for Derek, and the pack settles around the room, taking turns sitting with Derek on the bed. The don’t really discuss the process that they were using to try and wake Derek up prior to Stiles’ kiss; there will be plenty of time for that later. Instead they focus on lighter topics and easy conversation. Somehow, and he isn’t actually quite sure how he gets there, Stiles ends up on the bed, pressed against Derek’s side feeling warm and drowsy and content.

One by one Derek’s family bids them goodnight, exiting the room until it’s just the two of them. Before she goes, Laura pauses at the door. “Oh, Stiles. I have refrained from saying it all night, but I told you so.”

Talia, who had been following Laura out, laughs. “Dear, leave the boys alone. Besides,” she grins a wicked grin, “I think I am the one who should be saying that.” Her laugher lights up the room as she pushes Laura through the door. “Goodnight boys, we’ll see you in the morning.”

Without the others there, what had begun to feel so natural is uncomfortable. Tensing up, Stiles prepares to climb out of the bed and leave Derek alone for the rest of the night. But before he can move, Derek snakes his arm around his waist and tugs him in closer.

“I thought that you said you weren’t going anywhere?” His tone is light and affectionate.

“I just-. I thought that you might like some space to think about all of this. I mean, you just woke up and all of this was thrown on you and-.”

“Stiles, trust me when I tell you that I have never been more sure of anything in my life.” He twines their fingers together and tries to explain. “You have to understand, Stiles, this isn’t all that sudden. I grew up not only hearing my parent’s love story, but also knowing the tales of true love and finding one’s mate. Even if it had never happened, it is something that I’ve always been prepared for. And my mate being you doesn’t shock me either.” He ducks his head, watching as his thumb skirts over Stiles’ hand. “I’ve liked you for so long it already feels like forever.” Derek snorts when the words make Stiles’ heart race. “If you don’t believe me, ask Cora. She was the one who was unfortunate enough to deal with all of my pining.”

Stiles swallows, dumbstruck. Derek liked him? Before all of this mate stuff happened? Him? “Well. That’s good. I mean, me too. About you. I’ve liked you too, is what I’m trying to say. I have for awhile.”

A pleased hum rumbles from Derek’s chest, and he looks up at Stiles through his eyelashes. “Good.” Tugging him a little closer, Derek grins. “Does that mean we can try that kiss over again?”