#talerek

 Do I ship it? NOTP / Crack only / AU only / Not really / Maybe a little / Well now I do/ Yes/ Of course! / OTP

Haphephobia – fear of being touched I remember talking about this situation/idea for a moment in Talerek's life once with Rhia and I thought this was a good opportunity to write it out. TW: ABUSE (Well, not really, more like the lingering issues stemming from it). Enjoy!

It was so real. Every word hit her the same way as always, every blow landed on her body the exact same wat she remembered, sending pain through every nerve. She heard the crack before she felt it - broken rib. Her cheek was warm and sticky with blood - open gash on her forehead. Every inch of her ached - bruises, there was always bruises. Only with a few hours, a day or two maximum, she would heal. Werwolves didn't scar, not physically anyway. There's be no real evidence by morning. Yet something about it all was surreal. She had escaped all of this. It wasn't real. The pain wasn't real, it was just a memory, a phantom pain all in her head. A gasp ripped through Tala's throat and she bolted upright. Dazed and panicked eyes roamed over her surroundings in an attempt to gather her bearings. Finally her brown hues focused on a pair of familiar, beautiful green eyes. Derek looked just as terrfied as she felt and she guessed he had been awake for some time - probably trying to wake her based on the way the sheets were tangled around her limbs like she had been wrestling in them and how the sweat covered her body in a light sheen. Her throat was hoarse from screaming - this hadn't been a silent nightmare.  "I woke you." She whispered, the heat draining from her body as she calmed and began to shiver. How long had the two of them been together now? A few months? She hadn't had a nightmare in all that time. Apparently her luck had finally run out. "It doesn't matter." He murmured back, moving closer to her slowly, as if she were a frightened animal that would run at any sudden movements. "You had a nightmare." It was both a statement and a inquiry. Tala nodded in a way that made it obvious it wasn't the first time.  "What was it about?" "Doesn't matter. I'm fine, really I  " "Was it him?" Silence from her, but the way she froze confirmed it and had him clenching his fists, rage flashing in his eyes and turning the irises red momentarily. "It wasn't real, he won't hurt you ever again." It was said through gritted teeth, although he quickly softened as she tucked herself into him, his next words were murmured into her hair. "I swear to you, if he ever comes within a hundred miles of us I will kill him for ever daring to lay a hand on you." It was surprisingly soothing to hear and the young wolf's heart rate had slowed significantly. Although only a moment later and it picked back up again as she was suddenly on him. Her lips found his in a kiss full of desperation and love. The need to forget and just focus on nothing but the good things was overwhelming. "I don't want to talk abut it. He's nothing to me anymore. Not even worth my time thinking about. It's you, Derek. It's always going to be you." She gasped out in between kisses.

Sweat speckled her brow and formed a fine sheen along her body, causing the sheets to stick to her skin in an unpleasant way. Tala whined softly as she woke, the horrible feeling still hadn’t left her. A cool, damp cloth was pressed softly to her forehead and she opened her eyes as the last remnants of sleep left her."Finally scare Stiles off, huh?" She asked, her voice all croaky as she mustered a smile for Derek who had the most gentle expression she thought she had ever seen. The werewolf was surprised to find him and not her favourite human - it wasn’t that Derek wouldn’t look after her, it was that he didn’t have a chance because Stiles barely left her side."He was annoying. Kept running around aimlessly, making soup and checking on you. I swear if he could he’s probably be midwife to you and our kid." His voice was gruff, the familiarity of it causing her to laugh gently.Derek’s hand hovered for a moment - as if scared he would break her - before it came to rest lightly on her rounded stomach. "Do you think this is hurting him?" She blurted suddenly after a short period of silence. "I’ve been sick for a few days and I think I read somewhere that bacteria and stuff can be bad for unborn babies. What if it’s messing up his development or something?" They had decided not to find out the sex, but Tala had taken to referring to the baby as a boy - claiming mother’s intuition - and it had quickly caught on. "He’s got you for a mother. He’s strong.""Yeah right, a mother who is constantly sick. Real strong genes there." Tala moved her hand on top of his and looked up at him with wide eyes. "I’m serious, Derek. This hasn’t exactly been the easiest pregnancy, what if I’ve hurt him in some way that can’t be fixed? I read articles on doctors connecting the flu to complications in pregnancy. Some woman told her story about how her baby’s brain didn’t develop properly.""He’s a wolf, not a human. Wolves are more resilient, they’re stronger. Tal, get some rest. Everything is fine and if you’re really worried I can uhh, get Stiles to book a doctor’s appointment or whatever and we can go."The expecting mother nodded, her eyes still filled with worry. “You’re right.” She murmured, trying to convince her feverish mind that she was worrying over nothing. “He’s a little Alpha. He’s strong.”"The strongest.""Lie with me? I’m all sweaty and gross, but in another month or so I’m going to be having your kid so I’m guessing that earns me some points." She joked lightly, shuffling over as he crawled up next to her, playing absentmindedly with her hair."Woah. Here." Tala whispered softly and grabbed his hand, bringing it to her stomach. "Think we’re going to have some trouble reigning in this one on a full moon?" She smiled sleepily, watching him feel the kick - his face never ceased to amaze her. Derek kissed her forehead, hand still resting on her abdomen."See. Strong." 

"I look silly, Mama." Tala turned to look at her son who was scowling at his reflection as he tried on his new glasses. A pang of pure affection and love rushed through her. God, he was a spitting imagine of Derek when he pulled that face. "Sweetie, you look   Evie!" Her reassurances were cut off when she darted after her two year old daughter. The tiny toddler had gone straight for the fingerpaint set as soon as she was let down and was about to fling it across the room. Tala managed to scoop the child up just in time. No paint on the carpet or walls - sigh of relief. Paint dribbled down the front of her chest - dammit. "Derek! Come in here and grab the little monster you helped create!" Juggling the toddler on her hip - who was now preoccupied with smearing the paint all over Tala's clothing and her own - the young mother crouched down next to Lori. "You do not look silly. You look smart. And I'll let you in on a little secret, my little wolf; all the girls love smart boys." She grinned at him in the mirror and kisses his cheek - chuckling as he scrunched up his nose and wiped his face with the back of his hand, announcing that girls were icky. She'd give it a few more years - he was his fathers son after all and she had no doubts he'd be just as smooth with the ladies. "Boys boys boys!" Evie piped up - the 's' sounding more like 'th'. "Mmm, that's right, baby. Although I don't think your father wants you even thinking about boys until you're at least thirty. Isn't that right, Der?" She smirked and turned to face him. After the years they had spent together she could feel when he entered a room.  "Yep. No boys for you." Tala rolled her eyes playfully at Derek, passing their daughter to him.  "Your kid. You get to wash her up. Enjoy." She teased and then turned her attention back to their eldest. "Looking good, little man." Derek commented as he left for the bathroom. Lori still didn't look convinced and Tala sat next to him, pulling him on her lap and stroking his hair absentmindedly. "If you still don't like them in a week we can buy you some new ones, okay?" She rested her chin on his head. "These things often grow on you. Just give them a chance, baby." She murmured and adjusted the glasses which had been slightly askew." "Okay, Mama. I will."

"You seriously want me to lay one on that grumpy looking wolf? Hmm, who knows, maybe I can even get a smile out of him."

Future!Talerek, because I can. ;)Morning light shone through the window and onto the young werewolf’s face, disrupting her sleep and rousing her from whatever she had been dreaming about. It took her a few moments to get her bearings, running her thumb along the smooth skin under it. To say she slept holding onto Derek would be an understatement. It was a surprise he didn’t push her off. The brunette would fall asleep with just her head on his chest or her back pressed against it, only to wake up completely tangled with him. A leg thrown over his waist, arm wrapped around him and holding him close - she was practically on top of him. At least he held her back, sometimes crushing her so tight against him that she had to wriggle to get some air. Sleep brought out both of their fears of the other leaving them. Tala liked waking up before him. He looked so peaceful when he slept, younger as the hard lines caused by scowling so often relaxed. Not that he scowled all that much around her anymore. As much as she would have liked to lie like that for hours and just watch the even rise and fall of his chest, she knew that half the day had already passed and they really should get up. So, with a quiet sigh, she leaned up to press a kiss to the corner of his slightly parted lips. "Time to wake up, grumpy wolf."