Summary: Melissa befriends Derek after Scott and the rest of the gang leave Beacon Hills. On the anniversary of the fire Derek comes over wrecked and comfort turns into kissing...and maybe eventually more.
Super Blue Moon prompts: Special, Unravel & Woman
It began with a forehead kiss.
For months now they’d been enjoying each other’s company, light conversation over dinner a couple times a week or sharing stories about all the exasperating, but amusing and lovable teenagers they knew when he came over to fix some broken appliance or another. Sometimes they wouldn’t say much of anything at all, reading or writing in a comfortable silence.
A much different one than the quiet of absence in the house after Scott and the rest of the bunch went off to college or other endeavors out of town. For a while it had been refreshing not to have a gaggle of rambunctious troublemakers yelling and roaring about the place. Getting bloodstains on the furniture, mostly accidentally smashing things, and generally being underfoot when she was trying to get something done around the house. But eventually the novelty had worn off. She missed them.
One afternoon on her way to work she’d seen Derek broodily wandering on the side of the road and it occurred to her that he must be lonely too.
Not even Peter was around these days for dubious companionship and while some of the new kids remained — going over to Liam’s now instead of her place — they weren’t really part of his circle despite being the only Alpha actually in residence. So a few days later when she’d had a day off she brought food over to the loft for the first time figuring that he could use a home-cooked meal. Enchiladas de mole poblano with esquites and salpicon de res.
Watching the play of emotions on his face, the surprise and confusion giving way to a cautious smile, had filled her with warmth and satisfaction. Melissa was just planning to drop it off, but he stiltedly invited her inside and offered her a beer. It was pretty awkward at first, but became less so and when Derek stopped by her house the following week to return the platter, bowl, and baking dish she told him he should come back the next evening for lasagna. He did, bringing a bottle of red wine, and they ended up watching some artsy movie he mentioned liking when she scrolled past it while looking for something to put on.
And so it went, their friendship a bright spot in this new mother-of-adult-child stage of life and the dinners, movie nights, and occasional joint errands something to look forward to. They had more in common than she would have guessed, swapping books back and forth and sending each other music, but they were also very different in other respects, which led to some lively debates from the philosophical to whether pineapple belonged on pizza. (Yes, it does, Derek! Sweet & salty-savory is a time honored flavor combination.)
Sometimes he showed up when he was obviously troubled, but Derek usually didn’t want to talk about it. Melissa wished that he would, but at least her presence seemed to help and she was glad that she could do that much.
Then the anniversary of the fire came around again and he was suddenly there at her door, shaking, and all those bitten-back words and bottled up tears starting coming out.
She guided him over to the couch and sat down with him, wrapping her arms around him as he clung to her, the hint of claws making tiny holes in her blouse, but not causing any actual pain. Eventually Derek ended up partially cradled in her lap on his side facing away. She had one hand carding through his hair and the other lain across his torso. His eyes were closed, tear laden lashes in little peaks, and his breath slowed now that he’d calmed, but with the irregularity of wakefulness.
Melissa looked down at him then, this powerful yet vulnerable creature. Beautiful and broken and brave, special and so so warm, and she felt a fierce protectiveness and love for him. Tucking an errant strands of hair behind his ear, she smiled softly and leaned down to plant a kiss on his forehead.
Glossy green-hazel eyes flew open and he froze momentarily before turning onto his back, staring at her anxious face and then lowering to her lips. Licking his own he then rose up slowly, eyes never leaving hers and giving ample time to pull away. She didn’t.
Eyebrows raised and flushing, Melissa watched him get closer until her eyes unfocused and his mouth was meeting hers, at first clumsy, soft, and unsure and then vigorous and desperate. Heat flashed low in her belly as the kiss deepened and a large, strong hand fisted in her hair. When they paused for breath she was left panting, gripping his back and her head resting on his shoulder.
Their eyes met when she straightened up and astonished smiles were exchanged, but when he aimed to go further, tentatively reaching for her blouse, she took his hand firmly in both of hers and kissed the back just below his knuckles.
Derek averted his eyes and went to pull away, an apology clearly forming on his tongue.
“Shhh, it’s okay. We’re okay,” she said, gently squeezing his captured wrist. “You didn’t do anything wrong and I’m not…” — she lifted one of her hands and waved it around — “uninterested, as I’m sure you can tell. But I think we should think about this. Not rush into anything at such an emotional time and try to figure out what you, what we, really want. Okay?”
Derek hazarded a glance at her and nodded. Melissa smiled and kissed his hand once more before letting go. She was worried that he would immediately run off, possibly out of the state or even the country, but after fidgeting a bit he chose to stick around while she grabbed the remote and put on some random black and white movie, sitting on the floor with his side against her left leg.
At some point she fell asleep and when she woke up with a blanket over her he was indeed gone, but she felt somewhat better about the prospect of seeing him again. However this went she didn’t want to lose him. More importantly, she didn’t want him to lose a source of support and comfort either. Melissa sighed.
Now she had some decisions to make. They both did.
The next evening found her thinking in the kitchen while drinking coffee before her night shift. She looked at the pictures on the fridge of her son and then turned away. This wasn’t about him or anyone except her and Derek.
Melissa ruminated on her lack of intimate connection, her long dormant desire raising its head at the possibility of being allowed out of its constraints. How tightly wound she’d become, just begging to be unraveled. To flourish.
It wasn’t like Melissa was unaware of how attractive Derek was, she had eyes after all, but she hadn’t approached him with any such designs in mind. Had only occasionally gone there in the privacy of her mind and bedroom and mostly just kind of ignored it. Part of her was raring to leap at the chance to experience him, but she wanted nothing to do with hurting him more.
She thought about what she knew of his various relationships and entanglements, some of which she’d inferred on her own and some she found out from overhead or occasionally direct conversations with Scott and the others.
There was the tragedy with Paige and then of course Kate, who took advantage afterward, and used him in order to destroy — to murder — his family. That Jennifer Blake woman, the vengeful darach who tried to sacrifice her and used Derek yetagain.
She had no idea about what happened in the intervening years in New York. If he couldn’t let down his guard down or had too much guilt and trauma to date at all or if he hooked up with someone new every week to try to the dull the pain, or something in between. However it had gone she was going to assume there hadn’t been anything meaningful. Derek had never given the impression that he left someone behind, though who could say for certain with how close he usually kept things to his chest.
Finally, there was Braeden. She at least didn’t seem to have damaged him and as far as Melissa knew they had fun and companionship and parted on good terms, but she doubted he’d gotten what he clearly so desperately craved from the no-strings mercenary either. What he needed.
And with that thought she made up her mind.
Maybe he’d realize that his feelings got all muddled up and he didn’t really see her that way. Or that even if he did that it wasn’t a good idea to act on it, which would be completely understandable. Whatever reason he might give she would accept.
Melissa wouldn’t push. God knows he’d had enough of that.
But she also decided that if he truly wanted to give something more between them a shot then she wouldn’t say no. And that whatever happened she would do her damnedest to at least make sure she left him better than she found him.
