"Think of it like gunpowder. It's just powder until a spark ignites it. You need to be that spark, Stiles. If this is going to work, you have to believe it."
These were the words Deaton said to Stiles only a week before. It had been a lot of pressure at first, but he managed to pull it off. He'd managed to surround the building with just enough mountain ash even though he'd been several feet short. He chalked it up to some supernatural ability the mountain ash had, but Deaton had said that he needed to be the spark.
Now as Stiles stood in front of his bathroom mirror, he wondered what that really meant. His long fingers traced over the black ink that had surfaced on his skin at some point. Had it been there yesterday? He didn't know. He hadn't noticed it until now, fresh out of the shower.
The familiar mark caused nausea to build up in the pit of his stomach. He didn't know much about the supernatural world, but he did know what this symbol was. A triskelion. The symbol was barely the size of a half dollar sitting just under Stiles' collarbone.
Stiles had never thought of getting a tattoo, what with his fear of needles and all. However, this wasn't exactly a tattoo, he was pretty sure tattoos didn't just show up on your skin overnight.
He let out a heavy sigh as he pulled on his t shirt covering the mark. The only reason it made Stiles so uneasy was because the only other time he'd seen that symbol was on Derek's back. The exact symbol, the size of Stiles' fist, sat between the alpha's shoulder blades.
He was about to meet Scott and Allison in the school library, he could swing by Deaton's on his way. Maybe he would know more about what this meant.
-
Deaton was just finishing with a patient when Stiles arrived.
"Stiles, what can I do for you?" Deaton asked opening the examination room door for Stiles to enter.
"I uh, I had a question actually," Stiles toed the floor nervously, his eyes planted on the black and white checkered pattern.
"I'll give you any answers I have," Deaton spoke patiently.
"The mountain ash you gave me..." Stiles paused not looking up.
"What about it?" Deaton urged Stiles to continue, a curiosity to his tone.
"Why did I have to do it?" Stiles raised his head to gauge Deaton's reaction to his question.
"You're human. No supernatural creature can touch it," Deaton explained simply.
"What about you? You're a druid and you can touch it," Stiles pointed out.
Deaton nodded, "You are correct, but I have magical properties. Druids aren't technically supernatural. We're in the same family as the Fey."
Stiles nodded. He recalled reading something about the Fey being separated from the supernatural the same way humans were.
"Could I..." Stiles bit at his bottom lip anxiously, "Could I have magical properties?" Stiles finally asked.
Deaton tilted his head slightly, "Why do you ask?"
Stiles let out a sigh before pulling the collar of his shirt down to expose the triskelion.
Deaton's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"What?" Stiles didn't like that look.
"Where'd you get that?" Deaton asked not taking his eyes off the mark.
"I just noticed it about an hour ago. It just showed up. I don't know when," Stiles shrugged, releasing his shirt.
Deaton turned to a cabinet and pulled out an unmarked book.
"I definitely believe you have magical properties," Deaton nodded as he flipped through the book.
"Okay..." Stiles waited for the vet to continue.
"That symbol is a common druid symbol. However, it doesn't typically just show up. There have been stories of marks showing up, but it's incredibly rare."
"Okay, so what does it mean?" Stiles shifted his weight from one foot to the other, anxious to find out.
"Some druids that use their spark for the first time will have a symbol or a mark show up on their skin," Deaton pointed to the page he landed on, "The symbol usually pertains to a certain person in the druids life, an alpha usually, or a werewolf that is destined to become an alpha at some point."
Stiles felt the blood drain from his face.
"Sometimes the symbol can be a birthmark or a family crest, or...a tattoo," Deaton looked up, meeting Stiles' eyes with his own.
"Why would Derek's tattoo show up on me?" Stiles asked uncertainly. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.
"Every once in a while, fate will match an emissary with an alpha. I believe you are Derek's fated emissary," Deaton explained gently.
Stiles reached for the nearest counter, attempting to steady himself as a wave of dizziness washed over him. He couldn't be Derek's emissary. He barely knew the guy much less trusted him.
"Have you noticed an unexplained connection with Derek? Or perhaps something that draws you to him?" Deaton asked gently, helping Stiles to stay balanced.
"What? No," Stiles shook his head.
Immediately images of Derek poisoned with Kates' wolfsbane bullet flashed in his head. Stiles had spent the entire evening helping keep him alive.
Another image of Stiles helping Derek break into the police station flashed. Then him missing his lacrosse game to help hack into the hospital computers. Then him holding Derek up in the school pool for two hours when he was paralyzed from the Kanima.
Maybe he was being pulled to Derek without even realizing it.
"Stiles?" Deaton touched Stiles' shoulder gently, pulling him from his thoughts.
"I have to go. Thank you," Stiles said, hurrying towards the door. He had to see Derek.
-
The words on the page in front of Stiles were just meaningless letters. He might have been looking at them, but he wasn't actually looking at them. Instead his mind was a million miles away.
"Stiles?" Allison's airy voice broke Stiles from his thoughts.
"Huh?" Stiles looked across the table where she and Scott were watching him curiously.
"Are you okay? You seem...worried," Scott asked in a concerned tone.
Stiles had to keep from rolling his eyes. Scott was clearing smelling his chemo signals. A trait he'd hated since he found out werewolves could do it. He was very aware that everyone monitored his mood.
"First you were late, which you never are, and you've been staring at the same page for twenty minutes," Allison added when Stiles didn't respond.
Stiles had been late because he'd stopped by Derek's loft. He sat in the parking lot for about five minutes when he chickened out. How was he supposed to tell Derek that he was fated to be his emissary and what did that even mean? Instead he'd met up with Scott and Allison like they'd planned.
"Stiles, you can talk to us," Scott offered gently, growing concerned over his friend's silence.
"Do you believe in fate?" Stiles asked ignoring their concern.
"Fate?" Scott repeated in confusion.
"Yeah, like you were meant to meet someone or do something for a reason," Stiles waved an impatient hand around.
"Yeah. I mean I think Scott and I were meant to meet," Allison smiled, looking at the guy next to her.
Stiles rolled his eyes, "Not like soulmates, but like fate deciding Scott would get bit or deciding that we would run into Derek in the woods that day..." Stiles trailed off.
"I never really thought about it," Scott shrugged, "Why?"
Stiles let out a huff before pulling down the collar of his shirt, revealing the small triskelion.
"You got a tattoo?" Allison frowned.
"It matches Derek's tattoo. Why would you get a tattoo of Derek's tattoo?" Scott raised his brows at his best friend.
Stiles sighed, running his hands through his hair. "I didn't. It just showed up. I noticed it getting out of the shower this morning."
"How is that possible?" Allison glanced at Scott who was equally as confused.
"I swung by Deaton's on my way here, he said it happens sometimes when a spark is ignited in a druid."
"The mountain ash," Scott nodded in understanding.
"Yeah."
"Wait, so you're a druid?" Allison's eyes widened slightly.
Stiles nodded.
"Dude, that's awesome," Scott grinned proudly.
"Yeah, super awesome, but there's a problem," Stiles glanced down at the unread book in front of him.
"What is it?" Allison pressed gently.
"It looks like Derek's symbol because I'm fated to be his emissary," Stiles' eyes looked up meeting Scott's.
Allison's jaw dropped slightly.
"Why Derek?" Scott asked a tinge of jealousy in his tone.
"I don't know. There's a whole thing about some druids obtaining a mark that has something to do with an alpha or werewolf in their life," Stiles explained.
"But the triskelion symbol is common in druid lore, that doesn't necessarily mean you're fated to Derek," Allison shook her head slightly as she sifted through her pile of books.
"Trust me, I thought of that too, but it's incredibly rare for this to happen and it's never been this symbol before. Deaton said it could be a family crest or, a birthmark... or a tattoo." Stiles' tone sounded as tired as he felt.
"Have you talked to Derek?" Scott asked.
"Not yet. I know I need to, but we barely know the guy and I don't trust him," Stiles closed his book and leaned back with a huff.
"Are you sure Deaton isn't mistaken?" Allison looked concerned as she flipped through one of her books fervently.
Stiles recalled the time he hid Derek in his room for three days when he was wanted for murder, "I'm pretty sure."
"Pretty sure isn't a hundred percent," Allison shook her head.
"Allison, it's okay," Scott said reaching for his girlfriend.
"But Stiles is part of your pack not Derek's. It doesn't make sense," The brunette huffed.
"I know, but maybe...maybe this is fate's way of telling me I can trust Derek to be my alpha," Scott shrugged.
"I have to talk to Derek," Stiles stood with a sigh.
"Do you want company?" Scott offered gently.
"I think this is probably something I should do alone," Stiles shook his head, "I'll catch up with you guys later."
-
Stiles stood in front of Derek's door, but he couldn't' bring himself to knock. What was he going to say?
Before he could answer that himself, the door opened.
"Are you just gonna stand there, or are you gonna come in?" Erica asked crossing her arms.
"I hadn't decided actually," Stiles answered, swallowing thickly.
"You smell worried, what's wrong?" Boyd asked then, stepping up behind the blonde.
"Is Derek here?" Stiles asked running a hand through his hair anxiously.
"What do you want, Stiles?" Derek's voice asked from the couch where he was flipping through a book.
"We need to talk," Stiles answered, stepping into the apartment and past the two betas.
"So talk," Derek didn't bother to look up from whatever he was reading.
"I'd prefer if it was just you and I," Stiles glanced at Boyd and Erica.
This seemed to catch Derek's attention as he looked up with raised brows.
"We'll just go grab lunch," Boyd said grabbing Erica's hand and dragging her towards the door.
Once the door closed, Stiles started to pace the room.
Derek watched as the human stewed silently.
"Stiles," he finally spoke up with a slight frown. Something was definitely bothering him, more so than normal. He was rarely so animated and quiet, usually it was one or the other.
"Do you believe in fate?" Stiles asked, only pausing his pacing to glance at Derek.
"Yes, of course. Everything happens for a reason," Derek nodded. That was something his mother had always told him.
"So there's a reason we met? You and I?" Stiles asked stopping again briefly.
"I suppose," Derek gave a smalls shrug.
Stiles nodded but didn't respond as he continued to pace.
"Stiles, what is this about?" Derek huffed. He wasn't a mind reader.
"I'm you're fated emissary," Stiles blurted, turning to face the alpha.
Derek raised his brows, "What?"
Stiles pulled down his shirt, showing off the mark.
Derek's jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists at his side.
Stiles waved his arms around spastically, "Hello, aren't you going to say something?"
Derek didn't respond though, he didn't know how. Stiles was part of Scott's pack not Derek's. He'd heard of fated emissaries, but he'd also heard how incredibly rare they were.
"Look, I know you're not happy about this, trust me it's jarring to me too, but there's nothing we can do but accept it right? I mean we can't just pretend this isn't a thing, can we?" Stiles hadn't contemplated the idea of just ignoring it.
"Of course it is," Stiles huffed, running his hands through his hair.
"Can I..." Derek took a step towards Stiles and paused, "Can I see it again?" his voice was timid.
Stiles frowned slightly but didn't stop Derek from exposing his collarbone.
"How did you know that's what this meant?" Derek asked, though he was sure Stiles had done his research, that was kind of Stiles' thing.
"Deaton told me," Stiles answered quietly.
"What all did he tell you exactly?" Derek stepped back from Stiles then.
"That it was rare, and it meant I was fated to be your emissary," Stiles shrugged.
"That's all?"
"Is there more I should know?" Stiles asked worriedly. He was sure Deaton had told him everything. Why would he leave anything out?
"No," Derek turned away and towards the kitchen. He needed water, his throat was suddenly very dry. Stiles didn't know the whole truth of the emissary mark, and Derek didn't have the gall to tell him. He wasn't sure how he felt about it himself yet.
"You sure?" Stiles frowned, following Derek to the kitchen.
Derek grabbed a water bottle, downing half of it. Derek had sworn off relationships after Kate, but fate obviously had other plans.
"Yeah," Derek lied, turning to face the human.
"I'm sure I'm the last person you'd want as your emissary, but I promise to be the best that I can," Stiles gave the alpha and insecure smile.
Derek's chest warmed at Stiles' words. He knew there was something about Stiles since their first meeting and he'd always been oddly attracted to him, but now it all made sense.
"Well seeing as how you've saved my life more than once, I'm inclined to believe you," Derek offered gently. He could smell the uncertainty on Stiles.
Stiles nodded slightly, "Well I'm gonna, I'm gonna go, but maybe we can meet up tomorrow and talk about it more. You know, once it settles in some."
"Sure," Derek agreed. He watched as Stiles let himself out.
Once the door was closed, Derek let out a heavy sigh. He'd never imagined having an emissary much less one that was fated to him. The chances of having a fated emissary were slim to none.
Guilt coursed through Derek for not telling Stiles what else that meant. But how did you tell someone you barely knew that you were soulmates?
The mark on Stiles showed up because his spark was ignited but it was of Derek's tattoo because one day the two of them would end up together. He would have told Stiles, but Derek didn't want Stiles to have to live with that pressure. They had plenty of time to figure out their relationship, they were fated to be together after all.
(May make this into something longer, I don’t know yet)
Update: I have decided to make this longer! I have also changed the second chapter in order to extend it. I have renamed the fic For the Love of Chaos, if anyone wants to read it! Thanks
Consider buying me a coffee, I would really appreciate it!
Title: The Medallion
Rating: General Audiences
Theme: Triskelion
Word Count: 1,131
Summary: Stiles goes through his first full moon and Derek tries to use a Hale family heirloom to help him learn control.
Notes: Written for Sterek Bingo 2019. Could be read as a stand alone piece or as a continuation to Ravens Hate Foxes.
Tags: Fox!Stiles, Derek Hale is Stiles Stilinski’s Anchor
