âšWith everything going on in the world right now, we can use more comfort in the things we love. Thatâs why weâre happy to announce another week of celebrating everything Stiles/Jackson!âš
Stackson Week is for creating Stackson content and also supporting their creators. We welcome any and all types of contributions, whether they be fics, art, gifs, playlists, edits, or whatever else you can come up with. The goal is to celebrate Stiles and Jackson, no matter which form it takes.âš
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The optional themes for 2020:
âšÂ» DAY 1: Trapped Together || To start everything off, letâs get into the quarantine season with Stiles and Jackson trapped together alone for reasons (the prison van is one place to start)
» DAY 2: Missing Scenes or Scene Stealer || Diverge from canon by creating more Stiles and Jackson moments, or go AU entirely by remaking any part of your favorite book/film/series into Stackson
» DAY 3: Future fic or Kid fic || Imagine Stackson in the future with jobs, possibly kids, or go the total reverse direction and imagine them interacting as kids
» DAY 4: Kinky or Magical Mishap || Or both. Lean into that kanima tail potential. Consider that sex pollen, bodyswap, magic gone right wrong, or something else entirely
» DAY 5: Dark AU || Time to get dark and gritty, maybe some combination of void!Stiles and kanima!Jackson, maybe something worseâhopefully with at least a bittersweet ending, but please mind your tags
âšÂ» DAY 6: Pining or Meet-Ugly || Explore some mutual pining with a sprinkle of obliviousness, and/or have them butt heads as they meet for the first time in disastrous scenarios
» DAY 7: Dealerâs Choice || Choose a theme, any theme, now make it Stackson
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These themes are merely suggestions. The more Stackson, the better! You may post multiple works per day or just one or two across the entire week.
Please tag your contributions with #stacksonweek2020 (in the first five tags) so we can reblog everyoneâs work! You can also tag @stacksonweek if you want to make sure we donât miss a thing.âš (A warning that if you include any external links in your post, Tumblr may decide to hide it from tags, so we apologize in advance if we miss anyone.)
Reblog to spread the word, and feel free to contact us if you have any further questions!
HAPPY STACKSON WEEK 2020 YâALL I WAITED UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
This is a gift fic for @jacksonstilinskis that was born out of a post from forever ago where she said Closer was definitely a Stackson song and I said oh Iâd definitely write that and then LITERALLY FOUR YEARS PASSED and here we are finally making good on that in time for @stacksonweek !
Also I realize my blog is not very friendly on the eyes (I need a revamp) so try the read more but if not I included a link as well.
Enjoy!
AO3
It was the kind of atmosphere that Stiles liked, when he needed to unwind for a bit. It wasnât a sleazy hole in the wall type of place, nor was it too ritzy or stuffy for his tastes. Ease in the air, good ambiance with the dim lighting and low music, bartenders who got down to business and knew when you didnât need a conversation, and a decent crowd. Not too bad, all things considered, for a hotel bar.
He nursed his gin and tonic as he pulled lightly at his tie, loosening it enough until it dangled from his neck freely while he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. Wearing a suit would never grow on him, regardless of how his partner insisted that it gave them stature and authority. Miller could blow it out his ass, being federal agents gave them all the stature and authority they needed. But damn, heâd kill for jeans and a t-shirt every once in awhile. Heâd have to beg for an undercover op next.Â
It was his fourth night at the hotel in Denver, and the stakeout was getting stale. Miller had insisted he take a night off, even called in a reserve agent just to take his spot so that he could blow off some steam. The night was young, and Stiles figured he had a multitude of options ahead of him for where his evening could go.
That was, until raucous laughter started up from the table across the other end of the sparsely populated bar, and Stiles rolled his eyes at the group of well-dressed men that sat around it, their chatter rolling over him until he looked a little more carefully, and caught a very familiar eye.
He nearly spat out his drink, and the glass clattered to the bar noisily in front of him, drawing the attention of the concerned bartender and a few patrons nearby. He waved them off, dabbing at the spill that had splashed onto the front of his shirt with a bar napkin, before he looked back over, and couldnât make eye contact anymore. He flushed scarlet, embarrassed at the extra attention, and stared at the wall before tipping the glass to his lips and downing his drink in a few solid, full gulps. He signaled for another in answer to the bartenderâs unspoken inquiry as she raised an eyebrow and motioned to his glass.
An hour went by in seemingly seconds as Stilesâ thoughts raced. It was obvious he didnât want to reconnect, or he wouldâve said something. Or maybe it was just the crowd he was with, and he didnât want to draw attention to anything. What if heâd already left? Stiles couldnât see the group of men clearly from where he was sitting, and a few of them had been in and out, though he was pretty sure he knew which one was him... he frowned. Heâd lost sight of him. A dull ache started to form in his stomach that was unrelated to the buzz from his third drink.
âYou know, all the ways I pictured we might run into each other, and this wasnât one of them,â the smooth voice purred in his ear, and Stiles sat bolt upright, spinning around to face him. Jackson fucking Whittemore, in all his three-piece suited glory, grinning like the cat that ate the canary.
Stiles froze for a moment, his mouth hanging open, before Jacksonâs words sunk in. He looked across the restaurant and noticed that the remainder of Jacksonâs table of companions was filtering out the door, and he turned back with a sly smirk on his face. âToo shy to introduce me to your fancy buddies over there? What are you guys anyway, stock brokers?â He raised an eyebrow, looking Jackson up and down.
Jackson didnât miss the roving eyes, though his shirt was still buttoned up tight and his tie in place, unlike Stiles. He looked the other man up and down himself, before taking a swig of his beer. âWe should maybe reintroduce ourselves, considering itâs been awhile. Jackson Whittemore, Esquire.â He held out a hand to shake, a proud smile on his face that put butterflies in Stilesâ stomach.
He gripped it tightly and shook, growing goosebumps on his arm in the process, before pulling out his badge and flipping it open. âAgent Stilinski. FBI.â Jacksonâs eyes widened in surprise, and Stiles smirked. âYeah, I know, I was the hot gossip at our five-year reunion. Which you missed, by the way.â He pointed accusingly at Jackson, his finger poking him in the chest. Jackson didnât shy away from the contact, leaning over the bar next to Stiles and resting his drink on a coaster.
âYeah, I missed it. Law school beat the shit out of me. I donât know why I ever decided to follow in my dadâs footsteps.â He shrugged. âBut itâs been a pretty good life so far. And uh, the academyâs done good things for you.â He raised an eyebrow, admiring the way Stilesâ form had filled out since high school. And Stiles knew, heâd definitely grown into the gangly limbs and awkward proportions since he was a teenager.
Not that it hadnât been a struggle. Heâd spent his first few weeks at the academy feeling like he was going to die, but the physical training had gradually honed him into a toned, lean version of himself that he never thought heâd see in his younger years. Regardless, Jacksonâs obvious attention to it had him flushing slightly.
The unspoken tension filled the air before Stiles took a deep sip of his drink, setting it down carefully. âYou never kept in touch,â he pointed out. It was casual, but his tone implied something deeper. Jackson stared at him, noticed the way Stilesâ eyes wouldnât meet his gaze.
âDidnât deserve to,â he retorted, which drew a look of surprise from Stiles. âWhat? I was an absolute ass in high school, dude. And probably even more of an ass in undergrad.â He shuddered. âIâve grown up a lot. Obviously you have too. But I wanted to be... different, when I eventually got around to reconnecting with everyone, especially you.â
Especially you. And werenât those pretty words to come from an equally pretty mouth. âYeah, you were an ass in high school,â Stiles acknowledged, though the response from Jackson was a look of more guilt than heâd been intending to inflict. âBut you made up for it.â
The implication turned back time to groping hands, shuttered up in Jacksonâs bathroom during a party, mouths and limbs and hardness, heat and releaseâ The blush was equal in both their cheeks. It wasnât a single occurrence, they had quite the history over the last few years of high school.
âI remember,â Jackson muttered, the barest hint of a smile playing on the edges of his lips. âI didnât know what I was doing then, though. And I was a dick to you about it. You know, when things got more... involved.â
When feelings got involved. Right.
Stiles shrugged it off. Long since passed, and long since forgotten. His attention instead turned to the earlier part of what Jackson had said. âSo you know what youâre doing now?â he inquired, and his amber eyes were peering up at Jackson through those thick lashes that always set him off when they were younger, and god damn were those memories coursing through their veins and making them both feel alive, thrumming to the accelerating tattoo that their pulses set.
Jackson gripped Stilesâ tie, pulling him forward forcefully to capture his lips, ignoring the wandering eyes from the bartender and other patrons, who probably thought they were moving a little fast for a first time meet. He felt Stiles gasp quietly underneath him, the heat pooling in his gut as Stilesâ tongue flicked out gently to trace his bottom lip. They separated, breathing heavily, before Jackson pulled him by his tie a little further, to lean over in Stilesâ ear once more. âWant to find out?â
Stiles dug into his wallet, slapped a fifty on the counter and downed the rest of his drink. âLetâs get out of here,â he murmured, and Jackson followed him out the door before pressing him against the brick wall, humming into his mouth as their tongues danced. âEasy, tiger,â Stiles chided gently, grinning as Jackson nipped down the side of his jaw to his neck.
âGot a lot to make up for,â Jackson muttered against his skin, sucking a deep bruise into Stilesâ collarbone as he shoved the offending fabric of his dress shirt aside. His hand slipped into his pocket and came back with his car keys, clicking the remote. A black Range Rover beeped from the isolated corner of the parking lot, and Stiles looked before rolling his eyes.
âThe Rover doesnât surprise me, Mr. Porsche,â he teased, laughing as he danced away from Jacksonâs needy hands and lips, making for the rear passenger side door. âEsquire over here flashing what he can afford.â There was no venom in his words, only joking praise.
âWhy are you getting in the back?â Jackson asked, confusion knitting his brows.
âBecause so are you,â Stiles retorted, and the mischievous grin spread across his face as he opened the door and hopped in. The grin that brought the memories surging back as Jackson hopped in the backseat from the other side, their mouths clashing urgently as Stiles tugged on Jacksonâs jacket, discarding it into the front seat with little regard.
It wasnât long until their shirts were open, and Jackson was pressing their chests flush together, relishing in the keen that came out of Stiles at the feel of skin on skin. He nipped down Stilesâ neck to drag his tongue along his clavicle, biting down sharply.
Stiles yelped, but felt himself stiffen completely, because yes, this was what he missed. The way Jackson never treated him like he was breakable, trusted him to handle it, and it was something heâd been missing for a long time. He didnât get around much with his busy life and his federal job, and he felt like a tightly coiled spring finally given the freedom to release.
The way Jackson grabbed his hips bruisingly, like Stilesâd fall through to the center of the earth if he loosened his grip, lit something in him, and he pushed Jacksonâs shirt off his shoulder, admiring the tribal tattoo design he found there. He sank his teeth into it, satisfied with the way Jackson threw his head back and moaned at the contact.
âStiles,â he interrupted, but Stiles paid no mind, kissing his way down Jacksonâs hairless chest as he pawed at his hardness through the front of his suit pants. âAs much as Iâd love to fuck you in my backseat, I think we need a bed.â
Stiles came up for air, after kissing down Jacksonâs abdomen. He shrugged his shoulders, nipping at Jacksonâs lower lip lightly. âFine then, Whittemore. Take me home and take me to bed.â
The door slammed behind them minutes later, after Jackson had broken nearly every traffic law in the state. He yanked at Stilesâ shirt impatiently, pulling it off of his arms before their mouths were back in contact, shrugging off his own shirt as their clothing fluttered, forgotten, to the floor. Searing heat and the clash of rushed, hurried teeth filled Stilesâ consciousness, as Jacksonâs hands roamed down his sides and slipped underneath his waistband, palming Stilesâ ass impatiently.
âFucker,â Stiles growled into his mouth as he arched his back into the touch. Jackson reached down and grabbed him around the waist, hauling him up until Stilesâ legs wrapped around his waist instinctively. He threw the other man unceremoniously on the bed after shoving into the bedroom, and Stiles collapsed in a pile of limbs before turning onto his back, sighing gently. âYour mattress is comfy,â he complimented, a stupid grin slapped across his face as he shimmied out of his pants.
âMy law school roommate in Boulder ditched the last month of rent. I changed the locks and stole his furniture.â Jacksonâs belt whipped off lightning quick as he shoved his own pants and underwear to the floor, his cock springing free of its cloth prison. He hissed as it met the cool air, and Stiles licked his lips as they collapsed back together, hands and mouths fumbling deliciously.
After a few moments, Stiles scrambled down the bed to swallow him to the hilt in one fluid motion. Jackson hissed as Stilesâ tongue flicked out around the base of his shaft as he took him into the back of his throat. âJesus fuck, your mouth, Stilinski. Missed it so much.â
Stiles pulled up and off of Jacksonâs shaft with a wet pop, before smacking it lightly against his cheek. âGuess youâll just have to make up for lost time then.â He ran his tongue from base to tip, swirling it around the head before delving back down, and Jackson pulled his own hair to keep from yelling to loudly at how fucking incredible it felt.
Stiles hummed around his shaft, bobbing to the base and back to the tip to swirl his tongue in the way he knew drove Jackson nuts. The humming sent deep vibrations through Jacksonâs flesh and he let out a ragged, broken moan.
The taste and feel of him bombarded Stiles with memories of the first time heâd ever sucked Jacksonâs dick, denial radiating through the other boy even as heâd twitched in anticipation, letting out a rough breath as Stiles finally took him in his mouth.
âDo you like it?â
âShut up and keep going.â
Jackson was growing impatient, and he finally pulled himself out of Stilesâ mouth, reaching down to throw the other man further up on the bed, stomach down, receiving a yelp of protest which quickly died on Stilesâ lips as Jackson kissed down his back to his ass, biting sharply into his left cheek. His breath ghosted over Stilesâ hole, and okay, yes, this was a thing that theyâd never done together before that Stiles was 120% on board with.
âAre you seriously going to ahhhhh fucking shit Christ Jesus,â Stiles babbled as Jacksonâs tongue flicked out and laved at his rim like a man starved, both hands palming Stilesâ ass and spreading his cheeks and yeah, okay, Jackson had picked up some tricks since high school. Yup.
His sensitive hole was twitching under the ministrations of Jacksonâs tongue, and Jackson hummed as he pressed his tongue inside the taut ring of muscle, eliciting a sharp sound from Stiles that he wanted more of. A finger joined his tongue, then two as Stiles relaxed under his efforts.
âGod, I canât believe Iâve never opened you up like this before,â Jackson panted. âYouâre so warm and open, so good for me.â His praise was radiating through Stilesâ bones as he pressed his hips back.
âI need you,â Stiles groaned. âNeed to feel you again. Itâs beenâ god, too long, not enough, justâ just do it.â
Jackson nodded, moving to obey and flicking open the bottle of lube heâd nabbed from his bedside table, spreading it over himself quickly before pressing into Stiles, slowly but persistently.
Stilesâ eyes screwed tight as he breathed in and out sharply, the burn of Jacksonâs breach stretching him in a way he hadnât been in a long time. âFucking holy hell, forgot how thick you were,â he breathed, pressing his face into the pillow desperately as he rolled his hips back to take Jackson further.
Jackson paused, for a brief moment, to give Stiles time to adjust. That action alone sent a shock through Stilesâ body. Jackson had never been about how Stiles felt, their clandestine hookups throughout high school had always been about Jackson getting off, but thisâ this was different, and Stiles felt it, felt the consideration and respect.
He responded by pressing his hips back into Jackson, hissing as the burn reignited but slowly began to dissipate. âMove,â he commanded, and Jackson obeyed.
And this, this was what Jackson had missed the most. âGod, the way you look spread out around my dick,â he groaned, fucking into Stiles with earnest, staring down at the way Stilesâ hole gripped his girth each time he slid out.
âShit, Jacks,â Stiles grunted, slamming his hips backwards to meet Jacksonâs thrusts, all earlier thoughts of tenderness abandoned. âGod, I forgot how good you felt in me. Itâs been so long. Always so fucking hard and rough with me. Fuck.â
Jacksonâs hand cracked down onto Stilesâ ass, drawing a yelp and leaving an angry red handprint. He spanked him again, twice more, three more times, causing Stiles to let out a long, sharp series of moans. âFucking take it,â Jackson bit out, pummeling into him rapidly.
Stilesâ talk devolved into senseless syllables and nonsensical babbling as he felt the pleasure coiling in his gut. âMmmm, f-f-fuuuuck, Iâm gonnaâ Iâm close, Iââ
Jackson halted, reaching down with both arms and flipping Stiles over onto his back in one smooth motion, bending his head to bite roughly on Stilesâ bottom lip as he pushed back in, holding him around his waist with his legs in the air as he jackhammered in at a punishing pace. âWant to see it,â he panted against Stilesâ lips. âWant to see you let go, see how taken apart you are when you come.â
Stiles came with a shout, spurting copiously all over his chest, his eyes screwed shut and fists tangled in the sheets. Jackson followed him over the brink, moaning loudly as he shoved to the hilt and spilled himself inside Stiles.
Collapsing on the bed next to him, they both laid for a few moments, Stilesâ head lolling over onto Jacksonâs shoulder. Their breathing was still heavy, though their pulses began to slow after having finally reached their peaks.
âSo,â Jackson began, running his finger through the mess on Stilesâ abdomen and popping it into his mouth before pulling it out with a pop. Stilesâ eyes followed him, blown wide and dark. âMade up for lost time?â
Stiles nodded, grinning wildly as he ran his fingers through his sweat-dampened hair. âItâs a start.â
A start. Jackson nodded, breaking eye contact as a smile spread across his face.
----------------------------------------
He traced his fingertips around Jacksonâs abdominal muscles absentmindedly, leaning his head into the crook of the other manâs neck. Jacksonâs eyes were lightly closed, satisfied after their round the next morning. They were resting quietly, the morning light filtering in through the taupe curtains and spilling warm rays of sunshine across their mostly still forms.
âWould things have been different?â Stiles asked quietly, prompting a soft, questioning hum from Jackson, who kept his eyes closed, but rubbed circles into Stilesâ shoulder with his thumb. âIf you werenât a dick in high school, I mean.â The implication behind it left Stiles feeling vulnerable, and he swallowed it down thickly.
âMaybe,â Jackson admitted, turning to press his lips gently into Stilesâ hair. âI canât change who I was then. I wish it couldâve gone differently, though.â The unspoken differences echoed in the silence, and Stiles pictured what life couldâve been like, in another world.
âWhat about now?â he asked, voice uncertain. There was no indication that Jackson had wanted this to continue, that it was more than just a rekindling of an old flame, destined to wither and snuff out as it had before.
Jackson was silent for a moment too long before responding, and it twisted Stilesâ stomach up in knots. âWhat about it?â
âIs it too late?â Stiles asked. He was unable to form the words, unable to ask directly for fear of putting himself too far out there. Something about this just felt like the universe was pointing them in the right direction for once, and he needed to know now if it was never going to happen.
âDo you want it to be?â Jackson asked.
He blinked, the answer clear as day. âNo.â
A small smile played at the corner of Jacksonâs lips as he looked down at Stiles. âThen itâs not too late.â
The sunâs rays splayed out gently across their skin as Jackson pulled him closer.
These Hearts Were Never Meant to Beat Alone | Day 3: Future fic
Stiles and Jackson go on their first date and this is how their dinner ends.Â
The previous parts of this flashback are here:
So Damn Blue  |  Your Heart Will Never Be Broken by Me |Â
Sex, Truth and a Minimum of Bullshit  |  Confirmation Denied  Â
Notes: This is the end of my series "What If It's You?"Â in which Jackson is a spy and Stiles is a journalist. Â
âAbout this thing that you do that cannot be mentioned⊠did you always know that you wanted to do it? Iâve always wondered if thereâs some kind of call for that,â Stiles admits. âOr you just wake up one day and you say, risking my life for a living sounds good.â
âWhen you put it like that, what I do doesn't sound too different from a firefighter or a policeman, you know? Maybe you should ask your father, donât you think?â
âCome on, you know what I mean,â Stiles insists. âAnd for my dad, of course, I know he couldnât see himself doing anything else. Thatâs what he always wanted to do.â Stiles says, waving both arms. âIs that what happened to you?â
Jackson snorts, shaking his head. âNo, I have two years of law school under my belt. I thought my future was being a lawyer. Somehow I convinced myself it was a way to make money and help people at the same time⊠and of course, my parents totally loved the idea. Not to mention that Kane, my best friend at the time, was also at college with meâŠâ
âSo what happened?â
Jackson snorts once more. âWhat happened is that I got terribly bored, I guess. My marks were decent but I wasnât brilliant⊠and I was supposed to be brilliant,â Jackson says matter-of-factly. âHard as I tried, I couldnât find the motivation to achieve what I was supposed to achieve. So, I lost interest and after my second year, I left and never came back.â
âWow, that had to be hard,â Stiles offers obviously surprised.
âYeah, it was,â Jackson nods, absolutely serious.
âAnd what did you do?â Stiles asks warily, biting his lip.
âWell, I was a mess. My parents didnât get it, my best friend didnât get it and even I didnât totally get it. Because I knew I could actually finish it, and pass the bar and find a job⊠but also, in the back of my mind, I knew I couldnât go on if I didnât have a passion for it, you know⊠but for a while there I really thought I was stupid for not seeing it sooner⊠for wasting two fucking years of my life before I saw it. And I thought something was wrong with me⊠some people would call it a crisis, I supposeâŠâ Jackson shrugs. âIn the end, I left⊠stayed in France for a while⊠then I was backpacking through Europe⊠and decided to study economics and most probably start my own business in the future.â
âBut thatâs not what happenedâŠâ Stiles shakes his head.
âNo... My boss⊠he changed all that. Somehow he trusted me, he recruited me and I realized this is what I was supposed to do.â
âYou found your destiny,â Stiles declares. âWow⊠thatâs so cool.â
Jackson smiles. âI guess, itâs cool, yeah.â
âWhat about you? Is your call being a journalist?â
âI think so, yeah.â Stiles nods. âWhen I was a teenager, I thought I wanted to be a writerâŠâ
âReally? Jackson raises his eyebrows.
âYep. I have a lot of imagination in case you havenât noticedââ
âOh, Iâve noticed,â Jackson smirks.
âBut writing is not a career⊠you have to be lucky to actually make money with it.â
âSo, you just forgot about it?â Jackson furrows his brow.
âAs employment? Yeah, I did⊠but I still, I write⊠just a hobby⊠plus, itâs not like I have a lot of free time⊠and anyway, I love my job⊠I donât write fiction but I write about things that matterâour realityâ and thatâs important⊠Hopefully, I make a difference showing whatâs going on out there and you know, every day is different and I never get bored. I guess not many people get to say that⊠although of course, youâre not one of those.â
Jackson gets that and he believes him, but something tells that probably those are all things that help him cope with the fact that heâs not doing what would have been his first choice.
âI mean,â Stiles continues, âunless, you got so used to traveling and kicking strangers who follow youâŠâ Stiles gestures with his hand. âIn that case, maybe you should have become a lawyer after all.â
âGod, no,â Jackson smiles, shaking his head. âI wouldnât change what I do for anything. And you know, if I hadnât kicked you, we wouldnât be here right nowâŠâ
âThatâs most probably true,â Stiles smirks.
âIt is,â Jackson bites his lip. âAnd believe me, Iâve told you stuff thatâŠâ Jackson snorts, smiling, âfew people know about me.â
And that is honesty right there. Itâs true heâs not been on a date in a long time but still, now that he thinks about it, he canât remember a date where he talked as much about himself as he has tonight. Obviously, thereâs something about this guy that makes it easy to talk and just be himself in a way that doesnât really come natural to him. Thank god Lydia wonât find out what they talked about because if she did, she would be teasing him about it endlessly.
âWell, I hope that means that you wanna see me again⊠even if Iâm only really good at English and Iâve asked more questions that you probably wanted in your lifetime.â
Jackson drinks some more wine and licks his lips. âYeah, but Iâll just text you next time. I hope itâs not too disappointing.â
Stiles smiles. âI admit it. I could get used to your fingers sliding inside my pocket, but I think I can deal with it. And you know, since itâs been established that your so called-plan for Christmas Day absolutely sucks, I think you should come over to my place and have lunch with my father and me. Iâll be cooking, not him, so itâs safe to say that you wonât die of starvation.â
âWaitâYour father and you?â Jackson raises his eyebrows.
âYeah, heâs coming to visit for a few days. But donât worry, if it bothers you that he knows that we are⊠you knowâŠâ Stiles waves his arms.
âDating?â Jackson tries hard not to smirk. Stiles can be really ridiculous.
âYeah. If that bothers you, you can come as a friend. Iâm not trying to con you into anything⊠itâs just Christmas lunch⊠between friends. Well, family and friends⊠two friends.â Stiles closes his eyes for a moment, waving his arms. âYou know what I mean.â
âI donât think that me meeting your father is the best idea youâve ever had⊠especially after just one date.â
âOn the contrary, everybody likes my father. Thereâs even the risk that you could like him more than meâŠâ Stiles smiles. âAnd hell, I just donât want you to be alone. Besides, Iâm sure anything is better than whatever you are going to eat at home after working out like a maniac.â
Jackson rolls his eyes dramatically but finally nods. âFine. Whatever. Iâll go⊠but donât do that. Donât lie to him. As I said before, whatâs the point of lying?â It feels stupid to do that. If the father is half as smart as Stiles is, he will see the way his son looks at Jackson and will know the truth anyway.
âOkay. I wonât.â Stiles shakes his head.
âSo, are you gonna order any dessert or what? They are pretty good at this place.â
âAre you kidding? I never say no to dessert⊠especially cake⊠chocolate cake or apple cake⊠any cake, really...â
The way Stilesâ face illuminates at the idea of cake is too cute⊠maybe even beautiful. Jackson canât help but grin. Somehow Stilesâ eagerness is contagious and he wants some cake too⊠and the thing is he never has cake. Too many calories.
âCake, it is,â Jackson says nonchalantly, looking around to find a waiter.
Gen | Unrated | WC: 200 | The Struggle to Stay Â
He groaned, stretching out his stiff body, feeling the crack and pull of his well used muscles. It was a familiar feeling, one he always relished in for what little precious time he was allowed.Â
And then he would roll over.Â
His arm stretched out beside him searching for the warmth of familiar skin, but it wasnât there. He was only met with cold wrinkled sheets beneath his palm. And once again, he felt the ache heâd just recently refilled, crack back open and split deep down the center of his chest.Â
Every damn time.Â
No matter what flowery words or happy platitudes he was showered with, whatever affection and love he felt in the moment was always brutally ripped away the following morning.Â
So it didnât matter what heâd thought he felt; the rising sun always brought a rude awakening to his delusions. There was nothing there, and yet, he couldnât help but sigh and welcome back this familiar pain because it was a reminder of what had been, and what would again. Maybe not soon, but eventually, he always came back.Â
He was willing to fight through the struggle, because maybe one day, he would actually, finally, stay.
Jackson phones Stiles from college for his birthday... aka Stiles's birthday is one more reminder that having a long-distance relationship isn't easy.
Stiles has just finished tidying up his room when he accepts the skype video call on his computer and Jacksonâs gorgeous but tired face appears on his laptop.
âHey, you got it, right?â
âYeah, your mom gave it to my dad at the station this morning before going to work, and he gave it to me when I got home this afternoon.â
âHave you opened it?â
âWhat do you think?â Stiles asks, getting up, grabbing the package from his bed before sitting back at his desk again, showing it to Jackson, perfectly wrapped. âYou asked me not to open it like ten times yesterday.â
âYeah, I asked you because I know you⊠you canât resist opening a present for five minutes, let alone two hours.â
âWell, maybe Iâm growing up, alright?â Stiles waves his right hand. âItâs my birthday after all.â
âTrue, happy birthday⊠Youâre older than me now. God, youâre so oldâŠâ Jackson smirks.
Jacksonâs teasing tone is something that Stiles always likes even if he would never admit it.
âShut up, youâll be as old as I am in four monthsâWait,â Stiles furrows his brow, âwhere are you?â Because heâs just realized that the wall behind Jackson doesnât look like his room and Jackson is obviously on his phone, not on his laptop.
âThe stairs. Near the library. Donât worry, thereâs nobody around⊠everybody is having dinner or studying, I guess.â
âOf courseâYou were at the library⊠and you interrupted your studying to call me?â Stiles frowns. âYou shouldnâtââ
âI said Iâd call you, didnât I?
âYes, but I could have waited until tonight.â
âYeah, and you would have opened it without me.â
âNot true,â Stiles says defensively.
âWhatever. Now we wonât need to find out⊠just open it already.â Jackson smiles.
âFine. But just so you know, if youâve spent too much, Iâm taking it back to the store.â
âYou arenât returning shit, and thatâs final,â Jackson says with conviction.
Stiles rips off the paper with no delicacy at all and he finds a white box with the âDieselâ logo at the top.
âFuck,â Stiles shakes his head. âJacksonââ
âStiles, open-the-fucking-box,â Jackson says, leaning closer to the phone, like if that is going to make any difference.
âYeah, Iâm working on it!â Stiles gets up, leaves the box on the bed and leans over to open it.
âShit,â itâs all Jackson can hear from Stiles, who is still standing with his back facing the laptop as he takes it out of the box with both hands.
âYou like it?â Jackson says, unable to wait any longer in uncertainty.
âYouâre insane, okay?â Stiles shakes his head, licking his lips.
âThat means you like it?â Jackson raises both eyebrows.
âNo, that means⊠you canât do this. Thatâs what I mean.â
âOkay, Iâll take that as a âyesâ...â Jackson tries not to smirk but gives up after a few seconds. âPut it on, then.â
Stiles is not sure he should, because if he does, heâll love it and then, thereâs no way heâll have the will the take it back to wherever this gorgeous thing came from.
âLook, if itâs the right size,â and Jackson knows Stilesâs size perfectly, âyouâre not taking it back or whatever else is going through your mind. So, just try it on.â
Stiles shakes his head but he puts on the brown leather jacket and unsurprisingly, it fits Stilesâs chest, arms and waist perfectly.
The jacket has a round neckline with a snap-button tab on the neck, long sleeves with padded shoulders, zipped cuffs, chest pockets, side zip pockets, an inside pocket, and a zip-up front.
âOkay, are you going to say anything?â
And there it is, that thing in Jacksonâs voice that always gets to Stiles and he feels actually badly for not being more enthusiastic from the start. Besides, he knows very well that itâs not been easy to get this to him since he couldnât buy it personally and had to get his mother involved.
âFine, itâs beautiful, okay? Itâs perfect, and I love it. Of course, I love it, butââ
âYou look seriously hot.â Jackson nods. âJust go and check it out in the mirror because you look amazing. I donât know why I didnât get you one before.â
âBecause you canât do that. Normal people donâtââ
âYes, I canâAnd I have. And you need to learn to accept gifts more gracefully from now on. Especially from me.â
Stiles snorts. âYouâre the only one whoââ
âIs your boyfriend and is allowed to get you any present he wants?â Jackson raises his eyebrows. Jackson knows perfectly well that Stiles remembers when he told him the same thing and he canât possibly dispute his own argument. âIn that case, yeah, thatâs me,â Jackson nods again.
Stiles doesnât say anything. He just slides his hand along the sleeve checking out the texture of the leather and opens and closes the zip pockets, before he finally zips the front.
âSo, you think I look hot?â Stiles bites his lower lip, obviously not convinced.
âVery hot,â Jackson stresses both words, smiling.
âShit, why did you get me this?â Jackson looks back at the screen, unzipping the jacket and sitting down at the desk again.
âWhy? Jackson rolls his eyes dramatically. âYou know why. Youâre the one who forbade me to go and told me to stay here studying. You knew Iâd get you something even if I wasnât there.â
âI wished you were here⊠but you donât need to be. Iâm just talking to you. And... you know what I meanâThis thing must cost a fortune. How did you even involve your mother in this?â Stiles frowns.
âOkay, firstly, youâre not, and I repeat: not allowed to google that jacket, so donât even think about it. Secondly, yes, itâs not cheap, but nothing of quality is, and if it makes you feel better, itâs not too expensive either⊠this is something that you can use for years and I can afford it, as you know... And thirdly, when I asked her, she didnât hesitateâshe wanted to do me the favor, not to mention how much she loves to go shopping, so maybe this proves that sheâs finally accepted you⊠which Iâll take as progress and growth of your relationship. Plus, you only turn twenty once⊠I think that gives me a certain reason to indulge... or whatever...â
If thereâs a quality that Jackson has is that he always knows how to prove his points and defend all his actions, no matter how selfish or irrational they might seem to other people. Jackson can be insecure and might be sometimes afraid of not achieving his goals, but when it comes to defending his ideas, heâs the most fearless and confident person Stiles knows. Heâs definitely going to be a good lawyer. Stiles has no doubt about it.
âI hate that you always know how to make a compelling argument,â Stiles admits. âAnd I hate even more that you always convince me of your bullshit.â
Jackson snorts a laugh, shaking his head.
âYeah, Iâm good, but Iâm not that good, StilinskiâYou just know Iâm right⊠as usual.â
Stiles bites his lip and runs a hand through his long hair to move it out of his face and behind his ear.
âUmm⊠no, I wouldnât say that⊠but yeah, I love it⊠and I love you, and you know that.â
âI do.â Jackson smiles but it doesnât reach his eyes. Thereâs that look in his eyes that Stiles can recognize too easily know. Days like today itâs even harder not being able to reach out to touch, and feel, and hold each other. Itâs bittersweet.