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"The bite," Derek started. "It'll help with your ADHD." It was the first time they'd actively spoken about it since...well, since Peter had asked him, really. To be honest, Derek had never pushed for it. Stiles thought, though, that Derek was finally starting to see how important Stiles' contribution to his pack was, and he suspected the Alpha had been mulling it over for some time, considering how to approach him about it.
"Will it?" he asked. "Are you sure it won't just translate to a stupidly-hyperactive werewolf?"
Derek turned inscrutable eyes on him.
"Have you ever had wolves who used to be ADHD?" he asked, certain that's what the look had been implying. He let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding when Derek nodded.
He closed his eyes, thinking about it. He'd always wanted the bite. Peter had been right about that. It had been the "like you" part that he'd been truthful about. Intellectually, he knew he would be more useful if he were a werewolf, mostly because he'd be more durable, basically a superpowered version of himself. He'd considered going to Derek for it before he'd skipped town years ago, but it hadn't seemed like the right time. And then Derek had left, so he'd assumed that was the universe's way of telling him it wasn't meant to be. But then Derek came back, and he'd asked after him. Him. Stiles Stilinski. It had rekindled that fire, the one that burned to share space with the wolf. "I..." he started, opening his eyes. "Bite me."
"Are you sure?" Derek asked. Double checking. He was making sure Stiles was completely comfortable with the idea before he went through with it. He really cared about his pack, stonewalled demeanor aside.
He looked Derek directly in the eye when he repeated himself.
The bite wasn't much, more a nicking of the skin with super-sharp teeth, but it was deep enough to draw a trickle of blood, a perfect imprint of the Alpha's teeth at the junction of his neck and shoulder.
"The moon will rise soon, so you should feel the effects before too long," Derek assured him, watching him with careful eyes.
It started with a feeling like his veins were on fire, his eyes watering. He reached out and grabbed onto Derek when it hit, fingers digging in, but not breaking skin. It felt like a fever he couldn't shake, a sunburn without the tender skin. Just...fire.
Next, his legs went out from under him, making him clutch at Derek again, feeling useless and slightly girly. It was an affront to his manhood.
After that came the sounds. He could hear...everything. His heartbeat, his breathing, Derek's, a ceiling fan elsewhere in the house, creaking pipes. Further out, the forest. The town. People talking, going about their business. He had to focus to pull himself back in. Derek was right, it was easier. Everything was easier. He turned to his Alpha, awe in his eyes.
Derek, ever the attentive Alpha, led him outside, beneath the sky. "Are you okay?" he asked, voice low in the stillness of the night.
"I am...so much better than okay," he said, his voice starting to drop. He felt the physical changes next, like ants dancing on every inch of every nerve in his body. It was irritating, and he wanted it to be over, squirming slightly. When the itch died down, though, he looked around, eyes taking in everything. It was life, but in HD. He could see almost better than he could during the day. Maybe that was a lie. Maybe he did see better than during the day.
Something rustled in the underbrush.
Scratch that. Definitely better.
Stiles took off after the sound before Derek could stop him, intent on seeing what made that noise, what that smell was. A growl and running footfalls behind him told him Derek was following, and he was cool with that, as long as he didn't take this from him.
In retrospect, maybe Derek should have taken it away from him. Explaining where he'd found a skunk when he was supposed to be sleeping over at Scott's during his break from school was going to be interesting.