triskehale | (no subject)

Entry tags:

barry,
plot: gaps

(no subject)

For as much time as they spent looking and waiting and planning, it all happens so fast. They're already to fight for the people they care about, and Derek can barely make himself himself hold back long enough to follow the plan.

But then they're inside and Derek tears his way through people trying to fight him off, claws and fangs out and put to good use. The place reeks of pain and misery and fear, and Derek lets out a roar as he throws a guy coming at him aside like the ragdoll. The lights flicker and dim, and they all keep fighting.

Once it's over, once they've won, Derek inhales deeply and rushes towards the familiar scents. He's led to actual cells and he has to bite back a growl. He sees Luke first, but Reid is already rushing towards him so Derek nods at him and then keeps going.

"Barry!" He calls out, tracking him down and skidding against the floor as he runs up to his cell. He wraps his fingers around the bars and chokes on a breath when he spots Barry slumped in a corner, looking beaten up and weak with something around his neck. "Barry, I'm here."

Derek looks around to try and find a weakness in the cell structure and then slams his heel into the lock as hard as he can to try and break it. He grabs the bars and pulls as hard as he can, letting out a frustrated yell before it finally opens and he can squeeze inside.

"Hey, hey, it's me," Derek says as he gets on his knees in front of Barry, reaching out and retracting his claws to cup his cheek as gently as he can. "I've got you."

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"I didn't mention that?" asks Barry, glad to see Derek looking something other than guilty. "I can do a lot of things," he says with a grin, but it falters when he remembers just what he'd been made to do with them.

"Do you, um," he says, dropping his gaze. "Did you guys figure out what they were doing with us in there?" he asks, hoping he doesn't have to say it.

"No, you only showed me the one kind of vibrating," he replies, trying to lighten the mood. It doesn't last too long, though. Not with what Barry says next. Derek had heard a lot of things-- things that served to make him angry and scared.

"They wanted to try and replicate powers?" Derek guesses, frowning as he gently rests his fingers against Barry's injured arm, drawing out any pain that may be creeping back in. "But-- you're hurt, and you smell like other people. Other scared people."

He winces and shakes his head, swallowing hard and nudging Barry's food towards him again. "It doesn't matter. You're safe now, and you're never going to get any burgers if you don't finish your soup."

Barry pulls the soup closer to him, eating several bites with unfocused eyes. He knows Derek is giving him an out, and he wants to take it, but he can't. It feels like all those awful memories will swallow him if he does.

"They made us fight," he says, pushing a cracker into the soup until it's mush. "To test our limits. They made us fight each other, and sometimes people they'd given powers with some kind of..." Barry shrugs. "Tonic. It glowed, so you could be super sure that it was evil."

Derek doesn't want to hear this, but at the same time he feels like he needs to know. But really, it doesn't matter what he wants. Barry obviously needs to get this out, and Derek will listen to every single word. He winces slightly and reaches out to put his hand on Barry's thigh through the blankets, squeezing reassuringly. Derek has been tortured, more than once even, and he's had to fight when he didn't want to. But what Barry went through sounds so much worse.

"I'm sorry that happened," Derek says thickly, and it isn't enough. Nothing he could ever say will be enough. "It's over now, and you're safe now. You didn't let them break you."

He moves closer, touching Barry's cheek and kissing his forehead. "I wish I could promise never to let anything hurt you again, but I can't do that. But I do promise to do my best to keep you safe."

"I survived Zoom," says Barry with a tired smile. "It doesn't get much worse than that." He closes his eyes for the kiss to his forehead. Derek is always so gentle, even when Barry isn't battered or weak. It's just his way, and Barry's smile softens.

"I believe you," he says, squeezing Derek's wrist. His voice is nearly lost to a rumble from his stomach, and Barry groans, beyond grateful that this time, more food will actually come. "Can I do a sandwich now?"

"Good," Derek says quietly. Barry is being honest when he says that he believes him, and that means more to Derek than he can say. The rumble makes him smile a little and he nods, happy that he can at least provide him with the food he needs to heal.

"Sure. Be right back." He gets up and lifts the tray with one hand, using the other to set the stuffed wolf on Barry's chest. Once he's in the kitchen, he whips up a turkey sandwich piled high with meat and puts it on a plate along with some chips and a stack of chocolate chip cookies. He refills the water glass and puts it all on the tray before taking some steaks and burger patties out to defrost, since he's sure those will be next.

"Your second course," Derek says as he comes back into the room and sets the tray down in front of Barry. "You're already looking a little better. There's color in your cheeks."

He'll still need time, rest, and a hell of a lot more food, but just that small sign of healing is enough to have Derek breathing a sigh of relief. He carefully crawls onto the other side of the bed and swipes a cookie from the plate.

"Hey," Barry laughs for his lost cookie, but most of his protest is lost to the sandwich already in his mouth. "Double meat," he says, muffled. "Nice." He can't tell if it's seeing Derek, being somewhere clean and safe, or the food, but he does feel better. Barry rubs his fingertips together and is rewarded with a tiny spark.

"We're on the right track," he says, tucking into a chocolate chip cookie with a groan. "I'm sure I'll be back to normal in a day or two. But how is everything else?" Barry asks, turning towards Derek in the bed. "Nothing happened to Semele's?"

"Of course," Derek says in response to the comment about the sandwich. "Look who you're talking to."

His gaze drops to Barry's fingers and smiles at the sight of the spark, reaching out to slide his fingers across Barry's, tangling them together for a moment before letting go so he can return to his sandwich. "Looking good, hummingbird."

Derek finishes off his cookie and frowns slightly at the question about Semele's, shrugging one shoulder before rolling onto his side to look at Barry. "Uh, I'm not sure, actually. It's all good as far as I know, but I haven't been there in a few days."

The smile Barry had worn for the nickname slips from his face, and he reaches to squeeze Derek's hand. "I'm sorry," he says again. He knows it's not his fault, but Derek's already been through so much. He hates to be another reason for pain, but all he can do now is try to make it up to him.

"You should call," he says. "Or, I'll probably be mobile by tomorrow. We can go together, make sure it hasn't become Eric's new pie empire in your absence."

"Hey, don't be sorry," Derek assures him, bringing Barry's hand up to press a kiss to his knuckles. "I have good people working for me. The place is in good hands. I'm not worried about it."

He snags another cookie and breaks it in half, leaving one half on Barry's plate and taking a bite for himself while still hanging on to Barry's hand. "Even if you are mobile, I say we spend all day in bed. We both need to rest and I don't really plan on letting you out of my sight any time soon."

Barry is looking at him, so close and safe, and Derek lifts his head to press a soft kiss to his lips just because he can.

Barry smiles softly, closing his eyes as he accepts the kiss. Up close, Derek smells like the chocolate cookie, and Barry valiantly wishes he had the strength right now to forget his food and just burrow into him. But his stomach rumbles again, and Barry works his way through the rest of the sandwich, finishing it off with the cookie.

"All day in bed sounds pretty good," he admits, his gaze cutting sideways. Like anyone would turn down a day spent in bed with Derek Hale. Even if all they do is cuddle and watch television, it's still the best deal Barry's ever heard. "At home, I just watched movies all day when I felt rotten. I've never taken a sickday with a werewolf before."

Derek can't help but to smile when Barry seems torn between him and the food, and he slowly slides his hand up and down Barry's side while he finishes off his sandwich. He heaves himself off of the bed to take the tray and huffs out a laugh. "I imagine it'll be much the same, but with more kissing. And eating."

He's looking forward to spending the day with Barry, keeping him close and watching him heal. It's been a long two weeks and Derek has barely slept, but he thinks he will tonight. Now that Barry is safe.

"Okay, now it's time for steak. For both of us," Derek says, patting his own stomach when it growls. He had sort of forgotten about his own wounds in caring for Barry, and he's suddenly ravenous. "Big, thick, juicy steaks. And potatoes."

He nods and leans over to give Barry another kiss before leaving the bedroom. It's hard to be away from him at all right now, but fortunately Derek has gotten this particular meal down to a science. Before long, he has two plates ready to go, each with a big rare steak and piles of potato and vegetables, and he balances them along with two glasses of milk and some silverware on the tray as he heads back into the room and knocks on the open door in case Barry is asleep.

"Okay, this should satisfy even your appetite for a little while," Derek says with a smile, carefully walking across the bed on his knees and setting the tray down. "Because I don't really plan on leaving this bed again for a few hours."

"Yes," says Barry in a drawn out moan, "Steak time." He watches Derek go, leaning against the pillow at his back. He drifts a little - his bones are knitting, he can tell from the itch deep beneath his skin, all his new energy diverting to the process to leave him sleepy eyed and quiet. But Barry groans again as smells begin to drift into the bedroom, the scent of rendered fat and hot potatoes its own kind of torment until Derek returns with a tray.

"It looks amazing," says Barry with feeling when Derek lays the tray in his lap, wishing for a moment that he was the one with werewolf teeth so he could sink them directly into the meat. But Barry picks up his silverware and makes himself go slow, eyes rolling back for the taste of steak after so many days of crumbs.

Derek smiles at the compliment and then watches as Barry begins to eat. He feels something like pride unfurl inside of him, and it's like his wolf is finally starting to settle for the first time that this whole mess started. Barry is safe and warm and provided for, and Derek can finally relax.

He leans against the pillows and cuts off his own piece of steak, tempting as it is to just pick it up and gnaw on it. Conversation lulls due to the distraction of a hearty meal, and Derek licks juice from his fingers before letting out a satisfied sigh. "There's also a stack of pies that seems to have appeared in my kitchen. Don't eat the meat pie one. It's a special werewolf recipe."

The pie isn't harmful to humans, he's pretty sure, but why take the risk?

Barry grins around his mouthful, but Derek doesn't seem to be joking. "Wait, for real?" he asks, cutting himself another piece that can only very generously be called bite sized. "What does that mean? Is there meat only werewolves can eat?"

His brow furrows with vague worry, but Barry's thoughts keep turning back to the other pies. "What kind are they?"

"For real," Derek replies solemnly, smiling a little when he realizes that those were the first words he ever said to Barry. He stuffs his mouth full of potato and shakes his head as he chews, swallowing before answering. "Bitty found the recipe somewhere. I'm not sure what exactly is in it but it's sort of like--" He pauses to give him a sheepish look. "Wolf nip. It just makes me really relaxed."

Barry's gaze goes towards the wall and what Derek assumes is the kitchen on the other side, and he chuckles a little. "A few apple and chocolate cream, and I smelled pumpkin and pecan too."

He leans over to press his shoulder against Barry's, smiling warmly at him. "I suppose I could go get you one, if you want."

Derek is pretty sure that he'd do just about anything Barry asked right now.

Barry's eyes widen. "Wolf nip," he repeats, all thoughts of other pies for the moment forgotten. "Maybe you should have some now. You've had a hell of a day." Barry grins and eats more steak, his smile turning mischievous despite his exhaustion. "Doesn't catnip make cats kind of horny?" he asks. "Have you actually tried this stuff out before?"

"You're bouncing back quick," Derek teases, but he's absolutely pleased by it. He laughs softly and leans in to kiss Barry's cheek before returning to his own steak to finish it off. He sets the empty plate aside and leans more heavily against Barry, head resting on his shoulder. "I've had it, yeah. And I can imagine that it would get me pretty horny around you."

He smirks and leans in to give Barry's neck a soft little nip right between those two moles on the side of his neck, resisting the urge to leave a mark on him. Barry has enough marks on him already, but Derek wants to leave his own, one that's wanted. Instead he pulls back and nuzzles Barry's jaw a bit before resting his head against his shoulder again.

"What can I say, I'm fast," Barry replies, resting his cheek against Derek's hair until the siren call of his last bites of steak prove too much to resist. He eats them quickly and settles back, wishing he could do more right now than shiver pleasantly for Derek's kiss.

Stretching out his arm, he tests the bend of his fingers, pleased to find that the worst is already healed. The same seems to be true of the fractures he could feel in his cheekbone, but his ribs are still painful each time he breathes. "Maybe tomorrow," Barry says, his lids sliding to half mast. "Or the day after."

"There's no rush," Derek assures him, turning his head so that Barry can see the sincerity in his expression. "I'm not going anywhere."

What matters most is that Barry heals, both physically and mentally, and Derek is relieved to see that it might not be such a long road. Barry has been through so much, broken time and time again just like Derek has been, but he still smiles so easily. He doesn't seem surprised by the sound of his own laughter, not like Derek was for so long. He admires Barry so much for that.

Derek takes Barry's hand and kisses his palm, nuzzling into it and breathing in his scent. He curls his fingers around Barry's wrist and once again takes his pain, relieved that it seems to be lessening. He smirks against the inside of his wrist and gives him a dry look. "As long as I get to sniff you."

Barry can't help a gasp, leaning back against the headboard as Derek pulls the pain from his body, draining it as neatly as an opened tap. "Does that hurt you?" he asks, even sleepier now that he doesn't have the pain to distract him, but Barry turns his head to stare earnestly at Derek.

"If it does, you don't have to. I promise I can take it. I just look like you could snap me in two."

"Now you're just teasing me, making noises like that," Derek jokes in a low voice, lifting his arm to wrap it around Barry's shoulders and draw him in closer. "I told you when we met, remember? I only feel it for a second. It was worth it then, and it's definitely worth it now."

He looks down at Barry and smiles softly at the sight of his droopy eyes, leaning in to press his lips gently against his forehead. "Getting sleepy, hummingbird?"

"I've had a long week," says Barry, relaxing when he's reminded that Derek only feels it for a second. He'd still prefer Derek not hurt at all, but Barry's not about to complain about being able to draw a full breath.

"I'll probably sleep a lot," he warns, given that Derek isn't Caitlyn, who's been through this with him so many times before. Barry's mouth tugs in a sad smile. "Sleep and eat, actually. It's the price of accelerated healing."

"Did you forget who you're talking to?" Derek says with a tired smile of his own. He nearly mentions that he got knocked around pretty good too in the fight, but that pales in comparison to what Barry went through. Not to mention that every bruise and scratch are worth it to have Barry safe like this. "I'll be sleeping right next to you."

He notices the slight change in Barry's expression and leans down to kiss him, catching Barry's bottom lip between his own before he brushes their noses together. "I'm not going anywhere. Not until I get up and make waffles in the morning, at least."

"Good," says Barry softly, picking up the tray to set it on the bedside table. His mouth will be disgusting in the morning after all this food, but Barry can't bring himself to leave the bed now that he's full and content with Derek beside him. Barry shifts lower until he's horizontal on the sheets, pushing closer to Derek's warmth.

"Then let's sleep," he says. "The sooner we do, the sooner waffles happen." Barry brushes his nose against Derek's shoulder, his arms feeling oddly empty. "Can I be big spoon?"

"Sounds like a plan," Derek says easily, shifting down onto the bed when Barry does. He's ready to open his arms and pull Barry close, and the question surprises him. He blinks and pauses for a moment, unsure of how to react.

He doesn't think he's ever been the little spoon, not once in his life. He's never been held like that. But he suddenly realizes that he would really, really like to be.

"Sure," Derek says quietly, and it feels like he falls for Barry just a little bit more in that moment. "I, uh-- I've never been the little spoon, so bear with me."

He smiles and gives Barry a lingering kiss before rolling over onto his side and presenting his back to Barry. He feels oddly vulnerable in this position, but with Barry that doesn't seem so much like a bad thing.

"Nobody cuddled this?" asks Barry incredulously as he turns on his side, careful of his ribs. He shifts in close to Derek, curling his body around him and sighing for the warmth. "Everyone else in your life is insane," he murmurs as he rubs his nose against Derek's nape, tucking his face into the crook of his neck. He slides one arm around Derek's middle, indulging in a quick brush of fingertips against his ridiculous abdomen before his hand relaxes.

"Good luck getting away," Barry yawns.

"Not quite like this," Derek says, waiting for Barry to get settled before Derek rests his hand over Barry's on his stomach, threading their fingers together and relaxing comfortably into Barry's tight embrace.

Barry noses at the back of his neck and it makes him shiver, and he lets out a breath before deliberately turning his head to offer Barry the vulnerable stretch of his throat. He doesn't know if Barry will understand the offer for what it is, but it feels good just to have made it, to trust someone so completely that he can bare his throat and the wolf inside of him doesn't even fight it.

"I don't want to get away," Derek assures him, snuggling back and resting his ass against the cradle of Barry's hips just to get even closer.

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