Playing His Cards Right

[Sterekdrabbles challenge for 12/16/18: “deck, grave, flow”]

(1)

With the pack gathered round and Derek beside him, Stiles opened the battered wooden box.

Inside, fraying silk appeared wrapped around something: a well worn deck of cards.

Lifting the top card revealed a winged being blowing a horn above three figures.

“Le judgment,” Stiles read.

“Le jugement,” Lydia pronounced in flawless French. “It’s a tarot card. It means—”

“It means put this back wherever you found it. Now,” Stiles interrupted, returning the card to its place, rewrapping the deck and closing the box, his protective magic flowing.

“You want to be judged by a witch from her grave? Go!”

 

(2)

While Derek poured, Stiles let water from a stone pitcher flow over his hands.

“Why would a witch need a tarot deck?” Derek asked.

“Her choice? Who knows? Maybe she read cards for easy money. The important question is when will your knuckleheads learn taking things without proper precautions can have grave consequences?”

“You’re emissary. When you teach them.”

“You should just yell at them.”

“They need educating, not yelling at.”

“You know what I need?” Stiles asked waving his hands through the air to dry them.

Derek knew but asked anyway, “What?”

“Cuddles!” Stiles cried, snuggling into Derek’s embrace.