Work Text:
River was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the loft, sketchbook balanced on their knee while they absentmindedly shaded the corner of a drawing. Their dark curls were pulled back into a messy bun, paint still smudged faintly across one cheek from a class earlier that afternoon.
Isaac was sprawled beside them on the couch, one arm draped over the back cushion behind River's shoulders. Not touching them directly at the moment, but close enough that anyone who knew Isaac could tell he was actively restraining himself.
Because Isaac Lahey was a toucher. Not in an inappropriate way. Just... constantly.
If River sat beside him, he'd lean against them. If they stood nearby, his hand would somehow find the small of their back. If they watched a movie, he'd end up tangled around them like a particularly affectionate puppy.
River didn't mind. Most of the time. The important thing was that Isaac always waited for permission, even if that permission came in the form of River simply scooting closer.
Across the room, Erica was practically draped over Boyd like a blanket. One of her legs was thrown over his lap while Boyd sat patiently reading something on his phone.
Stiles was upside down in Derek's armchair with his feet hanging over one side and his head dangling off the other. Derek sat on the couch looking deeply resigned to every life choice that had brought him to this moment.
It was peaceful. For approximately thirty seconds. Then Erica looked up from scrolling through her phone. Her eyes narrowed. "Oh my God."
River didn't even look up from their sketchbook while Isaac said "No."
"I haven't even said anything."
"You made that face."
"What face?"
"The face that means you're about to make everyone uncomfortable."
Boyd snorted. Derek immediately looked tired. Stiles sat upright. "Oh, this is gonna be good."
River sighed. Isaac muttered, "We're all gonna regret this."
Erica pointed directly at them. "You two."
Isaac groaned. "There it is."
"You've been together for over a year."
Isaac blinked. "Okay?"
Erica narrowed her eyes further. "How?"
The room fell silent. River slowly lowered their pencil. "How... what?"
"How are you two functioning?"
Stiles immediately pointed. "OH THANK GOD SOMEONE ASKED."
Isaac looked betrayed. "You've been wondering too?"
"Obviously!"
Derek rubbed his temples. "I already hate where this conversation is going."
Nobody listened to him. Erica sat up straighter. "Look, I'm not trying to be rude."
Derek sipped his soda, "You absolutely are."
"Maybe a little."
Boyd smiled into his phone. Erica ignored him. "But seriously. I don't understand."
River exchanged a glance with Isaac. Isaac looked equally confused. Erica gestured wildly. "You're asexual."
River nodded. "Correct."
Isaac lifted a finger. "And?"
Erica looked at him like he was missing the obvious. "And you're Isaac."
Isaac frowned. "Still not seeing the issue."
"You were literally cuddling River a solid three days a few months ago."
"That was because they were cold."
"You bought them hot chocolate every day for two weeks."
"They liked the hot chocolate."
"You looked heartbroken when they got a cold."
"They were sick."
Erica threw her hands up. "Exactly!"
Isaac stared. River stared. Boyd and Derek rolled their eyes. Stiles looked delighted. "No, no, I see where she's going."
Isaac groaned. "Of course you do."
Stiles pointed between them. "Isaac is a werewolf."
Isaac looked offended. "I know."
"Very touchy-feely werewolf."
Isaac paused. "...fair."
Stiles pointed at River. "And River is River."
River squinted. "What does that mean?"
"It means you're basically a cryptid."
"Rude."
"Accurate."
"Also rude."
Stiles ignored them. "My point is that you guys operate completely differently."
Isaac exchanged another glance with River. "Not really."
"Really?" Erica said.
"Really."
Erica stared. River stared back. A long silence stretched. Finally Erica blurted, "Okay but don't you ever want more?"
River blinked. "More what?"
"You know."
River looked genuinely puzzled. "No."
Erica pointed helplessly. "See? That!"
"What?"
"You don't even immediately think about it."
River laughed. "Because that's not how my brain works."
Erica opened her mouth. "...okay."
The room quieted slightly. River set their sketchbook aside. They didn't seem annoyed, just thoughtful. "A lot of people assume being ace means you don't like affection."
Erica nodded slowly. "Kind of?"
"It doesn't."
Isaac immediately nodded. "Definitely doesn't."
River smiled at him. The smile Isaac returned was so soft that even Derek looked mildly uncomfortable witnessing it.
River continued. "I like affection."
Isaac smiled, "You do."
"I like kissing."
"You definitely do."
River nudged Isaac with their foot. He grinned. "I like being close to people I trust. I like holding hands. I like cuddling. I like all of that."
Erica considered that. "Okay."
"The difference is that attraction works differently for me."
Boyd finally looked up from his phone. "That makes sense."
River smiled gratefully. Boyd had always been good at listening. Stiles tilted his head. "So what about Isaac?"
Isaac shrugged. "What about me?"
"You never get frustrated?"
Isaac looked genuinely surprised. "Why would I?"
Stiles blinked. "Because —"
Isaac leaned forward, eyes slightly flashing. "No, seriously. Why would I?"
Stiles faltered. Isaac continued. "I knew River was ace before we started dating."
River nodded. "You did."
"I asked questions."
River snorted."Sooooo many questions."
"You had diagrams."
"I drew exactly one diagram."
"It was color-coded."
"It was a very good diagram."
Boyd laughed. Even Derek's mouth twitched. Isaac smiled fondly at River before looking back at Stiles.
"The point is that we talked about it."
"Okay."
"And River's boundaries."
"Okay."
"And comfort levels."
"Okay."
Isaac shrugged. "So what's the problem?"
Stiles opened his mouth. Then closed it again. River smirked. "He's got you there."
Erica wasn't convinced. "Yeah, but don't you want sex eventually?"
The room grew quieter. River looked toward Isaac. Isaac met their gaze. Something passed between them. Understanding. The kind that came from a year of conversations nobody else had been part of. Then Isaac answered first. "Maybe."
Erica blinked. "Maybe?"
Isaac shrugged. "I mean, yeah. Probably."
His answer was simple. Matter-of-fact. River smiled softly.bIsaac continued. "But that's not really the point."
"What is the point?" Stiles asked.
Isaac looked at River again. Then smiled. "The point is that it's River's decision."
River's expression softened immediately. Isaac leaned back against the couch. "Everything physical we've ever done happened because River wanted it."
Erica looked surprised. "Everything?"
River nodded. "Everything."
Isaac gestured casually. "First kiss?"
River smiled. "My move."
"Holding hands?"
"Mine."
"Making out?"
River rolled their eyes. "Mine."
"That one time you nearly climbed into my lap during movie night?"
River groaned. "We don't need to discuss that."
Isaac grinned. "My point exactly."
Erica stared. "Seriously?"
River nodded. "Seriously."
Isaac shrugged again. "River decides what they're comfortable with."
"And if they're never comfortable?"
Isaac answered without hesitation. "Then they're never comfortable."
The certainty in his voice surprised everyone. Even Derek looked up. Isaac wasn't smiling anymore. He wasn't joking. He simply sounded sure. Completely sure.
River stared at him for a moment. A faint pink tint touched their cheeks. Isaac noticed immediately. Naturally, because Isaac noticed everything when it came to River.
The werewolf smiled softly. River looked away. Erica pointed. "That."
"What?"
"That look."
Isaac looked confused. "What look?"
"The disgustingly in love look."
Boyd laughed. Stiles nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, you both do it."
Isaac buried their face in their hands. "We need new friends."
"No," Derek said dryly. "You need fewer witnesses."
Isaac laughed. River's shoulders shook as they laughed too. The tension dissolved. The conversation becoming lighter.
Eventually Erica settled back against Boyd. Still thoughtful and processing. After a few moments she spoke again. "You know..."
River looked over. Erica shrugged. "I couldn't do it."
River smiled. "That's okay."
"No, I mean it."
She looked toward Boyd. Then back at River. "Sex is important to me."
"That's okay too."
Erica nodded. "And if it isn't important to you, that's okay."
River's smile widened. "Exactly."
Boyd squeezed Erica's hand. Isaac slipped his fingers loosely around River's wrist. A tiny gesture, one he'd done a thousand times before. River immediately turned their hand and intertwined their fingers with his.
Stiles watched the motion. Then groaned dramatically. "Oh God."
"What now?" Derek asked.
"They're healthy."
The entire room burst out laughing. Derek rolled his eyes. Erica threw a pillow at him. Boyd nearly choked laughing. Even River couldn't stop giggling. Isaac looked entirely too pleased with himself.
Stiles pointed accusingly. "Nobody should be this emotionally functional."
"You're dating Derek Hale," Erica said. "You don't get to judge anyone's relationship."
"Fair."
"Very fair."
Derek sighed heavily. "I regret coming here."
"No you don't," River said.
Derek glanced around the room. At Stiles. At Boyd and Erica. At Isaac and River. At the chaos. The laughter and the comfort, then he rolled his eyes. "No," he admitted. "I don't."
And for a little while longer, the conversation drifted to easier things, the topic settled not because everyone fully understood River's experience, but because they understood something more important.
Every relationship looked different. What mattered wasn't whether it looked like anyone else's. What mattered was that the people in it were happy.
And as Isaac absentmindedly kissed the side of River's head while River leaned comfortably against his shoulder, nobody could really argue with the results.