Archive of Our Own

~~~

There is nothing about Stiles' life that ever felt normal. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Studying the Supernatural for fun was one thing, having your best friend be bitten by a werewolf and turn into one himself was a completely other story. 

Stiles bounces on his heels as he waits beside Scott and his father on the front steps of the Hale house; if you could call it a house, it was more like a looming mansion smack dab in the middle of the preserve. Secluded and elegant. He tried not to get too excited about seeing the inside. They were here to help Scott out, not for him to drool over the architecture. The full moon was coming up fast, and Scott was already struggling to get in control of his new abilities. 

Scott is fidgeting a little himself, frowning deeply as he looks at his scuffed sneakers. It’s weird, seeing Scott so on edge. Normally he was bubbly and happy-go-lucky. But Stiles understands. Getting attacked by a deranged supernatural creature right before summer break could do that to a guy, he supposed. He had been through the wringer the last few weeks. Exhausted and snappy and making claw marks in everything on accident when he gets a little too distracted. 

Stiles mourns the band t-shirt he had lent Scott that soon ended up in shreds.

“Dude, it’s gonna be okay,” Stiles assures Scott gently, knocking shoulders with his best friend in an attempt to soothe him. 

Noah nods in agreement, dropping a kind hand onto Scott’s shoulder. “This isn’t their first rodeo, son. Trust me, they know how to help. I’ve known the Hales for years. They’re good folks and they’ll take good care of you. I promise.” His smile is small but comforting, and Stiles gets a pang of respect for his dad for how he treats Scott like his own son. With Scott’s dad mostly out of the picture growing up, he needed a father figure, and Noah had stepped in without even really being asked. The same could be said of Melissa for Stiles, as well. 

Scott gives a little nod, seeming to calm down a little bit from Noah’s soft encouragement. “You’re right. This is all just…” he gestures wildly, unsure how to explain it. “A lot of changes really fast. And mom is freaking out about it. I don’t want to lose control, you know?”

Stiles gives Scott a sympathetic look. “She’s just worried about you, you know that.” He offers quietly. 

The door opens, revealing a woman with long, dark hair and kind but intense eyes. She smiles softly when her gaze lands on Noah. “I’m glad you came. You must be Scott,” her attention shifts to the freshly turned werewolf, her expression soft and motherly. “Why don’t you all come in and we can talk?” 

“We appreciate you helping out, Talia,” Noah says, squeezing Scott’s shoulder before he gently nudges him towards the open door. Scott hesitates, glancing over at Stiles, who steps up next to him in hopes of easing his nerves.

"It'll be all good, dude. Promise. I’m right behind you."

Scott nods, squaring his shoulders a little before he enters the house. Stiles and Noah follow after him. Stiles was right–the inside is beautiful. It’s both rustic and modern. There’s an expensiveness to it, but that doesn’t keep it from looking homey. Stiles pauses for a moment in the hallway to take note of the plethora of family pictures. 

There are a couple of old wedding photos, one of which is of Talia and a man who Stiles assumes is her husband; another one with two men, one of which he recognizes as Scott’s girlfriend’s dad, Chris . He shouldn’t be too surprised, though. With as close knit of a town as Beacon Hills is, weird connections between people make sense. Another row of pictures show three children together throughout the years; two girls and a boy. The last picture at the end of the hall looks more recent, with Talia and her husband and their three kids, all of which look to be adults. 

It makes Stiles' heart clench a little, thinking about the few family pictures he has with his mom and dad and him together. He tries to shake it from himself, tearing his attention away from the pictures to focus on something else, anything else, in the house. 

Talia leads them further into the house– holy shit, how big is this place –before turning into a large, open kitchen that has Stiles gapping. There’s a man–Stiles recognizes him to be the kid in the family pictures–who is currently laying out a small spread of snacks on the breakfast bar. He looks up, green eyes flickering to Stiles before over at Scott and Noah. 

“This is my son, Derek,” Talia nods towards Derek with a smile. “Derek, this is Scott and Stiles. You’ve already met Sheriff Stilinski a few times.”

Derek nods quietly in greeting, his eyes lingering for a moment on Stiles again before he politely turns his attention back to the task at hand; arranging a pile of small plates in the middle of the counter. 

“Scott, why don’t you come with me and Noah and we’ll go chat privately, okay?” Talia suggests kindly.

Scott looks a little glum going off without Stiles, but he agrees without complaint, following Talia and Noah out of the room like a lost puppy with one last glance over his shoulder at his best friend. Stiles has to hold in a chuckle as he watches his friend leave.

“Do you want a drink?” 

Stiles turns his attention to Derek, caught off guard by how startlingly gorgeous his eyes are now that he’s more focused. He shakes himself from it for a second before nodding a little too eagerly. “Uh, sure! That would be great!”

“Lemonade okay?” 

Stiles nods again, nervously, taking the initiative to settle on one of the metal bar stools at the countertop. He eyes the snacks laid out, stomach growling a little. They hadn’t had lunch yet. 

“You can eat if you want,” Derek offers quietly, with an almost amused expression on his face that makes a warmth bloom in Stiles’ chest. Derek was unfairly pretty.

Stiles blinks, wondering if Derek actually heard his stomach before remembering he’s in a house full of werewolves, and of course he could.

“Thanks!” Stiles doesn’t hesitate as he takes a plate and fills it with a variety of the snacks–some cheeses and thin sliced meats and grapes and a delicately sliced apple–and plucks one of the grapes off the vine as he watches Derek. 

Derek grabs two glasses, setting them on the counter before retrieving a big pitcher of lemonade. He fills both cups before returning the container to the fridge. 

“It’s nice to put a face to your name finally,” Derek says softly after a moment of silence between them. He grabs his own glass and takes a long sip. “Your dad talks highly about you.”

Stiles flushes, a little shy suddenly as he snags his own glass and taps his fingers against it lightly. “He does?” He croaks, biting his lip.

Derek nods, reaching for a slice of cheese and pops it into his mouth. 

“Him and mom and dad have coffee about once a month or so. He’s always bragging about how hard you work in school and how proud he is of you for going down the FBI route.” Derek hesitates for a moment then, considering something, before he blurts out. “And apparently makes it pretty clear you’re single.”

Stiles scrunches up his nose in confusion for a moment. “What, are they like, trying to hook us up or something? Because that’s what it kinda sounds like.” He jokes before he can stop himself. It would be something his dad would do. It wasn’t like Stiles complained about being single; he’d been busy with school, and had a string of quick flings throughout. It had kept him satiated, if nothing else.

But maybe Noah could read Stiles better than he thought, because deep down, he was maybe the slightest bit lonely. Sex was great and all, but he misses genuine connection that college hook-ups really hadn’t provided for him.

Surprise crosses over Derek’s expression for a moment, along with a pink tinge that rests warmly on his tanned cheeks.  Stiles can’t help thinking about how nice the color looks there. A little part inside of him wants to see him blush more, but he quickly shakes the thought before it evolves farther.

“Oh my god, they absolutely are !” Stiles finally puts two and two together, throwing his hands up in surprise. 

Derek laughs a little and the sound makes Stiles’ chest warm. “I shouldn’t be surprised,” he muses quietly. “My last relationship was…dangerous , is the kindest way to describe it I guess.” He gives a shrug, looking a little bitter for a moment, and Stiles wishes that he could make him laugh again. “They just don’t want me to be lonely, I think.” 

Stiles makes a noise of agreement, picking at one of the slices of meat. “I think my dad is in the same boat. I was really into a girl throughout high school and we finally dated right as we got into college, but…” He gives a half-shrug, feeling a little bitter sweet about it. “We just realized we were better as friends. I adore her, and she’s a fantastic woman. It just didn’t work out.” 

Derek nods a little, eyeing Stiles with a calculated look. Stiles counters it with raised eyebrows. 

“What? Something on my face or something?” Stiles brushes the corner of his mouth and his cheek carefully, just in case.

Derek shakes his head, his green eyes darting away, looking suddenly embarrassed for staring so long. “Nothing,” he says after clearing his throat. He raises his glass of lemonade towards Stiles. “To having our parents meddle in our love lives.” 

Stiles chuckles a little, clicking his own glass against Derek’s before taking a big gulp. “I can toast to that.” He chirps. 

They settle into comfortable conversation. Derek tells Stiles about his two sisters; Laura, who’s older and out of the house now and an environmental lawyer, and Cora who still lives at home and apparently drives Derek up a wall. Stiles explains how he’s an only child, but Scott might as well be his brother with how long they’ve been friends. 

Stiles meets Derek’s younger sister Cora about an hour later, when she slinks inside to snag a plate of food. Derek scolds her a little on how much food she takes because she’s supposed to share with their guests, but she just rolls her eyes, and tells Stiles it’s nice to meet him with a grumble, before disappearing out of the kitchen. 

“Well she seems like a joy,” Stiles says, keeping his tone even, though there’s a sense of amusement in his tone. 

Derek sighs heavily. “She’s just annoyed that new people are in the house. She’ll get over it quick.” He waves his hand dismissively before he moves to leave the kitchen. 

“Let me show you around, huh? I have a feeling you’ll be back here more since your friend will be visiting,” Derek says casually, leading Stiles from the kitchen and throughout the large expanse of the house. 

Stiles thinks idly to himself that he’d love to come back to the house even without Scott, but he keeps that to himself. “Yeah, I’d love a tour!” He pipes back before he says something mortifying. 

As far as Stiles’ knows, werewolves can’t read minds.

~ ~ ~

To say that Stiles is just a tad smitten after meeting Derek is an understatement . He can’t stop thinking about the wolf. He was a little quiet and shy, sure, but that smile of his that made an appearance on the rare occasion made his heart stop. The next time Scott mentions offhandedly he’s going to the Hales to train, Stiles enthusiastically asks if he can go along again too before he can stop himself. That earns him a strange look from Scott. 

“Do you just want to go so you can hang out with Derek again?” He asks, eyes narrowed in suspicion. 

Stiles scoffs, feigning being offended.“I’m going there to support you, dude!” He says, though there’s a pink flooding to his cheeks. “You shouldn’t have to go alone!” It was a weak excuse, sure, but he did want to support Scott as much as he could, of course. He just  also was a little desperate to see Derek again. 

“And?” Scott prompts, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“And maybe see that ridiculously hot wolf,” Stiles folds easily with a whine. “Can you blame me?”

Scott rolls his eyes, but he’s grinning, bumping his fist against Stiles’ shoulder as they walk outside to Stiles’ jeep together.

“I’m happy for you man, genuinely. I haven’t seen you this excited since Lydia.” 

Stiles smiles, feeling a little bittersweet. “I just have a good feeling about him,” he says quietly, maybe more to himself than Scott, but he knows his best friend hears him too.

“You deserve to feel good, dude,” Scott says as he climbs into the passenger seat and buckles in. 

Stiles gets in and starts up his jeep, cheeks heating. 

“Thanks, Scott, that means a lot.”

~~~

A month into knowing the Hales, Stiles knows he’s in deep . And he is more than happy about it.

They haven’t exactly talked about a relationship–though they both had tip-toed around it, and had held hands a few times, and maybe fallen asleep together on the couch after a good dinner together–but the Sheriff had been asking nonchalantly if Stiles had been enjoying being at the Hales. And Talia and Joseph had invited Stiles over for a family night at least twice already. It’s complicated, though. Stiles doesn’t quite know the extent of it, but Derek has mentioned a few times that the last person he was seeing had messed him up in some way. So Stiles hasn’t wanted to push anything too fast, even with their parents' obvious enthusiasm. That doesn’t stop the excitement from bubbling up inside him every time he gets the chance to see Derek, however. 

“Where’s Derek?” Stiles prompts as casually as he can as he follows Scott and Peter through the house to the large, indoor gym. Talia had explained to them the first time they visited that it had been extra reinforced to keep the family of wolves from breaking it every other day. Cora and Isaac–another turned wolf who lived with the family as part of the pack now–are already in there, sparring in the corner. Stiles chuckles a little to himself when Cora easily takes the other wolf to the ground and perches on his chest triumphantly, a feral looking grin on her face. He’s glad he’s not on the other side of her attack, fake or otherwise.

“He’s out for a run with Talia,” Peter replies coolly. “They should be back soon, though.” He gives Stiles a long look of consideration that before he turns away in favor of focusing on Scott instead.

Stiles nods, momentarily disappointed but he can be patient. He takes a seat on one of the benches by the large windows, watching the clearing in the preserve with curiosity as Peter starts to explain to Scott what he wants to start teaching him next. The talking fades into the background as Stiles lets himself just enjoy being there, surrounded by the pack, in a house that’s starting to feel like a second home. 

A few moments later, Stiles stares in amazement as he watches out the wall of windows to see two large black wolves– actual wolves–emerge from the woods. Without hesitation, and ignoring Peter’s call to him to stay inside and wait , Stiles makes his way to the door and hurries outside. The smaller–if you could call either of them that–of the two wolves wags his tail a little, slowing his walk as Stiles approaches both. 

Carefully, Stiles reaches out to the one wolf in offering. It sniffs his hand tentatively, nipping lightly at his fingertips before pushing its head against his hand contently. Stiles scratches behind the wolf’s ears carefully, a grin on his face.

“I didn’t realize you guys could shift like this too. That’s so cool.” Stiles says, wonderment in his eyes as he continues to touch and scratch at Derek’s ears.

“You are incredibly fearless, Stiles,” he hears Talia’s voice and turns, his hand still running through Derek’s fur. He can’t stop himself, the wolf is so damn soft. Talia is wrapping a black robe around herself, having just transformed back out of her shifted form. “That’s a wonderful and dangerous trait to have.” 

Stiles shrugs with a beaming smile. “I get that from my dad, I think. Force of habit to run straight into danger.” Derek snuffs his annoyance as Stiles stops his ministrations for a second and he coos an apology as he gets back to rubbing through his fur. 

“Can everyone in the family turn like this?” 

Talia shakes her head, crossing her arm easily over her chest. “Just me and the kids. Peter and Joseph can’t. And none of the others we’ve adopted into the pack have been able to either. It’s a rare trait.” 

Stiles nods thoughtfully. He remembered reading something about werewolf shifting going beyond just changing features, but it definitely wasn’t often that a werewolf had the ability to do a full shift like that. 

“I’m going to get something started for lunch. I’ll leave you two to it,” Talia gives Stiles and Derek a knowing smile that all but confirms to Stiles that their speculation of their parents setting them up was absolutely correct. She walks back to the house and disappears into it a moment later, the door closing behind her with a soft click . 

Derek nudges his nose against Stiles’ neck, snuffling a little, inhaling his scent deeply. Stiles laughs a little, wiggling away as he’s tickled. 

“I think you might even be cuter like this,” Stiles teases a little. Derek’s ears perk straight up, head tilting in a way that makes Stiles' heart squeeze before he watches Derek shift back right in front of his eyes. His jaw falls open a little as a suddenly very naked Derek stands in front of him, and it takes all of his willpower to keep his eyes upward . He can totally just focus on Derek’s face.

“Holy shit , dude. Where are your pants?” Stiles croaks, his eyes flickering down in a lapse of judgment before the snap back up. He can tell his face is beet red and he is more than sure that there is heat radiating off of it. 

Stiles is not going to live this down. He’s just glad wolves can’t read thoughts. He might have to move away and change his name if that was the case. The potential scent of arousal that he could be exuding was embarrassing. 

“I can’t wear anything when I’m shifted. Clothes end up just getting messed up in my wolf form.” Derek shrugs, seemingly unphased by his sudden, blatant nudity. He raises an eyebrow, a mild look of amusement in his eyes. “Does it bother you?” He teases, lips upturned in a small smirk.

Stiles swallows nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Bother? No.” Make incredibly horny? Yes . But he keeps that to himself. Or tries his best to, until he mortifyingly remembers that werewolves can smell chemosignals, and arousal was one of the more prominent scents that could be picked up on right now on him. “No bother at all, hah…”

Derek steps closer to him, and even though the difference in height is only a couple inches, Stiles feels so very small in the best of ways. He can feel the warmth wafting off of his skin they’re so close.

“Are you sure about that?” Derek leans down and presses their foreheads together, inhaling Stiles’ scent again. It’s such an intimate and soft gesture that Stiles can’t help but lean into it, embarrassment gone for the time being. 

Stiles gulps and nods, letting go of his reservations and reaches up to cup Derek’s stubbled jaw. He rubs his thumb along his cheek absently. Derek leans into it, just like he did when he was in his wolf form.

“You are just stupidly hot and I didn’t think I would see you naked so soon,” Stiles mumbles, almost so quiet he can barely hear himself. But he knows Derek hears. 

Derek has the nerve to smirk smugly, dropping a gentle, warm hand to Stiles’ waist. “You want to see me naked? That’s pretty forward of you. We’ve got eyes on us and everything.”

“No!” Stiles protests with a whine, swatting a hand against Stiles’ chest. Derek cocks his eyebrow at him and Stiles pouts profusely. “Okay, maybe a little bit. But can you blame me? You’re like an adonis.” 

Derek’s own cheeks are tinted pink now. He takes the opportunity of their closeness to drop a chaste kiss on Stiles’ cheek before pulling away. It’s the first time they’ve had a kiss and it makes Stiles jittery with excitement. 

“We should probably go inside before we give the peanut gallery more of a show, huh?” Stiles asks quietly, practically feeling the eyes of some of the pack staring at them through the wall of glass. 

Derek lets out a snort but nods, stepping back before he reaches a hand out in offering. Stiles accepts the hand without hesitation, threading their fingers together as they walk back towards the house. It takes all of Stiles’ strength to not think about how naked Derek is beside him. 

When they get inside, Scott is giving Stiles the goofiest grin on his face. “ Dude .” He gives his best friend a thumbs up. 

Stiles just gives a shrug, a little smug with himself. Cora makes a noise of annoyance that sounds a little bit like a gag and tosses her brother a towel with a severe amount of aggression to the throw.

“No one wants to see that, Derek. Put on some pants.”

Derek snatches the towel quickly, dropping Stiles’ hand in favor of wrapping it around his waist. Stiles finally calms himself down a little bit, cheeks still tinged pink. “We’re naked when we’re out there fully shifted and running, Cora. What’s the difference here?” He asks, completely unphased.

Cora makes a face, her nose scrunching up in disgust. “It’s just gross .” She snarks back, shaking her head as she makes her way out of the gym room.

Derek waves her off dismissively. “Prude.” He says under his breath. Stiles laughs a little. 

“Asshole.” Cora calls back over her shoulder, flipping him off as she leaves.

There’s a part of Stiles that makes him wish he had siblings to banter with like this. 

But at least he had this. 

~~~

“Do you ever wish you were the one who got turned instead of Scott?” Derek asks, lounging on the comfortable outdoor bench. 

Stiles watches Scott and Peter spar in the clearing ahead of them, picking at the cuffs of his flannel. He gives a noncommittal shrug. “Not really,” he replies, looking back at Derek with a smile. “I like being human.” 

Derek rests a hand on the small of Stiles’ back. It’s gentle and grounding, and Stiles leans into it. “I like that you’re human too,” he hums, leaning in to scent his neck with a deep breath. Stiles still isn’t quite used to the whole scenting thing, but it brings him comfort in a weird way. Even Scott had started scenting him–though in a more platonic way–clapping a hand on his shoulder or giving him an extra long hug. It made him feel like he was part of the pack

Stiles sidles closer to Derek and smiles contently. 

“Though I will say getting to sense things via scent would be really cool. I'd love to be able to read people like you guys do,"

Derek hums. "It's helpful for sure, but it can also be a pain. Our noses are very sensitive so if there's something bad smelling, it can get a little overwhelming."

“That’s gotta be awful,” Stiles scrunches up his nose at the thought of having to smell something disgusting–like when he cleaned out his and his dad’s fridge and he made the mistake of opening an old reused takeout container–but tenfold. 

“Be lucky you don’t have to deal with it. It’s a blessing and a curse,” Derek says with a shrug, kissing the top of Stiles’ head. “I’m just happy to have you here, human or wolf.”

“Will you be my boyfriend?” Stiles blurts suddenly, clamping his mouth shut immediately after. Maybe it was too sudden. “Or uh, or not, if it’s too soon–”

Derek blinks at Stiles for a moment, as if he’s wondering if he’s joking, before he smiles and pulls Stiles in a chaste kiss. “Yeah, Stiles, I’ll be your boyfriend.” He replies with a chuckle.

Stiles definitely doesn’t cry. Not one tear. There’s just something in his eye. 

~~~

As Stiles drives over to the Hales, he wonders if maybe he had overstayed his welcome there. He has visited with Scott almost every time he came over to visit and develop his powers with the pack; and even sometimes without. The fact Talia had asked him over so they could have a talk made nerves curl uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach. Idly, he had wondered if he could feign sickness and avoid going. He wasn’t sure what he would do if Talia didn’t accept him. Him and Derek hadn’t been quiet about their relationship. 

When he arrives, Stiles paces in front of the door a few times before he gets the courage to knock on it quietly. Talia opens it with a warm smile, which does help calm Stiles nerves a tad. If she was upset with him, it wasn’t likely that she’d be in such good spirits. 

“Come into the living room and we’ll talk. I made us some tea.”

Stiles nods quietly and follows her inside. He takes the seat he’s offered, shifting nervously as Talia sets a mug of tea in front of him before settling on the couch across from him. 

“You don’t have to be so scared, Stiles. This is nothing bad,” She says softly. “I was just extending an offer for you to join us on our annual family vacation this year.”

Stiles stares at Talia, eyes wide in surprise. “...Oh.” He feels extra silly now for being so nervous. But, being the Sheriff’s kid, he is always on the alert for something being off. 

“Derek is very fond of you,” Talia starts so matter-of-factly it makes Stiles’ cheeks pinken shyly. “I haven’t seen him so interested in someone since high school. It’s…nice to see him happy again. He might not be perfect at expressing it all the time, but he adores you.”

Stiles’ cheeks warm further and he ducks his head a little, a little grin tugging at his lips. “The feeling is definitely mutual. These last few months have been some of the happiest I’ve ever had. And I love your family too. It’s been just my dad and me for so long, it’s been nice having some other people to bond with, other than Scotty.” He didn’t delve into the fact that Talia was definitely starting to feel like another mother to him, a feeling he hadn’t felt in a while. Melissa McCall definitely held that title for him too, of course. 

Talia reaches over and grabs one of Stiles’ hands, squeezing it gently. “You are part of the family now, Stiles. We’d love to have you come with us.” She smiled at him with a smile that made him swallow down a plethora of emotions he wasn’t ready to unpack.

Stiles’ eyes are suddenly stinging and he’s aware of the way his heart clenches. He sniffles a little and wills his eyes not to leak further. “Thank you for welcoming me into your home. You don’t know how much it means to me.” He croaks, voice full of emotion. 

Talia doesn’t hesitate to shift over and pull Stiles into a hug, which Stiles accepts happily. She lets him hold on as long as he needs, and when he finally pulls back, he tell his eyes are probably red and puffy from crying. Talia doesn’t say anything, just simply plucks a tissue from a nearby box and hands it to him.

“Derek’s very excited to have you joining us. This is the first time he’s ever invited a partner to one of our vacations.” Talia explains, reaching for her tea. 

Stiles nods a little, wiping his eyes before crumpling the tissue and putting it into his pocket. “Well, I feel extra special then,” he says with a watery smile. 

Talia smiles, warm and motherly. “You are special, Stiles. Don’t ever forget that.” 

They share tea and talk over the plans for the trip. Eventually Derek gets back home and the moment he sees Stiles and his mother talking, he breaks out into a smile. 

Stiles wants to bottle it and save it forever. Even after he’s left the Hales for the night,  he can’t keep grinning to himself.

He’s found a home away from home. 

~~~

The lake house isn’t as big as their main house in the reserve, but it’s still monstrous compared to what Stiles grew up in. He stares in awe at the cozy furniture and the homey atmosphere of it all as they walk in. It has the feel of a hunting lodge, with a log cabin build and the earthy browns and reds and greens in the scheme of the decor. The only thing it’s missing–which is understandable to Stiles considering the family–is antlers and pelts. There’s a plethora of family photos on the wall and Stiles can’t help but chuckle a little when he spots a picture of a very obvious baby Derek perched on Joseph’s knee, while a beaming Talia holds who Stiles can assume is a baby Cora and a six or seven year old Laura on her lap. 

“I need to see more baby pictures of you,” Stiles teases, nudging Derek in the ribs.

The wolf rolls his eyes and shakes his head, though there’s a humor that crinkles in the corner of his eyes that makes Stiles grin. “It’s bad enough these are on the wall.” Derek snorts, pointing out a picture of himself as a toddler with a handful of cake, seconds from squishing it into a laughing Peter’s face. 

“Still wanna see more,” Stiles chirps brightly. 

“Oh we have plenty back home, Stiles!” Joseph boasts with a grin, clapping Derek on the back good-heartedly as he walks by with a few bags of groceries in his free hand to bring to the kitchen. “Just remind Talia next time you’re over.”

Derek groans in embarrassment, rubbing a hand down his face. “Dad, please .”

“Sorry, Der, embarrassing kids is part of parenting,” Joseph calls over his shoulder. 

Stiles squeezes Derek’s hand and grins at him. “I can’t wait to see all those pictures when we get back.”

Derek sighs but there’s no true annoyance there. “You’re lucky you’re cute, Stiles.”

“Oh, I know,” Stiles wiggles his eyebrows at him. 

With a huff of feigned exasperation, Derek guides him to the stairs, snorting as Cora brushes past them quickly to go to her own room. 

“I’m glad you’re at the end of the hall. I do not want to have to hear you guys all night every night while we’re here,” Cora grumbles, shooting her older brother a sour look over her shoulder. Stiles can’t help but grin sheepishly and flush, pale cheeks warm.

“There’s a reason we got everyone’s rooms soundproofed a few years ago, dear niece,” Peter calls up from the first floor, looking just a tad amused. Chris swats him on the arm with a look that screams, why are you like this ? The wolf merely chuckles sweetly at his husband. “What? It’s true. Someone couldn’t keep quiet, so we agreed we had to redo the bedrooms.”

“Someone meaning you and your big mouth.” Chris snarks back with a roll of his eyes, though even from upstairs, he can hear the gentleness under the chastising. 

“I think you quite like my big mouth,” Peter chirps back matter of factly. Derek and Cora both make gagging noises as they disappear upstairs to their own rooms, Stiles in tow. 

“Keep it in your pants, Uncle Peter!” They call out in sync, and Stiles realizes this must be a common problem they’ve had. 

“I make absolutely no promises!” Peter retorts in a sing-songy voice. 

Cora’s door slams closed. Derek and Stiles make their way to the end of the opposite hall and Derek coaxes Stiles inside, dropping their bags on the small loveseat before shutting the door. He turns to Stiles then, dropping his hand and looking a tad uncomfortable. 

“Sorry my family is like this,” Derek rubs the back of his neck, not looking into Stiles’ eyes.

Stiles steps forward and reaches up, cupping Derek’s

~~~

“Would you like to help with dinner, Stiles?” Talia asks gently, peeking into the living room where Stiles is curled on the couch by the fire with a book. He marks his page quickly and nods, getting up and shaking the sleepiness from his limbs. 

“Sure thing, Talia!” Stiles replies, actually a little excited at the prospect of cooking. It was one of the few things that brought Stiles comfort. It was something he used to do with his mom when he was little, and something he had continued to enjoy when cooking for his dad, and even his friends on the occasion where they wouldn’t order pizza or chinese.

Cora’s in the kitchen too, chopping up a lineup of carrots and celery. 

“Do you want to cut two or three onions? It’s a little overwhelming for us to do it.” Talia says with an apologetic smile. Stiles nods, grabbing the two onions and snags one of the small cutting boards. Cora offers him a knife and he thanks her gently, placing the cutting board on the counter as far away from the mother and daughter as he can. 

If Stiles gets weepy when cutting onions, he can’t imagine what it does to those with werewolf noses. 

Stiles manages not to get too teary-eyed through the onion, though he’s glad when it's over. He carries the cutting board over to where Talia is rolling out some freshly made dough.

“What’s for dinner?”

“Chicken pot pie. It’s one of the kids' favorite dinners. And it will be something warm and hearty with how chilly it’s getting.”

Something in Stiles’ heart clenches and he swallows down the sudden emotions that hit him like a brick wall. Chicken pot pie had been one of his mother’s favorites to make him and his father. She'd been making it all the way up until she fell ill and got admitted into the hospital. 

His scent must have changed drastically because Talia frowned at him and paused her dough rolling. “Is everything okay, Stiles?” She asks gently, looking him over closely. 

Stiles clears his throat and blinks away the sudden wetness that he wants to blame on the freshly cut onions, but he knows deep down it isn’t the case. “Yeah I just…” He rubs the back of his neck nervously and worries his lip between his teeth. “That’s something my mom used to make. We kinda stopped making it after she died.” 

“Oh honey.” There’s a sad understanding in Talia’s eyes and she nods, carefully lifting the dough into the pie plate. She wipes her hands on a cloth before opening her arms to Stiles in offering. 

Stiles hesitates for a moment, his throat going dry before he steps forward and all but collapses into Talia’s arms. He lets out a shaky breath and closes his wet eyes, letting the warm, motherly embrace envelope him completely. 

“I’m sorry, I’m not normally like this,” Stiles babbles against her shoulder, embarrassed that he’s suddenly so emotional. He can tell he’s crying now. Talia rubs his back soothingly, shushing him with gentle words. 

“You never have to apologize for showing emotion, Stiles. Ever.” Talia says, quiet but firm. All Stiles can do is nod into her shoulder and cling to her. She wasn’t his mom; there would never be a replacement for his mother. But Talia at least gave him a fresh wisp of motherly affection that he had been missing. 

Cora continues to work around them, though she squeezes Stiles’ shoulder for a moment to give support in her own way. It's the most contact she's ever given him, and he appreciated it in the moment. 

Stiles is the first to pull away. He wipes his eyes quickly to get rid of the lingering tears, though he knows his eyes are probably red and his cheeks are likely a blotchy pink. 

Talia smiles softly at him. “Better?” 

Stiles nods a little numbly, offering his own small smile. “Y-Yeah, I think so.” 

“Do you want to sit this out and rest?” Talia asks. There’s no annoyance in her voice and that settles Stiles’ further. He shakes his head. 

“No, I want to keep helping. It makes me feel kinda connected to her, y’know?” Stiles explains softly. Talia nods in understanding and leads Stiles in rolling out some more pie dough for the crust. 

Peter joins them a little while later, smelling of wood smoke and something else Stiles can’t pinpoint with his human nose, but Talia seemingly rolls her eyes at her brother and they exchange looks. 

“At least wash your hands before you start,” Talia scolds him and Peter sighs dramatically but does as he’s told. 

“I’m not a child, dear sister.” Peter snorts. 

“Clearly.” 

Peter huffs at her and Stiles chuckles a little at the bantering–clearly it runs in the family. Peter gets to work on making some kind of complicated dessert from scratch that Stiles can’t pronounce to save his life when Peter tells him what it is, but it looks delicious regardless; some kind of special fruit tart that the man puts an exuberant amount of attention into. 

The pot pies go in the oven and Stiles and Cora are shooed out of the kitchen; supposedly Peter can’t concentrate with too many people taking up the kitchen space. They end up deciding to play a game of monopoly with Laura and Derek. Despite the general rules, Stiles and Cora end up creating a little alliance throughout, buying and trading locations to earn full colored sets. 

Derek glowers at his little sister’s shenanigans and ends up tickling Stiles until he relents and promises not to be in cahoots anymore with a fit of giggles. Even with Derek’s annoyance, Stiles can tell he’s having a fun time with him and his siblings. It makes his heart swell with happiness.

~~~

“Is this awkward for you?”

Stiles blinks at Chris in confusion, taking the beer Chris hands him almost hesitantly. He’s of age now–not that he didn’t drink when he was underage too–but it was still weird when friends' parents offered him alcohol. 

“What? Hanging out with my best friend's girlfriend's dad? Nah, I can definitely say I’ve dealt with weirder.” Stiles laughs nervously. 

Chris chuckles a little, taking a slow sip from his own beer. “Touche.” 

“How do you feel, being the only human in the group?” Stiles asks curiously, tilting his head. He’d spoken to Chris a bit over the years–it came with the privilege of his best friend dating his daughter–but he still didn’t know a ton about him, other than he was an ex-werewolf hunter who had gone through a nasty divorce and then married into one of the most prominent werewolf families around. 

“Like I’m still part of the pack.” Chris gives a little shrug, watching contently as the Hale’s run through the clearing and out of sight, the full moon bright and illuminating the woods. Someone’s howl echoes around the woods. “Don’t have to be a wolf to be important here. I’m content with that. And you can be too, if that’s what you want.”

“Is it hard, being from a hunter family?” Stiles asks after another long sip of his beer before he clams up. “You absolutely don’t have to answer! I know it’s probably a touchy subject. Derek said it was complicated but sometimes I can’t help snooping and–”

Chris cuts Stiles off with a hand on his shoulder. 

“It’s not hard. It was just an adjustment,” Chris replies with a shrug. “My family always had a code–or I thought they did at least. Until I found out my sister was manipulating Derek, and planning to burn down the Hale’s house with everyone inside it.” He gives a sad smile, gazing out towards the trees. “I put a stop to it–brought it up to your dad, and the Hales too. Police took my sister in, and we found out my wife at the time had been in on it too. I couldn’t stand for that kind of treatment.” 

Stiles listens, horrified. No wonder Derek had wanted to move slow with things. As far as he knew, the last person he was involved with was Kate. “That’s horrible.”

Chris nods. “It was terrible, but it led me to meeting Peter. I’m in a much better place now, and so is the rest of the family.” He pauses, looking over at Stiles with a kind gaze. “And trust me, Derek’s a lot happier with you around now.” 

Stiles shifts nervously, a small smile tugging at his lips. 

“Did you consider asking Talia to turn you, so you could be like them and show your loyalty?” Stiles inquiries after a few moments of comfortable silence.

“Peter asked me, once, the night before we got married,” Chris replies thoughtfully, scratching the back of his neck. “It’s not something I felt I needed though. We’re bonded, regardless of me being a werewolf or not. I like being different.” 

Stiles nods, letting it sink in as he too watches the wolves under the full moon. They look so at home here. Even Joseph and Peter, who can’t fully shift, are still in their beta forms, soaking up the moon beams and following the rest of the pack deeper into the woods. 

Stiles wants to be bonded to the pack too.

~~~

The vacation has been busy, but finally, they have an evening where no one’s planned any kind of game night or late night excursion in the woods or star gazing. And so Stiles and Derek decide to put it to good use. They’d fooled around a little before this, but this is the first time they were going beyond a hurried handjob or blissful blowjob. 

“Do you have a knot?” Stiles pants as Derek leaves marks down his pale throat. “I read that– hnnng –werewolves have them but I couldn’t–” Derek squeezes Stiles ass and his mind blanks out for a moment, the only thing he can concentrate on is Derek’s hands on him. “–couldn’t figure out if that was a rumor or not.” 

Derek pulls back with a low chuckle, eyebrows raised in amusement and his gaze filled with a ferocious amount of heat. “You and your damn research,” he teases, shaking his head as he slides his hand underneath Stiles’ briefs, squeezing his bare ass, letting his claws out a little to scratch at his delicate skin. “I think you just have to wait and see. Think you can handle that?

Stiles pouts profusely, though his mild annoyance is forgotten when Derek manhandles him enough to pull his briefs off and toss them, forgotten, to the floor. “Can’t believe you’re making me wait to know.” He whines, his mouth falling open in a small moan as Derek wraps his warm palm around his cock and strokes him firmly.

“It’ll be worth it, trust me,” Derek replies with a mildly smug look, voice dripping with lust as his thumb rubbing over the head of Stiles’ cock sweetly. A dribble of pre-cum dirties his hand, giving his hand an easier glide as he strokes him.

Stiles squirms on Derek’s thighs, hips rutting forward in time with Derek’s hand. “Wanna– hnnn –have you in my mouth.” he babbles mindlessly before he can stop himself. There’s nothing left in him to be embarrassed about–all he feels is heat and excitement.

Derek squeezes his cock before letting go, bringing his hand to his mouth and licking it clean. There’s a pleasant rumble in his chest that makes Stiles melt further, his cock twitching at the feral-ness of it. He still couldn’t believe how lucky he was. 

“That’s so hot, fuck…” Once he gets his barings back as best he can, Stiles slides off of Derek’s lap and onto his knees in front of him. He eyes the wet spot in Derek’s boxers where his cock is straining against the fabric and licks his lips, hunger in his eyes. Derek helps out by pulling his cock from his boxers, stroking it a couple times before letting it lay back, red and hard and throbbing, against his stomach. If Stiles doesn’t start focusing, he’s afraid he’s going to come already.

After he gets past his initial awe of the size of Derek–repeatedly asking himself how he’ll fit inside of him–Stiles leans in and mouths at the head of his cock. He’s instantly enraptured by the heat and weight on his tongue and Derek’s taste and soon enough he works on sliding more of him into his mouth. It’s practically addictive . 

Derek groans deeply, leaking in Stiles’ mouth as the other man sucks him with an enthusiasm that makes him shudder. “You are so good, Stiles,” he praises, sliding a hand into his hair and tugging gently. It isn’t a demanding or rough touch, just one that keeps himself grounded and Stiles steady.

Stiles bobs his head, trying to keep from choking, though it’s difficult considering Derek’s size. Stiles is nothing if not determined and stubborn, however. He takes his time, whining as Derek’s fingers tighten in his hair when he gets farther down. The moment he gets down to the base, he whimpers in triumph. One of his own hands slides down between his legs and he grabs his cock, trying to give himself a little relief. 

Derek bites his lip, watching Stiles with such an intense look of want and love that Stiles swears he could come right then and there. 

“I’m gonna come soon,” Derek murmurs his warning, hand tightening on instinct in Stiles' hair. He expects his mate to pull off at the warning and just stroke him to completion, but Stiles seems to have other ideas. 

Stiles sucks on him like his life depends on it. He keeps stroking himself, letting out a soft whimper of pleasure from the feel. A moment later the grip in his hair gets rough and Derek suddenly spills down his throat. His cum warms Stiles' throat and he sputters a little, trying to swallow it all down. As he pulls back a little dribbles down his already messy chin. He was so hyper focused on Derek he didn't realize that he himself had cum too, all over his hand and the floor. Panting, he gazes up at Derek with a heated, hazy grin. 

"Good?"

Derek growls contently, releasing Stiles' hair carefully in favor of helping him to his feet before tugging him up onto the bed unceremoniously. He leans back and Stiles topples onto his chest, still a little dazed. 

"Amazing," Derek breathes in Stiles scent as he noses at his jaw, a spicy cinnamon with an underlying musk of arousal that makes him hard all over again. "Now let me open you up."

Stiles doesn't need to be told twice. He can tell Derek is wavering on the edge of control. His face hasn't shifted and his claws are still withdrawn, but his eyes are glowing a striking blue. Maybe it was the fact they were so close to a full moon, or perhaps it was just because it was Stiles there. 

“You can let go, you know,” Stiles whispers as he settles on Derek’s lap and reaches over to the tube a lube they had unpacked earlier that evening. He hands it to the wolf, eyebrows raised. “I can take it.”

Derek growls a little, ripping the cap off accidentally, his control slipping a little further. He shakes his head. “You don’t know what you’re offering, Stiles,” He grits out, squeezing the lube onto his fingers before he brings them, dripping, across his crack.

Stiles' mind stops for a moment when Derek brushes over his hole and he arches his back a little. 

“I’m offering myself, to you,” Stiles says breathily, letting out a little moan when Derek slides a finger into him easily and slowly presses in deep. “And telling you not to treat me like something fragile. I won’t be cracked that easily.”

That seems to reassure Derek a little, the hand on Stiles’ hip tightening. He works a second finger in soon after the first, fingers thrusting and spreading Stiles deliciously. Stiles mouth drops open in a plethora of soft noises and rocks back against Derek’s fingers.

Derek is careful not to let his claws out yet–which Stiles is relieved about–as he works him open with a third and then a fourth finger. It’s almost on the brink of too much, but there’s never any pain. He wonders if it’s a werewolf thing–that maybe Derek is drawing out the ache he’s feeling so all he’s left with is feeling completely full.

“I’m good, I’m good,” Stiles finally pants, getting a touch impatient. He smacks Derek’s fuzzy chest playfully with a hand. “Please, just put your dick inside of me.” 

Derek growls, low and a little scary if Stiles wasn’t completely into it, before he withdrawals his fingers. He gives his own cock a few strokes to wet it with the leftover lube before he’s lining himself up and tugging Stiles down onto his cock by the hip. 

Stiles feels the pinprick of claws on his soft skin and it makes him melt further, a loud whimper escaping his throat as Derek fills him completely. It’s almost on the edge of too much, and he’s thankful that despite his impatience, Derek is still level headed enough to pause any movement and just let Stiles adjust to his size.

It’s short lived though, because Stiles is just a touch desperate, and starts to rock his hips up and down, mouth falling open in a quiet moan. Derek huffs, nuzzling at his throat as his hands tighten on Stiles’ waist and he starts to thrust up into him. 

“Don’t have to be quiet,” Derek rasps, and Stiles blinks hazily, realizing the wolf's fangs have dropped. “Soundproof walls.”

Good, Stiles wanted him to let go. And he really wanted to be loud.

Stiles bounces on Derek’s cock with a fierce determination, moans and whimpers and babbling tumble from his mouth. 

“So big, holy shit,” Stiles whines, head thrown back in pleasure as he rides him in a frenzy of heat.

Derek drops a plethora of kisses and nips up his chest and throat before he blinks up at Stiles, eyes glowing their supernatural blue. It makes Stiles shiver a little at the intensity. 

“I want to bite you,” Derek slurs around his fangs, eyes hazy. “Wanna give you the mating bite.” 

Stiles nods without hesitation. It isn’t just the sex talking. Derek had explained mating bites a while back, and Stiles had wanted it since the moment he had told him it existed. 

“Please, bite me, make me yours,” Stiles pants, eyes locking with Derek’s.

Derek pauses for a moment, searching Stiles’ eyes–and likely his scent–for any hesitation before he returns to kissing and licking at his skin. He focuses his attention at the base of his throat, running his tongue over it before Stiles can feel the telltale pinpricks of his fangs. There’s a sudden, blooming pain that makes Stiles cry out before the pain is eased away and all that replaces it is an intense pleasure that spreads through his skin, aliting him with a kind of fire that settles in his belly. There’s also a wave of emotions that cascade over him and he clings to Derek’s back, his own blunt nails digging into his tanned skin. 

Stiles didn’t even realize he was close but he’s coming in between Derek and him, making a mess of their stomachs. Somehow, Derek grows bigger inside of him. He’s still latched onto his neck, and he’s making a kind of feral rumbling noise. Stiles releases, after a moment, that he is indeed, getting knotted. 

If he could come again that quickly, he probably would have.

“H-holy shit,” Stiles whimpers, feeling utterly full and used as Derek cums hot inside of him, pulling off of his neck to kiss him messily. He’s growling and nipping at Stiles’ lips, their teeth clinking a little. It’s a filthy kiss, but Stiles’ has absolutely no complaints. They’re mated now, and that’s what really matters to him.

Stiles is the first to pull back from the kiss, panting and shifting a little on Derek’s lap. They both groan together as the action tugs at Derek’s knot. Stiles realizes he’s drooling a little. 

“So you do have a knot!” Stiles rasps, a look of triumph in his eyes. He’s exhausted, but he’s also warm and tingly all over. 

Derek snorts a little, fangs still dropped, as he kisses Stiles’ jaw lightly. 

“I do, mate.” 

Mate.

Stiles loves the sound of that. 

After a few moments, Derek carefully slid his hands under Stiles and shifted them into a more comfortable position, lying on their sides. Stiles let his eyes flutter closed, no longer able to keep them open. Being so filled left him content. 

“I love you, Derek,” Stiles murmurs, already part way to drifting off. 

“I love you too, Stiles,” Derek rumbles back against his neck, inhaling the happy scent of his mate. 

They fall asleep together, connected and content, their limbs tangled together. 

~~~

When Stiles wakes up in the morning, there’s a dull throb on his throat. He reaches up to touch at it gently, hissing at the raw feeling of the bite. It feels more healed than he would have expected for a deep as Derek had bitten him, but it was still on the tender side. 

Derek is sprawled next to him, his arm draped over his waist, holding him close. Stiles doesn’t dare try to inch away–not yet, not with how beautifully peaceful Derek looks when he’s asleep. He strokes a hand carefully through Derek’s hair, scratching his scalp. Derek stirs a little, his eyes flickering open slowly. 

“Morning, sunshine,” Stiles teases, voice rough from the night before.

Derek gazes at Stiles sleepily, eyes darting from his face to the bond mark on his throat and back up again. He lets out a pleased rumble, reaching up to touch lightly at the mark. Stiles bites his lip against the ache, but it’s quickly soothed away. He watches as the energy of the mild pain seeps away into Derek and he relaxes further into the bed.

“Feel okay?” Derek asks quietly, gliding his fingers over the marks scattered over Stiles’ naked form. It makes his inner wolf howl contently about marking his mate up perfectly.

“Feel perfect. ” Stiles says around a yawn, stretching languidly out on the bed.

There’s a knock at the door but it doesn’t open and Stiles is incredibly thankful for that. “Brunch is going to be eaten without you if you two love birds don’t hurry up,” Laura warns from the other side of the door, tone amused. 

“Got it.”

Derek rolls his eyes, leaning down to kiss Stiles before slowly shifting himself out of bed. His naked form stirs something hot in the pit of Stiles’ stomach as he stretches. Stiles sits up slowly, eyeing Derek hungerly. 

“Think we could take a quick shower?”

Derek looks at Stiles over his shoulder, a small smirk curling up the edges of his lips. 

“I think we could make that happen, baby.” 

Stiles nearly leaps out of bed, scurrying to the en-suite bathroom. He’s happy the Hales had taken extra care to put in a large shower. 

Sure, maybe Stiles was a little jelly legged walking down to brunch, but he hoped being held up by Derek’s comforting arm around his waist helped make it seem like he wasn’t struggling to stand up straight. 

Everyone’s at the large dining room table already. Derek and Stiles sit down and Stiles winces for a moment but the ache is gone again as Derek takes his hand gently. 

Talia and Joseph both eye them with kind, knowing looks and Stiles squirms a little under the attention. Despite the sound-proofing, it felt like they knew what had happened between them. Damn werewolf senses. 

Derek huffs a little, reaching around the table to grab the plates of various delicious smelling breakfast foods–scrambled eggs and thick, maple bacon, home fries and french toast–and fills up his and Stiles’. “You’re making Stiles nervous.”

“You gave him the mating bite,” Talia replies with a beaming smile, looking between the two men. “I never thought I’d see the day.” 

Derek and Stiles both blush brightly. Laura grins a little, nudging her little brother’s shoulder before she leans around him to look at Stiles. 

“Well, welcome to the family, Stiles. He picked a good one. Thanks for making my brother happy.” 

“Seconded.” Peter raises his glass of mimosa, smirking. “Congratulations, you two.” 

There’s a plethora of cheers around the table and glasses raising. Stiles knows he’s bright pink still but he can’t keep grinning like a fool as everyone gives them kind words. 

~Epilogue~

The moment Stiles walks through the door of his and Derek’s home, his nostrils are assaulted with a deliciously familiar smell that makes his stomach growl embarrassingly loud. He drops his briefcase by the door and toes off his shoes before he walks towards the kitchen. 

Stiles is suddenly greeted with the view of Derek in an apron with  “ kiss the cook ” across the front. He’s got oven mitts on as he pulls a golden brown chicken pot pie out of the oven–Stiles finally puts it together with the rich smell and the look–before he sets it on the cooling rack. 

Stiles’ mouth waters; along with his eyes.

“This smells delicious,” Stiles says softly, a little in awe as he steps up to Derek and wraps his arms around his waist, squeezing him gently. “What’s the occasion?” 

“Special night,” Derek replies, turning in Stiles arms to hug him close. He leans down and captures Stiles’ lips in a soft kiss before he pulls back and swats him gently on the ass. “Get changed into something comfy. I’ve already set the table.”

“Yes sir,” Stiles says with a playful look, not having to be told twice. Derek liked pampering and providing for him–he still wasn’t sure if that was a Derek thing or a werewolf thing–but he appreciated it nonetheless. He heads upstairs quickly, whipping off his button up and slacks in favor of a pair of sweats and one of Derek’s old shirts. It’s worn and faded and soft and smells of Derek’s scent; a mix of faint yet rich vanilla, bonfires, and motor oil. 

When Stiles returns downstairs, the chicken pot pie is on the table, along with some homemade rolls that look identical to the ones Talia has made for dinners at the Hales, and two glasses of wine. He settles into his normal seat, looking across the table at Derek as he sits down as well. There’s candles lit and everything. 

It’s a little beyond their normal dinner experience.

“So what’s so special about tonight?” Stiles asks, picking at a bite of the pot pie before blowing on it to cool it. 

Derek looks shy, and Stiles raises his eyebrows in surprise as he downs a good half of his wine glass before his hand slides into his pocket and he retrieves a small, black box. 

Stiles' heart suddenly stops. 

Oh.

Oh .

“We did the werewolf equivalent of an engagement,” Derek begins gently, standing and shifting around so he can kneel on one knee by Stiles’ chair. He opens the box slowly, revealing a beautiful black gold band with rubies encrusted into it. “But I wanted to make it really official by doing this. If you’ll have me.” 

Stiles is out of his chair and on the floor, pulling Derek into a hug before he even finishes talking. “Of course I’ll marry you!” He croaks, already feeling his eyes sting with emotion. He loses track of how long they hold each other. All he knows is that he’s snuffling into Derek’s shirt by the time the wolf pulls away and takes his hand, slipping the band onto it gently. It’s simple and elegant and Stiles can’t help but grin like an idiot. 

“I think Stiles Stilinski-Hale has a nice ring to it,” Derek replies, his own eyes watery as excitement wafts off of him. 

Stiles nods quickly, continuing to look from his ring to Derek and back again. His heart feels like it’s exploding, and he’s nearly shaking with the thrill. 

“I think so too,” Stiles whispers shakily, pulling Derek into a hug again. 

It takes them a good while of sharing soft kisses before they’re back at the table and getting through dinner. Stiles babbles about how excited he is to tell his dad and Scott and Derek’s family. Derek listens to him with a content smile. 

They finish up dinner and Derek puts the leftovers away before he leads Stiles upstairs to their bedroom. They make love.

Stiles basks in the afterglow, curled against Derek’s chest.

“I love you.” Stiles whispers against his skin. 

Derek perks up, bringing a hand through Stiles’ hair gently. “I love you, too.”

Stiles falls asleep, full of excitement. He can’t believe he’s going to be a Hale.