Archive of Our Own

Do you need anything at the store?

What store? Is Patrick with you? What are you shopping for? You never shop. Except for groceries, and grocery day isn’t until next Tuesday. Is it for Evie?

Kohls. Yes. Evie’s b-day present.

I need socks. You know the kind I like. The short ones, not the stupid mid-calf ones you buy. Bonus if they have crazy designs on them. Your grey socks are boring. BORING, DEREK.

Socks. Got it.

And some new underwear. Since you’re there. Mine are getting ragged. The ones I’m wearing have holes in them.

So sexy.

Shut up. You had a big hole in your underwear over the weekend. I woke up and it was nothing but your ass and a big hole on one cheek. It was a big turn off.

Sure it was.

“Dad!” Derek looks up from his phone to where Patrick is standing at the end of the aisle, waiting on him. “You’re slow! Stop texting DD and come on.”

Your son is impatient. He’s telling me I’m slow.

You are when you’re on that damn phone.

Stop texting me.

You texted me first.

I love you.

I love you too, you big slow wolf. A sloth. You’re a sloth.

“Do I need to call DD and tell him to stop texting you?” Patrick asks when Derek finally reaches him. Derek slips his phone into his pocket and ruffles Patrick’s dark hair.

“No. I’m off the phone. Your dad needs socks and underwear.” Derek follows Patrick through the store, grabbing him by the collar when they get to menswear. “Hold it. Where are you so anxious to get to?”

“I want to buy Evie a present.”

“We’ll buy her a present. Help me get your dad some underwear.”

Patrick slips in and out of the racks as Derek looks for Stiles’ brand of boxer briefs. He finds them and throws in the grey ones Stiles always wears, and while he’s at it, he throws in a package of black ones. He can’t resist Stiles in black underwear. It’s a selfish purchase, but it’s Derek’s reward for coming to this damn store in the first place.

Derek hates shopping. He does the grocery shopping because it’s easier for him and he loves Stiles. Derek can go to the store during the day, while the kids are at school and Stiles is at work. Stiles does the cooking, so Derek does the shopping. Stiles usually does this kind of shopping, the clothes shopping, but Patrick had a half-day at school and had bugged Derek from the time he got into the car to go buy a present for his sister.

That’s why Derek is in a Kohl’s, in the middle of the day, with his son, and without Stiles.

“How about these, Dad?” Patrick holds up a pair of boxers covered in the Batman symbol.

“He already has those.”

“Nah-uh, DD’s are black, these are white. They’re different, Dad.”

Derek sighs. “Your dad doesn’t need another pair of Batman boxers. He has like five.”

“Fine.” Patrick sighs as he puts them back on the rack. Derek grabs himself a couple packs of boxer briefs – the black ones he always wears and the red Stiles likes – and then finds Patrick playing in the ties.

“Wanna carry the basket?” Derek asks. Patrick nods and takes his new responsibility very seriously as he holds the basket in his gangly arms. The kid has Derek’s eyes and dark hair (complete with the ears poking out from them), and Stiles’ limbs and coordination. Derek has never seen a clumsier werecub than Patrick. “Okay, Dad needs socks. He said he wants crazy designs. Think you can handle it?”

“Yeah!” Patrick takes off running towards the socks.

“Patrick! No running!” Derek groans, as Patrick slows down.

“It’s impossible to keep them calm,” a female voice says behind him. Derek turns and is face to face with a beautiful blonde woman around Stiles’ age.

“He’s a hand full.”

“Yours?” Derek nods. “He looks just like you. His mother must be thankful. I know I would be.”

“He doesn’t have a mother.” Derek can smell the thick stench of arousal around the woman, but he’s distracted when he realizes he can’t see Patrick anymore. Plus, the woman’s interest has been peaked since Derek said there was no mother.

The woman steps closer to him, almost touching him. “It must be difficult to be a single father.” She touches his arm lightly, and Derek’s eyebrows shoot up.

“I’m not. I’m married.” Derek starts walking the way Patrick disappeared. “Excuse me.” Derek can feel the disappointment coming from the woman as he walks away. He finds Patrick between the tall displays of socks, and there are probably ten pair in the basket. “Patrick, your dad doesn’t need ten new pairs of socks.”

“DD loves socks. Look!” He holds up various pairs in stripes of all colors, paisley, plaid, and even polka dots. Derek glances at the price, then the sale price, and sighs. “Three pair. No more. So, choose wisely.”

While Patrick decides, Derek digs his phone out of his pocket.

Some woman hit on me. And your son wants to buy you like 10 pair of patterned socks.

Did she miss the ring? Or did she think you looked like a cheater? Do you look shady today? Are you wearing leather? An extra scowl? I need 10 pair of patterned socks.

No, you do not. You get 3. And I don’t think she was paying attention to my hands.

Because she was too busy checking out your fine ass. Should have shown her your holey underwear.

That’s you today, not me. I’m going commando.

No wonder she wanted to jump you. I want to jump you, and I’m knee-high in endangered plant species in a field.

Sounds like the makings of a porn.

Don’t fill my brain with things I can’t think about. You get to stay at home and jerk off all day. Some of us don’t have that luxury.

Yes, Stiles, because all I do is sit around and jerk off.

I know, you’re so so dirty. I’m jealous.

“Dad!” Patrick comes over excitedly. “I got him four pair. Can I keep the extra one? And I got you a pair!” Patrick holds up a pair of white socks with black dogs on them. “They’re white and black like you like, and the dogs look like wolfs. They made me think of you. I want you to wear them around the house.”

“Fine,” Derek says, putting Patrick in a loose headlock and leaning down to kiss his head. Derek never thought that he would, being the Alpha, be beaten into submission by a seven year-old’s adorableness. He and Stiles didn’t need 5 new pairs of socks, but Patrick picked those out for Derek specifically to wear around the house. How could he resist?

After throwing a pack of ankle socks in the basket for Stiles and crew cut socks for himself, Patrick meanders into the boy’s clothes. He shoves the basket into Derek’s arms. “Your sister doesn’t wear boy clothes.”

“I know,” Patrick says from behind a t-shirt display. “Look!” He holds up a shirt with a wolf on the front.

“Cute.”

Patrick holds up another one, this time with a Batman emblem. “Can I have it?”

“No. You have four already.” Derek doesn’t thank Stiles for fostering Patrick’s obsession with Batman. Patrick holds up a shirt with the Green Lantern symbol on it. “No.” Next, the Flash. “Still no.” Spiderman. “Patrick!”

“I want a t-shirt.”

“You don’t need a t-shirt. You have too many now. Pop-pop got you one just last week. That one with Phineas and Ferb on it.”

“I know.” Patrick pouts as he walks over to Derek. “Let’s go find something for Evie.”

Derek grabs his hand and carries the basket in his other one as they go towards the girl’s clothes. The section is exponentially larger than the boys. “Pick a few things you like. We’ll choose from there.”

What size is Evie?

How do you not know your own daughter’s size?

Because she changes like every three days. Plus, my husband usually does all the clothes shopping. How do you even choose?

4T. She likes red this month.

I know that, asshole.

Just checking.

“Find anything?” Derek asks as he slips the phone into his pocket again. Patrick comes over holding a mound of clothes, only his eyes and hair visible. “I said a few things. Evie doesn’t need a new wardrobe!”

“I couldn’t decide,” Patrick says from behind the pile. “I like them all.”

“You like everything. Just like your dad.” Derek smiles fondly as he takes the clothes from Patrick’s small arms. “Okay, show me what you found.”

After twenty minutes of debate, they decide on two dresses and one shirt. Patrick picked out the shirt and dress while Derek picked out the other dress. Before they leave, Derek ends up with new running shoes, running shorts, and Patrick wears him down enough to let him buy the wolf t-shirt.

Derek uses his shopping pass, and the total is still almost two hundred dollars.

You don’t get to go shopping again. I can’t trust you alone in a store. Who knew you’d be such a shopaholic.

Shut up. I blame you and your son.

*

Stiles finds an empty space at the end of the lot at the park. He’s still in his work clothes, annoying khaki shirt and cargo shorts and hiking boots, but he’d spent so much time at the site collecting plant samples that he didn’t have time to change if he wanted to make it to Patrick’s practice before it was over.

When he reaches the field, he scans the stands and sees Allison near the front, surrounded by three small children. He hurries over, and as soon as Evie sees him, she screams, “DD!” before barreling towards him. Stiles stoops down and scoops her up when she launches herself into his arms. While Evie has Derek’s dark hair like Patrick, she looks just like Stiles in the face. He’s okay with that, because he was one damn cute kid, and Evie’s the cutest kid ever. Except Patrick when he was that age, because he was a mini-Derek. It’s hard to choose which of your kids is the cutest; Stiles sometimes can’t believe how the mixture of him and Derek ended up distributing between their kids. They ended up being amalgamations of the two of them in ways he never expected. Evie places a smacking kiss to his cheek. “I made you something at school today!” she says excitedly.

“You did?” he smiles as he sits down beside Allison. Evie is rubbing her face against his neck and humming happily.

“You played in flowers today, DD! I can smell them!” Evie squees against him.

“Can you tell what kind?”

She presses close and sniffs his skin, which tickles. “Wooly bluecurls, roses, juniper, and some other stuff.”

“Very good. Soon you’ll know all the flowers by smell, so when I take you to work, you’ll be able to pick them all out!” Stiles kisses the top of her head as she continues clinging and scenting him. He turns to Allison. “Hey, you. How’s it going today?”

“Fine. Scott’s working late, again.”

“Wanna do dinner with us?” Stiles asks.

She shakes her head. “I’m taking the kids to see my dad. He thinks if he doesn’t see them like three or four times a week, that’s not enough Grandpa time.”

“My dad’s the same way,” Stiles says, pulling Evie away from where she’s sleepily rubbing her face against his cheek. And drooling on him. Great. “Hey, sleepy cub, did you not get your nap at preschool?”

She shakes her head as she struggles to move back towards his body. “No, the mean boy next to me kept throwing things at me.”

“Did you tell the teacher?”

“Yes, but she didn’t do anything.”

Stiles purses his lips and pulls Evie closer to him. She curls against his chest and growls happily.

“You’re gonna go have a talk with her teacher, aren’t you?” Allison asks.

“You’re freaking right, I am,” Stiles says, irritated. “We do not need another incident like with Isaac’s kid. It’s a good thing that one teacher knew about werewolves and helped cover up Nick’s little outburst.”

Allison reaches over and rubs his arm in sympathy, but she’s soon distracted. “Kyle! Emily! You stop that right now.” The two kids snap their heads up. They’re both spitting images of Allison, especially Emily with her long, dark hair and fair skin. Kyle looks like Allison, but with Scott’s darker skin. Their eyes though, those are all Scott.

“Sorry, Mom,” they say in unison.

Allison glances over her shoulder, where there’s a playground a little ways away. “Think the playground is too far away?”

“They’ll be fine. Emily’s nine and can look after Kyle. Plus, Derek and Isaac are both here. They’ll know if something happens,” Stiles says.

“Okay, you two. You can go play on the playground, but you have to stay there and go nowhere else, understand?” Allison instructs. The two kids nod their heads. “Uncle Derek and Uncle Isaac will know if anything is wrong, so Kyle, let them know if something happens?” Kyle nods, puffing his chest out with pride at his werewolf responsibilities.

“I can let them know, too!” Emily says. “Just because I can’t howl doesn’t mean I can let them know!” Emily stomps off, Kyle trailing behind and trying to keep up on his shorter legs.

Evie twitches awake when Emily yells, but immediately closes her eyes again, her fist curling around the material of Stiles’ shirt.

“Still having problems with Emily’s humanness, huh?” Stiles asks as he watches Emily wait on her younger brother.

Allison sighs. “Yeah. Scott and I keep trying to get her to understand that it’s okay to be human, that me, and you, and her grandparents, and one of Isaac’s kids, and Lydia are all human. But she hates that her brothers are werewolves and she’s not. You’re so lucky both your kids are wolves.”

Stiles scoffs. “Yeah, sure. Try living in a house with three of them and no allies. At least you have Emily on your side.” Stiles cranes his neck to search around the park. “Is Derek running?”

“Yes,” Allison says with a quiet laugh. “Without a shirt today.”

“Oh god,” Stiles rolls his eyes. “He’s such a narcissist. I hope he can hear me. Can you hear me, Derek? You’re a narcissist. I hope your run isn’t slowed down by the size of your ego.” Allison giggles beside him. “You know he does it because he likes the way the bored, horny housewives look at him. I think he gets off on the attention.”

“Ah, don’t be so hard on him,” Allison says. “He’s almost forty and still looks better than most of the twenty-five year olds.”

“Most? Try all,” Stiles says offensively, but shakes his head because, yeah, Derek probably heard that. Way to stroke that ego, Stiles. “But so do Scott and Isaac, but they’re not running around a park full of horny cougars in tiny running shorts and no shirt.”

“Your jealousy is hilarious,” Allison says. “He’s giving those cougars all sorts of fantasies. The thrill of their lives.”

“Exactly! That’s my husband in those fantasies. That body should be for my eyes only. Not that I get to see much of that body these days more than a passing blur while I’m getting the kids ready for bed or falling into bed.”

“Tell me about it,” Allison says. “And Scott’s been working all these extra hours at the hospital. It’s rough.” They get distracted by everyone yelling as one of the boys on the team hits a ball into the outfield.

“Hey, since I’m here, and Emily and Kyle are at the playground, why don’t you go running? I know you usually trade off with Derek, but no sense in wasting time since I’m here.” Stiles smiles at Allison’s sudden enthusiasm.

“You’re the best, Stiles.” She kisses his cheek before pulling off her track jacket and walking towards the trails.

Stiles shifts Evie in his arms and watches the practice. Isaac is the coach of their little league team, and this year Patrick, Scott and Allison’s middle son Ryan, and Isaac’s youngest son Josh, are on his team. Their first game is next week, and Derek and Patrick have been practicing non-stop for the last few months in preparation.

“Come on, Ryan!” Stiles yells when he goes up to bat. Unlike Emily and Kyle, Ryan looks just like Scott, not only because he’s shorter than his siblings, but in just about every possible way. It’s like a little Scott clone walking around. It kinda freaks Stiles out sometimes.

When it’s Patrick’s turn to bat, he glances into the stands and waves at Stiles when he sees him. Stiles waves back, and claps his hands and yells obnoxiously loud. Although Patrick is really clumsy, he’s a natural when he’s holding a bat. Patrick gets two strikes before he hits the last pitch, sending the ball way into the outfield. The kid in centerfield misses it. Stiles claps and screams so loud he wakes up Evie.

“Did Patrick hit the ball?” she asks sleepily.

“He did!”

“Good. He’s the best at baseball,” she murmurs before falling back asleep. Just like Derek, can sleep through anything.

Fifteen minutes later, Stiles hears the women behind him start tittering. He looks around, and sure enough, Derek’s route has brought him within view of the stands. He runs gracefully, his legs long and strong with each stride, his chest glistening with sweat, his hair damp and flat on his head. Even after ten years of marriage, sometimes Stiles still is just blown away by how beautiful Derek is. His sunglasses obscure his eyes, so Stiles can’t tell if he’s looking his way.

“Show off,” Stiles says, and Derek turns. When he catches sight of Stiles, he smiles and waves. Stiles returns the wave, ignoring the women’s running commentary on Derek’s perfect body behind him. That and how it’s too bad he doesn’t like women. Too bad, indeed, bitches, Stiles thinks. That’s my man.

Not long after that, Derek walks from the other side of the stands. A few of the women stop him to chat, and Stiles hears snatches of conversation filled with “such good form” and “a good training program?” and “any nutrition suggestions…” He groans and rolls his eyes.

When Derek reaches him, he leans down and kisses him before he sits beside him. “Hey, love. You smell like jealousy.”

“And you look like self-satisfaction,” Stiles replies as he scans his eyes over Derek’s physique. “Enjoy the attention?”

Derek glares, but Stiles can tell his ears are pink. Hah. “Shut up.” He reaches under the bench and grabs a small bag, pulling a sports drink, a towel and a t-shirt from it. “How was your day?”

“Long. Spent all day in the field collecting samples. I’ve got to analyze them and send my findings to the Department of Agriculture by next week.” Stiles nods his head towards Evie. “She identified three of the plants on me.”

Derek beams down at her. “She’s learning scents so quickly.” Stiles can’t help but grin at the proud Daddy look on Derek’s face. He leans over and kisses him again.

*

Stiles drops pasta into the pot. “How’re those tomatoes coming?”

“Good!” Patrick says as Derek watches him use the knife. Stiles suppresses the grin that threatens at Derek’s obvious anxiety watching his seven year old hold a kitchen knife. He’s hovering, brows drawn together, reaching his hand out and pulling it back whenever he thinks Patrick’s in danger.

“DD, I made something for you at school!” Evie says with something behind her back.

“You told me earlier. Do I get to see it now?”

“Do I not get something?” Derek asks, sticking his bottom lip out in a fake pout. Evie goes over and wraps her arms and legs around Derek’s leg and just hangs off him.

“I made it for both of you, Daddy!”

“Well, do I get it, or are you just going to continue climbing your father?” Stiles asks. Evie is now hanging off Derek’s arm, and he’s raising and lowering his arm while she laughs. “Did you drop my present?”

Evie squeaks as she drops from Derek’s arm, and scurries over to where the piece of paper lies on the floor. She picks it up and puts it on the refrigerator with a magnet. “Look, DD! Daddy! Isn’t it beautiful???”

Derek and Stiles both go over to look at the picture Evie put on the fridge. It’s some scene with butterflies and flowers and copious amounts of glitter.

“It’s beautiful,” Stiles says.

Behind him, Patrick cries out and Derek rushes by him. Stiles turns around. Derek’s wolfed out, eyes bright red, and holding Patrick’s finger, which is bleeding profusely.

“Oh, wow, that’s um, that’s a lot of blood.” Stiles starts to feel a little light-headed and turns around and braces his hands on the counter. Derek’s growling behind him. “Derek, calm down.” Stiles takes a deep breath and steels himself for the blood.

Derek has wiped some of the blood away, but his hands are shaking and Stiles can see the tension from across the room. He walks over and places a hand on Derek’s shoulder.

“D-ad,” Patrick says, glaring. His eyebrows are doing a perfect imitation of one of Derek’s Looks. “It’s already healed. It’s not a big deal. It was just a little cut. My hand slipped.”

“You were bleeding,” Derek says. “You could still be cut internally.”

“You know that isn’t how it works,” Stiles says, squeezing his shoulder. “It’s fine.”

“Ugh, I just wanna finish the tomatoes. I have to throw like half of them away.” Patrick wrenches his hand out of Derek’s grip, and picks the knife back up. Stiles looks at Derek’s panicked face, and then takes the knife from Patrick.

“Maybe Dad can finish the tomatoes. You can help me make the bread.”

“Okay!” Patrick runs to the freezer, and Stiles pulls Derek into a kiss before Derek cleans up the blood.

*

Derek hones his senses and concentrates. If he moves his hand just right, he should be able to – “Fuck!”

“What are you doing?” Stiles asks, padding into the guest bedroom. He’s still half-asleep, his hair sticking up in about twenty different directions, wearing one of Derek’s old, oversized t-shirts and Batman boxers. “It’s after midnight. Come to bed.”

“I’ve got to finish this,” Derek says. He’s sitting at a sewing machine, where he has just managed to sew his finger to the pillow he’s making. Dammit.

Stiles walks into the room, over behind where Derek is hunched over the fabric, trying to get the seam to sew straight. He didn’t think that making everything for Evie’s new room for her birthday would be such a hassle. Everyone on Youtube and Pinterest make it look so easy, dammit. Stiles drapes his arms around Derek and hooks his chin over his shoulder.

“It doesn’t have to be finished tomorrow,” Stiles says. “You still have time.”

“I know, but if I don’t figure out how to sew a fucking straight line on a fucking pillow, how am I supposed to make everything else?” Derek growls. He starts sewing the seam again, and somehow manages to get the thread tangled. It makes him so angry his claws come out, and he rips through the smiling lady bugs on the fabric. “I give up!” he mumbles through partially extended canines.

Stiles buries as his face in Derek’s neck, shaking with laughter. “Ohmigod,” he wheezes. “The mighty Hale Alpha defeated by a five-year old’s birthday present!” He’s still laughing when he presses a kiss to Derek’s neck.

“This fabric is evil. I think it’s cursed,” Derek says as his fangs and claws retract.

“It’s not cursed, you drama queen.”

Derek pulls the slashed fabric from the sewing machine and sighs. “Tell me again why we decided to do this?”

“Because your children know you can’t deny them anything,” Stiles says as he comes around to straddle Derek’s lap. Derek pushes the chair back to make room. “You’re worse than me. Evie knew all she had to say is that she wanted nothing more in the world than her room decorated in that particular lady bug pattern.”

“She doesn’t know we’re redoing her room,” Derek points out as Stiles wiggles on his lap to get settled. Derek’s hands immediately slip underneath his shirt and slide along his back. “Sure we can’t just buy her something online?”

Stiles shrugs before lacing his fingers behind Derek’s head. “This is your project, baby. We can order something so it’s here by her birthday.”

Derek shakes his head. “No, Evie wants ladybugs, and dammit, she will get ladybugs. Even if I have to scour every Youtube video and how-to article on the internet.”

Stiles smiles and runs a hand through Derek’s hair. “You’re the best dad in the world, do you know that?” He presses his face into Derek’s neck. “You shouldn’t be stressed. You only stay up late distracting yourself when you’re stressed.” Derek grunts. Stiles sits up and looks at him. “It’s what happened with Patrick, right?” Derek purses his lips; he doesn’t want to talk about it. Stiles rolls his eyes. “It’s not a big deal. It was a just a little cut. He’s a werecub, he heals! Do you know how many times my dad had to take me to the emergency room for stitches?”

“You know how I get with the kids,” Derek looks down, embarrassed. Stiles rubs his nose against Derek’s cheek.

“I love that you’re overprotective, I do, but…maybe not wolf out at every small thing?” Derek grunts again, and Stiles nuzzles into his neck again.

Derek cranes his head and kisses Stiles, and Stiles sighs into his mouth as he starts writhing on Derek’s lap. Derek’s cock is immediately hard, because it’s been way too long since they’d had a chance for this – well, way too long being a few days, but Derek doesn’t like it when they go more than a day without touching each other. He has never gotten used to not being able to fuck Stiles whenever he wanted.

Stiles’ hands are underneath Derek’s shirt, thumbing at his nipples as he grinds his ass against Derek’s erection. Derek shoves his hand in Stiles’ boxers, not bothering to take the luxury of going slow or exploring each other because it’s after midnight, Stiles has work tomorrow, and Derek will have to get the kids ready for school early enough. He wraps his hand around Stiles’ cock and starts pumping the way he knows makes Stiles come unraveled within a few minutes.

“Oh fuck, Derek,” Stiles breathes against his mouth, foreheads pressed together. Derek’s pressing Stiles down onto his hard cock as he grinds against him, the friction barely enough to keep him from begging. Derek brushes his thumb across the head of Stiles’ cock, and Stiles moans into his mouth.

“Still jealous of those women?” Derek growls against Stiles’ cheek.

“No,” Stiles pants, his hands sliding lower along Derek’s sides. “It would be better if you didn’t flaunt yourself in front of them. They get to see more of you than I do.”

Derek growls and tugs down the collar of Stiles’ shirt and sinks blunt teeth into the flesh where his shoulder meets his neck. “I’m yours,” Derek says before licking the bite. “They can just keep fantasizing about me.”

Stiles lifts his head and glares. “I don’t even want them thinking about your cock. It’s all mine. I just don’t get it as often as I like.” He punctuates the sentence by grinding down hard on Derek’s cock. “I just want one night where you can fuck me until I scream. I miss those days. Fuck me until I can’t sit down.”

“Fuck, Stiles,” Derek feels the tips of his fangs extending, and he drags them carefully against Stiles’ chin. “Wish you were riding my cock right now.”

“Fuck, I wish – “

But Stiles doesn’t get to finish that thought because they are interrupted by screams coming from down the hall. Evie, nightmares again. Stiles drops his head against Derek’s shoulder, and Derek sighs.

“Want me to get it, or you?” He asks, pulling his hand from Stiles’ boxers.

“I’ll do it,” Stiles grouses as he crawls off Derek’s lap.

“No,” Derek says, grabbing Stiles’ hand as he starts to walk away. He stands and kisses him softly. “You go to bed. You have work in the morning. I’ll go to her.”

Evie calls out for her fathers, and Stiles kisses Derek again before they go to the separate rooms. Derek adjusts himself in his shorts before opening Evie’s bedroom door. He’s immediately hit with the overwhelming scent of terror, and he has to work very hard to control his eyes from shifting to red. He thinks about what Stiles said. Don’t wolf out about every small thing.

“Daddy!” Evie cries out when he opens the door. She’s wolfed out from her terror, her eyes gold and little fangs sticking out from her wibbling lips.

“Oh, pumpkin,” Derek says as he sits on the edge of the bed. Evie immediately crawls over to him, kneeing him in the nuts as she throws her little arms around his neck. He barely groans in pain as she clutches to him and cries. “What’s the matter?” he asks as he rubs soothing circles around her back.

“The monster was trying to get me,” she cries into his shoulder. “He had big teeth, but not like wolfy teeth, and wings and he had you and DD in a cage!”

“Oh, Evie,” Derek says, holding her as he lies back on the bed. He has to nearly fold himself in half to fit, but she’s gripping him tight and he knows she won’t be letting go for awhile. “You know no monsters will get you. I will never ever let anything get you.”

She pulls back, her eyes normal honey-brown again. She looks so much like Stiles it makes him ache. Her face is red and splotchy, and Derek reaches over to grab a tissue from the nightstand so he can dry her face. “But what if you and DD were in a cage? And you couldn’t get to me? And there were mean people who hated wolfies, and – “

“Evangeline,” Derek cuts in softly as her voice starts to get hysterical. He leans in and rubs his nose against her face, hair, and neck. He feels her start to calm. “You are safe, so is Patrick, and me, and DD.”

“Okay,” she hiccups.

“Can you go back to sleep for me?” Derek asks.

She nods, but then she looks down and whispers, “Will you stay with me, Daddy?”

“Of course.” Derek kisses her tear-stained cheeks before turning onto his side and arranging them so he can comfortably wrap himself around her. One of the only things that calms her on nights like these is having either him or Stiles curled around her. Derek knew it was a scent thing, a Pack thing, a security thing.

He runs his fingers through her hair and grumbles and growls quietly as he listens to her breathing slow and even out. He hates that she inherited Stiles’ tendency for panic attacks, hates that Stiles ceaselessly blames himself because of it.

Derek hates that she’s not even five yet and already having nightmares about monsters trying to get them. She’s never even been exposed to anything like that, none of the Pack children have, save Isaac’s two oldest, Millie and Nick. Beacon Hills has calmed down a lot over the last decade, something it took Derek a long time and a lot of rough nights to get used to. After they first had Patrick, Derek was scarily overprotective, terrified something would happen to him like the rest of his family. It had caused a lot of problems between him and Stiles, had almost split them up because Stiles couldn’t deal with Derek’s trust and abandonment issues. It took awhile, a lot of patience on Stiles’ part, and a lot of therapy on Derek’s part to get over the fear that something would take his family away again.

The first time he’d had to leave Stiles and the two kids on Pack business though, he’d had his own version of a panic attack, with claws and fangs. Scott and Isaac had been really understanding though, and Isaac’s wounds had healed before the night was over, so it turned out okay. After that first trip apart, Derek had a much easier time leaving them without worrying too much. None of them, Scott and Isaac included, liked to be away from their Packs though.

Derek drifts asleep to the sound of his daughter’s calm heartbeat, and is woken later by a hand on his face. His eyes flutter open, and Stiles is standing over him, smiling down at him sleepily.

“What time is it?” Derek asks, trying not to jostle Evie who is now asleep on his chest.

“Just after two. Come on back to bed.” Stiles gently lifts Evie from on top of Derek so Derek can get out of the tiny, tiny bed. His entire body is one large cramp now. Stiles lays Evie under the covers, and she barely stirs. He kisses her forehead as he arranges the covers around her, and then they quietly leave her room.

“What are you doing up?” Derek asks as he enters their bedroom and walks straight through to the bathroom.

“Woke up because you weren’t here. Wanted to see how you two were doing.” Derek can hear him getting back into bed. Derek finishes pissing and finally crawls into the bed beside Stiles. Stiles kisses him before settling on his chest. “I don’t like sleeping alone.”

“I don’t like sleeping in a bed half my size,” Derek murmurs. He’s starting to drift back to sleep now that he’s comfortable in his bed with Stiles’ warm, familiar body curled against his side.

The last thing he hears before he falls asleep is Stiles’ quiet laugh.

*

“Can I have a piggy, Pop-pop?” Evie asks from where she’s perched on the sheriff’s shoulders. They’re standing at the petting zoo, looking at Reuben, the fat pot-bellied pig. “For my birthday?”

“I don’t think your dads would like that very much,” the sheriff says, bouncing her slightly.

“No, we wouldn’t,” Stiles says. The whole Pack is there – their family, Scott, Allison, their three kids, Melissa, and Chris, and Isaac and Sarah and their five kids. Derek, Scott, and Isaac are trying to help the kids pet the animals without scaring them with general wolfyness. Stiles is with Patrick, Millie, and Nick, watching a turkey.

“Turkeys are so ugly,” he says.

“DD, we should hunt a turkey for Thanksgiving. I can kill it. I bet I would kill it so fast,” Patrick says. “Be like Dad with his Alpha speed!”

“Nah-uh,” Nick says, shaking his head. “I’d kill a turkey way better than you, Patrick.”

“Shut up, losers. We all know I’m the best cub in this Pack. I would totally be the one to kill the turkey. You two wouldn’t even be able to find it out in the woods,” Millie says.

“Mille, don’t tell the boys to shut up,” Sarah says from behind them. She’s standing with her daughter Nina, and holding Lily, her toddler. They’re both petting a donkey. “Or call them losers.”

Stiles sees Millie roll her eyes, and gives her a look. She rolls her eyes in an exaggerated way just for him.

“I don’t think any of you could get a turkey just yet,” Stiles says. “None of you have hunting skills.”

“Chris!” Millie turns around and yells. Right in Stiles’ ear. He cuffs her on the head, and she sticks out her tongue at him. Chris is over with Kyle and Ryan, and turns when she calls. “Can you teach us to hunt?”

“What?” Chris stands up and looks at them, horrified.

Allison laughs and puts a hand on her dad’s arm. “They’re talking about hunting turkeys.”

“Oh,” he says, relaxing. “I don’t think I’m the one you should be asking for that.”

“I’m the hunter,” the sheriff says, reaching out and ruffling Patrick’s hair. “If you want to catch the turkey with a gun.”

“Pop-pop,” Millie huffs. “Where’s the fun in that, huh? I want to catch it with my bare teeth.” She pulls her lip back and shakes her head back and forth as she snarls.

“Really?” the sheriff asks. He points to the turkey. “You could really run down that bird and sink your fangs into it and be the cause of the end of its life?”

Millie looks over at the turkey, and the turkey chooses that moment to left out a strangled wail. Stiles notices that Millie looks sad. He throws his arm around her shoulders and pulls her close. “I couldn’t do it, either. That’s why I get my turkeys from the supermarket, where they look nothing like this ugly creature.” He drops a kiss on her head, and she tries to push him away, but he just holds on tighter. “Oh, too old for kisses, is that right? Too cool?”

“Stiles!” she squeals. “Let me go!”

“Oh no, not until my heart stops breaking that my partner-in-crime is too old and cool for me!”

Millie’s laughing as Nick helps Stiles tickle her. He finally lets her go, and she and Nick get distracted by a llama and run off. Stiles turns to Patrick, who’s still in front of the turkey. He’s got his hand underneath his chin in imitation of a turkey wattle, and is staring at the turkey, screaming, “GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE.”

Stiles shakes his head with a laugh. “He’s just like you at that age,” the sheriff says as he steps beside Stiles. “You used to do that every time you saw a turkey.”

“Where do you think he got it from?” Derek slides his arms around Stiles’ waist and kisses him when Stiles looks over his shoulder.

“Shut up,” Stiles says.

“Daddy!” Evie exclaims. “Pop-pop bought me a snow-cone!” She shoves it at Derek, sloshing some over the flimsy paper holder and onto the sheriff’s head. The sheriff lets out an exasperated sigh as red snow-cone syrup slides through his hair and down the side of his face, but Stiles can tell he’s in heaven. “You want some?”

Derek opens his mouth and leans closer as Evie pushes it in his face. It gets on Derek’s nose and upper lip before he gets any. “Thanks, pumpkin.” He turns to Stiles, who’s laughing.

“You got a little,” Stiles points to his nose. Derek leans down and Stiles licks the red syrup from the tip of his nose before Derek gives him a sloppy, sugary kiss. Evie’s squealing in delight and clapping her hands. Which must mean –

He and Derek both burst out laughing when they look over and see that Evie has managed to spill her snow cone all over the sheriff’s head. “Dad, that’s a good look on you.”

“Shut it, kiddo.” The sheriff lifts Evie from his shoulders, and she looks positively scandalized.

“Are you mad at me, Pop-pop?” she screams.

He gives her a kiss before putting her down. “No, sweetheart. But I need to clean up your mess.”

“I got it,” Sarah says, coming over with wet wipes. “This should get most of it out.”

“Daddy!” Evie turns to Derek and starts tugging on his shirt. “Pop-pop took me to see the piggy! Do you want to see the piggy?”

“Take me to see the piggy,” Derek says as he holds Evie’s hand.

*

After they tear the kids away from the petting zoo, they take them over to Tiny Town, which is a small, child-sized town comprised of intricately constructed playhouses. There’s a pharmacy, a theater, a church, a fire station, a police station, a school, and a few houses. It’s Stiles’ absolute favorite.

“Tiny Town!” the kids yell as they run towards it. Allison and Sarah sit over to the side as they watch, and Derek, Scott, and Isaac walk over to the nearby basketball court.

Stiles notices that Millie’s walking towards the pond. “Millie! Where are you going?”

“Ugh, somewhere else? Tiny Town is for little kids. I’m twelve now.” She puts a hand on her hip and exudes attitude that reminds Stiles of when Isaac first turned.

Stiles shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

“Where are you going?”

“Dude, where do you think I’m going?” He points in front of him. “I’m going to Tiny Town!”

Stiles joins the kids, his dad, Chris, and Melissa. Patrick is holding on to the sheriff’s hand. “Come on, Pop-pop, you’re the sheriff, you need to be in the police station.”

“Grandma, the pharmacy’s like the hospital, you can be here!” Ryan says as he pulls Melissa towards the pharmacy as Chris walks with Nina and Emily over to the school. Stiles gives Josh the little fireman’s helmet and Kyle the police hat. They run off down the fake streets.

“DD! Look, DD!” Evie is on the second story balcony of one of the houses, waving at him. “I’m up high!”

“Way high!” Stiles says. He glances over in surprise when he sees Millie come walking up between two buildings. “I thought you were too old for this.”

“Shut up,” she says as she goes towards the theater. “And you’re, like, way old, and you’re playing, okay?”

“DD!” Patrick calls from over in front of the pharmacy. “Melissa said she has your prescription of Adderall ready!”

“Thank god,” his father says from where he’s watching Evie now playing in the school with the others.

“So cold, Dad.”

*

That night, Patrick and Evie watch a movie while Stiles and Derek go upstairs and take a shower. Stiles doesn’t even have his clothes off before Derek is all over him with hungry kisses and demanding hands. He picks Stiles up and puts him in the shower, and Stiles would protest except he sometimes misses the days when Derek would throw him against walls and lift him onto tables instead of their children.

“You smell like livestock,” Derek grumbles against Stiles’ neck, where he’s sucking a bruise into his skin.

“Petting zoo, dude,” Stiles says. This is the closest they get to privacy anymore. The kids know that when Daddys are in the shower, you don’t knock on the door unless it’s an emergency. Sometimes, even that doesn’t work. Especially when one of them forgets to lock the door. But the shower provides background sound to cover up any they make, and easy clean up since everything just washes down the drain.

Stiles and Derek’s sex life has boiled down to three things: quick evening shower sex while the kids are downstairs watching TV; quiet sex after the kids go to bed if they’re not too tired and neither one of them are working too late; and sleepy morning sex if they manage to wake up a few minutes early. Stiles doesn’t mind having two kids, but he misses Derek, feels like he has blue balls all the time even though he masturbates as often as possible. Derek always gives him a sympathetic smile when he smells it on him. It’s mostly blowjobs and hand jobs between them now, because actual sex takes way too much preparation and energy.

“What are you thinking about?” Derek murmurs as he drops to his knees. He nips along Stiles’ hips and inner thighs, and cups his balls.

“How I miss you fucking me,” he replies as Derek sucks one of balls into his mouth, his finger lightly teasing against his entrance.

“Been thinking about that a lot lately,” Derek says as he lets the testicle fall from his mouth. He wraps his fist around Stiles and slips his lips around his cock. After Stiles comes, he gets on his knees and sucks Derek until he’s almost there, then jerks his cock the rest of the way so he can come on Stiles’ face and chest. “Miss smelling this on you,” Derek murmurs as he licks his come from Stiles’ cheek and collarbone.

After their shower, Stiles goes into the garage to work on plant samples, and Derek puts the kids to bed before sitting at the kitchen table and working on the book manuscript due next week. Stiles inputs the last bit of data on his samples from Yosemite just before midnight. He finds Derek still hunched over the manuscript, red pen between his fingers, highlighter behind one ear and a pencil behind the other.

“Come on,” Stiles says, running his hand over the back of his neck. “Bed time.”

By the time they brush their teeth and finish their nightly ritual, it’s a little after midnight. Stiles falls into bed and is asleep before Derek even gets between the sheets.

*

Stiles and Derek are cuddled on the couch, watching some backed up DVR shows while Patrick and Evie are upstairs, playing. Stiles has started dozing, with Derek’s fingers running lightly through his hair, and Derek has turned the station to ESPN when he senses both the kids shift. He tenses.

“What?” Stiles asks right as they hear loud growls, snarls, and whines from above. Derek rushes upstairs, Stiles hot on his tail.

When they get to Patrick’s room, him and Evie are rolling around in the floor, full-on fighting with claws and fangs. They’re covered in scratch and bite marks, blood on the carpet. They’ve managed to knock over the table and break a lamp.

“Stop!” Derek barks as he grabs them both by the collars and wrenches them apart. They’re still snarling and trying to get at each other.

“Hey!” Stiles yells. “That’s enough!” Both kids seem to snap out of their wolf-induced frenzy, and they look at their dads with gold eyes, their wounds starting to heal. “Explain yourselves.”

“Evie took my comic book and tore it in half!”

“Just because he wouldn’t let me read it!”

“Girls don’t read comics!”

“They do, too! DD said so!”

“You can’t even read! You’re just a baby!”

“You’re a doody-head!”

“You’re a – “

“Silence!” Stiles’ voice cuts into their arguing.

“I don’t care who did what,” Derek says, letting go of their shirts. “We do not wolf out on each other, for any reason. You both know better than that!”

“Yes, Dad,” they say in unison.

“You’re both grounded for the next two days,” Derek says.

“What?” Patrick says, but Derek gives him his “Don’t-you-start-with-me-son” glare. It reminds him of his own father. “Okay.”

“Now clean the blood off yourselves and throw the clothes in the wash. And then, bed,” Stiles orders.

“Yes, DD.” They march to the bathroom, and Derek goes over to right the fallen table.

“Were we too hard on them?” Derek asks.

“Derek, did you miss the part where our kids were all grr and rawr over a fucking comic book?” Stiles shakes his head. “And look at the blood we’ve got to figure out how to get out of the carpet. I hope it’s just like upholstery. I used to be good at getting blood out of the Camaro.”

“I don’t like it when they do this,” Derek says as they walk back downstairs. “But I feel like a hypocrite grounding them. I used to fight with Laura until we were nearly shredded.”

“Don’t let them hear you say that. We’ve got enough to deal with with them two.”

*

Derek spends Tuesday mornings buying groceries. He doesn’t have to pick Evie up from preschool until two, and then picks Patrick up around 2:30. The little old ladies who do the shopping on Tuesdays think that he’s the sweetest thing, especially because he always retrieves hard to get items from the top shelves they’re all too short to reach. They tell him about their grandkids and ask him about his wife when they see his wedding band, and then ask about his husband after he corrects them. Some of them even ask him questions about what it’s like to be married to a man and have kids.

Derek likes grocery shopping with the old ladies. He can’t help it. A few of them even know him by name now. He’s showed them all like thousands of pictures of the kids he has on his cell phone.

He’s at lunch with the sheriff and Melissa when he gets a phone call from Evie’s preschool. “Shit,” he mutters under his breath when he gets off the phone. He stands up distractedly, reaching for his wallet and trying to call Stiles at the same time.

“Derek, what’s wrong?” the sheriff asks.

Derek’s trying to stay calm, but he’s finding it very difficult and he drops his phone. Melissa picks up it from the floor and hands it to him.

“Don’t worry about your wallet, we’ve got it,” she says.

“It’s Evie. There’s been an incident, and shit.” Derek’s panicking now. The teacher hadn’t said anything specific, just that he needed to come down to the school right away.

“Derek, calm down,” Melissa says. “I’m sure it’s okay. These things are normal.”

Derek looks up, feeling wrecked. “But…it’s my little girl.”

Melissa gets up and gives him a hug. “Go honey. See about your daughter.”

“And call me the minute you know anything!” the sheriff calls after him.

When Derek gets to the SUV, his claws are starting to come out from panic, and he forces himself to sit in the parking lot until he calms. The claws make it difficult to use the touch screen on his phone, but he eventually dials Stiles’ number.

“Hey baby,” Stiles answers. “I’d love to talk, but I’m in the middle – “

“Something happened with Evie,” he mumbles, his fangs making it difficult to speak.

“Oh god, what?” Stiles asks, and Derek can hear the panic in his voice even over the line.

“I don’t know,” Derek says, frustrated that it’s so fucking hard to talk, and why can’t he calm down?

“Derek, love, you’ve got to calm down,” Stiles says like he can read Derek’s mind. “It’s nothing life or death, nothing serious. You’ve got to get yourself under control.” Derek closes his eyes and listens to Stiles’ voice. “Breathe, remember, it’s nothing to worry about. Your daughter is fine, she’s safe, nothing has happened to her.”

“But how can we – I’m too far – I – “ Derek’s hand is shaking in his lap as his mind conjures up all sorts of images, horrible images of things that could have happened to Evie without him there to protect her.

“DEREK!” Stiles yells. “You can’t fucking do this to yourself, okay? You will not go into fucking panic mode because you got a call from your daughter’s school. You’re stronger than this now!”

Derek runs a hand over his face and finds his anchor. Pack, family. He closes his eyes and breathes in the scents around him, can smell Stiles, Patrick, and Evie and lets them surround him like a security blanket.

“How long before you can be here?”

“Half an hour. I’m not that far. I’m already in the car.”

“Do you want me to wait on you?” Derek asks.

“No, you sound like your fangs have receded. You better now?” Stiles’ voice is low and full of understanding, and Derek can’t imagine doing any of this – marriage and kids and life - without him.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” Derek turns the key in the ignition. “I’m going there now.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Stiles says. “And hey? I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

*

Derek drives twenty miles over the speed limit the entire way to the preschool. Another bout of panic threatens him at the doors of the school, but he controls it this time. When he steps into the building, he immediately catches Evie’s scent, and she smells okay. Upset, but okay.

Derek lets out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

He quickly finds his way to her classroom. He sees her sitting outside the room when he turns the corner, and she immediately senses him and snaps her head up. Derek can smell her tears from here.

“Evie, what happened?” Derek asks as he jogs towards her. “Are you okay?” She nods, and then Ms. Miller, her teacher, comes out. She’s a young, pretty woman with a sweet demeanor.

“Mr. Stilinski-Hale?” Ms. Miller says with a smile. “Thank you for coming.”

“What’s wrong? Is she okay? What happened?” Derek snaps. Ms. Miller looks taken aback for a moment, but then seems to recover.

“Evie is fine. Is your husband coming? We can wait until he arrives.”

“He’s on his way,” Derek replies. He glances at his watch. “He should be here in about ten minutes.”

“You can wait here with Evie.” She returns to the classroom as Derek takes the seat beside Evie. As soon as she is back inside, Evie starts crying.

“Daddy, I’m sorry!” she wails as she climbs into his lap. Derek pulls her close to him, starts scenting her and nuzzling her. He’s not sure if it’s more for her or himself. Feeling her against him, listening to her heartbeat, and being surrounded by her scent calms some of his anxiety. He lets Evie cry against him until she’s nothing but a boneless lump against his chest.

Derek smells Stiles the instant he steps inside the building. Some of the tension in his body unravels, and Derek feels an immense relief when Stiles turns the corner and hurries to them. Stiles is dressed in his work khakis, and he’s covered in dirt. He has bits of plant stuck in his hair.

“What’s wrong? What did you find out?” He leans down and kisses Derek softly, and stands to the side as he rubs his hand along the back of Derek’s neck. Derek immediately feels stronger.

At that moment, Ms. Miller steps outside the classroom. “Now that you’re both here, please come inside.” Derek carries Evie as they follow Ms. Miller through the classroom and into an interior office. She shuts the door behind her, leaving the kids with the co-teacher. “Thank you both for coming.”

Derek sits in the chair, Evie in a smaller chair to his right, and Stiles to his left. He’s sitting with his back and shoulders tense, his knuckles white against the chair arm. Stiles reaches out and caresses the back of his hand until he relaxes it and turns it so he can lace their fingers.

“There was an incident with a little boy today,” Ms. Miller starts.

“The one who’s been bothering Evie? Who won’t let her sleep during naptime? The one she told you about that you did nothing about?” Stiles asks, voice rising. Derek can feel his anger and squeezes his hand.

“I believe so, yes.”

“What happened?” Derek sighs and looks over at Evie.

“Well, it was the strangest thing. They were all down for a nap, and then I heard something that sounded like growling. Evie and the little boy were in a small fight that the co-teacher and I broke up. The little boy bit her and left quite a nasty bleeding abrasion on her arm.”

Stiles swallows. “And what did Evie do to the little boy?”

“She scratched him.”

“How bad?” Stiles asks, and Derek can feel his panic rising. He drops his hand to reach over and rub his back.

“Not bad, Mr. Stilinski-Hale. It all happened very quickly. Though, the little boy kept yelling something about Evie having fangs.” Ms. Miller laughs like kids say the darnedest things. Derek is both furious and terrified, and from the way Evie is cowering in her seat, she can feel his mood. “I’ve already talked to the boy and his parents about his bullying of Evie. However, I cannot allow Evie to fight and remain in my classroom. If it happens again, she will not be permitted to come back to school.”

“We understand,” Derek says.

“You just better make sure that little kid stays away from my daughter. If I hear anything else about him bothering her, you can rest assured I will be up here and demanding to know why she’s still being bullied,” Stiles says, pointing his finger as he stands up.

“Thank you for your time,” Derek says with a smile as he pushes Stiles to do the door before he pisses off Evie’s teacher. He waits as Evie joins him and takes her hand.

They walk silently down the hallway, and don’t say anything until they’re outside. “This is a conversation for home,” Stiles says, looking down at Evie. She’s tearing up again, probably affected by his and Stiles’ moods, Derek thinks. Stiles squats in front of her. “Show me your arm, where the boy bit you.”

Evie lifts her sleeve, which is stained with blood. The skin was smooth with smears of blood. “It healed right after he bit me.” Stiles reaches into his pocket and pulls out a tissue. He spits on it and scrubs at the stains of blood on her arm.

“Evie, you just can’t,” Stiles shakes his head and stands up, frustrated. He turns to Derek. “The kid isn’t gonna be a werewolf, right? Still has to be a scratch and bite from an Alpha?”

Derek nods. “Our four year old werecub isn’t gonna turn people because she throws a tantrum. You know that.”

“Still nice to be reassured.” Stiles runs a hand through her hair.

Derek asks, “Do you mind if I take Evie and Patrick to the Preserve and talk to them alone?”

Stiles runs a hand through his hair, and Derek can feel the disappointment and slight tinge of jealousy coming off him. He grabs Stiles’ hand and pulls him close and kisses him. “You can come if you want.”

“No,” Stiles says, shaking his head. “I think you need this after today, a bit of werewolf bonding.” He runs a hand across Derek’s stubbled jaw. “Plus, I need to finish up a few things at work.”

“You sure?” He lifts an eyebrow, and Stiles places one of Derek’s hands flat on his chest.

“I promise. It’s okay.” Derek kisses Stiles again before getting Evie in the car seat and going to Patrick’s school to pick him up early.

Patrick looks worried when he walks into the front lobby. “Hey Dad, is everything okay?”

“It’s fine. Your sister had a little incident at school today, and I want to talk to you two about some things.”

“Okay…”

Derek drives them to the other side of the Preserve, to part of the Hale land opposite from where they built their house. It’s private here, more wild and less yard-like as opposed to the part of the property where the house is located.

“Evie wolfed out in class today,” Derek says as he helps her over a particularly large log.

“You didn’t!” Patrick exclaims.

“I’m sorry, Daddy! I didn’t mean to!” She starts crying again. “Connor just kept throwing things at me while I slept and he said I was ugly and smelled like poo and that I was a cry baby and that a big monster was gonna come and eat me and I just got so mad cause he does it every day!” Evie says very fast, extremely reminiscent of Stiles. Now Derek thinks he might know where the monster nightmares are coming from. God, Derek hates other people’s bratty children. “Please don’t be mad!”

Derek squats down in front of her, and cups her face gently. “I’m not mad,” he says. He glances up at Patrick, who’s standing beside them. “We just have to be really careful about wolfing out. You both know this. But it happens to us all. Remember how Nick wolfed out in school and got into lots of trouble?” They both nod. “We just don’t want that to happen. Patrick, tell Evie what happened to you when you were smaller.”

Patrick looks down at his feet. “I threw a tantrum in the store and wolfed out when DD picked me up to take me back to the car.”

“And what happened when DD picked you up?” Derek asks, though the memory still scares the hell out of him.

Patrick answers quietly, “I scratched and bit him.”

Evie gasps. “Patrick, you are never ever ever ever supposed to bite or scratch DD or Aunt Allison or Emily or Josh or Pop-pop or Gramma Melissa or Mister Chris because they’re human!”

“I know that, Evie!” Patrick snaps. “It’s better than scratching some kid in my class!”

“Hey!” Derek yells between the two of them. “Evie, your brother knows that. I didn’t tell you about that to point out his wrong. I told you because we’ve all done it.”

“Have you done it, Daddy? Have you wolfed out on accident?”

Derek laughs. “Plenty of times.”

“When you were a kid?” Derek nods. “What happened?”

“A kid stole the toy I took to school. I was so mad I wolfed out right there. But my sister, Laura, was right there to keep me calm and keep everyone from seeing.” He grabs both his children’s arms. “It happens, but we have to make sure it doesn’t. Okay?” He turns to Evie. “Even if someone bullies you, it’s not okay to use your claws to scratch them. That’s dangerous for humans, you know that.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy. Please don’t stop loving me!”

Derek pulls her to him and rubs his face against her. “Nothing could ever make me stop loving either one of you. Nothing.” He grabs Patrick and pulls him close so he can rub his cheek against his hair. “Now,” Derek says as he partially shifts. “The full moon’s in two days. Who wants to run?”

The kids start jumping up and down, and shift into their Beta forms.

“Go to Alpha form, Dad!” Patrick says.

“Yeah! Be wolfie daddy!” Evie says.

“Okay, start running and I’ll catch up.” They take off, and Derek pulls his cell phone out of his pocket to text Stiles. The kids are running back and forth in the woods in front of him.

At the preserve. Talked to the kids about controlling shifts. Hope it’ll help. We’re about run. They’ve already shifted, just waiting on me. I’m going full on wolf today.

Glad you three had wolf-bonding time. I miss you like crazy though. Think of me while you run. And don’t be too late for dinner. One of us should get pizza on our way home and make a big cocoon of blankets and watch a movie. Just as long as it’s not that new Pixar movie. I’m sick of it already. I dreamed about it the other night.

Okay. I’ll text you when we leave. I miss you, too. I love you very much. Thanks for earlier. I don’t know what I’d do without you.

“Hurry up, Daddy!” Evie yells before growling and chasing a squirrel.

“Yeah, stop texting DD and come run with us!” Patrick yells as he chases after Evie.

That’s what I’m here for. I love you, too. Now, I know Patrick is annoyed you’re texting me, so go bond with your cubs and get your wolf on!.

Derek smiles as he quickly strips out of his clothes and transforms, then bounds after his kids.

*

Stiles isn’t jealous exactly. Sometimes it’s still like a warm, tingling sensation when he thinks about Derek being a father, being tender and gentle and smiling, oh the smiling. The smiling does things to Stiles, things, things he usually can’t act upon because, well, children in the room. Back ten thousand years ago when he was sixteen and Derek was nothing more than a permanent scowl in a leather jacket, he’d never have imagined this. Marriage, a house, two kids, arguments about finances and parenting techniques and what to make for dinner. So, he loves the whole Derek-has-two-werecubs-carrying-on-the-Hale-werewolf-genes thing. He also loves the Derek-bonding-with-his-children thing.

It’s just, sometimes, Stiles is sad he’s not a wolf, too. Not that he wants the bite – he and Derek discussed that when they got married, then again when they had two werewolf children. And, well, more than fifteen years later, Stiles is still okay with being human. But sometimes he wishes he could do the things with his children that Derek could, like wolfing out on the preserve, running together on the full moon, understanding how hard it is to control your shift as a five year old.

But he knows Derek needs that special wolf-bond, especially after his freak out earlier. It had been quite awhile since Derek had given in to his panic, even if Derek was still a tad overprotective on the best days, and Stiles had almost forgotten what those days had been like. That had been a rough time, a rough time. Like, yelling and throwing things and sleeping in his old bedroom and on Scott’s couch and almost leaving Derek because Stiles had never seen Derek be quite that protective before. Like, wouldn’t let Stiles out of the house with Patrick protective. Red eyes for two days protective. Tried to protect Patrick from Stiles who was fifty percent of his DNA protective.

So, yeah, Stiles knows just how serious the incident today had been all around. And Evie was a total Daddy’s girl, which is probably why it had triggered said panic in the first place.

Leaving work now. Picking up the pizzas. Meet you at home? I have had a fucking long, hard day, I’m covered in dirt and plant guts. I need a shower >:)

Stiles drives the half-hour back into town from the station he was working at, ordering the pizza on the way. Derek sends him a reply text halfway back to town.

Just got back to the car. I am so looking forward to that shower.

Stiles grins and thinks about all the things he could do to Derek in the shower on the way to the pizza place, and would find some way to jerk off if he didn’t want to wait for Derek to make him come later.

Derek’s SUV is in the driveway when he pulls up, and he smiles in anticipation at the idea of a pizza puppy pile.

“DD!” Patrick yells when Stiles opens the front door and kicks it shut behind him while simultaneously trying not to drop the two pizza boxes. Patrick hugs Stiles around the middle, and Stiles carefully pats him on the head while balancing the boxes. “How was your day? You smell like grass, lilacs, and sagebush. And your lab.”

“All correct!” Stiles says as Derek comes walking in from the living room. “You’re gonna get your plant patch in were-scouts in no time!” Derek takes the pizzas from Stiles as he leans in for a kiss. “Thank you.”

“Guess what, DD?” Patrick says. “They took us to the nature trails at the park by school today. And the teacher taught us all about the plants, but I knew all of them already! I got a gold star by my name in the classroom and a homework pass!”

Stiles grins widely, feeling ridiculously happy at that. “I’m so proud!” He grabs Patrick around the neck and pulls him close, leaning down to lay a smacking kiss on his cheek. “Just like your daddy, a veritable plant genius.”

Patrick positively preens as he goes into the kitchen to get plates. Derek sets the pizzas aside for a moment, and Stiles goes to him and wraps his arms around him tightly. Derek melts into the embrace as Stiles just holds him. Derek noses around Stiles’ hairline, behind his ear.

“Hey,” Stiles says quietly. “How are you doing?”

“I’m okay,” Derek replies. Stiles rubs his hands up and down Derek’s back, feeling the hard, tense muscle relax a bit under his fingers. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Me, too.”

“PATRICK, DON’T EAT ALL THE CHEESE! THAT’S MY CHEESE! DADDY, DD! PATRICK IS EATING ALL THE CHEESE!” Evie screams from the living room. Stiles pulls his head away from Derek’s hair and notices the missing pizza boxes from the table.

“Patrick! Don’t eat your sister’s pizza!” Stiles yells. He starts to walk away, but Derek grabs him and pulls him into a kiss. A toe-curling, feel it in your bones, knees are weak kiss. For a moment, everything fades away and it’s just him and Derek and Derek’s mouth. But then Derek pulls away, and has to hold Stiles’ arm when he stumbles. He smirks as Stiles kinda just stares at him, dazed.

“I hate you,” Stiles says.

Derek’s smirk just gets bigger. “I know.” Derek walks into the living room, and Stiles has to will his half-hard cock to go away because that’s obviously not happening any time soon.

In the living room, Derek has already moved the coffee table to the side. The middle of the room is covered in large, fluffy blankets and pillows. Evie and Patrick are already in their pajamas, pizza on their plates. Stiles realizes that Derek is also in pajama pants and a t-shirt as he lowers himself between the kids.

“Can you all curb your wolf-induced hunger while I go change?” Stiles asks, motioning towards his soiled work clothes while Derek shoves a piece of pizza in his mouth.

“Yeah,” Patrick says, putting his piece of pizza down.

“Hurry up, DD!” Evie says as she tries to wrestle the piece of pizza from Derek’s hand.

Stiles runs upstairs, sheds his clothes and takes a washcloth to the patches of dirt on his skin, then grabs an old t-shirt of Derek’s from a drawer and a pair boxers to put on. When he finally gets into the puppy pile, Evie crawls onto his lap, and Patrick squeezes between him and Derek as they watch a movie on Netflix.

Two and a half movies later, Derek is asleep, Evie is lying on top of him, and Patrick is pressed along Derek’s side. Stiles grabs his phone, snaps a picture, and uploads it to Facebook. Allison, Boyd, Isaac, Lydia, Danny, and Melissa all like and comment on it before Stiles finishes scrolling through his status feed.

Derek looks happy and relaxed, completely different from the way he’d looked earlier today. Stiles has loved a lot of Dereks over the years as Derek slowly healed and changed, but this Derek, this is his favorite. Stiles never thought he’d get anything close to a family, and he wonders sometimes how he lucked up with Derek and two perfect children.

Shaking his head to clear the sappy thoughts from it, he stretches out on the other side of Patrick and finds Derek staring at him sleepily from over Patrick’s head. Stiles gets back up and carefully avoids his children’s limbs as he walks over to lay beside Derek. Derek has shifted Evie onto the pallet and turned to face Stiles.

“Did I wake you?” Stiles asks. Derek shakes his head. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Tonight helped.”

“I’m sorry you went into panic mode earlier,” Stiles whispers, fingers against Derek’s stubble. “I wish I could have been there.”

“You were.” Derek cards his hands through Stiles’ hair. “You’re always there when I need you.”

“Because I love you,” Stiles says. “And someone’s gotta keep you from falling apart,” he teases.

Derek smirks. “I think you’ve turned that around. I’m the one that keeps you from falling apart.”

“We keep each other from falling apart.” Derek leans forward and kisses Stiles softly. “You’re not thinking about the fire or Laura too much, are you?” Derek sighs, and Stiles runs a hand over Derek’s cheek. “That was all a very long time ago. Nothing is gonna happen to your family now. Patrick, Evie, and I are not going anywhere.”

“I know.”

“Do you want to sleep down here with the kids?” Derek looks down and Stiles smiles. “It’s fine. We’ll sleep right here.”

Derek flicks his eyes up. “Thanks for understanding.”

“You’re not the only one who finds comfort in falling asleep surrounded by their family.” Derek kisses Stiles again before they get settled in each other’s arms.

Maybe he and Derek never made it to the shower, but pizza puppy pile night was way better.

*

Full moons have become sort of a thing. When Derek and Stiles had the house built, they cut trails deeper into the Preserve and cleared out a spot where they set up long logs to sit on and a fire pit. The whole Pack gets together on the Hale property, and sometimes even the sheriff, Melissa, and Chris come out with them. They’ve spent almost every full moon there since the house was finished.

Stiles sits on a log, Evie and Patrick beside him and wolfed out as they wait for everyone to arrive. The kids can control their shifts on full moons, but the Pack always goes running, so they’re waiting excitedly. Of course, both his kids ended up being the ugly, no-eyebrow werewolves.

Isaac and Sarah show up with all their kids, and then Scott, Allison, and theirs. Derek makes a small fire despite the warm night so they can make smores, and they sit around and talk before they set off.

When they get ready to run, Derek and Scott both shift into full Alpha forms, and Stiles puts Evie on Derek’s back.

“Hold on tight, little wolf,” he instructs before kissing her and Patrick, and then runs a hand over Derek’s coarse fur and scratches behind his ear. Derek nips at his hand lightly. “Have fun, you three!”

Derek licks Stiles’ hand before he takes off with Evie squealing in delight on his back, Patrick running beside him. The others also disperse through the woods, leaving Allison, Emily, Josh, and Stiles alone.

“So,” Allison asks Emily and Josh. “It’s your night. What do you want to do?”

The four of them play cards and eat smores while Josh and Emily chatter incessantly. They get bored of cards after awhile and start running around the woods nearby, leaving Allison and Stiles alone.

“I’m gonna run so fast when I get the bite!” Josh yells, growling after he hears a growl somewhere in the distance. “When we become wolves, we can run on full moons, too!”

“I’m not getting the bite!” Emily yells. “I’m staying human like my mom!”

Stiles glances at Allison, surprised. Allison rolls her eyes. “This week, she wants to be human. She’ll change her mind in a few weeks.”

“I’ll bite you!” Josh yells from the trees.

“Then I’ll shoot you with arrows because I’m gonna be an archer!”

“You’re not gonna shoot anyone with arrows!” Allison yells.

“Yeah, Emily. Arrows are stupid. Teeth are better!”

“We’re also not biting anyone!” Stiles yells.

“Rats!”

“I’m gonna be a hunter like Mom and Granddad!” Emily yells, making loud pew-pew arrow noises. Allison sighs and puts her head in her hands. Stiles bumps her shoulder lightly. Twenty minutes later, one of the wolves howls in the distance – sounds like Scott – and Emily yells, “One day I’m gonna be a wolf like my Dad and have the best howl of all!”

Allison groans. “Welcome to my life. This is why we’re not letting her make any decision about the bite until she’s eighteen. Isaac’s lucky because Josh wants to be wolf and hasn’t changed his mind.”

“What did they decide, thirteen?”

“Yeah. But Emily…I’m afraid she’ll make a decision she’ll regret.”

“Maybe she could be a badass hunter like her mother,” Stiles smiles. “There are worse things, you know.”

They listen to the howls and yells of Josh and Emily nearby, and periodically hear growls and howls from the Pack in the distance.

*

“What about this one?” Patrick holds up a Batman comic, and Stiles glances at the cover.

“Got it.”

Patrick slips it back in the box and thumbs through other plastic-covered issues before pulling out another. “This one?”

Stiles looks at the cover, but doesn’t recognize it. “Don’t have that one.”

“Awesome.” He sets it on top of the stack of comics they’ve picked out. His dad had taken Evie next door to Home Depot while Stiles and Patrick made their bi-monthly stop at the comic book store. First, Stiles had scanned the new releases with Patrick, but they didn’t get very far before Patrick found a new comic they both had to check out. They spent twenty minutes discussing whether or not it was like a comic they had read together a few months before. Eventually, they both decided to try it out before moving on to find a few Batman comics. Derek didn’t like it when they bought even more Batman comics, because he said Stiles must have collected everything Batman-related over the years. Stiles and Patrick just always shake their heads when Derek talks like that, because clearly he doesn’t understand. Thankfully, Stiles had fostered an appreciation and knowledge of all that is awesome in their eldest.

New-to-them Batman in hand, they move on to the action figures, but don’t see anything worth getting.

“We should get this for Dad!” Patrick says from behind him. Stiles turns around to see him holding up a figurine from the classic The Wolf Man, and laughs. “He can put it in his office at home.”

“For his birthday,” Stiles says. “You haven’t seen that movie, have you?” Patrick shakes his head as he puts the figure back on the shelf. “We should watch it. You’ll love it. Bad wolf costumes, black and white…you know it took your Uncle Scott ten years after the bite to watch it? And your dad? We were married before he would watch it.” Stiles shakes his head sadly. “I have to make sure I instill this important piece of werewolf culture into my children’s lives.”

Patrick grins his crooked grin, which looks weird since he lost a tooth the day before. He had cried because he thought his fangs wouldn’t work anymore since he’d lost a canine, and Stiles and Derek had to get him to wolf out, which of course, he was too upset to do for half an hour.

Stiles’ phone buzzes, and he sees it’s Derek. “Hey baby, on your way home?”

“No,” Derek growls, and then exhales an exasperated sigh. “The meeting with the agent and publisher took much longer than it should have, and now I have to go to dinner with them. All of them, Stiles. There will be like ten people at this dinner, and I’m expected to go to it. And talk.”

Stiles tries to stifle his laugh. “Why do you have to go? You’re just the book editor.”

“My thoughts exactly. Apparently, it’s good publicity or something, hell, I don’t know, and I don’t care. I just want to come home.”

“When will you be home?” Stiles asks as he watches Patrick pay for the comic books with the money he’d handed him.

“Late,” Derek replies.

“Like how late?”

“Probably after midnight.”

Stiles tries to hide his frustration, but Patrick catches the scent and looks up at him sharply. “Is that Dad?” he asks. Stiles nods. “Let me talk to him.”

“Your son wants to talk to you, hold on.” Stiles hands Patrick the phone, who presses it to his ear excitedly.

“Hey Dad!” Patrick pauses and smiles. “We bought another Batman comic! One DD said he didn’t have…yes, he’s sure he doesn’t have it…” Stiles laughs. “Did you get to see the big bridge? You did? Hey DD, Dad says he’s gonna send us a picture of him in front of the bridge! You should take me with you next time…I can stay in a hotel room and read comics while you work…ooh, that would be fun, too. Just me and you? You can take me to the bridge and a Giants game! Awesome. I love you, too.” Patrick shoves the phone back at Stiles.

“What did you promise him?” Stiles asks as he follows Patrick out of the comic book store. Patrick’s already taken the Batman comic out and is flipping through it.

“That I’d take him to San Francisco one weekend.” Stiles hears the muffled voice of someone on the other end of the line. “I gotta go.”

“Okay. Hey, try to have some fun, okay?”

“I’ll try.”

“Doesn’t sound like you’ll try.”

“Shut up.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

*

Stiles and the kids eat dinner with his dad and Melissa. The sheriff grills hamburgers, and they eat out on the back deck. Stiles puts the kids to bed after they get home, which he realizes that he misses. Derek usually does it just because most nights Stiles is finishing up some report, but he decides he should put them to bed more often. Or he and Derek can do it together.

Then, Stiles goes into the guest bedroom and works on the ladybug curtains to match the pillows Derek had finished a few days prior.

Working on curtains while you’re wining and dining with important literary ppl. Something is wrong with this. I hope you’re having fun.

Stiles has finished one panel by the time he receives a response.

Hope the cursed fabric is nicer to you than me. The dinner isn’t so bad. There are just a lot of people here.

Eat a lot and spend their money. Since you have to be there anyway. I’m almost done with the curtains. Then I’m going to get into our big, empty bed and do things to myself that would make you blush. I won’t give you details, but I’ll give you a hint: there will be lots of fingers involved, and maybe that blue toy you love so much.

Fuck, Stiles. Thanks to you, I’m in the middle of a group of people with a hard on.

Oh well, guess you’ll just have to stay seated. I’m not sorry. This is my not sorry face.

Stiles laughs as he works on the next panel.

He finishes the curtains and manages to jerk off quickly, too tired for fingers and toys, before falling asleep. When Derek gets home, Stiles stirs enough to mumble something and feel Derek kiss him before falling back asleep.

*

“I don’t like it when you’re away at meetings,” Stiles says as the water from the spray cascades over his and Derek’s bodies. Derek is licking at his nipples, his knee rubbing against Stiles’ balls. “I hate falling asleep alone.”

“I know,” Derek growls, biting down on Stiles’ nipple. “I’m not the one who has to go away over night later this week.”

“Don’t remind me.” Stiles nudges Derek up and kisses him roughly before pressing him face first against the shower wall. He drops to his knees and pulls Derek’s cheeks apart.

“Ugnf, Stiles,” Derek moans as Stiles drags his tongue across Derek’s puckered opening. They don’t do this often, and as much as this is Derek’s favorite sexual activity, it’s also definitely in Stiles’ top three. He could lick Derek open for hours – has done that many times before, just, well, not recently.

Derek is pushing his ass back against Stiles’ face, making low, needy sounds as his fingers searched for purchase on the wall. Stiles wiggles his tongue past the tight ring of muscle, and Derek reaches down to grab his cock –

“DADDY! DD!” A loud pounding lands on the door, and the handle jiggles.

“You locked it didn’t you?” Derek asks, voice wrecked, as Stiles lays his cheek against Derek’s ass.

“Yes.” Stiles sighs, hands going up the front of Derek’s thighs. “What is it Evie?”

“Can I have a juice box?”

“Yes.”

“And a cookie?”

“Yes.”

“Can you get it for me?”

“Tell your brother to do it.”

“Okay!” They hear her footsteps running away, and Stiles immediately resumes licking Derek’s ass.

Derek is panting and moaning, his hand working over his cock quickly, when another knock sounds on the door.

“For the love of – “ Derek growls.

“What?” Stiles yells.

“Patrick was on the stool getting the cookies from the top cabinet and he fell off and busted his head and it bled so much and got on the kitchen floor! But it healed and he’s fine and wants to know if he can have an extra cookie!”

Stiles drops his forehead against one of Derek’s cheeks, and groans in frustration.

“Yes. And stay off the stool!” Derek yells. “One fucking shower,” Derek says as Evie’s footsteps fade away again. “Is that too much to ask?”

“Would we be terrible parents if we didn’t go and see about our son?” Stiles asks, already standing up.

“Yes.”

“Even if he heals?”

Derek pulls Stiles into a kiss. “Yes,” he says, turning the shower off. Stiles sighs as he watches Derek’s wet, naked body as he steps over the side of the tub.

“Can I have a cookie, too?” Evie yells as she pounds on the door again. Stiles slumps against Derek and laughs.

*

Derek knocks on the door to the lab. He can see Stiles through the windows, bent over a microscope and holding tweezers. Stiles looks up and waves when he spies Derek through the glass.

“Hey!” Derek says when enters the lab. “How’s my favorite botanist?”

Stiles rolls his eyes. “You’re so lame.”

“Even if I brought lunch? From your favorite Chinese place?”

“So not lame. Definitely not lame.” Stiles smiles easily as he crosses to the small office located just off from the lab. He kisses Derek before taking a seat. Derek sits across from him as he tries to find a clear space for the take-out containers among the papers. “Just sit it anywhere. This is all junk we leave behind. No one cleans it since we’re all in and out of this station.”

“How’s your day going?” Derek asks as he steals a bite of Stiles’ honey chicken before digging into his own food.

“Fine. There’s some disease that hit the trees on the coast, and the Park Service – “ Derek nods absently as Stiles rambles about things Derek has no clue about, using words he doesn’t understand. Stiles laughs as he pauses and takes a bite. “You don’t understand a word I’m saying, or care, do you?”

“I care,” Derek says, and it’s true, because Stiles cares.

Stiles shrugs. “Point is, I have to give them a report in three days. Do you understand how much work that is? I don’t know what time I’ll be home – “

“Wait, you forgot?” Derek asks, setting his fork down. He groans. “You told me you wouldn’t forget.”

“Forget about what?” Stiles blinks, trying to remember.

“Patrick’s parent-teacher conference.” Derek stares at him. “I told you last night!”

“Um…” Stiles scratches the back of his head.

“Dammit, Stiles.”

“Hey! I’ll be there! I promise. I’ll be there.” He rubs his eyes wearily and sighs. “Work has been crazy the last week and just, I’m tired and brain dead.”

“It’s okay.” Derek reaches over and squeezes his hand. After they finish their lunch, Derek asks, “So, are you the only one here?”

“There are a few more people around, but not many. It’s kinda creepy, honestly, like I keep waiting for something to come eat me, like Audrey II or – hey, what are you? Oh.” Derek smirks as he clicks the lock shut and then turns around. Stiles is staring up at him, partly shocked and partly aroused.

“I have a good remedy for tired and brain dead,” Derek says as he drops between Stiles’ knees.

“I thought I was the kinky one,” Stiles says as Derek makes quick work of the fly on his shorts. He wastes no time taking Stiles’ half-hard cock into his mouth. “Oh god, why haven’t we had sex at work before now?” Derek chuckles around Stiles’ shaft.

Stiles babbles as he grips Derek’s hair, and Derek can smell the scents of plants and dirt that have become synonymous with Stiles on his skin. Stiles is splayed out in the chair after his orgasm, so Derek tucks and zips him back up. He checks his watch and has to get going.

He leans down and kisses Stiles’ slack mouth. “I gotta go pick up Evie.”

“Wait!” Stiles says, suddenly gaining a bout of energy and grabbing Derek’s arm. “You can’t leave. It’s your turn.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Derek says.

“You are not robbing me of the luxury of sucking your cock until you come so hard it dribbles out of my mouth, okay?” Derek raises an eyebrow. Stiles looks completely demanding and is staring at him pointedly. “Now get on this desk and whip your dick out!” Derek rolls his eyes, but complies.

*

Stiles is ten minutes late to Patrick’s parent-teacher conference. He apologizes to Patrick’s second grade teacher, Mrs. Smith, an elderly lady with a severe face.

“Glad you could join us, Mr. Stilinski-Hale,” she says condescendingly. Derek wants to reach across the desk and punch her. Instead, he gives her a bland expression because Patrick looks up at him when he senses Derek’s surge of anger. He smirks. Derek has to return it because, well, it’s like looking in a mirror. Until Patrick starts moving. Then it’s all Stiles.

“How has Patrick been this year?” Stiles asks. “What’s his end of year assessment?”

“He’s extremely bright, gifted most likely. We should have him tested before he enters third grade.” Stiles’ chest puffs out just a bit and Derek can just feel the pride rolling off of him in waves. He kind of wants to tell Stiles that he also got good grades in school, before the fire. It’s not all his influence. “The one problem with being gifted might be his attention span problem.” Stiles deflates a little, and Derek puts a hand on his arm. “Has he been tested for ADHD?”

“He has, it’s not the problem. He’s a seven year old rambunctious boy,” Stiles says defensively. A seven year old rambunctious werecub probably smarter than everyone. Yeah, not a recipe for disaster at all, Derek thinks.

“He’s not rambunctious in class. He’s actually very quiet. Not very social at all, doesn’t have a lot of friends.” Derek and Stiles both look at Patrick, his head hanging down. “He sits at the end of the lunch table alone, doesn’t socialize during recess. I cannot tell if he’s shy, in an awkward phase, or scares the children away.”

“Scares them away?” Derek asks.

“With his grim expression.”

“Huh?” Stiles says eloquently. “Grim expression?”

“Yes. He has a habit of glaring and scowling at the other children,” Mrs. Smith says with a tight expression.

“Are we talking about the same kid? At home, he’s always smiling and laughing. We can’t get him to shut up.”

“Is he an only child? Perhaps he lacks social skills to make friends,” Mrs. Smith says.

“He has a sister,” Derek answers.

“And like ten cousins he’s very close with,” Stiles adds. Derek can feel the irritation coming from him; Derek wonders why this always happens with Stiles and the kids’ teachers. Last week, it was Evie’s teacher, now Patrick’s.

“We’ll talk to him,” Derek says to try and dispel the tension. Other than problems socializing and concentrating, Patrick is the top of his class, is even receiving a trophy on awards day in a few weeks. They leave the conference on a good note. But outside, Stiles asks Patrick about what his teacher said.

He kicks a pebble and mumbles something.

“Huh?” Stiles says, but Derek catches it.

He leans close to Stiles and says, “He’s afraid someone is going to find out he’s a werewolf.” Derek feels like his heart is being ripped from his chest as Stiles squats down in front of Patrick. He remembers what it felt like to be in school, to have to deal with getting distracted by smells and sounds and still pay attention, to being afraid someone would know your secret.

Stiles has Patrick wrapped in his arms and is murmuring things in his ear. Derek squats down on the other side of Patrick and wraps his arms around him, too. He rubs his nose and cheek against Patrick’s hair and neck, and Patrick buries his face against Stiles’ chest.

“The kids make fun of me anyway,” Patrick says, “because I like comics and stuff. They call me a geek.”

“Whoa, there is totally nothing wrong with being a geek,” Stiles says.

“I mean, I’m good at stuff like baseball like Dad, and I like it, but I just don’t love it like Nick and Ryan and Josh. I like running, but sports, eh.” He shrugs.

“That’s okay,” Derek says, squeezing Patrick’s shoulders. “And making friends isn’t going to reveal our secret.”

“Yeah, your cousins have all kinds of friends,” Stiles says.

“But if you like being alone, that’s okay, too,” Derek says, because he knows that better than anyone.

Stiles stands up and grabs Patrick’s hand. “Come on, you can ride home with me.” He hugs Derek before bounding off towards Stiles’ car.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have convinced you to come to the conference,” Derek says, bumping Stiles’ shoulder lightly.

“Shut up,” Stiles mutters. “I just cannot handle anyone saying anything about my kids. It’s like, like, flames on the side of my face!” Derek chuckles at the pop culture reference. “He’s got a lot of you in him,” Stiles says as Patrick gets into the car. “The grim expression as Mrs. Pinched-face called it. Plus, he has your eyebrows…”

“And your inability to shut up around the people he loves,” Derek says, kissing the side of Stiles’ face.

“He’s okay, right? Like, should we be concerned?” Stiles whispers as he worries his bottom lip.

“I think he’s fine. But I’ll talk to Isaac, maybe get him to encourage Patrick to socialize with the kids at Little League a bit more?”

Stiles shakes his head. “First Evie wolfs out and now this. How do we manage?”

Derek leans forward and kisses him. “That’s how.”

*

Stiles looks at his watch. Derek was supposed to be home half an hour ago to watch the kids. Stiles has a report to finish and then has to drive it and a group of samples up to one of the stations before nine, and that’s over an hour drive. Finally, Stiles breaks down and calls his dad.

“Sorry, kiddo, I’m on shift until late, and so’s Melissa.”

Allison and Sarah weren’t much help either. Hell, he even calls Chris Argent, but doesn’t get an answer. Finally, an hour after Derek should have been back, Stiles puts the kids in the car, grabs his report and samples, and drives towards the station.

Half an hour into the drive, when the kids are playing the “guess the object that starts with this first letter” game, Derek calls.

“About freaking time,” Stiles answers. “Where the hell are you?”

“DD used a bad word!” Evie crows from behind him, giggling. Stiles sighs.

“Just came back from some Pack business with Isaac and Scott. Why – oh shit, what time? Shit, Stiles, I’m sorry. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“No need, Evie, Patrick, and I are in the car, on our way to the station. We’ll get dinner on the way home, so you’ll have to figure it out yourself.” Stiles hangs up, pissed off.

Both kids stop talking and look at him. “Did you and Dad have a fight?” Patrick asks from beside him.

“Yes.”

“Don’t be mad, DD. Here, have a sticker!” Stiles glances in the rearview mirror where Evie is leaning forward in her car seat, holding out a sticker. Patrick takes it and sticks it to Stiles’ cheek.

*

They get back home around ten-thirty, way past both the kids’ bedtimes. But Stiles made it to the station at around eight thirty, then had to go somewhere to eat dinner, way later than the kids usually eat. So when they both run into the house yelling and laughing, Stiles is just done.

“Bed, now!” Stiles yells when he’s inside.

“I’m not tired!” Patrick says.

“Me either! I want to play pony!”

“No. We are going to bed.”

“Pony! Pony!”

“Come on, DD, just another hour – “

“Patrick, Evangeline!” Derek barks when he walks out from his office. “You heard your father. Upstairs, now.”

“Yes, sir,” they say in unison as they start up the stairs.

“Before you do, apologize to your dad,” Derek orders.

They come back down, heads hanging down. “I’m sorry, DD,” Patrick says while Evie says, “Sorry, DD, I love you.”

“It’s okay. Now, upstairs and into bed. We’ll tuck you in soon.”

“Will you read me a story?” Evie asks.

“If you’ve brushed your teeth and are in bed when I get there.” She claps her hands and squees as she goes upstairs.

Stiles goes into the kitchen, opens the refrigerator just for something to do because he doesn’t really want anything.

“You have a sticker on your cheek,” Derek says after a few silent moments. Stiles feels his cheek and pulls off the pink horse with a sigh. “I’m sorry,” Derek says.

Stiles slams the fridge shut. “I ask you to be home once at a certain time, and you forget! I had a deadline!”

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? It’s not like I get a lot of chances to take care of Pack business!” Derek says with a scowl.

“And that’s my fault?” Stiles exclaims. “I’m sorry that I don’t have a job that I can do whenever and wherever I please – “

“Oh god, not this again,” Derek groans. “Stiles, I’m sorry that I have a flexible job and that I can shift my schedule around easily. But sometimes I wish I had a job where I could go to the office and work.”

“I never told you that you had to stay at home with the kids. You chose that, Derek, because you didn’t feel safe leaving them with anyone. You know I can’t stay at home and – “

“Stiles, we are not having this argument again!” Derek glares at him. “So, I fucked up. I lost track of time. It’s not like you don’t forget stuff – “

“So, this is my fault, too?” Stiles knows he should keep his voice down, but he’s just so angry. And tired and drained.

“Why do you always turn everything – “ Derek cuts off and turns his head sharply. Patrick is standing in the doorway, holding a glass.

“I wanted some water,” he says, looking between them nervously.

“Why didn’t you get it from the tap upstairs?” Derek snaps.

“Because I – “

“Derek, don’t take it out on him. He didn’t do anything.” Stiles rubs a hand through his hair. “Get Patrick his water and put him to bed. I’m going to go read Evie her story.” He gives Patrick a hug and a kiss as he passes by.

After reading Evie three chapters in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone - “just one more chapter, daddy!” “No, Evie, sleep now!” – Stiles finally makes it to the bedroom. It’s around eleven thirty, and Stiles has to be up in the morning to finish the last report for the Forest Service.

Derek’s already in bed, reading. Waiting up for him. He looks up with a scowl when Stiles shuts the door, but keeps reading while Stiles takes a shower and gets ready for bed. Fifteen minutes later, he finally crawls between the sheets, exhausted. Derek closes the book and looks down at him.

“Look, I’m literally about to pass out, so can we save all the petty fighting for some other time?” Stiles says.

“I’m sorry for earlier,” Derek says as he rolls over on top of Stiles. He brackets Stiles’ body with his arms and legs.

“I’m sorry, too.” Stiles sighs. “I hate it when we throw the same stupid shit at each other. It just…”

“Makes me crazy,” Derek finishes for him. Stiles nods. “I am sorry for losing track of time.”

“And I’m sorry for yelling at you and hanging up on you.”

Derek smiles. “We good?”

“I hope so, because I don’t feel like spending all night discussing our feelings and shit. Not that I don’t love it when you discuss your feelings, but – “

“Stiles?” Derek kisses him. “Go to sleep. You look like hell.”

Stiles elbows Derek in the ribs as they rearrange themselves. Derek nips at Stiles’ shoulder playfully and Stiles snuggles back against Derek’s warm, solid body.

“I love you,” Derek murmurs as he brushes his lips against the back of Stiles’ neck.

“I love you, too, you big failwolf.”

*

This meeting sucks. I don’t know why I had to come, and overnight! I could have been home hours ago. Everyone is complaining about their kids, their spouses, their sex lives. I’m glad our sex life is good, even if not as frequent or inventive as I’d like. I’m so glad I married you. In case you didn’t know.

Sorry you’re not having a good time. You’ll be home tomorrow. I’m glad I married you, too.

What are you doing? I miss home. And the kids. And you. I may just go upstairs, watch porn on my tablet, and go to sleep. It’s basically turned into a big party. When did I become the guy who would rather be at home in my boxers watching Octonauts than drinking? College!Stiles would be scandalized.

Putting the final touches on that bookcase for Evie’s room. I just finished painting the ladybugs and black polka dots. I’m sending you a picture. I’m really pleased with how it turned out.

OMG THAT IS AMAZING, DEREK! You are wonderful, perfect, a master ladybug painter. We should be ready for her party next weekend. We still have to go shopping this weekend, though.

I’m starting on the comforter while the paint dries. We should finish on time, especially since you painted the chest and finished that pillow in the shape of a lady bug.

Are you painting ladybugs on the chest? Or black polka dots? A red chest isn’t the same.

Yes. Both. Go socialize. Stop texting me.

*

“Dad?” Patrick asks. Derek glances at him from where he’s doing pull ups in the garage. Patrick sits on one of the workout benches, head on his knees. Evie is trying to jump rope, but keeps tripping. He lifts his eyebrows in acknowledgement. “How can I get muscles like you?”

“Exercise. Sports, lifting weights. You’ll get them when you get older.” Derek pulls his legs up and hooks his legs over the bar and starts doing sit ups.

“Will it help me with baseball?”

“Yes.” Derek huffs out a breath as he curls himself up and then back down. “Why?”

“I want to be better at baseball.”

“I thought you liked comics better,” Derek says breathily.

“I do. But I like baseball. But not football or basketball.”

Derek grabs onto the bar and jumps down. “You should get DD to show you how to play lacrosse. He wasn’t into sports and played and really liked it. He was first line by his senior year.” Patrick’s eyes light up at that. Derek goes over to a chest where he keeps old, spare workout items. He grabs two five pound weights. “Start with these. If they’re too light, we’ll go up.”

“Thanks!” Patrick immediately starts doing bicep curls.

“Do me, Daddy! I want to go up and down!” Evie jumps with her arms held out. Derek turns around and squats in front of her so she can climb on to his back, her arms securely around his neck and legs around his chest.

“You got it?”

“Yes!”

Derek walks over to the bar. “Hold on tight, little wolf!” He starts doing pull ups again, Evie giggling happily as he pulls them both up and down.

“Whee!” she squeals. Patrick’s now doing shoulder presses.

“Wanna try a pull up?” Derek asks, dropping to his feet smoothly. Evie’s got her face buried into his neck, growling happily. Patrick drops the weights and runs over.

With Evie still on his back, Derek picks Patrick up, two hands on his waist, and lifts him so he can reach the bar. Patrick kinda hangs there, his skinny arms unable to lift him. Then, Derek grips his sides and helps as he lifts himself up.

“There you go! You’re doing it!” Derek says, continuing to help Patrick with his pull ups. Evie claps her hands under his chin. “You’ll be strong in no time.”

“Just like you,” Patrick says. “I’ll be strong like an Alpha, like my Dad!”

Derek feels his chest expand because sometimes, he doesn’t know how he ended up this lucky.

*

It’s after three a.m. when Stiles lets himself into the house as quietly as possible. He’s in the kitchen drinking milk from the jug when Derek rushes in, eyes shining bright red.

“Stiles, what the hell are you doing home? It’s three a.m.!”

“The fucking agent from the Department of Interior tried to fuck me,” Stiles says, somewhere between angry and horrified. He sets the jug on the counter and slumps against it. “Apparently, it’s common for all these people to come to these meetings and fuck around on their spouses. They all just assumed I’d be okay with it, too. I didn’t even realize what was happening until I was in the agent’s hotel room, and he had pushed me up against the door and was kissing me and groping me through my jeans.”

“What?” Derek exclaims, eyes still red, eyebrows halfway up his forehead. “Stiles, what the fuck were you doing going back to his hotel room?”

“I didn’t know, okay? We had been talking about baseball and Star Wars most of the night, and our kids, and he asked me upstairs for a drink and a bit of Sports Center to unwind – “

“And you didn’t realize it was a pickup line?” Derek asks like it’s the most obvious thing ever.

“I wasn’t paying attention, okay?” Stiles runs a hand through his hair. He’s started pacing back and forth. “Everyone knows I’m happily married! And fuck, Derek, I’ve been married so long I don’t remember what a pickup line looks like! After I pushed him away and asked him with the fuck he was doing, he seemed upset like I was the asshole. I told him I was married, and he asked me how I could have been married for ten years and not be bored. I just – “ Stiles shook his head and looked at Derek. He was exhausted and worn thin.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Derek says, sliding his arms around Stiles’ waist. “It’s not your fault you’re ridiculously attractive and irresistible.” Stiles grunts as he wraps his arms around Derek’s neck. Derek leans into his hair, inhaling deeply.

“I’m sorry,” Stiles whispers.

“For what? For not cheating on me? Believe me, Stiles, that is nothing to apologize for.”

Derek leans forward and kisses Stiles urgently, and lifts him with one swift motion. Stiles wraps his legs around Derek’s waist as he holds on to Derek’s shoulders, his cock hardening already. He can’t remember the last time Derek picked him up like this and carried him up the stairs, and tonight, it’s just what he needs. Everything about that other guy was wrong – the lips, the hands, the voice, the scent. It made Stiles ill on the way home to think of someone even thinking that he’d cheat on Derek. On Derek. It’s not even his looks, because Stiles became more or less immune to those after a few years (not that he still doesn’t enjoy them; he’s breathing and has a dick, after all) they’re just not what made him love and stay with Derek for the past twelve years. It’s so much more and would take twelve years for Stiles to explain. Derek throws Stiles onto the bed with a soft thud, then quickly strips out of his pajamas as Stiles starts shimmying out of his clothes.

Derek is naked and hard, and god, it’s so great to see him like this outside of the shower. Even if it is after 3 a.m. And Stiles is half-asleep.

Derek drapes himself over Stiles and starts rutting against him while attacking his mouth. “I can smell him on you,” Derek growls, kissing him with increased intensity. Stiles moans softly as Derek moves his hips against his cock, and he reaches around to squeeze Derek’s ass and pull him closer. Derek gets a hand between them and presses their cocks together, causing Stiles to throw his head back and moan louder. His entire body is thrumming, reveling in the safety of Derek’s arms and their bed after being touched by someone else. He clings to Derek, trying to get as much of his body over him as possible. Derek sinks blunt teeth into the flesh of Stiles’ shoulder, and then licks it lightly. Stiles moans, extending his head back even further for Derek to mark and claim. His. Stiles drags his finger between Derek’s cleft and trails the tip against Derek’s opening.

“Stiles,” he says, moving his hand faster. He loves the way Derek says his name, loves the familiar weight of his body, the predictability of the sounds he makes, the way he moves his head, his hands, his legs. His knees are braced on either side of Stiles’ body, and Stiles pushes the tip of his finger past the firm ring of muscle. Derek keens, then scrapes the tips of his fangs across the side of Stiles’ neck, and that’s enough for Stiles to thrust into Derek’s hand and come between them. Derek kisses Stiles through the fangs as Stiles keeps pushing his finger in and out of him, and Derek finally comes with a soft noise against Stiles’ mouth.

He drops down on top of Stiles, kissing him before raising up and smearing their combined come over both of them. Stiles laughs at the absurdity of the situation. It’s 3 a.m., some random guy tried to stick his tongue down his throat (didn’t try, actually did it, ew), and now his protective werewolf husband was smearing their spunk over them. But he loves it, loves being covered in Derek, knowing he belongs.

Derek looks almost hurt. “It’s not you, honey,” Stiles says. “It’s just been a long day, and a weird night. Which I didn’t expect to end in me covered in come.”

Derek’s ducks his head in embarrassment. Stiles tucks a finger under his chin and lifts it so he meets his eyes. Derek says, “I don’t like you smelling like someone else. I…I forgot what that smells like.” Derek swirls his fingers through a bit of come on Stiles’ hip. “I don’t get to do this much anymore.”

“I know.” Stiles kisses him. He whispers, “You know I like it.”

“I know you do,” Derek whispers back.

“And it’s exactly what I needed tonight.”

“I know.”

*

“She likes Brave better,” Derek says.

“No, Tinkerbell.”

“What about Phineas and Ferb?”

“That’s Patrick.”

“I know that’s Patrick; she likes it, too.”

“Maybe something educational? Or, ooh Batman!”

“We’re not buying Evie a Batman Leapfrog game!” Derek exclaims in exasperation. Stiles glares at him, but puts the game back on the shelf.

It’s Saturday night, and Derek Hale is at Toys R Us. Shopping for Leapfrog games. If asked, it wasn’t exactly how he pictured his life. Or his Saturday nights. The sheriff has the kids for a few hours of Pop-pop time, which should give him and Stiles just enough time to finish up the last bit of birthday shopping for Evie’s party next weekend.

“Compromise,” Stiles says. “You pick one, I pick one, okay?” Derek nods. He considers each choice, and then picks up one. “Puzzles? Really, Derek?”

“What? I like puzzles.” Derek feels his face flush, and Stiles leans over and kisses him. “Fine, you can get her puzzles. She likes puzzles, too.” He holds up the Brave game. “Good?”

Derek nods. “Good.” He grabs Stiles’ hand and laces their fingers together.

“Should we get something for Patrick?”

“Why?”

“Because.”

Derek laughs quietly but agrees. They end up with a book for Patrick (Killer History: A Grim and Gruesome Trip Through the Past), and are waiting in line when Stiles’ phone rings.

“Hey Dad!”

Derek listens in.

“Hey kiddo. So, your kids are begging to spend the night.” Derek’s ears perk up at that. He can hear Patrick and Evie yelling in the background on the sheriff’s end.

“Um, okay…” Stiles trails off as the woman at the register rings up their items. “It’s kinda last minute. I mean, they don’t have any clothes or – “

“Stiles, there are clothes here.”

“Do you mind? You don’t have to.” Derek hands over his debit card while Stiles grabs the bags.

“Son, I never mind them staying over. We’ve got plenty of movies to watch and games to play, and then in the morning I’ll take them to get pancakes and go to the park. You can pick them up mid-afternoon.”

Stiles glances over at Derek, and Derek shrugs. “Yeah, that’s fine. Should I bring over – “

“No. Now stop trying to prevent me from spending time with my grandbabies. The only thing you need to do is enjoy your kid-free night with Derek. And you’re welcome.” The sheriff hangs up as Derek opens the car door for Stiles.

“Derek, do you realize – “

Derek looks at Stiles over the roof of the car and grins.

*

They get fast food on the way home and eat it in the car. When they get home, Derek glances at the clock.

“It’s not even seven,” he says.

Stiles is positively bouncing. “Ohmigod, I’m so excited.”

“Two hours?” Derek suggests, but Stiles scrunches his face. “Three hours?”

Stiles nods. “Three hours.”

They both go upstairs, stash the kids’ presents, and slip on comfortable clothes. When they get downstairs, Derek kisses Stiles. “Have fun.” He heads to the gym in the garage while Stiles loads up the X-box.

Four hours later, Derek comes into the living room, where Stiles is slaughtering something on screen and yelling into a headset. “Fuck you, Scott! What do you mean, that was a cheap shot? No such thing.” Derek drops onto the couch beside him and trails his fingers up Stiles’ thigh, then gropes him through the pajama pants. “Shit Scott, I gotta go. Love you, buddy!” Stiles turns off the game and pulls off the headphones before turning to Derek with a grin. “Did you enjoy Derek time?”

Derek nods. “I went for a long run, lifted weights.”

“For four hours?” Stiles asks, and Derek shrugs. “I convinced Scott to spend four hours of his Saturday night bonding with his neglected best friend. Allison’s the best sometimes.”

“Sex now?”

“Sex,” Stiles draws the word out. “But, shower first? Because I plan on thoroughly touching, kissing, licking, and fucking every single part of you I can reach.”

Derek grabs Stiles around the waist and fireman carries him up the stairs, laughing as Stiles slaps his ass repeatedly. They take a quick shower, not bothering with any foreplay since, for once, they don’t have to have sex in the shower. Or quickly, or quietly.

“I’m gonna be so fucking loud,” Stiles says as he washes his hair. “I’m gonna just scream.”

“I can’t wait,” Derek says, his cock already getting hard in anticipation. It had been way too long since they’d fucked properly, like took their time, Derek-or-Stiles’ cock in the other’s ass.

They dry each other off, kissing and laughing the entire time. When they finally fall on the bed, Stiles props himself on his elbow and just looks down at Derek. “What?”

“Just enjoying this. You. My husband, who I can look at and touch and do whatever I want with.” Stiles smiles and he looks so happy and excited that Derek has to refrain from just covering him with as much of his body as possible. Stiles looks like he used to when they did this all the time, would spend days in bed without any contact with the outside world.

Derek reaches out and brushes the strands of hair off Stiles’ forehead. “What do you want to do?”

“You know what I want to do,” Stiles says.

They take their time, kissing along each other’s bodies. They do the things they love to do to one another but never take the time to do, the things that make them both moan and scream as they unravel under the other one’s skillful hands and mouth. Derek sucks bruises randomly across Stiles’ back, torso, and inner thighs, and fingerfucks him for a good fifteen minutes, until Stiles is babbling incoherently and can barely move on the bed from Derek’s fingers so deep inside him. When he regains coherency, Derek lays on his stomach as Stiles slowly licks over and around his hole, drawing it out so long and teasingly that Derek is fisting the covers and wolfed out by the time Stiles slides his tongue inside Derek’s relaxed opening and tonguefucks him until he shudders violently all over their comforter.

They don’t bother changing the sheets or comforter yet. They just lay around it as they kiss and recover, and then Derek fucks Stiles so hard the bed makes a dent in the wall. But both of them are too far gone to even notice. Derek holds Stiles down on the bed, holding nothing back as he thrusts in and out, Stiles making all sorts of delicious sounds (some Derek thinks he makes just because he can). He screams Derek’s name when he comes, and Derek places kisses over the finger shaped bruises already forming on Stiles’ hips.

Stiles rides Derek’s cock, murmuring filthy things as Derek dissolves under him. Stiles is so tight because it’s been weeks, maybe a couple of months since they’ve fucked like this. Stiles’ pale chest and collarbone is covered in red marks, and it turns Derek on so much he sucks another right under his armpit as he slams Stiles down on his dick.

Around three, they go downstairs, naked, and eat peanut butter from the jar and share a bottle of water while laughing and talking. The peanut butter gets smeared on Derek’s chest, and Stiles licks it off before Derek ends up bent over the dining room table while Stiles fucks him. Stiles hasn’t fucked him since right around New Years, and it burns and stings and feels fucking fantastic. They break the kitchen stool while in an acrobatic position Stiles saw in a porn recently before they make it back upstairs.

They finally fall asleep in an exhausted tangle of limbs, come, and sweat around five a.m., and wake back up a few hours later and start again.

*

Evie’s party is held in the backyard. The whole Pack is there, and she has mountains of presents, a large cake with a ladybug on it that Derek and Stiles baked and decorated together with Patrick’s help, and Melissa had rented a bouncy castle. All the kids, including Millie, spend hours in the bouncy castle, which gives Derek and Stiles plenty of time to redecorate Evie’s room.

“Think they’ll notice we’re gone?” Stiles asks as he looks out the window, down to where half the kids are running around the yard wolfed out, and the other half are in the bouncy castle, definitely not wolfed out.

“They won’t even realize you’re alive until you deflate that thing,” Isaac says. “Stop staring out the window and get to work.” Stiles throws a ladybug pillow at his head.

“Did you really paint this, Derek?” Scott asks, admiring the bookcase. “Maybe I should get you to paint some of the kids’ furniture.”

“I’m more interested in Derek making pillows and a comforter,” Isaac says, holding up one of the throw pillows. “I’d have given anything to see that.”

“I have pictures,” Stiles says as he and Derek tuck new, red sheets on the bed. Derek glares while Scott and Isaac cackle.

“At least I didn’t go out in public, dressed like Rapunzel,” Derek glares at Isaac.

“Isaac really worked those heels,” Scott says, and Isaac punches him.

“Shut up, Scott. You learned how to sew clothes.”

“Hey, that was for costumes,” Stiles says. “Cosplay is totally okay.”

Stiles and Derek keep the bedroom for last, a special present after everyone leaves.

“We have one more surprise,” Stiles says, picking Evie up and spinning her around. “Do you want another surprise, birthday girl?”

“PLEASE!” she yells. “I want a surprise!”

Stiles carries her upstairs behind Derek with Patrick leading the way. He pauses at the bedroom door, and Stiles rubs his nose against Evie’s. “You gotta shut your eyes real tight, okay?” She squeezes her eyes shut and is basically vibrating in Stiles’ arms.

“No peeking, okay, pumpkin?” Derek says with a brush of fingers against the back of her neck. Patrick opens the door and they all walk inside. Almost everything has been redecorated in DIY ladybug-chic. Stiles sets Evie on her feet and steps away. “Okay,” Derek says, “Open your eyes.”

Evie opens her eyes and goes extremely still. Derek and Stiles look at each other over her head, starting to worry.

“Pumpkin, you okay?” Derek asks. Evie bursts into tears. They’re both down in front of her in a flash. “Evie?”

“Evie, why are you crying? Do you not like it?”

She shakes her head and opens her eyes. “It’s so beautiful! My daddies got me ladybugs for my birthday! A whole room full of ladybugs!” She continues crying and Derek feels himself tear up. He looks over at Stiles in embarrassment, and dammit, his eyes are damp, too. How had it come to this? Tearing up over ladybugs.

Evie throws herself between Stiles and Derek, trying to hug them both at once. They cage her into a hug, kissing and nuzzling her as she turns from crying to laughing. They pull Patrick to them and give him the same treatment.

“You really like it?” Derek asks.

“It’s the most perfectest room ever, Daddy! It’s all the ladybugs I wanted! Thank you!” She kisses Derek, then kisses Stiles.

“I got you something for your new room, too, Evie,” Patrick says shyly.

“You did?” Stiles asks, smiling up at him.

Patrick runs over and reaches under the bed. He pulls out a picture frame with a large wooden border. Inside the frame is a picture of all four of them in the backyard, Evie on Derek’s shoulders and Patrick squeezed between Stiles and Derek. Patrick had obviously painted the frame himself. It was red with black polka dots, and on the bottom he drew two larger ladybugs and two smaller ladybugs with Dad, DD, Patrick, and Evie written underneath them in Melissa’s small, neat script.

Evie gasps.

“I painted it myself for you,” he says, handing it to her proudly. “Happy birthday.”

“Patrick! It’s so beautiful!” She hugs it to her chest and leans over to nuzzle him.

“Ready for family birthday celebrating?” Stiles asks, standing up.

“You know what that means, don’t you?” Derek asks with a smile.

“Wolfie running in the woods, and a puppy pile with ice cream! And I get to choose the movie!” She starts to hurry out of the room, but runs back to the nightstand to place the frame on it, angled towards the bed. Then she darts past them with Patrick.

Stiles laces their fingers together as they walk out of the room. “You did good, Derek.”

“You helped.”

“I know, but it was your project.”

“Our project.” Derek smiles and leans forward to kiss Stiles. They get wrapped up kissing each other until Patrick and Evie run back upstairs and start tugging on their shirts.

“Dad, DD, come on! You can kiss while we watch the movie!” Patrick says, dragging Stiles away with an impressive feat of werewolf strength. Stiles holds fast to Derek’s hand and grins back at him as Patrick pulls him down the stairs.

-fin