Chapter Text
“I miss him so much” whispers Stiles vehemently. He’s been sitting in front of their apartment block all morning, waiting for Peter’s flashy Range Rover to show up. The movers came earlier to set up all the furniture, and they’ve got all of Peter’s other stuff as well. Stiles managed to sneak up and take a look at the place - it’s the same size as theirs, two bedrooms with a large open kitchen and a bathroom.
Peter’s apartment has a balcony - which is seriously unfair, how come theirs doesn’t?!
Overall, it’s got a very nice, homey feel to it, and although it’s nowhere near as expensive as Peter would probably prefer, given the choice, Stiles could never really be comfortable in one of those places anyway.
Even after hours of waiting, Stiles can’t seem to stop moving, though it is getting harder and harder to move with his pregnant belly.
Stiles has been walking up and down on the front steps relentlessly, with Derek hovering behind him like the mother hen he is. The nagging anxious thoughts keep whispering in his head “He’ll change his mind and turn around” and “He’s not coming”, and Stiles tries his best to keep it together, but damn it, it’s hard.
“He’ll be here any minute” says Derek calmly, handing Stiles a mug of hot cocoa. He spent quite a bit of time trying to convince Stiles to wait inside, but he soon gave up when it became obvious that the boy isn’t going anywhere. “Sit down, drink this and I’ll call him for you.”
“Tell him I’m not getting up from these cold and hard steps until he gets here! Stiles junior is very unhappy with him right now” Stiles huffs, but he reaches down to pet his bump lovingly. Their little one has been active recently, kicking and turning around a lot. Derek enjoys growling at them playfully, which always results in a strong kick - he must admit, it is very endearing, although Stiles wishes it wasn’t his kidney the baby kicks almost every time.
Derek seems to be arguing with Peter over the phone. It sounds like the man had to stop for something and Derek thinks he’s being ridiculous and he just needs to hurry the F-word up (Derek probably just doesn’t want to listen to Stiles’ whines anymore, which is fair enough).
Stiles is pretty sure he’ll either start crying or laughing hysterically when Peter finally shows his face - he’s been super emotional lately, and these reactions just creep up on him without a warning.
“He’s coming” says Derek then, and Stiles hops up (meaning, slowly stands up with Derek’s help) to look, but he can’t see the man’s car yet.
Derek has been probably listening for the familiar rumble of that ridiculously expensive engine for a while now.
It’s so considerate that Stiles starts to tear up a little bit already - he’s never had so many feelings bubbling inside of him, it’s insane.
When Peter pulls up (finally), he runs to the car, opens the passenger door and climbs in so he can attach himself to Peter.
He’s basically hanging from the man’s neck, and they’re both shaking under the other’s touch. Stiles has one of his knees on the driver’s hand rest, the other on the passenger seat and his arms around Peter’s neck. He’s taller than Peter, but this position has him looming over the man, although he’s sure he’s not very intimidating with his huge belly between them.
Peter seems to be torn in cupping Stiles’ face or his belly with his hands, and to be honest, the whole ordeal would seem a lot funnier if Peter didn’t have such a painful expression on his face.
Stiles decides to put him out of his misery by pressing himself to the man - this way Peter can feel the swell of his stomach and hold Stiles’ face tenderly.
“Thank you so much for coming” says Stiles with devotion. He loves this idiot so much, the father of his child - his heart still does a little backflip at that every goddamn time - and he now can’t imagine why he ever thought staying away from him would be beneficial.
“Thank you for having me here, sweetheart. I know it’s so much more than what I deserve” comes the hoarse reply from Peter, and Stiles just holds him tighter in answer.
He loves Peter.
Damn it, he loves him more than anything.
He lets Peter go, both of them reluctant in their movements, but all Stiles wants is to kiss the man in front of him. His heartbeat picks up, his breath hitches in his throat as he stares at Peter - not long ago kissing him was as easy as breathing.
Now, however, his hands are sweaty, his heart is beating wildly against his ribcage and as he wets his lips he watches Peter’s eyes zero in on him. He looks more of a beast than a man, and it only briefly registers for Stiles that this look didn’t change in the slightest.
Peter always seemed to look at him this way, like Stiles has all of his attention - maybe he does; maybe he always has.
It would be so easy to let go and fall into Peter in all ways, Peter is strong, he wouldn’t let Stiles fall - only he did, and that is the whole reason why they had their time apart.
Before Stiles can voice his thoughts, his concerns, a loud bark breaks the gentle atmosphere of the car.
“Baxter!” cries Stiles happily. “Oh my gosh, I wanted to meet you so much”
The dog sniffs at him, and then starts wagging his tail in earnest.
Baxter is sitting on the backseat of the car, with an incredibly soft-looking blanket and some toys and (surprise-surprise) a box of white lilies. The flowers look fresh, and they smell even better as Stiles climbs to the back between the two front seats - he’s never been happier that Peter’s car is so freaking huge.
He’s pregnant, not invalid, but climbing out of such a tall car seems like a harder task then dragging himself to the backseat.
He has a hundred pounds of fluffball all over him, and even Peter’s “Careful, Baxter!” can’t possibly ruin his mood. Who doesn’t like an overexcited puppy?
“Is this why it took you so long to get here?” he demands then as he looks at the flowers from closer. They do smell amazing, baby thinks so too, if this last kick was anything to go by.
Peter shrugs, but he does seem a bit sheepish.
“They didn’t have them in the first few shops” he says.
Stiles smiles warmly at him. It’s all going to be fine.
Peter loves him. Everything else will be alright.
He’s sure of it.
-
It doesn’t take them long to find their new balance. Stiles still stays with Derek, but the three of them usually has dinner together, the Hales taking turns with the cooking.
Stiles wouldn’t admit it, but he favours it when it’s Derek’s turn to prepare the food, only because Peter and Baxter are already in their apartment, and the three of them cuddle up on the big sofa in the living room.
They put a movie on, and Peter feeds Stiles pieces of fruit and veggies he brings from his own apartment in a small container.
Stiles would prefer popcorn or oreos, given the choice, or maybe both combined, but Peter just gives him a blank look and keeps on feeding him honey baked pumpkin pieces.
In all honesty, it tastes better than it has a right to, ergo nobody can blame him for catching Peter’s wrist so he can lick the honey off his fingers - it’s simply that good.
“Stiles” growls Peter warningly. Stiles has Peter’s middle finger between his lips, but upon hearing his name he just sucks it deeper into his mouth.
He gives it wet licks as he looks at Peter, and as soon as he feels the man withdrawing his digit, he gives it a little parting bite as goodbye.
He feels giddy, like he hasn’t since he first started dating Peter, only this time it’s Derek they’re hiding their love bites from, and not his dad.
They exchange deep, bone melting kisses behind Derek’s back, and while they both know he’s aware they’re doing it, it doesn’t take away the thrill of it.
They haven’t done more than kissing each other (strictly from the waist up) and groping a little, but Stiles is perfectly content where they are.
He loves Peter, and Peter loves him back.
They have Derek, who seems to smile more and more these days, and talks to them without much prompting, which is a miracle on its own.
There’s their baby growing in Stiles and he can’t wait to meet them finally. Both men puts their hand on his bump every chance they can get - he can’t really blame them, it must be amazing hearing the little one’s heartbeat constantly.
Their family is growing, and Stiles feels happier every passing day.
Then there’s of course Baxter, who is a little bit dumb, but so fiercely loyal and loving. He keeps resting his head on Stiles’ tummy, giving it a lick every now and then.
Sometimes Stiles pretends to fall asleep while Peter is in the apartment, so Peter has to leave Baxter there because Stiles is wrapped around that fluffy thing like an octopus.
It’s amazing.
Of course, being so damn ecstatic had to end somewhere - everything has been going so well, so of course something had to go wrong.
He should have known.
He’s making his way towards the kitchen when he hears Derek’s voice. It’s been two weeks since Peter moved in into the apartment below, and everything’s been going great.
Stiles is hungry, again, this will be his second lunch, and he’s hoping he can convince Peter to give him some white crusty bread this time. All they’ve been allowing him has been fresh wholewheat soda bread and sure, it’s super healthy, but that’s not what he needs right now.
“Stiles is going to kill you when he finds out” whispers Derek. He stands close to Peter, their chests almost touching.
Derek looks menacing, while Peter has his unbothered expression on.
They both look a minute away from snapping, and Stiles doesn’t need any broken furniture - he’s sure as hell not going back to IKEA to replace anything they might break.
“What happening here?” asks Stiles as lightly as he can. He sincerely hopes Derek is over exaggerating whatever it is Peter has done this time.
Both men turns to him, Derek looks guilty, while Peter seems to be caught off guard.
It’s frankly ridiculous, he’s never been able to sneak up on werewolves when it was just him, but now suddenly there’s two hearts beating wherever he goes and they can’t notice him coming?
Failwolves, seriously.
“Stiles, sweetheart...” starts Peter carefully. “Your landlord sold this property”
Stiles feels the air leave his lungs at that. He really should have known there was a scheme at play.
He’s normally so efficient at figuring out Peter’s plans before the man can act on them!
His focus had shifted over the past months though, and he forgot. He goddamned forgot!
Derek’s earlier comment makes it clear that Peter had a hand in this. But what does he gain by forcing them out of their new home?
Of course. Peter, who bought an identical apartment in the same building. Peter, who only has two bedrooms, so him and Stiles would be forced to share.
Peter, taking away Stiles decision and-
“It’s not what you think” Peter hurries to say, seeing the storm brewing in Stiles’ eyes. “Everything can stay the way it is now. You just swapped landlords. I hated that somebody had a say over your home”
“But somebody still does!” says Stiles vehemently. “And that somebody is you!”
“But as soon as we sign this apartment over to your name, it will be you!”
“What” says Stiles dumbly. It doesn’t even come out as a question. From the corner of his eye he sees Derek exit the kitchen, taking Baxter with him.
He’s glad for the privacy, because he feels like he might start crying and that never stops being weird around Derek.
“I want to be here with you on the long run, Stiles. Here in Nebraska, back in California or even in your mother’s Polish hometown. I don’t care where as long as I am with you” Peter seems pained at his own confession, and that alone calms Stiles down somewhat.
“If you want me to stay in a separate apartment for years to come, I can do that, but I’m hoping that eventually we could open it into one, making a pack house for our family. You, me, our cubs, Derek, and Baxter.”
“Who said I want more cubs with you?” asks Stiles slowly, because he has a talent for saying the wrong things at the wrong time.
Peter must be used to that though, because what he says is “You did, when you found those condoms in my wallet and said that I can’t knock you up any more than I already have, and even if I could, you wouldn’t be exactly sad.”
“I did say that, didn’t I?” And with that, Stiles smiles at him carefully as Peter wraps his arms around him.
They’re going to be alright. The four of them together, with everyone that may come along the way.
It’s pack.
It’s their family.