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“Please?”
“No.”
“Pretty please?”
“No.”
“Aw, come on, Derek!”
“No, Stiles.”
Stiles pouted. Derek just had to go along with it. This was the best idea he’d ever come up with in his whole life, and that was really saying something. The whole town was going to love what he had planned. “Why won’t you do it, man?”
“Because I don’t want to,” Derek glared at him, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Ugh, you are being so difficult!” Stiles glared right back, thought his wasn‘t nearly as powerful. “Whatever problems you might have with it won’t be that bad, I promise you!” He waved his hands around as if he could magically shoo away Derek’s concerns. “Please?!” He begged, turning his best puppy dog eyes at his boyfriend.
“Those eyes don’t work on me, Stiles,” Derek raised an eyebrow. “They don’t work when Scott uses them.”
“But I really want you to do this, Derek!” Stiles cried, stomping a foot down. “It would be so awesome! Why are you so against this?”
Derek turned away from him and muttered something that Stiles couldn’t understand.
“What was that?
“I said because it’ll be embarrassing!” Derek turned his head and hissed lowly, then turned even redder for admitting it.
Stiles’ expression softened. “Derek, I know that you’re a fierce and protective wolf who’ll take care of our territory for as long as you live,” he said quietly, running a gentle hand up his boyfriend’s arm. “But a wolf is similar to a dog, and you are really amazingly fluffy as a wolf. Everyone will be staring at you in awe and the kids will want to pet you so badly.”
“I don’t want them petting me,” Derek said petulantly.
“So you are going to do this for me?” Stiles’ eyes widened, a smile blossoming on his face.
Derek groaned. “I guess so. I really hope I won‘t regret this.”
Stiles practically beamed, then he wrapped his arms around Derek and kissed him soundly on the cheek. “You won’t, you wonderful Sourwolf!”
**********
The day of the Chinese New Year parade was bright, sunny, and just a little bit chilly. People lined the main streets of Beacon Hills and cheered enthusiastically as bands, marchers, and floats walked by. Since the new year was the Year of the Dog, most floats and costumes were either dog-related or traditional new year’s icons like dragons.
Stiles marched down the street in the parade, a huge grin on his face, waving madly at everyone watching.
“I can’t believe you managed to convince Derek to do this!” Scott shouted to Stiles over the music of the band a little ways behind them. He was marching next to Stiles, wheeling a wagon full of puppies from Deaton’s office behind him.
“I can’t believe it, either, to be honest, Scotty!” Stiles shouted back, then he looked at Derek and beamed with pride. “Isn’t he beautiful?”
“Yeah!”
Derek was in his full shift, glorious black fluffy fur on display. He held his head up regally as he marched along on a leash held by Stiles. Derek had grumbled a little about the collar, but Stiles had managed to find him a really fancy, thick red one that was perfect for Chinese New Year.
They continued along the parade route together. There were a few pack members watching along the parade route. Stiles knew that Erica in particular was taking a ton of pictures to document Derek in all his wolfish glory. Stiles’ father wasn’t there because he was driving his cruiser at the beginning of the parade, and Scott’s mother was on shift at the hospital. But still, the two best friends and even the wolf were having a good time.
**********
Once the parade had ended, everyone had met up in the town square. Lots of people gathered around Scott’s wagon, cooing over the sweet puppies, who were wagging their tails wildly and licking the faces of anyone who picked them up.
Stiles had thought that Derek had been been amazing walking in the parade, but nothing could have prepared him for seeing people coo over him just as much as they did over the puppies.
“What a beautiful boy he is!”
“He almost looks like a wolf!”
“He’s so tame and nice! I love him!”
Derek had been adamant that he not get pet, but Stiles had been talking to a couple of ladies about college and he hadn’t noticed that one little girl had gotten close to the wolf. So Stiles had gotten the surprise of his life when he turned back towards Derek.
The little girl was petting him carefully on the head. Derek’s eyes were wide when they first met Stiles‘, but he quickly calmed down and let the little girl pet him.
Other children noticed the big black “dog” getting pet and Derek soon had a half dozen kids gathered around him. They were all careful not to get near his mouth and they were all very gentle with him.
Stiles was almost about to intervene when he noticed the peaceful expression on Derek’s face as he sat there getting loved on. His large bushy tail had even started wagging. Stiles’ eyes lit up. He wanted to remember the happy, peaceful look on the wolf’s face forever.
The sound of a camera clicking beside him jolted him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Erica taking pictures of Derek and the children. “This is the best, Batman!” she whispered gleefully as she took more pictures, Boyd at her side as always. “I never thought I‘d see Derek like this!”
“I want copies of everything!” Stiles grinned at her before turning back to the happy wolf, who was now laying on his side so the kids could start rubbing his belly.
Stiles suddenly gasped with realization. So that’s why he’d be embarrassed! He didn’t want anyone to see that he likes to be pet and touched and loved! That silly wolf… He smiled softly as he continued to watch. There’s gonna be a lot more petting in his future, I guarantee it!