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“I’ve thought about it again. And I don’t think this is a good idea. We should go home.” Derek huffed.
“We're already here!" Stiles exclaimed from his seat on a bench.
"He's too little." Derek ignored Stiles' protest.
"He’s six months old.” Stiles crossed his arms.
“Exactly! He’s still so little.” Derek exclaimed, pacing up and down the men's changing room at Beacon Hills Swimming Pool.
Stiles wanted to be cross because he’d persuaded Derek to come swimming with him and Atlas and now, right at the last minute, the werewolf was getting cold feet. He’d wanted Derek to be there for Atlas’ first time at the pool, but Derek had been massively hesitant about the idea of his baby, who couldn’t yet crawl, being in a large body of water. But Stiles couldn’t be cross. Because Derek Hale was pacing in his swimming trunks, back and forth, with their baby in one arm happily mouthing at Derek’s shoulder and tugging on his earlobe. Derek's free arm waved about as he tried to explain why he was totally chickening out.
“He will be fine, Der.” Stiles sighed “You and me will be holding him the whole time.”
“Water is slippery. What if he slips out of our arms?”
“Then we pick him back up again. Come on. This is what the gag reflex is for. He swallows a little water, he’ll spit it out.” Stiles sent an apologetic look to a man trying to get past Derek to the lockers. He edged around the pacing werewolf and sent a sympathetic grimace back to Stiles.
“What if he hates it?”
“Then we’ll leave. But he loves bath time. And this is like a giant bath.” Stiles held his arms out for Atlas “Come on, I’ll take him, you go get his swim-diaper out of the bag.”
Atlas was stark naked, his little legs and arms kept toasty warm against Derek’s werewolf-temperature chest.
Derek still didn’t look convinced but handed Atlas over.
Stiles gave Atlas’ forehead a nuzzle and smiled at Derek in a effort to be comforting “Trust me, Der. This is going to be fun. I am so totally not down for us molly-coddling Atlas. He’s going to experience loads of fun stuff. And we’re going to teach him how to be careful and smart and practical so he’s safe when he experiences the fun of life, which can pose some risks. Okay?”
Derek huffed again and his nostrils flared. He wasn't fully convinced yet.
“My parents teaching me to swim is kind of the only reason Atlas is here today. And you.” Stiles tried.
Derek frowned curiously, finally looking something other than worried.
Stiles sped on “Remember, I totally saved your butt from drowning.”
Understanding dawned “Yes. But you’re much older than Atlas.”
“Derek.” Stiles growled a little, finally having enough of Derek mother-henning their son “I’m taking Atlas swimming. You can join us and have a fun day at the pool. Or you can stand at the side and worry the experience away. Your choice.” Stiles snatched the diaper out of Derek’s fist and walked out of the changing room, Hawaiian print shorts and all.
Stiles was sat at the side of the shallow end pulling the diaper up Atlas’ legs when Derek finally joined them, sitting beside and dangling his legs into the water. The pool was pretty quiet today, it was too early for the crowds.
“Sorry.” Derek said quietly when he didn’t get so much as a glance from his boyfriend. Stiles’ eyes flickered up before he went back to making sure the diaper was secure “I just… I worry sometimes.”
“Yeah…” Stiles sighed “I know you do.” A little bit inside of him finally gave up the anger. Derek was a complicated man. And Stiles had come to truly appreciate the damage that was caused all those years ago in the fire. Derek didn’t open his heart up often, but when he did it was fully. He loved Atlas more than anything in the world; it made him a fantastic Dad. But it also made him worry. Because he knew the fragility of life, and how unfair things happen. So yeah, he worried about Atlas. And Stiles just had to do a little damage control as they navigated their steps into parenthood.
“I just want him to be safe.” Derek said, tickling Atlas’ palm that he reached out.
“He is. He’s with you and me. No place safer.” Stiles smiled, and fully grinned when he saw Derek’s shoulders relax “Do you want to take him?”
Derek looked like he wanted to say yes for a second. But then he really looked at Stiles. The Stiles who, despite the sleep deprivation and midnight feeds, had got up that morning before Atlas even, just to pack the bags. Stiles, who had been badgering Derek about swimming since Atlas could hold his head up. Stiles loved swimming, and he’d often spoken about the day he could take Atlas and teach him to swim. So instead, Derek took a breath, relaxed into the knowledge that Atlas was just as safe with Stiles as he was with him, then pulled Stiles into a brief kiss “You take him.”
Stiles smiled and pressed an extra kiss back before slipping into the pool, gasping happily when Atlas was up to his belly and looking pretty baffled at the water around him “You feel that, buddy? We’re swimming!” Stiles grinned and bounced gently on his toes as Atlas made a happy sound and splashed the water with his hands.
Derek pushed himself off the edge and into the pool, wading over to his family and ruffling Atlas’ soft hair “You like this, baby?”
“I think he does!” Stiles chuckled when Atlas made a bigger splash in the pool as he twirled them around.
Derek smiled “Our little cub, like a duck to water.”
“So many animal references.” Stiles laughed and raised Atlas up and out of the water before bringing him back in. And Atlas loved it, kicking his legs excitedly as they entered the pool. Derek flicked a little water at him and got a big splash in return.
“You cheeky pup. Just like your Daddy.” Derek chuckled as he wiped the water off his face.
“Hey! You deserved it, you totally flicked water first!” Stiles said and Atlas babbled excitedly, obviously agreeing with his Daddy.
“Are you two ganging up on me again?” Derek put his hands on his hips and gave them his best pretend-cross look.
Stiles just smiled smugly “What can I say… when you push this giant baby head out of your hoo-haa without any pain meds, you get a teammate for life. Isn’t that right, my lil side-kick?” Stiles nodded to Atlas who was now more interested in slapping the water than what his Dads were saying.
“You two…” Derek shook his head in dismay.
“Oh please. You love us.” Stiles smiled, moving a little closer to Derek in the water.
“Sometimes.”
“All the time.” Stiles countered, appearing about an inch from Derek’s face “You totally love us all the time.”
“That so?” Derek whispered.
“Mhmm.” Stiles waggled his eyebrows “And anyway… come bed time he’ll be on your team again. Nothing settles him like Papa’s storytime.”
Derek smiled at that “I am the best reader.”
“You are. You even do the voices.” Stiles rested his forehead against Derek’s “Now. Enough chat. Time to… swiiiimmm!” Stiles spun around in the water, drawing a delighted giggle from Atlas.
They took it in turns holding him in the water, both in awe of Atlas’ excited little face, green eyes keenly watching the water around him, arms and legs wiggling their way through the ripples he made. He only cried once when some water went up his nose. It ended up being a great swim.
Showered, dry, and dressed, Stiles drove them to a local diner.
“Best thing after a swim? Food!” he put the brake on as he parked up just outside.
“I think it’ll just be you and I for lunch…” Derek said fondly, craning his neck to look at Atlas, who was fast asleep in his car seat.
Stiles shut the engine off and turned to look “Aww… he looks so cute when he sleeps like that.” He cooed.
Atlas had his head angled a little against the edge of his car seat, his mouth a little open and his breaths loud through his nose. A fist held onto the corner of his favourite bear tightly even in his slumber.
“Our perfect boy.” Derek said, reaching over to stroke the back of his small hand.
“You say that now, just wait till he wakes up and screams the place down for some milk.” Stiles chuckled.
“Good point. Want to get drive-thru so we don’t have to move him?” Derek asked.
“You’re a genius.” Stiles turned the Jeep back on and pulled around the diner to the drive through behind.
“This is nice.” Stiles said around a mouthful of burger.
“Hmm?” Derek queried as he chewed on some curly fries.
“Us. Sitting in my Jeep. Our kid in the back, snoozing after his first swim.” Stiles looked out the window to the blue sky beyond, a serene look on his face.
“Yeah.” Derek reached over and twined his own greasy hand with Stiles’ “It’s been a good day. Thanks for… calming me down. Earlier. I…”
Stiles squeezed Derek’s palm and looked at him with those soulful amber eyes “I know.”
“I just worry.”
“I know you do. But you’re doing great. You have a wobble sometimes, we all do. Jeez… first few years after my Mom died, I called my Dad at the station every hour. He used to get so mad when he was on a nightshift. Would get Melissa to take the phone off me. But I was just… terrified of losing him. And it felt lonely, too. Like I was the only one who felt that scared. And people used to tell me ‘Stiles, don’t worry. Your Dad has been a cop for longer than you’ve been alive. He always comes home.’ But they didn’t realise. I knew something they didn’t. That sometimes bad stuff happens and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. And it scared the crap out of me. Still does, to be honest.”
Derek’s brow creased a little “You seem to deal with it pretty well.”
“’Seem’ being the operative word.” Stiles winked “Hell, I’m terrified one day all this will slip between my fingers. That I’ll wake up and you won’t be pressed up against me like my very own octopus. That Atlas won’t be babbling away in his crib.”
Derek looked down at their hands “Me too.”
“See, I get it, Der.”
“Usually I cope. Even today, you managed to pull me out of my worries. But it just flares up sometimes…”
“I get it. Thing is though… life is inherently full of risk. I learnt that big time when I started running with wolves. But seriously, we just have to enjoy life. Grab it by the balls, as it were. Sure, let’s try to be safe. Let’s try to keep Atlas wrapped up in cotton wool so he doesn’t even get so much as a scratch on him. But… we will never, ever, stop him from living a full life, with lots of fun and new experiences.”
Derek smiled “I love you.”
“I know.” Stiles grinned.
“You’re meant to say it back.” Derek rolled his eyes.
“I know.” Stiles had that cheeky smile Derek adored so much.
“You dick…” Derek dipped a fry in ketchup and poked it right at the tip of Stiles’ nose.
“Ha-no! No!” Stiles cackled, and laughed even harder when Derek surged forward and licked the ketchup right off.
“That was your fault.” Stiles scowled.
“My fault?” Derek frowned as he dutifully fed Stiles another chip.
“Yes. Your fault. You made me laugh.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Derek said sarcastically.
Stiles huffed but looked down at Atlas with soft eyes as he fed from him.
They were still in the car park. And now they’d be here a bit longer while Atlas had his lunch. The baby had lurched awake at the antics of his Fathers not a few feet away, wailing despairingly at being so abruptly awoken. It had taken Stiles a good five minutes to calm him enough to latch onto his nipple, and in that time his own food had gone that horrible barely-warm temperature.
“If he’s grumpy this afternoon you’re taking him.”
“Fine. But I still fail to see how this is my fault.”
“You licked my nose!” Stiles hissed.
“You wouldn’t say you loved me!”
“Is it not obvious?!” Stiles raised his eyebrows.
“Well… maybe I like to hear it.” Derek said.
“Fine. I love you! Lots. You’re literally my favourite person... outside of my blood relatives!” he exclaimed.
Derek’s smug grin lasted all of a nanosecond before Atlas whimpered and burst into tears.
“Shh, shh baby. Sorry Daddy yelled,” Stiles cradled him close and stroked the side of his face “It was actually nice yelling… but hey, you probably can’t quite tell the difference yet… come on, baby, want to have a little more milk?” Stiles tried to get Atlas to latch on again but he wasn’t having it, he grew a little fussier, whimpering against Stiles and fisting his hands in his shirt “Please, Atlas, just have your lunch. Daddy wants to go home without you screaming the whole way… yes, that’s it.” Stiles sighed happily as Atlas finally wrapped his lips around his nipple and sucked.
“Phew.” Derek agreed with Stiles’ relieved face “He certainly has your lungs.”
“You always say that. But have you heard yourself roar?” Stiles raised an incredulous eyebrow.
Derek rolled his eyes fondly “Anyway… thirsty?” he offered Stiles his drink, Stiles always got thirsty when he was breastfeeding.
The man nodded eagerly and enjoyed Derek doing everything for him while he fed their son. To be fair, it wasn’t just nice for Stiles, Derek loved it. He was a natural nurturer, which was surprising to everyone. He loved feeding Stiles, he loved doing things for him. He would voluntarily rub the man’s feet in the evening. Stiles felt he lucked out, but Derek loved having a partner who was happy to be nurtured by the werewolf.
“How was it?” Noah asked the second the family walked through the door.
“Amazing!” Stiles happily jogged into the kitchen where his Dad was making a snack. Derek followed behind, Atlas snuggled against his chest.
“Someone’s tired.” Noah cooed, walking over to rub his knuckles gently over his grandson’s back.
“He wouldn’t sleep after lunch, we hope he’ll nod off soon enough.” Stiles said, watching Derek with proverbial ‘heart eyes’ as he kissed Atlas’ head and bounced him soothingly.
“Did he enjoy swimming?”
“He loved it, didn’t he, Der?” Stiles grinned.
“He did. Barely any tears at all!” Derek said proudly.
“Brilliant! He’ll be a water baby like you were.” Noah ruffled Stiles’ hair fondly, making his son smile smugly.
Atlas snuffled and whimpered a few times, burying his face in his Papa’s neck crossly “I think he’s struggling to let sleep take him.” Derek pouted.
“Crap.” Stiles huffed. If Atlas was overtired he was a nightmare to get back to sleep. And if he didn't have a decent nap, he was even more restless overnight.
“I’ll take him up to our room and see if I can settle him.” Derek said, cupping his large hand behind Atlas’ head and whispering small words of comfort as he walked upstairs.
“Hey, Dad?”
“Mmm?” Noah hummed, opening a pack of chips.
“How the hell did I get so lucky to land someone that hot and that good a Father?” Stiles pointed after Derek, a slightly dopey look in his eyes.
Noah chuckled “I’m sure he feels the same about you.”
Stiles raised a dubious eyebrow.
“Oh please.” Noah rolled his eyes “That werewolf thinks the sun shines out of your ass.”
Stiles didn’t deny it, he just grinned.