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Derek doesn’t like anniversaries, his life too full of them and most of them are of the ‘one’s-more-horrible-than-the-other’ variety.
There are exceptions, of course, but even those are treated like every other day.
And then there are days like today, where Derek had gotten up when his alarm rang, showered and dressed and headed for work, had been in the middle of an important meeting when he’d looked down at the calendar and nearly had a panic attack when he saw the date. He has no idea what the rest of the meeting was about, just knows that when his boss had left, Derek had been right behind her though rather than returning to his office he’d headed straight for the front door and left.
Based on the fact he’s currently quadrupedal he probably didn’t try to drive, and the way he’s heaving for breath means he’s been running around for a while; he looks around and recognizes the spot where he proposed to Stiles years ago, the grass still smelling faintly of him where he’d been laid out for Derek to feast on just a few days ago. Thinking clearly for the first time in who knows how many hours, Derek turns around and runs home as fast as his legs can carry him.
Their house is brightly lit, the smell of Derek’s favorite food wafting through the air from the open kitchen window, Stiles clearly illuminated where he’s standing with his back facing it, stirring something on the stove. Derek skids to a halt, breathes deeply and shifts, then heads for the front door.
He opens it soundlessly and on quiet feet steps towards the kitchen.
“Derek,” Stiles turns, a wide smile on his face and arms open as he waddles towards him, “dinner’s almost ready if you wanna change?” He smells like lightning and the forest right after spring rain, sweet and healthy and with the faintest acrid note of worry that he hasn’t been able to mask, the beat of his heart thundering in Derek’s ear nearly overpowering the faster, quieter one of their pup, still safely nestled beneath Stiles’ heart.
“Okay,” Stiles mumbles into his hair, shuffles a little to turn off the stove but doesn’t otherwise move, except for one hand stroking Derek’s hair and the other rubbing soothing circles on his back, while Derek lets the smell of his husband and the sound of his and their pup’s heartbeat calm him.
Later, Derek’s going to tell him, about meeting a woman with whose bright smile hid the dark hunger in her eyes until it was too late and Derek’s life was a barren wasteland, and Stiles will hold him close while his wards sing with power and intent, and Derek will realize he already knew, probably has since long before he agreed to that first date Derek had asked him on over the prone body of a still healing Boyd, their pup kicking up a storm inside their little haven, and Derek is helpless to do anything but kiss Stiles until they’re both gasping for breath, and then kiss him some more.