Naps, Sweetheart, Naps.

Sometimes all you need to end a bad day is curl up with your love and just nap, be together and wrapped around each other.

Weirdly enough but this was the first ever day when Derek was left fully alone with Eli through all day.

The most till now had been like three hours tops before someone came over.

Today somehow everyone had something they needed to do so Derek was stranded alone with his babe.

Babe who was usually such an angel, sleeping well and not crying much, loving cuddles and just bathing in his family’s, his pack’s scent.

But today he seemed to sense that his daddy was all alone so he decided to absolutely test Derek.

Nothing seemed to go right, nappies were falling through and clothes were soiled, feeding was going wrong so much that Eli pushed everything back up and over himself and Derek, and crying, gosh, so so much screaming red faced crying.

Eli seemed not wanting to sleep at all, wailing so hard that it would put any banshee to shame.

Nothing Derek tried seemed to work.

The more it went on, the more frustrated Derek became and the more frustrated Derek was, the fussier Eli got.

But Derek was too ashamed and too damn self concious to actually call for help because fuck it, couldn’t he really spend couple hours with his own babe?!

When Stiles finally came home, he found Derek and Eli in the bath, both clutching at the other, with tear streaked red faces, both absolutely exhausted from the day.

- Babies! - Stiles dropped his bag and rushed over, kneeling by the bath, getting mirrored response from both of his wolves, both looking up with red eyes and puffy cheeks, both letting out broken sobs before just reaching for Stiles, nuzzling their faces on each side of Stiles’ neck.

It took at least ten minutes to calm his wolves down enough so they could finish the bath and towel dry to get to the bed.

Derek ended up pulling on one of Stiles’ oversized shirts while Stiles bundled Eli up in the softest pajamas.

Stiles placed a soft kiss against Derek’s forehead, simply pulling him close, blanketing Eli in the middle of them both.

Eli was still snuffling but easily calming down while hearing both Stiles’ and Derek’s calming heartbeat.

They went to the kitchen, Stiles quickly making a bottle for Derek and throwing together some leftovers for Derek.

He sat down in front of Derek, their knees pressed together, feeding Eli while watching Derek slowly eat, encouraging him to finish his meal because somehow he just knew that Derek had forgotten to eat through the day.

- My sweetheart. - Stiles kissed Derek’s temple when they were finished, giving Eli over to Derek to go to the bathroom himself.

Derek braced himself for Eli starting to scream again but this time Eli simply rested against his shoulder with closed eyes and seemed to listen out for Stiles just like Derek did.

Stiles came back with a soft smile for them and another kiss to each of their heads.

- You did good, Derek. His tummy was hurting. It happens a lot to babies. - Stiles easily gave Eli stomach drops before hugging both of them close again, allowing Derek to just breath him in.

Stiles sat down in Derek’s lap, keeping Eli pressed against both of them while he quickly ate his own dinner.

Derek gladly rested his head against Stiles’ shoulder, eyes closed and just letting the calm of Stiles wash over him.

They moved to the bedroom, Derek still holding Eli in this protective way he always was holding his pup.

Stiles helped them get in the bed, getting next to them and cuddling close, Eli sleeping in between them, his small baby hand clutching at Derek’s shirt and other resting against Stiles’ naked chest.

Pup was finally sleeping calmly, worn out from the day.

Derek was watching his sleeping baby, his emotions in a turmoil, hot tears of shame building up fast.

- Hey, hey, Der. It’s okay. He’s okay. - Stiles hugged Derek the best he could, pressing their foreheads together. - It was my fault, Eli is too used to having me around all the time, it was simply too sudden for him. I’m sorry. -

Derek just shook his head, trying to press even closer.

Stiles trailed one hand through Derek’s hair, trying his best to sooth his wolf.

Derek didn’t even open his eyes, way too exhausted.

Stiles kissed him softly, pushing their legs even closer together, his own heart aching for his love hurting.

But being bathed in Stiles around them, Derek fell asleep almost right away, one hand protectively around both of Stiles and Eli.

Stiles watched his wolves for a long while before finally going to sleep.

He felt guilty, even more about making Derek feel like he couldn’t even text for help needed, most probably still going with the same lame excuse of just wanting to give Stiles some alone time.

Next day Derek was still kinda off, staying close but fully allowing Stiles to handle Eli as if afraid that he will do something wrong and end up hurting Eli.

Stiles pulled him close, kissing him softly while pressing Eli more firmly between them.

- Nap time. - Stiles easily placed Eli on Derek’s chest, cuddling around them and just kissing Derek softly when Derek shot him a wild look. - You are his daddy, he needs you. You are not a bad dad. You are not a bad parent. It’s hard to adjust to having to take care of a new soul. Shit will happen, mistakes will be made, but that is how it is, it doesn’t make you a bad parent, it makes you a real one, Derek. -

Derek furrowed his brows, trying to stop tearing up, looking down at sleeping Eli instead, running his fingers over Eli’s back.

- I know that you are blaming yourself but it isn’t because you are the way you are, parenting is just hard, adjusting is just hard, both for the baby and for the parent. Derek, everyone struggles. Remember that just a month back I freaked out when Eli’s poop had changed color and was getting chunky. How I freaked out in the hospital of placing the nappy the wrong way. How I freaked when he spat back his formula the very first time. How I absolutely lost it when I met Eli, so much that the nurse freaked out from me being that way. Or how I spent the whole night sitting up because I thought that I had accidentally squished Eli in my sleep even while it was just your arm. How I was calling my dad crying with Eli wailing because I didn’t seem to remember where I put the formula. Derek, we all make mistakes, some more serious, some more silly. That’s just how it is. -

Stiles pushed closer to Derek who was crying again, his eyes having a blue shine.

- I know that you are afraid and I am too. Shit, that just means that we care and are doing it right. Look at him, he needs you, he absolutely loves you. He doesn’t care of your mistakes, of you being autistic or werewolf, for him, you are his world, his daddy. Der, sweetheart, you are not a bad parent. This is just a start. You got this. - Stiles ran his fingers through Derek’s hair while caressing his cheek.

- We got this. - Derek croaked out, pressing his forehead to Stiles’.

- We got this. - Stiles repeated, kissing Derek softly one more time before looking down at their sleeping pup.

Derek finally seemed to start to relax, Stiles’ words slowly sinking in.

By the evening he was back in his element - being the best damn daddy Eli could wish for.

Stiles couldn’t be more proud, snapping a photo of them to add to their family album.