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‘Derek,’ Scott says, his voice low in warning. It’s the same voice Derek has heard him use on cats who try to wander of his examination table. ‘Stay still.’
Derek rolls his eyes, but does as he’s told. It’s usually better to let Scott do his thing than to try to escape. Mostly because if he tries to escape, he’ll have to face Scott’s patented pout-glare.
‘You two need to be more careful,’ Scott says poking Derek in his flank, then looking pointedly at Stiles, who looks like he’s patiently waiting his turn, but it’s fare more likely he’s trying to come up with an exit strategy.
Derek huffs. Scott is being overdramatic. He and Stiles were just playing around. Besides he’s a werewolf and Stiles is a werefox, they’ll heal. They’d rolled around the preserve a bit, trying to catch each other’s tails, then Stiles’ tail had gotten caught in a thorn bush and yowled. Before Derek realized what was happening, Scott was herding them back to the car, forbidding them to shift back to human.
Derek obediently lifts his paws for Scott to check when asked. He doesn’t growl when Scott pushes his lips up to check his teeth and gums. He tries not to enjoy it too much when Scott carefully prods and pokes his body, not in a painful way, but in a way that almost feels like a massage.
‘I should probably brush you,’ Scott muses, dragging his hands through Derek’s fur.
At this, Derek does growl. He does not need brushing like some dog. He glares at Stiles when he lets out a small yip of laughter.
‘Don’t growl at me. It’s almost summer and your fur is far too thick for you to run around in in the summer. You could get heatstroke. Or get dehydrated very fast. Which would cause dizzy spells and vomiting. Do you want to vomit, Derek?’ Scott admonishes.
Derek huffs. If he gets too warm as a wolf, he can always just shift back to his human form.
‘Okay, you’re done,’ Scott says giving him a final scratch behind his ear. Derek leans into it for a moment, then shifts.
‘This is completely unnecessary,’ Derek grumbles. He grabs the sweatpants laid out for him on the couch and pulls them on. ‘I can heal from pretty much anything.’
‘It’s because I love you,’ Scott grins.
Derek can’t help but smile. He leans down to give Scott a quick kiss on the lips. ‘I love you, too.’
‘Alright. Stiles, it’s your turn,’ Scott says. He turns around to look at where Stiles was lying a minute ago, but Stiles is nowhere in sight.
‘Oh, no. I had to go through this, then so will you,’ Derek says loud enough so Stiles will hear it anywhere in the house.
‘If you come here right now, I’ll make lasagne tonight,’ Scott says.
Derek nods in approval. Threats rarely work with their boyfriend. Bribes, though, bribes work like magic. Stiles’ nails click on their hardwood floor, then his nose appears from around the corner of the kitchen. He carefully peeks into the living room, squinting at Scott.
‘I promise,’ Scott says and draws an X over his heart.
Stiles seems satisfied with that.
Derek makes himself comfortable on the couch to enjoy watching Scott examine Stiles. Stiles glares at him like he’s betrayed him, but it wasn’t like Stiles came to Derek’s rescue when Derek needed it.
‘You really need to watch that tail, Stiles. I know you’re still getting used to it, but you keep getting tangled in things. That fence last week, and now this. And can you please watch out where you play? You two were getting kinda close to the road today.’
Stiles huffs, but nods.
Scott drags his fingers over Stiles’ fur, poking and prodding in all the places he needs to, his brow furrowed. Derek might not be a fan of Scott’s veterinary training being focused on himself, but he loves watching Scott work, because Scott loves his work. Derek is almost entirely certain that the only things Scott loves more than his job are Melissa, Stiles and Derek.
‘Done,’ Scott says.
His hands are still on Stiles’ sides when Stiles shifts.
‘Thank god. I’m starving,’ Stiles groans.
‘I wonder if pasta is actually good for you,’ Scott muses. ‘I mean, since you’re a fox.’
‘Foxes are omnivorous,’ Stiles says quickly. ‘And if you take pasta away from me it means I will eat you.’
‘That sounds like fun,’ Derek grins.
Stiles catches his eye. There’s a moment of silent agreement, and then they jump Scott. Derek straddling Scott’s hips, Stiles holding down Scott’s wrists. Scott’s eyes go wide and he licks his lips.
‘It’s only fair we examine you now,’ Derek smirks. He waggles his fingers.
Scott tries to escape, realizing too late what is going to happen, but he’s trapped. Derek sets his fingers against Scott’s side, applying just the right amount of pressure that has Scott letting out a squeal of laughter.
‘I thought you guys wanted food!’ Scott pants.
In answer, Stiles and Derek start tickling him at the same time.