Archive of Our Own

Stiles sat at the table as the coffee pot worked its magic. He stared at it, willed it to finish making enough for a cup. He hadn't exactly slept last night, kept checking on his dad. He knew that damned wolf had heard him each time, but the bastard hadn't moved, just stayed wrapped around his dad.

He debated killing the alpha but he was pretty sure the guy had been pulling pain, so it was fine. And he had said, Stiles had heard him that he was leaving in the morning. So it was fine, it was all fine.

The coffee hit done enough and he poured a mug, added some sugar because anyone who drank it black was a serial killer. Coffee was kinda gross, just no one wanted to admit it. It did the job. He clutched the cup and stared at the doorway, willed the bastard to come down.

Stiles would be generous put some coffee in a to go cup as he kicked the evil alpha out.

He scowled as he heard movement upstairs and waited. For a guy who said he was leaving he was taking his sweet ass time. "Come on, come on," Stiles whispered.

Steps on stairs, good.

Maybe they would get lucky and the guy would just walk right on out. That would be good. But no, the steps veered to the kitchen, paused for a moment before they walked in.

And there he was, the evil alpha. The guy who had saved their parents. The rat bastard. Stiles glared at him. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out," he said and gave a wave. He sipped his coffee. "There are two, you can choose. The front, or the back door is right there. Just a few steps and you are out. Gone. Left. Goodbye, adios, au revoir, sayonara, ciao."

"Where might I find a coffee cup?"

"So you are stupid along with evil? Think about where the coffee machine is and guess."

The cupboard above was opened, a mug taken down filled, and sure enough evil man proved he was evil by drinking it black. He waited, but then the guy sat across from him. "You said you were leaving, why aren't you leaving?"

"I will as soon as your father is up, I want to make sure there are not lingering effects from being tied up for a couple days. I doubt Julia cared about circulation, and he is unlikely to go to the hospital."

Stiles froze a bit, "what do you mean lingering effects?" He had done some research last night, everything suggested his dad would be fine. "What did you do?" Stiles bolted upstairs and slammed into the master bedroom. "Dad?" he called and Noah sat bolt upright.

"Sit rep," was called and a hand was in the night stand, grabbed a collapsible baton, because of course his dad was responsible and all the guns in the house were properly locked away. His dad was sliding out of bed, "Stiles, what's wrong?" His dad was up, but wobbled.

Stiles hurried over and steadied the man. "The asshole said lingering effects."

There was a huff as the tension left he dad. "Jeez kid, thought the world was ending or something. But since you are here, help me to the bathroom. Legs are still a bit pins and needles."

That wasn't good. "We're going to the emergency room."

"I'm fine," was the answer he got. Stiles started to protest, "isn't that what you've told me?"

Stiles went silent. He helped his dad to the bathroom and waited in the hall because a glare had suggested he would be grounded for life if he tried to help in there. When his dad came out, they went downstairs and Deucalion was putting peanut butter on toast.

"Protein will help."

"Coffee will help more. With a splash of milk." Because his dad wasn't a serial killer. "Hey, Duke."

"Good morning. Not a thing we have actually said to each other, before."

"Nope, you say it nice though, that accent really makes words fun."

Stiles took the plate and mug from Deucalion, put them in front of his dad. "Here," he said as if he had prepped everything himself.

"Thanks, kid," his dad said with a bit of a smile. He ate a few bites. "We need to call Mel, and Chris, make sure they are okay. Chris was taken last and has enough training and experience with this that not super worried about him. But this might have fucked Melissa up. Want to double check on her."

"I'll text Scott," Stiles said. Actually, wait. "You were down there longest, why hasn't anyone checked on us?"

"Probably because with how you insisted on keeping your father in the dark, lied to him, made him a non-player in all of this, your friends wouldn't even think of him," Deucalion offered. "You diminished him so much in their eyes, he is irrelevant to them."

"Duke," his dad snapped, "not the time."

"I have mountain ash in my room, and I will jam it down your throat," Stiles swore.

"Stiles, the guy saved all our lives, calm down on him. He's fine." His dad was now glaring at him.

"He's evil!" Stiles shouted. He watched his dad wipe a hand down his face. "Dad, the alpha pack has killed so many wolves and hunters it isn't even funny. Tell him," he pointed at Deucalion. "Tell him the truth."

Deucalion tilted his head and said nothing. Stiles was going to get his baseball bat. "Twenty-eight? No, thirty-three. Personally, by my hand. If we add in what my former pack did, probably in around one hundred, thereabouts. Some druids too, a vampire."

"You said they weren't real."

"No, I said they weren't real in the way you understand them, they are very real and if one ever comes to Beacon Hills, you will run, hide, and leave it to the alphas. The two in town might maybe be able to incapacitate it."

"Three," Noah said, "we have three alphas in town."

"I will be leaving tomorrow mornings, once I am assured your legs are working correctly. Do you need to call out for the day?"

"Yeah," Noah agree. "Need to use Stiles' phone though, the lady didn't exactly let me keep mine."

Stiles handed over his phone, watched his dad call in. He could hear the relief of the deputy when they heard his dad's voice. He listened as his dad explained he was dehydrated, exhaustion, rope burns, that he would be in the next day to make a statement, and back to work in three days.

"No, I'm fine, you don't need to drop food off. No, we have this, I swear we —yes, fine if it is already made in your freezer, fine. No I don't need help, a friend is in town, they've got me covered while Stiles is at school. Yeah, no, yeah, okay. Tomorrow." He hung up. "There we go. God, so much food is going to be dropped off. Don't you have to get ready for school?"

"Yeah, like hell I do," Stiles snapped, "I'm not leaving you home alone."

"I will stay and help. Leave tomorrow."

"No no," Stiles smiled, "you were leaving today and we don't want to delay you. Have fun murdering elsewhere!" Deucalion didn't seem to be leaving. "Here, let me get you a to go cup."

"Go shower, Stiles, go to school. Duke can help me today. You would have me in bed the whole time, but I need to move about."

"Oh, I think there is a compromise that involves both the bed and moving about," was Deucalion's reply.

Stiles gagged, and started forward, because no alpha strength was going to save the guy.

"Stiles, school. Duke, stop winding him up." His dad was glaring at them both. "Get it together. Now."

"Dad," Stiles frowned, "I —"

"Stiles, go to school," his dad said softly. "Check on everyone, the last couple days have been a lot, and routine will help."

"Oh, I suppose I should check on Ethan and Aiden," Deucalion realized. "I dislike them, but I did make a promise to train them properly in exchange for their alpha power."

Stiles watched his dad smile at Deucalion, like somehow the guy was good or something. He really didn't want to leave but knew the fight wasn't worth it. He got ready for school and when he went to say goodbye to his dad, saw that Deucalion was pulling pain from his dad.

He left without another word. He drove to school and checked his phone, frowned, because no one had texted to see if they were okay. Stiles walked into the school, and it just felt weird. Everything had shifted and yet it all was the same.

He went to class, and Allison gave a wave, completely chill. One of the twins was in the class, but not there. Maybe they took off and Deucalion would have to chase after him. Next class had Erica and Isaac and they treated it as normal too.

So did Scott at lunch. Stiles asked about Melissa and she was fine. Only Scott didn't ask about his dad; Stiles swallowed, because fuck Deucalion had maybe been right. "Scott," Stiles began, "aren't you going to ask how my dad is doing?"

"He's fine," Scott smiled, "you wouldn't be here, if he wasn't, right?"

Stiles nodded, "right."

He went through the rest of the day, trying to read all his friends like that, but it was hard. Because he had trained them to this, to not think of his father. Stiles couldn't cope anymore and the last class was gym, so fuck it.

Stiles walked out of the school and Derek was leaning against the jeep. "What now?" he asked.

"Is your dad okay?"

"Huh?" Stiles stared at him.

"I went by the house to check on him, but could smell Deucalion there, and didn't really want to talk to him. But I couldn't scent fear, or a lot of pain either."

Stiles didn't even realize what he was going to do until his arms were around Derek and squeezing him tightly. "Thanks, big guy."

"For what?"

Stiles didn't answer just continued to hug Derek. He had touched Derek a lot, see the whole pool thing, and a million mutual rescues, but this was a first hug. It was weird, but a good weird, even though Derek didn't seem to know what to do with his hands. Eventually there was a vague there there shoulder pat and Stiles had to laugh at the guy. He eased away. "If I pay you ten dollars, will you kill Deucalion?"

"Would have to be fifteen dollars," Derek said.

"Damn, only have ten," Stiles sighed. "Derek, he might have been right about a thing, so I need him dead."

That got an actual shoulder squeeze. "Shouldn't you be in class?"

"Skipping gym." Stiles looked at him, "were you just going to stand here, doing that lurking thing until I got out of school."

"I was going to leave a note on your car, just pure luck you came out."

"A note about what? And why not text me?"

"I don't have your number." Stiles held out his hand, he could absolutely input his number into Derek's phone. There was a smirk, "I don't actually have a phone."

Stiles had to snort. "Dumb ass." He hiked himself up to sit on the hood of the Jeep. He really needed to leave because staying at school when you were playing hooky was a stupid call. "What do you honestly know about Deucalion?"

Derek hopped up next to him. "From before, from the stories, from my couple conversations in the last few weeks?"

"I don't even know," Stiles sighed, "he saved my dad. He stopped us from doing some seriously fucked up magic. But he also is a stone cold murderer, and has commit like actual factual atrocities against the supernatural world." Stile frowned, so lost. "And last night he wouldn't leave my dad's side, drew the pain every time my dad even lightly frowned in his sleep."

"My mom liked him. A lot. So did Peter. It was very different likes."

"Wait, Deucalion was serious about popping Peter's cherry?"

"Gross," Derek shuddered a bit and Stiles all of a sudden remembered that Derek wasn't ancient like his dad, but only a few years older than them. "Don't ever say that again. But yes. It was a bit of a scandal in the werewolf world…it was at a sacred event, a gathering that happens only ever twenty five years apparently. And Peter Peter'd."

"Yeah, yeah that tracks," Stiles had to laugh. "God, even if I wanted Peter, which not that crazy, I could never sleep with him, that is not enough degrees of separation between me and my dad's dick." He looked at Derek, "I need your help."

"You want me to keep an eye on them, on Deucalion."

"Yeah," Stiles nodded, "I don't trust that this isn't some elaborate plan, and we just can't see all the strings yet. Because what I am currently seeing is a wolf who has done a stupid amount of murder, who was tired of his pack and they are half gone now, and the twins gave up their alpha spark to him."

"I will. Stiles, the man I remembered from when I was a kid? He was a bit snobby, but a good man. If he could find that again? He would be a tremendous ally."

"You don't kill that much and find that again." Stiles nudged his shoulder against Derek's. "Thanks." He saw Derek turn his head. "What?"

"Footsteps, teacher. I'll distract them, you get out of here."

"Good puppy," Stiles teased and that got a snarl. "Going, going!" They hopped off the jeep and Stiles took off. He felt a bit guilty for skipping, so went to the grocery store and bought some groceries, and the fixings to make his dad a burger. A real one, because the guy deserved it. But it would be a whole grain bun, dangit.

At home, he really hoped that Deucalion would be gone, but the rat bastard was there, reading in his dad's recliner.

"Where's my dad?"

"Having a bath." Deucalion didn't even look up at him.

"He hates baths."

"No, he adores them, he just never has the time for them. Why else would he have a tub that could hold two people?"

Stiles frowned, "It came with the house?" His dad didn't like baths. He didn't. "I hate you," he growled and he stomped upstairs and went to his dad's ensuite. He knocked on the door. "Dad?"

"Yeah, dick's covered, come on in."

Stiles went in and sat on the toilet, there were bubbles and clearly a washcloth providing extra cover. His dad had his head leaned back a towel under the neck for support. Eyes were closed, man was just chilling. "You hate baths."

"I don't," his dad replied. "Legs are doing good, will be back to work tomorrow. Duke says he will be leaving then."

"Good," Stiles let out a sigh of relief. But his dad was smirking. "What?"

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Why would he stay?" Stiles frowned, "he can't claim the territory, it is Hale territory and now there is Scott true alpha too. No one likes him. He has no reason to stay." He watched the smile slide off of his dad's face. "I don't get it."

"No, of course not. Give me a minute and I'll get out, make some dinner."

"I bought the stuff to make you a burger. Real one."

"Thanks, kid, but not feeling it."

"Oh. Okay?" When didn't his dad want a burger? "Tomorrow then, when Deucalion has left. Celebrate you being back at work and just us again."

"Want to get out, Stiles," his dad said.

"Sure," Stiles said, not quite clear if his dad meant he wanted to get out of the bath, or wanted Stiles to leave, but they sort of went hand in hand. He left the bathroom and frowned as he smelled vegetables cooking. He stormed downstairs and Deucalion was making a stir fry.

"I'm making enough for all three," the man said.

Stiles scowled at him. "I'm only eating it to make sure you don't poison my dad."

"You were right above me, I could hear the whole conversation. It will be interesting to see how long it takes you to realize how much you hurt the man."

"Fuck you, I didn't hurt him, what are you talking about?" Deucalion ignored him just continued pushing vegetables around the fry pan.

"A wok really would make this better."

"Okay mister fancy pants," Stiles muttered and sat down at the table. His phone beeped and he checked it. Unknown number text.

/I have a phone now./

Stiles smiled and sent back a few gifs in response.

/No. Words or nothing. Emojis mean I get to kill you./

Derek was such an old man texter, because of course he was. Stiles sent back an emoji, just to see what would happen.

/I will kill you tomorrow./

Stiles grinned.

"Please do not smell aroused at the kitchen table, it is not a pleasant smell in comparison to the ginger and garlic in this."

The grin fell off his face and he glared at the back of Deucalion. He glared all through dinner, and then went up to his room, reminded himself Deucalion would be gone in the morning. It was all fine.

He wasn't. But being polite, fine, he supposed an evil bastard could be polite, and it made sense for the man to leave when his dad went to work.

"Don't suppose you'll throw a load of laundry in for me?" his dad said.

"I'm leaving, shortly, I will lock the house up behind me."

"Sure, make a grocery list too."

"Dad, he's leaving, don't give him chores to do on his way out, that's tacky. Peace, Deucalion, good luck murdering without minions anymore."

Stiles went to his jeep and let out a sigh of relief. The guy would be gone and things could be back to normal.

At lunch he had a text from Derek with a photo. /Is it evil to hang laundry outside?/

Deucalion had somehow strung up a drying line in the backyard, and there were his dad's boxers just swaying in the breeze.

The guy would leave as soon as he had finished hanging the laundry. That was all. Deucalion wasn't staying —he had no reason to stay.

Two weeks later, Stiles was pacing in the loft, swinging his baseball bat. Getting practice in, since he was going to have to murder soon. "Every day he says he is leaving and you know what he doesn't do, Derek?"

Derek was reading on the couch, and didn't even look up. "Leave?"

"That's right," Stiles swung the bat and tried to do a cool kick, and wiped out. "Little help here?"

"No, you won't learn if I help you."

"Thanks, you're a pal," Stiles muttered. "Why is he still here? He's going to go omega if he doesn't find a pack soon, right? Like even an alpha can go omega?"

Derek was quiet and Stiles sat up, looked at him. "Dude?" That Derek didn't say don't call me dude was a concern. Stiles scrambled and was on the couch. "Talk to me," he demanded. "You secretly know a million words, use a few of them."

"You won't like the ones I want to say."

"Thanks for the warning, I promise to be mature and chill and support you no matter what," Stiles swore, "tell me."

"I want to ask Deucalion for help on training the betas, for help on how to be an alpha."

"Okay, I am proud of you for using your words," Stiles smiled. "I am now going to go out in the hallway and scream for forty five seconds, and then we'll talk this through, okay?"

"That was weirdly mature of you —have you been possessed?" Derek was frowning at him.

"Lydia demanded I read a self help book," Stiles muttered. "If I did, I'd get to touch her boob. But then I read it and like realized a whole fuckton of shit, and didn't want to actually touch her boob anymore. She is now my friend, not my future wife. She made me grow as a person, Derek? Ten dollars to kill her?"

Derek snorted, "Lydia would be fifty."

"Dammit. Okay. Hallway screaming."

Stiles went into the hallway and did actually shout, because the echo was fun in there and honestly he just needed to scream because it was all so damn much bullshit. He walked back in, and pointed at Derek. "No," was all he said.

"I need the help, Erica and Boyd are back, but are ignoring me. Pretty sure they are debating switching to Scott now that he a true alpha. He has to be better than me, right? Isaac is crushing hard on Allison so he has definitely switched over. So I have Peter, that's my pack. Stiles, my pack is Peter. I really need you to think about that. Oh and maybe Christopher, because I think he was serious about trying to tap that. I need help." Derek was up and pacing; Stiles' eyes tracked the movement because Derek in motion was pretty. That was a new thought that he ended up focusing on so much that he missed a lot of what Derek said. "Do you understand?"

"No, I wasn't listening." Stiles looked at him, and for a moment Derek looked hurt, because he was back to scowling and Stiles put it together. "Shit, sorry, dude. Okay here is the deal. Have you actually talked to your betas?" Derek didn't meet his gaze. "Okay, before we invoke evil guy to teach us, how about we start with that? You don't need Deucalion to teach you shit, Derek, you have me!"

Stiles didn't appreciate the look of horror and incredulity, that the eyebrows delivered to that statement. "Hey, I turned Scott into like a super awesome werewolf, I can help you achieve good alpha too!" Stiles was warming up to the idea. "Come on, who do you trust me, a psycho who has killed at least twenty eight wolves and hunters, or me?" Jesus, that should have been an easy one for Derek, but the guy was actually debating. This was a low. "Dude!"

"You?"

"There shouldn't have been hesitancy on that one, but yes me! I am way more trustworthy than the psycho who isn't leaving. Shit, wait, if we turn you and Scott into really great alphas, maybe that will get Deucalion to actually leave, all embarrassed because the two of you show him up!" Stiles was on board with this. "Okay, alpha lesson one, talking to your pack." Stiles pulled out his phone, let his fingers fly. A couple minutes later he smiled, "the three of them will be here in a half hour."

"What?"

"Don't worry, plenty of time to teach you how to say sorry in that time. And also get you to understand that you need to tell them, how much you love them, and are also disappointed in them, but in a nice not arm breaky way." Stiles looked at him. "You need to apologize for being an asshole, but they need to apologize too, for being little bitches."

That got a bit of a laugh.

Stiles reached out and gave Derek a very manly shoulder pat, left his hand there for perhaps a minute too long. He wouldn't think about it. It was time for alpha boot camp.

He thought it went well, only one broken lamp, two broken chairs, and he left them with Isaac saying he wanted to move back in with Derek, that Melissa cared about vegetables a bit too seriously. Valid, that woman did believe in brussel sprouts in a way no person should.

It was a good start.

Stiles walked into the house, and his good mood immediately vanished. "Excuse you," he snapped, "get the fuck out of that chair. That's my dad's chair."

Deucalion looked up at him from reading the newspaper. Dear god, an actual in print newspaper. "It is, that is why I am sitting in it. I like the scent and he was called into work unexpectedly."

"That didn't come on the radio," he crossed his arms and glared.

"It was two hours ago."

Shit he had been in the loft, could have missed it. "Anything bad?"

"There was leftover cake in the break room fridge. Three of the deputies felt it a shame to waste. They are all now at home, learning a lesson about frosting that has been sitting a bit too long. Your father went in to cover."

"Dumbasses."

"Indeed, I had plans for what they call a 'date night' with your father tonight, before I left tomorrow for good. Go back to the bar where we first met; this time I would pick him up instead of the other way around. Oh, Stiles, my apologies, that night we had to borrow your condoms. I should pay to replace them."

Deucalion smiled at him, and Stiles wanted to gag a bit. Because that had to be a joke. He ran upstairs and checked the drawer. Oh god, it hadn't been a joke. He screamed and swore he could hear Deucalion's laugh.

He texted Derek, /i have fifteen dollars now kill deucalion/

/Price is up to twenty./

"Dammit," Stiles cursed. He really needed to get more money than his allowance. He realized this was the first night he'd be alone with Deucalion. Fuck that. He went out the window and to Scott's. He crawled into Scott's bed, where Scott was already asleep even though it was early. But the book they were reading for English was there, and anything before 1950 always killed Scott's brain.

He snuggled into the pillow that wasn't as good as his pillow but one he had slept on a million times before. An arm flung over him. "Sils," was slurred out.

"Not spending the night alone with Deucalion," Stiles said.

"Mk," Scott hugged him tightly. "Good job, not killing him."

"Thanks, buddy."

Scott rolled over and was snoring. Stiles let the noise soothe him to sleep.

Stiles sat next to his father's hospital bed. "Melissa," he began, paused, "Deucalion is not allowed in this room."

"Understood," she agreed. "Family only."

"Derek or Scott are allowed in," he added, "Family, right?"

She smiled at him. "Family," she agreed as she kissed his head, kissed Noah's head. "He's going to be fine. He's only asleep because we had to drug him hard to get him to sit still and not insist he was fine and could go home to you. He'll be going home in the morning."

"Thanks."

Stiles stared at his dad, it was a relatively minor injury, not even supernatural. A guy high as hell on bad meth had had a hidden knife, his dad had pushed a deputy out of the way, took the hit. Shallow, but long, twenty stitches to close it up. The big concern was infection from the dirty knife, but he was being given a round of broad spectrum antibiotics to be safe.

Just a normal perp, nothing that went bump in the night. It was so easy to forget about normal problems, that he had to stop regularly humans from hurting his dad, not just Deucalion.

There was a knock on the door, and he looked up, gestured for Derek to come in. "Hey, big guy."

Derek sat on the other chair in the room. "I can't pull the pain," he said after a moment.

"The drugs he is on masking it too much?" Stiles could understand that.

"No, you can't pull this type of pain."

"Oh, stabbings are different?" Stiles snarked, then froze when Derek's hand closed on his wrist. "What are you doing?"

"I can't take this pain. I want to, but I can't."

Stiles stared at the hand, "be careful there big guy, or I'll start to think you care about me." He looked at Derek who was glaring at him, but this was a new glare. "Oh shit, you care about me!" He said that a bit too loudly, but luckily his dad didn't wake up. He stared at Derek, who was looking him dead in the eye, still holding his wrist. He opened his mouth, and for the first time ever no words came out. Words never failed him but they were today, that was nuts. This was a word moment and they were stuck in his throat.

"You are a neat and handsome fellow," was what decided to come out.

"I am never letting you forget that you said that," Derek warned.

It was fair, a dick move, but fair. Stiles put his head down on the bed, because he couldn't look at Derek right now.

A hand smoothed his hair down. "I called Duke an asshole so better than me," his dad said, a bit slurred from the drugs.

"Ew god, do not compare the epic love story that Derek and I are about to embark on with the dirty little thing you and the psycho have going on that is going to be done soon anyways," Stiles grumbled. "You got stabbed, you get no opinions on anything."

"Alright, Derek," his dad's head turned a bit. "Get him to go home, I'm fine. Duke can sit with me."

"Like fuck he can," Stiles growled, "we have you. He'll just make it worse."

His dad had already drifted back off again. Which good, he likely wouldn't even remember that he had asked for the guy.

"Epic love story?"

"Shut up," Stiles made a face at Derek who was smirking. "It's gonna be epic, and you are required to text me a thirst trap photo every damn day. No point in having a you, if I don't get to see the goods."

"Do I get photos?"

Stiles snorted, "yeah sure who wants to see all this nonsense."

"I do," Derek grinned at him.

"Oh god, don't be so pretty and nice. Stop that crap right now and take his pain."

Derek's hand reached out, and black lines crawled along his arm. Good, Derek understood that he was supposed to listen to everything that Stiles said, they were starting out strong here. A few hours later, Scott walked in and nudged them out.

"Mom called, said you were looking rough. Don't worry, Stiles, I got our Dad," was said with a smile.

Stiles hugged Scott tightly. "Thanks, man," he squeezed a bit tighter.

"I'm sorry," Scott whispered against him.

"I know," Stiles offered because he did. It was his fault that Scott forgot how important Stiles' dad was to him, because Stiles insisted on keeping everything separate. "All good."

Derek nudged and they headed outside.

The air was just a bit cool because it was two am and he shivered. A leather jacket was placed on his shoulders. "You are going to be just the best boyfriend ever." Derek turned him to where Derek's car was, because yeah Stiles probably shouldn't drive right now. He was going to go but saw something out of the corner of his eye.

Deucalion, sitting on one of the picnic benches, gaze up, at what Stiles knew was his dad's window.

"No," Stiles snarled.

"Stiles," Derek said softly. "You said he wasn't allowed inside, he is listening to that."

"He shouldn't be here at all, it's not like he cares. He's just using dad, I know it. Clear his name, something." Stiles started forward to yell at the guy but he found himself picked up and carried to Derek's car. He struggled for a minute but then realized that Derek was carrying him and he should focus on that. "He is up to something and I will find out what it is and then I will destroy him." Stiles glared at Deucalion over Derek's shoulder and he got a jaunty salute in return. "I will destroy him right now," Stiles swore even as he was buckled into Derek's car.

The whole drive home Stiles explained his top five ways to kill Deucalion, and how he was convinced two of them he could actually pull off. They pulled into the driveway and Stiles was explaining his trained bees game plan, when his words stopped. They stopped because there was a mouth against his mouth.

Because Derek was kissing him.

Derek.

Was.

Kissing.

Him.

He was not going to fuck this up. Stiles stayed very still, except for his mouth; that he moved a bit because it felt like he should. Only Derek eased away and Stiles moved forward to keep him there. Instead he got a nuzzle along his jaw line. "Pack," Derek almost purred. "Mine."

"Yeah, buddy, goddamn right I am," Stiles agreed. "I still get Scott as my best bud right?"

"Of course," Derek agreed.

"Why are you being nice?" Stiles squinted a bit at him. "Like this is nicer than I expected."

"So Jennifer tried to seduce me?" Derek looked awkward. "And uhh, okay so yup. I'll text the rest I am not saying this out loud."

Stiles grabbed him. "Tell me."

"I couldn't get hard for her, because I kept thinking she was too nice."

Stiles blinked. "What? You couldn't…get it up because she was nice? That is a thing you just said Derek." Stiles frowned a bit. "What?" He couldn't put the pieces together.

"I got used to a mouthy brat, who is kind and caring and never shuts up and says stupid stuff and when I jerk off, all I can picture is you at the end of the bed giving a running commentary."

"Wow," Stiles could only nod, "Okay." He needed sexy words right now. "I am sorry penis, my bad."

"And I will never let you forget that sentence either. Go inside and sleep."

"But dick, I need to make it up to your dick," Stiles offered. "Let me make it up to your dick." He could be touching Derek dick. He should be touching Derek dick. But Derek just pointed and Stiles kissed his cheek. Headed into the house. Which was empty, so yeah he absolutely was going to jerk off, and think about Derek.

He woke up to noise downstairs and grabbed his bat. He ran down ready to fuck up whoever thought to break into the sheriff's home, and it was his dad. "Dad, I would have come got you, why did you break out so early?"

"Son, it's eleven," his dad said.

"Oh," Stiles winced. "Did you call?" He felt like shit.

"Duke was there and he called a cab."

"I do think I should go for my driver's license, when I leave here tomorrow I will add that to my list of activities."

"Sure," his dad agreed. "We'll hit a parking lot one of these mornings, let you practice some. Taught Stiles to drive like that."

"He's leaving, Dad, and there are plenty of driver's ed instructors out there that can help him. Do you need pain medication?"

"No, I'm fine, what I want is a shower."

"Not with that bandage," Stiles warned, "not without taping it up." He went and got a garbage bag to cover it, and they always had medical tape in the house.

"Hardly necessary, I'll provide you with a sponge bath, Noah," Deucalion said with a smirk, "I'll make sure you are thoroughly cleaned."

Stiles gagged, "I've got this asshole. Dad and I take care of each other."

"Duke can help me, you don't need to," his dad said and it hurt. Stiles was shocked at how much it hurt. He was being dismissed, ignored.

"Excuse you?" Stiles slammed the garbage bag down. "Why are you picking him to help over me?"

Deucalion turned slowly and his eyes glowed alpha red, "you did not just ask that question." He took a step forward and Stiles braced himself eager, because this would get the alpha kicked out for sure.

"Duke," his dad closed a hand around the back of his neck and the eyes went back to normal. "He's just being a dumbass teen, and you let that shit go."

"He does not get to phrase it like that with zero awareness, after everything he has done to you. And I would like to explain the error of his ways to him."

"But instead you will go up to my bathroom and get it ready to help me." He watched his dad nuzzle at Deucalion's throat, which calmed the alpha down like crazy. There was a nod and Deucalion was gone. "It's Saturday Stiles, go hang with Scott, or the others. Like you usually do, I'm fine. He'll help me clean up, and then I am going to flop on the bed for most of the day."

"Why was he upset?"

"Ignore him," his dad was smiling. Stiles watched his dad come close, and he was hugged. "He doesn't get you gotta let it go when you are a parent. He'll learn."

"When he leaves, he's thinking of having a kid somewhere?"

There was a laugh, "one kid is more than enough for us."

Stiles had no idea what that meant but he squeezed his dad carefully, making sure not to go near the bandages. "I don't like you getting hurt. I can't have anything happen to you."

"I know, it's why I'm not as mad about it as I probably should be."

"You don't make a lot of sense these days." Stiles said. He opened his mouth to tell his dad about Derek, but also the guy was tired and sore. He didn't need to know about the older werewolf deciding to be in love with Stiles.

That could wait.

"Hey, Dad, after school, I'm headed to Scott's," Stiles said over breakfast, "we've got a stupid social studies project we want to finish up. Figured we'd then movie marathon and I would just crash there. The world of evil, other than Deucalion here, is being nice and quiet, so we want to do it up old school."

"That sounds great kid, Melissa home?"

"No, she has a night shift, means we can get loud as we murder those east coast assholes in our mmo game after we finish movies."

"Let me go hit my sock drawer, get you some money for pizza," his dad offered with a grin, "nice to see you being a kid instead of weight of the world."

Stiles gave finger guns to his dad, as his dad hurried away.

"Interesting gambit, lying in front of an alpha werewolf," Deucalion said from his chair. Not that the rat bastard had a chair, it just so happened that at breakfast he sat in the same spot. Every damn day, three months now the jerkass homer had been there. Still swearing he was leaving. And he never fucking left. "That is particularly a choice. But Scott is an effective cover for you while you go over to Derek's to make out."

"We don't make out," Stiles muttered.

"Well you certainly aren't having sex yet, you only ever smell of your own come. Which honestly I am a bit concerned with how much you masturbate." Deucalion was smirking at him, "are you using lotion or lube, you don't want cock skin to chafe."

Stiles nodded and in a calm flat voice said, "I hate you more than I knew I was capable of hating a person. And I know Harris." They stared at each other. "Are you going to tell him I am lying?"

"No," Deucalion gave a nod that he supposed the guy thought looked gracious but just made him even more of a snobby asshole, "it will allow us to meet Chris and Peter at the bar, and your father will have three beers. With you not in the house, he'll be able to enjoy himself more when he fucks me. He has been stifling his voice a lot in respect of you. I miss the things he says, the way he shouts. So you out of the house tonight serves my ends quite nicely. Have a good time with Derek."

Stiles felt a bit faint at all the information in that sentence. Before he could format a response, his dad had returned and was handing him forty bucks. "Here you go, kid. Have a great night hanging out with Scott."

"Yeah," he kinda felt like a slug at how happy his dad looked at him being a normal teenager. But it was also normal to sneak out to see your boyfriend. He glanced at Deucalion who wasn't even smirking, was grinning at him.

"I'll text Peter, see if he and Chris want to meet us at the bar tonight," Deucalion said.

"Oh shit, that'd be fun," his dad agreed. "Need to remind Chris for all his talents, I'm better hands on a stick."

Stiles choked on his morning coffee because what the fuck? "Dad?"

"What?" his dad gave him a blank look, before glancing at the stove clock. "Crap, meeting with the mayor, gotta go." There was a ruffle to his hair and a wave to Deucalion, then his dad was gone.

"What the fuck did he mean by that?" Stiles glared at Deucalion. "Are you all having an orgy?"

"We play pool, Stiles, and your father is the best of us. Incredible hand eye coordination. But you put forth an interesting idea."

"I did what now?" Stiles stared at the alpha in horror. "I did nothing. His back cannot handle that much going on. Not that there is going on. You sick bastard making me now think about things." He glared and stalked out of the kitchen.

He fumed all day at school and he and Scott hit Deaton's to work on the project while Scott put in a few hours because he needed the money for a part for his bike. He texted Derek that there was a change in plans, he wasn't coming over that night.

Derek asked if everything was okay and Stiles explained he needed to stop an orgy. He then texted the whole damn pack and within an hour he walked into the house all smug. "Hey, Dad, change of plans?"

"Oh?" he dad was at the dining table, files spread out, clearly making notes. "Take a look at this."

Stiles sat and read the file. He grunted and started to make notes himself. "Scott's mom is painting a room and the smell was driving us crazy. Sleepover here, if that is cool. And the betas overheard me, so epic pack sleepover tonight."

"Forty bucks won't cover all the pizza that is needed," was his dad's response. "Go grab a bit more from the drawer."

That that was his dad's only reaction to half a dozen supernatural creatures crashing in his house was why he loved the guy so damn much.

"I have it covered," Deucalion said and money was pulled from his wallet. "Should I cancel our night out?"

"No, they know not to destroy the house and I was looking forward to it," his dad smiled at Deucalion.

Stiles hated that soft smile, he remembered his dad looking at his mom like that. "Good last night for you, since alpha asshole is leaving in the morning right?"

He watched his dad close his eyes for a moment, his shoulders slump. There was a knock on the door and Stiles went to get it. He grinned at how much of the pack was there. "Hey, guys!" He herded them all into the living room. His dad was sweeping up files from the table, packing them away from civilian eyes. "I can help," he offered.

"Hang out with your pack," his dad said. "Were the twins invited?"

"Who?" Stiles blanked for a moment. "No? They haven't been in school actually." Huh, he hadn't really thought about it.

"I sent them to England," Deucalion said, "I offered to train them, but since the local pack made it clear they were reluctant to embrace them, I wanted them to have security, and I sent them to a pack I trust. My cousin is taking good care of them."

His dad was frowning at all of them, and it was powerful enough heads were ducked, "Oh we'll be having a talk later," he warned them.

"Yes, sir," Scott winced. "I'm sorry, Dad."

"I know, and I know it wasn't you on your own." There was a sigh, "am I supposed to fuss about co-ed sleepovers?" He was staring at the girls. "Nah, I can't be bothered," was the decision.

The bell rang and Stiles frowned because everyone was here already.

His dad disappeared and came back a moment later with Derek who had several pizza boxes stacked in his hands.

"I may have mentioned this to him," Isaac offered as explanation.

"Hi?" Derek said. "I can drop this off and leave."

"Or you could stay, hang out, sleepover," Stiles said, the words slurring together at how quickly he said them. "If you wanted."

"Hmm," his dad said and was staring between them.

Shit. He tried for an innocent smile.

Derek just looked awkward. Slightly constipated honestly, and someone needed to say something. The something was Scott's stomach growling which was enough to distract everyone. Movement happened and people were grabbing pizza, paper towels functioning as plates.

A movie was put on and no one was paying attention to it.

He eventually looked up and realized there was no Dad and no Deucalion. They must have gone on their date. And since they were gone, he let himself lean against Derek. "Glad you came over too," Stiles said. An arm was put over his shoulder and nothing was said. That was fine, it was more than fine as he snuggled in.

He hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep until he felt a blanket being draped over him where he was asleep on top of Derek. Stiles blinked blearily, "thanks, Dad," he said.

"No I don't think we will do that," was the reply and he realized that it was Deucalion covering them up, his dad tossing blankets over where Erica and Boyd were sprawled on the floor.

Stiles wanted to protest but he was too sleepy and Derek was too warm. "Hate you, won't miss you when you leave tomorrow," he said to Deucalion and drifted off, Derek a better pillow than his pillow.

"I am aware," was the reply.

In the morning he scowled as Deucalion made breakfast for everyone and they all thanked him. He was sure it was poison, but no one seemed to be getting sick. He ate one pancake to be polite.

Bastard made perfect fluffy pancakes.

Rat bastard.

Stiles sat at the kitchen table as his dad handed him a bowl of soup. "Where's the alpha?" He thought about it. "Wait, where is he?" He perked up, "did he leave?" He looked around. "Wait wait wait. He hasn't smirked at me, or said something obnoxious to me in a couple days, now that I think about it. Shit, he finally stopped his bullshit and left, like he promised?"

"No," his dad said. "I kicked him out."

Stiles beamed, "really, you finally got over whatever midlife crisis this was? I am so proud of you." He hugged his dad. "I knew if I just kept quiet and was supportive you would come to your senses."

That got him a snort. "Quiet, sure we can go with that." His dad sat and was eating his soup. "So, wanna hit a movie this weekend?"

"Oh, no, can't," Stiles said, "lacrosse extra practice, and then pack meeting." He ate a bit. It was quiet. It was weird how quiet it was, without Deucalion to snark at. "Sunday brunch at the diner?" He offered.

"That sounds great," his dad smiled at him. "Haven't done that in forever."

"Perfect," Stiles agreed. And his dad was being a goof exaggerating, because they had had brunch not too long ago, Stiles knew it.

At the pack meeting that night, Derek idly suggested Stiles could stay a bit longer, and well Stiles wasn't going to say no to that. They weren't doing a lot yet, taking it slow but fuck he was getting addicted to sleeping Derek's arms. He texted that he was crashing at Scott's and that just got a thumb's up and a meet you at the diner at 10:30.

And Stiles got so busy making out with Derek that he forgot to set an alarm. It was only when he got up needing to pee that he realized it was already 10:15.

"I need you to break every speed law," Stiles shouted as he had the world's quickest shower.

Derek nodded confused but always willing to help, because he was stupid like that. Stiles careened out of the building and into Derek's car. He would drive himself but there was dew on the jeep which meant it would take nine minutes to start and he didn't have time for that. Of course the diner was at the opposite end of town from Derek's loft, but the guy took Stiles seriously, and Stiles knew where all the speed traps were in town, so they were only fifteen minutes late.

It was fine, his dad always sat at the counter, and would just assume Stiles was running late. But of course his dad was at the front booth right in the window and saw Stiles bolt out of Derek's car. "Dude, run while you can," Stiles hissed, protecting Derek.

For once Derek didn't even say don't call me dude, just got the hell out of there.

Stiles was headed to the door but his dad held up his hand and some money was put on the table. He watched his dad walked out and met him at the curb.

"How long?"

Stiles thought about playing dumb or being sarcastic, but there was a look on his dad's face that had him bite that answer back. "Since the night you were stabbed."

"So a few months then," his dad nodded a bit and that look got worse. He still couldn't place it. "Okay." His dad was walking to his truck. "Jeep wouldn't start this morning with the dew on it, I assume. I'll drop you there so you can get it."

"Dad?" Stiles asked.

His dad didn't say anything just got into his truck. Stiles climbed in next to him. "We can go in first, have brunch. I'll tell you everything." The laugh that got from his dad, hurt. Like it actively made pain arc across Stiles' skull, press down his spine. There was not a single drop of humour in that laugh.

The silence was painful as they pulled up to the building and Stiles sat there in the truck, tried to figure out what to say. "I didn't want to jinx it," was what he said.

"I am assuming everyone but me knew?"

Stiles bit his lip, almost hard enough to bleed. "I'm sorry."

"No, I don't think you are," his dad said. "I think you are just sorry it broke like this. I need to go for a drive. I will see you back at the house at some point, I guess."

"Dad," Stiles began and reached out. He whined like the animals he ran with when his dad flinched away from his touch. "Daddy," he whispered. His stomach hurt.

"See you later, Stiles."

Stiles got out of the truck, and stumbled into the loft, his dad didn't even wait to see if he got in okay. He made it upstairs and Derek had the door to the loft open before Stiles was anywhere near it. He felt himself being picked up and he was on Derek's lap, on the couch. A hand ran up and down his back as he sat and leaned.

He whimpered a bit, but he didn't cry, this honestly hurt too much to cry.

"How mad was he?"

Stiles just shook his head because this was so far passed mad, he didn't even know what it was. He wasn't sure how much time had gone by, when the loft door swung open.

"He didn't know?" was shouted and Stiles winced.

"Peter, shut up, he's in a bad spot," Derek said and Stiles winced as arms tightened protectively around him.

"No, I don't think I will," Peter growled and was sitting on the table in front of him. "After all the secrets and lies, you kept this from him? A thing of joy." Peter's glance shifted up, "And you were okay with that?"

"Not especially, but Stiles needed it, so I went along with it."

"You made me complicit in lying to my friend," Peter snapped. "When we were out drinking and I spoke about the two of you, do you know what he would say?"

"That he hated it?" Stiles said, because he knew the answer.

"No Stiles, he was actually plotting on how to get the two of you together, because he thought you were both oblivious to each other's feelings?" Peter was glaring at him. "And I was confused because the two of you were together, but I figured he meant that he could tell you hadn't fucked yet, and wanted you to know he was fine with whatever happened. But no, it turns out you were keeping this from him."

Stiles had never seen Peter look at him like he did the rest of the teens. A lot of derision and disappointment. "Look —"

"And him finding out after what he did for you?" Peter shook his head. "I don't even want to look at you."

"What he did?" Derek asked.

"He told Duke to leave, that even though he was falling stupid in love with the man, that he was picturing everything with the guy, that Stiles wasn't warming up and he only had so much longer with Stiles until Stiles was off to school. He said, he was done, that Duke was it for him, but he understood that since he was asking the man to leave that Deucalion might not wait for him until you left for school had time away and to grow into the idea." Peter got way too close and his eyes flashed blue. "He gave up on his personal happiness for you, only to find out you've been lying to him. Yet again. And the worst part is, not the lying but that everyone else got to know, but not him."

"Stiles," Derek's voice sounded rough, choked a bit, "Stiles."

"I'll fix it," Stiles swore. "I will. I didn't want him to say I couldn't see Derek, and I didn't want him to say it when I figured Derek would clue in anyways that he wasn't in love with me so why ruin the time I had?" He looked at Peter. "He didn't love that rat bastard, it was just the first time he got laid since Mom. Once he has breathing space, he'll realize it was just a fling."

Peter roared and Stiles flinched at the noise. Peter didn't say another word, just left.

And then Derek eased out from under him, was cupping his face. Boyfriend would make it all better now. "You fucked up so much, Stiles. We are talking Scott fucking Allison and letting the Kanima escape levels of fuck up. No? Honestly more."

"Hey," Stiles protested, "this is not that bad."

Derek's hands were gentle and the eyebrows were angry. "Stiles, stop. I get it you are seventeen, and an idiot. But you need to stop and look at all of this from your dad's perspective. Because what he has, is a son he adores more than anything on the planet who lied to him for over a year, while everyone around him got to figure it out and be a part of it. And because he adores you more than anything on the planet, he could tell you were lying to him. Because of that he went and intended to have a random hook up. Only that random hook up treated him nice, let him forget all the horror and pain he has had to see without understanding it over that last year. That guy saved your life, saved your father's life, made him feel like a person and was the first of any of us to be honest about the world that your dad was now in. Then you spend the next few months vocally hating the guy who gave that to your dad, all the while lying about your own relationship."

Stiles felt all the blood drain from his face as Derek talked because yeah, when it was all laid out like that it was all kinds of awful. He was awful. "Deucalion can't be serious about being good, about being with my dad like that."

"Stiles, do you get every time you say that out loud you are suggesting your dad isn't worth changing for? That your dad isn't actually a good enough guy for Deucalion to want?"

"What?" Stiles screeched, "How the hell do you get to that? It is about Deucalion not being good enough for my dad!" He got up and pointed, "I am willing to admit I have fucked up here, but that? That is just crazy talk. You are a crazy person. I need to go home, talk to my dad. I'll text you later." Stiles left, the jeep ready to start now. He got home and the front door was wide open.

Stiles grabbed the baseball bat, approached the porch, "Dad?" he called out. The truck wasn't on the driveway or on the street, and it wouldn't be in the garage because that was full of stuff from the guest room that his dad had decided to paint. "Hey, whoever is robbing us, one can't you tell we have nothing to rob, and two, what dumbass robs the sheriff's house?"

"Now now, I don't know if I would call me a dumbass," Gerard said from the doorway. "How about you come inside, Stiles? We should talk. We have something in common right now. An enemy. They do make strange bedfellows don't they?"

"I'm good right here," Stiles said.

"Now," Gerard said and pulled out the gun.

Stiles was fast, but not faster than a bullet and he knew Gerard even as kind of gross the guy was looking would still have good aim. He went up on the porch, "looking a little rough there, Murder Grandpa. Crying shame. How much pain are you in?"

"I would imagine it is comparable to what I visited on you a few months ago."

A clammy hand clasped his neck and dragged him into the house. He looked around but there were none of the tell tale signs of his dad. "What did you do to my dad?"

"Nothing, I honestly expected him home, but he hasn't appeared. The scanner didn't suggest a problem, I don't know why he isn't here. Unless of course he has a rendezvous planned with Deucalion?"

"They broke up. Duke left." Stiles cursed as he was backhanded. Guy might look rough but still packed a punch. "What was that for?"

"So casual with a murderous alpha, nicknames. I thought you understood what a threat he was."

"Not in comparison to you." Stiles snapped without thinking and paused, "oh shit, that's true. He isn't even remotely as evil as you. Fuck, that hurts. That's gonna hurt longer than that piss poor hit you just gave me." The next hit Gerard gave him, definitely was not piss poor. But Stiles didn't care. "Fuck, dude, I'm the bad guy here. My dad was happy, a thing he hasn't had in forever, and I ruined it like I was a fucking toddler. Fuck, I'm going to have to find Deucalion and apologize to him. Nothing you throw at me, is going to sting like that. Also, dumbass, I'm Hale property now, so like how do you think beating the shit out of me is going to go for you?" This time a punch to the gut, which joke was on Gerard when it made Stiles puke on him.

"You think they can get to you, ringed the house with mountain ash. Who is going to save you?" Gerard laughed. "Your father hates you, you know. How could he not? A smart mouthed, useless, cruel child like you? What do you have to recommend you? You willingly choose to fornicate with animals."

"Uh, wow, okay there. One, haven't actually, but he has, so like that would be one hell of a stone he would be throwing." Gerard frowned as he realized he had miscalculated there. Stiles took satisfaction in that. Less satisfaction in the elbow drop that had him hitting the ground, which in turn got him a kick to the gut.

"True. I wonder if your father knows though the full truth about the Hales? The full truth about Deucalion? The full truth of everything you have done recently?"

Stiles couldn't mouth off to that because his dad didn't, because Stiles had been selfish and wanted the guy safe. But it hadn't worked, his dad had been in danger, and it had been his fault.

"Does he know just what a horrid, little, troublesome brat you are?"

"Yeah, I have a good idea, he takes after me."

Stiles looked up at his dad's voice and saw as the man swung Stiles' dropped baseball bat, and connected hard with Gerard's head. The thud was a horrific sound, soft and hard at the same time. Gerard went down and Stiles' eyes went huge as his dad swung a few more times. When his dad straightened there was brain matter on the bat.

He watched his dad pull out his phone. "Hey, Peter, need your help dealing with a body. Yeah, in our living room. Gerard. So maybe don't bring Chris to help." His dad made some yes and no noises and then hung up. He dropped the bat on the ground next to the corpse and was kneeling in front of him. "Stiles? Stiles, how many fingers am I holding up?"

"You killed him."

"Of course I did, he hurt you twice. There is no coming back from that. Fingers, Stiles?"

"Three," Stiles stared at him. "You don't hate me."

"When could I ever hate you? Stiles, you are everything to me. Am I pissed at you, yes, but no matter how frustrated, or angry I get with you, I will never stop loving you."

"Derek and I haven't boinked yet." Stiles groaned. "I meant fucked."

"Perhaps, but you said boink and I will make fun of you forever for that. Also the timing of that confession." His dad was smiling, "we're going to be okay. Now Peter and I will deal with Gerard's body."

"It just shit itself."

"I am aware. We will deal with the body, you deal with the stains, okay?"

"I can do that," Stiles agreed. "Also need to deal with the mountain ash around the house. Probably now, if you want Peter to help you move a corpse." He stood up and avoided looking at Gerard's body. "Dad? Did you love Deucalion?"

"Love you more, and we need to get us right. I need to convince you that you can trust me, and that was never going to happen if he was here. Easy choice to make."

Easy choice to make. Stiles nodded. "I love you, Dad." He went outside and broke the mountain ash line in a few places and would grab the shop vac later. Peter pulled up, and had a bag with him, gloves already on. It was handy having a friend who was used to dealing with corpses. "After you help Dad, I need your help too."

"Why should I?" Peter asked. It was clear that Peter was still pissed at him, and honestly that was valid.

"Because I'm fixing it. I'm fixing it all."

Peter was watching him, and eventually there was a nod. "Alright," was the only thing said. Peter went into the house and he could hear the men talking. Stiles continued around the house, getting rid of the mountain ash. Luckily Gerard had been in a rush and it wasn't a full circle, just on window sills, doorways. Once he was back around the front, he froze.

"Chris, I don't think you should be here?" Stiles went over to the man who was just standing there. Waiting. "You should go home."

"I need to know, to see."

"No, you don't," Stiles said. He touched Chris' arm. "I promise, he is dead, you don't come back from what my dad did to him."

Eyes snapped to him, rage and grief, confusion all jumbled up, "I should have been the one to do it. It shouldn't have fallen to your father, not after everything we've put him through." A hand reached up and wiped at his face. Guess there was blood from the hits he took. "I'm sorry Stiles."

"It's okay," Stiles promised. Chris started to move forward and Stiles got in his way. "Hey, question." Now he needed to think of a question. Actually, he had one, "How is Allison okay with you dating Peter Hale?"

"She doesn't love it, but she trusts me. It helps that we tend to go out or to Peter's place, to give her space, to feel safe in the apartment." Chris smirked a bit, "It also gives her time to sneak Isaac in."

Stiles was going to ignore that to protect his friend, he was not now, nor would he ever be, a snitch. "Are you are okay dating a being of pure evil?"

"Now now, he is only 60% evil, 25% self centered and involved, 10% sarcastic diva, and 5% a good man. I can work with that 5%." Chris shrugged, "and he knows my line in the sand. He ever kills someone without reason, I will take him down." Chris' eyes moved and Stiles nudged his chin because he could hear the footsteps. "Why do they have a couple bags?"

"Eyes on me, Chris," Stiles said firmly. They knew why there were multiple bags, easier to deal with a body in parts than lug the whole of it. "He's Peter, he'll never be all the way good."

"None of us will be, Stiles. You don't live in this world and get to be the good guy. No matter what Scott tries to think."

"Love that about him," Stiles said with a bit of a smile. "My dad is a good man." He was really ignoring what was going on behind them. "I didn't want to hurt that, change that."

"He isn't a good man, he's the best of us," Chris corrected gently. "And I am going to help them now." Stiles felt himself hugged. "You are going to be a great man too, you are just right now a fucking idiot, because you are seventeen."

Stiles had to laugh a bit at that as Chris moved to help them. The cars all drove off, and he went inside. Time to grab some bleach. He needed to get the floor clean.

The next day he ditched school, waiting at the gas station and Peter pulled up. "How much you charging?"

"Fifty for mouth, a hundred for ass, two hundred for bare," Stiles joked back. "And yes I'm worth it."

Peter's grin was sharp, "in a different world, you and I would have been everything."

"Yeah, it would have been epic, but I'm stuck loving Derek for the rest of my life, what can you do?" Stiles slid into the car. "So how far has he gotten?"

"Really far," Peter said and drove them to the Holiday Inn and Suites. They went in, up to the top floor, and Peter knocked on a door while Stiles waited around the corner. "I have some intel you need," he called in a normal voice.

The door swung open, "I can hear his damned heartbeat, Peter, this is a poor gambit."

Okay yeah, that was on Stiles. Peter had said just come to the door, and Stiles had thought, he didn't even know what he thought. "Hey," Stiles said casually as he came around the corner.

There was a low growl, and eyes that flashed red. Stiles was fairly certain that Peter would keep him alive. Mostly. Probably. A clawed hand touched his jaw. "Who did this?" was said around fangs. "They are dead. Just give me the name, and it will be dealt with."

What the fuck? "What the fuck?" Stiles said, thoroughly confused. He was tugged into the hotel room, and Peter followed, closed the door after him. Stiles felt pain being drawn. "Dude, I'm fine, not the first time Gerard laid into me."

There was a snarl, "Gerard touched Noah's son?" The eyes went to Peter, "you and I need to hunt."

"I'm a dick to you, like honestly the worst, why do you look like you need to go to war?" Stiles was dumbfounded. "You hate me, like how I hate you."

"I don't hate you. I find you obnoxious, nowhere near as clever as you think you are. You smell like hormones and need and come because you masturbate way too much for a man that has a boyfriend and could be doing that at his place. Which trust me, that combination gives me a headache, and I just want you to shut up for five fucking minutes. You talk about wikipedia articles in your sleep, but only tiny snippets of information which confuse me and then I spend five hours on the damned webpage looking it up to understand it. You hurt your father, the only person in the world I give a damn about, and I want to kill you for it, but then you grin at him, and he lights up, and I let you live just so that I can see that smile of his. And it would kill him if anything happened to you, so I will rend heaven and hell themselves apart to make sure you are fine, so that he never suffers a second of fear over your safety and life. Hate is too simple a word for everything I feel for you, Stiles. Now where is Gerard, I will see it handled."

Stiles stood there, numb, lost, and turned when Peter did a slow applause.

"Man, no one monologues like you, Duke. Seriously, it's why I seduced you at that summit. All those pretty impassioned words made me want to drop to my knees."

"You did, I do hope you are better than you were back then."

"Come on, not in front of my nephew," Peter huffed, "and I was nineteen, of course I am better now. Though mostly it is Chris on his knees. Man really does like to have other people in charge of him."

"Does he now? Interesting."

"Really not interesting," Stiles chimed in because frankly he was scared what he might find out about his dad and how much Deucalion bosses him around, because no way did mister evil alpha ever go down.

"Don't worry, Stiles," Peter soothed, "I can smell the sex on your dad, he is really happy and pleased with how he and Duke here are in the bedroom."

"This is your revenge isn't it?" Stiles scowled at him. "I fucking hate you so much." Peter just smiled and he didn't want to know, he didn't but also, "He's not hurting, Dad? Like you know…there?" Stiles knew he was flame red.

"Oh sweet boy, your dad turned Deucalion into the most needy bottom there ever was," Peter reassured. "I am not joking when I say your father is so good at blowing Duke's back out that that was what turned him back to the path of morality and goodness. It is almost impressive. Wonder if we should just have Noah fuck all the big bads that roll into town, would save us a lot of trouble."

Stiles watched as Deucalion pushed Peter against the wall, got right in his face, "do not ever suggest another will touch my mate in that way, again. How would you feel if we put Chris's ass up for evil to fuck. There is likely far better evil than you that would enjoy it."

Stiles watched the two wolves snarl at each other and it was over dads. It was so wrong and also he had just learned so much he didn't want to know. But he was glad, or not glad, but relieved to know his dad was fine in the whole bed department thing. "Okay, so here is the deal," Stiles called out, "you need to come back."

"I'm sorry?" Deucalion looked at him, as he let Peter go. "I fail to understand."

"Okay, maybe not back back, could you like get an apartment wherever Peter lives, and date my dad like a normal person? Away from me where I don't have to see it?" He felt that was a decent compromise, because that was what Peter and Chris were doing.

"No," Deucalion said, and that was it.

Stiles waited, but nope seemed that was all he was going to say. He looked to Peter for help, because Stiles was trying here dammit.

"Tell him, Duke," Peter said.

There was a sigh, "I have an excess of power in me. When I call myself an apex predator I mean it. It is not posturing, it is truth. And that power has consequences."

And that was it. Somehow he was supposed to put a whole lot together from a couple of sentences. And Peter was miming fishing. Like that was going to help. "Oh shit," it did help, "my dad is your anchor." The glare that Deucalion gave him was molten. "My dad is your Jiminy Cricket." He pointed and laughed, "you can only be a real boy because my dad is there to remind you of right and wrong."

"Mostly he fucks me into complacency. He makes it so I am too satisfied to think of anything untoward."

Stiles stopped laughing. "Oh fuck off," he cursed. "Ugh, why are you just so you?" He paced a bit. "Fine, just fine. Come home."

"No," Deucalion said, "I will not hurt him by returning to our fighting, your insults. It was wearing him down piece by piece, and I do not want to harm him like that."

"And I do?" Stiles snapped. Both Deucalion and Peter gave him pointed looks. Stiles groaned and grew up a bit under those gazes, "Yeah, I guess I do." He went and sat at the table in the room. "Look, Mom was perfect. She made him so happy until it all went rough. He was so in love with her he didn't date again until you. I'm not saying he remained celibate until you, I don't know, but I do know no one mattered to him again until you. A murderous werewolf, the alpha of alphas," Stiles couldn't meet either of their gazes. "Everything I was trying to protect him from, he was out there choosing."

"That is the funny thing about free will and humanity isn't it?" Deucalion sat across from him. "People never do what you expect them to."

"Here is a wacky idea, Stiles, you could try talking to your dad, trusting him?" Peter said.

"And when it all goes to shit, and he decides to drown himself again?" Stiles challenged. "What happens when one day it is too much and Dad becomes who he was after Mom died? What then?"

"Then it happens," Peter said, "Stiles, you can't control every what if. You just deal with the moment in front of you, then the next, then the next. Because you are only preparing for the worst case scenario."

"Sure, it's Beacon Hills," Stiles replied.

"But what if, it isn't the worst, what if it is the best, or in reality what if it simply just is? Not best, not worst, just the every day?" Peter pointed out.

"Don't be right, it isn't a good look on you."

"Have you seen me, Stiles? Everything is a good look on me."

Stiles flipped Peter off. "I need a few days of he and I. Where I'm actually honest with him. And we talk things out. If you come back now, I won't change, I'll just fall into the same patterns."

"I'm paid up for the rest of the week."

"Nah, you'll come hang at my place," Peter said. "This hotel smells like mildew. Well hidden mildew, but it is there."

"I have no interest in a three-way with you and Chris, it is all four of us or nothing," Deucalion warned.

Stiles stared at them, waited for them to laugh. They weren't so he did, "Hahahahaha, what a funny joke. That was completely a joke, so I don't have to kill either or both of you. You laugh now." He glared at them and then both wolves gave an awkward fake chuckle.

"We have reached an accord, and time with Peter will allow me to deal with Gerard."

"Dad already took care of Gerard."

"He mentioned that it was mostly for Stiles, but that he was also glad he got to kill the guy for what he had done to you, Duke."

Stiles watched everything about Deucalion soften at that declaration, which fuck the wolf really did love his dad. He had seen that look on the guy's face so many times and had just ignored it. "Three days, give me and my dad three days alone, then you can like move in or whatever. But I still reserve the right to shove mountain ash up your ass if you so much as look cross eyed at my father."

He watched Deucalion open his mouth, but then pause. "Agreed," was all he said instead of something gross or smug.

Stiles held out his hand and they shook an accord reached. Peter drove Stiles to the station and Stiles took a few breaths and walked into his dad's office.

"Well that explains the call I got from the school," was what he was greeted with.

Stiles closed the door after himself and walked up to his dad's desk. "Dad? I'm dating Derek Hale and I am stupid in love with him, and we sleep together, but just sleep because as horny as I am, I'm not actually ready for sex?"

His dad watched him for a moment. "I'll flex a few hours. Let's go home and talk." Stiles went around the desk and hugged his dad. "We're going to be okay," his dad said against his temple. "Just you and me."

"We're gonna be great," Stiles replied and he shouldn't keep secrets anymore, but also this one seemed okay.

Three days later he followed his dad when the man went to open the door to see who was knocking. When it was Deucalion, he got to see the smile on his dad's face, properly saw it, properly acknowledged it.

It was going to be okay.

The next morning the three of them sat at the breakfast table and it was almost pleasant.

"I fear I will be around the house a little less, I have gained employment," Deucalion said. "It should be an interesting experience. It is a temporary fill in for a maternity leave, three months, but still a good first go at working."

"That sounds great," Stiles said to be supportive and he got a shoulder squeeze from his dad in appreciation. "What is it?"

"I will be the library assistant at your school," Deucalion smiled at them, "it pays very little, but I am rich and do not need the money, and you will feel better Noah if someone is there watching over the children. Too much happens at that school, and I can provide aid in ways Peter and Derek cannot."

"That's a great idea, Duke," his dad was beaming. "I love it. And you do love books."

"Great," Stiles smiled, "just great."

"Isn't it?" Stupid rat bastard had that stupid rat bastard smirk on his face. "I can also keep an eye on Natalie Martin."

"Shit, what did Lydia's mom do?" Stiles had really mixed feelings about the woman.

There was a huff from his father, "she was just being polite, Duke, it was nothing."

"A shoulder touch and a head tilt is not nothing, and I will make sure she understands that."

Oh god, the alpha of alphas was jealous. That was actually hilarious. "I need to go to school."

"Indeed, as do I, we can carpool together, Stiles," Duke said.

"Sure, great," Stiles choked out. He grabbed his phone and texted Derek.

/if you love me you'll kill Duke today. I have seventeen dollars and my rocking bod which is yours if you do it/

There were the little dots moving, and he waited hopefully.

/I do love you, and can have you whenever I want you. He is giving me and the betas sensory lessons tomorrow night. Can I kill him after that?/

/true love is dead/

Stiles pocketed his phone. "Okay let's go, embrace this new fresh hell."

He ignored the kiss that his dad gave Deucalion, returned the hug they got and went to the jeep. He frowned when it started smoothly.

"I disliked the sound it was making when you turned it on. I supplied the money, and Derek replaced the appropriate parts."

"Oh. Thanks, Duke," Stiles said after a moment.

He drove them to the school and when they got out of the jeep he sighed, "Have a good first day, or whatever."

"I appreciate that, Stiles," was the reply and it was sincere.

And look Stiles didn't especially like the guy but it was pretty hilarious when at the end of the day Duke's voice came over the P.A. system and did a full villain monologue about what would happen to the student body if he found another empty condom wrapper used as a bookmark again.

When they headed out, his dad was leaning against the cruiser, and Derek was sitting on the hood of the jeep.

"I do believe my ride is here," Deucalion said, "remember your curfew, Stiles," was added.

"Yeah yeah, Pops," Stiles said and both he and Deucalion froze and stared at each other. "That did not happen," he pointed a finger at Duke and hoped the look on his face was terrifying.

"Indeed, that was deeply unpleasant for both of us," Duke shuddered a bit and hurried away to Stiles' dad and they headed out together.

Stiles turned and Derek was grinning at him. "Not a fucking word," he warned the guy.

"Oh, I have a million of them," Derek replied, "because I am never letting you forget that."

"Shut up."

"Make me," Derek replied as he hopped down off the hood.

Stiles leaned forward and kissed Derek. "How's that?"

"A good start, we should continue this discussion back at the loft."

"We really should."

"I'll make sure you get home before curfew," Derek swore.

Stiles did not find that funny.

But yeah fine, that night he was home ten minutes before curfew and he didn't say a damned word when it was Duke awake making sure he got in as his dad snored in his armchair.

Rat bastard becoming family. It sucked.

But also perhaps wasn't the worst.