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He calls her Sparkles.
He eyes were constantly glazed and her tongue lolled out of her mouth. It was both fitting and terribly ironic.
Derek has a dry sense of humour.
When they first met, she slobbered on his forearm and licked his ear.
He was smitten.
-
He took her home to mixed reviews.
Peter had doubled over with laughter and only stopped when Derek' growled and threatened bodily harm.
Cora rolled her eyes and did her best to ignore Sparkles but when she thought Derek wasn't looking she scratched behind her ears and beamed at the pup.
Sparkles just grins lazily through the whole thing.
Stupid dog, Derek thinks fondly as he strokes through her chocolate fur.
-
Contrary to what everyone says, Derek did set boundaries.
No watching Derek pee.
Sparkles had taken to following him everywhere. Including the toilet. When he locked her out, she whined until he put her potty in the bathroom. So they had a synchronised bladder system? If she was pissing she couldn't very well watch him.
No sleeping on Derek's bed.
The first week tested Derek's patience. Time and time again, he'd pick up her soft sleeping body and dump her back in her bed only to wake up with a mouthful of fur.
Eventually he decided he appreciated the warmth. Still a win in his book.
No licking Derek's face.
Unhygenic-
Lick.
Stupid-
Lick.
Damn-
Lick.
Pup-
He just tells himself she's bored. That she can't smell his pain, or taste his tears as she nuzzles his face.
-
Sparkles was an ignorant pup. And it was endearing. The way she'd just tilt her head when he threw a stick, as if to say 'The fuck?'.
She didn't run much, she was clever that way. Only if Derek was running with her.
It was exhilarating. He rarely used a leash on her.
When he was bent with his hands on his knees, panting after miles of the sprint, she'd tumble into him, making him fall before slobbering all over him.
Like he said, it was endearing.
Refreshing.
-
The first time Scott and Stiles met her was on a Saturday evening, discussing strategies.
Stiles caught sight of her as he came up the stairs and immediately his face broke out into a grin.
"Who's a pretty pup?!" He cried, in that stupid, condescending baby voice. Derek expected her to just brush him off as she had done to pretty much everyone that wasn't Derek.
Needless to say, he was kind of shocked when she bounded into his arms and licked at his face energetically.
He was a mix of turned on and jealous and it seriously upset his mind.
Scott tried his best to ignore her, choosing to keep his composure and not go berserk over her epic cuteness. (She was damn cute okay.)
He completely failed when she rested a heavy head on his lap and looked up with those god forsaken puppy eyes.
Scott's hand itched forward and a smile creeped on his face.
He was a goner.
-
"So she uh- she sleeps with you, huh?" Stiles asks from his place, perched against Derek's bedroom.
Derek blinks at him groggily, not caring that he was half naked and that Sparkles ass was in his face.
God damn pup.
"Yup."
"Why? Aren't you supposed to train them otherwise?"
Derek rubs at his eyes and shoves Sparkles off his chest onto his pillow.
"She doesn't like me sleeping alone." He says quietly, not entirely sure why he told Stiles that.
Stiles looks shocked, eyes flitting from Derek's face to his bundle of chocolate brown fur.
"That's very sweet," He whispers, gaze softening and a small smile appearing. It wasn't patronising. It wasn't demeaning.
It was almost private. Intimate.
Stiles clears his throat and disappears before Derek can say anything.
-
He's not eaves dropping.
It's his home.
It's his fucking dog.
His position may be somewhat suspicious, crouched by the door of the hall but he liked it here. There was a nice breeze?
"You're good for him." Stiles says as he strokes Sparkles head. She makes an inquisitive noise at him and slumps her head back on his chest. Stiles laughs.
"I know, I know. But I can't. He doesn't want me. Besides you're the one keeping him warm."
She licks his face and Stiles throws his head back, letting out a beautiful peal of laughter.
Derek swallows and walks on shaky legs back to his room.
-
It's late. Nearly one in the morning.
Stiles is on his fourth cup of coffee, still looking over their notes.
Scott left at eleven, something about his mom. Peter had been coming and going but had stopped for the last twenty minutes.
It's just him and Stiles.
And Sparkles of course.
"It's pretty late." Derek says, hesitantly because he still doesn't know how to talk around Stiles. Not after that revelation.
"Shit. Sorry. I'm keeping you up." Stiles rubs at his eyes and grabs his back pack.
Derek swallows and exhales deeply. Just go for it, Hale.
"You can stay the night."
Stiles blinks up at him.
"You don't have a comfy couch." He says slowly, eyes narrowing.
Derek moves closer. Close enough so that they share the same breath and Stiles has to take a small step back.
"You can keep us both warm," he whispers in the air between them, and he has no idea what he's doing, or whether he should but it's worth it. So damn worth it to see Stiles' pupils dilate and his lips part.
They stare at eachother. Tension sparking between them. Derek's fingers twitch, wanting to hold Stiles' waist, to grasp his hip.
Finally Stiles looks up at him, eyes glistening. His hand moves slowly up his arm and rests on his shoulder.
He closes his eyes against the shiver that runs through him.
"I don't like you sleeping alone either."
Stiles kisses his jaw and Derek lets out a hoarse breathe.