i know what i'm risking

Lizzie wasn’t disappointed by Michael’s lack of response. It really had been relatively expected. Her attention easily turned back to the mixer while Michael nuzzled into Stiles. The other pups and Derek were sure to follow within the next short while. If Michael was up, then Riley and Lilly were definitely either already awake or waking up, and the main reason Derek hadn’t come down yet was because of how Riley had been all too happily curled up on his chest.

There was no way everyone else would stay asleep if Michael was up. Sensitive ears, curious minds, delicate noses. They’d all be tumbling down now. Sleepy pups, all the noise and snuggles. Stiles smiled, he couldn’t help it, he loved his family. 

Michael yawned against Stiles’s neck, almost threatening to fall right back asleep against his father.

Derek hummed softly and sealed their lips in a soft kiss. He framed Stiles’s head with his forearms, letting his fingers press into Stiles’s hair. He was content to stay pressed close, sharing gentle affections. 

Stiles’ hands ran lazily over his skin, soft and covered in hair, Stiles loved just touching him. Couldn’t get enough of it. He never could. Being this close, this was all he ever wanted really. The thing he wanted all the time. 

Stiles was the only one who could touch him with such familiarity, and the only person whose touch caused such a bone-deep comfort in him. He grunted softly feeling Stiles clench around him, and he sighed as their lips met again.

Derek let his thumb rub against Stiles’s bump and smiled softly. He always loved when Stiles started to show, when he got all heavy and round with their pups.

Stiles watched Derek’s thumb move over his stomach and let out a soft, content sigh. The truth was he was always happy when he was carrying a pup. It had been weird the first time, feeling that content and calm, knowing Derek was happy, that they were both happy. But this many in, he was used to it, looked forward to it.

Derek hummed softly, smiling warmly. “Quiet dad and dad time,” he agreed softly. He dropped a soft kiss to Stiles’s lips. “A bath sounds nice, too,” he agreed.

Derek straightened out his own shirt, and readjusted himself as he needed, before he followed Stiles out of the building. He spared the media a glance, then his gaze flicked back to Stiles, meeting his gaze and he gave a small nod, before he pulled out his phone to double check any texts or emails that needed his attention.

Stiles looked around, making sure the tinted windows of the bus where also covered, blinds closed. They really couldn’t risk anyone seeing them. They were lucky there hadn’t been all that many news outlets covering them. There’d been enough, of course, but…

Derek wrapped his arms tight around Stiles as he deepened their kiss. He dragged his tongue against Stiles’s lips, licked his way into his mouth. He sighed through his nose.

Derek sighed against his lips feeling the hand in his hair. He rubbed a hand up Stiles’s thigh, holding his leg against him. He licked into his mouth, growling softly. He loved Stiles so much, he loved that they finally had a few precious moments to themselves.

Stiles writhed impatiently for the entire time it took Derek to dig out the lube. And while he would never, ever, complain about their beautiful daughter, he definitely hated that they no longer just had lube thrown all over the place.

A low growl rumbled out of Derek’s chest as Stiles arched and did his best to keep quiet. He was always so beautiful like this. He pressed his fingers deeper, scissoring them, working Stiles open for him.

Derek promptly ignored the look. He was tired, yes. But they couldn’t afford to stop altogether. He would be fine.

Stiles let his hand drop reluctantly. He shrugged one shoulder, nodding and scratching at the back of his neck.

Derek gave a small nod. He gathered up their things, few that they were, and tugged his clothes back on. After Stiles did the same, they were on the move again. They were always on the move. It felt like it had been months. Tracking, hunting, camping, repeat.

Derek’s hands dropped to Stiles’s sides and he wound his arms around him. He held the other tight against him. His heart ached, his wolf whined. He was never letting Stiles out of his sight again.

It was better to just lose himself in this. He wanted this, he’d wanted this long before he left Derek at the line between human territory and wolf. His arms slid around Derek’s neck and held tight. Even as the wolf’s mouth left his own- and a soft and unhappy noise slid past Stiles’ slips as he did- and moved down his neck.

Derek loved how easily Stiles bared his throat to him, and he didn’t mind how his claws dug into him. Stiles was freshly turned, not in any kind of control. It was to be expected. And it was something easy enough to handle. 

Smelling the fear coming off of Stiles was about the only thing that pulled Derek from his blatant fury. That and the fact Stiles was actually questioning why he bothered to keep him alive. It came down to a soft simmer as he stepped away from him.

His heart didn’t slow, and breathing wasn’t any easier. Stiles was high strung and anxious on a good day and this was anything but. He felt a bit light headed if he was being honest, but he pressed harder against the tree and kept himself steady.

A low noise, not quite a growl, escaped the wolf. “It’s not black and white, but it is survival,” he said simply.

Honestly, it was comforting to know Stiles worried about him. That someone cared about him. He ran a hand over Stiles’s thigh, holding him close.

It was so hard not to. Stiles was a pusher, he always wanted to know more, he couldn’t help it. He’d never been able to. But Derek… Derek was different. And it was… it wasn’t easier, but he could do it, he could let Derek tell him in his own time. 

Derek knew his mate well enough by now to know he wanted to ask, wanted to push. It was what he always did. But he appreciated that he refrained in this instance. 

Derek could smell the conflicting emotions coming off of Stiles. He felt similarly, honestly. He didn’t want to see Stiles go. But this had been the deal the whole time, find Stiles’s father then get them home.

“He could have eaten me,” Stiles joked lamely, brushing his hands through his hair. “He didn’t, obviously.”

Derek frowned at stiles’s lame attempt at a joke. It wasn’t the best thing to joke about, especially after the weeks he was sure Stiles’s father spent. He felt he knew Stiles well enough by now to at least know that it was just Stiles’s way of ignoring his feelings at the moment.

Stiles didn’t mind the wolf pressing back into him. If anything if just made him feel like he really had made a friend. And friends were hard to find when you were a fox that wasn’t quite like other foxes. Others always seemed to recognize that he’d been… something… someone else… before.

The fox wasn’t the only one who had had difficulty finding friends. Derek hadn’t really had anyone willingly this close to him in a long time. The fox may have not been a regular fox, but he wasn’t a regular wolf either.

  Derek offered a small smile and stroked Stiles’s cheek.

It wasn’t just that Stiles was a new wolf, or maybe it was just that. He didn’t know. There was still a war, there would always be a war. And humans and wolves hated each other, and born wolves were always wary of bitten wolves.

Derek, his first pack, his current pack, they’d always been different. His mother had been protective, but open-minded. So long as they weren’t threatened, she didn’t threaten others. She even offered sanctuary when it was needed.

Derek hummed softly against Stiles’s lips, his own parting to Stiles’s tongue. He sighed through his nose, and slowly pulled away, leaning into the hand on his neck. 

Stiles made a soft noise of surprise as Derek turned and pulled him into his lap. His arms wrapped around broad shoulders as he centered himself. He let his head drop back, breath hitching as Derek’s lips pressed against his throat. He closed his eyes, smiling.

Derek sighed through his nose at the hands in his hair, the nails on his scalp. His eyes slipped closed and he hummed quietly.

Derek could tell the comment was halfhearted. He simply hummed to acknowledge that the other spoke while he got busy working.

Stiles waited and watched, eyeing his phone as it finally began to charge. He wanted to talk, hell, his head hurt from keeping all his rambling thoughts at bay. But this guy already hated him and Stiles wasn’t exactly the guy’s biggest fan. So whatever.

Derek was actually surprised the other managed to keep his trap shut for so long, save the occasional mumbling. It let him work in a semblance of peace. Though when he finally did speak, he was fairly certain it was the first not sarcastic thing he’d said since they met.

Hearing Stiles’s cry drew Derek’s attention. He honestly felt bad for the man, having to kill his own friend. But yells from the guards were coming.

Fury. A pure and blinding rage. The desire for justice. For revenge. Not just for another mage cut down, taken from this world, but for Scott, his Scott. He turned with a howl of rage that could not be contained and his eyes glowed as that which lay within him came to life, dormant no more. 

There was a flurry of metal, of arrows, of magic. Templar after templar fell to them all, until it was just their small band standing. Derek lowered his blade after the last Templar fell, and his attention turned to Stiles. Despite the fighting, he hadn’t missed the...change of Stiles’s demeanor. And the glow in his eyes, the double in his voice, it was...all too reminiscent of a possessed person.

Derek watched the fox jump around and he bumped against him lightly. Since it was cold, it would be harder to find fresh meat, but if they were lucky they would find a couple rabbits darting around. Maybe a squirrel.

There had to be a few things that were still chittering around on the ground. It wasn’t winter yet, after all. In fact, if they were diligent they might find something fat and juicy, ready for a long winter nap. His stomach growled at the prospect.