Derek Hale is having a perfectly normal morning.
Which is to say: the coffee tastes burnt, the fridge is making a noise that sounds ominously sentient, and Peter is sitting at the kitchen island wearing Derekâs hoodie like he owns it.
Cora is there too, perched on the counter, swinging her legs and scrolling through her phone.
Which is, Derek realizes belatedly, probably the problem.
Not the usual Stiles pacing, either. This is aggressive pacing. Arms flailing, words spilling out faster than Derek can track, socked feet slapping against the loft floor like heâs trying to wear a groove into it.
âIâm just saying,â Stiles says, gesturing wildly at absolutely nothing, âif youâre going to ignore your phone for twelve hours, maybe you could consider the fact that I might assume youâre dead? Or kidnapped? Or dead and kidnapped?â
âI was at the shop,â Derek says, evenly. Calmly. Patiently. Like a man who has had this argument before. âMy phone died.â
Stiles spins on him. âPhones donât just die, Derek. They give warnings. They blink. They vibrate. They cry out for help.â
Peter hums into his mug. âThat last one might be projection.â
Derek shoots Peter a look. âWhy are you still here?â
Peter smiles sweetly. âYour hospitality is unmatched.â
âGet your own coffee.â
âI did.â Peter taps the mug. âFrom your cabinet.â
Stiles throws his hands up. âSee? This is what Iâm talking about. Zero boundaries. No communication. Absolute emotional negligence.â
Derek frowns. âWhy are you this upset?"
âWell maybe,â Stiles says, voice rising just a little, âbecause when you disappear without telling me, my brain immediately decides youâve run off on some reckless alpha martyr mission and I donât find out until Iâm identifying a body and-â
âI left you a note,â Derek says.
âYou left me a Post-it that said âBack later.ââ
Cora leans toward Peter. âIs this-â
Derek rubs his temples. âStiles. I was gone half a day.â
âHalf a day is six hours too long when you have a habit of almost dying,â Stiles snaps. âSorry that I care about you.â
The silence lands like a dropped plate.
Peter slowly lowers his mug.
Stiles swallows, eyes wide, and then - because this is Stiles Stilinski and there is no off switch - he barrels straight through it.
âI mean obviously I care,â Stiles says quickly. Too quickly. âBecause youâre, you knowâŚyou. And youâre important. And if something happened to you it would be bad. For me. Emotionally. Like, devastatingly bad. World-ending bad. Canât-breathe bad. Which is normal. For friends. Best friends. OrâŚwhatever we are.â
Derekâs brain has left the building.
Peterâs eyebrows are somewhere near his hairline.
Cora looks between them. âWait,â she says slowly. âYouâre not together?â
Stiles laughs. A little hysterically. âWhat? No. Why would we-â
Peter cuts in, delighted. âOh, sweetheart.â
Derek croaks, âWhat?â
Cora hops off the counter. âWe thought you were dating.â
Stiles stares at her. âIâm sorry, what?â
Peter gestures vaguely between Derek and Stiles. âThe domesticity. The way you argue like an old married couple. The fact that Stiles sleeps here more than at his fatherâs house.â
âI sleep on the couch!â Stiles protests.
âWith his hoodie as a pillow,â Peter says. âAnd his scent soaked into it.â
Derekâs ears are burning.
Cora shrugs. âAlso you pack his lunch.â
âI pack everyoneâs lunch!â
âYou cut the crusts off his sandwiches.â
Stilesâ mouth opens. Closes. âHe doesnât like crusts.â
Derek mutters, âTheyâre unnecessary.â
Peter beams. âSee? Courtship.â
Stiles turns slowly toward Derek. âDid you think that we were dating too?â
Derek finally finds his voice. âIâŚno. wellâŚI didnât-â
âYou didnât think to mention that?â Stiles demands.
Derek looks miserable. âI thought you knew.â
âThat I-â Derek stops. Breathes. Tries again. âThat I like you.â
Stilesâ face goes completely blank.
Peter hums. âThere it is.â
Cora grins. âTold you.â
Stilesâ laugh this time is soft. Disbelieving. âYou - wait - you like me?â
Derek nods once. Then, because apparently today is the day of honesty, adds, âA lot.â
Stiles sways slightly. âCool. Cool cool cool. Because I-â He gestures vaguely at himself. âI may have just accidentally confessed my undying devotion in front of your entire family.â
Peter raises his mug. âWeâre touched.â
Cora claps. âThis is better than TV.â
Stiles looks at Derek, eyes bright and a little watery. âI like you too. A lot. LikeâŚridiculously. I just didnât think-â
Derek steps closer. Careful. Like Stiles might spook.
âI was going to ask you out,â Derek says. âEventually.â
âEventually,â Stiles echoes. âWe live together.â
âI wanted to do it right.â
Stiles smiles. Soft and fond and completely undone. âYou are doing it right.â
Peter clears his throat loudly. âSo. Are we interrupting or-â
âYes,â Derek and Stiles say in unison.
Cora laughs and heads for the door, grabbing Peter by the arm. âCome on. Let them figure it out.â
Peter allows himself to be dragged, calling over his shoulder, âUse protection! And labels!â
Then Stiles exhales a laugh. âWell. That was a thing.â
Derek nods. âWe should talk."
Stiles steps forward and presses a quick, awkward kiss to Derekâs mouth.
Derek smiles back, slow and warm and absolutely certain. âHi.â
And somewhere downstairs, Peter Hale smiles smugly, because honestly, it was about time.