SunnyDay Preschool
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Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
I'm sorry this took much longer than I intended. Mostly because my original idea was for this story to take place all within one day and I'd end it when Stiles woke up, in love with an alpha as a mate... but I've added so much lore and potential and I just can't bring myself to ignore Stiles meeting the betas or the possibility of Noah meeting Eli so I re-wrote this 'Part 8' in order to continue it. Hopefully it was worth it. I'm still not sure where it's all going I just realized I wasn't ready for it to end. Thank ya'll for the patience!
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Stiles wakes to the feeling of Eli snuffling into his neck, the toddlers cold nose pressing into his throat. It’s still dark and a quick glance at the alarm clock on the other side of Derek’s sleeping form tells him it’s only 3 in the morning.
"You okay E?" Stiles asks softly, bringing his hand up to pet the toddlers unkempt hair.
"Bad dweam…" Eli whimpers. The words are enough to shake away the last dregs of sleep. Stiles sits himself up, pulling Eli into his lap and it’s that movement that causes the alpha to wake.
"Stiles?" Derek asks in confusion.
"We’re okay. Eli had a nightmare." He says gently, laying his hand down on the alpha's arm to keep him in place. There isn’t a reason for both men to get up, not when Derek’s voice is adorably muffled and his body rests heavily against the mattress.
Derek had claimed the full moon didn’t hurt him anymore but Stiles can’t really believe that to be true. He had watched the man all evening, noting the heavy bags under his eyes darken over his otherwise impeccably, clear skin. Had watched each tense muscle flex and quiver with restraint. Seen the crestfallen and pained expressions each time Kate was brought up. Even if it didn’t physically hurt, the alpha had been on a roller coaster of emotions and Stiles can’t help but feel the ache in his chest to watch him try to blink the sleep away.
"It’s alright. Right E? It’s over."
Eli exhales against his neck, he’s not crying but Stiles can tell it’s a close thing and Derek does reach out to touch the toddler's back, letting the palm of his hand settle flat across the tiny shoulder blades.
"It’s okay Bug." He mumbles tiredly, rubbing small circles along his spine. "Just a dream."
Eli grumbles before his nose is running across Stiles' throat, his way of asking to be scented. "You’re okay buddy. Me and your dad are here. Nothing's going to hurt you." Stiles soothes, happily nuzzling his face into the head of curls. It feels like the most natural thing in the world, to scent Eli. Feeling the small body relax under their combined reassurances.
"Not seepy…" Eli finally mumbles in response and Derek attempts to sit up once more when Stiles shakes his head.
"No. It’s fine. I’ll take him to get some water and then we'll read for a bit. You stay."
"But…" Derek looks conflicted, guilty and Stiles gives him a reassuring smile before taking his hand and sweeping his cheek softly against his knuckles to scent him.
"I promise not to get us lost on the way to the kitchen. We'll be back in a while. Sleep. You’re on breakfast duty in the morning." Derek finally lets out a small huff of laughter, brushing his thumb along Stiles' bottom lip before he closes his eyes again.
Stiles grins to himself, laying Derek's hand gently back down before he slides out of the bed with Eli in his arms.
It’s not lost to Stiles what this means. How much trust Derek is showing by letting the toddler be taken away from him in the middle of the night. Stiles might not be an expert in werewolves but he knows enough about actual wolves to understand the fierce protectiveness they have, especially for their young. It had been the topic of a high school report, after he had learned that wolves had been wiped out of California in the 1920s and the reality of knowing Derek is allowing this to happen is significant for all of them.
"It’s okay E." Stiles whispers as he swipes the Velveteen Rabbit off Derek's bedside table and tiptoes out of the room. He closes the door behind them, attempting to keep the light and the noise from bothering the alpha.
"But Dadda…" Eli pouts, looking unhappily up at him.
"Your dad was really sleepy so we're going to let him get some more rest, okay? We'll come back. I promise."
Eli still seems unsure but nods nonetheless and falls quiet as they make their way into the kitchen.
They don't bother with a light, the large windows let more than enough of the moon’s rays in to see by and Eli is slowly starting to relax in his arms.
Stiles smiles as he sets the book down on the island for later and heads over to the sink. It was a trick his mom used, the simple task of getting water was easy enough to focus on. Enough of a distraction from the nightmares and the gentle swaying of being carried had always lulled him back to sleep. His dad had always insisted on bringing him a drink after a bad dream but it wasn’t until his mom got sick that he realized it was the trip to the kitchen that really reset him.
He’s pleased when Eli mumbles nonsense into his neck, already halfway asleep again as they stop before the faucet and Stiles juts his hip out for the toddler to rest on, giving himself a free hand to reach up towards the cabinet when a loud creak in the floorboards makes him still.
Maybe it’s instinct. The conscience voice that most people experience when danger presents itself; but the words in his head are low and raspy and so decidedly not his as it barks out a cautious "Behind us!"
Dread washes over Stiles, the hair on his arms and back of his neck standing on end as he strains to listen. The footstep hadn’t come from the hallway, nowhere close to Derek’s room but over his shoulder, near the front door.
The growl that follows that realization is unexpected.
It’s nothing like Derek’s playful one, something dark and warning and startling close.
"Get your hands off him!" A new, real voice snarls and Stiles whips his head around to see a pair of electric blue eyes shinning at him from the entryway.
It’s all he has time to notice.
Eli lets out a startled cry as the werewolf moves and Stiles has just enough foresight to reach for the knife-block sitting on the counter—
He wishes he could say time slowed. Wishes he wasn’t so muddled down from sleep and the unfamiliar setting that he could think through the movements. To remember his combat training. There's at least some form of paternal instincts guiding him at any rate... muscle memory of some kind because he catches the glint of claws just in time to pull the chef’s knife free as he turns, shielding Eli with his own body before dropping to the floor, out of the way.
There’s a loud clatter as kitchen utensils go flying off the counter top and Stiles knows it’s the only chance he’ll have as he swings his arm back in an arch, slashing at the attacker’s kneecaps.
Eli screams as the man falls, a pained snarl filling the room and Stiles turns to face him, taking note of the shifted features and furious expression. The raspy voice speaks again, demanding him to move, to get to safety, to "Get to your wolf!" It’s concerning but as the advice is sound Stiles doesn't hesitate to obey it.
He darts forward, half standing half lunging to slam the blade into the werewolf’s shoulder. Adrenaline pumping through his body at the enraged roar that follows but he’s up and skidding across the kitchen tiles just as Derek barrels in, grabbing Stiles' arm and shoving both human and child behind himself.
Stiles gathers them both at the corner of the room closest to the door, dropping the wailing toddler to the ground and sandwiching him between the wall and his legs as he turns to watch.
He can’t outrun a werewolf. Stiles knows this. From seeing just how quickly Derek had darted around the school. From watching Eli race around the living room... If Derek lost this fight the only option he has would be to hold the man off long enough for Eli to try and get away.
It’s not much of a choice. He can’t offer a lot of resistance against something supernatural but he squares himself, ready to jump in and help the alpha if need be.
It’s suddenly clear however that Derek doesn't need assistance.
The intruder attempts to stand just as Derek wraps a claw around his throat. The alpha towering over him with glowing red eyes and glinting fangs. He lets out a roar so loud and deafening Stiles feels the vibrations of it all the way down to his bones.
Wisely the man drops back to the ground and Stiles reaches his arm out to flick the light switch on and watch as the werewolf postures himself in a submissive bow, shoulders slumped forward and face turned to the side in surrender.
"Peter!?" Derek growls out in surprise.
Everyone falls still, the only noise coming from Stiles' gasping breaths and Eli's sobs.
The toddler clings to Stiles’ leg, claws digging into his shin but Stiles doesn’t dare move as Derek’s body slowly begins to ease back to human.
Peter…
Formerly-feral, born-werewolf Peter. Eli’s great-uncle and member of Derek’s pack Peter. The man who is now sporting two bloody knees and a knife buried in his chest is Peter Hale…
Stiles isn’t sure if he wants to laugh or cry as Peter is allowed to stand. He’s shorter than his nephew, with dark brown hair and glowing blue eyes that flicker furiously between Stiles and Derek.
"You dare allow a human in here!? A hunter! Holding your son?"
"You dare come into my home and attack my guest?" Derek snarls back, eyes flashing again, causing the other man to slink a step back and avert his eyes to the floor.
"He was sneaking around with Eli!" Peter argues, body stiff with the tension of talking back to his alpha. "You'd allow him to leave with him!?"
"He’s his teacher!" Derek hisses. "Eli shifted for the first time yesterday and this man hid him until I could get to the school! He’s his anchor! He came over last night to help Eli through his shift!"
Peter seems to calm, his shoulders relaxing as he takes in the words and the glowing irises fade to a more human blue. "Eli shifted?"
Derek nods, the tension leaving his body too as the threat is now clearly gone.
"I sent a message to the entire pack Peter!" Peter finally looks chastised as he rips the knife from his chest and tosses it carelessly onto the kitchen island. Stiles watches in fascination as the wound quickly starts knitting itself back together under the torn fabric of the man's vest.
"I don’t have a cell anymore." Peter replies casually, as if they had started a conversation on the weather. "Lost it in a fight with a harpy."
"So your solution to seeing a human in my kitchen is to attack him?!" Derek demands.
"When he’s holding your son in the dead of night? Yes! I thought he was a hunter."
Derek begins to respond but Stiles can’t take it anymore. It's too much, watching Peter shrug off the attack, feeling Eli's trembling body against his own... There hadn't been the slightest hint of remorse, of guilt... He hadn't even looked at them. Hadn't even asked if Eli was okay and the fear that had gripped Stiles earlier turns to outright fury as he steps forward.
"A hunter!? So what was your big plan? Rip my head off!? Then what!?" Stiles snaps, using all his might to push Eli back towards the wall as he stalks forward. Peters eyes flash into their abnormal blue but Stiles has passed the point of intimidation. He lets out his own violent snarl as he picks up the discarded knife once more, surging forward to bring the tip of the blade up to Peter’s throat and it’s out of pure shock that the werewolf shrinks back.
"And what if I had been any slower, huh!? What if I hadn’t ducked? You almost hit him! You almost gutted him! You didn’t even know he could heal?!" Stiles demands. "You damn piece of shit! If you ever, ever endanger him like that again I’ll rip your claws off and feed them to you while you choke! Do you understand?! I don’t care if you’re a werewolf, I don’t care if you’re his uncle! We’ll see how fast you regenerate when I saw off your dick you fucking idiot!" Stiles spits.
Peter looks back at him in utter disbelief and Stiles knows Derek’s expression is probably similar but he’s so angry he cant even bother to care. Without waiting for a response he tosses the knife down at Peter’s feet and spins around, rushing to pick Eli up and storm out of the kitchen.
Derek and Peter stay standing frozen in disbelief, watching Stiles disappear back to the bedroom to slam the door shut and it isn’t until Eli’s sobs start to wane that Peter finally looks over at Derek’s awestruck face.
"You said he was a teacher?" Derek nods numbly.
"A… Preschool teacher?" Another nod and this time Peter can’t hide the impressed smirk as he turns to the alpha.
"Nephew… I know you’ve had your reservations about humans, but If you do not marry that man into the pack, I will."
