Baseball Bats and Sour Wolves

Chapter 47

Derek is for some reason, extremely clingy for the rest of the night. Stiles doesn't really mind, but it's a little hard to cook with Derek hanging off his back.

Literally.

No matter where Stiles goes, Derek is stepping with him, and his arms will tighten around Stiles' waist before relaxing again. All of this while Stiles tries to cook dinner, and move around Peter, who is actually helping. Even though Peter wanted nothing to do with dinner, Stiles stops and sighs.

"Why don't you help Peter, instead of being a leech." Stiles snorts at Derek's pout, but doesn't make him move either.

Derek takes that as an incentive to stay put, Stiles doesn't mind being a little cuddly, but he feels like something must be bothering Derek.

"Peter, can you pass me the cutting board." Stiles says, pointing to the cutting board sticking out near Peter.

Peter is just about to reach out for it, when Derek detaches himself from Stiles' back to get it before Peter can reach it. Peter blinks, before turning and watching as Derek gives it to Stiles. Stiles stares at Derek for a minute before reaching out to take it slowly, he frowns up at Derek.

"Thank you?" Stiles states, but it comes out as more of a question. Derek preens, and then wraps his arms around Stiles like an octopus again.

Stiles and Peter exchange a look, but don't comment. Stiles continues to cook, moving around Peter, while Derek clings to him. Derek does sort of help after that, he grabs anything Stiles needs, so Stiles just starts asking him to grab stuff instead of Peter. It works, barely, but they get it all into the oven in time to watch Supernatural on TV.

Stiles sits in the middle of Derek, and Peter, but Derek is still being a bit of a leech. It's not that it annoys Stiles, he's always up for cuddles, just not when he's cooking. Peter looks more than annoyed, but he doesn't say anything, just takes Stiles' wrist and rubs his thumb back and forth. Stiles finds it soothing, but if Peter doesn't stop doing it, he might just put Stiles to sleep. Derek's heat at his other side doesn't help either, Stiles sends his sleepiness over to Peter through the bond, and Peter grins.

Stiles narrows his eyes, but Peter settles for putting his thumb on Stiles' pulse point. Stiles sighs, and settles more into Derek's side, Stiles sends him reassurance through their bond. Stiles isn't really sure what's going on with Derek, but he calmed down a little when Stiles leaned closer.

When dinner is ready, they spend it talking, and laughing. Derek actually joins in this time, and doesn't even sit that close to Stiles either, Stiles considers it progress. Stiles is really happy, and for once feels a bit lighter, his worry leaving him briefly.

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Stiles rolls over in bed, and almost smacks Derek in the process, and almost giving himself a heart attack. He always forgets Derek's right next to him, Derek just grunts and rolls toward the wall. Stiles smiles, and checks the time, it's a little after 11. 

Stiles is picking up Lucas and Misha at 12, they're meeting Satomi at one. Meaning he can't stay and lay in bed for a little while, Stiles sighs. With Derek beside him, and covered in the blankets, he's so warm. Stiles wiggles closer to Derek, kissing him on the cheek, and then the nose.

"Der, I have to get ready to go. You gonna be okay when I leave?" Stiles asks, and Derek groans, before rolling over.

"Couple more minutes." He mumbles, wrapping his arms around Stiles and putting his nose in Stiles' neck. Stiles sighs, hopefully Derek will actually let him get up when he does need to go.

"Fine, but only five more." Stiles answers, running his fingers through Derek's soft locks. Stiles can feel Derek's soft smile against the side of his neck, Derek burrows closer, and Stiles smiles.

They lay in a tangles heap, Derek just breathing in Stiles scent, and relaxing. Stiles running his fingers through Derek's hair with one hand, and tracing patterns across Derek's shoulder blades with the other. Derek's breath begins to even out, and his arms slacken a bit, Stiles smiles. Slowly, and carefully so he doesn't wake Derek, Stiles gets up. He gave Derek ten minutes by accident, but he was comfortable so whatever. 

Stiles heads to the bathroom first, to hop in the shower, Peter seems to be downstairs nursing a cup of coffee going by Stiles' hearing and the pack bond from him that radiates tiredness. Stiles shakes his head, he'll probably have time to make breakfast for the two of them before he leaves, and maybe enough for Derek when he does wake up. That is, as long as Peter doesn't eat it all before Derek wakes up.

Stiles starts the shower up and gets under the spray. The water is nice, it's hot, and Stiles relaxes under it before beginning to clean himself up. When Stiles gets out, and changes into new clothes, Peter is a little more awake. Stiles heads downstairs and ruffles Peter's hair on the way to the coffee machine.

"What do you feel like for breakfast Creeper Wolf?" Peter looks up at him, and doesn't even bother to try to fix his hair. 

"Pancakes, and bacon." Peter mutters, and Stiles grins widely, a damp curl falling onto his forehead.

"Coming right up, good thing we got orange juice the other day." Stiles states excitedly, Peter just stares at him.

"I don't know how you have so much energy, I'm still tired." Peter complains, and Stiles laughs softly, getting the pan out.

"Go back to bed then, after your pancakes and bacon of course." Stiles winks, and Peter rolls his eyes.

Stiles thinks today might just be a wonderful day.

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Stiles' good mood is all but gone when they show up at Satomi's, Lucas seriously drives Stiles crazy, and he really wishes he'd just kicked the two of them out of the territory. The whole ride to Satomi's Lucas had gone on and on about how he doesn't trust Stiles, or his pack, or this Alpha that Stiles is trying to introduce them to. Misha for her part, just smacks her brother and tells him to smarten up.

So, Lucas gets on Stiles' nerves, but Misha more than makes up for it. Seriously, Stiles thinks they might end up being really good friends, maybe. Depending on how things go with Satomi. But Stiles is annoyed, and by the look Satomi is shooting him, she knows how annoyed he is. 

"Hello, I'm Satomi Ito. Alpha of this side of the town, as Stiles has probably already informed you." Satomi greets politely, Lucas doesn't say anything, and doesn't look impolite either. He keeps his face completely blank, and watches Satomi's pack members out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes, thank you for agreeing to meet with us. We are very grateful to you Alpha Satomi." Misha replies, and she nudges Lucas with an elbow to the ribs.

"Yes, thank you." Lucas repeats, and his voice is perfectly polite, but Stiles can almost taste the bitterness within it. It sets his teeth on edge, and without really thinking about it, he silently pulls his lip back in a snarl. 

Satomi watches him do it, and Lucas is obviously aware of it, because he lowers his head and tries again.

"We really are grateful, it's just we haven't been near a pack in years, and I'm very distrustful of them. I meant no disrespect, Alpha Satomi." Stiles smiles at Lucas, see if he was like this more often, Stiles might actually grow fond of the kid.

"Of course, it's only natural to be a bit cautious, I took no offense. Please, come, let us have some tea and sit down." Satomi responds, and Stiles releases a breath he didn't realise he was holding. 

This might turn out alright after all.