Only He saw

The Dad Routine

The window stays a cold reassurance against Peters' cheek as he stares out of the window of the Jeep, Stiles behind the wheel. The two stay in a comfortable silence, relaying the awaited event of meeting the recent addition to their pack: Penny.

As they pass dusty shops and closed-up warehouses, they contemplate the event soon to arrive. Stiles looks at Peter, shimmying up in his seat to grin curiously. "So...Penny, huh?"

Peter huffs, amused by Stiles antics. "Yes, Penny." He says, steadfastly staring forward, lips twitching in a small smile. Stiles taps his fingers on the steering wheel and hums in agreement, arching an eyebrow in an attempt to make the older man speak.

"She's nice." He says simply, ducking his head, exhaling before beginning again. "It was only going to be for a while, her working at the firm..." He chuckles. "She worked on the third floor, Nadia was on the fifth, they met in the middle at briefings and hit it off." Peter snorted, incredulous laugh filling the car.

Stiles laughed delightedly and twisted to stare at the wolf. "Seriously?" He exclaimed, and Peter nodded, still chortling.

"They've been together since, and never ended up finding another job, I guess finance was just too appealing..." He said drily, re-focusing on the passing road signs as they drove on.

"Definitely a good choice..." Stiles murmured jokingly. Grunting as he coaxed the Jeep into third gear, he elbowed Peter, squeaking and narrowly avoiding the answering poke in the ribs. "Hey!" He yelped, Peter laughing at his antics.

"Pull in here, it's on the next corner..." Peter says, reclining in his seat.

Stiles does, then looks over at the older man. His mouth is a pinched line, and his shoulders a tense line. "If I didn't know better..." Stiles starts conversationally, "I'd say you were nervous..."

Peter grits his teeth, and shakes his head slowly, refusing to look Stiles in the eyes as the car grinds to a halt. The boy sits silently, before wrapping his fingers tentatively around Peters. "She sounds amazing. And you're amazing, so...from my calculations, you'll get on just fine." He smiles cheekily. Peter chuckles and squeezed his hand.

"It's been so long," He says wistfully. "Lots must have changed, I've missed so much..."

Tutting playfully, Stiles shakes his head. "Even more reason to catch up, cutie-pie."

Peter rolled his eyes, opening the door. "Is that a new pet name, huh?" Stiles grinned.

"Fuck yeah, it is!"

"Language, darling."

"Sure thing..." Stiles waggled his eyebrows suggestively, pushing open the door.

"Don't say it." Peter sighed, failing to hide his grin.

"Cutie-pie." Stiles sings, tilting his head to the side and smiling lopsidedly.

"You're ridiculous." Peter laughs, walking past Stiles into the cafe, the musk of incense hitting his nose.

The scent curls round the quiet hubbub of the room, not too strong for the man's sensitive nose but a curious aroma that fitted the place perfectly. Sloping ceilings rose into the shadows and the low thrum of jazz music set a candid heartbeat for the site. Tables were spaced out across the carpeted floor, a mismatch of wooden and glass, plastic and metal, and around them all were chairs equally as odd, but somehow charmingly right.

The colours clash horrendously, Peter thought, but it somehow managed to look cosy, rustic and welcoming, something Peter now realised he wanted for himself. As he and Stiles navigated around haphazard clustered tables and one particularly bizarre chaise-longue, he caught sight of them. He stopped abruptly, Stiles bumping lightly into his back, indignantly poking him in the spine. He peered curiously around the older man's shape to find the hold-up, freezing when he saw his wide-eyed stare.