WARNING: Contains Slash M/M References

Pairing: Derek H./Stiles S.

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Wolf - simply borrowing the characters. This is purely a work of fiction.

Stiles skidded around the corner only to make sure he jumped across the line of mountain ash that he had previously laid down and hidden under a plan looking rug. He looked back over his shoulder and smirked as Isaac bounded towards him and hit the supernaturally warded line and bounced backwards with a stunned look on his face.

"The idea of the game is to outsmart your opponent, not give them concussion for hitting the equivalent of multiple brick walls." Came Derek's voice from behind him.

"Well it was either that or a paintball gun with wolfsbane pellets." Stiles grinned.

"Try not to kill the pack during training." Derek scowled back.

"I'd never kill the pack, Sourwolf. I make no such promises on recoverable maiming though." Stiles replied and then yelped as Liam pounced on him from an opening to his side sending both crashing against the wall.

"Tag, you're it." Liam said slightly dazed and then blinked as Stiles cuffed him upside the head. Derek shook his head as he stepped aside as Scott turned the corner honing in on his friend and beta.

"Ah mother f..."

"Stiles!"

STEREK

Limping slightly, Stiles walked into the house in time to see his father picking up the keys to his cruiser and heading towards him.

"Do I want to know?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Which is less difficult for you to deal with... sexcapades or training with supernaturally enhanced teenagers?" Stiles asked as innocently as he could.

"Szczepan..." The sheriff began.

"Stiles, Dad. Even when you're upset it's Stiles."

"Fine. Stiles, neither would be appropriate and please tell me that those two things really don't go hand in hand."

"Sure, Dad. We all get naked and run around the old Hale house for the hell of it. It's always interesting when I get distracted by this little birthmark Lydia has on her..." Stiles snarked at his father who pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.

"Forget I asked. I'm on nights for the next week but don't think that gives you free reign to be able to go out every night or have people over. If Derek comes over, please tell him to use the front door." His father said as he closed the door behind him leaving stiles gaping behind him.

Deciding that he didn't want to this about how his father knew, Stiles decided to make his way up the stairs and into his room before flailing backwards slightly as he found Derek sitting in his window which was rarely closed any more for visits like these...

"I swear, I'm losing my scare reflex because of you lot." Stiles grumbled. Derek just looked at him blankly as if daring him to say something stupid.

Challenge accepted. Stiles thought to himself.

"I know you've been up here long enough, you heard my dad saying that he wants you to start using the front door now right? Stop looking at me in that tone of voice, I didn't tell him you used my window for easy access. Actually, that sounded worse out loud than it did in my head. Huh, who knew. Anyway, if it'll help, I'll install a doggy door flap for you..." Stiles was cut off by a hand covering his mouth.

"Shut up, Stiles." Derek told him and then grimaced as Stiles licked the inside of his hand.

"Great, now I'm going to get cooties or restless paw syndrome because really, who knows where that hand has been. Well aside from covering my mouth, I mean did you walk here or did you use four paw drive and run ov... shutting up." Stiles said as he saw the glare that Derek fixed him with.

"I actually came over to make sure that you were okay? You were limping as you left training this afternoon." Derek asked.

"Yeah, my hip just hurts where Liam crashed us both into the wall." Stiles admitted while sitting gingerly on his bed. Derek and Stiles' heads whipped around at the sound of a small whimper outside the window. Liam and Scott were there both looking upset at the news.

"Guys, it's okay. Jackson's done worse to me on the lacrosse field which is meant to be friendly. This was training for situations where we can get hurt." Stiles called out as Liam hung his head upset.

"For crying out loud you two, get in here before the Mrs Chase calls dad and tells them that people are on the roof again." Stiles told them.

Stiles watched as they came in the window and Liam suddenly found the floor infinitely more fascinating that anything he'd ever seen before. Stiles looked at Derek for guidance and realised that it really is an effort in futility as the older wolf offered nothing before inspiration hit.

"Actually, this is a good chance to show you some of the good things that can come from being a werewolf." Stiles said, addressing Liam who looked up interested. Scott and Derek glanced at each other then back at Stiles waiting to see where this was going. Stiles waved Liam over and motioned him to sit on the bed which Liam dutifully obeyed.

Once seated, Stiles grabbed Liam's hand and pressed it lightly to his hip which elicited a small growl from Derek who stopped mid-grr with a look from Stiles. He glanced back at Liam who looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Now, what you do is focus on taking the pain and syphoning it off." Stiles coached and Liam looked down at his hand and concentrated and pulled his hand away as black spidery veins flowed up his arm.

"It won't do you any harm." Stiles assured the younger were. Liam nodded his hand and gently put his hand to Stiles' hip again and smiled at the low groan of relief from the pain that it elicited from the older teen. Derek looked at the pair before back at Scott and nodded to the door where the pair exited and went downstairs to fix some food.

STEREK

In the kitchen, Derek looked at Scott as they went around and got various bits of food out of cupboards and the fridge for sandwiches and snacks.

"So how often does Stiles train your beta?" He asked casually.

"Probably more often than I do." Scott admitted sadly.

"You're his alpha, it should be you teaching him things like that and not the human." Derek scolded lightly.

"Says the alpha who thought the best way to train his betas was to throw them around and then break their arms when they said they needed to rest." Scott snipped back defensively.

"Stop bickering at who is the better alpha you two." Stiles called out from upstairs. The pair froze and looked at each other.

How does he do that? Mouthed Scott to Derek who shrugged.

"Because I'm awesome, that's how." Stiles called again.

STEREK

By the time the pair returned to upstairs, Stiles and Liam were stretched out on his bed with the TV playing a mindless sitcom with the volume turned down low. Liam's head was pillowed against Stiles' chest who had a protective arm wrapped around the younger teen. Stiles looked up as the pair entered the room and Liam nuzzled in closer to Stiles, snuffling quietly.

Scott looked at the pair and shrugged before saying his was going to head home before his mother worried seeing as Isaac was probably already there waiting for him.

"Will he be dressed this time or is your mother going to walk in on him naked and waiting for you again?" Stiles smirked at Scott who started to blush profusely and left promising to text Liam's parents and let them know that he was staying with Stiles.

"I'll walk you out." Derek said to Scott and motioned to the door, food already forgotten on Stiles' desk.

STEREK

Standing at the front door, Derek leaned against the door frame looking at the moon above and feeling his wolf's longing to call to it.

"You realise neither of us are really alpha's any more." Scott said to Derek capturing his attention.

"You got the red glowing eyes to say otherwise." Derek replied, not sure where this was going.

"Yeah but I still answer to someone and so do you. We're in Stiles' pack, not the other way around." Scott challenged. Derek arched an eyebrow questioningly.

"He trains our betas. He comes up with the better of the plans that we tend to ignore which then bites us in the ass and then saves us using the original plan he came up with, slightly modified. He comforts Liam and Isaac when we don't think to. Malia is now more human than coyote due his sheer persistence. Everyone talks to him about their problems and he counsels them through. He tutors me. He tortures you. He's managed to get Lydia down from 60 to 50% evil most times."

"An argument can be made for 40% on a good day." Derek smirked with Scott grinning back.

"There's a reason for that, Scott." Derek smiled softly. Scott's mouth fell open.

"Dude, you smiled."

"I blame Stiles for wearing me down." Derek scowled. Scott laughed quietly at Derek's discomfort.

"Once a werewolf evolves to the point of being able to change to full animal, they seek out a mate. It's called a true or alpha mate. Almost like a pack mother who takes care of all the wolves and their basic needs. The only thing the pack mother generally doesn't do is the fighting." Derek told Scott who looked thoughtful.

"Stiles was doing all this before you became able to fully change though."

"The qualities and things you mentioned, that's all part of what makes the true mate stand out to the wolf."

"How do we know he's not my true mate then?" Challenged Scott. Derek looked at Scott and shook his head.

"Think about Stiles. Can you tell where his scent ends and mine begins?" Scott was quiet for a moment before he shook his head before smiling at Derek.

"Keep him safe, Derek and treat him right." Scott told him. Derek nodded stoically before realising that he was just given Scott's blessing for the relationship. Waving as Scott ran off, he closed the front door and headed back upstairs.

STEREK

Lying down on the other side of Liam, Derek reached out and brushed Stiles' side lightly. The younger man's eyes opened and looked over sleepily.

"Long send off." Stiles smiled.

"Scott knows about us now." Derek told him quietly.

"How much did you explain to him?" Stiles asked softly as not to disturb the sleeping boy between them.

"Everything." Derek surmised.

"Ah, that would explain why I'm back to short answers. You've just about used up your monthly word quota." He teased lightly.

"Stiles..."

"I'm not apologising, Sourwolf. How'd he take it?" Stiles asked curiously.

"We have his blessing." Derek admitted.

"That's nice, now can Mum and Dad stop talking so I can sleep now?" Liam grumbled between them. Derek and Stiles looked at each other and smiled before both leaning and kissing the top of Liam's head who's growl at the action was at odds with the contented smile on his face.

Sczcepan is a Polish name and means wreath or crown.