Happy 4th of July everyone! Make sure to have lots of fun, but be safe and smart as you're out there! Wear lots of sun block and keep an eye on your pets.

More animals and pets are lost every year on the 4th than any other time of year, and it's because of fireworks. They can be lethal, especially to dogs, due to the noise and light. Keep your babies inside and close by for comfort to insure maximum awesome party times for everyone involved!

The Boston Flea Party

Fireworks are not a dog's best friend, that's for damn sure. And Stiles is not the exception here, and neither is Derek. Or the pack. Any of the dogs in their neighborhoods, really. None of them care for fireworks.

Of course, each one of them dislikes fireworks for different reasons. Stiles because of the noise and the sound and the bright flashes that streak unpredictably across the sky. It's totally disorienting, not to mention startling, and downright terrifying. Derek doesn't like them because of how much they made hiding a problem, back when he and the rest of his pack really needed to. That much light would light up the night in bright flashes that would single them out. It made running for cover difficult, and keeping hidden even more so. It would even trigger Erica's seizures. So Derek and his pack grew to dislike them.

The thing is, neither Derek nor Stiles know that the other doesn't like fireworks, or any of the bright-lighted festivities that come with the 4th of July celebrations. In fact, each of them get it into their heads that the other absolutely loves them. That they wait around for them all year every year. Stiles rambles on and on about them out of nervousness, thinking if he talks himself around the terror that comes with those bright flashes of light and sound, he'll be able to make it through for Derek. Derek hardly speaks about them at all, but that's more because Stiles is doing enough talking for both of them then him not having anything to really say about them. Anything positive, he means. Because Derek has about two year's worth of negative feedback on fireworks raring to go, to bust out, just in the back of his mind in case the situation calls for it. But he never will say it because of the way Stiles continues on and on about just how neat fireworks really are.

So when it comes time for the big moment, both Stiles and Derek refuse to go inside the house when the other dogs go inside, each claiming for the sake of the other that they enjoy the show and want to stay. Stiles stays for Derek. Derek stays for Stiles.

The first few explosions catch both dogs by surprise.

It makes Stiles yelp and shuffle closer to Derek, and it makes Derek spread his stance and hunch his shoulders down towards the ground they'd been sitting on minutes prior, hackles bristling around his neck and shoulders. Stiles can feel a deep reverberating growl beginning in the hollow of Derek's chest where his head is tucked, but he manages to pry his head away to try and enjoy the show. Derek's growl cuts off when Stiles pulls slightly away, and Stiles takes it as a sign that they're both alright again. Derek likes fireworks, and Stiles loves Derek. He can manage half-an-hour of uncomfortableness for Derek's enjoyment.

The next few make Derek fidget and get restless, standing up to tower over Stiles in the dirt behind the rest of the pack. Stiles allows it when Derek stands over him because his much larger body shields him from the brunt of the noise and light, plus Stiles enjoys it when Derek gets protective. Except it's sort of confusing to him that Derek thinks he needs to protect Stiles from the fireworks when he knows that Derek likes them. Doesn't he know that despite the noise and flashes, Stiles is mostly safe here in the yard? And even if he doesn't, Stiles knows he's safe here with Derek, tucked tightly together and carefully backing closer and closer to their porch.

Derek is just confused that Stiles continues to hide his face in his side when he's supposed to be enjoying the fireworks show, but he doesn't complain when he feels the urge to cover Stiles' much smaller body with his own. It makes Derek feel marginally better to have his mate safe and protected from the danger that the human members of their pack are willingly watching out in the open. And he knows that the rest of the canine members are safely tucked away indoors and out of harms way. He cannot, for the life of him, understand why Stiles likes these things. They're just... no. A million words string through his head, but none of them are what fireworks are to dogs.

Loud, obnoxious, terrifying, bright, startling, horrible, horrid, awful...

None of them quite fit. Probably never will.

Soon enough though, it's over, and their Alphas are cheering along with the other Alphas they've invited over, the humans' noises ringing far off into the distance along side many other's. Derek can hear humans all up and down the street clapping and praising the show, but all he can really focus on is the intense beating of his own heart and the panicked panting of Stiles, who is tucked behind him at the corner of the porch. Stiles doesn't move. Derek doesn't move. Not until Alpha Scott gets up check on them do either move, and it's only at Alpha Scott's really concerned questions of being do either acknowledge him. Both have eyes only for each other.

Stiles can feel his own racing heart reflected back at him through Derek's ribs and through his back, and instantly knows that that's not the heartbeat of someone who enjoyed the show. He knows Derek's just as terrified out of his mind as Stiles feels, and it makes something within him break a little before it's tenderly shaped into something new.

"You don't like fireworks, do you?" He asks with a hint of a laugh, sneaking his muzzle into the space between Derek's leg and his torso, his nose against Derek's warm skin. "Oh my god, I thought you liked fireworks. But you hate them. You hate them."

Derek's silent, but it isn't a condemning silence, or even a judging one. It's one of understanding.

"You don't like fireworks either." He says finally.

"No, god no." Stiles just continues to shake and laugh and push his nose into Derek's side. "I hate them. They're awful. Abominations, really. But I stayed for you."

Derek huffs and shakes his massive head back and forth, disbelievingly.

Because deep down, Stiles knows that Derek stayed for him too.