Disclaimer: Alas, I don't own Teen Wolf.
A/N: An AU, and this took forever for me to finish. It sat with just a scene and a half to write for ages. But I hope you enjoy this.
The kid wouldn't leave Derek alone, not that Derek was going to hurt the kid or kick him out. He was a kid after all. One that wouldn't shut up. Derek growled at him as he turned over and pulled his leather jacket closer to him.
Stiles was telling him about his day, in great detail. "-and then I thought, man, I really should brush up on my skills because then I would be able to y'know, like buy bread or something. But all I can think of is my dad and how he really wouldn't want me to steal from people, whether they look like they can spare some money or not."
"Just go to sleep." Derek said, ignoring the fourteen year old.
"I'm not sleepy, and you're not my dad so I can do what I want, Thor!" Stiles yelled.
Derek rolled over to glare at Stiles, "I am letting you stay here. Everyone knows this is my territory, you had better go to sleep or I'll kick you out."
Stiles grumbled but laid down next to Derek, for warmth. "I don't get it, dude. You're always so warm."
Derek sighed and wrapped an arm around Stiles as it was supposed to get cold that night. "Shut up, Stiles."
.
(Derek had been Stiles' age when his most family died in a house fire. His uncle was in a coma so his sister and Derek had been put into separate foster homes. But Derek didn't stay in his long. After the first week, he knew what it would be like. Kate sure did mention how pretty his face was enough times that he wasn't surprised when she visited him one night. He punched her out and snuck through the window.
He longed to see his sister again, but had no idea where Laura was. Derek had taken to the streets and soon found out how to survive out in the damp darkness. He managed to make a name for himself, he wasn't proud of what all he did, but by fifteen he had a reputation that even the harder thugs were scared of.
A good (or bad) reputation was everything. Didn't matter that half of it was lies and bluffing. As long as they believed it, it was true.
But then at age seventeen he met Stiles.)
.
"It's my birthday tomorrow." Stiles said, "I'm going to be fifteen." He sighed, remembering his last birthday with his family.
Derek grunted, "Great. Want me hire a magic clown to perform for you?" He was glaring at the money he had in his hand. He had managed to get a part time job, paid in cash. He was lucky to get that when he didn't even finish school. He was trying to save enough money to buy a car or something, they could live out of a car. Wouldn't be able to drive it around much as gas was expensive. But at least when it rained he and Stiles would have shelter.
And when did he start making plans for him and Stiles and not just him?
Damn it.
Stiles laughed, "Nah man. But like, yeah. Fifteen. And I just-" he sighed, "My parents and I, we'd usually go to the park and play a little of a lacrosse and stuff."
Derek looked away from his money, "I didn't know you liked lacrosse."
"Yeah, dude." Stiles grinned, "It's like the best sport, ever. And even though I wasn't very good at it, probably worse now since I haven't practiced in almost a year now. I had been planning on joining the team." He shrugged. "Not a big deal though. I probably would have just been on the bench the whole time. Trust me, mom and dad like always tried their best to help me learn but I sucked balls."
"My family and I would play lacrosse." Derek said, causing Stiles to freeze and look at him, because Derek never talked about his family. "I was good at it. My uncle was the captain of the team when he was in school."
"That's awesome." Stiles said.
Later that day, Derek managed to find some broken lacrosse sticks, and he fixed them up after he bought some tape. Sure, now they looked like they were made of just tape and the net had holes in them, but it would work for one day.
Derek didn't question why he was doing this for Stiles, but it was the kid's birthday and even though his idea to go ahead and take Stiles to the park could cause the kid to turn into a sobbing mess, he wanted to see Stiles happy.
The past few months with the kid had been different, and he had often asked himself what he was doing looking after him, protecting him. But nowadays he didn't wonder that as much. He had to go with less stuff, because he was sharing it with Stiles.
Derek was glad that so far no one had messed with Stiles. Because Derek knew what almost happened to him when he first started living on the streets, he figured that Stiles wouldn't be able to protect himself. Stiles would have been forced to do things he really wouldn't want to do.
The only reason why Stiles was still so innocent was because of Derek's reputation. Which had taken a small hit when he had first taken the kid under his wing. Derek had to do something big in order to put it back in his place, but a reputation was important on the streets.
It was odd that even though Stiles had known Derek's reputation before meeting him, he wasn't afraid of him. He never had been, at least that he could tell. It's possible that Stiles had been all bluff when they'd met, when Stiles had started being snarky at him and not shutting up when they first spoke.
After all, half of surviving was based on your talent to bluff.
The next day, Derek dragged Stiles to the park, after buying him a donut. He had stashed the fixed lacrosse sticks in the park the previous day, as he wanted it to be a surprise. And it was.
Derek was worried that he shouldn't have done this for Stiles when he showed him the lacrosse sticks and Stiles' eyes got all watery. Derek froze, hoping that Stiles wouldn't start crying. He had trouble dealing with Stiles when he was crying. He had no idea what to do.
Besides, he was trying to be nice.
But Stiles let out a watery laugh and grabbed one of the sticks, "Alright, show me what you got, Hale."
Derek let out a sigh and felt his body relax.
By the end of the day, they were laying in the grass, laughing. The sticks were broken again beside them. He was glad that he had decided to this for the kid. It was good to see Stiles so carefree. Though Derek had always thought Stiles was being carefree, it was clear, after today, that he wasn't. Which wasn't surprising, he was homeless after all.
.
(Derek had read in the paper that the Stilinski family had been attacked. The Sheriff had made some enemies who wanted him out of the way. The paper didn't mention that Stiles had been there that night, so Derek wasn't sure. Stiles did act happy, from the start. And Derek knew he wasn't as cheerful as he acted, not when his family had just been murdered. Not when he would get panic attacks.
But Stiles had nightmares. It could be his mind was coming up with ideas as to what might have happened, or it was remembering.
Derek didn't ask.
He had always kept the kid close to him at first. Wouldn't want him out of his sight. He looked like he was ten, not fourteen, and he had those attacks. Derek had learned quickly how to talk him out of them, but he never wanted Stiles to have to deal with them on his own. He was glad that the attacks had calmed down.)
.
"Come on, Derek." Stiles said excited, taking him down an alley, "You'll never believe what I got. Hurry up, dude."
Derek rolled his eyes and followed Stiles. He hoped that it wasn't another kitten because there was no way they would keep it. They hadn't kept the last kitten Stiles found, or the dog, or the raccoon, or the fox. He already had basically adopted one animal, he didn't need another.
"This way," Stiles said, turning and grinning at him.
Derek had to pause for a moment at that grin. The way Stiles was looking at him in that moment, Derek felt his heart stop. He had his mind suddenly filled with images of him holding Stiles closer than ever, kissing up the middle of his neck and being able to-
No.
He shook those thoughts out of his head.
Stiles was still a kid.
Stiles trusted him.
Stiles probably thought of him as a brother.
Derek just wouldn't let himself think anything along those lines again.
Following Stiles, he tried to not look at his ass. He wasn't going to give in, now that the thought had entered his mind.
Besides, Derek was eighteen now, still have difficulty keeping a job due to his lack of education, and so still living on the streets with Stiles.
Stiles who was fifteen.
("Almost sixteen!" Derek could hear him yell.)
A different sort of illegal than his usual activities.
"Ta-da!" Stiles stopped and held his hands up.
Derek had been lost in his thoughts so he ran into Stiles. "What?"
"It's a jeep." Stiles said, grinning, "I know you've been saving up a lot of money and I know you're close. Sorry about the whole broken arm earlier and causing you to have to spend most of the car money. I didn't mean to trip but that-"
"I know." Derek sighed, "You didn't see the spilled lo mein on the ground." He looked the jeep over, "Does it run?"
"Yeah, not the best. But it does." Stiles said, grinning again.
"How did you get it?" Derek locked eyes with Stiles. He made it very clear that he was okay with Stiles getting his own money and things as long as he wasn't doing sexual favors or selling drugs. He didn't want Stiles to have to do that.
"You know how I go to a lot of museums and things on their free days?" Stiles didn't wait for Derek's nod. He knew all too well, Stiles would always come back and start spouting facts that he learned while there. "Well, there was this bar I went into - to go to the bathroom calm yo tits. Jeez. Anyway, and they had this 'Stump the Bartender' thing going on and there was this goldfish bowl full of cash. Like, it cost five bucks to ask right? And I guess this bartender knew all sorts of things and I saw these people dropping in fives or more and asking their questions and the bartender answering and I thought I'd give it a try." Stiles took a breath. "So I grabbed a five and thought of a really good question and I stumped him! He didn't know the answer and I did and I got all that cash."
"Okay." Derek said slowly, "So how did you get the cash to turn into a jeep?"
"Well, I counted it and you know what it was a nice amount, alright. And I got a hold of a newspaper and I looked in the ad section and checked a few people selling cars. I managed to find this jeep and this sweet woman was selling it and I told this story about how I've been saving up to buy my own car so that I could be like my dad and yada, yada, yada. I don't know, I was bullshitting so hard, man. But she took the bait and sold it to me for less than the asking price."
Derek was impressed. It probably helped that Stiles did seem like the eager kid who wanted to be like their dad. Derek could probably not have gotten away with the small con. No one would have believed him, that was for sure. "That's fantastic, Stiles."
Stiles preened, "Yeah, so it's ours now. We can sleep in it and stuff. It'll be loads comfier than the ground and we can keep our stuff in it and yeah." He nodded. "The back seat folds down so it'll be this big flat space, man."
.
(Derek wondered why he thought about keeping the kid around. Not only was he annoying, he was a problem. Derek could hardly keep himself fed and clothed and this kid had to be twelve. He looked ten but claimed fourteen so Derek figured he was twelve. He couldn't take care of some kid.
But.
The look in Stiles' eyes was still innocent. He didn't want to run into Stiles a few months from now and see him beaten or turning tricks. Twelve year olds shouldn't be doing things of that nature. If Derek ran into Stiles again and saw him ruined?
No.
"Come with me."
"What?" The kid's face scrunched up. "Are you going to kill me? Because that is not what I had planned when I got up this morning."
Derek's eyebrows rose in confusion, "Why would you assume I would do that to a twelve year old?"
"Hey!" Stiles yelled, "I am fourteen. I told you. My God. And if you're not going to kill me, what are your plans? Because I am okay with the no murdering thing."
Derek muttered something under his breath, "You can either come with me and I'll help you survive or you can run back to wherever you came from."
Stiles smiled, "Well now you're not going to be getting rid of me.")
.
"Let's do this bitch." Stiles said as he and Derek walked into the building.
"Sure you're ready?" Derek asked quietly.
"Derek, we were up all night studying for this." Stiles said, "I know we can both pass and then have our GED." His eyes flashed to Derek for a moment, "You should have taken this ages ago."
Derek shrugged, "Never felt the need."
"You're almost nineteen." Stiles said, "I'm sixteen. A GED will open so many doors for us. Why have you never felt the need? I feel the need. I need this, Derek."
"Shut up." Derek said. Back when he was sixteen, he really hadn't felt the need. It was just him to worry about. And then Stiles came and he was busy keeping the kid alive. But Stiles was sixteen now and Derek was an adult. He found he wanted to be able to provide better for Stiles, as well as make sure Stiles has a chance at a future. Even if that future isn't spent together.
It was getting harder for Derek to deny how much he wanted to be in a relationship with Stiles. But he was still managing. He wasn't sure if Stiles noticed how Derek wanted him. Sometimes Derek thought that Stiles knew and was disgusted by the idea and only stuck around because being with Derek was safer than other options; however, sometimes he thought that maybe Stiles really didn't know, or maybe even thought about Derek as Derek thought about him.
But then Stiles was sixteen.
So any of those thoughts were probably simply because he was sixteen.
"We are going to pass this thing, Derek." Stiles said, excited, "And then we're going to get some actual jobs and afford gas for my jeep and maybe new clothes and food and it will be good."
Derek smiled, "Yes, it will be good."
.
("Hale, dude," the thug said, shaking his head, "I very much doubt that you could stop me. After all, it's not like you have an army to back you up, just some snot-nosed seven year old kid."
Derek frowned, "He's fourteen."
"See?" The thug pointed at Derek, "How do you expect me to fear you and not just take what I want from you? How are you going to stop me from maybe taking that kid of yours? I bet he's got a sweet ass. I've seen him, pretty for a seven year old."
"He's fourteen." Derek repeated, glaring at the thug.
"Oh yeah, I forgot." The thug rolled his eyes, "You've lost your reputation man. Can't take you serious."
Derek frowned, looking thoughtful for a moment before grabbing a rotting board from the ground, growling and hitting the guy in the head. "Can't take me serious?" He asked as he swung again. "We'll have to change that.")
.
Derek was beyond angry. Some rivals of his took Stiles. Took him so that they could control Derek.
That just wouldn't do.
Grabbing a bat, he went into their territory, where he would find Stiles.
Stiles who deserved a lot more than living out of a jeep, more than scrounging around for food, more than Derek.
But right now he needed Derek. He needed Derek to save him, and he wasn't going to let Stiles down.
Staying in the shadows so that he wouldn't be seen, Derek slowly made his way to where, if he was told correctly, they were keeping him. As a bargaining chip. Derek rolled his eyes. Stiles wouldn't be used against him, he could let him. If word got out that Derek would break if you stole Stiles it would be worse than a disaster. He needed the image that of if you took Stiles you would pay and it wasn't worth it.
Just leave the kid alone.
It didn't take long for Derek to be in the area where Stiles probably was. Listening closely, he hoped he would be able to hear Stiles talk non-stop to his captors.
Instead he heard two men talking, the sound of muffled words and the sound of a metal chair scraping against concrete. "Stop talking." One of the men was growling at Stiles, who had duct tape over his mouth, "We can't understand you, stop trying."
Derek watched as Stiles tried to do an impersonation of the guy and probably repeated what he just said.
"I think he's making fun of me!" The one pointed at Stiles.
"Of course he is." Derek said, amused when the two men jumped in panic. He saw Stiles' shoulder relax. Derek was still hidden, causing the two men search for him.
Derek snuck up behind them and untied Stiles' hands and legs. He whispered for Stiles to run.
The two men turned around just in time to see Stiles running away. Derek lifted his bat and smirked at them.
When he was done, he walked around the corner, frowning at his bat that was stained red and stopped short when Stiles was there.
Derek let the bat hang loosely at his side. "They hurt you." Stiles' face had some small cuts and bruises on it.
Stiles shrugged, "Not too much."
"Did they-" Derek paused, "Did they touch you." His voice was twisted, hoping that Stiles would know what he was asking about.
"No." Stiles shook his head, "They talked about it, though."
Derek swore. Looking at Stiles, he dropped his bat and wrapped his arms around Stiles. "I am so glad that you are okay. I was worried." He said into Stiles' shoulder.
Stiles hugged Derek back, "It's okay. I'm okay, dude." Stiles said. "And you saved me, man."
"They were using you to get to me." Derek said. "You wouldn't have been there if you didn't know me."
Stiles rolled his eyes, "If I didn't know you I'd be dead already. You know that. You saved me."
Derek let out an emotional laugh. The idea that he saved Stiles was silly. It wasn't like Stiles wouldn't have found a way to survive. He was smart and adaptable. But if Stiles hadn't come to Derek's life? He had been getting darker before Stiles showed up. He didn't want to think about how back then it was getting so easy to beat people up and get what he wanted, now he only did it when they made him.
When they stole Stiles.
"No, you saved me."
Stiles laughed, "Dude, you sound like some chick flick."
"Shut up, Stiles." Derek said, amused. Derek didn't think about it, he just went in and kissed Stiles.
Jumping back, Derek held Stiles back at arms length. "I shouldn't have done that."
"What?" Stiles' voice broke.
"I shouldn't have kissed you. You are probably willing to kiss back just because you think I saved you and you think you have to." Derek said.
Stiles slapped Derek in the face, "Idiot. No. I've wanted to climb you like a tree since I was fourteen."
Derek blinked, "What?"
"Dude, I like you. Now let's get back to kissing. I'm more than willing to start a relationship with you. Make out and sex in a car and everything." Stiles pulled Derek towards him.
.
(Derek had his arm around Stiles, it was getting colder out and they couldn't afford new coats. Stiles was curled in a ball next to Derek.
This would be Stiles' first winter on the streets and Derek wasn't looking forward to how much complaining was probably going to happen.
"Dude, you're like always warm. I don't get it." Stiles said, pressing his nose into Derek's side. "I want ice cream." Stiles murmured.
"You have got to be kidding me." Derek sighed, "You just said how cold you are."
"I am cold. Very cold. Freezing even." Stiles nodded, "But that doesn't change the fact that I want some ice cream. It sounds good, doesn't it?"
"No." Derek growled. It didn't help that they also couldn't afford to spend the money to go and buy some. It was just a stupid idea that the kid came up with. Another stupid idea.
But ice cream did sound good.
And Derek hadn't had any in awhile.
Sighing, Derek unwrapped himself around Stiles, "Fine."
Sitting up abruptly, Stiles' eyes were wide, "Dude, seriously?"
"Yes seriously." Derek growled, grabbing some of their money. He really shouldn't do this, they had to save money. Glancing at Stiles, he thought that maybe doing something fun sometimes wouldn't be too bad. The kid looked like Christmas came early.
"This is the first time," Stiles started, "the first time, that you are actually indulging one of my silly ideas." He laughed, "You like me."
Derek glared at him. Did Stiles not think he liked him? He had to, even a little bit, otherwise why would he bother taking the kid in. "Idiot.")
.
Stiles was standing out of the jeep, stretching, "Derek, babe, wake up. It's nice out today."
Derek burrowed in the blankets, "No."
Stiles stuck his head inside, "I will drag you out."
"No you won't." Derek replied.
"Derek." Stiles whined.
"Fine." Pushing himself up, Derek stumbled out of the jeep, "Are you happy now?"
Stiles kissed him on the cheek, "You bet."
"Oh my God." A female voice caught Derek's attention. "It is you."
Stiles frowned at her as she came near, "And it's you. And me. Look, it's everybody."
"Laura." Derek said, getting a good look at her. He froze, it was too early in the morning for this. He was not prepared to find his sister again.
He probably wouldn't ever be prepared for that.
She laughed and ran up to hug him. "Derek!"
Stiles stood next to them, eyebrows up. "Laura your sister?" He get a small smile.
"Let me look at you." She said, stepping back from the hug.
Derek's hair was a mess, his shirt was on crooked from sleeping and he had just socks on. He didn't want to meet her gaze, because if she actually paid attention, she's notice that he was living out of a jeep.
Laura on the other hand, she looked stunning. Nice clothes, hair and makeup done, clearly on her way to work. Her smile was wide, and Derek felt himself returning it.
"I heard someone say your name," she started, "whenever I hear someone say you're name I look around for you, but this time," Laura laughed, "this time you came out of the jeep. I can't believe it. Derek, I found you."
"Excuse me," Stiles said, "Sorry to interupt but, how about Derek puts some shoes on and you two could go get breakfast and catch up?"
"That is a perfect idea." Laura said, "I'm going to call into work no matter what you say Derek, so please, join me for breakfast?" Derek nodded silently. "Fantastic!"
"Quick, get your shoes on, Der." Stiles said, "Okay, here's a change of shirt that doesn't look too dirty. We need to go to a laundromat soon." Stiles let out a nervous laugh. "Dude, it's Laura. Let's get you presentable for her."
Derek let Stiles push him around, get him ready. "What am I going to tell her?"
"Uh, how about the truth, dude?" Stiles suggested. "I'd leave out about all the people you've beaten up, and maybe some of the crimes. But be honest with her. And don't close her off, okay, man?" Stiles caught his eyes, "I know you don't like to let people in, hell it took me years, but you've talked about finding Laura so try not to screw this us."
"Come with us." Derek said, seeing Laura walking back over, "To breakfast."
Stiles' smile faltered, "She is your only family, Derek. Have breakfast with her, you won't mess up too bad. I don't need to be there, I'd only get in the way-"
"You'd never get in the way." Derek protested.
"Yes I would. In this, I would. But I'll hang out here. Unless you and her end up spending the whole day together, because I have my shitty job I need to go to later." Stiles gave him a kiss before turning him around and slapping him on the ass, "Go get her."
Derek gave a nervous smile, "Hi."
"Hi." She grinned back.
"There is a place that does a decent breakfast a block up." Stiles yelled at them, "Laura, drag him there if you have to. And make sure he has coffee, he just woke up."
Laura waved at Stiles before grabbing Derek's hand in search of the diner.
It didn't take long for Laura to get them a table and force Derek to sit. "So who is he?" She asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
"His name is Stiles." Derek answered.
She raised her eyebrows, "That's it? That's all you're giving me?"
He shrugged. "We're together?"
"I got that." Sighing, Laura gave him a look, "I've been searching for you since you ran away from your foster home." Her hands shook as she stirred her coffee, "But you had completely disappeared."
He took a breath, "Kate - the woman at the home, she was going to - I ran away before anything could happen." He shrugged.
"I couldn't help but notice, I mean, it seemed like you were living out of your jeep?" Laura said, voice wavering.
"I had nowhere to go when I left." Derek said, hoping that got the point across without him having to tell her he grew up homeless, "And it's actually Stiles' jeep." He smiled fondly at the memory of Stiles' surprise, "He bought it with money he won."
She reached out and took his hand, "I don't know what has all happened to you, but I want to know, and I know that one breakfast isn't enough. But I can't stand the idea of you living out of a jeep."
"Oh." Derek felt as if everything had been taken away. Laura wasn't going to have anything to do with him. He didn't blame her for not wanting to associate with someone like him.
"No, Derek, no." She gripped his hand harder, "I want you to move in with me. I have a spare room in my apartment and you could move in."
"What?" Derek swallowed, "Laura, you hardly know me-"
"You're my brother." She said fiercely. "It doesn't matter. Whatever you've done or who you have become doesn't matter. Do you hear me? You are my brother."
Looking down, he shook his head, "I can't-"
"You can." She pressed, "Think about it. A nice warm bed. Shower? You can stay however long it takes you to get on your feet. Or never move out, I don't care. You haven't had a home since you were fourteen, I think it's time you had one again."
Before Derek could come up with a response, she continued, "You said it was Stiles' jeep?" He nodded, "He's moving in too."
"Laura." Derek just said her name, not knowing what else to say. That she was stupid to trust the two of them when she had no idea who they really were, or that he was so thankful that she was going to include Stiles, or something else, a combination of the two.
"I won't take no for answer, Derek. You and Stiles are moving in. I can tell you love him." Her voice softened, "I'm glad that you have someone. After we eat we're going to get you both moved in."
After Laura made clear that Derek and Stiles were moving in with her, Derek found himself relaxing and they talked about lighter topics. When they were done they split the bill and walked back to the jeep.
Stiles had been laying in it, reading a book and when he saw them coming he smiled at Derek, but Derek could tell that something was wrong. Frowning, he wondered if something had happened when he was gone.
"Stiles?" Derek asked.
"Hey," Stiles greeted, "I uh, figured that she'd talk you into moving in with her so I packed your things." He nodded his head towards some bags that looked full.
Derek frowned, "You're coming with me."
"What?" Stiles spluttered.
"I wouldn't leave you, Stiles. We're both going to move in with Laura." He wrapped his arms around him, "As if I'd leave you."