Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/16431734.
Rating: General Audiences
Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: M/M
Fandom: Scorpion (TV 2014), Teen Wolf (TV)
Relationship: Happy Quinn & Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale & Stiles Stilinski, Walter O'Brien & Stiles Stilinski
Character: Stiles Stilinski, Original Hale-Stilinski Child(ren), Derek Hale, Peter Hale, Talia Hale, Cora Hale, Laura Hale, Papa Hale, Happy Quinn
Additional Tags: Single Parent Stiles Stilinski, Military Stiles Stilinski, Action, BAMF Stiles, Past Relationship(s), Parenthood, Relationship Problems, Alive Hale Family, The Hale Family is kinda snobbish and not in the best light in this, Implied Relationships, I, I'm Bad At Tagging
Series: Part 6 of /Family
Stats: Published: 2018-10-28 Words: 2068
Title: Track Record by JackalPinesOfHouseEvergreen
Summary: Finding out that Walter and Happy are technically married, Stiles and Walter break-up. Though they weren't officially together they were exclusive to each other. Or they were. Even though he knows it was for Walter's VISA Stiles can't be with a married man, his morals are too high and the Hale lawyers are prepared to use anything to mud sling him in court. But he still needs the work with Scorpion. Tensions are high on all fields of relationships, and more so now that Derek and the Hales are paying Stiles more attention. Stopping a runaway train and fighting mercenaries on top of the said getaway train seem safer and saner somehow.
"Are you sure you don't want a ride?" Derek asked after he closed Jason's door.
"I'm fine with taking the subway, it's no big deal. I'll see you at the museum."
"Stiles." Derek grabbed his hand before Stiles could turn away completely. "I know you and Walter aren't together right now."
"Wha-? How did you know?" Stiles asked but he looked in the direction of Jason. "Scorpion's capable of many things but keeping secrets isn't one of them. Look, Derek-"
"I just wanted to say that we're here for you. I'm here for you. If you want to talk about it." He's not one to feel nervous, but he was now.
Since Stiles began working at Scorpion, a lot of what attracted Derek seemed to come back. He wasn't sure it ever left, it was just the stress of becoming parents and fighting as to what was the best way to raise Jason that got in the way. Aside from the parental politics that came with being a Hale and a werewolf. But now that Jason was older, Derek has learned many things about being a parent and himself as a father...about not being easily manipulated because he'd been inexperienced before.
Though he didn't like the way Stiles reacted, part of him couldn't blame him. Had the tables been turned, he wouldn't have been much better. He loved Stiles...and he thinks he's still in love with him.
Stiles having been in a relationship with Walter O'Brien had been a pain to endure, but they're no longer together.
Maybe this was his chance.
"And that's nice of you. There are plenty of things I would talk to you about. Jason's academic courses, his extracurricular activities, points on giving him the talk soon. Things that are relevant to both of us. But like I told you before Derek...we're in a good place right now. We're not going to rock the boat."
Derek watched him go before getting back into the car.
"You shouldn't tell anyone you want to get back with daddy," Jason told Derek as they began to drive.
"Jason-"
"They don't like him. I don't know why but I know they don't. Especially grandpa and Peter..."
"Jason-"
"Plus this fight with Walter won't last. They like each other." Jason said as he looked out the window instead of looking at Derek.
Derek had to park the car because that wasn't something he'd think he would hear. "Do you like Walter better?"
"With daddy," Jason said quietly with a shrug. While Derek thought of what to ask or say next, Jason did it for him. "When he's with Scorpion and Walter, daddy is the best! he's not drinking his grow-up juice, he's working out, and reading...he plans things out for us and we get to spend so much time together! We don't stay with Lydia or Danny...we stay and pop-pop's old place and I get daddy's old room. He's going good and I don't want grandpa or Peter to mess it up for him."
Derek was quiet for a long moment. This was part when he had to be the bigger man. If Jason could see how much better Stiles's life was with Walter, then he had to accept it. For all of their sakes right?
"Are you mad at me Daddy Der?" Jason asked a bit scared he might have upset Derek too much.
"What? No! No...I uh...I value your honesty kiddo. It's just not easy to accept the truth sometimes you know."
Jason nodded. "I used to think about it sometimes too. You and daddy getting together and us living happily away from the estate."
"You...you did?"
"Mhmm. We'd be like all the other families but...because of Scorpion I've learned that not all families are perfect."
"That so?" Derek coaxed.
Jason nodded. "Perfect doesn't matter as much as happiness. Ralph only had his mom. He struggled with his genius but he loved her because she always tried with him. But now he's better and more social because Scorpion has become his family. All of Scorpion comes from broken or messed up families and they are sort of whacky and messed up in some way. Alone...they're like Granny Talia would call them 'whackjobs'...but together they're brilliant! And daddy's part of it. And I sort of am too."
"Does that mean you're getting better along with Ralph?"
He shrugged. "It's not much different. But now that daddy and Walter aren't really together anymore he's...nicer-ish."
"But he hasn't hurt you?"
"Daddy Der...I know it's not right, but I'm a jock. He's a nerd. He can't hurt me."
Derek couldn't help but smile. He too knew it wasn't right but so long as his child wasn't being hurt, that's what mattered.
"Huh..."
"What is it?" Jason asked.
"Looks like there was a power outage at the museum. They can't restart everything properly tonight so it's been refunded. I'm sorry bud. We can go another time, without your class." Derek promised.
Jason frowned. "Does that mean I can't hang out with daddy today?"
"Sorry kiddo. We'll call him later if you want."
Jason couldn't do anything but nod as Derek turned the car around and went home. Jason didn't even look up to greet everyone as he handed his backpack to one of the maids and went up to his room.
"Your son is rude," Peter commented.
"If you were nicer to Stiles he'd be nicer to you." Derek challenged.
"Has Stiles told him Peter's been mean?" Talia asked with accusation in her voice.
Derek was getting more irritated as the days went on and the more he noticed his family's treatment of Stiles. "No, mother." His tone caught their attention. "He isn't a baby or deaf. He hears how you talk about Stiles."
"How do we talk about him?" Talia asked.
"You belittle him for starters," Derek said as he made his way into the living room. There his father, Cora, and Laura were watching TV.
"He was a homeless drunk, excuse us if that's not up to par to being a proper parent." Peter scoffed.
"But he's doing better," Derek said.
"Trying. There's a difference between trying and doing." Samuel said calmly.
"Dad-" Derek began but Laura cut him off.
"Holy crap he got hot."
"Who?" Cora asked.
"Stiles. That's him. That's him on TV." Laura pointed out.
Ignoring that his sister called Stiles hot, he turned his attention to the television and his heart nearly stopped. It was a special news bulletin. There was a getaway train going at top speed and getting faster. With the amount of speed it was building up, there was no way to stop it without crashing into something or derailing. But that wasn't all. There seemed to be something onboard that people were trying to steal.
And despite cop cars and choppers right behind it, who jumped from one of the nearby rooftops to the top of the train? Stiles. Who was getting shot at by mercenaries in ski masks? Stiles. Who was jumping side to side and in between the train carts as he had a gunfight at top speeds? Stiles.
When the gunmen seemed to be out of bullets they all seemed to head towards Stiles with the intention of throwing him off or worse. Derek held in his breath as he watches with horror but it turned to amazement. Stiles was agile and quick. Used the speed and momentum of the train to his advantage and even when he didn't have it, he was strong and clever on his own. Fighting off three muscled mercenaries as if it was nothing. Derek was both scared and aroused. Once the three mercenaries are no longer a problem for Stiles he uses a police baton to break one of the train windows and leaps inside with the grace of a cat. Derek can't quite see what's going on inside, but the reporter is gushing and raving. There's a picture of Stiles during his FBI days on the screen as they've identified him. Somewhere along the line, he's mentioned to be a single father and part of Scorpion. Derek doesn't may too much attention to the words now as he's waiting for Stiles to reemerge. And he does.
Stiles climbs back on top of the train that still isn't slowing down, but they're next to the streets now instead of around stations and busy streets. A pick-up truck is pulled up next to the train going at similar speeds or trying to.
"He's not..."
"Oh, I think he is."
And he does.
Stiles jumps from a moving train and lands in the bed of the truck as the truck breaks to a stop and not too soon after the train crashes into the next station.
"I gotta admit Stilinski...it's fun hanging out with you." Happy told him.
"Yeah? It's hard to tell if you like me or not."
"As a rule, I generally don't like people. But...I make exceptions. You're not a wuss like Sylvester, you're not arrogant like the Doc or Walter, but you're not exactly as normal as the waitress. And unlike Tim, I can talk to you...you're weird." She summed up.
"Yeah, that's always been my tagline I guess."
"Weird is good." Happy said.
Stiles nodded in agreement. "Weird is good. I might not be like you guys but I'm not...normal either. Somewhere in between."
"Can be lonely." She said as a statement but it lingered enough to be a question.
"Yeah. I'm working on getting more custody of my son but it's still an ongoing process. You know how the courts can be. Especially when you only got one lawyer as opposed to a team. I mean, Danny's amazing, but he's doing it out of a favor than anything."
"Seems like it would be a good time to have...someone with you. Someone to hold you during the tough times."
"You don't do emotions, Happy. And you're not afraid to be blunt. What gives?" Stiles asked with a small smile to let her know it's okay, to be honest.
"It's you and Walt. I get why you're upset and why you say you can't be with him. But I don't. Our marriage was a sham. It still is. There was nothing romantic or sexual, it was all for the papers. There is no reason why you shouldn't still be with him."
"I can see where you're coming from. And part of me agrees. But the part of me that's fighting for my son can't. These people, these lawyers...they're been tasked by their employers to make it so they win no matter what. They weren't afraid to use the fact that I lost my job after the depression I got from losing my father. And they twisted it into me being mentally incapable and financially unstable to take care of my son. If they caught word of me being with Walter, a married man who married for the sake of convenience...they'll slander Walter and Scorpion and it'll affect the business...and in the end I'll be back to square one with the temptation to go to the bar and I can't really promise I won't if I have to go through that in the next hearing." When he paused and looked at Happy, he knew she understood now. So he added, "And like I said...I'm not like you guys...not completely. I simply cannot morally be with someone who is married. I'm sorry."
"It's okay...and for what it's worth. I'm sorry." Stiles began to walk away but then Happy called out to him, "Stilinski!"
Stiles stopped but Happy walked the distance so they were face to face again. "If you ever do feel that temptation...and you need someone to smack you out of it...you got my number. The waitress is good for the team, but so are you...even if you're not with Walt. Even though I wish you were."
Stiles had not expected that. He knew better than to get all mushy, so he nodded in thanks. "Hey uh...I don't have any plans. I know this cool laser tag place that's opened 24 hours and I got some adrenaline left...wanna go hang out?"
Happy thought about it, but it didn't take long. "Race you there."