A/N: It's your lucky day kiddies; I only have Shakespeare left to study for for finals this week so I was able to edit this chapter - and the next GASP - that I actually wrote a couple weeks ago. So it's a double update this time around! In apology for being gone so long. But I promise, little doves, that the fic is almost complete; only a few more chapters after these two. *cries* I'm gonna miss this fic!

Okay, now that I've rambled and become non-sensical, time to give you the long awaited ninth chapter.


"Enlighten me, Lyds," Stiles says, flopping back onto his bed spread-eagle. "How exactly are we supposed to convince Derek, our mighty alpha who always thinks he's right and I'm wrong, that mating with me is a good idea?"

He hears a sigh as she sits down in Derek's chair next to the bed, so he turns his head to look at her.

"You can be quite blind sometimes, you know that?" Lydia arches an eyebrow at him. "It won't take much convincing."

He flails into a sitting position, turning to face her fully. "Uhh, have you met Derek? When was the last time I was able to get anything through that thick skull of his? And did he ever give you the impression that he can tolerate me, let alone, y'know, have a relationship with me, a serious one?"

Lydia stares at him like he's a bug worth little to none of her time. "You're an idiot. Of course Derek wants to complete the mate bond with you; I guarantee you right this minute he's pining for you."

"Yeah? What gives you that idea?"

"Do you know how many times Derek has gotten hurt in a fight because he was trying to protect you?"

"That's just because he's the alpha and I was the weakest link—"

She talks over him. "Do you know how worried he was after the darach, or any time you've gotten more than a scratch?"

Stiles swallows thickly, remembering what his dad said about Derek not leaving the hospital.

"As for listening to you, he has done that. Remember this summer?"

He does remember the summer. The first part of it was spent with Scott forcing himself to give Allison space, Allison giving the pack space, Stiles explaining werewolves and kanimas and hunters to his dad and Lydia, looking for Boyd and Erica. After Allison decided to give Scott another chance and Boyd and Erica came back Stiles thought it was time they all got their shit together. So he did some snooping, got Isaac to tell him where he and Derek were living, arranged a little pack meeting (not telling anyone that's what it was of course), and barged into the loft. Derek protested at first, growling at them all to get out, and Scott wasn't too thrilled either, but Stiles laid out the logics and brought everyone around. That's when the pack really started coming together.

Then there was the evil lake spirit at the edge of Hale territory, drowning frat boys home for the summer.

"When Abere was drowning those boys Derek was the only one who actually listened to you so he was able to kill her before he drowned too," Lydia says.

Sighing, Stiles runs a hand through his hair. "Okay, Lydia, I get it."

"You'd better," she threatens, "because I'm not explaining this to you twice. You're smart; I shouldn't have to."

"So what're you saying?" He shrugs. "Just go to the loft and just, what, tell him we need to do this? I already pretty much confessed my feelings when I said I wanted to complete the bond and he said no, what more do I need to do?"

"Do it again," she says, like it's just that easy.

"Easy for you to say," he grumbles, but he gets up and grabs his keys, deciding to just get this over with. Before Peter decides to do something else.


Lydia drops him off at the loft, driving off with a wink. When he turns to the building Stiles can hear Derek working out upstairs. So with a shake of his limbs in an attempt to get rid of the nerves Stiles heads up.

Back to the door as he jumps up to swing from the salmon ladder he added at some point, Derek doesn't acknowledge Stiles' presence.

"So, uh, where's everyone else?" Stiles asks, attempting to avoid the issue for just a little bit longer, but that doesn't get a response either.

"Your uncle wants me to kill you."

That does.

Derek stops midway up, shoulders bunched and back muscles tense. He still doesn't say a word but it's something.

"Yeah, followed me from the clinic," Stiles continues, stepping closer. "Said it was dangerous for a beta gaining alpha powers to be away from his mate." He walks around so they're facing each other. "Then he did that whole invasion of personal space shtick – must be a Hale thing – and tried to tell me I'd be so much better off if I just killed you; I'd get all the power and I'd have no one to 'tell me no'."

Face twitching like it wants to match his scent of nervousness, sadness, and – acceptance? – Derek lets go, drops down, and finally meets Stiles' eyes and scoffs. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? So how are you going to do it?"

Stiles' mouth gapes open. "Are you fucking serious?" He snorts. "Wait, no, of course you are. You're a fucking moron, you know that? What makes you think I would ever want to kill you?"

There's a growl in response then Derek huffs out a laugh. "Really Stiles? I know how you feel about me. I've almost died plenty of times in front of you, and all you do is make snarky comments and threaten to let me die." Stepping back, he spreads his arms wide. "Well here's your opportunity. So how are you going to do it?"

Arms gesturing wildly in some sort of expression of his anger and indignation, Stiles exclaims, "You ever think that was just my way of dealing with stress? Maybe sarcasm is just my natural response to blood and guts." He points a finger at Derek. "And those times? The wolfsbane bullet I had just met you, the pool you were the one that just assumed I didn't trust you. But oh look, I was gonna cut your fucking arm off, then I fucking held your heavy ass in the water for over two hours." He shoves hard at Derek. "And trust me, buddy, if I wanted to kill you I wouldn't announce it or have some fucking evil villain monologue. I'm not fucking Peter."

Derek rolls his eyes and grabs Stiles' wrist. "Then do it. If you're not Peter, who's not man enough to do it on his own, then fucking do it. We all know I deserve it."

After yanking back his wrist Stiles pushes into Derek's space, staring him straight in the eyes, his own flashing. "Don't you fucking say that. You have done nothing but sacrifice yourself and protect all of us, you do not deserve to die.

Derek growls again. "Then why are you here?"

"Because I thought I'd warn you!" Stiles yells in his face. "Because I thought if we actually fucking communicate for once we could do something right without anyone getting hurt or dying. Because I –" Breaking himself off, he swallows thickly. When he speaks again his voice is quieter, hoarse. "Because I don't want you to die."

Eyebrow raised, questioning in that moment before Derek turns around. "Why is this time different? Why are you doing this?"

Mouth working on a response, wanting to yell but for once not knowing what to say, and knowing that words don't get through to Derek as well, Stiles decides to just act. So he grabs him by the arm, grip tight enough to bruise a human, and turns Derek back around. Other hand curled in Derek's shirt, Stiles yanks him forward until their mouths meet. It's more a hard clashing of teeth than meeting of soft lips but it gets the point across.

Or at least Stiles hopes it does.

"Because I love you, you idiot," he huffs, letting go and stepping back. His eyes flick down to Derek's lips then down to his chest as Stiles notices Derek's heart beating at the same fast rate as his own.

Stiles can see Derek's jaw clench and hear him take a deep breath before he reaches out and pulls Stiles back into a much softer but needier kiss. He pulls away - much too soon if you ask Stiles – to catch his breath and lean their foreheads together.

"Okay."

Breath shaky, Stiles clutches at Derek's hips. "Okay? That's it? That's all you have to say? Jeez, Hale, way to use your words."

Derek huffs a laugh and shrugs as he wraps his arms around Stiles' waist. "Not so good with words. You know that."

With a grin and a waggle of his eyebrows, Stiles drags his hands up Derek's sides and chest before folding his arms around Derek's shoulders. "Why don't you just show me then?"

Rolling his eyes, Derek pulls their bodies flush, which draws a groan from Stiles. "You're an idiot." And before Stiles can respond he's cut off with a kiss.

He grumbles into it before breaking the kiss off with a nip at Derek's bottom lip. "I thought we decided that, out of the two of us, you were the idiot because c'mon. Which one of us is always right?"

Scoff. "You are not always right."

"Uhh what're you talking about, dude? I totally am because I –" kiss "—am –" kiss "—awesome –" kiss "—and you know it. I mean, c'mon, admit it: that's what drew you to me."

The next kiss is so hard and biting it makes Stiles' lip bleed before it heals over.

"No, what drew me to you was your complete lack of tact and grace."

"Aww, such a sweet talker," Stiles laughs. "Now shut up and kiss me dammit."

Eyebrow raised, Derek pulls away. "Who's the alpha?"

"Uh," Stiles scratches the back of his head, "isn't that sorta the problem? What with the whole," vague hand motion, "bond starting to make me co-alpha or whatever?" He cocks his head. "Hey, are my eyes red right now or still gold?" He flashes them.

"Kind of both. But I'm still your alpha."

Stiles chews his lip. "I can't do just a little ordering around?" To show how much he holds up his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart. "For funsies, just between you and me?"

That gets a smirk. "Maybe."

Stepping in close again, Stiles smiles crookedly. "And how easily can you be persuaded to change that maybe to a hell yes?" With both hands he grabs Derek's ass and rolls their groins together, trying his hand at some of that persuasion.

Derek moans softly and picks Stiles up and wraps his legs around his waist, making Stiles yelp before tightening his legs more than happily. "Gonna need a bit more convincing than that." He smashes their mouths together in a hungry kiss.

Arms going back around Derek's shoulders, Stiles groans into the kiss. "Nnngh fuck," he swears. "How'm I supposed to persuade you from up here? Like this?" Using his feet to push at Derek's ass and bring them closer, Stiles rolls his hips forward and down to experiment.

Derek growls out, "Fuck, that might work. Idiot."

With a breathless laugh Stiles keeps moving his hips and leans his head down to nip a trail along Derek's jaw, down to his pulse point where he stops and bites down hard with human teeth.

Growling loudly, Derek walks them over to the bed and lays Stiles down on his back as he rocks his hips down fast.

Unable to not growl in response, Stiles feels his claws and fangs itching to come out as Derek pushes him into the bed with his weight and they move together. He grips Derek's neck and pulls their mouths back together, licking inside without finesse.

Derek digs his claws into Stiles' back, just enough to rip the shirt but not break the skin. With a shove of his hips he moves them up the bed, licking and biting into the kiss.

Claws coming out with a whine low in his throat, Stiles digs his fingers into Derek's back to the point he feels blood, at which he pulls back panting. "Shit, fuck, I'm sorry."

Laughing so hard he chokes on his breath, Derek pulls back. "It's fine. Just need to work on your control when you get… excited."

Head thrown back on the bed, Stiles mutters up to the ceiling, "Laugh it up, fuzzball." The line is sorta ruined by the sheepish grin he can feel on his face.

Derek rolls onto his back next to Stiles as he laughs again. "Your comebacks suck when you're embarrassed and turned on," he chuckles.

Stiles rolls onto his side so he's propped up on his elbow facing Derek. "Embarrassed? Who said I was embarrassed. I don't get embarrassed. Haven't since I was kid." Pokes him in the side. "You're just ignoring my awesome reference there. But yes," he straddles Derek's hips and rolls down, "I am turned on. You gonna do something about that or just keep laughing at me in my time of need?"

Smirking, Derek reaches up and grips Stiles' hips. "You forget I've been a werewolf all my life; I know when someone's embarrassed. The smell is overwhelming." He bucks his hips up. "Though not as much as your scent when you're turned on." With that he reaches up and rips off Stiles' shirt.

After he gets his arms untangled Stiles glares down at him. "Dude, give a little warning next time before you rip a guy's shirt off." In spite, he yanks at Derek's, forcing the man into a sitting position beneath him as Stiles pulls the shirt off. "That's better," he smirks, trailing a claw along Derek's abs. "Now what was that about my overwhelming aroused scent?" Stiles leans in and nuzzles into Derek's neck. "Because like you have any room to talk."

Mouth on Stiles' neck now, Derek growls lowly and nips and licks at the skin before moving right over Stiles' pulse point and marking him despite the fact the bruise will fade soon.

Stiles feels a rumble, not quite a growl, start up in his chest in response, making his hips buck. His fingers trail down Derek's back, scratching and stabbing lightly.

A chuckle tickles against Stiles' neck. "You're a wolf, Stiles. Wolves don't purr."

He digs his claws in. "Shut up, McGrowly." One hand moves up into Derek's hair and tugs on it to pull his head back, Stiles biting and sucking at his neck, nuzzling the spots after the marks fade away. "God, what is it about your neck?" he groans, licking over and around Derek's Adam's apple.

Derek huffs a laugh. "My name is Derek but god isn't too far off. As for my neck…" He trails off with a shrug and flips them so he can rock his hips into Stiles'.

Stiles throws his head back, laughing. "That was such a bad joke." Still, he wraps his legs around Derek's waist again, his heels just below the ass pushing to encourage Derek. "You gonna do this a lot, flip us to make sure you're on top?"

Smirk. "You loved it." He rocks his hips hard and deep with a smile. "Gotta assert my dominance while I can."

A loud moan punches out of Stiles. "Well you'll have to –" breath hitches "—fight for it because," he rolls them, "I plan on asserting mine." He grinds down.

Growling and rolling them again, Derek pins Stiles to the bed with a smirk as he grinds down hard. "There's only one alpha. You may get some strength, but you know I'll always be stronger," he murmurs, leaning down to nip at Stiles' jawline.

Head tipped back to give Derek better access, Stiles bucks his hips up. "Well are you all talk or are you gonna show me what a real alpha would do with me?"

Hands slip down to Stiles' pants to unbutton and push them down his hips. "Depends, you gonna shut up and stay still for two seconds?"

Unwrapping his legs from Derek's waist and lifting his hips to help, Stiles smirks. "I can be persuaded."

With a yank, Derek takes off Stiles' pants then reaches up and tugs down his boxers as well. He looks Stiles up and down with an appreciative smirk before crawling back up to kiss him.

Stiles grabs the back of Derek's neck and kisses back, laughing into his mouth as his other hand works on Derek's pants.

Laughing with Stiles, Derek pulls back to help.

Pushing him off his lap so he can pull off Derek's pants and underwear, Stiles tosses them somewhere. "Huh." He cocks his head, looking Derek over.

A raise of an eyebrow. "You're very reassuring," he says in his usual flat tone.

His hands wave in front of Stiles as he laughs. "No no, it's good, you're all… good, more than good. I just," he shrugs, "never saw or been with another guy, or another person really, in this context before. So it's – new, I guess?" He shrugs again. "I don't know, just ignore me."

Derek grabs one of Stiles' wrists and brings it up to place a kiss on the pulse point. "Relax. It's okay. I know it's awkward and we're both… nervous. But we don't have to do anything we both aren't ready for."

Huffing, Stiles smiles. "Oh no, I am definitely up for whatever you are." He cups Derek's cheek and strokes it with his thumb. "This'll just take getting used to."


Ooh, yeah, sorry; meant it when I made this rated teen and up. If y'all are good maybe the ratings will go up for some bonus sexy shenanigans. ;P