It took a full week before Stiles had the courage to approach Derek after meeting his boyfriend's mom. He wanted to make sure Derek had time to process everything. And, stupidly, he had finals he'd just finished. Thank god it was summer break and he could avoid worrying about school on top of his crazy magical life.

He'd conferred with Aelfrick after searching all the memories he could. He wanted to perform in the Binding of Concomitants with Derek. Today, if possible.

"Are you sure?" Aelfrick had said, in his usual bland tone.

"Of course. He's not going to magically become not my Concomitant. Right?"

"It is ordained," Aelfrick commented. "So I highly doubt it possible."

"Tell me what I need to know."

And so Aelfrick had told him and then left. Stiles was pacing in his room, when his dad knocked gently on the frame. Stiles flopped onto his chair and stared.

"Did good on your finals?"

"Yeah," Stiles said. "Should get all A's again."

"Good to hear." The sheriff turned to go, but stopped. "You doing okay? I haven't seen you around much or seen Scott either."

"Yeah, I'm okay. Guess I made a few new friends."

His dad smiled. "Hope they are as trustworthy as Scott."

Stiles smiled. Well, Derek might not be as trustworthy, but he was definitely hotter. Much hotter. Mmm, Derek.

"Well, come down for dinner in a bit."

"Okay, dad."

Stiles fidgeted for a moment. He picked his phone and twirled it for a minute before finally texting Derek.

-hey. you busy tonight? S.

-no. what's up? D.

-just wondering if you wanted to meet up. S.

-sure. now? D.

-gonna eat with dad. he's given me the guilt trip. S.

-okay. well let me know when. isaac and I are out looking for boyd and erica. D.

-:( hope you get some leads then. S.

-me too. D.

-kk text you in a bit big guy. S.

Stiles walked downstairs to the kitchen—trying to figure out what his dad had cooked for dinner. He couldn't place it.

"Hey, daddy-o. What's cooking?" He tried to glimpse around his father.

"Spaghetti."

Stiles laughed. "Well, I guess it's good."

"What are you laughing about?"

"It's the best dish you have. Are you in trouble? Have you been eating bad?"

His dad raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the one going to The Barbecue Barn with strange men."

"True. Wait, what? Strange men?"

"Patty said she saw you there with, hmm, 'a tall dark fellow, broody, looked familiar.' Then she remembered it was this Derek Hale person, which, if I recall, you had me wrongfully arrest."

"Uh. Oops?"

"So tell me why you were with him."

The timer went off and his dad bustled about the kitchen while Stiles set the table. There was nothing he could really do short of disappearing to avoid this conversation. In a moment, spaghetti was heaped on his plate.

"What is your answer?" his dad asked. "And don't be cute about it."

"Uh. Um. We are sort of dating?"

"Dating!" His dad let the pasta hang in the air a moment before eating it. "What do you mean dating. You aren't even friends with him."

"Well, I did meet him through Scott." Scott's name was like a talismen of purity around his dad. Mostly because Stiles was the troublemaker, according to his father.

"So he's Scott's friend."

"Sort of."

"Sort of? You're digging yourself deeper. Eat."

"Okay." Stiles started eating, his food mostly untouched up to now. Ugh. Why did he have to have this conversation?

"Talk."

"I can't do both at the same time!" he said, after swallowing.

"I know for a fact you can. It's disgusting, but you do it all the time."

"Okay."

"How long have you know this … Derek person?"

"Since the body in the woods, about. He's a nice guy."

"Nice? He looks like a murderer. I even agreed with you on that."

"I guess. He's just the cutest sour face ever."

"Okay," his dad said. "That's disgusting. He's also way older than you. And you're in high school. Do I need to arrest him?"

"Uh, no? That wouldn't be a good thing."

An arched eyebrow was his response.

"What? God knows I've wanted to, but he's just not ready yet."

"He's not ready?" The sheriff took a gulp of water. "But you, my barely sixteen year old son is ready?"

"Oh please. Can I wake up yet?" Stiles pleaded. "Please?"

"No such luck."

"Oh god. This will go down as the most awkward moment in the history of forever."

"So, if you haven't had … sex, then why is he …?"

"We are dating each other. And because I love him. And his stupid ridiculous face."

"Love?"

"Yeah. He's the most adorable thing ever. And also a stupid head." Stiles punctuated his statement with an attack on his dinner.

"I want to talk to him. He deserves to know how much of a shit-head you can be."

Stiles said nothing.

"So, he already knows."

"Maybe?"

"Good," his dad said. "That saves one conversation. Now, I just need to bring him over for another about how he better not harm you. And thank god someone else can watch out for you."

"What?" Stiles said.

"It's fine date him, whatever. But I want to know about your activities and I want to meet him. Even if it's at the station, at his … wherever he lives, or something. Because I want to judge if he's worthy."

"Alright, got it."

"Good, now I want his cell phone number."

"Uh … okay fine." Stiles grabbed the grocery list and pen and copied it out from his phone.

"Good."

Stiles finished his food with no more interruptions from his dad. Thank goodness. He didn't want to hear anything more of what his dad had to say. Awkward conversations were always awkward.

He stood up with his empty plate in hand and took his dad's as well to wash them and put them in the dishwasher.

"What's all this for?" his dad asked. "Cleaning up?"

Stiles shrugged. "Because?"

"Hmm. Okay. Well, I have to run into the station for a couple hours to take care of paperwork. You'd think I was a bureaucrat and not an officer of the law with the amount I have to do."

"Alright. Well, I don't think I'm going anywhere important." He took the stairs two at a time and flopped on his bed, his phone in hand.

-Dad found out. S.

-About what? D.

-not the ww stuff, just us. :-/ S.

-shit. you okay? D.

-yeah. I'm fine. just … he wants to meet you, is all. S.

-as in like meet meet? meet and murder? I'm too pretty to die. D.

-hey! that's my line. he wasn't super upset, thank god. but he does want to meet you. like soon. like soon soon. S.

-bad? good? should I bring isaac along for protection? D.

-you should be fine. he just wants to 'make sure you are worthy' or something. and that you can now babysit me or something equally ridic. S.

-bahahaha. alright, alright. sounds fair enough. did he ask all the awkward? D.

-all of it. it was horrible. :( S.

-poor baby. so what's up? ready to meet? D.

-yeah. I'm kinda nervous though. S.

-why? D.

-just cuz. S.

-no magic dead parents today. D.

-no, not that. dad is going to the station. can I pop over? S.

-mm better not. Isaac is packing some stuff up. decided we needed a new place. I'll meet you at the house? or park? D.

-park is good. say 15 min? S.

-yeah. :) D.

-see you then. S.

Stiles rolled over, watched the ceiling, and listened to the soft patter of his dad moving around downstairs, then soft footfalls up the stairs. Stiles played in his mind what he would say to Derek. The binding ceremony was nothing except serious, and he had never felt so young before.

"Stiles?"

"Hey dad."

"I'm going to take off. I'll see you in a couple hours. Alright?"

"Alright. Tell everyone I say hi."

His dad smiled, like he had so many months ago before Scott was bitten. "Okay. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay."

Stiles listened to the creak of the steps, the soft click of the front door closing, the purr of the cruiser coming to life, and the scrape of metal on concrete. He waiting a bit, tapping into the nexus to keep a touch on his dad's whereabouts. Then, he pulled himself along the nexus to the park where Derek would be waiting.

He saw a shadowy figure sitting on a rock.

"Derek?" he said, quietly.

The figured turned around. "Stiles. So what's up?"

He was suddenly surrounded by werewolf arms.

"Hey, hey." Stiles hugged Derek back. "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

He felt Derek's mouth curl up against his cheek.

"Would you marry me, Derek?" Stiles' hands clutched the thin fabric of Derek's tee.

Derek's chest expanded, strong. "Yes, of course. Why, what's up?"

"Well, I … I don't know to say it."

"Stiles, say what?" Derek's hands rubbed gentle circles against his back. "You can say anything."

"I know you said no dead parents. But what about basically a magic marriage ceremony? Just the two of us. Right here, right now."

"What?" Derek's voice was soft.

Stiles pulled Derek closer. "Nothing much that isn't there already. It's called the Binding of Concomitants. It's a solidification of the bond already there and a strengthening of each of our powers."

"Magic marriage? Will it hurt you? Will it take long?"

"I'll be fine. It's simple enough. I already have permission to perform it."

"So like ten or twenty minutes?"

"Something like that," Stiles said.

"Alright."

He took a deep breath and stepped back, grabbing hold of Derek's hands. "Tonight?"

Derek nodded. "I think I'm ready. What do I have to do?"

"Love me." Stiles' heart raced and he knew Derek could hear it pounding against his chest.

"I already do, silly. Let's do it."

Stiles opened himself up to the nexus, opened himself up to the thin connection to Derek. He pulled all the power he could gather to himself.

Though his veins burned white-hot, he was not in pain. The magic was his, the ceremony his. He stilled the wind, stilled the air and spoke the words Aelfrick had taught him.

"I, of the Highest Council, consent to this bond of Concomitants, with all my heart."

He reached out a hand to Derek. He could barely feel the skin under the torrent of power.

"Do you consent, of the Lower Council, to this bond of Concomitants?"

"With all my heart, I consent."

Stiles exhaled.

"Then with the power of the Highest Council, the font of all power, I declare this bond active."

Stiles touched the tendrils between them lightly, then poured all the power he knew Derek could handle, and drew it forth—like a circuit he strengthened the bond between them. They would be together forever: in life, death, even oblivion.

He let the magic of the nexus seep away slowly. Derek eyes were blood red, fur grown, and he watched Stiles' face. But he wasn't done. Not yet.

"One last thing," he said, grinning. "For tradition."

Derek's hair receded, but his eyes remained red. He nodded.

Stiles let go of Derek's hands, and extended his arms out, palm up. He pulled dirt into the air, his magic beating in time to his pulse. Adding magic, he turned the dirt into perfect golden rings. One for him, one for Derek. He smirked at the special magic twist him.

He let the rings drop, warm, into his hands. He could feel Derek's presence like a beacon. He could find Derek anywhere in the world. Anywhere, no matter what. And Derek was afforded the same. Given a boon by the Highest Council in the ceremony—a tiny touch of magic through Stiles.

"With this ring, I thee wed," Stiles whispered, and slipped the ring on Derek's finger. He gave the other to Derek.

"With this ring, I thee wed." Derek's voice was husky and hoarse. Stiles almost melted to hear the words.

He stared into Derek's eyes, which had just begun to return to normal.

"It's not legal." Derek spoke softly.

"I know." Stiles stepped into Derek's space. "But it doesn't matter. I have you forever."

"No, I have you forever."

Stiles buried his smile in Derek's chest.

He reminded there, feeling content to the rise and fall of Derek's chest and his strong arms around him.

"Mind if we sit?" Derek asked.

Stiles shook his head. "No, it's fine."

Moving to a bench, Derek kept an arm on Stiles.

"So, this is what it feels like? Like the stars are inside you?"

Stiles nodded, his gaze drawn to the heavens. "It's a boon from the Highest Council. Probably won't do anything or anything good, but it's there."

"It feels like you are next to me. No matter where I turn."

Stiles grinned. "The same for me."

Derek extended his hand. "So, rings out of thin air?"

"Magic rings," Stiles corrected. "I know that might be sudden for us, so they are invisible to everyone but you and I. And don't worry, it won't slip off, unless you really want to take it off."

Derek nodded. "Sounds useful."

"Derek, I just … I can't imagine my life without you. I want to be with you forever. I want to shout from the mountain tops."

"Really, Stiles? Mountain tops? But, you know, I love you too."

Stiles leaned in, placing a hand on Derek's thick shoulder, and kissed him. Sparks danced in his vision, fires flared inside. It was glorious.

Derek gasped for breath, his eyes an intense red. "Holy mother of goddamn! Is this what it's like?"

Stiles giggled. "Yeah. It's crazy isn't it."

"Fuck."

Stiles pressed his lips to Derek again, feeling his pulse jump. The fire roared in approval, and Stiles could only continue to kiss Derek, to lose his sense of self in the man that was now tied to him. In moments, the burning settled to warmth in his belly.

Stiles drew on Derek's lips with his teeth, now straddled across the older man's lap. Derek's hands roamed freely across his back, pulling and clutching alternately.

Breaking from the kiss, Stiles mouthed his way across stubble to Derek's neck, salty skin in his lips and teeth, grunts and moans rumbling from the chest he was plastered against. Stiles found a particular spot that elicited a sensuous gasp from Derek, and a delicious hardening underneath him. Stiles noted that for further exploration and nipped once more before exploring down to the collarbone. Derek's breath came rapidly, and Stiles grinned when he twitched, exhalation hot up his own neck.

"Fuck. Stiles. Holy shit!"

"Mmm," he said. "Like it?"

"Never happened before." Derek's breath slowed. "Never experienced that. Fuck."

"Let's do it again," Stiles said, roughing his hands up and down Derek's sculpted chest.

"Mmm, I like the idea of that." Derek leaned up to capture Stiles' mouth.

Stiles gave into the pleasure, the sheer heat burning him through and through.

An alarm bothered him though. Something was happening in the nexus, something he was supposed to keep an eye on? It was moving rapidly … FUCK!

"Shit! Derek," Stiles gasped. "I have to go. My dad will be home in a few minutes. He left the station. Shit!"

Derek let go quickly. "I'll see you soon right? I don't want to have to wait a week to see you."

"Yes. I'll text or call you." Stiles took a deep breath. "Love you, Derek."

"Love you."

Stiles kissed Derek one last time before misting to his bedroom. He lay on his bed, the memory and heat of Derek still lingering like scent. He couldn't keep the silly grin from his face.

"Stiles you up? Stiles? I'm back."

"In my room," Stiles called out. His voice was still thick with passion. He cleared his throat. "Just up here thinking. Probably gonna shower and go to bed."

His dad poked his head in his room. "It is getting late for a school night."

"Dad," Stiles said, rolling his eyes. "School is over."

"I know. Just saying you're used to it. I'll see you in the morning."

"See you in the morning, dad."

"Right." His dad walked away, turning the lights in the halls off.

Stiles checked his watch: ten after eleven. He didn't shower, instead he laid there, thinking and dreaming of Derek. Next time … next time there would be no interruptions. He fell asleep, mind full of the beautiful naughty things he could do with his boyfriend/pretty much husband. His dreams starred a certain sourwolf who was no longer sour.