Going to sleep in a pile with two grown-ass wolves was the weirdest thing Stiles had ever done but they had known with one glance at Derek that he would need his pack tonight.
When Stiles had come home Derek had still been on his call with John so they had slipped into the bedroom. They got comfortable on the bed with music blasting in their ears and their phone in their hand.
After a second of consideration, they wrote a message to Laura. For one, they wanted to know more about the whole pack thing and two, they were worried about Derek. One thing led to the other and in the end, Stiles slept on the floor of the living room with two wolves. But it seemed to be exactly what Derek needed. He'd been absent all evening and hadn't participated in the conversation. Stiles was pretty sure that most had just flown over his head.
In the morning, however, Derek was back to his old self. Even Derek's rude wakening could only dampen Stiles' mood until Derek came back out of the bathroom. He looked refreshed and ready for the day, way better than yesterday.
He even said yes to Stiles' spontaneous idea of a vacation.
Erica came home that day but they all agreed to give her some time to settle in. Stiles, Derek, and Isaac did visit her the next day after work, though. Derek with a casserole from Laura under his arm. It came with the note that Erica could return the container when she and Boyd came over for dinner on Sunday.
"Before you say no." Stiles held up their hand. "Try the casserole. You'll be begging for more of her food after you've tasted it."
"If you say so." Erica gave them a skeptical look and handed the casserole to Boyd to put it in the fridge.
"By now Stiles has most of our Tupperware," Derek said. "They never bring anything back."
"You're the one who's living in both places, you could just take them over," Stiles reminded him while they followed Erica into the living room.
She looked good. Still a bit pale with shadows under her eyes and she looked as if she'd cried recently but all in all she looked good. Being out of the hospital and dressed in her own clothes did a lot for that.
Erica did not look as if she was dying. Which made it worse. Stiles thought of their mother. It had been painfully obvious weeks prior that she was dying but Erica looked fine. That might change depending on which parts of her brain got pressure from the growing tumor but she could look fine until she just dropped dead.
"Heard you're taking over my place at the convention." Erica changed the topic.
Stiles felt sorry for taking her place and they told her at length how sorry they were but it also launched them into a rant about how much work they had to do and that they were pulling overtime every day to be ready for the event.
"Sorry for leaving you hanging like this," Boyd said. "But …" He slung an arm around Erica's middle to which she leaned into him.
"Don't worry, we recruited Derek, he's better than the two of you combined," Isaac told them with a grin. "Brings us lunch every day and sometimes breakfast or dinner."
"He does a little more than just that." Stiles felt the need to add. "But it did get him the job," they had to admit. Of course, now they had to tell the story of how Derek had joined the team. Stiles was a bit worried about how Erica would take the fact that she'd basically been replaced by Derek but she took it in good nature.
They didn't stay for long but they did promise to come by again soon.
When they were about to leave, Erica held back Derek.
"Tell your sister thanks for the food and that I'll think about Sunday."
"Will do." Derek nodded and Stiles was sure that he would just turn and leave now but to their surprise, Derek hugged her. After a second Erica hugged him back.
"Take care," Derek said when they parted. He gave Boyd a nod and a pat on the shoulder and then he was ready to leave.
"What was that?" Stiles wondered when they were back in the car. They had learned that werewolves were tactile creatures but Derek was not tactile with just anybody. As far as Stiles knew he only felt comfortable showing that side of himself to them and Laura.
"I think he's adopting us," Isaac spoke up from the backseat. It most likely was meant as a joke, with Isaac one never knew, but it got Stiles thinking. Working closely together, Derek and them were constantly touching, a brush of fingers here, a hand on the arm there. Just little touches throughout the day.
However, Derek did the same with Isaac. Not as much as with Stiles and it wasn't as intimate but they were kind of close by now. Plus, the feeding. As Isaac said, Derek brought them lunch every day and on occasion dinner as well. And that one breakfast.
"I'm not adopting you," Derek grumbled.
"I'm hurt." Isaac clutched his chest to which Derek glared at him through the rearview mirror.
Stiles watched the two of them and shook their head. They didn't say it out loud but they thought that Isaac wasn't that far off with his adopting line. Derek had told them that Laura needed a bigger pack. Looked like she was not the only one.
"You think she'll come over for dinner on Sunday?" Stiles asked once they entered their apartment with Derek on their heel.
"We'll see."
"We should just have brought Laura with us." Stiles huffed and slumped into the couch. Derek sat down next to them and he looked as if he was down for some cuddles but Stiles was too wired for that.
"We can't ambush her like that," Derek said. Since Stiles wasn't in a cuddling mood he got comfortable in the corner of the couch, hugging a throw pillow. It would be kind of sad if he weren't looking adorable. Stiles couldn't help but wonder if they could get away with sneaking a picture of him like this.
"She's running out of time." Stiles bounced their leg but that was not enough to get rid of their restless energy. A minute later they were pacing the living room. Why hadn't Erica just said yes when Derek had invited her? This was just rude.
In the end, Derek threw that throw pillow at their head. It short-circuited something in their brain and Stiles stopped dead in their tracks.
"That's not why it's called a throw pillow," they yelled once they comprehended what had just happened.
They threw the pillow back at Derek who caught it with ease. And threw it right back. A second later they were in a full-on pillow fight.
"Thanks, I needed that." Stiles was lying on the floor, chest heaving and feeling dusty all over, they might have to wash the pillows more often. Or at all.
"Anytime." Derek was sitting next to them on the floor, a smug smile on his face. He wasn't sweaty at all, not even breathing faster than normal. Freakish werewolf. Stiles wiggled unit they could rest their head on Derek's thigh. They kind of felt like cuddling now.
The next day, Erica did accept the invitation. She and Boyd would come over and have dinner with Laura and Derek on Sunday. Who was not invited was Stiles.
They had talked with Laura about becoming pack and by now they were pretty sure that they wanted to do it, Derek treated them like pack already anyway, but it was not official yet.
This was pack business and since Stiles was not pack they were having dinner alone by themself at their place while the others were over at the Hales' place. Derek had promised to come over later and to bring leftovers but that was not the point.
Derek finally came over around ten. Like promised he brought food which was awesome because Stiles hadn't been able to eat anything earlier. They were starving.
"How did it go?" Stiles asked when they put the food in the microwave.
"Good." Derek shrugged. "A bit awkward at first."
It made sense. Boyd and Erica barely knew Derek and Laura was a stranger to them.
"And?" Stiles prompted when Derek failed to say anything else.
"And what?"
"What does Laura think of her?" Stiles asked. "Does she like her? Is she thinking about biting her?" They paused. "That sounds weird."
"Giving her the bite," Derek corrected the phrase.
"I have to get more familiar with your terminology," Stiles said but was interrupted by the microwave announcing that their food was ready.
"Okay, let's sit down," Stiles ordered. "I'm going to eat and you're going to tell me exactly how dinner went. I want to hear every little detail."
"You do take after your dad." Derek glared at them but he sat down with them and started to talk.
Aside from Derek, they all were advanced gamers so that was something they had in common. Laura had shown off her new setup and quickly she, Erica, and Boyd had been discussing games. Well, mainly Laura and Erica, Boyd was not that much of a talker either. But contrary to Derek he was able to follow the conversation and to throw in a comment here and there.
"They want to play something online together," Derek said. "They want to invite Kira as well and you can join too if you want."
It was a good way to get to know her, Stiles had to admit. And if it wasn't just Laura and Erica it wouldn't feel that much like an interrogation. And it had the plus site that each of them could do it from home. Stiles had noticed it the other day and Derek confirmed it now as well, having people around was exhausting for Erica.
"I'll have to ask her, when and which game she has in mind." Stiles agreed to the multiplayer idea but if they were honest, they doubted that they would have the time for that. They had to do overtime the next few days and on Thursday they were going to fly out to San Francisco. The convention started on Friday and they still had a lot of work to do before that. But they should be ready by then.
Stiles had gotten a plane ticket for Derek as well and they had switched their room to one with a double bed but beyond that, they hadn't made plans. Stiles wanted to visit their dad but they might stay in Frisco for a day or two. They would decide then.
Anyway, they doubted that they would have much time for anything the next two weeks and they kind of hoped that Laura would come to a decision before then. Not that she would do anything drastic like expanding the pack without Derek around.
But even if Laura was willing to accept Erica in her pack, Erica could still say no. Stiles doubted it but it was possible that Erica would rather die than become a werewolf.
Stiles didn't want to become a werewolf, they got it. However, they were not actively dying right now, they might think differently about it if they were.
All they could do was to wait and see, not their strong suit, but the next few days they didn't have much time to think anyway. The days were long but they did get everything ready for their presentation at the convention and they even had the time to swing by to see Erica before they left for San Francisco. Stiles tried not so subtly to find out what she thought about Laura but Derek kicked their shin under the table to shut them up.
Erica wished them good luck and Boyd told them to have fun and Derek hugged both of them. It was still weird but Stiles took it as a sign that Derek already thought of them as pack. They just hoped that Laura would come to the same conclusion.
On Thursday Stiles and Derek took their packed bags with them to the office, they wanted to finish some last-minute things before they had to head out to the airport around noon.
Isaac stayed in the office and would send them what he was working on later but all in all, they were set. Stiles still triple-checked that they had everything they needed with them. In the end, Derek had to grab them by the collar and drag them out to the waiting cab.
Finstock gave some last instructions to Isaac, mainly to lock the door properly when he left on Friday, there wouldn't be anybody in next week, and then they were on their way.