It has been Two months since the Meat suit incident, the Sheriff spent most of his time at either the hospital or work leaving Stiles' care to the Hales, and by Hales that meant Peter who was taking a break from university to take care of his other side businesses. And that also meant two months of Stiles not bathing. No one blamed him for not wanting to get into any tub, but he needed a proper bath or shower, sponge baths only went so far. Peter did the only thing he could think of, Phone Dean.
Dean was actually in the middle of a research binge with bobby and his dad when 'Peter's Theme' from 'Peter and the Wolf' started blaring from his phone, Bobby knew who it was but he did get an odd look from his father. Dean excused himself quickly.
"Peter, what is it? is something wrong?" Dean asked as he hurried out of Bobby's house, "did Meat Suit get Stiles again?"
"Dean let me speak, no nothing is wrong per say, and no Meat Suit didn't escape the hospital, it's just Stiles refuses to bath, it's getting ridiculous" Peter sighs "sorry no, like I understand, but the kid needs a proper bath, it has been two months."
"Okay," Dean looks back to where his dad is staring at him, "it might be another week or so before I can get back though. I am on a hunt we don't even know what it is that's attacking people yet though."
"Give me details we can team up and figure it out."
"Alright it's definitely a Monster" Dean started only to be cut off by Peter.
"A monster?" since Dean has met the Hales unless imitating his father, he never used the word monster.
"Yeah, monster, not a supernatural being there was no epic splitting of the races , just straight up evil monster, I went through and eliminated any supernatural A and B I could think of. I thought maybe an A type Kitsune but there were no claw marks, and it's just the brain fluid missing."
"This thing is eating brain fluid."
"Yup, welcome to the glamorous life of hunting things, also the victims were in the process of being admitted to a mental health facility after having an out of nowhere psychotic break, then a hole in their head appears and bam brain dead" Dean thought if there were any other details "That is all we know, but it's victim count is in the Tens by our estimate, it has been here for a while. We only caught wind because an old hunting buddy phoned us up when he was admitted for killing a demon in front of a cop. Apparently raving on and on that a demon was possessing someone and needing them to be killed is legit for an insanity plea." Dean smiled "who knew?"
"Not really the time to joke about that Dean. Alright I got the notes I will see what I can do with my apparently now limited material"
"Thanks, Pete as soon as we are done I will be out there for Stiles" Dean tracked his father pacing and throwing an impatient look at him every once in a while. "How is he, how is everyone?"
"He's great, remember he sees his mother, and can tell instantly when it's not Cloudia, and we are fine, except the Sheriff is wondering why Stiles is so fine with everything except the bathroom thing." Dean has been wandering as he listens to peter and never noticed John walking towards him.
"Can I speak to him, no, maybe not, I don't know, no you know what no, I will just surprise him when I get there, then maybe the whole …."
"Where are you going?" John cut off Dean's rambles and Dean placed his phone over his heart "Sam hasn't wanted to see us since he ran away with that cali girl Jess."
"uhh Uncle Noah's, his son that I go visit, I was planning on going after the hunt."
"I don't understand your need to be connected to that kid, it will do him no good in the long run, you're a hunter Dean, it's dangerous enough without civilians involved"
"Yes, sir." Dean started talking into the phone again, "I gotta go, I'll talk later okay"
"yeah I heard, I will text if I find anything."
"Thanks" dean hung up, after that and walked with his father to the house
It took another week of secret phone calls between Peter and Dean to find out it was a wraith that was in the area, another two weeks after that for Dean and his dad to kill it, and a week after that Dean was finally on his way to Beacon Hills.
Dean phoned Sam with no answer as per usual "Hey, Sammy, just calling saying I was in the area if you wanted to talk, or get a drink I know a hunter bar near where you are, just give me a call okay" next phone call was to Peter, who always answered his phone.
"HI Dean!" or maybe not as Derek's voice chirps through the other side.
"Hey buddy, is your Uncle available?"
"Uncle Peter is trying to get the twin terrors to get dressed," Derek paused for a screech "Laura is helping." Halting Deans confusion, because both are relatively happy 5 year olds, except when you tried to get Cora into a dress, then both decided to protest getting into any clothes, and Laura assumes Cora is her living doll. "Alright, maybe help him in a bit but I will be in town in about an hour or so, get Peter to meet me at the store."
"Okay Dean," Dean hung up as the next war cry rang out not knowing which kid it was.
It was a relatively quiet drive and Peter actually beat Dean to the store, Dean assumed he just left as soon as he could leaving the kids in Derek's care, or god forbid Laura.
"Hey," Dean gave Peter a hug, "how are you?"
"I'm good Dean," Peter let go of Dean "how have you been?"
"I could use a bit more sleep, but I am alright, come on let's get this shopping over with?" Dean nodded towards the store.
The store was luckily not busy, but who knew there were so many children's bath products looking a little wide eyed Dean stared at Peter like a deer in headlights at the prospect of buying any of it for stiles, "should we get one of everything?"
"Probably nothing with sparkles, though that might distract him." Peter mused, "Definitely no odd smelling things."
"Agreed." Once the very narrow parameters of not smelling bad was established the two systematically went through each product and eliminated the coconut products first, as apparently coconut and sulphur don't mix. Dean started sniffing things and either putting them back or tossed them into the cart.
"You know all of this will be useless unless we get him into a tub." Peter said grabbing a bottle of baby soap, with chamomile, and lavender.
"We can work up, use a hose first." Dean ignored the lady who gasped behind him.
"Dean he is aquaphobic" Peter glared at the woman behind Dean still listening in the conversation "we can't spray him with water, he would have a panic attack and it would be like three steps back"
"Okay then bowls of water then the hose, then maybe a kiddie pool outside, work our way up to a bathtub." Dean suggested. "With the bowls at least we could figure out what works and what he likes."
"What do you mean what he likes, what did you throw in the cart?" peter asked noticing all the colourful packets in the bottom of said cart.
Dean proudly held up a bunch of random things that turned water into slime, or gel. Made stronger bubbles or colourful bubbles, all in bubble gum or apple scents. "I totally went with one of everything, it made sense"
Peter sighed "And all of them are still completely useless unless you get Stiles in water."
"Peter, we are his two most favorite people teaming up against him it will work."
"He has Derek who can't say no to the kid, and Cora who is enjoying his bath protest and joins him when she can." Peter argues.
Dean thinks about the teammates of pro and con operation bath time. "We have Laura who distract Cora, and we show Derek the slime one it might get him and therefore Stiles interested." Dean points out. "Also I am one of Derek's favorite people too."
"Fine, we will get everything, plus water wings and a kiddie pool." Peter walks off towards the summer seasonal area. "I hope this works"
"Don't be such a worry wort, it will be fine"
Surprisingly it did go about as fine as it could, it took a while but Dean was right the slime is what did it, and that's how they bathed Stiles for the first time in about three months in a kiddie pool in the backyard full of green slime water, the fact that both Derek and Cora were also in the pool did not make it any less a bath. It all went downhill when Cora got a hold of the food colouring and tried to stain the dress Laura was holding up for her to get into, and Stiles got in the crossfire and is now a splotched green red and blue mess. Thankfully most of it is hidden under his shirt, and Cora won her battle with her older sister and is now proudly sporting some of Stiles' clothes. Peter and Dean called it a win, Stiles took a bath, even though he is messier then before.