"I still can't believe you have an apartment downtown but not a car… Even I have a car…" Stiles said, as he chattered along with his eldest passenger. Peter leaned forward between the front seats, leaning in towards Stiles personal space with a smirk.
"Being a werewolf I'm very fast and have a lot of stamina." He said first, a bit breathy to make it sound a bit like innuendo. Once Stiles jumped away from the unwanted proximity, jerking the wheel slightly, Peter sat back, pleased that he got a reaction. "And being undead I have very little need to get anywhere in a hurry." Lydia simply kept texting as the car swerved slightly but Cora yelled.
"Stiles! For the last time, if we crash I will kill you!"
"Assuming he wouldn't already be dead. Remember, he and I are normal." Lydia said with a second long giggle.
"I take offense to that. I'm perfectly normal." Lydia turned and blinked at him before simply returning to her phone.
"Hey, dirt breath, if there was something you didn't understand about 'You are not to talk to Lydia after the evisceration discussion', I can drop you here and you can walk the rest of the way while you think about it." Stiles said sternly, tone almost on par with 'if you kids don't stop fighting I'll turn this car around'. Still Peter gave Stiles a skeptical look.
"Really? 'Dirt breath'? That's the best you could come up with?"
"Well, no. I was going to say something involving fire, but I found it too hurtful."
"I never considered you the thoughtful type, Stiles. Thank you." Peter answered, feigning appreciation.
"Oh, no, thank you. I always love a nice back handed compliment…" Stiles answered sarcastic in return. Peter laughed, watching Stiles bemusedly. Cora rolled her eyes and quickly stopped their conversation while she finally had a chance.
"So, you're sure Derek is meeting us at the house?"
"I'm sure he said he'd be there." Peter answered. Cora huffed at her uncle's annoying redirect, although she knew he couldn't be sure Derek would show.
"Did he tell you where he disappeared to? He's been gone for days." Stiles asked keeping his eyes on the dissipating dirt road.
"Because that would be so very characteristic of him? Come now, Stiles, if it was life threatening I'm sure he'd tell us."
"Well, did he say what he wanted us to get from the house?"
"Just some books from under the basement." Stiles turned back slightly, but Cora grabbed his head and directed it towards the windshield.
"Trees, Stiles! Trees everywhere!" She insisted. Stiles huffed partially mocking, partially pouting.
"Under the basement…?"
"A cross between a creepy library and a creepy wine cellar under the cement floor of my old room. ie the basement, so the fire shouldn't have done much damage. But you should still watch your step..." Peter said in a surprisingly caring voice. "I'm fairly sure you're the type that would accidentally smother yourself in a padded room…" Stiles glared into the rear view mirror at the smiling man.
"Why have a library under your basement?"
"That makes it feel creepy." Peter joked. Stiles shook his head and returned his attention to the road.
"Whatever, I guess…." He said, giving up on getting a straight answer. But now Lydia had a question.
"Why are we getting the books?"
"Because Derek asked us to." Peter hummed happily to the girl.
"What's in them?" Lydia gave a falsely happy hum back.
"Lots of tiny words and some pictures." Cora said in her uncle's stead, before hopping out of the moving vehicle as the charred remains of the house came into sight. Stiles kept driving and pulled up to the house behind Scott. Derek's car was nowhere to be seen. Peter showed the kids down to the Library before pulling Stiles aside.
"I have to get some things from upstairs, would you mind coming and helping me?" He asked, smoothly, fixing Stiles' flannel as he spoke.
"You're literally like a million times stronger than me. How could I possibly help?" Stiles asked a bit suspiciously.
"Well," Peter mused, trying to come up with some reason he'd need Stiles' company. "for one, if I fall down the stairs, I don't heal as I used to, so I'd prefer to have someone there. Or to help so I don't accidentally send a dresser sledding down the stairs." Stiles sighed and agreed before Peter pulled him upstairs to the ground floor. Peter stopped him at the bottom of the stairs. "Stay here, I don't trust the floors, I'll call you if I need you." Stiles leaned against the banister as Peter trotted up the stairs and wondered why the heck he was going anywhere alone with Peter. "By the way, Stiles…" Stiles looked up the stairs to the older man. "All your self-deprecation and snark is really quite charming. " He turned to carry on with his business as if he hadn't just said anything clearly flirty, but turned to the shocked boy one more time. "If not adorable." With that he left Stiles gaping at nothing.
Next chapter will be crossover.