/\\\
Derek slipped out of bed, twisting from under the arm Stiles had thrown over his stomach. Derek pulled on a pair of soft pants and made sure the window was closed properly before he left the room and went downstairs.
He threw open the curtains in the large lounge room where their tree was and looked out at the snow knowing he would need to go out into the cold and get Stiles' main present. He cocked his head and listened to the steady, sleep-slow beat of Stiles' heart. Derek pulled on his heavy winter coat and slid his feet into boots to make the trek out of the house and into the large outbuilding he had built a few years previously. Tucked away in a corner behind where the workout equipment stood was a small cupboard. Stiles was terrible for ferreting out his presents before his birthday or Christmas and Derek hoped he'd managed to keep it from Stiles this time. He wasn't holding his breath though.
Derek trekked back to the house and shook the snow off before he let himself in, placed Stiles' present under the tree and went into the kitchen to make his mother's famous rainbow waffles. He had made them with her every Christmas morning for as long as he could remember up until the last Christmas they had together.
Derek hummed Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to himself as he cracked the eggs.
His mother had been a singer – always singing something no matter what she was doing. She might not have been the best singer but she'd loved it regardless. Christmas morning had been joyful in their house. There was singing and everyone running around in their pyjamas falling on their breakfast, and lying all over one another as they roasted marshmallows and turned their waffles into 'smores. They would open their gifts and laze around for the day. They had never been the family to cook a big meal for lunch or dinner but they had spent the whole day together.
Derek could hear his mother singing as he whisked the mixture by hand. His father had sat at the table – not allowed anywhere near the actual cooking. Laura would be whipping cream and vanilla for on top of the waffles and Cora had been too young to do much – not that she was interested in cooking.
Derek poured mixture onto the waffle iron just as he heard Stiles begin walking down the stairs.
"Merry Christmas," Derek said, when he felt Stiles standing behind him.
"Merry Christmas," Stiles replied, sliding his arms around Derek's waist and pressing his forehead between the werewolf's shoulder blades.
Stiles kissed Derek over the centre of his tattoo. "Want to tell me about it?"
"About what?"
"You're thinking about your family."
"How'd you know?" Derek flipped the iron over and put the waffle on the plate without dislodging Stiles who was rubbing his nose along the outline of Derek's tattoo.
"You get this certain look when you're remembering something happy about them. It's a very good look."
"Mum used to make these every Christmas morning. Red and green ones."
"Coloured waffles."
"Yeah."
"Wonderful, I'll get a plate."
"Or two."
"Nah, we'll share."
"Really?"
"In front of the heater in the lounge room. Then we can see the tree."
"You just want to be able to open presents more quickly."
Stiles squeezed Derek and stepped away to collect plates and cutlery.
"There's also a bowl of vanilla cream in the fridge."
Stiles made a happy noise and Derek left the next batch to cook while he melted chocolate in the microwave.
Derek carried everything into the lounge room to find Stiles stretched out on the blanket in front of the heater reaching under the Christmas tree examining his newest Christmas present.
"Put it down."
"Why? What did I do wrong?"
Derek rolled his eyes. "You're going to open it after breakfast, you can't wait?"
"It's new – I haven't seen it before."
"You mean you haven't tried to work out what it is yet."
"I never open them."
Derek rolled his eyes and settled on the blanket next to Stiles. "Eat."
"Okay," Stiles said, drizzling melted chocolate over a waffle that was mostly green and then putting a large spoonful of cream on top. "Oh my God, this is amazing."
Derek watched Stiles make a mess of himself while he ate the waffle then lick his fingers and grin at Derek.
"I want these every day for the rest of my life."
"No."
Stiles face fell. "Oh…"
Derek grabbed Stiles' wrist. "No, because you would get sick of them. I will make them for you sometimes, on special occasions."
Stiles laughed nervously. "Of course."
Derek yanked Stiles over and into his body. "I'm not letting you go, ever. So, you can have something else for the rest of your life."
"Are you sure it can't be waffles?"
"I'll make them on your birthday."
Stiles sighed. "Okay."
"Every year."
"And the occasional Saturday."
"And the occasional Saturday, and Christmases." Derek agreed.
"Until you're old and grey and can't whisk anymore?"
"Then I'll order the robot to do it," Derek said indulgently.
Stiles grinned and wrapped his arms around Derek tightly. "Our robot."
"Eat your breakfast. Your father is going to be here soon."
"We could make out a bit before we eat."
"I love you but I'm hungry."
Stiles laughed and pulled back so they could eat.
/\\\
Yep, it's official - this is just going to be a mass of fluff.