DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ten Wolf or Dylan O'Brian or Tyler Hoechlin or Colton Haynes or anyone else from this show. Dammit!
A/N: Here is chapter 4 for all my wonderful reviewers and lurkers. I really do appreciate the time you guys take to read and review. With that said, please enjoy. :D
John walked through the front door of his house balancing two pizza's and a six-pack of cola in his arms. He kicked the door shut behind him and headed towards the kitchen with his spoils. He placed the pies in the middle of the table and grabbed the soda from atop the boxes to put it in the fridge. Then he headed to the living room, stopping just inside the entry way. He looked around his house and was glad he wouldn't have to clean up. If Stiles had been bringing a girl over he would've been more inclined to make an effort, but considering he was seeing a boy, why bother.
It's not that he didn't want to make a good impression on the kid dating his boy, but he was kind of hoping that maybe this dating a guy thing was just a phase Stiles was going through. Not to say that John had a problem with Homosexuals. As long as they didn't hit on him or commit any crimes in his town, he let them be.
Live and let live.
Stiles though...Stiles was his only son. He had thought that after college, Stiles would find a nice girl and settle down. Having two point five kids and maybe a nice Labrador. At least, that's the life he had hoped for his boy, but if this wasn't just curiosity then John wouldn't hold his breath.
He ran a hand over his eyes and turned back to the fridge. He grabbed a slightly chilled can from the pack and popped the top, taking a long pull, downing half of the can in one shot. He let out a rather loud belch and put a hand to his chest. I wish this was a beer, John sighed as he looked down at the red and white can in his hand.
He heard a car pull up to the house and John chugged the rest of the can, letting out another belch, "Lord, Give me strength to get through this and not shoot this kid on sight."
Stiles sat in the front seat of Derek's Camaro, outside of his house, rocking, with his head between his knees and a large hand rubbing up and down his back. "Okay. Okay. We can do this. I can do this. We're just gonna go in there and tell him and not die."
"Stiles."
"Oh God, oh man, oh God, he's gonna kill me."
"It's gonna be fine. If he kills anyone it's gonna be me. I was the suspected murderer."
Stiles groaned even louder, "Oh God, oh God, oh God, I think I'm gonna be sick."
"This was your idea."
"Correction. Dinner was my Dad's idea. I wanted him to meet you in the woods where there was a better chance of you getting away. You know, home-field advantage."
Derek rolled his eyes. "I'm pretty sure being in the woods would have been an advantage for your Dad. He would have been able to shoot me and claim he thought I was a bear. Or you know, just shoot me and hide the body and tell you I ran off."
"I'm gonna throw up."
"Not in the car."
Stiles groaned again and opened the car door, a nice little breeze washed over his face and he breathed in deep, feeling a little better. Derek's hand went back to rubbing up and down Stiles' back, hoping to soothe his mate a little.
"It's gonna be okay Stiles."
Stiles took a few more deep breaths, filling his lungs up with fresh slightly pine-y air. It helped soothe his nerves a bit and he sat back against the fine leather upholstery. Derek's hand moved from his back to his thigh, still rubbing gently. Stiles turned his head and caught Derek's gaze with his own.
"What if it isn't?"
The older man's eyes became soft and slightly worried, but Stiles could see some determination in there as well.
"I already told you, nothing's gonna stop this. Stop us from happening. I know that he definitely won't like the fact that it's me, but I am hoping that he'll respect your decision. That he'll have the confidence in you to make the right judgment regarding your life."
"Man, you really aren't talkative, but when you do speak you always say the right thing."
Derek smirked, "You ready to go in now?"
"No."
"Stiles..." The older man sighed and rested his forehead against the younger man's shoulder.
"It's true. I'm not ready, but the sooner we do this the better."
Derek looked up and smiled, he leaned forward and captured Stiles' lips in a quick kiss for luck and to calm his own nerves. He opened his door and exited the car. Stiles took a few more deep breaths and muttered, "Oh cosmic one, please let us get out of this with all our body parts intact."
John sat with his arms crossed at the kitchen table, waiting. A car, more than likely that boy's, had pulled up his driveway and they had been sitting outside now for a good ten minutes. The sheriff was getting a little impatient to say the least. He was tempted to go outside and interrupt any funny business. In fact, John thought, I might just go and do that. Maybe I should get my gun too.
A few seconds after those thoughts had crossed his mind, he heard the front door open and Stiles' voice drifted in through to the kitchen, "Dad? Um, we're here!"
"It's about damn time." John grumbled. He got up and moved through the entry way towards the front room, "What the hell were you two..." The Sheriff stopped mid-sentence upon seeing the hulking figure of Derek-freaking-murder-suspect-Hale standing behind his son. His furious blue eyes caught his son's and held them, "Stiles tell me this is a joke."
Stiles gulped, then made the terrifying and completely unneeded introductions. "Dad, Derek. Derek, Dad."
Derek had been relaxed for about thirty seconds after entering the Stillinski home,that was until the Sheriff caught sight of him. Then the musky scent of pure hate had filled his nostrils and he became tense.
John and Derek stared at each other.
Both bodies tense and unmoving as they stared each other down.
Alpha versus Alpha.
John suddenly turned and went back through the kitchen door, Stiles eyes went wide and he rushed to stand back in front of Derek, pushing the older man back against the wood of the door. Derek was confused until he saw the older Stillinski come back around the corner with handcuffs dangling from one of his pockets and a standard issue policeman's gun pointed right at his head.
"Dad!" Stiles shouted at the same time John barked out, "Move away from my son and put your hands on your head!"
Stiles' put up his hands. "Dad...please!"
"Stiles do you know who that is?" John's grip on his gun tightened.
"My boyfriend."
Derek wrinkled his nose at the label, not liking it one bit, he was gonna have to talk to the kid about that.
"No he's not."
"Dad."
"Stiles. Move."
"Hear me out, okay?" Stiles pleaded.
The look in his son's eyes called out to his familial instinct, but the man behind his boy provoked every ounce of his cop instinct. "Stiles. I honestly don't think that there is anything you can say that will make me think this is okay."
It was a tense few moments between the three men before Derek decided to break the silence.
"Mr. Stillinski-"
"Sir." John barked out, "You haven't earned the right to use my name."
Derek's wolf was not happy at the order, but he acquiesced, "Sir. You're right."
"What!" "What?" Both Stiles' and the Sheriff said at the same time. Stiles had wheeled around and was now half facing both Derek and his father.
Derek looked at his mate, "Stiles. He's right. Nothing we say will change his mind right now."
"Smart. At least you found someone with a bit of an I.Q. Stiles."
"Dude, what are you doing?" Stiles questioned, eyes wide and worried.
"Your father is more of an actions-speak-louder man. So there will be nothing either of us can say to get his approval. I'll have to prove I'm worthy of you with my intentions and actions."
"Damn straight." John muttered, "I don't think that'll be a problem though. You look like the love'em and leave'em type."
Derek bristled at the comment. His eyes locked onto the Sheriff's, "I can guarantee you, sir, that I'm in this for the long haul."
"You mean until some other pretty little thing comes along."
Stiles rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "Gee, Dad, you really think I'm pretty."
The Sheriff rolled his eyes and decided to ignore that last comment, "He's just using you Stiles. He'll toss you aside just as soon as he's done with you or leave you in a ditch somewhere."
Derek growled at the accusation and the Sheriff's eyebrows rose at the sound. Before he could utter a word, Stiles interrupted him with an exuberant, "Do I smell pizza!"
He placed his hand over his stomach and sighed dramatically, "Man I could go for a slice." He looked between Derek and his father. "Come on, let's go eat and have a civilized conversation like the adults we are."
Both John and Derek snorted at the remark. They looked at each other for their brief moment of agreement before returning to scowl at one another.
John slowly lowered his weapon and relaxed a little. He nodded his head toward the dining area and smiled tightly, "After you."
Stiles practically ran to the other room, leaving Derek and his father alone in the entryway. Derek moved forward and his eyes reluctantly moved from John's hazel gaze, as he headed after his young mate.
Once in the dining room, Derek took a seat to Stiles' left, sitting at one end of the table. John had walked in right after him and sat at the opposite end, so he was facing Derek head on. The Sheriff made sure the safety was on before setting his gun on the table, in clear view of the muscle head who was...dating his son.
Stiles eyed the gun warily, "Dad, no fire-arms at the table."
"It's either that or I handcuff him to the sink."
"Dad."
"Stiles."
"It's okay Stiles." Derek said, reaching for Stiles hand, he interlaced their fingers and smirked when he saw the Sheriff frown. "It's his house. If he feels better with his gun by his side I won't argue with him."
Oh, he's a good one, John thought. "Well, go on boys, dig in."
Derek let go of Stiles hand and the younger man was quick to open the first box. The smell of pepperoni and sausage filled his senses, "Oh, yeah. You got the good pizza."
John smiled, "Is there anything else."
Stiles smiled at his dad and grabbed two slices of the slightly cooled pie. The cheese was still melt-y and the more Stiles pulled on the slices, the more of a cheese bridge was created. "I am going to be in seventh heaven."
Derek smiled and grabbed a couple slices for himself. John then grabbed two slices as well and then got up and grabbed the now five pack of soda he had placed in the fridge earlier.
Stiles moaned after the first bite and closed his eyes in bliss. The fresh ingredients of tomato, basil, mozzarella, and meat mixing in his mouth to create the wonderful sensation of a mouth-gasm. Derek watched his mate with hungry eyes, forgetting that he was sitting in the Stillinski home and Stillinski Sr. was the town Sheriff, with his fire-arm sitting within close range.
John saw his son's eyes close in bliss as he ate, but he also saw the way Hale's pupils dilated to make the older man's eyes look completely black.
John was not happy about that.
"If you're done eye-fucking my son then maybe we can talk."
Stiles' eyes popped open and he coughed. Choking a little on the pizza still left in his mouth. Derek was just as equally surprised, but he recovered enough to smack Stiles' back a couple times until the younger man coughed up the chunk onto his plate.
"The hell Dad!" Stiles' face was flushed from both the choking and his fathers remark.
"How old are you Hale?"
"Twenty-four, sir."
"You think it's okay for you to be dating a sixteen year old?"
"Seventeen year old."
"Doesn't matter jail bait."
Stiles groaned and thunked his head on the table, "Dad we haven't done anything."
"Yet."
Stiles looked back up at his father, "Of course at some point it's going to get physical-" John growled- "but not for a long, long time. It'll probably, most definitely happen for the first time when you're six feet under."
"Sir, Stiles is correct. Nothing has happened. We did only just start dating and I'm an old fashioned type of guy. I like to take things slow."
Stiles tried really hard not to blush again, but he failed miserably.
"Exactly. You just started dating. Stiles, how do you know Hale's not just using you?"
"I just do okay."
"That's a great answer." John rolled his eyes.
Stiles rubbed his hands over his face and then reached for Derek's hand. He looked his father square in the eye and said those four magic words that got John thinking a little bit differently, "Dad, I trust him."
If John knew anything about his boy it was that you had to earn his trust. Just like you had to earn John's. It was probably one of the few traits that Stiles had gotten from him, everything thing else was all the boy's mother. That was another reason why Stiles had some trust issues.
His mother.
She had reassured Stiles all throughout treatment that she was going to be okay. That she was going to be there for Stiles, pinkie-promise-cross-her-heart, but the Cancer had just made her so weak. They had thought it better not to tell a six year old that his mother was going to die.
At the funeral, he had yelled at John and then yelled at his mother's grave. Kicking the headstone and screaming that she was a liar, then he ran off. John had let him have a five minute lead, maybe let his boy grieve by himself for awhile, but then John hadn't been able to find him.
Those had been the worst five hours of John's life.
He had called in everyone he knew to search for Stiles. They had combed every nook of the cemetery. The woods. The town.
They had ended up finding him at home, in their closet, under a pile of his mother's blouses. He had cried and screamed himself to exhaustion the doctor had said.
It had taken Stiles almost a week until his voice was back to normal.
Then Stiles had met Scott two weeks later when he and his mother had moved to Beacon Hills and six months later Stiles had a best friend.
Since then, his boy had had the damnedest time trusting anyone. So for Stiles to admit that he trusted Derek-freaking-Hale of all people, John had no choice but to let them have a shot.
To give Derek a shot.
He looked at the two and said, "Okay."
"Okay?" Stiles eyes narrowed.
"Yeah. Okay. I'll let you two give this a shot." He turned hazel eyes to Derek, "You step one toe out of line and they won't find the body. Understand?"
"Yes Sir." Derek was a little surprised that all it had taken was for Stiles to say he trusted him for the elder to give the thumbs up, but he wasn't going to say anything to that fact.
There wasn't much conversation between the trio of men after that. Just the occasional questions about interests and future plans.
After they annihilated the two pies, they headed into the living room and sat down on the couch to watch some television and let the pizza settle in their stomachs.
Derek sat next to Stiles and waited until he thought John was more engrossed in the show to put his arm around the teen's shoulder. At the move, John crushed the can from the soda he had just finished and stared harder than necessary at the program.
They sat through two episodes of Sanford & Son and half of an episode of The Golden Girls before John had decided that maybe Derek should head home. The fact that Stiles was practically sitting in Derek's lap had helped him come to said decision.
John stood by the front door, arms crossed over his chest, as he watched his son hug and...kiss Derek goodbye. Then he watched his son, watch his boyfriend, as he drove away into the night.
Stiles turned around and walked back up the front steps, standing right in front of his Dad with his hands in his front pockets. "I know you're probably disappointed in me, but he really...loves me Pops and while I'm not there yet, I do want to give us a chance. So can you just not be too hard on him."
John gave Stiles a long look, "Alright." He moved forward and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and squeezed it, then headed inside their home. "Come on. Let's watch something a little more manly."
"Thanks, but I think I'm gonna head up to bed. I'm worn out." Stiles said as he followed.
John nodded and said goodnight to his son as he headed into the living room to think about everything that had been said tonight. Stiles waited a few minutes at the bottom of the stairs before heading up to his room to meet Derek.
He really needed a cuddle after tonight and his own personal wolf was perfect for the task.
As always Reviews welcome, but not mandatory.