This story takes place after season 3b, but everyone is alive, Malia was not introduced in this timeline and Derek and Scott are both alphas. Italicized words mean its being spoken in polish.

...

Left. Right. Left. Right. Left, Left. Right. Duck.

Stiles ignored the sparring going on in the yard around him, ignored the heat and humidity, the sweat he could feel rolling down his spine and focused on the punching bag in front of him.

Left. Right.

After everything that had happened last year, he couldn't believe that they had somehow made it out, but he still felt like a part of him died with the Nogitsune. He felt it in the tense silence that sometimes came over the pack when something was said that triggered memories better left forgotten, when he avoided Allison's gaze scared to see the scars of the blade that very nearly killed her, when he felt like his temper was on a hair trigger, when he got protective ruins tattooed across the skin of his back and never once flinched at the needle, when he felt the still wild magic surge under his skin.

Stiles huffed in frustration unable to get his mind off the memories.

Left. Right. Left. Right. Duck.

Magic flared up his spine and he shifted on his feet uncomfortably shaking out his hands he pointedly ignored the wolves he knew were coming up the steps to the wrap around porch of the newly rebuilt Hale house. The punching bag had been hung from a support beam in one of the corners, it made the most sense when the pack spent all their training time out in the yard anyways.

"Stiles"

Stiles felt his heart trip over itself at the sound of Derek's voice. He knew the wolves could hear it and that irritated his already chaffing temper.

Left. Right. Left, left. Right. Duck.

"Stiles, hey"

Scott this time.

He hit the bag harder. His hair stood up on the back of his neck and he swiftly ducked under Dereks arm before he could clasp his hand around his shoulder.

The ringing of his cell phone, saved him from having to face the packs questioning and pitying glances. He grabbed it quickly barely glancing at the screen "cassafrass" before swiping up to answer.

"Hey" he greeted gruffly, pressing the speaker button and setting it down on the railing there was no sense in pretending like it would be a private conversation with the wolves around anyways. He was wiping his face and neck with a sweat towel when the familiar voice came through the speaker.

Deep, smooth, lit in Cajun accent, "Hey Michief, I need your help for nefarious reasons"

A few of the wolves startled next to him, Erica and Isaac he cataloged. That was another thing his mind refused to give up after the nogitsune, the unconscious need to catch and analyze every move and expression of the people around him. He realized absently that they were probably expecting it to be the Sheriff, Stiles didn't exactly have friends outside of the pack.

"Those are my favorite kind" Stiles smirked.

"That's what I love about you Cher" The voice chuckled.

Stiles smirk fell from his face when his cousin swiftly switched to polish for his next question. He knew he was about to say something regarding his mother, knew he was aiming for some sense of privacy he figured the spark could somehow sense the wolves even over the phone. The polish language with the Cajun accent always left him feeling disjointed. Their polish heritage was something his mothers side of the family took very seriously, considering his grandparents had immigrated from Poland, they all spoke the language fluently. His aunt and uncles decision to settle in Louisiana before Cassius and his sister was born had been due to the magic culture Stiles now knew. "You still got your mama's trunks around?"

"the old travel cases?" Stiles inquired "Yeah why?" he didn't think twice about switching in and out of the polish it was as easy as breathing to him. He was still ignoring the confused looks on the faces around him. Scott was the only one who seemed to have any idea what was going on, he was reclined lazily across the porch, head tilted back trying to catch a breeze. Stiles knew he could probably catch a few words here and there if he really paid attention due to growing up around Stiles mother.

Stiles sat on the ground next to him and took a long drink of water listening to Cas talk. "There's a charm in there I find myself in need of. Old, polish, probably has the family crest in the corner" Stiles could hear the smirk in his voice.

He groaned rolled his neck back in annoyance. "For god sake Cas leave Lena alone."

"Absolutely not, she started this. Don't act all high and mighty now, if you were here we would've already put a baby gator in her bed"

Stiles snorted but didn't deny it. It was useless to try to talk him out of pranking his sister their sibling rivalry had started when they shared a womb and hasn't let up in the nineteen years since then.

"Speaking of which" his cousin said suddenly switching the subject "what are the plans for your birthday?"

Stiles frowned his 18th birthday was coming up in a little over three weeks. It was a big deal on it's own but since his spark manifested after the nogitsune he knew it was significant to his magic also. "in what way does that have anything to do with baby gators or pranking your sister?"

"It doesn't I just didn't know how else to bring it up" His cousin said cheekily "Your wolves planning something for you?"

Stiles glanced up worriedly at Derek, he knew that he wouldn't understand what was being said and he knew that being in a family of magic users meant his cousin was already aware of the supernatural long before Stiles was, it still made him feel guilty knowing how Derek felt about people outside of the pack having knowledge of them.

He cleared his throat. "I don't know. I haven't exactly been worried about it"

"you should come down" Cassius suggested "We can break into my dads bourbon and have Camile let us into the bar. That bar tender still asks about you" he teased.

Stiles blushed his brain flashing back to corded muscle arms and his hand fisted in tight blonde curls. Stiles knew he was bisexual long before he came out to his dad or any of the pack members, Cassius however was well aware of Stiles preferences before anybody else. They had grown up so close in age most of their milestones were hit at the same time. Cassius was about as equal opportunity as Stiles was and they would go out looking for hookups together when they got old enough. Down in the French quarter where nobody knew him Stiles felt less self-conscious, able to freely be himself.

His self-doubt and modesty had pretty much been beaten out of him with the Nogitsune. Stiles scowled when that thought entered his head his blush quickly reseeding. He didn't like being reminded about how much things had changed. How much he had changed. "Well he can keep talking" Stiles said flatly.

"Stiles.." Cassius trailed immediately clocking the change in demeanor.

"I'll get you the charm, dont worry about it." Stiles said cutting off the reply. He grabbed his phone abruptly ending the call.

"What was that about?" Lydia asked feigning disinterest. She was picking at the dirt under her nails with a disgusted wrinkle in her nose still managing to look put together despite running laps around the property in the August heat with Allison.

"My cousin" Stiles signed running a hand down his face "No big deal"

Derek eyed him from him spot leaning against the railing across from them. He shifted under his gaze. He knew Derek was oddly in tune with him, that he paid more attention to his moods since the nogitsune then he let on. There had always been a tension between the two that he didn't know what to do with. He had only recently admitted to himself what it was. It was harder to ignore since his spark had presented, it had locked onto the alpha immediately, Stiles always knew where Derek was in relation to himself and he felt everytime his eyes landed on him like a brand.

Stiles had taken to the revelation that he was pretty much in love with the unattainable alpha the same way he did with all his problems. Steadily ignoring them until they eventually went away.

Not that Derek made it easy, with the way he had softened to the pack after they had come out of the nogitsune incident alive. More relaxed, a little more open with them about his thoughts, freely giving casual touch to his beta's when he knew they needed it. He even laughed now and when Stiles saw his eyes crinkle at the corners when he grinned you might as well stab him in the chest repeatedly.

He was down bad if he was being honest - which he wasn't.

Derek was regarding him with soft green eyes and a curious tilt of his head that Stiles thought made him look more like a lap dog than an alpha werewolf but who was he to judge?

Derek pushed off the railing and held out a hand to Stiles where he sat, Scott head had migrated practically to Stiles lap and he blinked up at him in question. "Come on" Derek said nodded his head toward the yard. "I think you've worn out the bag why don't you take a shot at something that can fight back"

Stiles swallowed thickly and took the offered hand. Warm and solid in his grasp. His fingers tingled.

Wolfish was the only word that came to mind when Derek grinned.