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Still Good

Chapter Text

This is my family.

Derek convinced his entire pack--Allison, Lydia, and Stiles included--to go camping with him for a weekend. Not anything too outrageous, or even very far away, just a place away from the outside world and potential dangers. If only for the weekend. And if they were attacked, they are a pack of werewolves (with some token humans for appearance’s sake). If the teen’s parents don’t know he’s there with them, well, it’s not his fault for wanting to stay low on, well, everyone’s radar.

Derek was a ways off from the rest of the group, who were all gathered around the fire they’d made, just watching them. He decided to try not to listen in on what they were saying. Just to observe from a far and intervene if necessary.

Allison, of course, is conjoined at the hip with Scott. No surprise there. Lydia and Erica are discussing make up or something like that. Derek’s not sure, he doesn’t really care, nor does he really want to know, the only point being that neither look like they’re about to rip someone’s head off. Overall, he’d call that a win. For the both of them.

Jackson has an arm around Isaac who’s deep in a conversation with Boyd about a conspiracy involving his English teacher and why every one in his class is failing the course. Stiles is just sitting by the fire, picking at the grass. He’s oddly quiet, Derek notes, but he’s watching everyone else and smiling, so, here’s to hoping there’s nothing too wrong with the kid.

Is little and broken, but still good.

Just when everything seems like no one’s going to kill each other, either Isaac or Boyd says something, does something the other one takes offense to and Jackson and Isaac are both on their feet. Boyd towers over them both. Then Scott is standing with Allison tucked under his arm. Lydia and Erica stopped chatting to watch the standoff. Stiles just shakes his head and gives the group an exasperated sigh.

“‘Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy.’ Probably one of Shakespeare’s most misquoted lines. Ever. Your English teacher was right.”

The entire group just looked at Stiles with that dumbstruck look they’re all so good at; Lydia seemed oddly impressed and when Isaac looked like he was about to protest, Stiles spoke up again, “I wrote a detailed outline of the history of the male circumcision, Hamlet is nothing, so don’t get started with me, mister.”

Erica snickered quietly, looking up at Stiles under her long eyelashes and said, “You are so the mom.”

Scott laughed in spite of himself, Isaac grinned, Boyd nodded in agreement and Jackson just kind of went ‘meh’. “Wouldn’t that make Derek the dad, though?” Allison piped up.

Derek froze momentarily at Allison’s parental role designation, but in a way she was right. Yeah, no, she has to go.

Everyone laughed and the tense atmosphere dissipated as fast as it had been created. Derek was still a little uncomfortable with the title; it nagged at a part of him that did not want to resurface. Well, a part of him that he did not want to resurface. He pushed the thought away and settled on deciding that he would not respond to being called ‘dad’, and anyone who called him that would seriously regret it.

Derek started to head farther into the forest. “Hey dad!” Isaac called, and Derek’s ears perk up, he focused his attention on the group. He was going to regret this whole camping trip idea. They all called him over and he went with his normal brooding reluctance. They smile and they laugh and okay so maybe it wasn’t as bad an idea as he thought it would be because he realizes it’s what he’d wanted all along. Family.

Yeah, still good.

Chapter Text

The pack had made it through their weekend  camp out whole and for the most part unharmed. Stiles nearly caught himself on fire, forcing Derek to save his hide once again, but on an overall scale the whole trip went better than expected. One thing did unsettle Derek however, and that was how Erica watched Derek and Stiles both like a hawk after her comment labeling Stiles their mom, smirking at him whenever their eyes met. Seriously regretting turning her right now.

He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought that about all of them at least once. Erica more than anyone else, but it wasn’t like he was keeping track.  Something about her ever present gaze and knowing looks and her secretive smirks got under his skin. Like she knew something he didn’t, and it was something important, too.

One pack meeting,  Derek threatened Stiles into silence, and even though it was an empty threat--he was, in so many words, all bark and no bite when it came to the doe-eyed human (wait did he just describe Stiles as doe-eyed? Whatever, not even gonna think about that)—Lydia still squeaked, and as soon as the sound came out of her, she clasped her hands to her mouth. Erica put a hand on her shoulder, and the two shared a look. Derek didn’t know what was more frustrating, Stiles’ incessant chatter or these two with their secret looks and girl talk or whatever it was.

Sometimes Derek had himself convinced that these two girls spoke a completely different language from the rest of them.

“Do you think they even know? I mean, Derek obviously doesn’t even realize he does it. And Stiles just lets him, like it’s no big deal.” Erica had been sitting on the steps outside of the high school with Lydia as they spoke. Derek was just waiting for Jackson and Scott to finish up with Lacrosse practice. He listened hard to their words but for the life of him couldn’t figure out what they were trying to say.

“I have no idea what is up with those two, but it cannot be healthy.  For either of them.” Lydia chirped.

“When I called Stiles the mom, I was kidding, but in all honesty, that’s kind of what he is. Maybe not in so many words, or even those exact words, but… I feel a strong loyalty to him that has nothing to do with the enormous crush I’ve had on him.” Lydia made a noise of agreement. Derek really wished he could see their faces right now, not that visual cues would likely help him much. He understood teenage girls as much as he understood quantum mechanics; he understood in theory but only when explained in small words and phrases.

“It’s all a bit wonky to me.  I don’t see why…” And the rest of Erica’s statement was cut off by Stiles’ voice across the field. He was just calling to Scott, yelling at him, really. Something about Derek and killing him and Jackson for being late and the rest just was kind of unimportant, but then Jackson and Scott were both running up to him, and Stiles was walking towards where Erica and Lydia were sitting.

He knew he had had something important to talk to the boys about, but now he was really frustrated by the lack of information he was getting. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Erica call Stiles over to join her and Lydia while they waited for Allison.

 

“Hey, about the other day when I said you were the mom, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to like, emasculate you or anything. It’s just...I don’t know, you just scream parental figure.” Erica was saying, and Stiles laughed—actually laughed—and said, “Don’t worry about it. I mean, as long as you’re not like, trying to stuff me into a gender role, then I don’t really mind. I was really close to my mom before she died, and if I could ever be half the parent she was, I think I’d call my life a success.”

 

“Derek? Derek.” His attention snapped back to Scott and Jackson who were looking at him quizzically.

 

“What?” He furrowed his brow, set his jaw. Assert dominance over them, and get your pack in line, he thought to himself.

 

“You tell us, you were the one spacing out.” Scott crossed his arms over his chest. Derek could have sworn he had just watched the boy snap his fingers in a ‘z’ formation and put his hands on his hips. Jackson, as well, looked nonplussed by his “co-captains” actions.

 

“Dude, I think we need to talk.” The former kanima, and relatively newest member of his pack, spoke up. Derek raised an eyebrow at him, frowning at them both. What the fuck was going on?

 

“About you…and Stiles.” Scott supplied. Of the two of them, Jackson’s heartbeat was the calmest, but Jackson looked the most nervous, like he didn’t want to be there. Derek felt the same.

 

“There’s nothing to talk about.” He said stiffly, and with his original plans forgotten he stalked off to his car and once he was inside he searched Stiles out, listened to his heartbeat, listened to him say goodbye Erica and Lydia and Allison as they went off in Lydia’s care, listened to him start his jeep and drive away.

 

You’re a creep, old man. Certifiable, even.

 

Derek left the high school and went on his own camping trip. Several counties away. Just to be safe. Hopefully.