How to build better friends

Section 2: Lydia's party

Stiles wanted the days to go by much faster than they had. Each morning, he expected to get some news that a healer, guardian, or philosopher would be dead, but no one was reported missing or found since the first two. Talia was doing much better according to Derek, who had been slipping into his room without his dad knowing more and more frequently.

"I expect to have Derek over at some point in time, Stiles," his dad said. He had been too immersed in his homework for Mrs. Blake that he hadn't heard his dad get home and had subsequently almost fallen out of his chair in fright.

"What-yeah, no of course. He can come by for dinner, but are you going to make it?"

"I-umm, you see-" clearly his dad did not expect that response out of him, "We can get something to-go."

"You want to get my boyfriend over for dinner and make him eat take-out?"

"Boyfriend? Since when is he your boyfriend?" Noah had leaned back onto his doorframe, the clear sign that he was now not allowing this conversation to settle until he got more out of his son. "How long have you two been dating?"

"It doesn't matter dad, what matters is that we're getting serious."

"Stiles, it absolutely does matter, you're freshly 18. Derek's 20-"

"It's a recent development! We've been dating for all of a week or two, keep that hand out of your holster."

"He should know I have a gun, maybe I'll remind him when he gets over here for dinner, tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Dad, you've arrested him. He knows you're the sheriff," Stiles went back to reading his chapter, hoping that looking like he was doing his homework would deter his father from these dangerous waters, "We don't need any talks, okay? No talking. At least no gun talk, when he's over. No safe sex talk-"

"Safe sex? You've been having sex? Tell me you're using-"

"Dad! Seriously. I did an entire essay on the male anatomy last year for my Econ class. I'll let him know we have to have a family dinner so you can meet him."

"Don't think you're out of trouble, either. Dating someone with a record-"

"He was found not guilty, dad. You know that better than anyone," he watched his father march down the stairs. "You guys can come out now," Tanya and Boston toppled out of the closet.

"That was a close one, we almost didn't hide in time. You know, you'd be in real trouble if your dad spotted us. Not that you need any more of his attention, right now," Tanya said after getting up. Boston gingerly placed some of the fallen books back where they belong.

"It's fine. I would have said we have a project together for Mrs. Blake. Of course, she's the kind of teacher to assign homework over the weekend," he pushed his book away from him. He gave the two lovebirds a look, thinking how it'll feel a little weird to not have them around when they've been a mainstay in his life the past few weeks, "I think Lydia will appreciate a couple of extra bodies on her dance floor, too."

"Is your dad going to know about you going out tonight, or are we sneaking out?" Boston asked.

"He knows about Lydia's party. I've gone every year since I was like in first grade. But with Talia back and dating Derek... Maybe we should tell him what's going on," Stiles scratched his chin, considering the impacts of potentially letting his dad know, but then shaking the idea away. It's always better if they don't know. He sent a text to Derek about dinner with his dad and hoped that he caught the subtle way he said that he was obligated to show.

The three of them got ready for the party very slowly and meticulously. They had to wait some time before Noah left the house and then they really got into it. Stiles had expected Tanya to take the longest with new make up from the currant decade, but her bathroom record was beaten by Boston staying in the shower for an hour. He had come out smelling like a newborn, but the steam prevented Stiles from seeing himself in the mirror, forcing him to take extra long to get ready.