The Bravest of the Pack (Sterek)

Part Three

Discipline was never an issue for Derek. He knew how to control himself and his choices. Sometimes even others around him. But things were different now. It wasn't harder, just more fun not to care.

He had begun to like fun again. He really did, mostly because he felt he had met the human version of fun itself.

Derek felt strange walking around with a smile on his face. He tried to hide it by looking at the dirt and leaves beneath his feet. It never worked. He almost felt a chuckle rise in his throat as he kicked a stone and watched it bounce away. His life had become so strange... almost normal. It involved going grocery shopping or reading a good book and, like he was doing at that moment, collecting chopped up wood for his fireplace.

Ever since Stiles said "nothing beats a good log fire" Derek just couldn't stop going out, getting some wood and lighting a fire. It really did make a house feel like a home. He didn't fully understand why he always lit a fire, even when it was just him at home. But between you and me, I think he just hoped Stiles would show up randomly. Of course Derek would never admit that.

He kicked the mud from his heavy boots as he walked through his front door, chucking the wood onto the floor of the hallway as he went. He'd pick them up later. His house, his disorganised and slightly messy rules.

He shrugged his big leather jacket off and hung it up before walking into his kitchen to put a pot of coffee on. As it simmered away he grabbed a mug from one of his cupboards and placed it on the kitchen counter. He shook his head slightly and let a small smile appear on his face in a reminiscent fashion as he stared at the cartoon wolf on the plain white background of the over sized cup.

Derek blew gently on his beverage as he walked across his living room to his favourite chair. Stiles did have weirdly good taste when it came to picking furniture.

Vanilla

"Stiles" Derek greeted as he heard the front door creak open.

"How do you do that? Every damn time! The Queen of England could try to give you a surprize visit but it wouldn't work as you would smell her a mile away. Such a fun sponge honestly Derek" Stiles answered back as he closed the door and walked straight to the kitchen to pour himself some coffee.

"Help yourself why don't you" Derek huffed under his breath, using his mug to conceal his small smirk.

"Don't mind if I do" Stiles answered as he walked back into the room. This removed Derek's smile and replaced it with a quite confused look. How the hell did he hear that from in there? Whatever, back to the important things in life. Such as coffee.

"So, what's with the visit?" Derek asked after taking a sip "Always an agenda when you come to visit"

"Maybe I just wanted to see if the present I gave you wasn't going to waste. Looks like there was no need to worry" He replied, looking down at the mug in Derek's hands.

"Only clean one I could find" He said, trying to sound casual. Obviously Stiles knew this was untrue, he'd just grabbed a mug himself and, trust me, there were plenty of options. Such as the batman one, another gift from Stiles, and the Bambi one, gifted to him from Stiles when he found out Derek's favourite movie as a child (ironically) was about a dear. He could have also used the Hello Kitty one, again gifted to him from Stiles because it made him laugh whenever he thought of a big, scary werewolf owning a mug with a cartoon cat on it.

"Anyway yes there was something I wanted to talk to you about" His voice had become much more serious and he looked Derek in the eyes as he spoke.

"Shoot" He didn't want to talk too much as Derek knew if he did his voice would shake. His mind was running a mile a minute as all the different possibilities came flooding in. Was he okay? Was the Pack okay? Is there a new danger waiting just round the corner, ready to pick off another much loved member of their group?

"I need your help" Oh dear God, fasten your seat belts. "With what?"

"Painting the living room in my house. I know it's a lot to ask but Scott's busy all week working and I want to do something nice for my dad" And... breath.

"Jesus Christ Stiles why do you have to be so dramatic. I was worried something bad had happened"

"So you'll do it?" He asked, ignoring Derek and instead grinning at him.

"Yeah sure. We'll head over there when I've finished my drink if you want"

"Great! Knew I could count on you Thumper"

"Stop calling me that I was ten years old!"