Forever My Gem

5-10

"What do we need to talk about?" Derek asks, legs swinging and bouncing off the couch. His mum and dad are sat on the couch opposite him with hesitant smiles.

"I'm sure you've heard us talk about soulmates before," his mum begins.
"Yeah?"
"Well, we need to tell you about them properly. Because you're a boy your soulmate will be able to get pregnant," Andrew starts.
"Like Auntie Cloud?" Derek smiles.
"Yeah. But it could be a boy, too, love," Talia says gently. She knows he understands what gay relationships are, but this is a tad different.

"Okay," Derek shrugs. He doesn't really understand why his mum and dad think it's so important.
"Derek, we think you've found your soulmate."

Talia's head snaps to the left to look at the door when she hears a gasp.
"Away, girls. This is private," she tells her daughters. They run away, Laura ushering Cora up to her room.

"Who?"
"Stiles," Andrew says quietly. Derek's eyes go wide.
"So Gem is mine? My Gem?" Derek asks, brows furrowing as he tries to wrap his head around it.
"Well, he will have to agree with it when he's older. But he is your soulmate, he just has the choice to not go through with it," Andrew explains. His parents smile proudly when a grin grows on Derek's face. Talia stands and kisses Derek's head.
"You can ask your dad whatever you want, I'm going to sort out the girls. I love you, Der," she whispers.

Derek wraps his arms around her neck and kisses her cheek.
"Love you."

Andrew moves to sit beside him, knocking their shoulders together. Derek sighs and leans his head onto his shoulder. He feels a whole lot older than he did before this conversation.
"How you feeling, bud?"
"I don't know. I'm glad because I love Gem. But what if I tell him when he's older and he feels like he has to be with me? Or if he doesn't want to?" Derek asks.
"We'll come to that when it happens. For now I need to tell you some other things."

He explains that Derek will probably be very aroused around Stiles, as he has been since he was five when Stiles kicked off an early puberty, and that's okay, but Stiles can't help until he's old enough. His wolf will consider Stiles his so he might get jealous when other people are close to him. Derek is bright red to the tips of his ears as his dad explains that he can watch porn and masturbate so he's not overwhelmed. He already knows these things, but now he doesn't feel so guilty about it.

"We're going for a run tonight. You still need to practice shifting. Do you want to come with us?" Andrew offers.
"Is Stiles' arm still hurting?"
"It will be for a few weeks. You can't take his pain. Running will get your mind off it."

---

The night before Stiles turns 6 Derek stays at his house, cuddling up to him at bedtime.

"Der?" Stiles whispers. Derek mumbles his name and nuzzles his face into Stiles' neck. "What's that?"
"What?"
"Something in your pants,"Stiles tells him.

Derek feels his face flush in the dark.
"Go to sleep, Gem."
"What is it?" Stiles persists.
"It happens when you're older, Gem. Go to sleep or you'll be too tired to open your presents tomorrow."
"But I'll be older tomorrow!" Stiles whines. He turns so he is facing Derek.

Derek closes his eyes, smiling when Stiles pokes him over and over again. When Stiles' finger comes near his mouth he gently bites it between his teeth. Stiles gasps and pulls his hand away.

"Hey, no wolf tricks. That's cheating," Stiles pouts. Derek chuckles and kisses his cheek. Stiles blushes and squirms even closer to Derek.

"I didn't even use my fangs," Derek tells him. Stiles grins. He loves it when Derek shifts. He stares hopefully up at him. "If I get them out will you go to sleep?"
"Yeah. Pinky promise," Stiles offers. When Derek holds his pinky out his claws are out and his fangs are down.