How To Chain Your Dragon (boyxboy) (Sterek)

In Which A Werewolf And A Dragon Encounter A Problem

Derek doesn't know the first thing about welding, heating things to insanely high temperatures, or bending hot metals to perfect angles and curls. He does, however, know how to smack hot metal with another piece of (cool) metal. Somehow, he finds himself doing just that one night in the welding house where Scott works. His boss isn't there, but he has unlimited access to pretty much wherever and whatever he wants because of his status.

They're putting into motion one of Scott's actually pretty cool plans, and Derek can't be more excited. With Scott's welding skills and Derek's practiced but unprofessional woodworking ones, they're putting together the perfect gift for Stiles. It's actually coming together nicely, but Derek still finds room to complain because Scott's making him assemble it.

Derek's smoothing out some heart wood from a hickory tree, recently dead from the forest, when Scott hands him a newly-crafted and cooled spring. It's large and heavy, but still springs with the rig amount of weight. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" Derek asks gruffly, holding it up in front of his face. Unfortunately, the dim firelight from Scott's welding station isn't shedding any light on the situation.

"Add it to the bottom," Scott points. "It'll be more natural."

"More natural my ass," Derek grumbles, and complies with Scott's instructions. "Are you almost done with the rod?"

"Relax! The spring took up a lot of time. I'm getting there."

"It's a damn rod, I have no clue how that takes longer than a spring." Derek complains, and Scott shoots him a nasty look.

This has been going on for a few days now.

Derek has become increasingly more annoyed with every second he spends with Scott, snippy and biting in almost everything he does. Scott is, really, a very nice guy, and it gets on Derek's nerves. Something about a Good Samaritan just makes him want to throw up. Scott also seems to be getting fed up with Derek's grumbly attitude. They've been holed up in the welder's building for three days straight and their companionship has been anything but companionable. They've both decided that Stiles is their mutual friend, and they're only associates because of him.

When Scott finally hands him the final rod, the two of them spend two more hours griping to each other about how to put the contraption together before finally finishing and heading their separate ways, frustrated beyond belief.

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Scott is practically jumping with excitement when he knocks on Derek's door the next morning, and they walk out to the woods together. Whatever hostile feelings Scott held towards him the previous night are all slept away and the alpha continues to bump his arm or elbow or hand against Derek's, playful touches that indicate his happiness. Derek grumbles, but doesn't do anything about the sudden intense friendliness.

Derek's cradling their present for Stiles in his hands, and it's carefully wrapped in one of his bedsheets. If his mom found out she would kill him, but really he can't bring himself to care too much at the moment because it's for Stiles.

When they get down to the rock valley (it really needs a good name, Derek thinks) Stiles is already waiting, eating a fresh piece of fish expectantly. His glare is enough to make both of them shudder.

"Three days," is all he says, and those two words make Derek cringe with guilt, even if he was doing something nice and productive all that time.

"I know," Scott starts, "but we—"

"Three days." Stiles interrupts, eyes boring holes through the bashful werewolves. Derek feels something curl around his ankle, and yelps when he sees a thorn bush trailing its way up his leg. The weed immediately retracts back into the ground, but not before it leaves at least five different trails of blood dripping down Derek's leg. As it dries it gets caught in his leg hair.