Derek was having a bad day. He was already in no mood to be bothered when his cellphone buzzed in his pocket, alerting him to a text. He pulled it out with a glare at Erica and Boyd who were leaving the room holding hands. They had been bitching about the way he was running the pack again. If they had such a problem with it then... too bad. Life is shit. Get over it. That's what he told them anyway.

He frowned at the tiny screen and typed out a quick reply.

244-590-6672: hEy Sourwolf whats up?

Derek Hale: Who is this

244-590-6672: how many people call you Sourwolf? Guess.

Derek Hale: Is this Stiles

244-590-6672: great job Sherlock.

244-590-6672: what's up?

244-590-6672: come on. Talk to me. Im bored~

Derek Hale: Fuck off

244-590-6672: bad dog.

Derek Hale: Next time I see you I'm breaking your finger

244-590-6672: sorry. Dont break my finger. Please.

Derek rolled his eyes and didn't answer, shoving his phone back into his jeans pocket. He'd met Scott's best friend a couple of weeks ago when trying to convince his uncle's beta to join his pack. Derek had been forced to kill his uncle Peter in self-defense and had subsequently become the Alpha. So it only made sense that Scott should join his ranks.

The teenager saw it a bit differently. He flat out refused Derek's invitation and told him to stay away. But Derek couldn't have a rogue wolf roaming around Beacon Hills. He would either convince Scott to join him or... He didn't want to think about the other option.

Stiles was another issue entirely. He was practically glued to the Beta's side and Derek had a sneaking suspicion that if he got one boy in his pack the other would follow. However, the thought of turning Stiles into a wolf was daunting at best. The kid was beyond annoying. The handful of times they'd been together, Stiles was vibrating with nervous energy and running his mouth a mile a minute. He would single-handedly drive Derek insane.

How the hell had he gotten Derek's phone number?

Annoying Human: sup Derke?

Derek Hale: Do not text me. And that's not my name

Annoying Human: sorry my autocorrect doesnt seem to like you.

Annoying Human: how are things in the wolfy world?

Derek Hale: How did you get my number

Annoying Human: i have connections. i could be a valuable addition to any pack.

Derek Hale: Who gave you my number Stiles

Annoying Human: i read the police report on Peter's death. you were listed as next of kin.

Derek Hale: I'm pretty sure that's illegal. And if it isn't then it should be

Annoying Human: i can break rules when rules need to be broken. *hint hint*

Derek Hale: I will throw myself in front of a bus before giving you the bite

Annoying Human: thats harsh...

Derek Hale: Delete my number

Annoying Human: in case of emergency, no. but unlike you i can take a hint.

Annoying Human: dont break my fingers.

Derek was sleeping almost peacefully for the first time in months. The day had been long and the new moon was waning. Of course that was when his phone went off. It took no small amount of control to keep from snapping it in half to stop the incessant buzzing.

With a sigh, he squinted at the sudden brightness and read the message. A deep scowl claimed his features.

Hyper Kid: Scott needs help!

Derek Hale: What happened

Hyper Kid: he got injured and he isnt healing!

Derek Hale: How is he injured

Hyper Kid: he was cooking at Allisons house and cut himself on a knife and there is blood everywhere he is bleeding all over my room you have to help!

Derek Hale: A knife from the Argent house?

Hyper Kid: yes! get your furry ass over here ASAP!

The werewolf rolled his eyes and sighed. He was not the freaking Werewolf Red Cross.

Derek Hale: Pay attention. I'll walk you through it

Hyper Kid: what?

Derek Hale: Calm down

Derek Hale: Put a bandaid on it

Derek Hale: Kiss it better

Derek Hale: The knife was probably washed in mountain ash or something

Hyper Kid: oh.

Derek Hale: You two idiots should go to sleep

Hyper Kid: asshole.

Hyper Kid: thanks.

Turning his phone off to hinder any other interruptions, Derek rolled over and closed his eyes. Despite his exhaustion, he chuckled at the scene probably taking place at Stiles' house right now.

Pest: Derke can i stay at your house tonight?

Derek Hale: Hell no. Stop calling me that

Pest: autocorrect. why not?

Pest: you know if that kanima gets me im dead meat

Derek Hale: You're the last person I would let sleep on my couch. Kanima or not

Pest: but Scott is spending the night with Allison and my dad wont be home. besides i dont mind sharing the bed. i bet you make a good space heater.

Derek Hale: It won't get you. Just go to sleep

Pest: it found me at the car shop. i watched a person die and couldnt stop it

Pest: please.

Pest: i dont feel safe here. im freaking out over everything.

Derek glared at the phone.

Derek Hale: Fine. I'll be there to get you in a few minutes

Derek Hale: And you're sleeping on the couch

Angry Eyebrows: You left this morning without saying goodbye. Or 'thanks' for that matter

Hot Bod: sorry about that Scott called me.

Angry Eyebrows: I see you also changed the names in my phone

Hot Bod: it was just laying there tempting me.

Angry Eyebrows: Speaking of which, if I had known you were going to sleep in your boxers I would have given you a bigger blanket

Hot Bod: i wasnt going to sleep in my clothes. Scott already told me about the powers of a werewolf's nose. also did you just insinuate that i was tempting?

Angry Eyebrows: No. And don't touch my phone again or I'll bite both your ears off

Hot Bod: kinky. did you see what i changed Scotts name to?

Angry Eyebrows: ... That's messed up, Stiles

Hot Bod: XD i know. kanima hunting later?

Angry Eyebrows: I'll be there

Hot Bod: good. and thanks for lending me your couch. :)

Angry Eyebrows: You talk in your sleep

Hot Bod: wait what? what did i say?

Hot Bod: Derke what did i say?

Hot Bod: DAMMIT WOLFMAN

Catching the kanima proved to be more difficult than anyone anticipated and werewolf healing came in handy; those claws were sharp.

However, the part that did make a lasting impression on Derek was when the scrawny teenage boy who slept on his couch once kept his head above water when they sought safety in the high school's pool. Derek was paralized and Stiles, while admittedly being the reason they fell into the pool in the first place, was using every ounce of strength he had to make sure the older man stayed above the surface. It was admirable how hard he tried and Derek doubted for the first time his choice not to give Stiles the bite. Maybe the boy would be a good addition to his pack after all.

As he was human currently, Stiles was still sporting bruises from their Kanima encounter a week later when he shadowed Scott to the Alpha's house for a pack meeting of sorts. Derek was giving off an air of disapproval at the boy's presence but after a few minutes seemed to accept it as unavoidable. The kid saved his life- after putting it in jeapardy- but that didn't mean they were on good terms. At least Scott was here.

They were listening to Isaac recount a strange encounter he had in the woods with a group of hunters when Derek's phone alerted him to a text. Maintaining eye contact with Isaac to encourage him to continue, Derek pulled put his phone and flipped it open. Then he glanced across the room to where Stiles was studying his nails, one hand conveniently tucked under his arm out of sight.

Pipsqueak: so whats my name set to now?

Derek Hale: Stop texting me

Pipsqueak: im bored. those guys sound totally non-threatening.

Derek Hale: This time I am close enough to break your fingers

He heard Stiles make an offended sound but the boy put his phone away, waving off Scott's curious look. He made an effort to pay attention for the rest of the meeting and Derek was adequately impressed by the lack of restless twitching.

It was strange. He found Stiles to be the most tiresome individual he'd ever had the displeasure of knowing; and yet, Derek wanted to rough up Jackson (I.E. Mister Kanima Booty) even more every time he caught a glimpse of the yellowing patches and red scratches on Stiles' skin. When he let the kid sleep on his couch and came down at dawn to find him sprawled across the furniture with his mouth hanging open and that slim chest rising and falling with each breath, the first thing Derek thought was how cute he looked right then. Not babbling like an idiot or flailing around like a gawky teenager, but displayed on the werewolf's sofa with all the unguarded innocence of a slumbering angel.

Those were not thoughts he wanted to dwell on longer than necessary.

Once the pack meeting was over and everyone had gone out, Derek listened for his Betas' departure, noting that Scott and Isaac seemed to be getting closer. If so, that could be a great way to reach him, to persuade him into letting Derek be his Alpha. The two Betas left together.

Oddly enough, he didn't hear the one sound he was subconsciously listening for. Stiles was sitting in his parked jeep outside the Hale house. Why was he not leaving?

After a minute, he understood.

Pipsqueak: what did i sleep talk about?

Derek Hale: Worried you said something inappropriate

He could smell the spike of adrenaline from inside and it made his own heart start pumping faster.

Pipsqueak: did i?

Derek Hale: You did say a girl's name

Pipsqueak: oh my gosh whose?

Derek Hale: Claudia. Crush?

The scent of sadness hit Derek with such force it brought back all the memories of his decension into inner torment after the Hale house was set on fire. His heart pulled and throbbed against his ribcage like it wanted to break free and escape the cloud of sadness. He strode closer to the door, wanting to run out there and find out what was wrong but at the same time he wanted to maintain a safe distance.

After a few minutes, Stiles texted back.

Pipsqueak: Shes my mom. Died when i was little.

Oh. Derek regretted bringing it up.

Derek Hale: I'm sorry, do you not want to talk about it

Pipsqueak: its been a while, maybe i should.

He could feel the loneliness radiating off of Stiles and ached to comfort him.

Derek Hale: I'm here, you can talk to me

Immediately, gratitude and relief diluted the scent of sadness and Derek was glad he'd helped a teeny bit instead of making it worse as he often did when things involved Stiles.

They continued to talk for well over an hour, until the sun started going down and Stiles had to go home.

Both of them felt an incredible thing had happened, that they'd finally gotten closer after so much bickering and danger. It didn't need to be said but Derek knew he no longer disliked Stiles. In fact, he might be kind of fond of him. As a pack mascot or something.

...The werewolves' mascot was a human. In their out-of-the-ordinary lives that was extremely fitting.

Stiles: mind if i come over later?

Derek Hale: Busy

Stiles: come on we bonded! i want to hang out.

Derek Hale: It's not a good time. The full moon is close

Stiles: so you have werewolf PMS?

Derek Hale: I might have to chain myself up

Stiles: i can do it. unless thats too homo.

Derek Hale: Why don't you go to Scott's house

Stiles: he's with Allison. but im turning eighteen in a couple days! thought id celebrate ^.^

Derek Hale: Why must I be a part of that

Stiles: were sort of friends. its fun being with you when youre not slamming me against things. sometimes even then, haha.

It was a bad idea. A bad, stupid, irrational idea and he shouldn't let the unsuspecting boy get so close when his wolf is scratching at the edges of his mind to gain control. He shouldn't.

But he wants to.

Derek Hale: Fine, come over for a little while

Stiles: yay! get ready to party Derke!

This was a very, very bad idea.

Derek knew he was an idiot. He knew and yet couldn't seem to do anything to change that fact.

He still couldn't believe what had happened. Stiles' breathy moans were still echoing in his ears four days after the full moon. He hadn't actually fucked him but... it took every ounce of his willpower not to. He hadn't spoken to Stiles since.

It shouldn't have surprised him, then, when he was sitting at home one evening and was alerted to the sound of someone approaching his house. When the text came he was expecting it.

Stiles: so...

Stiles: about that kiss...

Stiles: ?

Derek Hale: Go home, Stiles

Stiles: Deek, hear me out.

Derek Hale: The fuck did you just call me

Stiles: typo, i swear my phone hates you. also how did you know? im half a mile away.

Derek Hale: Because you're only half a mile away. I can hear you tripping over everything

Stiles: then you should come out here with a flashlight and get me.

Derek Hale: I might kiss you again. Sure you want to risk it

Stiles: why do you think im walking through the woods in the middle of the night?

Derek Hale: Stiles...
Derek Hale: Stay there, I'm on my way

This kid- well, adult now- was doing exactly what Derek envisioned from the beginning. He was throwing everything in the werewolf's life off balance without even knowing it. Stiles was flipping the entire world on its axis and watching with a grin while it spun out of control. He was changing the game; yes, breaking the rules.

Derek was hardly being tamed. Rather, he was getting wilder. He needed to have Stiles in his pack. More than that, he needed Stiles in his life. As someone other than 'Scott's best friend'.

He wanted him.

Three weeks later

Derek Hale: I went to the store, don't worry. Be back soon

Pup: so... last night was amazing. you are good AF no pun intended.

Pup: by the way i might be in love with you

Pup: a little bit

Derek Hale: Fuck it, I'm turning around

The corner drug store would have less expensive condoms anyway.

Derek Hale: Be there in ten

Pup: i cant find my underwear.

Derek Hale: Be there in five

Derek Hale: And I love you, too (a little bit)

Relationships change. People meet, interact, and connections are formed. Some don't last and a lucky few survive even the minor setback of death.

There was only thing Derek was sure of anymore; that this clumsy boy had fallen into a tangle of emotions with him. For better or worse, they were going to see where this thing went. Although, something told Derek that there was a lot more 'better' in the future for them. And if he terrified the clerk at the drug store with fang fueled haste, well... that couldn't be helped.