Chapter Text
The wedding was beautiful.
Aunt Kelly carried Taylor down the aisle, ‘helping’ the infant throw flower petals everywhere, and Teddy was the ring bearer. Derek stood at the front of the room, his eyes bright as he watched Stiles walk down the aisle.
Derek was Connor’s best man, and Bella was Dani’s maid of honor. Stiles was a groomsman, and he escorted Cora down the aisle as they took their places on either side of the altar.
The Sheriff gave Dani away, and there wasn’t a dry eye when she and Connor exchanged their vows.
The celebration was in full swing, now, and Stiles was sitting at a table with Derek and the rest of their pack, talking and laughing.
“Where are they going on their honeymoon?” Kira asked curiously.
“Europe,” Stiles responded. “Starting in Venice, I think.”
“No, they’re going to Greece first, and ending in Venice,” Derek corrected.
“Oh, yeah.” Stiles grinned as he watched his father dance with Melissa, holding back a snort at he stepped on her feet. He nudged Scott, who did not hold back a snort when Melissa laughed, blushing. It was even funnier because they weren’t dancing together- it was a fast pop song and watching John try to impress Melissa was hilarious.
“How long until they-” Stiles started.
Scott smirked. “Another month, at least.”
“Leave them alone,” Derek chastised, but he was grinning.
Stiles thought back on the past six months as he watched everyone dance. Ever since the whole reunion debacle, he had felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders that he didn’t know he was carrying. Once he had healed, he spoke to the pack that lived near Bella and her family, and once he had been convinced they weren’t murderous, he had introduced them to the Gilds. It was a small pack, and Stiles liked them right off of the pack. The alpha of the pack, a kind, older woman, had a grandson Teddy’s age, and the two boys had become fast friends. It was also great for Stiles’ pack, as they now had new allies for when, God forbid, something like this happens again (and let’s be honest, this was Beacon Hills- something like this will happen again).
Actually, this was about a week after he had healed completely. That week had been spent in Derek’s bed. The werewolf had made good on his promise- the second Stiles was proclaimed all better by the doctor, Derek had taken Stiles to the loft and...well, you get the idea.
Anyway, Deaton had been also helping Stiles harness his spark, and Stiles thought he was learning pretty quickly. His control had improved greatly, though sometimes he still made things happen when he was extremely happy. Usually with Derek.
Speaking of Deaton, he had explained how Derek had kept Stiles alive after being shot that night. Sometimes- and it was very rare- a werewolf would develop a deep bond with another individual, linking them together in a way that normal couples didn’t have. Then again, it made sense. When had Derek and Stiles ever been normal?
( “So like...mates?” Stiles had asked. “Are mates a thing?”
“Mates are not a thing, Stiles,” Derek had replied immediately.
“But I think we kinda are though.”
Derek had looked to Deaton for help, exasperated, but Deaton had just shrugged with that cryptic smile of his. )
Anyway, that bond had allowed Derek to essentially share his life force with Stiles until they were able to save him for real. Stiles loved to tease Derek about being ‘mates,’ which annoyed Derek to no end because he was firm in his belief that they didn’t exist.
That didn’t stop him from asking Stiles to move in with him two months ago, nor did it stop Stiles from accepting. They were constantly teased by the pack, because they had been in the honeymoon phase for six months and it didn’t seem like it was going to end anytime soon.
So, long story short, Stiles was happy. He’d be happier if he was dancing, though. He loved dancing, and he was surprisingly okay at it. However, he hated dancing alone, which meant he wasn’t going out there until his friends did.
“Come on,” Derek said, long suffering, breaking Stiles out of his reverie.
Stiles raised an eyebrow in question. Derek rolled his eyes and held out a hand.
“You want to dance but you’re not going to unless someone goes with you. So come on.”
Stiles couldn’t help the smile that stretched across his face as he took Derek’s hand and stood.
“I love you,” he murmured.
The corner of Derek’s lip twitched upwards and he pressed a kiss to Stiles’ hand.
“That’s disgusting,” Scott declared.
“Absolutely nauseating,” Cora agreed.
“Get a room,” Lydia suggested, not even looking at them.
Stiles stuck his tongue out at them as Derek flipped them off, pulling him off to the dance floor.
They danced together for three songs (read: Stiles danced while Derek just sort of swayed around, watching Stiles fondly) before it transitioned into a slower tempo. Stiles rested his head on Derek’s shoulder, letting the older man lead.
“This is nice,” he murmured, looking around at the venue. It was beautiful. People were laughing and having a good time. Dani and Connor were dancing around, gazing into each other’s eyes.
Derek hummed an agreement, resting his head on Stiles’ as he slowly spun them around.
We should do this one day, Stiles thought.
“We should,” Derek murmured back.
Stiles tensed, but only slightly. “Did I say that out loud?”
“You did.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. Derek didn’t seem all that concerned about it, though. He hadn’t really reacted.
“Why are you sorry?” Derek rubbed a hand up and down Stiles’ back reassuringly.
Stiles shrugged, pulling his head back so that he could look at Derek while they danced. “I don’t know, it’s a little soon, maybe? Talking about marriage.”
Derek snorted softly. “First of all, Stiles, we’ve known each other for eight years. I’ve been in love with you for at least three of them. Besides, when have we ever done anything conventionally?”
Stiles tipped his head in acquiescence. “That’s true. We are mates, after all.”
Derek growled at him warningly, but when Stiles just laughed he rolled his eyes fondly.
“Mates are not a thing, no matter how many times you say they are.”
Stiles shrugged, smirking. “What’s second?”
“Didn’t you hear me?” Derek asked, smiling softly. “I agreed with you.”
Stiles bit his lip and looked down, smiling to himself.
“Did I just accidentally propose to you?”
“I think you did,” Derek informed him, sounding amused.
Stiles sighed, but he was still smiling. He hooked his chin back over Derek’s shoulder, and Derek pulled him impossibly closer to his solid chest, a warm hand at the small of Stiles’ back.
“I didn’t mean right away.”
“I know.” Derek rubbed his cheek against Stiles’.
“But I do want to.”
“Stiles,” Derek said, pulling away slightly again. His eyes were shining in amusement, but also love and happiness and Stiles wanted to make Derek look like that all the time. “I know,” he said. “I know, because I do too.”
Stiles beamed at him, leaning up just slightly to seal their lips together.
“Did you two losers just get engaged at my wedding?” Dani interrupted as she and Connor appeared next to them.
Stiles pulled away from Derek sheepishly. “Did we?”
Derek looked at him, considering. “I think it was more of an engaged-to-be-engaged type of thing. Don’t worry, we’re not stealing your thunder,” he said teasingly.
Dani rolled her eyes. “Damn. I had a bet going with Cora.”
Derek plopped his head down on Stiles’ shoulder for a moment. “Of course you did.”
“Congratulations, by the way,” Stiles said, running his fingers through Derek’s hair soothingly. Derek scowled and batted him away, trying to fix the perfectly gelled style that he had. Stiles smirked at him.
“Thank you,” Dani beamed at Connor. “Now, I’m stealing my cousin for a dance, then I’m coming for you, Hale.” She winked at Derek, who laughed.
He kissed Stiles once more before relinquishing him to Dani and heading over to the buffet with Connor.
“I’m happy for you,” Stiles told his cousin as he twirled her around.
“And I’m happy for you,” she responded.
They danced in comfortable silence for awhile, and as the song began to wind down, Dani looked Stiles in the eye. “Now, there’s something I want to tell you.”
She hesitated, and when Stiles raised an eyebrow, and she sighed. “You’ve been hanging out with Derek too much.”
Stiles laughed. “Well, he is my boyfriend. I live with the guy.”
She rolled her eyes out at him. “Alright, so, you’re one of the first to know. I told Uncle John and Aunt Kelly just a little bit ago, and Connor’s telling Derek now, I think. I’ll tell Bella next-”
Stiles spun Dani, interrupting her, and she laughed.
“Oh my god, let me get it out!”
“Then just say it already,” Stiles retorted.
Dani rolled her eyes, then grabbed one of Stiles’ hands from where it was around her waist and moved it to her stomach. Stiles frowned, confused, before it hit him and he stopped moving.
“Oh my god,” he gasped, eyes wide as he looked between his hand and Dani’s glowing face. “Oh my god! Really?”
“Really,” Dani beamed.
“How long?”
“About three months. The doctor said everything is looking fine. Really good, actually.”
“Oh my god, Dani, congratulations!”
Stiles lifted her off of the ground and spun her around, and she grabbed onto his shoulders, laughing. When they looked over at Derek and Connor, the two men were hugging each other tightly.
When Stiles looked back to Dani, her eyes were wet.
“Whoa, hey, what’s wrong?” Stiles asked anxiously.
She huffed a laugh as she wiped at a stray tear. “Nothing. Nothing at all. I’m just...this is exactly what I’ve always wanted. It’s perfect.”
Stiles smiled at his cousin, leaning in to kiss her cheek.
“You deserve it.”
Not long after, Dani broke off to find Bella and Stiles ended up being snatched up by Lydia for a dance. Soon, he had danced his way through Kira, Malia, Bella, Melissa, Cora, Aunt Kelly,
three women and two men from the New York pack, and Teddy, who stood on Stiles’ feet and giggled as Stiles stomped around.
He finally escaped the dance floor, his feet tired and achy, and made his way over to where Derek was standing in a far corner.
“You’re popular tonight,” Derek commented, looping his arms around Stiles’ waist.
Stiles grunted. “Obviously. I’m a catch.”
Derek rolled his eyes, but he was trying to be subtle about the way his hand was sneaking up to the back to Stiles’ neck to scent him. Stiles smirked at him, and Derek just raised an eyebrow, though the tips of his ears were pink.
“Aw, you jealous, big guy?”
Derek rolled his eyes again, but he tugged Stiles closer until they were pressed together, burying his face in the younger man’s neck.
Stiles let him do it, mostly because he knew Derek needed to, but also his stubble felt really good scratching along Stiles’ neck.
“You know you have nothing to worry about, Der. I think we established earlier that you’re it for me.”
Stiles felt Derek grin. “You’re acting like I couldn’t smell your jealousy when I was dancing with that girl from the New York pack.”
Stiles scowled. “She was handsy. You look too good in a tux, no one but me should be allowed to touch you when you look like this.”
“Like what?” Derek smirked against his neck.
“Like sex on legs. Seriously, it’s not fair, you should be illegal. I mean, at any given moment you’re gorgeous, but like this...I almost jumped you as soon as I saw you.”
“You did jump me,” Derek reminded him.
Stiles snorted, remembering how Derek had stepped out of the bedroom, asking for help with his bow tie, and instead Stiles had literally jumped him, wrapping his legs around Derek’s waist and smashing their mouths together.
It had taken them an extra half an hour to leave after that.
“In my defense, you were already hard.”
“Yeah, ‘cause I saw you in your tux.”
Stiles felt his cheeks burn. Even after six months he had trouble believing that he had the same effect on Derek. “Shut up.”
Stiles inhaled sharply as Derek nipped at his neck. “No. The things I want to do right now…”
“Derek, not fair,” Stiles protested as Derek bit him lightly again before soothing the sting with his tongue. “We’re- we’re at a wedding. We still have four hours before we can go home.”
Derek pulled back with a sigh. “Fine. You’re right.”
Stiles felt cold as Derek backed away, and he caught Derek’s hand. “Well, I mean, there are bathrooms here, right?”
Derek narrowed his eyes at Stiles, and a smirk came over his face. He leaned in close, biting at the shell of Stiles’ ear before lowering his voice and murmuring, “Mieczysław Stilinski, are you asking me to fuck you in a bathroom?”
Stiles couldn’t suppress the shudder that drew from him, and he pushed himself into Derek. “I was going to suggest mutual handjobs, but I like your idea better.”
Derek laughed, tilting his head and kissing Stiles thoroughly before taking his hand and pulling him in the directions of the bathrooms.
……
They got several knowing looks when they got back; a few disapproving from the older members of the reception that didn’t know them, exasperated from Stiles’ father, teasing from the pack, and Bella handed Dani twenty bucks. Connor gave Derek a noogie and teased him mercilessly all night.
Six months later, at 8:07 PM on a warm spring evening, in a clearing in the preserve with trees decorated with strings of golden lights and the stars shining down, Derek got down on one knee and (officially) asked Stiles to marry him.
Stiles laughed breathlessly, because he was so happy and Derek looked so ridiculously nervous, like he thought that there was somehow a chance Stiles would say no.
“Yes,” he said “Of course I’ll marry you, you big idiot.”
They got married a year later, in the backyard of the newly rebuilt Hale house, surrounded by their friends and family.
As they danced together, Stiles watched his father dance with Melissa- the two were officially dating now- without stepping on her feet. Isaac, who had come all the way from Florida with Jackson and Ethan, was dancing with Malia, and Stiles gave that about a week before one of them (probably Malia) made a move. Obviously, Jackson and Ethan were dancing together, and Danny Mahelani was, apparently, happy for them. He was with his boyfriend of three years. Bella had brought her boyfriend, the guy she had met at her college orientation, who had turned out to be a human in the pack that Stiles had introduced them to.
Stiles looked over to the side, where three-year-old Taylor was cooing at Dani’s one-year-old daughter, Laura, who was giggling at him. Next to them sat seven-year-old Teddy, holding Scott and Kira’s two month old son Travis, while Scott hovered anxiously.
He hummed contentedly into Derek’s shoulder. We should do that someday, he thought.
“We should,” Derek agreed. He nosed into Stiles’ hairline. “And before you freak out, yes, you said that out loud, and yes, I agree with you. We should have kids.”
“Just not yet,” Stiles said.
“Definitely not. For now, I want you to myself.”
Derek spun Stiles around and Stiles laughed.
He would tell Derek tomorrow that Tyler had reached out to him with a tentative apology. He hadn’t forgiven him yet, any of them, but Tyler reached out to Dani a few months ago and now they met up for coffee every once and awhile, so he was thinking about it.
But for now, Stiles decided to enjoy dancing in his husband’s arms. As he looked around at the family that he chose, thinking about what the future would bring, how maybe adoption would be perfectly fitting for their life, he couldn’t help but think back to the saying he had embroidered and framed, hanging on a wall in the house.
Blood Is (Not) Thicker Than Water.
He had learned how to sew specifically to make it, and it was messy and the letters were uneven, and there were a few minuscule dots of red from where he had inevitably stuck himself with the needle, but he loved it anyway. Derek told him it sucked, but that he liked the idea and he always kissed Stiles when he said it so Stiles knew that he wasn’t being mean.
When Stiles had convinced his best friend to go looking for a body in the woods, he had never expected any of the insanity that had followed. There were times that he regretted it, like the days when the supernatural shit became too much to handle, or on the devastating anniversaries they celebrated. But now, as he danced with Derek- danced with his husband- and looked around at his found family, well.
He didn’t regret a thing.