Human is Just a Word 10/?
Chapter 10
When Derek had called Erica earlier, she had yelled at him for claiming somebody. He hadn't told her that said somebody was a seventeen year old teenager, she would have killed him through the phone. But now there were only a few floors separating them from the rest of the pack and Derek felt as nervous as Stiles smelled.
"Ready?" He asked, not sure if he was ready himself.
Stiles put on a brave face and gave him a nod. He smelled of fear and Derek couldn't blame him. Most people lived their lives without ever knowingly interacting with a werewolf and Stiles was part of a pack now. With Stiles' history, Derek still wanted to rip Peter's throat out for what he'd done to his best friend, he was surprised that Stiles had even considered letting Derek claim him.
However, there was no turning back now. He got out of the car and got his bag while Stiles took his things. Everything the teenager had to his name now was a bag and a backpack.
His dad will bring more of his stuff, Derek tried to convince himself but it sounded hollow in his own mind. And we can buy him whatever he needs.
Not that he thought that Stiles would like the idea of Derek supporting him like that. Stiles already thought that he was some kind of pet to the pack, buying him everything he needed wouldn't help convincing him otherwise.
Derek put those thoughts to the back of his mind. First things first, his pack was waiting.
They took the elevator to the penthouse. It was a glorified name for the loft but it was the apartment at the top and with that it was the penthouse. Erica had said so.
"They are at my place." Derek informed Stiles.
"Does everybody have a key to your place?" He asked, sounding more curious than anything else. If he was worried about members of the pack coming and going as they pleased, Stiles didn't show it.
"We all have keys for each other's places. But we only use them in case of an emergency." Derek explained and made a mental note to get Stiles keys as well. He had a spare key for his own apartment, that would do for now.
"So I'm an emergency?" Stiles grinned at him.
"You're unexpected." Derek said, waiting for the doors of the elevator to open. "And I've been away for a few days, they need to reconnect with me."
And he with them, but he didn't say that out loud. Being back in his own territory made Derek breathe easier but he would feel like himself again once the smell of pack had covered up the stench of strangers and other werewolves. Having Stiles around had helped a bit but Stiles was too new for his wolf to actually feel at home with him. But he was getting there.
Derek led the way into his apartment where the others were waiting in his living room. He dropped his bag right next to the door to get his hands free. Stiles did the same and then stood awkwardly behind him.
"Derek." Erica almost knocked him over with her hug. He buried his nose in her neck and took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her.
Isaac and Boyd were not far behind and a second later Derek stood in the middle of his pack, bodies pressed against him and noses nuzzling along his throat and neck.
Derek would have liked for it to last longer, he wanted to rub his scent all over them and let their scent wash away everything that wasn't his, that wasn't pack, but there was Stiles right next to him, radiating nervousness. He should be part of this too, but that was probably a bit too much to ask right now.
So Derek broke out of the group hug and gestured for Stiles to come closer.
"This is Stiles." He introduced. "Stiles, these are Erica, Boyd and Isaac."
There was an awkward round of "hi" and he could tell that his pack, especially Isaac, was itching to get close enough to get to know Stiles' scent but for now they kept their distance.
"You didn't tell me he's a kid." Erica said, clearly trying to not sound too accusing in front of their new pack member.
"Actually I'm seventeen." Stiles pointed out. "And you're what, grandma? Twenty?"
"Did you just call me old?" Erica planted herself in front of Stiles who didn't back down.
Derek was ready to jump in when Erica narrowed her eyes on Stiles with a tilt of her head, she had shed blood for far less before, but then she beamed.
"I like him." She proclaimed. "Can I scent you?" She asked and now Stiles did back off.
"Whoa." He made and flailed backwards into the door. "I don't even know you."
He tried really hard to keep his eyes on her face and not the very open-hearted top she was wearing. Derek didn't even notice that anymore, she wasn't his type and she was pack and what did he care if she wanted to show off what she had. Now that she could show of what she had, that is.
But it was kind of amusing to see Stiles getting overwhelmed by her confidence.
"That's why I want to scent you." She didn't say dumbass but it was clearly there. What was also there was Stiles' almost panicked expression.
"Let him breathe." He caught Erica by the scruff of her neck and put her back to the others. At least Isaac and Boyd had kept their distance for now.
Then Derek turned to Stiles: "How about I show you your room? And you can call your dad, I bet he's waiting for a life-sign from you."
Stiles gave him a grateful smile and shouldered his backpack again.
"Lead the way." He said, making his way past Erica who was openly eyeing him like he was some kind of candy. "I'll come back to the scenting thing later." He promised with a wink and much more bravado than the rest of his body was transmitting. The boy was scared, Derek could tell that much.
"This is my room and there's the bathroom." Derek pointed at the doors when they reached the top of the spiral staircase. "And this is your room." He opened the door right next to his own bedroom. A few days ago it had been his office but after his call the pack had turned it into a bedroom for Stiles.
Derek wasn't sure if he wanted to have a look in his own room. Not knowing where to put his stuff from the office he'd told Erica to just dump it in his bedroom for now. Which might not have been his best idea.
"Nice place." Stiles said and put his backpack on the freshly made bed. There was a nightstand, a drawer, an empty book shelf and that was it.
"It's not much." Derek said. "But it's yours."
"It's great." Stiles assured him. "Thank you."
Derek didn't know what to say to that so he just stood there while Stiles explored his new home.
"I like the view." Stiles stepped over the the window. It went out to the park just across the street. Derek's room had the same view, it had been one of the reasons he'd bought this place. He grew up in the middle of the forest, the wolf in him wanted to see trees once in a while, even if they were harnessed and maintained.
"Erica." Derek start and cleared his throat. "She kinda started this tradition. She calls it pack nights." It was such a stupid name.
"Pack nights?" Stiles raised his eyebrows at him. "That sounds … cozy?"
"When one of us has been away for a while." Derek searched for the right words to explain what came naturally to him. "We need to reconnect, as a pack."
"Okay." Stiles drew the word out, clearly waiting for the rest of the explanation.
"There will be pizza and movies in a bit." Derek said, he wasn't good at explaining things like this. He should have left it to Boyd. "You should join us."
"Sure, sounds like fun." Stiles' heartbeat blipped at that.
"You don't have to." Derek hurried to say when he realized that it had sounded like an order. "But you're welcome." There, that sounded better. Before he could say more stupid things, Derek let Stiles be to settle in and went back downstairs where Erica and Isaac were already setting up the den with blankets and pillows in front of the TV.
While they were busy Derek sneaked into the kitchen with no idea what he wanted there except for escaping the inevitable. With Stiles out of earshot one of his betas, most likely Erica, would chew him out for claiming a teenager.
He opened the fridge and searched for the bottle of apple juice he knew he had in there somewhere just to give himself a reason to hide in the kitchen.
"What were you thinking?" Instead of Erica it was Boyd who stood right there when Derek closed the fridge.
"I didn't have a choice." Not looking at his beta he poured himself a glass of juice. "Peter threatened to claim him. Stiles asked me to do it instead. End of story."
"End of story?" Boyd repeated. "He's seventeen. He's a kid. Did you even know him before yesterday?"
"No." He took a long gulp of juice.
"You have no emotional connection to him whatsoever." Boyd summed it up.
"No."
"So you just raped this kid."
Derek set the glass down on the counter with a thud.
"He asked me to do it. He knew what he was getting into." At least Stiles had thought he knew. Since then Derek had learned about some worrying ideas Stiles had about werewolves.
"Did he?" Boyd asked. "Did you?"
Derek didn't have an answer to that but Body didn't seem to expect one. After another stern glance he turned around and joined Erica in the den.
Derek took his time rinsing the glass.
"Don't let Boyd bother you." Isaac came up behind him.
"He's right."
Isaac hugged him from behind, his chin resting on Derek's shoulder.
"That doesn't make you wrong." He rubbed his nose along his neck before he dragged him over to the den where Boyd and Erica were waiting for them. They had made themselves comfortable in the nest on the floor with Body sitting against one of the chairs and Erica between his spread legs, using him as her personal pillow.
Derek and Isaac took their usual spot in a pile of blanket more lying than sitting with their heads propped up against the couch. Without saying a word they left a spot between them for Stiles.
To Derek's surprise Stiles did join them a moment later. After a confused look around he took the offered spot between them.
When the pizza arrived they set it out in the middle within easy reach for everybody and Isaac popped in some trashy martial arts flic. It was a comfortable closeness Derek had learned to enjoy.
At first Stiles was clearly nervous sitting between him and Isaac but when he started to run a nonstop commentary on the movie half-way in, Derek knew they could work this out.
When the credits rolled, Isaac was half asleep with his head on Stiles' shoulder but Stiles didn't seem to mind. He just stopped using that arm to express his opinion on the movie.
Derek hadn't slept at all the night before and by now he was half asleep as well but it was okay, he was surrounded by his pack, it was safe for him to let his guard down.
Derek only distantly noticed when Boyd switched off the TV and started to help Erica out of her clothes.
He did, however, notice the skyrocketing of Stiles' heartbeat when Isaac nuzzled into the teen's throat and said: "Sleep with us tonight."
Chapter 11
Masterpost