Return to Our Roots
Stiles sits with Derek in the living room of their apartment, scrolling through his phone, frowning when he sees the many voicemails that his father had left for him. Listening to the first one, he sighs when he hears the concern in his dad’s voice, asking where Stiles is and why he hasn’t checked in for quite some time.
“You should call him,” Derek tells Stiles from where he sits at the other end of the couch.
Stiles nods and dials his father’s number. It takes a few moments before the call connects, and he hears his dad’s voice.
“Stiles?” his dad asks.
“Hey, dad,” he hums. “I got your messages,” he bites his bottom lip. “Sorry for not calling, I've just…. I've been busy,” he murmurs. “I really haven't had much of a chance to relax if I'm being honest.”
“The new agency keeping you busy?” his dad asks.
Once again, Stiles bites his lip and sighs as he nods. “Yeah, it's…it's been a lot, but I'm doing good work,” he assures his father.
“That’s good to hear,” the sheriff says. “Well I had mainly called all those times to remind you that with Christmas coming up, I'm expecting you home.”
Chuckling, Stiles nods. “I'll see what I can do, but I will try my hardest,” he replies.
“Ok, also, Scott has been wanting me to ask you, have you seen or heard from Derek?”
Glancing up at the werewolf in question, Stiles watches as the man pauses before nodding.
“Uh…yeah, Derek’s actually here with me,” he says.
“Oh,” his father says, his voice taking on a tone of surprise and curiosity. “Is…is there something I should know?” he asks.
Once again, Stiles looks to Derek who shrugs and points to Stiles.
“Uh…yeah,” Stiles hums. “Me and Derek are…we’re together dad,” he says, finding that it feels good to tell someone from home about the relationship he has with Derek.
“That's good,” his father says, the response catching Stiles off guard. “I'm glad, it's about time the two of you…for lack of a better term, pulled your heads out of your asses and got together.”
Stiles can't help but chuckle at his dad’s words. “Yeah, well…he makes me happy, and I like to think that I make him happy,” he grins at the werewolf who winks in response.
“I'm sure you do,” the sheriff says before letting out a sigh. “Well, I'll let you get back to whatever…you were doing, but remember what I said, I want you both here, at Christmas,” he says.
“Understood,” Stiles nods.
“Good, I love you, son,” Noah murmurs warmly.
“Love you too, dad,” Stiles replies before ending the call. Putting his phone away, Stiles looks to Derek who grins. “You up to spending Christmas with my dad?” Stiles asks.
The werewolf meets his gaze and nods. “Sure, it would be good to see everyone again,” he admits. “Besides, you need to see your dad, and there’s no way I'm letting you go to Beacon Hills alone,” he smirks.
Chuckling, Stiles moves to lay his head in Derek’s lap, “I love you,” he whispers.
“I love you too,” the werewolf hums, his fingers finding purchase in Stiles hair and carding through his disheveled locks.
---
“You want to go to Beacon Hills for Christmas?”
Stiles looks Coulson in the eyes and nods. “My dad is wanting me and to come back home and spend the holiday with him,” he explains.
Coulson says nothing for a moment before biting his bottom lip.
“Sir?” Stiles questions. “I understand that the world doesn't just stop for holidays…” he trails off.
“No, it doesn't, and I'm not saying that you can't go, you should definitely go, in this line of work we don't get much time with those we care about… I’m just thinking of how to make this work smoothly.”
Stiles says nothing as he watches Coulson think for a moment before nodding. “Alright, this is what we’re going to do, you two are going to Beacon Hills, and you are going to enjoy your time with your father and pack,” he explains. “But we’re coming with,” he says.
“Uh…sir?” Stiles asks.
“Don't worry, I'll make sure that Barton is on his best behavior and doesn't make himself known,” Coulson waves a hand. “But us being in Beacon Hills will not only keep the team together, but it will also let us investigate the goings-on of the town and be able to determine whether we should have a base there.”
Stiles thinks for a moment before nodding. “Alright,” he says.
“Good,” Coulson nods. “Now get out of here and prepare for family holidays,” he says with a grin.
Turning on his heel, Stiles leaves Coulson’s office and heads back to his and Derek’s apartment where he informs the werewolf of the slight change of plans. Derek nods in understanding before he tosses Stiles his luggage so they can pack.
---
Landing in Beacon Hills, Stiles shoulders his bags and together he and Derek step off the plane, he nods to Coulson who leads Natasha and Clint elsewhere.
After securing a rental, Derek and Stiles toss their bags into the trunk before climbing into the driver and passenger seat respectively.
“Feels weird being back here,” Stiles says as he looks out the window and watches the buildings pass by.
“Agreed,” Derek nods as he turns off the main road.
Pulling to a stop outside the home where Stiles had grown up, Derek puts the car in park before getting out and helping Stiles with their bags. Knocking on the front door, Stiles waits a few moments until it opens to reveal his father. The sheriff smiles at them and pulls Stiles in for a hug before doing the same to Derek.
“Glad you both could make it,” he says as he takes on of the bags from Stiles’ hands and leads them inside.
Together they walk up to Stiles’ old room where he sets Stiles’ bags down. “I figured that if you meant what I think you did, you both are going to be sleeping in the same bed,” Noah says before pausing. “Just…don't let me hear anything,” he says before leaving the room.
Stiles watches his father go and turns to find a blushing Derek, the werewolf’s attention focused on something lying on the floor. “Well that was…interesting,” Stiles says. “And mildly embarrassing,” he snorts before moving forward and taking Derek by the hand. “Come on, I know it's Beacon Hills, but we have each other, it can't be that bad,” he says.
Derek pauses and nods.
“Good, now let's go catch up with my dad and then later we can go see what’s going on around town, yeah?”
“Okay,” Derek hums as he lets himself be led by the hand downstairs where they join the sheriff in the living room, watching the baseball game play out on the television.