The first dream came on a Thursday. Stiles had woken up to ruined sheets and a determination to prove his hypothesis was right; that hadn't been a normal dream.

By the time his alarm had went off to wake him up for school he had read everything that he could get his hands on about joint dreaming. The only question that remained was, "How was someone like Stiles supposed to tell someone like Derek that he thinks they might be soul mates?"

It was now Friday night and Stiles was at the loft with Derek, the two of them doing research on Beacon Hill's latest supernatural threat. Vampires, really? The supernatural world wasn't even trying to impress Stiles anymore. Anyway, due to the popularity of the creature, there was a lot of information to go through; a lot of myths to throw away in order to find the facts.

It was Scott's fault that we was stuck doing the research with Derek. He had said, "You stay more focused when Derek is around." and, despite his own desires to not be alone with Derek right now, Stiles couldn't argue with Scott's logic. It wasn't just Derek's disapproving glares that helped Stiles focus, but the overall calm he felt when around him.

The problem was, in this instance, Derek was more of a distraction than a focusing aid. He couldn't stop himself from glancing at Derek and wondering how this, this freaking Adonis, could possibly be his soul mate. How someone like Stiles could be the perfect match for someone like Derek. And, to be honest, he couldn't help but remember all of Derek that he had seen in the dream and rehash it with what he was seeing of Derek now.

He needed to say something. Say. Something. His heart rate picked up at the very thought of actually having this conversation.

Considering Stiles was sitting still on the couch, and, therefore, had no outward reason for his heart to be pounding, Derek looked over at him with a raised brow. Shit, this conversation is actually happening.

"So... have any interesting dreams lately?"

As Derek did a spit take Stiles reevaluated just how good of an idea this was. He was torn between laughing and passing out from anxiety. Stiles fell back on sarcasm, it being his only defense and all. "You alright there, big guy?"

Derek's eyes glowed red for a moment, but then Derek blinked and they were gone. Stiles stared, not sure what the slip could have meant.

"I'm fine."

"Good." Stiles looked back down at the book in his lap. Maybe if he was lucky, Derek would forget how this conversation had started. These are not the droids you are looking for, Stiles mind supplied sarcastically.

"Stiles."

Stiles ignored him, staring more forcefully at the book; as if he were angry at it. More like angry at his life choices.

"STILES." Stiles would have ignored him again except that this time he could hear the call for what it really was, an alpha's command.

Stiles looked up at him and his eyes were glowing again. Stiles was surprised, he had never seen Derek slipping like this before. "Sure you're alright, sourwolf?"

Derek seemed to realize what was happening in that moment and closed his eyes for a few moments, opening them to show that the wolf had once again been suppressed.

"You're not gonna wolf out on me, are you? Cause I had to deal with that enough already when Scott was first turned."

"I've got him under control."

"...Him?"

"My wolf."

"Oh." Stiles anxiety slipped away as his curiosity took over. "I didn't realize it was a... separate but equal kind of thing. Can we call him Miguel? And, what's his problem anyway? He not like me?

Derek blinked at Stiles little tirade then said, "No, that's not it."

"He hungry?" Stiles smirked. "...He wants to go for a walk?

Derek looked unimpressed. "Why did you ask me about my dreams, Stiles?"

Stiles felt his heart rate pick up again. "What?" He chuckled uncomfortably. "When did I say that?"

Derek's eyes went red again. "Miguel is about two seconds away from ripping your throat out-"

"With his teeth? Or are they still your teeth?" Stiles smiled a genuine smile. "...You called him Miguel."

"Stiles." Now he just sounded exasperated.

"...Random curiosity?"

This time all Derek (Miguel?) did was growl.

"Hey, let's place blame where blame belongs. You never answered my question."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I've had an... interesting dream lately."

Stiles blushed. "Just interesting, or?"

Something in Derek's expression seemed to shift and his eyes seemed to glow brighter. "I could think of some other adjectives."

Stiles looked back down at the book in his lap, feeling his face heat up even more, the blush intensifying. "Positive adjectives?"

"Stiles."

Stiles startled. Derek's voice was suddenly much closer. He glanced up and found that Derek was now standing right in front of him.

"You know what the dream meant." It wasn't a question.

Stiles stared. He opened his mouth to try to say something, anything, but he couldn't manage to string a sentence together. How much did Derek know?

Derek stared at him for a moment longer before going on, "You know that we're mates."

Stiles blinked a few times before the words completely sunk in. "You knew? Wait, you knew and you're... okay with it?!"

"I've known for awhile."

Stiles sputtered, unbelieving. Derek had known for awhile now? And... he had never treated Stiles any differently. Had never tried to push him away. Through the disbelief, one obvious question came to Stiles, "How did you know, before?"

The corner of Derek's mouth twitched up. "Miguel knew. Wolves can sense their mates in a way that humans can't."

Stiles picked at a loss thread on his jeans. "...Why didn't you say anything?" The next thing Stiles knew he was being pulled up onto his feet by hands that were on his shoulders. Stiles glanced at Derek's face, his cheeks immediately flushing when the sight of Derek so close reminded him of the dream. And if Stiles didn't know any better, he'd think Derek knew exactly what he was thinking about in that moment.

"There's a reason the dreams didn't start until now. You were still a kid when we first met. It took me awhile to stop seeing you that way. Just because we're mates didn't mean we were ready to be together yet." Derek sighed then, like he knew he had to say more even though he considered talking to be a chore. "You don't put up with my shit, but at the same time you understand why I do the stupid things I do. I might not say it, but never underestimate how much I appreciate that." Derek's hold on Stiles' shoulders tightened slightly. "You know, better than most, how fucked up I am. If either of us is getting the raw deal here it's you."

Stiles smiled.

"What?"

"You're saying all this, even though you don't like to talk, because you know I need to hear it."

Derek seemed to say "duh" with just his eyebrows. Stiles loved his eyebrows.

"You make me feel calm and focused and safe. And I only argue with you because it's funny. I was only worried about telling you because I didn't think you'd believe me."

Derek smirked. "Why wouldn't I want to believe you, after a dream like that?"

Stiles was wrong, the supernatural world was impressive and also utterly awesome.