+1.

Stiles grinned tiredly as he felt Derek snuffling at his neck and shoulder and every now and then rubbing his stubbled cheek against Stiles' skin when he apparently decided that his scent hadn't sunk in enough. As though the humans in their pack wouldn't be able to smell the scent of him all over his skin. But he wasn't going to complain about getting more cuddle time with Derek after sex, and he loved this side of Derek when the wolf was still close to the surface and he allowed himself to be more instinctual in his behaviour than normal.

He loved the faint purring growls that Derek gave out as he stroked his fingers along the strongly muscled planes of his back and up to run his fingers through his hair. Whenever Derek raised his head to tongue at the hickeys on Stiles' neck or shoulder Stiles could see the fading red starting to bleed from his eyes. Derek let out a happy growl and leant up and licking across Stiles' lips before kissing him, slow and deep, the fire that was always present in everything he did lingering behind the kiss.

He was still comfortably slotted into the cradle of Stiles' thighs, still pressed inside of him. It had shocked Stiles the first time they slept together just how long Derek liked to hold him close afterwards, he was lucky if Derek let him out his arms to go clean up most nights, and if they did during the daytime the alpha would hold him close and nuzzle him for hours after they finished. Not that he was complaining in any way shape or form because hey Derek was surprisingly cuddly, he loved any form of contact with his alpha boyfriend in any shape that he could take it, and he knew that he scent was all over Derek as much as Derek's was all over him marking them as mates. Something he would happily shove under that alpha female's nose who had come through Beacon Hills two years ago -before they were dating - and had thought she could snap up a good mate.

He gasped slightly were Derek licked and then nipped his jaw line playfully, turning his head to meet him in another kiss as he fisted Derek's hair playfully.

"We…need to get up, the pack will be home soon," Stiles sighed placing little kisses across Derek's face as he spoke.

"Urgh, fine," Derek huffed, a slight scowl appearing again but Stiles wasn't fooled. Jackson and Lydia had both gone to New York for college, Erica to L.A and they were flying in this morning for Christmas holidays, Boyd had gone to visit some aunt of his earlier to give presents so that he could be back in time to start the holidays with the rest of them. Scott, Allison and Isaac had gone to pick them up and would be due back soon. Derek had…commandeered Stiles the second he had finished preparations for the welcome home meal tonight.

He grinned as Derek wrapped Stiles' legs back around his waist before standing in one smooth motion and carrying him through to their bathroom, and god did he love werewolf stamina.

Derek looked around the room, the room that held his pack. Jackson and Erica were right back into their relationship poking fun at each other and play wrestling until Boyd became involved and basically just lay on top of them both, Isaac sitting on top of him with a grin, the pair of them groaning under the weight of the other two werewolves, especially when Isaac started bouncing. Allison, Lydia and Stiles burst out laughing when Scott gave a war cry and tackled Isaac turning it into a form of a belly flop on top of the others when Isaac resisted, Erica and Jackson who were at the bottom of the pile groaning loudly.

When Stiles dropped onto his shoulder still laughing he gently nuzzled his temple before settling back and just watching. He had thought that he would never have this again, a home, a pack, family after the house burnt down and they moved to New York he and Laura had existed. The guilt of his involvement with Kate weighing him down, and no matter what she said he knew a part of Laura blamed him as well, he could see it in her eyes when she looked at him. And she had been weighed down with the responsibility of becoming alpha long before she should have, of trying to deal with that and what it meant, with getting a handle on her new powers and strength which he could completely understand the difficulty of now.

And he had seriously never thought that he would get a mate, he never thought that he would get to feel this bond, that he would feel the joy in his wolf at having his mate pressed against his side, at having a mate! After Kate he had sworn to himself he would never trust anyone like that again, that he would never let someone in that way again, he wouldn't expose himself like that. And then Stiles had come along and worked his way through every single defence, wall, barrier and bloody fortified steel trap he had come up with.

Before he had even realised what was going on Stiles was already completely trusted by him and the wolf, he had let him in like that, and he hadn't realised until it was too late and he didn't want to go back to being alone, he didn't want to go back to not having someone there that he could trust and that he could rely upon. He suddenly knew exactly how much stronger having a pack made him, but he had no idea how much stronger merely having a potential mate would make him never mind once they were actually mated.

To be able to feel his mate in his chest, to be able to feel when Stiles was happy and content, to be able to feel the love from his mate washing over him and placing a balm over the jagged wounds that had been left by his families deaths, Laura's death, Peter's betrayal, Kate's betrayal, Stiles made it easier, he made it better.

Stiles grinned when arms wrapped around him from behind, squeezing gently as surprisingly soft lips brushed up the length of his neck. Turning his head he kissed Derek with a smile on his face before pulling back and kissing the tip of Derek's nose and then turned back to stirring his sauce.

"Are the puppies behaving?" He grinned.

"Well when I left Erica had Jackson in a headlock, Isaac was chewing on the sofa and Allison was braiding Boyd's extra werewolf hair," Derek smirked as Stiles burst out laughing.

"Werewolf in London then?" Stiles snickered.

"Werewolf in London," Derek sighed exasperated.

"You've been thinking big thoughts today, everything ok?" Stiles asked softly taking the sauce off the heat and turning the hob off before turning around to look at Derek slightly concerned.

"Nothing bad, just thinking how things are different," Derek shook his head bending to rub his nose and sniff in the spot behind Stiles' ear that he had learnt long ago was apparently one of the prime scent spots. "Hmm, you smell like me and our pack again," Derek said contently.

"Its good having them home again huh?" Stiles hummed wrapping his arms around Derek's waist.

"Its peaceful without their bickering," Derek tried but Stiles just laughed at him.

"Add too to that sentence and you'll be telling the truth," The younger man grinned.

"What time are your dad and Mellisa coming over tomorrow?" Derek grunted.

"At nine, we'll start get the decorations up after breakfast," Stiles allowed the change of subject with a grin that told Derek he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Are you sure we need to have decorations in every roo…"

"Yup, just like last year and the year before that," Stiles grinned wider pecking a kiss to Derek's lips.

"But…every room…its disconcerting to go to the bathroom and have garlands in there!" Derek whined.

"Decorations in every room," Stiles said firmly.

"But…"

"Don't make me get Isaac in here to give you the puppy dog eyes," Stiles said firmly.

"Damn it, the worst bloody thing I did changing that kid," Derek growled out.

"Your love me really!" Isaac shouted through.

"Stop listening to our conversations or we'll start talking about things you never, ever want to hear!" Stiles shouted back.

"Or just hear things you never want to hear," Derek smirked before firmly squeezing Stiles arse getting the startled squeak he always got when he did that.

"Oh gross!"

"Come on!" the complaints drifted through making Stiles laugh even as he smacked Derek's chest, shoving him away to start cooking again.

Christmas mornings always rapidly descended into chaos despite the best efforts of control, wrapping paper was literally everywhere in their huge living room, the pack were spread out across the living room floor and chairs and sofas. Mellisa and the Sheriff had quickly claimed the two seater sofa and were watching with fond amusement as what had essentially over the last five years become their extended family. Derek was in his armchair with Stiles perched on his lap as they unwrapped their presents.

Everyone was laughing and chatting, hugs being given left right and centre for their presents. The smell of mince pies and apple cider were heavy on the air. And more than that, the smell of contentedness, joy, family. The tree looked beautiful and they had all chipped in to decorate the huge thing that he, Erica and Boyd had dragged in from the forest.

As soon as everyone was done and settled back looking over their presents are chatting happily, Mellisa and the Sheriff being a little gross and couply, Derek caught Stiles attention, standing and setting Stiles down on his feet before tugging him out the room, the others behind them sharing curious but unconcerned looks. Stiles followed behind Derek as he was led up the stairs and into their bedroom, Derek shutting the door firmly behind them and ensuring that the room was completely sound proofed before he turned back to Stiles.

"Are you wanting sex again? Seriously I think this has something to do with pine needles, because we went like three times this morning!" Stiles chuckled reaching for Derek as he walked towards him. His smile dropped however when he saw the expression on Derek's face, he looked worried. "Derek? You're kind of freaking me out here, and not in I got shot again and you need to cut out the bullet, but in a I think you may be about to break up with me and brought me to our sound proofed room to save me the embarrassment of doing it in front of the pack, and oh my god was the sex earlier break up sex? Where you giving me break up sex, because I'm fairly sure that both parties need to know that its break up sex for it to be break up sex because otherwise its break up sex for one person and just regular sex for the other person and…"

"Marry me!" Derek blurted out stopping Stiles ramble. "Hang on, you thought I was breaking up with you!" He choked clicking on to what Stiles had been rambling exactly while he was trying to get the words to leave his mouth.

"I thought you were! You went all serious and nervous and…wait what did you say?" Stiles stopped looking wide eyed at the alpha.

"Marry me?" Derek breathed out.

"I…oh my god are you serious? You are seriously asking me to marry you?!" Stiles choked.

"I…yes? Is that not I good thing? Because I'll take it back," Derek winced.

"Are you kidding me! Don't you dare! Have you got me a ring?" Stiles brightened. Nodding Derek silently pulled out a ring box and opened it before holding it nervously out to Stiles. He watched his human walking closer slowly as though the ring box might contain a bomb. When Stiles stopped in front of him staring wide eyed at the ring making Derek's heart thunder loudly in his ears.

"If you don't like it we can…" Derek started to say but stopped when Stiles shook his head, his hand reaching out to catch Derek's wrist.

"Its…its perfect. And yes by the way, as though there would be any other answer, but yes," Stiles breathed out pulling his eyes away from the ring to meet Derek's. Suddenly Derek's face broke into a blinding smile and he wrapped his arms tightly around Stiles before proceeding to attempt to kiss the living daylight out of him, Stiles giving back as best he got.

When they finally parted Derek quickly pulled out the silver band with a ruby in the centre the same shade as his alpha eyes, and slipped it onto Stiles' finger.

"I never thought that you would be the marrying type, we don't have to do this if its not what you want or if you think that its what I want and so you have to do it because…"

"Stiles I want to be married to you in every way, we're married by my werewolf, I want to be recognised as your mate in the human world as well," Derek said firmly.

"Husband, it would be husband…dear," Stiles grinned.

"Alright give me the ring back!" Derek growled lunging at Stiles who laughed and ran, Derek quickly grabbing him around the waist and throwing him onto the bed with another loud growl making Stiles laugh harder.

As they lay tangled together Stiles smiled happily as he looked at the ring shining on his finger where it was resting on Derek's chest. He closed his eyes and he breathed in deeply as he felt the content, pure joy passing back and forth between them and generally making the bond between them hum. He kept his eyes closed until they parted when Derek used his thumb to guide his shin up and join their lips together in a lazy, gentle kiss.

When he opened them and met Derek's blue grey eyes he smiled as he saw everything that he felt echoed back at him, and he knew that Derek was seeing the same in his. Taking a deep breath he leant up and pressed a kiss to Derek's mouth cupping his face as he kissed him and reflected on what had been shining most predominantly in both their eyes. Forever.