"Dad, are you in?"

"In the Kitchen Stiles."

"Hey Dad." Stiles said as he hugged his father.

"Oh God, what is it Stiles. 24 years I know that look. You need advice, or You've done something stupid? I would have said you need me to kill somebody for you, but I don't do that and also your eyes aren't wide enough for that. Your eyebrows aren't scrunchy enough for that one either."

Stiles sighed, "Well I least I know where I get my rambling from."

"Sit, Hot Chocolate and Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches coming right up!"

"Dad, I'm not 12 years old anymore."

His father went to sit down and Stiles blushed, it was both typical and frustrating that his father would know exactly what to do and say. He hated to admit it, but he knew that he'd always be his father's little boy and that he'd never be too old for Hot Chocolate and Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwiches. He chanced a glance at his father, and said "With Marshmallows please." His father grinned at him and went to the fridge for Milk, which he warmed with Vanilla and Almond Syrup, grateful that his wife had showed him to make Hot Chocolate the same way she did. He finished making the Hot Chocolate and fetched a plate of already prepared sandwiches from the bread box.

He responded to Stiles' questioning looking, "Lydia called and said that you were a bit 'Uh-Blah' was the term she used. I figured you'd wait until the kids were at school."

"Oh! If Lydia's noticed I'm outta sorts, then I don't even want to think about how I've been behaving."

"Well that's true, you're not good at hiding your feelings. So shoot! Boy, Girl, Job or something you don't want to talk about, yet?"

"Dad, I'm not using you as an emotional sounding board. Last time I did that was when I came out to you, while you were very supportive, you were clearly uncomfortable. I might even go so far as to say emotionally constipated."

"I wasn't that bad."

"Dad, you were trying so hard to appear supportive, while being completely, obviously, and totally out of your depth. So much so that I had to excuse you from the conversation and then you gripped my shoulder and said good talk son, good talk."

His father laughed a bright and cheerful laugh, that Stiles hadn't heard since before his mother died. It was good to hear his father laugh. Stiles briefly wondered if there had been some new development, perhaps a new girlfriend. He wanted that for his father. If you'd asked him when he was 12, he'd have said no, in no uncertain terms did he want his father to move on and re-marry. But as a grown-up, who'd also lost a wife, Stiles could understand wanting to move on. So he'd wish his father every happiness, with the future Mrs Stilinski, if and when it came to that. But first he needed to vent his frustration at life, and Derek Hale.

"It just life in general, Dad."

"OK, so who is it?"

"How do you do that?"

"Your an open book, easy to read and that fact that you've brought up your sexuality and are now evading questions means that it's some guy. It's not someone from work is it?"

"No!"

"OK! Good, then what's the problem? Oh god, he's married isn't he?"

"Dad! He's not married, but he is straight, I'm just being stupid. I'm attracted to him, but it's never going to go beyond that, so I'm a little upset."

"OK, so who is he? I don't like when your crushes don't have a name, the last time that happened he had a mugshot and a criminal record."

"Derek Hale."

"Derek Hale, oh!"

"Oh! Oh, what? God he's got a mugshot and a criminal record too, hasn't he? God it's so obvious with the stubble and the leather jacket, how did i not see this coming and now I've agreed to go for drinks with him. I'm gonna wind up dead in an alley, when he realises I'm checking him out."

"Clearly you've got the wrong end of the stick. Derek works for the Hale Legal Trust, well owns actually, but I guess you two have something in common. His last boyfriend had a mugshot and criminal record too."

"Oh, that's great... boyfriend. You mean he's gay and stuff?" Stiles stopped smiling long enough to take a bite from his peanut butter and banana sandwich.

"Yes Stiles he's gay and stuff."

"I knew I kept you around for a reason, you always know the right thing to say Dad."