Derek inhaled suddenly, eyes opening wide. No, too much, too much. He shut his eyes tight and tried to hold his breath. It was too, too bright and every scent made it feel like his temples were caving in. Everything was all too much.

Unable to hold his breath any longer, Derek took a small steady breath in through his nose. One smell overtook the others this time, familiar and comforting. Derek leaned into it, seeking relief.

"I'm sorry," a voice sounded. It had been a whisper, but it resonated like a canon's boom through Derek's skull. He winced.

"I'm so sorry… I know it can hurt a lot. Your senses are stronger than you're used to right now. That should wear off in a few minutes."

Stiles.

Stiles was here.

Derek sat up slowly, opening his eyes hesitantly to find Stiles sitting next to him.

They were sitting on Stiles' bed, moonlight coming in lightly through the window, a small lamp in the corner the only other source of light. How long had he been out?

"You- you were dying. And I'm so sorry, but I had to bite you. I couldn't lose you. You 're a jerk and kind of an asshole and I almost never know what you're feeling, but I care about you so much, Derek, and the thought of losing you… I'm so s-" Stiles was cut off as Derek's mouth pressed against his own. Stiles' eyes opened comically wide, then flitted shut as he leaned into the kiss, cherishing the feel of Derek's lips against his.

Derek breathed in deeply, wanting to memorize the scent of Stiles and himself together. There was an overwhelming feeling of home that came with the smell. He broke the kiss, mourning the loss of Stiles' lips, but pressing his face into the younger man's neck, laying a kiss there and smelling him more. He was entirely overwhelmed by how he felt in that moment. Everything he had lost two years ago was still gone, but this, what he had here with Stiles, was entirely different and it made him feel whole for the first time in so long. Derek gripped Stiles tighter, wrapping arms and legs around him, still inhaling steadily and deeply. Something deep within him let out a feeling of satisfaction, so intense he could practically hear the voice saying "yes…". He felt a genuine smile make its way across his face, instead of his usual scowl or smirk. The muscle movement was unfamiliar, but he couldn't stop it.

"The last thing I remember is handing you your phone, and then…" Derek murmured into Stiles' neck, trailing off to allow Stiles to fill in all the blanks.

"Hunters. They shot you in the stomach. I chased them off, but by the time I got back, you were almost dead. I asked you if you were okay with the bite, because it was the only way to save you, but you weren't answering. And I couldn't lose you, Derek. I couldn't. I- I care about you, Derek. A lot. And I'm so sorry for doing this to you, for making you into this, and if you never want to see me again, I totally understand." Stiles turned to Derek, who had finally broken away from his neck.

Derek reached his hands up to cup Stiles' face. His eyes must have been so dulled before, because Stiles, in this light, was even more Stiles. His eyes were even bigger, more doe-like, and a deep golden-brown. His lips were reddened from the kiss, parted slightly. He bet, with enough time, he could count every freckle on his face. He resolved to do so one day.

The thump, thump that he hadn't been aware he was listening to began to speed up. Before he even realized it, he had attached himself to that sound, soft, and muffled and entirely his.

"You saved my life." Derek leaned in and placed a gentle kiss against Stiles' lips, continuing to speak quietly against them. "And I have no plans of leaving you anytime soon."

Derek pulled back slightly and took in the shell-shocked look on his face. Derek took a deep breath again. His nose picked up something, a new smell that the voice from inside of his head from earlier labeled as desire before letting out a growl. He smiled and rolled over on top of Stiles, pinning him down.

The feel of Stiles against him, smiling, laughing, touching felt so entirely natural to him, as if they had been doing this for a thousand years.

An engine sounded from outside. Derek broke away from a still puckering Stiles, and asked, "Who's here?"

"That," Stiles began slowly, horror dawning on his face, "would be my father getting home from work. Get down!" he stage whispered, shoving a smiling Derek under his bed.

Derek crouched under Stiles' bed, as the younger man ran downstairs. Derek could easily hear Stiles' attempt at casually introducing Derek to the Sheriff as a new member of the pack. The pack. The family. Derek had found a family, and someone who he would rather be with than anyone in the world.

AN: And there we have it! Please forgive the terribly cheesy ending, but I'd rather punch myself in the face than let Stiles or Derek be sad for longer than, like, 5 minutes.

Let me know what you think! And thanks for reading!