As Pack Mom, I Need Everyone To Laugh At My Jokes

Chapter 8

Jackson and Stiles sat in the living room in a comfortable silence, that of course Jackson had to break because he was an ass.

"Stilinski, this is the longest you've ever gone without making a dumb comment." he said, smiling at Stiles.

Usually, Stiles would make a sarcastic retort, but he just shrugged and smiled.

"You-" Jackson stopped and looked away. "This is probably just because you're the Alpha's Mate." he shook his head.

"What?" Stiles asked.

Jackson looked back at him, his face red as a beat. "You're not as annoying as I thought you were."

Stiles laughed loudly. "Thanks." he smiled at Jackson. "I think that is the nicest thing you have ever said to me."

Jackson looked away. "Yeah, uh, sorry about that. The whole making fun of you thing. I know sorry won't make anything better, but I honestly -"

"It's fine." Stiles smiled. Maybe a week ago Stiles would have just yelled at him, told him that sorry didn't make up for any of the bullshit that he put him and Scott through, but he wasn't who he was a week ago. "It's fine." he repeated, more to himself then to Jackson.

Jackson smiled.

*

The thing about the Hale House was that they made a room for everyone except Stiles. Stiles had never needed to stay, and he had been pretty sure that he never would need to stay, but now it was 3AM and his dad was on an all night shift and he didn't want to go home and be all alone.

Scott could tell there was something wrong. When they were little and the Sheriff would have a night shift, Stiles would sleep over the McCall house. The two of them would play video games until their eyes felt like they were going to melt and they would eat junk until they need to loosen their belts and they would just make the best of the night, but they weren't kids anymore. Scott barley even stayed at the McCall house.

Stiles and Jackson were playing Mario Kart in the living room, and Stiles kept talking to Jackson, keeping him awake so he had a reason to stay.

Scott could hear Stiles pulling out his last resort, talking about school. So, he got up and walked to the living room.

"Hey, Jack, why don't you go to bed, man." he said. Jackson shook his head.

"Nah, I'm fine. Stiles wanted to play another course, right?" Jackson said, blinking slowly.

Stiles smiled at him. "No, it's fine. You got to go to bed."

"You sure?" Jackson asked. Stiles nodded.

The two of them watched as Jackson stumbled, sleepily, towards his room. "Well, I guess I'll go home, then." Stiles said.

Scott could hear the sadness and disappointment dripping from his voice.

"You can stay in my room." Scott offered.

"No, it's fine. I don't -"

"Stiles, you can stay in my room." Scott interrupted him. Stiles smiled, and nodded a silent thank you.

*

Stiles woke up to the bed shifting. He pealed open his eyes and saw Jackson fitting his way between him and Scott.

Stiles smiled and shifted to make room.

He was awoken a few hours later to a light knock on the door. Scott and Jackson were in a dead sleep, so Stiles got up.

Isaac stood at the door, looking at his feet. "Can I come in?"

Stiles smiled. "Of course. I'm going to go get the rest of them so they don't wake me up later, but you get yourself comfortable, okay?" Isaac smiled.

Stiles moved from the doorway and let him in. He walked into the hallway and stretched.

He knocked on Boyd's door, but got no response. He shook his head and walked to Erica's door and knock. Boyd answered.

"Everyone is in Scott's room." Stiles said, gesturing over his shoulder. Boyd nodded and walked back into Erica's room, probably to get Erica.

Stiles told Lydia and Allison the same and the two of them both thanked him and walked to Scott's room.

Stiles stood in front of Derek's door for a few seconds, contemplating if he should knock, when the door opened. Derek stood, only in pajama bottoms. Only bottoms. No shirt. His perfectly chiseled abs in full view. Stiles only stared for a second.

"Everyone is, uh, in Scott's room." Stiles mumbled. "They're having a, uh, puppy pile and I, um, I wanted to come tell you incase you, uh, wanted to, um, like join or something."

Derek smiled. "Okay." he said in the most beautiful sleepy voice, running his hand through his perfect bed hair. He rubbed his eyes. "I'll come down in a second."

Stiles nodded, not saying anything because he didn't trust his voice.

He went back to Scott's room. Everyone was piled on top of each other. Stiles just looked for a minute, admiring the mismatch group of people that he somehow made his friends, his pack.

Derek walked in behind him, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "What a group of nerds." he said, affectionately. He picked up Erica and laid her on top of Boyd and shifted Allison and Lydia so that they were closer. He laid in the space he had made and patted the spot next to him.

Stiles smiled.