Sterek One Shots (manxman)

ticket for littering

"Oh thank god," Isaac says, flopping backwards.

"Where'd it come from?" Derek asks, leaning over Stiles' shoulder to poke a curious finger at the bundle. The baby unearths one hand from its blankets so it can grasp Derek's finger. He snatches it back with a hiss like he was burned and Stiles chuckles when he rises to his feet, holding the baby.

"You have as much information as us dude, we just found it," Stiles says, turns on his heels so he can thrust the baby at Derek. "C'mon, take a whiff and tell us its fortune."

Derek leans forward so tentatively that Stiles wants to outright laugh at him, but he resists the temptation. Derek's nostrils flare when he breathes in and Isaac stiffens as well.

"It's a werewolf."

*

They're crowded in one of Deaton's consulting rooms, watching him look the baby over. Erica, Isaac and Boyd are standing warily by the wall, Derek in the doorway like he's going to run for it if Stiles takes his eyes off him for a second. Jackson had taken one look at what they'd found and had held up his hands, proclaiming to be out and making himself scarce.

"He's fine," Deaton proclaims after looking in ears, taking temperatures and doing some other stuff Stiles hopes the baby never remembers because he will be back to bite Deaton's ass if he does. "I mean, he's a little warm but I figure that's normal for a werewolf." He looks to Derek for a moment who nods stiffly.

"It's a boy?" Stiles asks. He missed the unveiling and had to wait impatiently to find out.

"Yes. He can't have been out there for more than a few hours. He's not malnourished, no signs of prolonged exposure." Deaton looks at them all, serious face on. "You guys don't know of any incursions into your territory?"

The others look to Derek to answer for them all. "There were faint traces where we found the kid, nothing I could follow, nothing I recognized."

"You think it was a lone omega?" Deaton asks him.

"Makes sense. Sometimes omegas will abandon a child close to a pack's territory, hoping it will be taken in by an established pack. It's the best chance for survival."

"You mean someone just left the kid there?" Stiles asks, a little horrified. He makes grabby hands at the baby and after Deaton gives him an exasperated nod, he picks the kid up and tucks him under his chin. Stiles isn't sure how he missed it before, but the kid definitely smells like the other wolves instead of a regular baby, all earth and wild things.

"Usually a mother's instincts wouldn't let her leave... she'd have to have had no other choice," Derek says, frowning. "She might've been pursued by hunters and knew she couldn't outrun them towing a kid. We can't know for sure."

"She might just be trying to hide him. She might be coming back," Stiles says, hopeful, but he doesn't like the way Derek's face tightens at his words.

"She's most likely dead."

"Don't say that in front of the B-A-B-Y," Stiles hisses, folding his fingers over the baby's miniscule ears.

"Why are you spelling baby?" Erica asks, rolling her eyes. "Plus, he's too young to know what the hell is going on."

"Someone's got to protect his tiny sensibilities," Stiles sniffs, irked.

"I always knew you'd make a good mother someday," Erica says, grinning broadly and Stiles juggles the baby enough to be able to flip her off.

"Okay kids, what's the plan?" Deaton interjects.

"He's a baby wolf. There's no way we can hand him over to the authorities," Stiles says, jostling the baby when he starts fussing. He subsides almost immediately and it's then that Stiles notices everyone is staring at him. "What?"