Til The Dawn [Midnights #1] ✓

chapter 39

Derek looked up as Peter entered the kitchen, the sun rising steadily filling the room through the window over the sink. And after some rest and a shower, he could tell they both appeared much more human.

Or as human as two werewolves could appear.

"I made coffee," Derek announced softly, holding up his mug.

Peter groaned happily in return. "Bless you, nephew," he teased.

Derek rolled his eyes and Peter winked, giving a low chuckle, as he shuffled toward the coffee maker. He gathered the sugar and pulled the creamer from the fridge, triggering a deep sigh from Derek. He'd explained to his uncle he didn't need both, but like most things they disagreed on, which wasn't a lot thankfully, they just ignored the opposing side as long as it didn't hurt anyone.

"Oven's heating up if you want some pizza," Derek offered in an attempt to distract himself. "Takes a little longer, but it gets pretty crispy."

"Yes, and I love that you think that somehow makes it less weird that you're eating pizza for breakfast," Peter scolded jokingly.

"Whatever," Derek grunted.

With his back to Derek, Peter went about making his coffee, and he found his palms were getting sweaty just thinking about the conversation he would need to have with his uncle next. The one he'd been overthinking since last night after Stiles and Scott had gone home. Sure, yesterday had been wildly unpleasant, but today wasn't shaping up to be much better in that regard.

When he came to sit down across from Derek finally, moving his barstool until their knees were touching because half of the tile had been demolished, he took note of the loaded silence between them. He could tell that Derek wanted to talk, but as was their custom, Peter didn't push him to discuss a single thing before he was ready.

Derek sighed deeply again. "Listen, I'm sorry about Scott, okay?" he blurted out. "How'd it go after you, uh... went after him?"

"He's all right for now," Peter assured him. "He seemed to get that he can't prioritize his relationship with Allison over everything else by the time we were done talking." Derek nodded but Peter continued, not waiting for him to inject another word. "But I do think you need to understand that he can't give up everything for the pack either. Not yet, at least," he tacked on. "He might want to one day, but that's up to him. Not us."

"I think a little focus would do him some good, though," Derek insisted.

"Yeah, I'm with you. But you do know he's a teenager, right?" Peter quipped. "Do you remember being a teenager? Not exactly the smartest bunch."

Derek smirked, an eyebrow raised high. "Nope. Childhood, then adulthood. I have no memory of that teenage place."

Peter snorted. "Lucky you, asshole. Because I sure as shit remember you as a teenager. And you, sir, were a fucking butthole."

"Didn't you once tell me all teenagers were buttholes?" Derek wondered out loud, remembering a specific talk they'd had after he'd revealed he wanted to work at the high school. "And don't say butthole. We're both adults now. Say assholes."

"Butthole drives my point home more precisely because I could say something more traditional, like asshole, and I'm obviously choosing a different direction," Peter countered. "Butthole, Derek. Super. Mega. Butthole." Derek pursed his lips and took another sip of his coffee, struggling not to roll his eyes again. "My point is that teenagers are rebellious. If we tell Scott he can't see Allison, he'll just do it anyway, except it'll be behind our backs and then we won't be able to protect him."